The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-07-03
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON I, THIRD QUARTER, INTER
NATIONAL SERIES, JULY 4.
Text of tho Lesson. Acts xvi, 6-15-Mem-
DRY Verses, 13-i5-Golden Text, Ps. exix.
i3O-Commentary by the Rev. ID. VI.
Stearns.

|
stearns.
&, Z. "NoN. hen they had gone through,
out PhTygla and .Fe region of Galatia
and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost "a
I preach the word in Asia, after they were
come 90 Mysia they essayed TO so into
! Bithynia, but the Spirit suffered them
I not" Our last lesson in this book intro
/ duced us 60 the apostles at the conference
| in Jerusalem, from which Paul and Bar
! nabas, with Silas and Others, returned TO
! Antioch and continued there teaching and
preaching the word Of the Lord ACTS XIV,
35). After some time they start on their
second missionary tour, Barnabas taking
Mark and sailing for Cyprus, and Paul
taking Slas and starting through Syria
and Cilicia, confirming and establishing
the churches. At Lystra, where Paul had
been stoned and left for dead on his first
tour, he takes Timothy with him, of whom
he afterward says, Il have no man so dear
unto me" (Phil ii, 90, margin) As they
continued journcying and preaching
through Phrygia and Galatia they thought
TO turn southwark and afterward north
ward and give the glad tidngs in Asia
and Bithynia, but were in each case pre-
vented by the Spirit from so doing. The
Spirit sent them forth ON His business for
Christ, and being willing to be controlled
by Him, He controlled thCm and for some
good reason kept them 40 this time from
going into these two provinces, that He
might send them elsewhere
s. "And they, passing by Mysia, came
down to Iraas. Hindercd on the right
and left, they found that the open door
was straight ahead, and so kept on to the
sea 40 Iroas. Thine cars shall hear a
word behind thee, saying: This is the way.
Walk yo in it when yo turn to the right
hand and when We turn 10 the left" lisa.
Xxx, ~. To be sure that the Lord has a
purpose in your life, according Go Eph. ii,
10, and that Hc viii surely perform it ac-
cording 10 lsa. xiv, q, make one quiet
before Him. not daring TO murmur even
though with aching heart and streaming
eyes we say, Even so, Father " My
Jesus, as Thou wilt. ~
9. And vision appeared TO Paul in
the night. There stood ~ man Of Mace
donia and prayed him, saying, Come over
into Macedonia and help us" In dream
or vision OF the night God has often spoken
to men (Job xXxiii, l5) and Will yet, if
necessary, though He generally guides by
His Spirit either in His word or in the
events of daily life. The right attitude is
to watch the way" and Watch to see
what He viii say" (Nah. ii, /; Hab ii, ~,
then meekly walk in the way which He
opens before us, Doing as occasion serve
U.S. for God is with u.s. q Sam. X, y.
10. And after he had seen the vision
Immediately we underworld to go into
Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the
Lord had called us for to preach the gospel
unto them" Being willing to be guided
by the Spirit they were sure this was the
Spirits guiding. If we are willing and
earnestly DESTROYS to be led of the Spirit,
we may be perfectly sure that every him
drance and every opening is of Him. No
tice that they knew what help the people
of Macedonia needed, and that was just
what they had to give-the gospel or good
tidings OF the grace of God. They were not
on a lecturing or an entertaining tour, but
only and wholly on business for God, to
win souls to Christ
IL. Therefore, loosing from Troas, we
came with Il straight course to Samothra-
cia, and the next day to Ncapolis This
lesson should be taught with the map be-
fore the scholars that they may see that
Paul and his company now crossed from
the continent of Asia to Europe; that Ne
apolis was the seaport of Philippi, and Sa-
an island about half way from
Troas to Neapolis. AS in many another in
stance in the Scriptures, the incidents of
the voyage or journey are wholly omitted.
They set forth and they arrived arc all the
Spirit sees fit TO record From the heaven
ly standpoint, journeyings take no time, !
for they run and return as flash of light |
ming (Ezek. lid.
H. And from thence TO Philippi, which |
Is the chief city of that part of Macedonia !
and colony, and we were in that city |
abiding certain days" There seems TO be |
no welcome for them, no one specially ex-
pecting them, and yet they are in the land |
to which they had been called, and doubt !
less they gave themselves up to prayer that !
the same spirit who brought them thithcr 1
would now use them They not only abode !
in the city, but they abode in Christ
IL. And on the Sabbath we went out (
Of the city by u riverside, where prayer was !
wont to be made, and we sat down and |
spake unto the women which resortcd |
thither." 1t would SEEM then, that. the |
Ilrst preaching of the gospel in Europe was I
ut woman's prayer meeting Mary, the |
mother of our Lord, and other women were |
with the apostles for prayer dur
'hS viz Noi,ihS btiNttn Ills uSCcn-
sion and Pentecost (Acts i, 14). 1t Is prob
able that upon the women also the Spirit |
came as tongues of fire, and as there were
present in the city at that time strangers
rom Rome, there may also have been
some from Macedonia. However, it came
about, here are some worshipers of the
rue God who had evidently been crying
20 God for more light, and now God has
sent it. The same God who sent Gabriel
20 Daniel and Simon Peter to Cornelius
sent Paul and Silas to Macedonia.
IA. And n certain woman named Lyd-
a, seller of purple, of the city of Thya-
ira, which worshiped God, heard us;
whose heart the Lord opened, that she at
ended unto the things which were spoken
IF Paul" Here is business woman from
Asia, for Thyatira was in Asia (Rev. i, III.
who was for the time living in Philippi.
md was evidently one of those chosen in
Christ before the foundation of the world
Eph. !, 4; III Tim. 1, 81. 1t was worth
while going to Europe to find her. She
vas probably another hungry soul like
Cornelius Wherever on earth the eyes of
he Lord see real thirst for Him, He will
ind way to supply that thirst. blessed
Al..wIw