The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-07-13
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INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM
MENTS FOR JULY 18.

Journey Thessalonica and Be-
rea, Acts 17:1-15-Golden Text,
Ps. 119:11-Commit Verse II.
TIME.-A. d. So. PLACE.-Thes-
salonica and Berea.
EXPOSITION.-T. Paul in Thes-
salonica, 10. Paul had at this time
a quite uniform mode of procedure.
First, he began with the Jews at their
regular place of meeting, the syna-
gogue comp. VS.. 10, II; CHI. 9:2O;
1875; 1851; 1874; 1879. Second,
ne made use of the Sabbath day, the
regular Jewish day of assembly. Those
already Christians met on the first
day OF the week for their own distsnc-
tive services (Acts 20:7). But in or
der to reach the Jews, Paul wisely
made use of their day, as missionaries
among the Jews still do. Third. he
reasoned with them from the Scrip-
lures. Nothing else has the power to
convince, convict, convert and regen-
crate men than the Word of God has
(Eph. GIT; Jer. 1929; 2 Tim. S:15-
IT; Jas. 1:18; / Pet. 1923; Luke
Slid. There were three principal
points in Pauls preaching: (1) The
Christ must suffer. The Old Testa-
ment is full of this doctrine (See,
for example, lisa. So. Why the
Christ must suffer we see in lisa. So:
6; Matt. 26:28; Heb. 9:22; Jno. 49,:
36, 81. (2) The Christ must rise
again from the dead. This, too, he
proved from the Old Testament, as
Peter did, on Pentecost. (3) That,
this Jesus whom I proclaim unto
you, is the Christi There are many
in these days who wish to substitute
some other Jesus for the one whom
Paul preached; some Jesus of their
own conception or fancy, and not the
actual historic Jesus. This Jesus be-
ing the Christ it is of the highest inn
portance that We accept Him. If we
do not an awful weight of guilt rests
upon US (Acts 2:34-37; 1922, 23).
Paul sets an example in what he
preached worthy of all imitation by
modern missionaries and preachers.
Politics in Thessalonica were in bad
enough way, but Paul went at the
root of things. God blessed this kind
of preaching. Some of them be-
lieved" (cf Thess. 1859. This is.
the usual result when the pure Gospel
is preached in the power of the Holy
Ghost. In an epist1e which Paul
wrote to them later we get a very
1:6-10). Those who believed threw
In their lot with Paul and Silas. True
converts always seek the society Of
other Christians. But the Gospel
caused division as we'll as union in
Thessalonica; union of believers, di-
vision between believers and the
world. Paul's success aroused the
envy of the Jews. Every successful
preacher must expect to be envied of
smaller men. There was much truth
in the charge brought against Paul
and Silas. No other man ever did as
much to turn the world upside down
as this man Paul. There is great
need to-day of preachers who turn
things other side up. They accused
Paul, too, of Saying that there is an
ether King, one Jesus" Yes, PauKs
said that, and it needs to be said
again and again to those who see nor
king but some king of this earth.
Some day all must own His kingships
FPS. 2:S-12). But while Paul said
there was another king, he sou gift to-
turn no man from his duty to Caesar
(Acts 25:S; Rom. 1870. The per-
secution did not go very far yet ".
3D. The converts were young and
God will not suffer any of His chill
dren to be tempted above that which
they are able to bear Il Cor. 1913,
r. W.
III. Paul in Berea, 1912. The,
departure of Paul and Silas from
Thessalonica was no mark of coward
ice, but simple prudence and in ac-
cordance with the specific directions,
of Christ Matt 10:23J The church
did not go to pieces upon his depart
4 IL \
lose his interest in the converts he
left behind him Il Thess 2:1S. 10;
81, 2, SD. AS soon as Paul and
Silas reached Berea they at once be-
gan preaching again. and to the Jews,
at that. No matter how Paul and ST.
las might be treated at one place, the
next town they struck they went at
preaching again Comp. l. Thess. 2:2;
Acts 14:5-7). No one ever had bet
ter patent to nobility than these Be-
reans. Their nobility is seen in two.
things. First, they received the
Word with all readiness of mind.
They had hunger for the truth, the
Word of God comp. Job 23:12; Jer.
1916; CHI. PAD. They opened their
mouths wide to receive it. Some peo-
pie will receive the truth when you
compel them to. Lovers of the truth
are hungry for it. The Word of God
is worthy of such reception (Prov. 81
100. Thus received it brings saliva
ton and blessings tJas. I:21; 1 Pet.
2:2). Woe to the one who does not
receive it q Thess. 2:10-12). Sec
ond, they searched Cor examined)
the Scriptures daily, whether those
things were so. /" They wanted to be
sure that they had the mind of God
about it, and the Scriptures were the
final authority. They were model BIZ
BILE students. Cd They studied the
Scriptures as the Word of God. CD
They examined Or. VI them. No,
mere superficial scurrying over them.
(S) They were systematic and regular
in their study, they examined the
Scriptures daily. ca They studied
with definite purpose. and that the
highest, to find out the truth about
the Christ, to find If the things Paul
and Silas taught about Him were
So"