Arizona republican., 1916-05-21
International Sunday School Lesson
 for May q
THE CRIPPLE OF LYSTRA


 the faint; and to them that hath no might he increaseth strength" Isa. 40: %
 Lesson Text.-Ac II. Commit vs. S-10
 (S) And there sat a certain man at | Lystra, impotent in his feet being a cripple from his mothers womb, who | never had walked (9) The same ] heard Paul speak who steadfastly | beholding him and perceiving that he | had faith to be healed, (10) Said with | loud voice, Stand upright on thy 1 feet And he leaped and walked. GID | And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices i saying in the speech of the Lycaonia, l The gods are come down to us in the l likeness of men. G2) And they called Barn2 bas Jupiter; and Paul, Mercu- riOus, because he was the chief speak er G3) Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people 14) Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard
 
 among the people. crying out, G5) i And saying, Sirs, why do ye these l things? We also are men of like pas 1 sions with you, and preach unto you i that We should turn from these vani- 1 ties unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and 1 all things that are therein: G6) Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. CID Never- | thaless he left not himself without witness. in that he did good, and gave Us rain from heaven, and fruitful sea- sons filling our hearts with food and glldness GS) And with these say
 ings scarce restrained they the people
 that they had not done sacrifice unto them. G9) And there came thither
 certain Jews from Antioch and Icon-
 ium, who persuaded the people, and.
 having stoned Paul. drew him out of
 the city, supposing he had been dead.
 (201 Howbeit, as the disciles stood
 round about him, he rose up, and
 came into the city: and the next day
 he departed with Barnabas to Derbe
 Time.-46 A. D. PIace.-Lystra
 Exposition-I. A Cripple from His
 Birth Made Whole, S-10. 1t was a
 case of real lamencss. The man had
 never walked. The case was beyond
 mans skill, hopeless. But there arc
 TO hopeless cases with Christ There
 was no magnetic touch, no treatments
 just a look. a word, and then a per
 feet and not an imaginary cure
 Paul did not attempt to heal every l lame man he met. God directed hi.
 attention to this man. and gave hin , to see that he had faith to be healed , How did he get it? By hearing Pau
 speak (R0m. 10: ID. Something o ] this kind was needed to gain Paul
 hearing in Antioch Paul thoroughl e studied and understood the case be
 fore he spoke the word He com
 manded the man to do the naturan Il impossible, but all things are pos l. sible 10 him that believeth" (Mk. g T. 23). The man proved his faith b -s obedience.
 Il. Paul and Barnabas Worshippe T as Gods. HIS. The people were nor
 ready not only to listen to Paul hl T. to worship him. The human heal
 'f'''SE NSiAS q iiidit lO MOlSillD Me le are always ready to render unto tl Il instruments God uses the adoratio It and gratitude that belong only to Go H. Himself. Underneath the heathe ls idea that the gods visited the cart T. lin the likeness Of men there was Il great and glorious truth (Jno 1: I, ey Phil. ?: 6. .. The actions of the. se LNstrans seem very ignorant ar
 foolish to us. but do not many Chris Us ians bow down and lay their offe, US ngs and garlands at the feet of me to Gcd greatly uses, as if the man ";
 Himself something? Paul and Earn; eu bas quickly showed the stuff tn,
 were made of. As soon as they sa CT what the people were I'D to, they r, n- fused their proffered homage wi l. mingled horror and sorrow. Paul ar as barrabas would permit no mistake to notions about themselves. They wou n have 1t clearly understood that the
 were of the same stuff as other me n- Why do ve these things" These L, eh c2oGians had probably never stoppe ze to ask that question. They just q De them without asking. It IS a gre
 eo SVt Pcol'ie to dShlllS then CT selves why they do the things tn, 1t. do. It is a great thing to get peop ne 10 thinking; it leads to repentan ms CPS. 119: 59: Lu. IS: r, 1S). It Fl indeed. good tidings" (v. 15, R. V nd 10 proclaim unto a man that he e of urn from idols unto God who live IT, Who has mighty power. and who Tn ready to hear and help those WI in trust and serve Him. The idols of t ou Lycaonians were vain things" b US cause they could not hear, nor q, lls nor answer nor help, nor save Us IS 45: 20; 46: [; Jer. 10: 5, 14; 14: ?. IT, Ire idols of the world today are di ne ferent in form, but essentially { IS same In character. But the God a the Bible is the living God" Not t t god of the nationalist and deist Ter god who once lived and worked. h as he God who lives and works todo
 fhe Cod who hears and answers pra on CT and saves. He made the heav ot. and the earth and the sea. and 7et nat in them is,' and therefore 'the tel nothing too hard for" Him (J ter v; ID. Conversion is simply tur ne ng Ito God from idols to serve !, Ter l1YIns and true God" q Thes 1; Dst Conversion, therefore, is a very I ter 1onal thing. God has never in f 'ur darkest heathenism. left Rims
 without witness CPS. 19: 1-G; Ro "