Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1916-09-15
LESSON FOR SEPTEMBER II
PRISONER IN THE CASTLE.

Paul was rescued from the mob by
the prompt action of Lysias, and was
saved from scourging by revealing his
Roman citizenship (21 :27-22 :29).
Every true life, real social service, pa
triotism and national righteousness
rest upon the value of conversion to
Christ. The fundamental message of
the Christian church must always be
regeneration. With this message Billy
Sunday is gripping the large cities,
and DR.. John r. Mott is reaching the
student life of the world.
|. PauPs Account of His Early Life
". 1-5). By his use of the Greek tongue
he obtained permission to deliver this
address, and by his wise use of the
Jewish language he gained the atten-
ton of the excited crowd. Paul as
serted his Jewish origin. (Acts 21-39).
Tarsus, where he was born. had uni
versity which rivaled those Of Athens
and Alexandria, and Paul had probably
heard its great philosophers. Paul was
an educated man; he was brought up
in Jerusalem from his early boyhOOd
at the feet of Gamaliel it's greatest
teacher. Thus his religious training
was according to the law of the IA
theirs, and as touching the righteous
ness which is of the law" he was
blameless (Phil, 3 81. He was Jealous
for God, doing what he thought he
would have him do even when ''perSe-
cuted this way" the way of forgi Ve-
ness, salvation and righteousness.
Jesus said, Il am the way" Paul was
at this time an instrument in the hands
of the rulers, carrying out their plans,
but he exceeded them in his zeal for
''the traditions of our fathers (Gal.
:1N. He was not at all like those
Pharisees whom Christ condemned as
white sepulchers." He was not what
we would term today, "a bad man."
He could not have done his work or oc-
cupied his position if he had been. He
was sincers In a bad cause; he was
jealous in g mistaken religion; he was
honestly Oh the wrong side. Politically
az religiOusly prominent and active,
he was in error still.
II. PauI's Turning Point w. CPD.
Paul seems to pick out three different
crises in this rehearsal. ~ His inter-
view with Christ, when he saw Jesus
as he really was in his glory. living
risen Savior (Cor. 9:1; 1879. He had
positive proof of the resurrection from
the dead. This proof convicted him
of sin. He had heard Jesus call. He
had asked Jesus what he would have
him to do. He was ready to obey, and
something was given him to do. The
| light which he met on that journey ar
rested him in his mad course. The
voice gave him his directions. In obedi-
ence to the command, "Arise and CO."
he gained knowledge and skill. ~ He
lights upon his interview with Ananias
! ". 14) where he received personal help
from an experienced Christian. In the
darkness and conflict of those three
| days of loneliness the questions must
have been: Could he leave rank, honor,
| friends? Could he enter the service of
the despised one and suffer reproach.
danger and death? During this con-
flict he must have had before him the
vision of what God would have him do,
and the work for which he chose him
(vv. 1919. His vision and commission
constituted a strong motive for right
decision. During the vision he came
into the light, and confessed his faith
by his baptism. AS result of those
three days and his interview with
Ananias he came to know Gods will
more fully. The next step was of
course (3) his public avowal (See, Acts
2:3S; Heb. 10 %; Rom. 10:13; Cor
Gid. The purpose of Paul's whole
life and mission was changed. For each
Of us, in our own degree, conversion
brings similar changes of life. Have
we experienced this great transforma.
tion?
III. PauPs Dangerous Position (vv
20-30). The mob gave him audience
until his words about the Gentiles. His
declaration that God had commanded
aim to go upon mission to the Gen
tiles was an offense to the Jews, anC
his words fell like a spark upon ar
inflammable mass of fanaticism" They
broke out into frenzy of excitement
and made preparations to stone him
An Oriental mob is hideous beyond de
gree, bowling, yelling, cursing, gnash
ing their teeth, flinging their arms
casting off their garments ". 23)
throwing dust into the air to reliev,
their excitement and to express thei
eXecration. 1t was a manifestation o
their uncomfortable rage. The opposi
of 10 tI,.
person it curses is wrong. The wron-
was not in Paul but in the mob; tn
cause of the famine in Ahab's time wa
not in Elijah; the cOmmOtion of on
day is not with the refOrmers, but wit
those who uphold the evils whic
should be reformed. Paul used ever
power he had to aid his fortune-hi
Roman citizenship, his social position
his knowledge of law and his trainin
and quick wit. The chief captain VIII
spoke Latin and Greek would not III
derstand what Paul was saying i
Hebrew (Aramaic), but from the fur
of the people he concluded that Pat
must be some great criminal, an
therefore ordered that Paul should b
| cOmpelleQ lDy torture 10 CONFESS nj
| crime. While they were binding Pal
4 he quietly asked the officer if it wer
II lawful for them to scourge a Roma
4 citizen, being uncOndemned.
4 Immediately preparations stoppe,
/ The commander was called, and, learl
Il ing that Paul was a free-born Roma
l citizen, he had cause to be afraid thi
I he had gone too far.
H To assert Roman citizenship falsel
II was punishable with death.
: The chief captain told Paul tn,
4 with a great sum he had obtained h
Roman citizenship, but Paul's rep
was, "But am Roman born"
- Paul was well cared for after thi
and, in order to find out why the Jev
- were so opposed to him, the capita
N summoned the Sanhedrin to meet Il
h. following day, thus unconsciously gi
n, ing Paul another opportunity to pr
~ claim the gospel of Jesus Christ.