The Tupelo journal., 1909-05-07
PAULATANTIOCN
TN PISIDIA


GOLDEN TExT.-"The word Of the
Lord was published throughout all the
region.r-Acts 1S:49.
TIME.-Immediately after the last les
son; probably according to Prof. Ram
say), in the summer Of A. ID. 46 or A.
PLACE.-Perga the capital of Pam
phylia, on the southern coast of Asia
Minor, and Antioch, the capital of Pisidia.
southern Galatia, about 100 miles north.
Suggestion and Practical Thought.
Hitherto (see Acts 1877, etc. it had
been "Barnabas and SAUL" now it is
Paul and Barnabas" Tvs. As, 49,, OF
Paul and his company" including
Barnabas, John Mark, and perhaps
others. Paul's ability as a leader has
been proved at Cyprus, and was after
wards unquestioned.
v. Is. John MARK departing from
them returned to Jerusalem" his
home. 1. Perhaps he did not like to
see Paul superseding his cousin
Barnabas. 2. Perhaps his mother was
sick. 3. Perhaps, as n brought up
strictly in Jerusalem, he objected to
Paul's free intercourse with the Gen
tiles. 4. Perhaps he dreaded the per
lis Of travel in the wild, bandit-infested
region that lay before them. 5. Per.
haps he had been weakened by the
fever and felt unable to go on. Paul
was not satisfied with the reason,
whatever it was (Acts 15:37-4O), and
separated from Barnabas when, later,
he insisted on taking Mark along. But
Mark was ready for the second mis-
sionary journey, and was afterward re-
stored to Paul's good opinion (see In
ductive Study %. mo man ever be-
came great or good except through
many and great mistakes. Glad
stone. THE only people who make no
mistakes are dead people. | saw a
man last week who has not made a
mistake for 1000 years. He is a num-
my in the Egyptian department OF the
British museum.''-H. L. Wayland.
v. "a. "They went into the syna-
gogue on the Sabbath day." as was
their custom. Thus they wisely made
their first appeal to the Jews.
The Sermon as a Whole. The task
before Paul was difficult. He had to
win the confidence and hold the atten-
ton of an audience to which he was
quite unknown. He had to keep the
ground of Israel's peculiar history and
hope, and yet to show that at the holy
city itself the Messiah had been re-
jected and crucified. But st. Paul was
the very man for an emergency
Donald Fraser, D. D.
They keynote of Paufs sole mes
sage, repeated on a hundred occasions,
and with infinite variations of empha-
sis, is found in St. Luke's account of
his visit to Athens, in the words, he
preached Jesus and the resurrection
This first of his sermons of which we
possess any portion may perhaps be
regarded as a type of the Pauline ser
mon."-Rev. George Francis Greene.
1t was (1) t%actful, taking his hearers
on their own ground; (2) humble, leav
ing himself out and exalting Christ;
(3) courageous and frank, not Eesitat
ing to state the truth though it would
offend preconceived views: (4) Bibli-
cal, bound up with the Scripture
Throughout; 60 practical. coming to a
personal application, ending, as Ly.
man Beecher said every section
should end, with a snapper"
Forgiveness, through Christ. That
truth, as always in Paul's preaching,
was the climax of this sermon. For.
giveness," R. ", remission "of SINS"
is, literally, the putting or sending
them away. It includes the removal
of the penalty for sin, though not i'm
mediately all the consequences of sin.
1t includes the cleansing of the heart
from sin and restoration to Gods
favor. These are wonderful and price
less gifts, and Christ offers them to
us for the asking.
V. As. Envy jealousy, when the
Jews saw the m~ultitudes' (of Gen
tiles). The Jewish leaders were angry
% because others and strangers did
what they could not do themselves;
teaching, and especially his applica'
ton of the Messianic hopes to the
condemned and crucified Jesus; (3)
because they themselves felt con.
demned by such warnings rs those in
VS.. 40, Al; a. because, though they
would be pleased if the Gentiles would
become Jewish p%roselytes by conform.
ity to circumcision and other require.
ments, they objected strenuously to
their admission on easier terms, such
as Paul proposed.
Missionary Expulsions. This was the
first of many similar explosions sui.
fered by Paul, and those were only the
beginnings of such experiences en-.
dured by missionaries in all lands.
Thus Judson and his comrades were
driven from Calcutta. Thus Milne
was driven from Canton, and com.
PEELED to begin missionary labors for
China from the Malay Peninsula. Thus
in 1885 all the missionaries were
driven from Japan for two centuries.
Thus John G.. Patton, after a thousand
perils, was driven from the Island OF
Tanna. But in every case Christianity
has returned, all the stronger for its
experience of persecution.
What Is My Attitude Toward Truth!
This question is of fundamental i'm.
portance. The lesson illustrates
four ways of answering it: (1) John
Marks way, following the truth while
the road is easy, but deserving it when
1t becomes disagreeabie and danger.
ous; (2) Paul's way, following the
truth at all hazards, eagerly and joy.
ously, wherever it leads; (3) the way
of the Antioch Jewish leaders, oppos.
ing the truth when it offends their
nrjde and ~self-esteem and n~reiudiceS.