The Morris County chronicle., 1909-09-07
The
Sunday School
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM
MENTs FOR sEPTEMBER ne.

!
Subject: Close Of Pazi's Third Mis-
siOnary Journey, Acts 21:1-17--
Golden Text, Acts 21:14-Com-
( init Verses 13, 14--Commentary
TIME.-A. d. 58.
PLACES.-Tyre, Caesarea
EXPOSTTTON.--T. Seven DAYS nc
Tyre, 9. When Paul reached a city
ne at once looked UP the disciples in
1t. He longed to impart to them
some spiritual gift (Rom 1:11). and
to be cOmfOrted in them (F2om. 1912.
r. V.). Any one who was q disciple
of his Lord Jesus was, because OF that
fact, an object of Paul's tender affec-
tion and interest. Do all Christians
to-day in their travels keep a sharp
lookout for the disciples OF Christ in
the cities they visit, and hunt them
up, with eager love and desire to help
them? A seven days stay seems to
have been quite the customary thing
with Paul (ch. 20:6. 2; 28:14). Paul
did set foot in Jerusalem Was the
Spirit, then, mistaken? ". ~ Not in
the least. These men spoke Through
the Spirit, /. e., 1t was what the
Spirit said to them that led them to
speak to Paul. But they were not
wise interpreters of the Holy Spirits
teaching. Doubtless what the Holy
Spirit testified to them was what He
testified in every city, viz, that bonds
and Affections awaited Paul (ch. 20:
23; CT. vs. 10-12). They could NOT
endure the thought. and so they put
their own construction on the Spirits
teaching, and put it into their own
words and said "he should not yet
foot in Jerusalem" fR. w. There
are those to-day who would have us
believe that this is the kind of inspir-
alton we have in the Bible-that the
Spirit gives "the concept, but apos-
ties and prophets put this Spirit-giv-
en- concept" into their own words.
We see from this passage how unre-
liable revelation the Bible would be
If this were the mode of its inspira-
ton. 1t is not (1 Cor. ala, r. W,
Am. App. When the Spirit teaches
us, we need to be careful to give out
precisely what the Spirit gives us, and
not our inferences from it, or we also
through the Spirit, =" will teach error.
Paul had won the heart of every man.
woman and child in the church of
Tyre. We are apt to lose sight of the
exceeding lovableness of this man
Paul He was so much else that was
great that we lose sight of his gentle
winsomeness (cf. ch. 20:37, 381. One
can almost see that company of men,
women and children grouped about
Paul.. all kneeling and all praying.
1t was no empty prayer That united
prayer doubtless got what it sought.
1t brought down from God blessing
for Paul and blessing for the church
of Tyre 1t always means much when
company of true disciples kheel to-
gether in believing, simple and def
mite prayer. This was a model leave
taking (cf. ch. 20:36). The sixth
verse gives us suggestive sentence.
Our earthly guides and helpers are
separated from us, but there are two
heavenly guides who always abide
with us Matt. 28:20; Jno. 14:16.
17. Happy is the man whose trust
is in them and not In man
III. Many Days in Caesarea, 7-14.
These verses give us glimpse of sew
eral very gifted persons in the early
church: Philip, his four daughters,
all prophetesses, and Agabus. The
church had made Philip deacon
(Acts 6:1-6). God had made Philip
an evangelist. God only can make a
true evangelist (Eph. Aid. Philip
had come to Caesarea in his tours
from city to city, some years before
(ch. 1925, SO, 400 He seems to
have made it, from that time, base
of operations. He was greatly blessed
in his domestic life He not only had
four daughters-which would of it,
self be blessing FPS. 1871: 3-5; 1873:
3)-but these daughters were all
spiritually gifted. Some might think
that these children. being women,
ought to keep silence in the church,
but God evidently thought otherwise.
He made them prophets (cf. 2:17).
Paul in the very epistle In which he,
under the inspiration of the Spirit,
forbids women speaking under GER
tain circumstances in the assembly
q Cor. 14:34), also gives directions
how women shall prophesy q Cor.
11:5) Agabus not only spake
Through the Spirit but he took
pains to give the very words of the
Spirit, and so he got things exactly
right. When a man can truly say,
Thus saith the Holy Ghost. we may
depend upon the literal accuracy of
his words. But many in our day pre-
sumptuously dare to say it when it is
not true,y and their prophecies come
to naught We do we'll to be slow
in accepting any mans claim to be
the mouthpiece Of the Holy Spirit
The history of the church tells of
hosts of pretehders- of that sort. One
single failure in their prophecies is
enough to discrcdit their claims, for
the Holy Spirit never errs. Agabus
did not tell Paul not to go to Jerusa-
lem, but simply forewarned him of
what awaited him there. Paul's
friends, however, sought with ear
nest opportunities to dissuade him
from going where God was leading
him. 1t was the Spirit who was lead
ing Paul to Jerusalem Paul had
plainly declared that fact. (ch. 20;
22) Yet these foolish friends would
dissuade Paul from going as there
was suffering on the way. Many
think that the path where suffering
lies cannot be the right path, but not
SO the Lord Matt 1924; 2 Tim. 2:
12; 3:12). Paul's last journey to
Jerusalem was much like his Mas.
ter's. The same clear vision of afflic-i
tion awaiting him. the same dissua-
sion on the part Of friends.
Shot at Mans Reflection.