The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-10-09
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON u, FOURTH QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, OCT. 10.
Text of the Lesson, Acts xxi, 15-3O-Mem-
DRY Verses, 22-2i Golden Text, Pet. iv,
Stearns

| Stearns.
II, is. Make haste and get thee quick
~ out of Jerusalem, for they will not re-
ceive thy testimony concerning Me. In
our last lesson Paul was on his way to
Jerusalem i'm spite of the Spirits warming
that he should not go (chapter xxi, 4, H.,
l2). He had not been many days i'm .Je-
rusalem when the Jews of A ia laid hold of
him in the temple, drew him out and
would have killed him had he not been
rescued by the chief captain with band
Of soldiers and carried into the castle. He
asked permission of the captain TO speak
TO the people, and having obtained ii he
addressed them in Hebrew from the castle
stairs He described his former life and
the manner of his conversion, and has now
come Co the Lords message TO him at ,Je-
rusalem. The child of God who is willing
TO be wholly the Lords. may be sure of
the Lords guidance in all things, and If it
should be necessary an angel from heaven
or the Lord Himself will see TO it.
10, 90. And l said, Lord. they know
that imprisoned and beat in every syna-
gogue them that believed on Thee. 1t is
all right for us to confess to God all our
sins, but IL Is not for us to argue or reason
with Him when He commands us to do
anything or go anywhere. He knows
where and how He can make the most use
OF us. He knows who will receive testi-
mony through this one or through that
one, and it is for us to say, "Here am l,
send me where Thou wilt and when Thou
wilt"
2l "And He said unto me, Depart, for
will send thee far hence unto the gen.
tiles. We cannot expect the full blessing
of the Lord unless we are ready for that
work TO which He has called us (Acts xiii,
y. May 1t not be that many ministers
who cannot seem TO find an open door at
home are being called far hence to some of
the millions who have never heard of Christ
and cannot hear till some one shall tell
themy Let each Christian ask, cam I
really willing and obedient and does my
heart say honestly, Lord, what wilt thou
have me to doy' 4"
20. away with such a fellow from the
earth, for it is not fit that h. should live"
That the same privileges should be set be-
fore uncircumcised gentiles as before cir
cumcised Jews was to them intolerable,
and it was for this same thing that Peter
was called TO account (chapter XII, 2, 81. II
am not sure but the same spirit in worse
form is seen today when people of one
and make little of work not done by them
selves. The ambition of churches or boards
or societies TO excel each other instead of
all uniting to honor Christ and complete
His church is tainted with the same spirit.
20, "a. 1.-The chief captain commanded
that he should be examined by scourging,
that he might know wherefore they cried
so against him." Paul had been speaking
In Hebrew (xxii, y, of which language
probably neither captain, centurions nor
soldiers understood word, and the idea
was that little uffering might bring from
him confession of his wrongdong. Paul |
was certainly having a rough time of it, |
Tor he had been beaten by the Jews xxi, |
32) and was now threatened with scourg-
ing by the gentiles
20. Is it lawful for you TO scourge a |
man that Is u Roman and uncondemned?" |
This he said to the centurion who stood by |
while the soldiers bound him with thongs
10 scourging him. While Paul |
was willing to suffer all that was necessary |
for Christ's sake, and unjustly, too here |
was something wholly uncalled for, from |
which his Roman citizenship might deliver |
him. am writing this on the north Pa. |
ciiic ocean on my way to Japan as start |
on my tour round the world for Him that !
l serve. l carry with me "a passport from |
the secretary of state Of the United States |
government asking all nations not only to (
allow me safely and freely TO pass, but in (
case OF need TO give me all lawful aid and |
protection. AS child of God and citizen |
Oh heaven feel free to accept and carry
this and use it as occasion may require,
feeling no lack of faith in so doing.
20. Take heed what thou doest, for |
this man is a Roman" Thus said the |
to the captain. AS far as heaven |
Is above the earth, so far are the privileges
OF heavenly citizenship above all those of
earth. The devil could not touch Job,
neither could he have Simon Peter with
out asking permission of God Job i, 10;
Luke xxi, 81. II. W, and he that touch
eth a child of God toucheth the apple of |
His eye Czech. H. 81. Let us rejoice in
Dur heavenly privileges and walk worthy
Of them.
81. "Then the chief captain came and
said unto him, Tell me, art thou Roman? |
He said, Yea" So believer should be
ready always to give to every one that ask
9TH as definite an answer concerning his
in Christ. Paul did not think
or hope that he was Roman citizen.
He knew IL and said yes. Any one who
has truly accepted Christ is accepted in
Him and has redemption, even the for
giveness of sins (Eph. /, 6, y, and should |
never hesitate to confess 1t to the glory of
God. 1t is not honoring to God to think
Or hope that we are saved. We should
know 1t q John v, 12, 13), and live it and
aver gladly acknowledge it.
2S. "And the chief captain answered,
With a great sum obtained this freedom.
And Paul said, But was freeborn." The
heavenly citizenship cannot be bought by
money, or good works, or any merit what.
'ver on our part. "Neither their silver nor
heir gold shall be able to deliver Them"
Not by works Of righteousness, which we
nave done" (Zeph. !, 10; Titus Iii, 81. See
,lso Rom. Nv. 81 Eph. ii, 8, 8. The only
way To become child of God, an heir of
God and n citizen of heaven Is by now
birth, birth from above, even as our
Lord said in John iii, 3, 5, 2, and / be-
ieve careful study of Jas. i, 49,; Pet.
|, 90; Eph. v, 90, with John vi, 63, will
make it very plain that the new birth is
wrought in us by the word of God and the
Spirit of God concerning our Lord Jesus
Christ
20, 30. Paul was saved from scourging
1T that time. and we will in some way be