The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-05-05
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INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
MENTS FOR MAY 16.

Subject: Paul's First Missionary
Journey : Iconium and Lystra.
Acts 14:1.2S-Golden Texts
Psalm 96:5-Commentary.
TIME.-46 A. D. PLACE.--Lys
ira.
EXPOSTTION.-I. A Cripple from
His Birth Made Whole, $40. It was
a case of real lameness. The man had
never walked. The al was beyond
mans skill, hopeless. But there are
no hopeless cases with Christ. There
was no magnetic touch, no treatment,
just a look, a word, and then a per-
feet and not an imaginary cure. Paul
did not attempt to heal every lame
man he met. God directed his atten-
ton to this man, and gave him to see
that he had faith to be healed. How
did he get it? BY hearing Paul speak
Gro. 10:17). Something Of this kind
was needed to gain Paul a hearing IN
Antioch. Paul thoroughly studied
and understood the case before he
spoke the word. He commanded the
man to do the naturally impossible.
but "all things are possible to him
that believeth" INK. 9:23). The
man proved his faith by obedience. Y
III. Paul and Barnabas Worshiped
as Gods, Ills. The people were now
ready not only to listen to Paul, but
to worship him. The human heart
always wants a nan to worship. Men
are always ready to render unto tho
instruments God uses the adorations
and gratitude that belong only to God
Himself. Underneath the heathen
idea that the gods visited the earth
"in the likeness of men" there was q
great and glorious truth (Jno. 1:14a2
Phil. 2:6, y. The actions of these
Lystrans seem very ignorant and
foolish to us, but. do not many Chris
tians bow down and lay their Offer
ings and garlands at the feet Of men
God greatly uses, as If the man was
himself something? Paul and Bar
nabas quickly showed the stuff they
we're made of. AS o 10 as they saw
what the people were up to, they re-s
fused their proffered homage with
mingled horror and sorrow. Paul
and Barnabas would permit no mis-
taken notions about themselves. They
would have it clearly understood that
they were of the same>stuf as other
men. why do ye these things?S
These Lycaonians had probably never
stopped to ask that question. They
just did them without asking. 1t fssa
great thing to get people to asking
themselves why they do the things
they do. 1t is a great thing to get
people to thinking; it leads to res
pentance FPS. 1859; Luke 15:13,
49,. It is, indeed, good tidings"" ".
IS, r. W to proclaim unto a man
that he can turn from idols unto q
God who lives, who has a mighty
power. and who is ready to hear and
help these who trust and serve Him.
The idols of the L%ycaonians were
vain things" because they could not
hear, nor act, nor answer, nor help,
nor save Us. 45:20; 46:7; Jer. 10:5,S
IA; 1929. The idols Of the world
to-day are different in form. but es-
sentially the same in character. But
the God OF, the Bible is "the living
Not the god of the nationalist
and deist, a god who once lived and
worked, but the God who lives and
works to-day; the God who hears and
answers prayer, and saves. He
made the heaven and the earth and 4
the sea, and all that in them is" and
therefore, there is nothing too hard
for Him Ger. 32:17). Conversion
Is simply turning Ito God from idols
to serve the living and true God" IL
Thess. 1:9). Conversion, therefore. 4
is a very rational thing. God has
never in the darkest heathenism left
Himself without witness" Cps. ISL
Is; Rom. 1920. His care for men
in doing them good, and giving rain
from heaven, fruitful seasons, filling
their hearts with food and glad
ness" has borne witness to His faith
erly love and forgiveness comp.
Matt. 5:44, 45; Luke 6:35, 36). Even
with these wonderful words Paul
found it very difficult to keep them :
back from their purposed idolatry,
and it is hard to keep men and wom-
en- from idolatry to-day.
iii. Paul Stoned by Man, Raised
by the Lord, 1922. How little deI
pendence is to be placed upon popu-
lar favor. 1t ~worshipedi to-day,
stoned tomorrow. 1t was fortunate
for Paul that he was not depending
upon mans favor, but Gods Il Cor.
4:3, ~. This was not the only ex-
perience of this kind that Paul had
e Cor. 1925, 27). This is the sort
of treatment all who are loyal to
Christ and His truth may expect in
this %God-hating world e Tim. 3:12i
Jno. 15:18-20). But there are album
dant compensations e Tim. 2:12i
Rom. Sis; Matt. 5:10-12). There
are some who think that it was while
in his-eondition of apparent death at
Lystra that Paul was caught up to
the third heaven and heard unspeak-
able words" e Cor. 12:2-4). THIS.
treatment did not stop Paul from
preaching. He got up and went back
into the city, and then on to Derbe,
where he preached the gospel, and
then back again to Lystra. Oh, for
men of such courage, persistence and
uncomfortable love for Christ and
man! Abundant success attended his
preaching in Derbe. 1t is not enough
to bring men to Christ; we must
strengthen and build up the young
converts ". 22). This is the point
of failure in much modern evan
work. 1t IS not enough that
men start in the faith; they must
continue in the faith" (Jno. 1881,
80; 1916, 9, 10; Col. 1922, 23;
Rev. 2:1O).
Magnet Draws Needle.
At Connellsville, Pa, a giant cleo