The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-07-07
THE SABBATH school,
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENT
FOR JULY IL

Lesson Text: paul and the Philippian
Taller" Acts XVII, 22-34-Golden Text
Acts XVII, 31-Commentary on the Les
son Of the Day by Rev. D. NJ. stearnS
%. "And the multitude rose up together
against them, and the magistrates rent on
their clothes and commanded to beatthem.f
SO much for their interfering with the god
OF this world, the prince Of the power Of the
air, for, when the devils property Il
touched, he loon begins to roar. Our Lord
has taught US that true fellowship with
Him will surely bring the same treatment
that He received John XIV, 1920. Tho
world, the flesh and the devil are all de.
cidedly against God, and II we are for God
we must be against them at all costs.
%. And when they had laid many stripes
upon them they cast them into prison,
charging the jailer to keep them safely.d
With no gentle hand had they taken Of
their clothes, and there would be no love
nor gentleness In this s%courging. It meant
many and heavy stripes upon their bart
backs. 1t meant real pain and much of 1t,
besides the humiliation Of being treated az
criminals when they were perfectly inno'
cent. Paul, afterward speaking Of it, says,
w were shamefully treated at Philippi'
q Thess. IT,, q.
"a. WIZ, having received SuCn q charge,
thrust them into the inner prison and made
their feet fast in the stocks" Neither "a
there any tenderness In this mans handling
Of them. 1t Is injustice and cruelty throughi
out, the devil and his followers let loose
upon the children Of God, strange mystery
OF iniquity which has been causing the PEG.
pie OF God to suffer ever since sin entered
this world, and the end Is not yet. II any
one can tell why God permitted the devil
to tempt Eve, we will gladly listen. II not,
we will still believe that God Is love, trust
Him for grace to endure meekly all that
comes and wait for the hereafter, when we
shall know.
%. "And at midnight Paul and silas
prayed and sang praises unto God, and the
prisoners heard them" Here, surely, is
the victory Of faith and obedience to the
word, "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad,
for great Is your reward in heaven" (Math.
", 12). The same God who could prevent
the fire from burning Daniels friend could
sooth the bleeding backs Of Paul and Silas
and fill them and their dungeon with His
glory. They did not praise because Of cir.
cumstances, but in spite Of circumstances.
Consider that mighty "yet'' Of Hab. ILL.,,
II rs IS; aAna snad.n,v +,s,. v.. g. .,...
earthquake, 80 that the foundations Of the
prison were shaken, and Immediately all
the doors were opened, and every ones
bonds were loosed." One has said that,
although they had not influence enough
nor earthly friends enough to KEEP them out
OF prison, there was power enough on their
side to shake the whole earth, If necessary.
"a. "And the keeper Of the prison, awak-
ing out Of his ~ ep and seeing the prison
doors open, b.. drew out his sword and
would have killed himself. supposing that
the prisoners had been fed" It was some.
thing new In his experience to have prison
ers safe without bonds or bolts and bars.
1t was natural for him to suppose that open
doors meant escaped prisoners, and If this
were 80 1t meant death to him, which he
purposed accomplishing by his own hand
rather than that of others.
%. "But Paul cried with a loud voice,
saying, Do myself no harm, for we are all
here" Here was good for evil surely. The
jailer had not thought probably Of easing
their sufferings in the least degree, but
a would have no harm come to the
lailer if he could prevent it. This is like
they know not what they do" Have we
this spirit Of forgiveness and love? 30.
29. Then he called for a light and sprang
In and came trembling and fell down before
Paul and Silas." How God does turn the
tables! See the man in authority bowling
before the apparently helpless prisoners
He now saw in them representatives Of the
God who could do such wonders as shake the
earth and open prison doors. Was it not
worth while to suffer as they did thus to af-
ford an opportunity for God to show Him
self through them and on their behalfp
Let us accept all events as opportunities
for God to show Himself in and through us
so. "And brought them put and said,
Sirs, what must I do to be saved2" He
does not seem to have considered whether
this treatment Of prisoners was right or
wrong in the eyes Of the law. He only
seems to know that he is a sinful man
having special dealings with a great God
whom he is not prepared to meet, and
that he had better consider the matter at
all costs, and that very quickly.
81. "And they said, Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, and
thy house." What a simple message and
how definite. He is not told to stop doing
wrong and try to do better; to follow Christ
and do somewhat as He did; to give up his
occupation and go preaching with the
apostles. He is not even told to pray or
read the Scriptures, but just to do the one
only thing that a helpless sinner can do,
and that is to receive as a gift the Lord
Jesus Christ John j., -; Rom. ill.,, "a; vi,
%; w.. s; Titus ill.,, 81.
so. "And they spake unto him the word
Of the Lord and to all that were in his
house." They were the messengers Of the
Lord of Hosts, and always ready to deliver
their message, or rather His message.
They would speak Of Him who was foreor-
dained before the foundation Of the world,
but had been recently manifested in the
flesh as the Son of God and only Saviour Of
sinners.
SO. "And he took them the same hour
ofthe night and washed their stripes, and
was baptized, he and all his straightway."
Halleluiah, what q Saviour! He saves in.
stantly all who receive him. He saves
them fully and freely by His own precious
blood without any works OF theirs, and
then begins at once to work In e the
good works which He has before prepared
(Eph. H., 8, 10Y. We do not know that the
jailer or any Of his household ever heard
these tiding before. and yet they believe as
soon at they hear. May God by His Spirit
awaken His people to give all on earth the
privilege of hearing Of Him who still re.
ceiveth sinners.
"a. "And when he had brought them
into his house he set meat before them,
and rejoiced, believing in God with all his
house." What a happy home, what a glo-
rious change, and in so short a time! A
little while before they were q household
out of Christ, and therefore unsaved; but
now a household in Christ, and therefore
saved. If the jailer had killed himself and
died in his sins, he would have gone out
into eternal torment, but now he has eter-
nal life. Why are not all believers joyful
and ever ready to pass on the good news OF
such a Saviour and such 8 salvation2-
Lesson Helper.
How much the possession OF happi-
ness depends upon the point Of view
we choose to take in seeing things! He
who determines to look upon the bright
side Of affairs will generally find that