Arizona republican., 1916-08-26
International Sunday School Lesson
 For August 27
JoURNEYiNe TO JERUSALEM

1oiden Iext.-l commend you to God, and to the word of his grace" Ac. 20: 32.
 Lesson Text.-Ac. 20: 16-ss. Com init V. 2i
 (16) For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost CID And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church. lS) And when they were come to him he said unto them, Ye know. from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner 1 have been with you at all seasons. GD Serving the Lord with all humility of mind. and with many tears. and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews: (2O) And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you. and have taught you publicly and from house to house. t2i) Testi- flying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks. repentance toward God. and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. f22) And now. behold. I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem. not knowing the things that shall be- tall me there: (23l Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city. saving that bonds and afflictions abide me. (2i) But none of the things move me. neither count l my life dear | unto myself, SO that I might finish my course with joy md the ministry. which l have received of the Lord Tesus. to testify the gospel of the Grace of God (2sl And now. behold [ know that ye all, among whom ] have gone preaching the kingdom of Cod. shall see my face no more. t2s) Wherefore I take you to record this l lay, that l am pure from the blood of all men. f27) For have not shunned to declare unto you all the l counsel of God.
 Time.-A. D. 5s. Place-Miletus. Exposition.--I. Paul's Method of | life and Teaching. ls-21. Though | Paul rassed rear Ephesus. the scene | If such eventful and fruitful years of | his life he determined not to visit | 't at this time. though he anticipated | that it was the last time that he should be in that vicinity tv. 25.) He | was determined If possible 10 be at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. | about which so many hallowed mem | nries clustered and where he would Ae able to meet so many Christians | from different places. He sent for the | representatives of that church to meet | him at Miletus twenty or thirty miles | 1way. Paul begins with an appeal to | their own knowledge of his manner | # life among them. They knew that | he had served the Lord as a devoted bond servant They knew also that | this service had been with all low | served with humility of mird. but with all humility of mind" He had served with tears" too. tears over the hardness and impenitence Of their hearts ~. 31A And there had been hard trials, too, through the many rlots of the Jews. How Pauls history puts to shame our worrying over the | email trials that come to us in the
 oath of loyalty to truth and to Christ. | Yut no amount of opposition. even
 though it was murderous in It's bit
 erness and violence. kept Paul from
 declaring the whole truth. How many
 there are today who know full well
 that a certain line of truth would be
 profitable but thev hesitate to declare 1t in it's fulness because of the oppo-
 sition it might arouse. Paul never | 'eclared truth for the mere sakes of
 'tartling people and arousing opposi- | ion or for the sake of parading his | '-nowledge: he sought fc find what l would be "profitahle" for people to
 hear and declared that. regardless oi
 he consequences to himself Hf | taught whenever he got an oppor-
 unity publicly and from house tc
 house. It was men he was after l and not the notorietv that comes from
 large audiences. He was at it, and 1 1lways at it. He had the same mes
 age for both Jews and Greeks. and | |. 1a6 if
 these two points: Repentance toward
 Cod" md faith toward our Lo~{ ! Jesus Christ" There arc those whS l tell us that the preaching of "rn
 nentance" is for Jews only. Paul die
 not think SO.
 II. How Paul Lived and Wo~ke'
 at Ephesus 22-27 The journey whicl Paul describes in the opening verse;
 was one of the most notahle arf
 epoch making Journeys of history. I
 suggests in many points the Saviour
 last journey to the same city Gu. 9
 51) Like his Master. Paul knew
 hat there was sore trial ahead. hut
 like his Master. he also knew tha
 Cod was leading him on. Many hav' thought it was-a sort of stubhornnesi
 VI PanPs part that led him to gn t'
 Ierusalem at this time in spite of SC
 many protests but the inspired rec.
 ard ie that he went "bound in tn
 Spirit" l. O. unde~ tho Hol'' S"irit!
 -ast-aint When the Holy Snirit s'
 'eads HIS. though we may pot 'snov
 what may befall us-vea. thonoh WI
 'rrow bonds and aeflictions abide us
 .here ie but one right thing and on ,vise thing r,d one safe thing 'o '' --gn on. Obedience fo tho Spirit
 euidance broneht Paul to the nlac
 he had so long desired to visit
 Rome: and that was not at his own
 expense, hut at that of the Empire Tt gave him an entree into the yer,
 court of the emperor. It gave him ai
 onnortunitv to testify to the truth t 1 r-.Ii.- I,ort,.. and A errirraa Ii nnnnnl