The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-07-20
5F7e
Sunday School
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM
MENTS FOR JULY 20.

Subject: Paul's Second Missionary
Journey-Athens, Acts 17:16-34
Golden Text, John 4:24--
Commit Verse pc Commentary.
TIME.-A. D. 50. PLACE
Athens, Mars HILL
EXPOSITION.-I. The UnknowR
God Made Known, 1920. Paul had
improved such opportunities Of
preaching the Gospel as were open to
him-the synagogue and the market
place ". 17)-and now he is brought
before this celebrated gathering OF
philosophers and university profess
sors of Athens. He has no new Cos
pei for this distinguished throng, but
with divinely given tact he introduces
1t in a new way Tvs. "a, rs, 2S). Paul
begins with what appears like words
of approval, not with words of criti-
cism (See Am. r. w. He would
win the favor and attention of his au-
dience before calling them to repent.
People will listen patiently to the
sharpest rebukes and sternest calls to
repentance If you first win their conf
dence and favor by words of kindness
and praise. ITO an unknown God"
There is something very pathetic and
touching in this. There are many to-
day who are reaching out blindly to-
ward a God of whose existence they
have a vague apprehension, but of
whose name, character and person
they have little clear knowledge But.
there is no need that God be unknown
emo. 1913; Jno. $40; Jno. 14:9:
2 Cor. 4:6). 1t is of the highest inn
portance that we know God Ono. IT.
81. 1t is our own fault if we do not
know Him from. 1:20-22, 28; 2 Cor.
4:4). 1t was an apt stroke upon
Paul's part to begin with this we'll
known object in their own streets,
and thus to lead on tothe great truths
with which his soul was filled. God
that made the world and all things
therein" etc. Paul would carry with I
him the philosophers in his audience,
and at the same time bring in new
and higher thoughts about God, and
step by step lead them face to face
with God Himself, and make them
feel their personal responsibility to
Him. He would lead them to see that
God was not mere philosophical
conception, but person against
whom they had sinned, and who was
now calling, Repent" The very life
we live, the breath we breathe, abso-
lutely all we have, is His gift. Every
thing thus given should be used for
Him. Weshould draw every breath for
Him. HE made of one every nation
OF men" Do we believe this? Do we
really believe it? Do we believe in
our kinship to the negro, the China
man, the Hindoo? THAT they should
seek God" This was Gods great and
gracious purpose in the making of the
hot
and the bounds of their habitation.
How little the nations have fallen in
with this benevolent purpose of God
from. 1920. 1t is of the highest inn
portance to men that they should seek
God (Amos ga, 6; Err. 1922; Prov.
1855; 2 Chron. 1855; Ps. 34:4, 10;
Ps. 69:32; / Chron. 16: 10; Lam. 8
rs; Heb. 11:6; Ps. 119:2). He ia
not difficult to find for those who seek
Him with the whole heart tier 29s
49,. HE is not far from every one
of u.s." How absolute is our depends,.-
ence upon God. No life, no motion,
no existence outside of Him. This
being so, there can be no peace in our
souls until our wills are absolutely
surrendered to Him and our affections
absolutely centred in Him. Paul APP
proves the sentiment of the Greek
poet. Aratus. But while all men are
Gods offspring. they are not all truly
children (Jno. 8:44, At; / Jno. $40;
Matt 1898; Gal. 4:4-6; Heb. 1873;
Eph. 23). Those only are children
of God who receive Jesus Christ Ono.
1:12, r. W. Those who are led by
His Spirit are sons of God (Rom s.:
IA Gal. 1926, r. W.
III. Gods Command to All Men
Everywhere, Repent, 1904. Paul is
now reaching the point toward which
all this time he has been so skilfully
steering. 1t was an unexpected cli-
max to these theorizers. Many of
them had been delighted with the
sublimity of Pauls conceptions, with
the dizziness of his logic. with the apt
ness of his quotation. They were all
ears; their guard was down, and he
struck a stunning blow Just at the
right moment Gods one call is re-
pent" Comp. CHI 2:3S; 3:19; 20:21;
26:20; Matt. 3:2; 4:17; Luke 1875;
1870; 24;47). This was Gods one
cry also, through Old Testament pro-
phets, 'turn ye'' This same cry
needs to ring out to-day. Men are an
apostate race Notice whom God
commands to repent, all men every
where" Notice when He commands
II, NOW. NOliCS WHY, BECAUSE ne
hath appointed day in which He will
Judge the world" etc. There is
judgment coming, People mock at
this truth to-day, but God has given
assurance of it unto all men by the
resurrection of Christ from the dead
1T is impossible for any candid seeker
after truth to examine the evidence
for the resurrection of Christ without
being satisfied that Jesus really did
arise as recorded in the Gospels. But
the resurrection of Christ Jesus in the
past points with unerring finger to a
Judgment by Christ Jesus in the fut-
ure. When they heard of the resur-
rection of the dead some mocked" A
very common way of trying to dis
pose Of unpalatable truth. But it
never works, and truth is never any
the less true because yon sheer at it.
Many are trying to modernize
~ L L