Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1897-04-13

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44H same tifne th3t IL
H was so plainly stat
\~Rf Nv ed by Peter to Cor
SM nv nelius at Caesarea.
N1~ BarnabaS was sent
from Jerusalem 10
100 Antioch perhaps as
aS early as Al or AZ A. ID.
We know that the
famine mentioned in verse %, "a: the close
of the passage selected for our study,
was at it's worst in \. ID. "A. Barnabas
went to Tarsus for Saul perhaps in 43.
and he. with Barnabas. reached Jerusa-
lem about the time of the passover in the
spring of a. ID. "A. Placc.-'rhe city of
Antioch. the metropolis of Roman Syria,
cnthroned like queen of beauty on the
verge Of the blue Mediterranean. Its
enchanting groves were the abodes of lust
and its half million inhabitants were
abandoned TO sin, which some of them
pursued as "A business, some pleas
ure. and. strange TO say. nearly all as a
religion. The Preachers:-ro Antioch
came a little company of believers in Je-
sus. who had fled from Jerusalem because
of the persecution by Saul of Tarsis. AT
hrst they disclosed their treasure of sal
Eation only IN "a Jewish synagogue, but
having breathed the broad spirit of Steph-
en-. they soon told the story of the cross
10 Gentiles. Gods Spirit attended the
preaching Of the word, and many souls
were saved. Around these unnamed
preachers, the unconscious founders OF q
worldwide Christianity, grew up u
t!luTtn where the uiStinctlCIlS Jt" anu
Gentle We're for the time being forgotten.
IL is strange story: how the mother
Church at Jerusalem was startled by the
news of this innovations how the liberal
minded Barnabas was sent to Antioch TO
direct the new movement; how the work
80 grew upon this good mans hands that
before long he realized the need of a help,
er; how out of all the believers he selected
that very Saul whose persecution had
been the means of sending the nrst
preachers to Antioch; how the little band
l.lh . fyNaF lln
street was thronged: how the growing
faith was baptized with new name; and
how from this Church were first sent lb-
erai gifts 10 saints III need. and the first
stream of missionary effort went forth 10
convert the world.
~ Now they which were scattered abroad
upon the persecution that arose about
stephen travelled as far as Phenice. and
Cyprus. and Antioch, preaching the word
10 none but unto the Jews only. 20 And
some of them We're men OF Cyprus and
Cyrene, which, when they were come 10
Antioch, spake unto the GreCianS, preach
ing the Lord Jesus. u And the hand of
the Lord was with them: and great
number believed. and turred unto the
Lord. ~ Then tidings of these things
came unto the ears of the church which
was in Jerusalem and they sent forth
Barnabas, that he should 20 as far as
Antioch. % Who. when he came. and had
seen the face Of God. was glad aud eX-
horted them all. that with purpose of
heart they would clcave unto the Lord.
q For he was IA good man, and fun of tho
Holy Ghost and of faith: and much peo-
ole was added uuto the Lord. - Then
departed Barnabas To Tarsus, for 10 seek
saul: % Antioch: who when he was
come, and had seen the grace OF God.
was glad; and he eXhorted them all that
with purpose of heart they would cleave
unto the Lord, = fer he was a good man.
and full OF the Holy Ghost and of faith:
and much people.
To-day's lessen should alsc include l
Cor l2-26.
-. Ii Christ he preached that he rose
from the dead. how say some among you
that there is no resurrectlon--ln every
center of the ancient world Paul and
other consecrated men We're proclaiming.
with unequaled enthusiasm and power,
q new creed and "a new personal expert
ence. which in blessed results far outdid
all the religions men had ever heard of.
But the very gist of this creed, the very
basis Of this experience was that q liv-
ing man, who while ON earth secured the
salvation of his fellow-men, now sits on
for all his foilowers-divine in his power
human In his sympathy. Ii. III there be
no resurrection of the dead then Is CHRIST
not risen-The same truth turned around.
Christ died TO raise us from the dead TO
eternal life. But Ii he had not power to
raise himself he cannot raise us. But II
some Of YOU teach--then. of course, he
had not power to raise himself. II you
deny either you must deny both. Ia. but
see where such denial VIII bring you:
Our preaching vain, and your faith is
also yain-Destroy the resurrection, and
you have destroyed Christianity from
root 10 topnost bough. III you cannot be
sure OF any of the Gospel story YOU must
leave out all that relates to the resurrec-
ton of our Lord: you cannot be sure or
any Christian doctrine II you must deny
tian hopes group themselves about this
precious truth; it is the foundation of our
OF God-The twelve were .'eyewitnesses'
of the resurrection of Christ. which had
occurred only twenty-five years before
this epistle was written. Paul heard OK
It not then from them merely. but by d.
rect revelation. But TX IL was false.
then altogether were false witnesses-the
basest frauds" that ever lived. u. This
verse Is the repetition OF verse IL. II.
Ye are yet In your sins~-four pardon de-
ponds on Christs atonement. But If he
does not ever live above. for you to in
terccde," the atonement story Is a fiction,
and your faith In vain-that Is, good for
nothing. iS Death ends all If there Is
no resurrection: there are no heavenly
""harpers harping ON their harps." for
ever glorfying Him who brought them
up from the grave. l9. Ii In this life only
We have hope In Christ. We are OF all
all men most deluded. We are SacrifiC-
ing everything for nothing "one main
spring of right action In men. as DR..
Dods puts il. is gone. 20. a noticeable
verse. because of the emphatic assertion
OF the first clause, and because of the
two beautiful figures OF speech in the
SECOND clause: a. Christ has become the
first fruits" OF the dead: he is Gods
pledge that all shall rise. See Lev. %. TO-
il. (a) Those who have died have. after
ali. only slept" u. Both death and life
after death are consequences, the first
OF Adams sim the second OF Jesus tri-
umph over sin %. All who are in their
nature Identical with Adam (and that is
all of us, die; all who are in their nature
identical with Christ Chose Of us who
have been converted shall be made
alive. %. In his own order-One by one.
His comIng--The second coming of our
ord "a This verse deals with mys-
teries so profound that reverence and
aifIideucc i'm It's detailed explanation are
haComing The end Is usually understood
to refer 10 the close of the present dis
nensatiou Shall have delivered up the
Kingdom to God-Supposlng the phrase
self used IT, this points To period be-
yond mediation" when the saints are
gathered home" Rule, and all authority
and power-These are by some supposed
to refer to the hostile powers of earth
and hell.