The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-04-21
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INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
MENTs FOR MAY 2.

Subject: Paul's First Missionary
Journey-Cyprus, Acts 13:1-12
Golden Text, Mark 16:15-
Commit Verses 2, 3-Comments.
TIME.-45 A. D. PLACE.-An-
tioch, SaIamis, Paphos.
EXPOSITION.-I. Barnabas and
Saul called by the Holy Spirit, set
apart by men, Sent forth by men and
by, the Holy Spirit, Ia. The church
at Antioch had five prophets and
teachers" worthy Of mention by
name. This early Gentle church be-
came a fountain of light and life to
many other places. The Holy Ghost
spoke to them "as they ministered to
the Lord and fasted."' If we would
spend more time and strength in
ministering to the Lord and in fast
ing, we would have more frequent
and clearer leadings of the Spirit. A
Spirit-filled mind rarely accompanies
an over-filled stomach. Greater SIM
plicity in our living would be condu-
Give to a clearer perception Of the
mind Of God. It Is not said how the
Spirit spoke, whether in an audible
voice, or silently, in the inner re-
cesses of the heart, but He spoke in
an unmistakable way. 1t was no
vague, uncertain impulse such as
men sometimes call "the voice of the
Spirit" He is ready to speak to-day,
If we will supply the proper condi-
tions and listen. 1t was the Holy
Spirits work to call; it was mans
work to recognize the call, and set
the called apart for the work. Those
who ignore ordination by a are as
unscriptural as those who ignore a
call by God. But it was "for the
work whereunto" the Spirit called
that they were to be set apart. Too
often we set men apart for a work
whereunto the Spirit never called
them. Spirit called men are a great
need of our day. We have far too
many men whom men have called;
or, worse yet, who have called tkem-
selves. Every step in that early
church was taken in prayer. It was
prayer to which men gave themselves
so heartily that they withdrew them
selves even from their necessary
food to pursue it ". 81. The prompt
ness with which this church obeyed
the Spirits command Is worthy of
note. He had demanded the best
and they gave them up without a
murmur. They would have liked to
have kept Barnabas and Saul, but the
Spirit called them elsewhere, and
they sent them away" But. while
they sent them back Of it all they
we're really sent forth by the Holy
Ghost" Wonderfully suggestive and
inspiring words these. With what
confidence a man can go forth when
he can confidently affirm, II have
been sent on the errand by the Holy
Ghosti" He may not. know just
where he Is going, or just what he Is
to do, or just what awaits him. No
directions seem to have been given as
to where they were to go; so they
made straight for the nearest port
Ind thence for the old home of Barna-
bas (ch. 4:36). r.
II. Triumph of Saul, filled with
the Spirit, over Elyn1as, Full of all
Guile and all Villainy, 5-12. They
were true to their commission. "they
preached the word Of God" Many a
man has been sent forth by the Holy
Ghost who has afterward forgotten
what he was sent to preach; and so a
mission that was divine in its origin
has come to nothing in it's execution.
II there was ever a day in which their
example needed imitation. 1t Is to-
day, when men are preaching any,
thing and everything but "the word
Of God" comp. 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim.
4:2). Opponents of the gospel, who
make great pretensions and do amaz-
Ing things, are not at all new. One
need not be frightened because men
who make astonishing claims, and
who display extraordinary gifts, arise
to lead men astray. 1t was so in the
first days of the church's history, aud
yet the church went right on, in face
of this apparently dangerous opposi-
tion. The "theosophists" and Chris
tian Scientists" of to-day are no more
dangerous than the Simons and Ely
mas of early days. Spirit-flled men
were needed to oppose and confound
them then, and Spirit-filled men are
needed to oppose and confound them
now. The p%roconsul, Sergius Panlus,
gave good proof that he was indeed
"A mai Of understandings" "he
called unto him Barnabas and Saul,
and sought to hear the word Of God"
Whatever claims to prudence and
wisdom and common sense a man
may make, he is not "a man Of IN
Outstanding" if he is not DESTROYS ito
hear the word Of Cod" Elymas did
not give up without a fight. The
devil never does e Tim. 3-8). His
chief business is turning men aside
from the faith ". s.; CT. Cor. 4:3, 4;
Luke S:12). But the opposition of
Elymas for all his marvellous powers
were vain, for he had run up against
a Spirit-flled a Paul had been
filled with the Holy Spirit soon after
his conversion (ch. SID. But now
a new emergency arises, and there is
a new filling for the new need. We
ought not to be content because we
have once, or fifty times, known what
it was to have the Spirit Of God come
rushing upon US and taking possess
sion of our minds, and giving us
words of wisdom, boldness and power
to utter. AS each new emergency
arises we should cast ourselves upon
Him anew. Paul's words are very Sc
we're and very searching. They eS-
pose the depths of the infamy of Ely
; mas. Plainness and boldness Of
speech is a characteristic Of a Spirit
filled man (Acts, ABB; EDh. SID.