Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1909-07-07
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INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
MENfs FoR JULY II.
Subject: raul's Second Missionary
Journey-The Philippian Jailer,
/, Act. 16:1e.40-Golden Text,
Acts 16: Commit VS.. 29-s1.
TnE.-A. D. So. PLAcE.-Phil-
EXPOSITION. III. A Midnight
Prayer and Praise Service in 5all, 20,
26. This is one of the most inspiring
and Instructive prayer and praise SER
vices on record. (1) The circum-
Istances-in dark hole, with torn
and bleeding and aching backs, and
with very dark outlook for tn. NOR
row, A goLd time to pray Cps. 50:
lis; comp. Jas. 5:13). But it might
seem strange time to sing praises
/ (Luke 6:22, %, ch. 6.41i Ro. 5 3:
Phil. 2:17; i Pet. 14:t;. Eph. 5.20).
| Sorrows and aches taken in that way
become sweet friends. (2) ThI tile
| midnight. There is no better time
! for a prayer and praise meeting. 1t
might seem as If Paul and Silas would
have been better employed sleeping
and getting strength for the next
days trials. But strength can often
be better gained by prayer than. by,
sleep. CD The result-"a great
earthquake" "fsundatIons of the pri-
son shaken" every ones bands
loosed," the jailnr and his whole
household converted and rejoicing.
This land needs moral earthquake.
Let us lray for it. There are many
| prisoners wha need to have their
bands loosed Let us pray for that.
| There Is great need Of the conversi IN
Of whole ethouseholds Let US pray for
this also. Paul would never have
gotten hearing from those prisoners
1 had he not himself been cast into pri-
SON. They were DOUBTLESS hard
ened crowd, more used to profanity
and blasyhemy than 10 prayer and
songs of praise.
II. The Jailor at Philippi Suddenly
/
moment the brutal iailor becomes
an anxious inquirer. He asked a
great question. A question every
man should ask. Note why the jailor
asked it, how he asked 1t, from whom
he asked 1t. ~ Why: Because he
was lost and had been brought to see
1t and feel it. The jailor had not
! been listening with the prisoners as
Paul and Silas prayed and sung. He
had been fast asleep. But God woke
him up. 1t is a great thing to have
God wake us up. He had been
brought face to face with death. He
/ had Eeen brought face to face with
I two holy men. He hsd been brought
face t., face with God, and he saw
| himself utterly lost, as any sane man
| sees himself when brought face to
face with eternity and God. (2)
How: In deep earnestness. None Of
the trifing and shalloWness .charae-
teristic of so many modern "inquiry-
70 ms" here trembling for fear.
fell down" Men who ask this ques-
tinn, in this spirit, will soon be rejoic-
ing as this jailor was. 81 From
whom: From men who knew the an
swer; from men who knew Gods
word r(y. 32); from men who were
saved themselves. AZ great answer to
the great question. But very sim
ple answer. What is it TO believe on
| the! Lord Jesus? To receive Him"
or take Him (Jno. 1:12). Take film
as our Saviour. who died in our placs
(Isa. S53-6; i sPet.22.24; Gal. 2.l3}-
Take Him as the One who rose again
to be our Lord ana King. aud tc de-
liver us from sins power (Acts 2:36:
Heb. 7:25). Again 1T is to- commit
ourselves and all that we have to Him
q Tim. 1:l2}- Cast yourself upon
Him, surrender absolutely to Him.
leave all with Him, that is the step
that saves man. But Paul and Silas
did rot stop with meraly telling the
jaiIcr to believe on the Lo"d Jesus.
they tSpake the Word" uhto aim
(Rom. 1917; comp. Jno. 20:31).
Here is where many workers make
mistake. They rightly tell people to
"bs.- eve" but they do not give them
the word about Christ crucifed and
risen to enable them to believe. 1t
does not take long to get a man saved
If he is in earnest. This iailor seemed
hard case. He was brutal, he was
Indifferent, he was utterly ignorant.
But in an hour ". 33) he had passed
out of suicidal despair into the re1olc-
ng,S,gentleness and abounding h-spi.
taliry of a baptized believer in Christ.
Surely there is Lothing about the way
OF salvation that it takes long to tell
or long to learn. One hour is sufti.
cient for the whole business. Note
the results of genuine conversion: I'd
Transformation from brutality to ten.
der COMPASSION. (2) Open and i'm
mediate confession of Christ in bap-
tiam. (3) Great JOY (R. w. (4)
Generous hospitality: (s) A trans
formed home.
III. Paul and SiIas Released From
Jail, S5-4O. IL the morning the mag
istrates were frightened. They no
longer wished t. punish Paul and Sl-
las, but to get rid of them as quickly
as possible. The earthquake had set
then thinking. But they were not to
ge:: rid of Paul as easily as they
thought. He was Roman citizen
AMI they had beaten him publicly and
uneond emned. This was serious Of
ferse. They had beaten him publicly
and now they must justify him az
publicly. Their former severity
changes into utter obsequlesness. They
came and they besought and they
brought and they begged. They did
not hasten their departure from the
city. They comfcrred the young dis
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