Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1909-07-28
THE. SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson V.--Third Quarter, For
Aug. |, 1909.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text Of the Lesson, Acts xviii, 1-22.
Memory Verses, 8, 10-GoIdsn Text,
John xvi, 33-commentary Prepared
by Rev. D. M. Stearns.

IL
Of by Rev. D. M. Stearns.
lie copyright. 1909. by American Press Association.
s. Whether we see results from tn,
x word preached or not. we know tina
II His word will always accomplish His
d pleasure and will never return to Hin
d void Elsa. IL 1D, so we may con
i tinue to sow the incorruptible seed
y with the full assurance that He will
:, watch over His word to perform II
Ger. l. II. r. w. and that every pur'
q pose Of the Lord shall be performed
{ both against His enemies and for His
y people Ger. Ii, 20; lisa. xiv, 24. He
: often encourages US, however, by
showing us quick results from the
: sowing, and even at Athens there were
! number Of believers. among them a
/ very prominent man and a woman and
others with them. Paul passed from
Athens over to Corinth. city as noted
for its wickedness as Athens was for
Its wisdom, and here he abode year
and six months and gathered many
souls from all kinds Of people. See the
different kinds of sinners mentioned
In Cor. vi. ell, and note this say.
Ing concerning them: But We are
washed. but ye are sapctified, but We
are justified. In the name of the Lord
Jesus and by the Spirit Of our God"
What a great Saviour thus to be able
to cleanse such sinners and wholly
without any works on their partl Paul
thought so much Of such gospel that
he said. 1--WE were allowed by God to
be put in trust with the gospel" 1.-THE
gospel Of God concerning his Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord, of the seed of
David, the Son Of God, with power by
the resurrection from the dead" q
Thess. II. 4; Rom. 1. 1-4). At Corinth |
Paul found q man named Aquila, Of the |
same craft as himself. who. with his |
wife, Priscilla. had been expelled from
Italy because they were Jews, and |
with them he abode and worked at |
his trade Of tentmaking. for. although
he believed and taught that they who
preached the gospel should live Of the
gospel q Cor. *. ~. he himself took
pleasure In not being burden to any.
AS his custom was, he reasoned out
Of the Scriptures every Sabbath day
in the synagogue, testifying to the
Jews that Jesus Is the Christ. While
the topics Of preachers today are with
out number, these men had but one
viz, Jesus Christ crucified risen and
returning to establish His kingdom on
earth. saving all who come to Him
and sharing His glory with them
Jesus was the center and circumfer.
ence Of all they had to say. When the
Jews opposed and blasphemed he
turned from them to the gentiles. but
not without fruit. for the chief ruler
Of the synagogue believed. Leaving
the synagogue, he taught In the house :
OF believer named Justus. who lived
next door. and many Of the CORN !
thians believed and were baptized.
though Paul himself baptized very i.
few. Writing to them later. he men, q.
toned Crispus. Gaius and the house
hold Of Stephanas as the only ones be
could remember as being baptized by r,
him. for be said, Christ sent me, not
10 baptize, but to preach the gospel"
With all his knowledge of the Lord
and personal acquaintance with Him.
there came times of depression and
loneliness. as In ii Cor. H. l3; vii 6.
and evidently Of fear, for the Lord
never says Fear not; be not afraid" G
unless there is some occasion for 1t. Il
md 1t is most helpful to notice the =
'ears Of His redeemed ones which o.
irew from Him these words from
line to time. The message at this time
must have been just what be specially =
leeded, "Be not afraid, but speak, -.
ind hold not thy peace. for am with g
hee, and no man shall set on thee to
lurt thee. for l have much people IN Il,
his city" oversees Q, 10). Paul had =.
'een set upon and hurt in other ~
laces. stoned to death. beaten, I'm. h.
and 1t may be that the flesh he
hrank from further Ill treatment at od
bis time. He wrote to these people. W,
was with you in weakness and IL I'll
ear and In much trembling Il Cor o.,
, 81. This message was spoken to de
'aul by the Lord, but 1t Is written 10,
ere for all who need 1t and as they an
eed It. Let no one who needs 1t hest nj,
lite to take It,
He wants US to speak His message
Dldly, conscious of His presence al ]
avs and aiming only to please Him 70,
nd never to please people Il Thess I'll
4: Gal. !. 10). Paul was arrested and ov
rougbt before Gallio's judgment seat wi
Ut speedily released when he saw wi
lat no crime had been committed thu
whom Paul calls "our lor
other" q Cor. 1, u, received the riv
eating this time and doubtless re. hir
iced to be counted worthy to suffer hiI
r Christ's sake Paul returned to the
ntioch via Ephesus. Caesarea and wa
rusalem. He took Priscilla and
Julia rs far as Ephesus and left them
ere. and there he found them doing g
od work when he returned to Ephe- exc
s on his third tour We shall have liey
ur lessons from the epstles to the a
,rinthans ere the year closes. but Z"
re we feel led to call attention to tie
e apostles teaching concerning the or
turn of Christ. as we did briefly at
e beginning Of this lesson to the
nefts Of the atonement See special 81
l Cor. 1, Z; iv. s: XII. &c: XIV. 1854; vor
l, %. and may we all be found filled two
tn this blessed hope and in even our 81