The Tupelo journal., 1903-04-03
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson In the International Series
for April 3, 10O3-IauI's Fare
well to Ephcsus.
H LESSON TEXT.

feed the church of God, which He hath
purchased with His own blood.
70. For ! know this, that after my De-
parting shall grievous wolves enter in
among you, not sparing the flock.
~. Also of your W selves shall men
arise, speaking perverse things, to draw
away disciples after them. ,a
81. Therefore watch, and remember, that
by the space of three years / ceased not
TO warn everyone night and day with
tears.
81. And now, brethren, l commend you
to God. and to the word of His grace,
which Is able to build you up, and 10 give
you an inheritance among all them which
are sanctified. M
80. l have coveted no mans silver, or
gold, or apparel.
81. Yea, We yourselves know, that these
hands have ministered unto my necessi-
ties, and to them that were with me. 9
IS. l have Showed you all things, how
that so laborlng ye ought to support the
weak, and to remember the words of the
Lord Jesus, how He said: ut is more
blessed to give h to receive" E".f
36. And when he had thus spoken, he
kneeled down and prayed with them all.
81. And they all wept sore, and fell on
Pauls neck and kissed him,
IS. Sorrowing most of all for the words
which he spake, that they should see his
face no more. And they accompanied him
unto the ship. st-fr.+ a..
GOLDEN TEXT.-Remember In
word of the Lord Jesus, how He
said, 1t liz more blessed to give than
to r~eceive.-Acts 20: b.
OUTLINE OF SCRIPTURE SECTION.
The lesson may properly be said to
include the entire chapter:
paul paxicft. Cb,rol.. -, {N,-
rope 0:1-3.
Starts Back Toward Jerusalem. Acts 20:4-16.
A Message for the E;ohesians. Acts 20:17-24.
Warnings to the Church. .....Acts 20:25-3l.
His Final Leave-Taidng.. .....Acts 20:32-3S.
TIME-A. d. 81.
PLACE-Miletus, 80 miles south of
Ephesus.
NOTES AND COMMENTS. -
Paul Revisits Churches in Europe
After nearly three years of ministry
at Ephesus Paul vas forced by the
trouble stirred up by bitter op-
ponents of his preaching to leave
that place. W~hereupon he decided
to revisit the churches he had found
ed in Europe; in Macedonia, Philippi,
Berea, Thessalonica, and in Greece,
chiefly at Corinth.
Starts Back to Jerusalem.-Paul's
plan for the future at this time was
very definite. The visits to the
churches in Asia Minor and in Greece
and Macedonia were farewell visits
for the purpose of strengthening those
churches, then, if in the providence of
God he should be permitted so to do,
he would return to Jerusalem, in
which city he had not spent any o N
siderable time for many years, and
from thence to Rome, the capital of
the world.
A Message to the Ephesians.-On
the homeward journey toward Jeru-
salem Paul comes to Miletus. The
duration of his vessels stay at
Miletus was uncertain, so instead of
going to Ephesus he sent for the
leaders of the church to come to
him. He reminds them of the way in
which he did his work while among
them, exemplifying in his own life
the qualities of a true disciple. The
one quality he emphasizes is humil-
ity of mind. Then he reminds them,
how, in spite of the difficulty of the
work on account of the Lying in
wait of the Jews he taught public
ly and from house to house. This is
an important suggestion for the
Christian worker, namely, to empha-
size. neither the public side of his
work nor the quieter, the "house
to house" way, at the expense of the
other. Both are important, and he
who has the gift of a persuasive public
speaker can strengthen his work in
calculably by mean of the personal
touch. In verse 81 Paul sums up in
the fewest possible words the gist of
his preaching, the two vital truths
of a Christian experience. He
preached first repentance toward
God" and secondly faith toward our
Lord Jesus Christi Turning from his
past work Paul looks toward the fu-
ture. F~orebodings of certain danger
to himself in connection with his work
are on his mind. But in spite of this
knowledge he gives utterance to those
noble words: But none of these
things move me, neither count l my
life dear unto myself, so hat l might
finish my course with joy, and the
ministry l have received. Ito testify
the gospel of the grace of God" With
the certainty of fate does this great
mar push forward in his God-appointed
work in spite of all obstacles.
Warnings to the Churchill is with
sadness that Paul speaks of the fu-
ture of the church at Ephesus. men
shall arise who shall speak perverse
things and even draw away disciples
from the true faith" In view of this
condition Paul first says: "Take heed
therefore unto yourselves" and Sec
ondly, unto all the flock" He had
just reminded these representatives
from Ephesus that he was pure from
the blood of all men. "This was in
reference to Ezekiel 3:1S, "When l say
unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely
die; and thou givest him not warning,
Ito save his life; the same wicked
man shall die in his iniquity; but his
blood will ] require of thy hand"
Spear Points
Prayer without thought will be with
out fruit.
To pander to the lowest faculties is
fo naralyZe the higher.