The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-07-14
THE SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR JULY 10.

Lesson Text: "Paul at Thessalonica and
Berea,'' Acts xviii, 1-12-Golden Text:
Acts kill, documentary on the
Days Lesson by the Rev. ID. NJ. Stearns.
1. Now when they had passed through
Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to
Thassaionica, where was a synagogue of
the Jews See this company of men in
this world for God. They nave no aim but
to honor Him. Their ono thought is to
magnify the Lord Jesus Christ (Phil. l.,
20), and to this end they are under the
control of the Holy Ghost, passing through
this town or that and stopping only where
He directs. Whether in prison orin Lydia's
house. on the road or in the synagogue,
their one business is to glorify God and
make Him known. Thessalonica was about
100 miles southwest of Philippi, so that it
must have been several days journey; but,
rs is usual in Scripture, the incidents OF
the journey are omitted. They "passed
through and ''came to-"
2. "And Paul, as his manner was, went
in unto them, and three Sabbath days
reasoned with them out Of the Scriptures"
"To the Jew first" was ever Paul's prin-
ciple in going after the people with the
gospel (Rom. l., 16), and who can tell what
we are losing by not continuing to act on
this principle. both with the gospel and
with gifts for missions? He had but one
textbook, the Scriptures, which he fully
believed was sufficient to furnish any ona
thoroughly for every good work Oh Tim.
ill.,, 16, ~. He was not full Of the opinions
Of men; but, being the Lords messenger,
he carried the Lords message alag. l., 13).
8. Opening and alleging that Christ must
needs have suffered and risen again from
the dead, and that this Jesus whom preach
unto you is Christ" The Jews were. look.
ing for a Messiah to sit on David's throne
and subdue their enemies and make Israel,
as in the days OF Solomon, the first nation
on earth, and in this expectation they were
perfectly right, for this was promised by
the prophets and will yet surely be fulfilled
Elsa. tx, 6, 7;Jer. ill.,, II, 1S; Zech. xiv, 6, I'D.
But 1t was just as plainly foretold and FORE
Swallowed that the Messiah would also
suffer and die and rise from the dead be.
fore He would thus reign as David's son on
David's throne (Gen. ill.,, Is; lisa. ill.,; Ps.
xvi. and xii, etc..
4. "And some Of them believed and con-
sorted with Paul and Silas," and a multi
tude of men and women, the verse goes on
to say. Just as in Gen. H. the Spirit moved,
God spake, and the work was done, so here
and so always His word will accomplish His
pleasure and prosper in the thing whereto
He sends 1t Elsa. w., 11). It Is ours to be
faithful messengers; 1t Is His to accomplish
the work. There Is perfect rest in His work
when We are willing that He should do 1t
all and as He pleases, we believing In His
hand for His pleasure.
8. "But the Jews which believed not,
moved with envy, took unto them certain
lewd fellows" Then followed a mob and a
riot and an assault, for the devil was losing
some Of his property, and he was stirred
nightly, as at Philippi, to do somewhat to
resist the truth and the power Of God, and
80 for q time the saints must suffer with
Christ. Fellowship with Him in suffering
is a great. privilege not appreciated by the
saints as it should be (Phil. l., 90; ILL.,, 10;
Col. l., 24).
6. "These that have turned the world up
side down have come hither also" Not
finding the apostles, they took Jason and
other brethren to the city rulers with these
and other accusations. It was surely quite
q compliment to say that these men had
power to turn the world upside down.
There ought to have been enough of the
supernatural in that to make them stop
II consider, but when men are blinded
by anger they consider neither their words
nor their deeds. The facts In the case are
because of sin, and Jesus, whom these men
preached, Is the only one who can set 1t
right side up (Ez. xxi, 81.
Z. These all do contrary to the DEGREES
Of Caesar, saying that there is another
king, one Jesus" Caesar is the earthly,
under the God Of this world-that is, the
devil. Jesus is the heavenly, representing
the only living and true God, God manifest
in the flesh, and we must choose one or the
other. His own to whom He came chose
Caesar instead Of Him John XIX, 12), and
Caesar they have had from that day to this.
The world and the church, the worldly
person and the Christian, are as opposite
as darkness and light and can no more as
simulate than water and oil, but they m
times try desperately hard to mix up. See
Jas. w., 4; John H., 1917.
8, 8. "And they troubled the people and
the rulers Of the city when they heard these
things" So, when Christ was born King
Of the Jews, Herod and all Jerusalem were
come in His glory the world lying in the
wicked one shall be greatly troubled Grew.
l., 7; XII, 18), and their troubles may never
end, for all who die in their sins shall have
torment for ever and ever Grew. xiv, II;
Mark tx, 43, ~.
10. "And the brethren Immediately sent
away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea."
SO they move on in His name, witnessing
unto Him, and again we find them in a
synagogue OF the Jews. The Masters in
5tructions were to pass or when not want
cd duke x, 10; Math. X, 23), but some
find it hard even yet to obey these orders,
and the more they are not wanted the more
they seem to stay, to their own and others
discomfort and doubtless to the grief Of the
Holy Spirit.
II. "These were more noble than thosein
Thessalonica in that they received the word
with all readiness Of mind and searched the
Scriptures daily whether those things were
So" How foolish to have remained amid
the opposition of Thessalonica when this
open door awaited them where the people
were ready to hear and receive the word!
What blessing those are missing who are
not willing to follow where He leadeth and
let Him manage 6s he pleasethl No will
but His, and no way but His is the only
true way.
~. Therefore many of them believed;
also OF honorable women which were, and
Of men not a few" This Is almost the re-
verse Of verse 4 as to men and women.
Again, His word accomplished His pleas
ure, and many were saved. The Spirit
moved, the word was spoken, and the work
was done. The next verse tells of the per-
sistence Of the devil in sending his servants
from Thessalonica to stir up persecution,
and so it will be till he shall be shut up in
the pit for q thousand years. But the saints
have naught to fear, for our Lord shall not
fail nor be discouraged. He shall see of
the travail Of His soul and shall be salts
fled, and every purpose Of the Lord shall be
performed (lsa. xiii, 4; ILL.,, IL; Jer. lvii.,
29).-Lesson Helper.