The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-10-27
The
School
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
MENTS FOR NOVEMBER z.

Subject: Paul a Prisoner-The Ship
wreck, Acts 27:2-oS, 1O-Gol.
den Text: Ps. 34:22-Commft
Verses %, o, 10-Commentary.
TIME.-A. D. 60 or 81.
PLACE.-Malta.
EXPOSITION.-I. Gods Promise
Fulfilled, 1914. 1t was a glad mo-
ment when day broke (cf. V. 20, r.
V. margin, but there were still UNI
certainties and perils before them.
But there was no longer any occasion
or excuse for anxiety-they had Gods
sure word of promise that not one life
should be lost or any person injured
in the slightest degree Tvs. "a, %,
34), and part of the prediction was
already being fulfilled before their
eyes (cf. v. 26). Every step they
took and everything that occurred
was in exact fulfllment of what God
had said ". 22). One heart vas per-
fectly calm (cf. v. rs; Is. $3.50. In
the soldiers counsel to kill the pris-
oners we have q striking illustration
of the brutalizing tendency Of the
military life. They had just escaped
from extreme peril themselves, and
that, too, through n of the prison.
ers, and now they would turn around
and kill all the prisoners, Paul In
cluded. The brutal ingratitude OF
these soldiers toward Paul is Moth
ing to the great ingratitude Of the
masses of men to-day toward PauI's
Master. They owe their safety for
time and eternity to Him, yet they
are willing to turn upon Him at any
moment. But the centurion proved
true, and all the prisoners were saved
for Paul's sake. It did seem as II
some of these 276 persons must be
lost, but God had given His guSran!
tee that there shall be no loss OF
any's mans life among you" and
Gods Word is sure no matterrhow the
breakers dash and how:the ship. goes
to pieces. EGod!sapromisesawer full
filed to the very letter and always
will be.
III. Paul, the Prisoner, Became
Paul, the Mighty Worker, ITO. The
promise Of God when made did seem
quite impossible of fulfllment, but
God had kept 1t to the very letter.
God makes all things and all persons
minister to His faithful servants tcf.
Rom. 8:28). The storm had swept
Par: n toward his definitely ap-
poiEred destination. The shipwreck
had given him ascendancy over sol-
diers, sailors and officers, and now
these unknown foreigners minister
abundantly to his needs. Paul was a.
great man - the worlds greatest
preacher, greatest missionary, greatest
reformer, greatest philosopher. great
est man of letters, but Paul was not
above picking up sticks for the fire on
a wet day II that was the work at
hand (cf. Matt. 20:28).l The spirit
of service was woven into the very
warp and wool of Paul's being, and
If there was nothing for him to do to-
help his fellow-men but pick up sticks
he would do that. 1t was very un-
dignifed, but it was very Christlike
John ~13:5-15). The first result OF
his humility appeared d~iscouraging
Tvs. 8, ~. 1t seems as il he must
perish, the victim of his " impu-
dent superserviceableness, but 1t did
not turn out that way. 1t did add
another to the many things that Paul
endured for his Master (cf. 2 Cor. IL:
%, 27), but it also turned out to the
f%urtherance of the Gospel. 1t gave
Paul an approach to the inhabitants
of Malta and afforded a testimony TO-
the truth Of Christ's promise and
Gods protecting care. These barba-
rians were very ignorant and super
stitious people ~. ~, but are the
judgments of many educated and pro-
fessedly Christian people to-day any
more just? Paul seems to have been
very calm about the whole matter ".
81. No viper, nor even the old Ser
pent himself. could kill him before
he reached Rome and gave his testi-
mony. V. 6 shows how little value Is
to be attached to public opinion; a
few moments ago Paul was a "mur-
derer," and now he is "a god" And
both opinions were equally wide OF
the mark. Unhappy Is the mar who
depends upon public opinion for his
comfort. Happy is the mar who
seeks simply to approve himself to
the unchanging mind Of God (Gal. Il
10; Heb. 11:5). 1t was a fortunate
thing for the household Of Publius
that Paul entered ill.," A man who
knows God, and has power with Cod
is a greater blessing In any household
in times of sickness and need than
all the physicIans'of earth. Paul was:
ready for any sort of service; II peo-s
pie were cold, he was ready to build
fires; If they we're sick, he was ready
to pray and heal. He knew how to
pray SO as to get what he asked.
Fever and dystenery are stubborn
complaints, but they are no match
for the prayers Of a man like Paul.
The hand that had been so recently
delivered from the venomous viper
was a good hand to lay upon the bod
les of another that was in the SER
pent's power (cf. Mark 1919. When
one mar is actually healed, he is a
living testimony to Gods healing
oower and others will come and be
cured. So when n is actually and
visibly saved, others " come for
salvation and be saved. The power
If Christ is its own best ADVERTISE
ment. IS