The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1909-07-29
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INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
NENTS FOR AUGUST 1.

Subject: Close of Paul's Second Mis-.
sionary Journey, Acts 1S:1-22-
Golden Text: John 18:33-Com.
NIT Verses o, 1O---Commentary.
TIME.--A. ID. So.
PLACE.-Corinth.
ENPOSITION.-I. Paul Conduct.
Ing Revival in Synagogue at Cor.
NTH, 1-0. Aquila and his wife Pris-
ella became very important members
OF the church of Christ (see v. 26;
Rom. 1873, 4; 1 Cor. 1919; 2 Tim.
:l9). 1t was, apparently, a matter
OF small consequence that threw Paul
in with them-"he was of the same
trade. But God uses things lust
like this for the promotion of His
Kingdom. 1t would be we'll II we
would make more of them for the
same purpose. Are you a merchant?
Make a point of getting hold of mer-
chants for Christ Are you a black.
smith? Cultivate the blacksmiths.
An unrighteous edict of Claudius had
driven Aquila and Priscilla out of
Rome. It doubtless seemed to them
q bitter thing, but God turned It to
their good, to no less a good than
their eternal salvation (cf. Ps. 70:
1O). There are men to-day who
think it wrong, "a lack of faith" to
do manual labor or any secular work
for their own support or that of their
families, because God has called"
them to preach. If there was ever a
man about whose call to preach there
could be no possible doubt, 1t is this
man Paul, and yet he wrought with
his hands (cf. ch. 20:34, $50, He
got right down to honest toll, and set
a wholesome example for the church
and for us 4 Cor. 9:6-12; Thess.
3:S, 8; l Thess. 2:9). We need
many Pauls to-day, men so on fire
with the Gospel and love for souls
that they will not wait for some one
to promise them support before they
Will preach, but, If need be, sup
port themselves. Paul preached,
too, while he worked. To an
audience of two; a small audience,
but how those quiet meetings
counted for eternity. Probably he
got pretty tired during the week, but
every Sabbath found him at his post.
Note a very expressive statement in
the r. ", Paul was constrained by
the word" Paul had meditated upon
the Word of God until 1t had so got
ten hold of him that he could not
keep still (cf Jer. 20:9; Acts 4:20).
1t tmpelled him on. 1t showed him
and overpowered him with the
thought that Jesus was the Christ,
and he must tell 1t out. But the Jews
were not willing to receive Paul's tes-
timony. They opposed themselves
and blasphemed." The most faithful
testimony will often be received in
that way. That does not prove 1t un-
true, or that ii has been unwisely
put. 1t simply shows the thorough
going badness of the hearts of even
religious men. But Paul's testimony
was not in vain, after all A large
and singularly gifted church grew up
in Corinth. Paul, in the face of all
their opposition and rejection, could
say, Il am clean" 1t Is a great thing
for any man to be able to say that.
We can only say that we are clean
from the blood of all men" (Acts 20:
26), when We can say, as Paul does
in the next verse. For I shrank not
from declaring unto you the whole
counsel of God" Or. W.
III. Paul Conducting a Revival i'm
the Home of Justus, Corinth, 7-11.
Pauls labors bore abundant fruit
Even the ruler of the synagogue re-
ceived the truth and with him his
whole house. Many others believed
also, and openly confessed their faith
in baptism. The order of experience
as given In verse s is suggestive:
heard, believed. were baptized. But
still there was opposition. Indeed the
opposition doubtless increased with
Paul's success. Then spake the Lord
to Paul in the night" That is lust
like the Lord. Paul had had a pretty
hard time of 1t in Corinth. and was to
have still harder time, and the Lord
appears and comforts him and
strengthens him for the coming trial.
The Lord often spoke to Paul in this
way (ch. 22:lS; 23:ll; 27:23-25).
So He is ready to speak to us, but we
do not need visions, as Paul did, for
we have the written Word. We can
carry the voice of God around in our
vest pocket and have Him speak to
US whatsoever we will. Listen to the
Lords message. BE not afraid" That
is one of Gods favorite messages.
There was to be opposition, but Paul
must throw fear to the winds, and
speak right out the whole message OF
God. The Lord gave Paul an all-suf-
ficient reason for not being afraid:
fOr L am Wltn tnee. or course,
then, Paul couldn't be afraid. All
Corinth was no match for Christ. IL
Is no use telling a man not to be
afraid unless you give him some rea-
son for fearlessness. But here is an
all-suffcient reason and every child
OF God who Is obeying Christ and 60
ing out to do His work, has the same
reason Matt. 2S:19, 20; comp. Josh.
1:5, 8; lisa. 41:10; 43:1, %. Paul
was to speak" in face OF all opposi.
tion and not hold his peace, and the
Lord Jesus tells him why: For |
have much people In this city" The
Lord had people there and the Lords
people are called out by the spoken
Word. 1t was a reason, too, for no
man setting on Paul to hurt him. He
never allows us to be really hurt
(Rom. 8:31; Isa.-54:17; Jer. 1920,
2D. Corinth, with its wealth, its
luxury. its profiigacy, its vileness, did
not seem much like place where the
Lord would have much people. But
so 1t was. Let us take courage con.
serning our modern cities.