The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-03-24
SABBATH SCHOOL,
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOl
MARCH 2S.
Review for the First Quarter-Golden'
Text: Acts xiii, 24-Com-
mentary.

LESSON L-Ghrist's Ascension (Aesg l. /.
1-14.) Golden Text-Luke XIV, 81, "Whtle
He blessed them He was parted from them
and carried up into heaven" The golden
text Tor the review, ''The word Of God grew
and multiplied" describes the work Of the
Holy Spirit through the apostles after the
ascension Of Christ. We must keep before
US the great fact that 1t was and still Is the
purpose OF God to bless the whole earth
through Israel Cps. xvii. IT; Isa- TX. 1-8;
Jer. ILL.,. II, 18; Rom. XII, IL. 15). but. Israel
having rejected and crucifled their King, the
return (Luke xix, II, IL; Acts ill.,. 20, 21).
In the meantime we live In "the mysteries
Of the kingdom"
LESSON 1.-THE Holy Spirit Given (Acts
H., 1-13). Golden Text-Acts H., 4, "fhey
were all filled with the Holy Ghost" AL
though these disciples had been daily under
the teaching of the Lord Jesus for several
years, yet they were not qualified to be His
witnesses, but had to walt until filed with
the Holy Spirit, for He alone could accom-
plish in and through them what the Lord
accomplish the work Of the Lord, but only
the Spirit Of the Lord Czech. iv., g. When;
filed, they spake as the Spirit gave them
LESSON In-A Multitude Converted
(Acts IL, 32-47). Golden Text-Acts H.,
"The promise IS unto you and your childf
and to all that are afar Off" When
strangers at Jerusalem from all parts Of Z
world heard these unlearned men speaki1
In all languages and declaring the wonde
full works Of God, they were amazed, al
wine. Peter, then standing forth, declarl
in the power Of the Spirit the facts Of I'll
case, and from the Scriptures preached
Christ unto them with the result that aboul
5000 believed and were baptized, and th@
Lord continued to add daily those being
saved oversees Al, 47).
LESSON Iv.-The Lame Man Healed
(Acts ill.,. 1-l6). Golden Text, Acts I'LL,
1e. ) "His name, through faith In
His name, hath made this man strong"
The disciples seem to have frequented the
temple, probably for the purpose Of teach
ing, even as Jesus had done (see chapter W,
2O), and on this occasion the Lord through
them gave health to a man over forty years
old who had never walked step (verse2 q
and chapter w., 22).
Lesson v.-The Boldness OF Peter and
John (Acts w., 1-14). Golden Text-Acts
w., -, ''There is none other name under
heaven given among men whereby we must
be saved" AS the power Of God Is increas-
ingly seen the devils anger increases, and
the apostles suffer Imprisonment and threat
ening. IA
LESSON VI.-True and False Giving (Acts
w., so, to ", 11). Golden Text Sam. xvi, !,
7, "Man looketh on the outward appearance,
but the Lord looketh on the heart" With
such great power gave the apostles witness
of the resurrection OF the Lord Jesus that
the grace of God was upon them ali. and
many sold their property and put all the
proceeds in the common fund that more OF
the believers might lack anything; for then,
as now among the Jews, those believing In
Christ would probably be cast off by their
friends and find themselves destitute Of
temporal things Gods hatred Of deceit is
seen in His judgment of the liars.
LESSON VlL.-The Prison Opened (Acts ",
1880. Golden Text-Acts ", 29, 1--WE
ought to obey God rather than men,"
Sstan's rage increases, and again the apostles
are imprisoned, but no walls or bolts or
soldiers can hold them unless the Lord Is
willing that they should be held; so he
sends an angel, who delivers them and sends
them to the temple to continue teaching the
words of life. When again arrested IN the
temple in the morning and brought before
the council, Peter again breaches Christ
for 1t, when let 60 they continued daily to
temple and from house to house.
LESSON VIIL-The First Christian Martyr
(Acts vi, S-15; vii, 54-60). Golden Text !.
Rev. II, 10, "Be thou faithful unto death,
and will give thee crown Of life" The
power OF the Holy Spirit Is as necessary to
serve table as to preach the gospel. and II
one Is willing to serve whole heartedly in
humble service he will be led forth TO greater
things. The wisdom and spirit which they
were not able to resist was not any wisdom
Of Stephen, but that of the Holy Spirit In
Stephen, even the wisdom and Spirit OF God.
Stephens sermon, like Peters, was chiefly
quotations from or references iof Scripture,
and having giving his testimony he went
home TO be with Jesus. He Is the first re-
corded as seeing Jesus after His ascension.
LESSON IX--The Disciples Dispersed (Acts
viii, LID. Golden Text-Acts viii, 4, "They
that were scattered abroad went everywhere
preaching the word" The last words OF
Christ ere He assembled were, "Go ye into oil
the world, and preach the gospel to every
creature" and "Ye shall be Witnesses unto
Me unto the uttermost part OF the earth"
MARK xvi. Is; Acts |, 81, yet up to the time
Of our lesson the witnesses do not seem to
have left Jerusalem. r...-l
LESSON X.-The Ethiopian Convert (Acts
vii, 26-40). Golden Text-Acts viii, IS,
s'Then Philip opened his mouth and began
at the same Scripture and preached unto
him Jesus" Perhaps none Of the scattered
abroad had gone to Ethiopia, but the Lord
had his chosen ones even there and Will
somehow reach them also. ~
LESSON XI.-Saul. the Prosecutor, Con-
verted (Acts *, 1-12, 1920. Golden Text
Il Tim. l., IT,, "This Is faithful saying
and worthy of all acceptation that Christ
Jesus came Into the world to save sinners"
Things impossible with men are possible
with God, and there is nothing too hard or
wonderful for God Guke xviii, 27; Jer.
xxi, ~. The time came for this blasphe-
mer to be stopped, and in His own way, by
His own power, the Lord humbled him and
brought him to Himself.
LESSON XII..-Christian Self Restraint q
Cor. tx, 1920. Golden Text Cor. *,
IS. "Every man that striveth for the mas.
terry is temperate In all things. Salvation is
the free gilt of God through the finished
work Of Christ, and no works or strivings OF
ours have any part In our redemption (Rom.
ill.,, a.; iv., S; Eph. H., 8, 9; Titus ILL.,, 81,
but when saved through Christ it Is that we
may abound in good works (Titus ILL.,, 8; Eph.
IL, lO). as the evidence OF our redemption,
and for these works which God prepares for
US we shall be rewarded at the coming OF
Christ (Luke xiv, IA; Rev. XIII, II; II Jobu
viii, Cor. ill.,, IA, 15). The special work
OF our lesson is denial Of self. Lesson
Helper.