The Brinkley argus., 1909-11-19
Paul's Story of
 His Life
Sunday School Lesson for Nov. 2l, 1909
 Specially Arranged for This Paper

LESSON TExT-Cor. n:22-s; 12l-lO. Memory verses. "A, 9. GOLDEN TExT.-"He said unto me. My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness" l - Cor. 12:9.
 l TIME-Autumn of A. b 5i to late in | 52 or early in 53
 PLACE.-In Macedonia. where the Sec ond Epistle to the Corinthians was writ | ten.
 Suggestion and Practical Thouqht.
 1. The church in Corinth was very young, not seven years old from the first coming of Paul. who remained Since that time they had grown in numbers with but little outside help from Paul and those who represented him.
 9 The young church was surround ed by intense worldliness, and heather immoralities and principles, which were like an intense moral malaria, an unhealthy atmosphere. l g. There was in the city consider able colony of Jews who were opposed to the whole Christian movement 1 A. An anti-Pauline mission of Chris tian Jews from Palestine came to Corinth with views opposed to Paul's teachings concerning the Gentiles, and insisted that all Gentle Chris l tians should conform to the Jewish ritual
 5 Cases of immortality had arisen in the church for which Paul had been compelled to reprove them.
 G. There were divisions among them, one being for Peter, another for Paul, and another for Christ, as if all were not for Christ
 z. There were attacks upon Paul's character and authority.
 Speaking of those who claimed te who condemned him, Paul says:
 22 Are they Hebrews" of purest blood, one of the nation and Ian. guage?
 50 am l."
 Are they Israelites,' of the true re- ligion. worshiping the one God?
 50 am L.
 Are they the seed of Abraham" in heritors of the promises, of the Mes sianic hopes, and the kingdom of God
 "So am l."
 II 24. Five times received forty stripes save one" from the Jews. None are mentioned in the Acts. The Jews were forbidden to infict more than forty stripes (Deut. 25:3), and lest they should break the law by a mis take in counting they inflicted only thirty-nine.
 20. Thrice was I beaten with rods. Once mentioned in Acts 1922. A sim liar instance is given by Cicero against Verres, V. 62.
 Once was I stoned At Lystra (Acts 14:19). Stoning was planned once before at Iconium, bat the plaI was not carried out (Acts 14:5). Two-The second test of apostle ship.-12: 1-6. Vision. Insight. Com munion with God Realization of tht spiritual Paul's second answer to ob jectors is that he has right to speal in the name of God; for though ht had not seen Jesus in the flesh, ht had seen eternal things, he had re ceived revelations from God. 2. 'I knew" (better q know') "; man in Christ" That he is referring to himself is proved by V. '; and tho whole argument implies it. How i came, he could not tell, but he knew the fact. Caught up to the thirt heaven" beyond the visible heaven "to the highest heaven where the throne of God is,' to Paradise the abode of the just, and of the angels Whatever place it may have been. il was into the inmost spiritual realities
 Note the several visions which art recorded in the Acts from this visior of Jesus at his conversion, to his vision in the storm on the way tt Rome In his letter to the Galatians | Q:11. 12) Paul declares: | q certify you, brethren, that the Gospel which was preached of me it not after man.
 For I neither received it of man neither was l taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ"
 
 Something of this vision, of this communion of God with our spirits of this realization of heaven and its life. of this insight into spiritual truths, is necessary to our best useful ness and our highest life.
 Three.-The third test of Paul's Apostleship was his saintly life.- 1e:7.1O. Paul shows that the signs of an apostle were wrought among the | Corinthians "in signs and wonders and | mighty deeds" every one of them for the good of the people and the glory | of God. T seek not yours but you, .I will very gladly spend and be spent for you, though the more abundantly I love you, the less l be loved"
 The Thorn in the Flesh. One special form in which his saintliness was cul