The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-09-10
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson XII. Third Quarter,
For Sept. IL, 1909.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Text Of the Lesson, Acts xxi, iii.
Memory Verses, 13 f4--coldsn Text,
Acts xxi, 14-commentary Prepared
by Rev. o. NJ. stearns.
Ioopyright, 1908, by American Pres A@Ociataon.l
When the time came to leave Tyre
the disciples there, men, women and
children, accompanied Paul's party out
of the city down to the shore, and
all kneeled down on the shore and
prayed. What an object lesson for
those who may have been looking onl
There are always some watching us
who draw their own differences from
our conduct as 20 whether we are
worldly or other worldly, whether we
are for the most part in communion
with earth or heaven. Some who bear
the name of Christ have been known
to shrink from praying before others
or even asking a blessing on their food.
What can He think of those who are
thus ashamed of Him7 Matt. K, 3d.
AS at Miletus, so here at Tyre we
have another painful separation when
Paul and his companions set sail and
the friends from Tyre return to their
homes, but we trust that all hearts
were more than ever turned 20 Him
who Is our continual babltation OPS.
Xxi - and from whose presence some
day we shall go no more out One day
at Ptolemais. where they also found
brethren, and then to Caesarea, where
they tarried many days in the home OF
Philip the evangelist, who had four
daughters, virgins, who did propbesy.
We recall that PhIip was greatly used
Of God In Samaria and then to lead
the Ethiopian treasurer to Christ, after
which he preached I'm all the cities
from Azotus to Caesarea (Acts viii,
40, but that seems to be the last we
have heard OF him TIL now. God gave
to the churches apostles. prophets,
evangelists pastors and teachers for
the perfecting of the saints. for the
work Of the ministry. for the edlfyfng
Of the body OF Christ Hph iv, III, 10,
and were 1t not that Philip II stin
called the evangelist we might think
that he had become pastor OF tha
church at Caesarea and that Cornelius
and his household were members OF
that church. There are so many things
we are not told and we are curious
enough to want to know, but we must
wait to find out why we hear nothing
more Of Philips active ministry and to
learn what he was doing at Caesarea-
Then these daughters of hls-in what
sense did they prophecy?
Concerning II all 1t comes to me cons
tinually that there is only One with
whom we have to do, and If we are
filling the place He assigns us, be its
service small or great, that is all He
requires of us, whether other people
know much or little or anything about
it. He appoints to every one his work
and says occupy till l come" mark
Kill, "a; Luke xix, 49,. He knows in
what part of His field His plants will
thrive best and bear the fruit that He
desires, so II is ours TO quietly abide
In Him and see no one but Jesus only.
We may imagine what a time of pray
er and praise and study of the word
these days in Caesarea were and how
they would listen to Paul declaring
what things God had wrought by bis
ministry verse 19), for as he after
ward dill at Jerusalem he probably did
here also and elsewhere. While at
Caesarea prophet from Judea named
Agabus by a striking object lesson
foretold that at Jerusalem Paul would
be arrested and imprisoned, upon
NH he ~
Paul's own companions besought him
not to go to Jerusalem. Paul's reply
to them all was that he was ready,
not to be bound only. but also to die
at Jerusalem for the name Of the Lord
Jesus Verse 49,. Compare his words
to the Ephesian elders at Miletus In
chapter Xxx, "a. Both of these are
splendid utterances Of a whole hearted
servant Of Christ who would not ~
any persuasion Of friends be turned
aside from what he believed to be tho
Lords way for him. When they saw
that he would not be persuaded they
simply cea q urging him and said,
1.-THE Will Of > Lord be done" (verso
I'D. Being joined by several OF the.
disciples from CnesareR and by an
old disciple from Cyprus named
Mnason. who was to lodge them, they
In due time reached Jerusalem and
were gladly received by the brethren.
Thus ended the third missionary jour
ney.
Concerning the wiz OF the Lord To
which they desired to submit when
they found that they could not per-
suade Paul not TO go to Jerusalem,
there can be nothing greater or higher
and when Ills win shall be done on
earth as in heaven that win be the
kingdom of God on this e~rth. Our
Lord Jesus could say. Il delight to do
Thy viii, O my Gcd;' MY meat is to-
do the viii of Him that sent me and,
to finish Els work" CPS. II, 8: John
", 81 In proportion as His VIII is
done in us now. that good and accept,
able and perfect viii Of God (Rom. III,
/, - we have Just that much OF the
kingdom In rs, foretaste Of eternal
glory May we ever say from the
heart cheerfully. THY WIN be done"
Is 1t possible for us TO think that we
are In the win Of Gcd when we are
simply working out our own wilIs Il.
Is to be feared so. could believe that
Paul was right In resisting ali the en-
treaties OF his fellow believers and
fellow Iaborers unto the kingdom and
- a., 49,. -.