The National tribune., 1897-04-29
THE SUNDAY-ScH00L.
International Lesson Appointed
for May 9, 1897.
subject: st. PauPs First Missionary Sermon.
Acts, Is: 26-43.


l. Data-We study Acts, ID: 26-43. The
speech, in fact covers verses Is to II. It's best
also, in connection with the speech to study the
introductory verses IA. 10. and the concluding
verses AZ, 43. This plan gives unity to our
work.
@ Time.-We may say A. D. As. It was on
Saturday. v. Is.
g. Place.-The scene of this lesson Is Antioch
in Pisidis. v. IA. We are not to confound this
with Antioch in Syria, where disciples of Jesus
were first called Christians.
Pisidia was q division of Asia Minor. Tho
first mention of it is in Xenophon's Anabasis.
We have several references to it in connection
with the doings of Alexander the Great. 1t is
thought the people were mostly Semitic.
Antioch. There were Is cities SO named and
we see good reason for saying Antioch in
Pisidia. 1t was founded by Seleucus Nicanor.
There are found now ruins at that place of a
magnificent aqueduct. some temples and a
great theater. 1t must once, say, in tho time Of
ST. Paul, have been magnificent and quite ex-
tended city. Its inhabitants were evidently
unusually depraved. for when SITS. Paul and
Barnabas left it, they shook off the dust of
their feet" ". SD as indicative of their great
indignation against the residents.
The place in which the address was delivered
was a synagog in Antioch. SITS. Paul and Bar
nabas were very like Christ. who made it u rule
every Saturday to find a place of worship.
From ST. Paups bringing up, from his nation
atty, from his religious incliuations, it was
very natural for him to go to the synagog
4. Speaker.-The orator was ST. Paul. V. Is.
1t is pleasant to think of what great change
had come over the speaker. We can hardly
imagine him holding the clothes of those who
stoned st. Stephen to death and asserting to
approving of such cruelty. 81. 1t is hard
to think he once made havoc Of Christians.
s:3. Now we see him the bold, enobie elo-
qnent defender of Jesus. and the most able ex-
FOUNDER of the religion of Christ.
!. STRANGERS RECEIVED coURTEoUsLY.
s. Hearers-Since the address of st. Paul was
delivered in a synagog, we may infer the audi.
ence was mostly Jewish. We notice st. Paul
addresses his hearers thus: Men of Israel
fVs. 16, 26, 3S); people of Israel" ". ~.
Indeed the hearers are called Jews in VS.. AZ.
A. 1t seems from V. AZ that Gentles were not
of the congregation ". 43) addressed by st.
Paul
G. Circumstances.-s Paul and Barnabas
were strangers in Antioch. Going to the syna-
COG they were, it would seem, received court
eously. According to Jewish custom selection
of tue Scriptures was chosen each Saturday to
be read i'll every Jewish synagog. The portion
was prescribed. and was uniform for any
particular Saturday (Sabbath) throughout the
Jewish places Of worship. After the reading of
said selection it was customary to have one or
more addresses.
z. Dirsions.-We may consider the address
from three standpoints. and SO have three
paragraphs for our study. Verses 16 to % in.
elusive; Verses &c to 81 inclusive Verses 35
to Al inclusive.
8. Verses 16 to 25.-This paragraph gives
summary history OF the Jews from tho time Of
the Exodus to the preaching of ST. John Baptist,
covering about l.500 years. Cnanaan ". 1877
is the same as Canaan. st. Paul shows that
Christ was the One toward whom the Jewish
race had been all along looking-a Jew-One
whom Jews should welcome.
JEWS NOT MURDERoUsLY DISPOSED.
8. Verses % to This paragraph continues
the speech of ST. Paul. 1t can be surely said
he preached Christ aud Him crucifed. The
speech is direct, plain, bold, personal The re-
cital covers the whole field of Christology. II
is very respectful. 1t breathes loyalty to his
own race. It's in fact apologize. 1t attributes
the death of Christ On the part of Jews as the
| result not of outright murderOus intent, but as
q product of ignorance. They had read the
Old Testament ESQ far as then written), but had
failed to grasp its Specification.
The stock of Abraham" " 26) Is distin-
guished from those fearing God by the fact
tho first were those who were Jews by birth;
the latter, proseytes.
The expression they knew him not" ".
81 is not mere euphemism, not uttered to pal
late guilt, but fact for Christ Himself de.
clared on the cross as to his murderers "They
know not what they do" The guilt was due to
ignorance; and the ignorance resulted more
from q lack of comprehension than from want
of information. We must understand. rightly
| interpret what we read, if we would not 20
sstray.
TO- Verses 49, Al inclusive.-st. Paul sets forth
Christ as the Saviour. He addresses his hear
ers. not abusively as enemies of Jews but still
as men and brethren" Bad as they had been
there yet was hope for them, /" forgiveness of
SINS" V. 38. Christianity exceeds in grace
even the law of Notes.-The cross is more merci.
full than the ark. Sin is disastrous in its bad
consequences. Our business is- to believe, not
TO despise; to work. not to wonder; to cling to
Jesus, and not to Moses exclusively; to con-
meet the Gospel with the law; to interpret
rightly the Holy Scriptures; to try not only
to know. but to understand; not to perish, but
to seek life everlasting.
GOOD SERMONS WORTH REPEATING.
| ii. Suggestions.-In verse az there is call for
tho repetition Of sermon. and then even on
the next Sabbath after its first delivery. There
| are times when it is we'll to present the same
discourse even to the same congregation,
Dr. Addison Alexander preached his glorious
sermon on the Faithful Saying" until he
wore out The manuscript, and Dr. Griffin re.
peated his elaborate discourse ON the Worth
of the Soul" 80 times! He never wearied
OF 1t, nor his audience either. His congrega-
tions change constantly, and memories arc
leaky q frst-rate, practical sermon ought to
be repeated with extempore improvements
about once in five years.
4 Serve your generation. V. SO. David
died after he had served his generation. 1t is
serious thing to pass from life not having full.
filled its purposes; not having been os service
to humanity.~No epitaph more enviable could
be desired than the statement in truth that the
deceased had not proved failure by neglect.
ing his duties, by being careless of his associ-
ates by forgetting his generation.
Weowe obligations to our age, more narrowly
to our own nation; yet more particularly to our
community, specially to our own families
and selves. There is no more inspiring biog.
raphy than that of David. Reading his life,
one is onvinced ST. Paul was correct in assert
ing tbat David was not an idler, but man
ieit by his times; man Of action in useful
lines; man busy In the interest of society
not an antiquarian living in ages before his
birth, nor dreamer living in an imaginary
future age. but enc making his own genera
ton the happier by his contact with it, II is
not said OF David that be served HIMSELF
ANALYSIS FOR THE BLACKBOARD,
]. Where found? Acts, 10: I6- al inc.
z. When spoken? A. ID. 45.
8. Wkere3 Antioch in Pisidia