Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1909-06-30
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson Third Quarter, For
July q, 1909.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text Of the Lesson, Acts XIV, So, to xvi,
16-Memory Verses, 9, 1o-Golden
Text, Acts xvi, documentary Pre-
pared by Rev. D. M. Stearns.

|
Text, Acts xvi, documentary Pre-
pared by Rev. D. M. Stearns.
copyright, 1902 by American Press Association.
When we left this wonderful story
Of the continued doings and teaching
Of the assembled Lord by His Spiri
through His servants a few week.
ago, we saw Paul and Barnabas ant
others teaching and preaching the
word Of the Lord at Antioch XIV, 49,
Now we are to have five consecutive
lessons on Pauls second missionary
journey as recorded in chapters xvi
xviii, but we have some preliminaries
in the closing verses Of chapter XIV.
Some Christians are tempted to think
that God can only use perfect people,
and while they are looking. for such or
waiting to become such themselves
souls are perishing for lack Of some
kind of q pole to hold up the brazen
serpent that the perishing may see the
serpent, not the pole, and live. sup.
pose that In considering this record Of
bas concerning John Mark some would
take one side and some the other, but
the Lord overruled it to send out four
missionaries instead Of two, and He
loved them all in spite Of their sins
and doubtless blessed them as the.
went forth in His name, Paul and Silas
through Syria and Cilicia and Barna-
bas and Mark to Cyprus.
II Paul passed through Tarsus on
his way to Derbe and Lystra, the rec
ord does not speak of his preaching
there. He seems to have pressed on
to Derbe, his farthest point on his first
tour, and then to Lystra, where he had
been stoned to death. From thence he
took Timothy, who had known the
Scriptures from his childhood, having
been well taught both by his mother
and his grandmother Oh Tim. 4, 8; lii,
15); he had possibly witnessed the
stoning of Paul and his return to life,
and it may have led to his conversion
or to a more decided stand for Christ.
Paul calls him "my own son In the
faith" q Tim. 1, p, as If he had been
the instrument in leading him to
Christ. On the principle of I Cor. *,
20, Paul had him circumcised for the
sake of winning the circumcise1 to
Christ, but not that he for one moment
thought circumcision essential to sal
walton (Gal v, 6; vi, 15). have never
been able to understand why twenty
two years ago the Lord led me into a
church using a liturgy and asked me
to submit to wearing a gown unless
he did so that He might thus reach
some with the simplicity Of the COS
pei and the glorious truths of the king
dom and the second coming Of Christ
who might not otherwise have been
reached. His service is perfect free
dom, and we ought to be willing to
submit to anything, anywhere, any
how, if only He can thus be glorifed. |
AS they passed from place to place |
the believers were more firmly estab-
ished (by the word preached, no |
doubt, and the number of them in
creased, the Lord manifestly working |
with them. With map Of Asia Mi
nor, which is necessary in this study,
,ne can see that, having passed well
through the provinces to the west,
hey were forbidden, at that time, to
20 south into the province of Asia
md not suffered to go north into
3ithynia, the Spirit having His own
Ian for them. 1t should be our aim
o live In the will and purpose of
Tod and rely upon Ps. xxi, 8; lisa.
Xxx, 81; Xviii, II, in the matter OF
Guidance, for what seems to us good
md wise and for the glory of God may
lot be His way for us just then. He
pens or shuts as seems best to Him,
nd we simply dwell with Him for
lis work and yield to Him that He
nay work in and through us His good
'leasure u Chron. iv, %; Phil. II, 10;
Ieb. xiii, 21). Having come down to
be sea at Troas, Paul saw in a vision
man of Macedonia, in Europe, who
aid, "Come over into Macedonia and
elp u.s." The writer says. Tmmedi-
tely we endeavored to go into Mace
onia, assuredly gathering that the
ord had called us for to preach the
ospel unto them" (verse 10). The
ronoun 1--WE" instead of "they," as
eretofore. would seem to indicate that
luke had now Joined them, Luke the
eloved physician, the writer Of this
ook and of the gospel bearing his
anne. There came time when Paul
yrote, "Only Luke is with me" Oh Tim.
', 1D. Note that they were called to
reach the gospel, not to establish
chools, as one has said. To teach the
neducated to read, that they may be
BILE to read the Bible and to instruct
hem that they may instruct others Ia
nat which is essential, seems to be all
ght, but some are learning that edu-
alton without Christ only makes more
ever heather or unbelievers. Our
commission is to proclaim the good
ews oiEGod concerning His Son that
trough Him souls may be saved.
Having crossed by ship to Neapolis,
icy proceeded to Philippi, the chief
ty Of that part Of Macedonia, and I
lere they abode certain days. The
ian of the vision was not there tC
elcome them, nor was there com.
littee to receive them No posters an
ounced the arrival Of the distinguish
| messengers, nor did any herald pro-
aim that one of them had been
.oned to death and had come to life
gain. They were evidently not ex
eeted. and nobody cared. Was 1t all |
mistake spd the vision a delusion?
ct us wait and watch, as they did.
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