The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-05-19
MTER TIOMAL
Sunday School
s.; esso on -;
LESSON FOR MAY q
TIE CRIPPLE OF LysrsA.

asSaasBaess F 4ax7As: I .sv..a DOW. !.
che faint; and to thea that have 10
might b. increassth st,ength.-Isa. te21
I Make . list Of the seven cities men.
TONED IN this lesson and locate them
ems map. Let seven pupils attack to
ths map a dag, or banner, TO locate
each one. The visit to 1conium oc.
curred probsbly In the spring Of a. D.
n tRamseyl. Paul and Barnabas had
2 great triumph and . severe testing
st ieonium, wrought q great victory Of
faith and became popular at Lystra,
only to meet great tribulatton. on
their homsvard Journey they con.
Armed saints, set up rules and savs
account Of their labors to the homo
ehgsh ri, Antioch.
in ieenIuns tyv. ~. This was
. Roman city Of great antiquity and
importance. The modern city Konia
Is ~ important Mphammedan and
trade center. Tradition sayr Paul was
imprisoned for being p magician and
teaching p woman named ThsNa not
to marry. This woman endured great
haftships and trials for the faith, IN.
Slly becoming q nun at selencia and
dying Of the advanced age Of ninety.
FROM this tradition We get most Of our
asas 81 Paula appsarance-small,
e4pdylegged, large eyed, shaggy eye
EbrpFs. lnns nose; full Of grace With
sometimes the face o. Z man and at
others Of IN angel This Is tradition
enly, bit u probably somewhat near
The truth. Paul followed bis usual
nrst witnessing in the synagogue, Wit.
Messing 10 the entire population, JeH
and Gentle, and dividing them effee.
lively BY bis words about Jesus.
u. II Lystea tvv. s-2f). "a Popu.
tafty wv. SID. Their Introduction
here Hould seem propitious, healing
the crippls and at once gaining the
esteem Of the people. Alteration and
gratitude appeal to the human heart.
Underneath the heather idea that the
gods came down to us In the likeness
ot ment iS the great and glorious
truth Of the incarnation John 1:1t:
Phil. 2:6, y. We should hesitate to
condemn these men Of Lystra too SO.
4 Ssrely, tor what American community
Is not open to condemnation in this
regard? Too many Christians offer
ssrlands ". 1877 at ths feet OF the men
whom God has used to. work his
mighty works. It was common com.
plant that ii the days Of his greatest
Victories, men could not find Mr..
&opdy when service was Dismissed.
get Into his quarters at the hotels:
D would give no opportunity for self.
IxloFiaeation. Paul and Barrabas had
hard work to restrain these hero vor.
shippers ". ~. and 10 convince them
tvho they were and how they had been
enabled to accomplish such wonder.
ful miracle ". 15). Paul was Of like
stature" with them and would not &C.
;lcept worship as did the Caesars or
Herod t12:22. 23,. He exhorted the
Lystrians to turn from these vain
things" !. e.. such idol worship, unto
the living Cod (see also I Cor. S:4:
! Thesa. 1897. Hitherto God had not
miracuiously interfared to turn
amen from their evil ways ". 16), but
left them to their own devices to show
Their inability to t,nd their way back
10 him tsee Acts 1890; Cor. FAD.
Yet God is not without witnesses"
iHv. III. This seasons and the natural
laws point to God. yet men still re-.
main blind and ungratetul. Thus by
vehement exhortation they prevented
this act Of sacrilese. al Persecution
Avs. 10. 2el. The mob is ever fickls.
Ky. 49,, hut it did not turn them unto
the living God" ". Isl. Conversion
is tho simple turning from idols II
Thsss. ~, . rational thing, but one
contrary to the pride Of men who de-
sire to do sometime" Whereby they
may merit Or can demand their sal.
satlon. Even as Paul had dificuity to
turn people aside from idols. so today
It y hard to keep men and women
frem idolatry. not the gross or vulgar
idelntry OF heathenism, but tho 70.
fined idols Of culture. success. power.
money and pleasure. To his difficult.
ties PAUL had the added persecution Of
thevindietive Ieonians and those from
Antioch ". lal. God delivered him
from this trial Il Cor. 1926, az. All
loyal witnesses must expect persecu.
tion from the God-hsting world III
Tim. 3:12; John 15:1S.2al.
u. The Return wv. 22!2s). When
they had preached the gospel to the
city ". 81 literally having evan.
gelEed the city" they started home
CONFIRMING believers and appointing
lsaders ri eseh center visited. They
did not take the short cut Of 100 miles
to Paul's home In Tarsus, but they
visited their new converts.
symbolieally the cripple Of L5stra
Is type 81 sin. 81 helpless. (bi born
In that condition tPsa. s1:5,, (c, had
to 30 helped from without, by outside
poHer from. 5:s,: "a all could see
the change flames 2:lsl. This mir.
aels wrought tal Praise from the PEG.
PIE tb) Protestation on the part OF
Paul and Barnahas, (c) Persecution
from the hckle and disappointed
priests who melted the people. Per.
secuuon helped the proclamation Of