Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1909-05-05
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
AiENTS FOR MAY o.

INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
| MENTS FOR MAY o. =
Subject: Paurs First Missionary
Journey Antioch in 3 Pisidia-
Acts 1s:1s.52-GoIden Text,
Acts 1S:49-.Commentary.
TIME.-A. D.. As. PLACE.-An-
tioch in Pisidia.
EXPOSITION. by Him Every
Ono that Believeth is Justified from
All Things, 1S-41, Missionary work
was too hard for John Mark, but the
day came when Mark did better (cf.
ch. 1898, 80; Col. 4:10; 2 Tim.
4:1D. Paul always sought the syna-
gogue on the Sabbath Day ". 14).
1t was there he could meet the people
and preach Jesus to them. He put
himself in the way of opportunity and
the opportunity came. Paul, like Pc
ter on the day of Pentecost (Acts z:
1870 and Stephen before the coun-
Gil (Acts 7:2-49), began his sermon
with an exposition of Old Testament
Scriptures and Jewish history, but
uses all to lead up to Christ. There
is one thing that, he would have his
brethren know, viz, that through
Jesus is preached unto them the for
giveness of sins (v.33S). Verses 3S,
! 80, contain marvelously full state-
ment of the doctrine of justification.
(1) How men are justified "by
Him" (Greek, Sin HIM. (2) Who
are justifed?-"Every one that be-
| lieveth," R. v. (3) From what men
are justified-"From all things" (H
How no man can be justified--"By
the law of Moses" (cf. Rom. 3:20).
go When men are justifed-the mo-
ment they believe. This is wonder
full Gospel, but it lays tremendous
responsibility on all who hear it. all
despisers shall wonder and perish.
III. Many Jewish Converts and
Much Opposition, 42-47. Paul made
it plain as day that Jesus is the Mes
siah and the Son Of God Tvs. %, %,
27, 29-31, 33, "a, 35, SO. 37)l.. that
God raised Him from the dead and
thus fulfilled the promise made unto
the fathers Tvs. 80, 33), and that "by
| Him every one that believeth is justi-
fed from all things" Tvs. 3S, 39l.
The sermon produced immediate aud
abundant fruit. The converts were
of two classes, regular Jews and
proselytes. Paul and Barnabas (it Is
no longer Barnabas and Paul) fol-
lowed up their work by words Of pri-
vate instruction and exhortation. The
| substance of exhortation was to stead
fast continuance (cf. Jno. S:31, 80;
1850; Acts 1925: 1922; Col. 1:
23). The sphere of their steadfasr
continuance, "the grace Of God" It
was pure grace that Paul taught Tvs.
3S, 80; Ro. 1924; lis; Eph. 2:S),
and 1t Is only in grace that one can
CONTINUE" or "stand" (Ro. 5:2; Gal.
81, ~. The word of God nightly
prevailed, the whole city was shaken
and almost the whole" city came to
hear. What they heard was "the
word Of God" (cf. 2 TT. Az; 1 Thess.
2:13), and that was what they came
to hear. Hearing, however, is not
believing and obeying. (Luke S:5-O.
1t Is not always the city where there
are most hearers that there are tho
most conversions. The great crowds
awakened the jealousy Of the Jews
(cf. 1889. They were filled with
Jealousy" Human nature isl pretty
muGn the same in all lands and all
ages. Let new preacher come to
any city to-day and draw great crowds
of eager hearers, where crowds have
been hitherto small and interest fee
BILE, and somebody's jealousy is pret-
ty sure to be aroused. Opposition
did not frighten Paul and Barnabas.
It made them the more bold. The
word Of God according to Gods order
must first be spoken" unto the Jew
". 26; Luke 24:47; Acts 1926; Is:
5, 6; Ro. 1850. But as they would
not have it, 1t was given to others
(Ro. 11:11, 12), (cf. Deut. 1921,
Matt. 21:43). America and England
have "the word of God" to-day: if
they "put it from" them tas they
seem likely to do) it will be given to
others. A man settles his own des-
tiny by what he does with the word
of God (Jno. 5:40). The Lord had
commanded" Paul to go to the Gen.
tiles. He had given him this COM
mandment before he left Jerusalem
(ch. 22:17-2D. This commandment
was also implied in o. T. prophecies
concerning the Messiah, which fore
told that He was to be for the Gen.
tiles ". At: CT. Isa. 1850. In the
O. T. as we'll as the New the world
wide purpose of salvation was clearly
set forth. Unto the ends of the
earth" the finger of God always
pointed and the grace of God always
strove (cf. ch. 1:8; Matt. 2S:19).
III. Many Gentle Converts and
Bitter Persecution. 4S, 40. The Gen.
tiles glorified the Word of God that
the Jews despised. "As many as
were ordained to eternal life be-
lieved." The practical evidence theN
that any one is ordained to eternal
life Is that he believes (cf. Jno.
6:S7). The Jews. in this lesson, ad-
judged themselves unworthy of eter-
nal life by putting the Word Of God
from them ". 46). These Gentiles
adjudged themselves ordained to
eternal life by believing the Word of
God. What one does with the Word
decides his eternity. 1.-THE word OF
the Lord made great progress. "It
was spread abroad throughout all the
region" (cf. ch. 81; 1919, 10, 26).
This awakened fierce opposition and
bitter persecution. Notable success
of the Gospel always does. The devil
will not allow the Gospel to triumph
without mighty fight (ch. Alb;
5:14-18; 6:S-14). The Jews, like
opposers of Gods Word in all ages,
took underhanded means to thwart