The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-04-16

international Lesson for Apvtl IN
estiles Converted at Antt.
Och-Asts

TENT.-Then hath God also
10 the Gentles granted repentance unto
hfe.-Acts Ill
The section includes tho rest OF the chap
ter from verse 10. The story of the found
Ing of the church at Antioch.
TIME.-The lesson starts with the death
Of stephen. A. ID. 81, but its emphasis Is on
the founding and first years of the church.
a. d. ~ TO A. The famine began the lat
ter part or a. u. ~. and continued two
years. Paul preached In Antioch during
S3. a. and he with Barnabas reached Jcr-
usalem C. 800 about the time OF the Pass
PLACE.-Antioch. 900 miles north OF
Jerusalem, IL Mas the capital OF Syria,
and one Of the greatest and most luxurious
cities In the world at that time.
EXPLANATORY.
I~.-Founding of the First Gentle
Church. at Antioch--Vs. 1921. 10.
Scattered abroad upon the persecu-
ton = = . about Stephen" We 10Y
return to chapter s:1-4, three years pre-
vious 10 our lesson, in order TO take up
a new thread of influence. The au-
thorities tried to blow out the Gospel
fire kindled by the Holy Spirit. but it
only made it burn the brighter. AS
far as Phenice:" Phenicia, the strip of
coast between the Mediterranean and
the mountains of Lebanon, extending
125 miles from n point a little below
Tyre. northward TO Beirut, from which.
in the autumn of 1895, a railroad was
opened 10 Damascus. Cyprus" large
island in the Mediterranean, 60 miles
from the Palestine coast. And An
tioch," the most northern large city on
the coast. preaching the word to y
Jews only" According to the
practice and feelings of the Jewish
Christians when they left Jerusalem.
90. Some Of them" the scattered
disciples, men of Cyprus" That is.
Jews who were natives of Cyprus and
Cyrene." in Africa. who had been living
in Jerusalem. and became disciples
there. These were Grech-speaking
Jews, who. having lived abroad were
not so intensely Jewish as those who
had always lived in Jerusalem. .Spake
unto the Grecians:" The best manu-
scripts nave Greeks (as in II. w. and
this is clearly the correct reading. The
New Testament uses IIellenistae-Gre-
clans. TO mean those jews vino had been
abroad and spoke the Greek language,
or else for proselytes. but Hellencs-
Greeks. when the heather population is
spoken Of.
I'll. "Thc hand" the symbol Of power
and Of work, "of the Lord" the head of
the church. Thus "a great number be-
licved:" The Lord proved by his power
in touching their hearts and renewing
their lives that He wanted these people
in His church. They were received APP
parently without contention or opposi-
ton. as the logical result Of their be-
lieving and the Divine favor of the plan.
III. Aid and Encouragement from the
Mother Church.-vs. 22-24. %. Then
tidings:" The report concerning "these
things" "Cnto the ears of the church
which was in jerusalem" The church
was in a measure prepared for this new
development by the work in Samaria.
reported by Peter and John. and by the
conversion of Cornelius. and the gift
of the Holy Spirit TO the Gentiles in
Cesaria. and the report of it by Peter.
one of the chiefest of the apostles.
"They sent forth Barnabas:' O) To
learn the circumstances and see that
all was right. (2) To prevent any abuses
or discord arising between tie Jewish
and Gentle converts. of which the Sc
quel shows the real danger G4:19: IS:
j. 25.) CD Barnabas was sent TO aid and
encourage and instruct the new dis
ciples and preserve the unity of the dis
ciples throughout the world.
"a. For he was a good nan Not
merely honest and upright, but gem
erous. kindly, loving, c~onciliating. This
was shown in his JOY hat Gentiles were
converted as well as Jews. and through
others as well as himself. He had the
beauty of holiness, the graces of re-
ligion. Full of the Holy Ghost" He
lived in the Spirit and was endowed with
power by the spirit. And of faith
Perfect trust in the Lord. perfect conf
dence that Jesus was the Messiah; per-
feet devotion to His cause. lie preached
what he most heartily believed. "And
much people was added unto the Lord
qualities described above. his goodness.
his faith. the power Of the Holy Ghost.
III. Twofold Training by Barnabas
and Paul.-Vs. IS, &c. 25. Then depart
ed Barnabas:" () The numbers were
too great for one alone. (2) There was
an immense field ripe for the harvest.
(3) There was need of counsel and great
wisdom to guide the new church Alright,
especially as there were two elements
in the church "a There was need of
another element. Of instruction and
training in doctrine. than Barnabas'
special talents would provide. And Bar
noba was wise enough to see this and
good enough to provide for it. ITO Tar
sus. for to seek Saul" The word seek"
implies diligent and anxious search
Saul was preaching somewhere in CT
licia. busy about his Masters work
(o:30.).
26. "A whole year they (Barnabas n
PauD assembled themselves with the
church tat their places of Worship and
taught" The young church, Just de-
livered from heathenisln, has especial