The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-10-20
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INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
MENTS FOR OCTOBER 81.

Subject: Paul a Prisoner-The Voy.
age, Acts 27:1-26-Golden Text,
Ps. 37:5-Commit Verses GS-24
Commentary On the Lesson.
TIME.-A. D. 60. 81.
PLACE.-On the Mediterranean.
EXPOSIT1ON.-I. Paul Tempest
Tossed, 1919. Gentle breezes and
tempestuous winds alike await the
faithful servant of God Tvs. 10, 14),
but both come from the same hand,
our Fathers hand. 1t is He who
commandeth and raiseth the stormy
wind FPS. 107:25). He maketh
winds His messenger FPS. 104:4, R.
w.. Both the balmy south wind and
the fierce Euroclydon furthered Paul
on his course toward \ the imperial
city, where he was to give his testi-
mony for his Master and toward the
New Jerusalem. The gentle breezes
from the south are more pleasant but
not more wholesome and useful than
the wild, bowling northern gale. We
may all well thank God for that tenn
pest, for to it we owe the precious les
sons of this chapter. If it should
ever be ours to face the terrors Of a
cyclone, let US not forget from whom
1t comes and whose loving purposes it
carries out. 1t was probably hard
for Paul during that fourteen days
storm to discern the wise and gentle
hand of God in it, but 1t was there,
and we can see it now. 1t is interest
ing to note how, as the tempest over
took Gods faithless servant Jonah
(Jonah 1:4). so also the tempest
overlook His faithful servant Paul.
They we're both sailing the same sea,
but one toward the duty to which
God appointed him; the other away
from the duty to which God appoint
ed him. Gods most faithful servants
will not always find. smooth sailing.
The child of God may always have
peace within (Phil. AS, 7; Is. 1858;
Jno. 1888, but he will not always
have peace without. That one who is
being fercely tempest-tossed ". 49,
does not prove at all that God has
ceased to look upon him with favor.
Paul was never nearer to God than at
this moment, when he was being
tossed pitilessly about by the raging
Mediterranean, and perhaps undergo
ing the throes of seasickness. Never
was Paul more faithful. Oftentimes
the best thing for us to do when thus
tempest-tossed is Ito Tighten the
ship" ". 49,. Many Of US are cal.
rying too much cargo for such a
stormy voyage as this world presents,
and the tempest is Gods call to I'M
load (Heb. 1871; Phil. 3:7, 3; Matt.
1920.
II. "Be of Good Cheer, For 1 Be.
Iieve God" 2O-26. 1t was very nat
|. ural when neither sun nor stars. shone
upon them for many days and no
small tempest lay upon them, that all
hope that heyshould be saved should
be taken away, but it was entirely
unnecessary. God is able to save IN
the darkness as well as in the sun
shine and in the tempest as well as
in the calm. There was at least n
mar on that boat whose hope was
not gone, for God had said to him,
"Thou must bear witness at Rome
also" (ch. 23:11), and he knew that
through storm or through sunshine
God would somehow get him to Rome
to give his testimony. Those were
manly words Of Paul in verse Il. 1t
was not a mere taunt, Il told you
So" but simply a deft reference to
the j~udiciousness of his former .ad-
vice that he might gain the more re-
spectful hearing for his present
words. The darker and stormier the
night the likelier are the angels OF
God to appear if we are indeed His
". 20; CT. CHI. 1879 and 23:ll).
Sometimes they stand beside us n
we do not see them, we are so K
up with the darkness and the bowling
of the storm. Paul's short descrip-
ton of his relation to God ". 23) is
full of meaning. 1t is a great thing
to look up to the infinite God n
say, II am His" to say it intelligent
ly and with a deep realization OF It's
meaning. 1t gives a blessed solem-
nifty to our entire life. 1t also gives a
n of security. God can take care
of His own property (Jno. l0:2S,
29). Paul did not stop with saying,
Whose l am" but went on to ADD,
Whom also l serve" Many say they
| are His, but do not prove it by serv-
ice. Paul loved to think and speak
| Of himself as the Servant of God
{Rom. l:9; 2 Tim. 1:3; Tit. I'D.
1t is a position Of great dignity and
also of great security dan. 3:17,
26, 2S; 6:l6-2O) and blessedness and
reward (Jno. 1920. Much that Is
called serving God is really serving
self. But Paul's whole life was ser
vice rendered to, God. Fear not"
that is what Gods messengers are al
ways saying. Take up your concord
ance and look up the occasions upon
which God says to His servants,
Fear not BE not afraid" n sim
liar words. There may be fourteen
days continuous storms and no sun
or stars appear, but God still says,
Fear not" God reveals His plan 10
Paul, Thou must stand before Cae-
sar." Well, then all the Eurocly-
dons that ever struck the sea cannot
founder the ship on which Paul sails
until he is near enough the land to
| swim ashore. His enemies thought
that Paul must stand before Caesar
because he was a malefactor; the real
reason was that God had a testimony
to be given there (cf. CHI. 9:15). Paul
had built better than he knew when
he appealed to Caesar. 1t is a great
thing to have a godly man in the ship
in a storm ". 24). 1t is a great
thing to have a godly man in the
home or the church or the commu-
nifty. Mark we'll Paul's closing words
| in verse &c.
Raises Peach q Foot Around.
In ~cnrtinp a hnShpl of neachPS tak-