The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-10-27
THE SABBATH SCHOOL,.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR OCTOBER 81.

wreck" Acts xvii, 13-28-Golden
Text: Acts xvii, 25-Commentary on
the Days Lesson by Rev. d. NJ. stearns.
13. "And when the south wind blew soft
ly, supposing that they had obtained their
purpose, looslng thence they sailed close
by Crete.' Paul, with Aristarchus,
fellow prisoner (Acts xix, 20; Col. iv., 1O,
Is now at sea on his way to Rome. They
touched at Sidom and thence near Cyprus
to Myra on the mainland of Lycia, in Asia
Minor. There he was transferred to O ship
OF Alexandria bound for Italy, and after
many days OF slow sailing rounded the east
end OF Crete and reached the Fair Havens,
on the south coast of Crete. Here they
spent much time, until Paul advised them
not to venture further on account of the
season, but the master and owner and the
majority advised to try and reach the port
OF Phenice, a little farther west In Crete,
and winter there. SO with light wind
they started, keeping as near the land as
possible. Paul Is In the hands, humanity
speaking, OF those who know not God, but
he is really In the hands Of God and can
trust Him to manage. 70
IA, IS. A mighty wind from the land
arose, against which the ship could not bear
up, and they were compelled to let her run
before 1t. Was this of God or the devil that
they were thus driven out to sea? We know
that satan Is the prince OF the power Of the
air. and that he caused the wind that blew
down the house upon Jobs children and
killed them Dob l., 10, 19), but he could not
do 1t without Gods permission. God con-
trolls the angels who control the winds, and
even the stormy wind fulflls His word
(Rey. viii, l; Ps. cxlyiii., 81. We must see
God alone. .....
16, II. The storm Increased. Under the
lee of the island Of CLAUDIA they get the
small boat on board which had evidently
been towing astern. They somehow under
gird the ship, then lower the sail and let
her drive. under bare. poles. What about
the condition OF the passengers among the
not supposed to feel anything, never to
know they are sick till they are dead, but
many ordinary people do get awfully sick
in storm. This must have been sad
ship. And yet there were some on 1t very
dear to the Lord Jesus. ~,
1S, 19. Exceedingly tossed with tenn
pest" Well, there Is no use to say word
about this unless you have been In such
circumstances yourself. It was bad case,
no more sea (Rev. XXI, y. Yet even under
such circumstances the Prince Of Peace can
| control ones heart. In health or sickness,
| life or death, we can be quiet In His loving
care.
20. Call hope that we should be saved
was then taken away" Surely they were
at their wits end (Ps. cvii., 90, or, as In
the margin, Call their wisdom was swal-
| lowed up" The case was, as far as human
| one think of the sinner having no hope
and without God in the world Eph. IL, 12),
| or, as in Rom. ", 6, without strength"
But there is a Saviour for the lost, and only
| for such. He said, II came not to call the
righteous, but sinners, to repentance"
. 81. "But after long abstinence Paul stood
! forth In the midst of them" They had
tasted for fourteen days (verse 3S), and
must have felt forlorn indeed and ready for
a word Of comfort from any one who might
have it for them. None but God could
ready to be the messenger. He Is the Father
of mercies and the God Of all comfort QI
Cor. l.. 81, but we cannot fully appreciate
it or Him till we get into strait places.
%. "And now exhort you to be Of good
cheer, for there shall be no loss Of any
mans life among you, but Of the ship"
He emphasized 1t by adding, 'There shall
not an hair fall from the head Of any Of
you." and he took bread and gave thanks
|
gan to eat Oversees 81, 35). ~
%. 'For there stood by me this night
the angel Of God, whose am and whom I
serve" This and the next two verses are
to me the very heart of this lesson. Take
the words, "God, whose am" and think
OF what Is included. His property, which
He will certainly cure for, His child, whom
He will certainly see to, loved by the Lord
Jesus as the Father loves Him (John xv.,
81, bought with the precious blood OF
Christ, and therefore as precious to God as
that blood is; a part OF Christ Himself, q
member Of His body. We need not hesi-
tate to say, '.The most high God, the pos
| SCISSOR Of heaven and earth, owns me-" and
take all the comfort there is for US. Then
consider "whom serve" and remember
that we cannot serve God and Mammon;
neither can we serve Christ and please
men (Math. VI, "a; Gal. t., 1O):
must be brought before Caesar, and, 10,
God hath given thee all them that sail
with thee" This is confirmation of the
Lords testimony to him in Jerusalem
"Thou must bear witness at Rome (chap-
ter xiii, 11). The Lords "musts"
are as sure as God Himself, whether
"ye must be born again" or "all
things must be fulfilled" Every pur-
pose of the Lord shall be performed,
| anu du DIS LuOuSutS COho w
pass Ger. Ii. 20; Isa. xiv, 24). It was the
| Lords purpose that Paul should be His
witness at Rome, and therefore 1t was as
good as done, although in this storm every
thing seemed against 1t. How blessed are
the "fear nots'' Of God from the first one
in Gen. xv., l, to the last In Revelationl
His perfect love casts out all fear, apd the
soul that rests in Him can truly say,
"What time I am afraid I will trust In
Thee. will trust and not be afraid"
25. "Wherefore, sirs, be OF good cheer,
for believe God, that 1t shall be even as
1t was told me-" Verse A says, "And so 1t
came to pass" Whatever God says Is as
sure as If 1t had already come to pass, so
we should say continually, 81 believe God"
| The first "believe" in the Bible Is In Gen.
| xv., 6, where 1t Is said Of Abraham, "He
believed in the Lord, and he counted 1t to
Him for righteousness" It might be lit
erally translated Abraham amened God,"
or said amen to God. So did jeremiah
long afterward. See Jer. XII, 5, in the mar
gin. 1t becomes US to be ever saying, Even
so, Father, or, as Mary said, "Be 1t unto me
according to Thy word"
26. "Howbeit we must be cast upon q
certain island?" There must have been
good reason for that also or it would not
have been so. 1t is written in Eek. xiv,
%, "Thou shalt know that have not done
without cause all that I have done in
it. saith the Lord God" Everything In
the life Of child Of God is beforehand ar
ranged for Gods glory and his highest
good, Let US not seek to Introduce addt-
tions Of our own, but be content with His
plan.-Lesson HELPER.