The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-06-30
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INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
MENTS FOR JULY II.

Subject: Paul's Second Missionary
Journey-The Philippian Jailers
Acts 16:16-40-Golden Text
Acts 16:S1-Commit VS.. 29-31.
TnIE.-A. D. SO. PLACE.-Phil-
ippi.
1, EXPOSITION. 81. A Midnight
Prayer and Praise Service in Jail, %,
20. This is n of the most inspiring 1
and instructive prayer and praise SER
vices on record. I'd The circum-
stances-in a dark hole, with torn
and bleeding and aching backs, and
with a very dark outlook for the NOR
row. A good time to pray Cps. 50aS
Is; comp. Jas. 5:13). But it might
seem a strange time to sing praises
luke 6:22, %, ch. 5:41; Ro. 5:3;
Phil. 2:17; Pet. 14:4;> Eph. 6:201-S
Sorrows and aches taken in that way
become sweet friends. (2) The time
midnight. There is no better time
for a prayer and praise meeting. 1t
might seem as II Paul and Silas would
have been better employed sleeping
and getting strength for the next
days trials. But strength can. often
be better gained by prayer than by
sleep. (3) The result-"a great
earthquake" foundations of the prt-
son shaken" every ones bands,
loosed,"' the jailor and his whole
household converted and rejoicing.
This land needs a moral earthquake.
Let US pray fol. It.. There are many
prisoners who need to have their
bands loosed. Let us pray for that.
There Is great need of the conversion
of whole households. Let US pray for
this also. Paul would never have
gotten a hearing from those prisoners
had he not himself been cast into prt-
son. They we're DOUBTLESS a hard
ened crowd, more used to profanity
and blasphemy than to prayer and
songs Of praise.
II. The Tailor ut Philippi. Suddenly
and Thoroughly Converted, 27.34. In
a moment the brutal jailor becomes
an anxious inquirer. He asked a.
great question. A question every
mar should ask. Note why the jailor
asked 1t, how he asked 1t, from whom
he asked 1t. (1) Why: Because he5l
was lost and had been brought to see
it and feel it. The jailor had not
been listening with the prisoners as
Paul and Silas prayed and sung. He
had been fast asleep. But God woke
him up. It is a great thing to have
God wake us up. He had been
brought face to face with death. Hes
had been brought face to face with
two holy men. He lad been brought
face to face with God, and he saw
himself utterly lost; as any sane man
sees himself when brought face 9toy
face with eternity and God. (2)
How: In deep 'earnestness. None OF
the trifing and shallowness characr
teristic of so many modern inquiry
rooms" here trembling for fear,
fell down." Men who ask this dues
ton, in this spirit, will soon be retoio-f
ing as this, jailor a CD From
whom: From men who knew the am
swer; from men who knew Gods
word ". 32); from n who were
saved themselves. A great answersto.S
the great question. But q very sim-s
pie answer. What Is 1t to believe on
the Lord Jesus? To receive Him,
or take Him (Jno. 1:12). Take Him
as our Saviour who died In our place
lisa. $685. Pet. 2:24; Gal. 3:13).
Take Him as the One who rose again
to be our Lord and King, and to der
liver US from sins power (Acts 1855;
Heb. 1920. Again 1t is to commit
ourselves and all that we have toHim
e Tim. 1:12). Cast yourself upon
Him. surrender absolutely to; Him,
leave all with Him, that Is the step
that saves a man. But Paul and Stlas
did not stop with merely telling the
tailor to believe on the Lord Jesus,
they "Spake the Word" unto him
from. 10:17; comp. Jno. 2O::3l)-
Here is where many workers make a.
mistake. They rightly e lfpeople Q
believe" but they do not give them
the word about Christ crucifed and
risen to enable them to- believe. 1t
does not take long to getia man saved
If he is in earnest. This jailor seemed
q hard case. He was brutal, he was
Indifferent, he was utterly ignorant.
But in an hour ". 33) he had passed
out of suicidal despair into the re1oic-
ing. gentleness and Astounding hospi-
tality of a baptized believer in Christ.
Surely there is nothing about the way
of salvation that it takes long to tell
or long to learn. One hour Is suf1-
Gent. for the whole business. Note
the results of genuine conversion: III.
Transformation from brutality to ten
der compassion. (2) Open and I'M
mediate confession of Christ In bap-
tism. go Great joy (R. VI. (4)@'
Generous hospitality. 90 A trans-
formed home.
III. Paul and Silas Released From
Jail. 1910. In the morning the mag
istrates were frightened. They no
longer wished to punish Paul and ST.
las, but to getsrid Of them as quickly
as possible. The earthquake had SET I
chem thinking. But they were not 70
rid of Paul as easily as they
thought. He was a Roman citizen
and they had beaten him publicly and
uncondemned. This was a serious OF
Tense, They had beaten him publicly
and now they must justify him as
publicly. Their former severity.
.hangesinto utter obsequiesness. They
came and they %besought and they
brought and they begged. They did
not hasten their departure from the
CITY. They comforted the young dis
cinles before they left. Their impri-
sonmen: had turned out to their.
honor and 60 the glory Of God (cf. :
Rom. S:2S). The officials were very
foolish. They ought to have begged
Paul to stay instead of to have gone.