Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1909-09-29
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson Fourth Quarter, For
Oct. 3, 1909.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text Of the Lesson, Acts xxi, 27.39,
Memory Verse, 3s-eolden Text, II
Tim. u, 3-cemnsntsry Prepared by
Rev. D. M. Stearns.

. |
Our last lesson In the Acts left Par
and his companions at Jerusalem
whittier they had just returned fror
Paups third missionary journey. an
there we resume the story and imagin
ourselves present at the service, wher
In the presence Of James and the ED
ers, Paul declared particularly wha
things God had wrought among tn
gentiles by His ministry, and wit
them we would glorify the Lord (verse
10, 20). Right here comes In our per
plexity concerning the advice from tb,
church to Paul that for peace sake hi
should conform to certain things which
were not essential. but which were
made much Of by the Jews at Jerusa
lem who believed-the thousands O,
Jews who believed, but yet continued
jealous Of the law. That Paul should
consent to this suggestion seems some
what like doing what he condemned
| Peter for doing In Gal. II, 11-14. There
is always trouble when we depart
from the simplicity that is In Christ
Oh Cor. xi. 81 and seek to keep peace
with legal Christians by conforming to
their ways instead Of standing fast in
the liberty wherewith Christ has made
US free (Gal. v, u. Well, the plan did
not work, for the Jews which were of
Asia succeeded In exciting the city
against Paul, and he would have been
killed had not the chief captain with
centurions and soldiers rescued him
from the mob who were beating him
to death.
In Paul's defense, as recorded In the
next chapter, he acknowledges that the
Lord had said to him some time after
his conversion, make haste and get
thee quickly out Of Jerusalem, for they
will not receive thy testimony con-
corning me; depart, for / will send
thee far hence unto the gentt,es" (xxh
16, 2D. This, with chapter XXI, 4, and
the events which followed Paul's re.
turn to Jerusalem at this time, causes
me to think that perhaps there was
something of Paul Ia all this and that
bis years of Imprisonment might have
been avoided. No one Is qualified to
throw any stones at him, for who is
there that has not been at some time
or other very set In his own way be-
cause he thought It was the Lords
way. notwithstanding the opinion and
the advice Of his most intimate fellow
believers? Then see how the Lord
overruled 1t all to give us His most
helpful epistles from prison, in some
of which we can almost hear the
clanking of his chains. as some one
has said. See Eph. Nv, /; Col. iv, IS.
But, to return to our story and to |
pursue 1t, Paul must have been strong
ly reminded Of his own zeal against |
"the way" In past years as he heard
the mob cry, Away with him. and O
little later, Away with such fellow
from the earth, for 1t is not fit that he
should I've" (xxi, 80; xii, 90. The
people were so violent that not only |
had the soldiers to rescue him from
them. but they actually had to carry |
him. Asking permission to speak as
be was about to be led into the castle,
the chief captain was surprised that
his prisoner could speak Greek, and
then Paul had a new occasion to un-
what 1t meant to be falsely
accused and numbered with transgress
,rs. for the captain asked him IL be
was not an Egyptian who had made
IN uproar and had led 1900 nurderers
INTO the wilderness (verse 3S). Paul
himself blasphemer
Ind prosecutor Il Tim. l, 49,, but to
)e reckoned captain of 1000 murder
RS was pretty heavy accusation. As
ollowers of Christ we must be con-
ent for His sake to have laid to our
harge things we know not Cps. xxxv,
u. Paul's testimony for himself was
hat he was Jew Of Tarsus. citizen
T no mean city. In xxi, %. and back
q xvi, 81, he pleads that he is Roman
itizen. a citizenship not purchased
With money. but his by birth. Because
4 a great price. even the precious
Hood Of Christ, paid for our redemp.
ion. all who receive Him are thus
orn from above and become citizens
I that holy city the new Jerusalem
John l, II r3; Phil. Ill, 20). Being
itizens Of such city. how glad we
hould be to bear anything for His
axe who at such infinite cost has
made us such. and how eager we
h0uld be to have others enrolled as
uch citizens, for any one from any
art Of the wide world may have the
rivilege
Paul addressed the multitude in He
rev, and when they heard him speak
, that language they kept the more
Hence. He rehearsed the story Of his
irth and education and his zeal to
ard God such as they were that day
Then be told how Jesus
Nazareth. risen from the dead and
scended to heaven. had appeared to
I'm on the way to Damascus am
,nvinced him that He was Israeli
Iessiah and the Saviour Of all men
nd that he was to bear the good newe
all men OF forgiveness of sins
trough His name. When they heard
his being sent to the gentiles the r
Jews had no use for such a man n
lst off their clothes. threw dust into n
lie air and made such an uproar tina r.
le chief captain was only prevented 81
ON scourging him that he might nnd p
IT what he had been talking about p
or he had been speaking in Hebrew 81
? Pauis question. els 1t lawful for b
"a to scourge a man that is q Re- Il
an and nncondemnedT (xxil, q d