The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1916-05-19
INTERNATIONAL
SuNMSQOOL,
LESSON
By i. O. SELLERA. Acting Director OF
Sunday School Course OF the Moody
Bible Institute, ChicAgoJ 4
(Copyrght 1s1s. Western Newspaper Unloa.t
LESSON
LESSON FOR MAY "a
THE CRIPPLE OF LYsTRA.

..~O~N vi ~
LESSON TExT-Acts IA.
GOLDEN TEXTILE giveth power to
tho faint: aud to them that have no
might be increaseth strength.-Isa. %0:&9.
Make q list Of the seven cities mem
toned In this lesson and locate them
on q map. Let seven pupils attack to
the map q nag. or banner, to locate
each one. The visit to Iconium oc|
cured probably In the spring Of A. D.
a. tRamsey). Paul and Barnabas had
. great triumph and q severe testing
at Iconium, wrought . great victory Of
faith and became popular at Lystra-
only to meet great t~ribulation. On
their homeward journey they con-
frmed saints, set up rules and gave
account Of their labors to the home
church OF Antioch. from which they
had started this first journey.
I. In Iconium wv. ~. This was
. Roman city Of great antiquity and
importance. The modern city Konia
is an important Mohammedan and
trade center. Tradition says Paul was
imprisoned for being q magician and
teaching q oma named Thekla not
to marry. This woman endured great
hardships and trials for the faith, I'm
ally becoming q u at Selencia and
dying at the advanced age of ninety.
From this tradition we get most Of our
ideas of Pauls appearance-small.
bandylegged, large eyed. shaggy eye
brows, long nose; full Of grace with
sometimes the face Of q man and at
others Of an angel. This is tradition
only, but is probably somewhat near
the truth. Paul followed his usual
first witnessing in the synagogue. wit
Messing to the entire population, Jew,
and Gentle. and dividing them enec-
lively by his words about Jesus.
u. In Lystra wv. s-21). ~ Popu-
larity wv. S-1s). Their introduction
here would seem propitious, healing
the cripple 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
Of men," II the great and glorious
truth of the incarnation (John 1:14;
Phil. 3:6, y. We should hesitate to-
condemn these men Of Lystra too -A
verely, for what American community
is not open to condemnation In t4iS
regard? Too many Christians ofeE
garlands ". 13) at the feet Of the men
whom God has used to work his
mighty works. It was common COM
plant that In the days Of his greatest
victories. men could not and Mr..
Moody when q service was dismissed
or get into his quarters at the hotels
he would give no opportunity for self.
glorifcation. Paul and Barnabas had
hard work to restrain these hero wor-
shippers ". 14), and to convince them
who they were and how they had been
enabled to accomplish such q wonder
full miracle ". 15). Paul was Of like
stature" with them and would not &C
cept worship as did the Caesars or
| Herod (12:22, 23). He exhorted the
Lystrians to turn from these vain
things" i. O., such idol worship, unto
the living God" (see also l Cor. 8:4:i
I Thess. 1:9). Hitherto God had not
miraculously interfered to turn
men from their evil ways ". 16), but
| left them to their own devices to show
their inability to find their way back
to him (see Acts 1890; l Cor. 1:21).
Yet God is not without witnesses"
". I'D. The seasons and the natural
laws point to God, yet men still re-
main blind and ungrateful. Thus by
vehement exhortation they prevented
this act of sacrilege. (2) Persecution
(vr 10 OnN Th@ ~~h - oro- E~lI~
". 49,, but it did not turf them unto
the living God" ". 15). Conversion
is the simple turning from idols Ct
Thess. 1-9), a rational thing, but one
contrary to the pride Of men who de-
sire to do something whereby they
may merit or a demand their sal
walton. Even a. Paul had difficulty to
turn people aside from idols. SO today
It Is hard to keep men and women
from idolatry, not the gross or vulgar
idolatry of ~heathenism, but the re-
fined idols Of culture. success, power.
money and pleasure. To his Difficult
ties Paul had the added persecution OF
the vindictive Iconians and those from
Antioch ". 1917. God delivered him
from this trial Il Cor. 11:25, 80. All
loyal witnesses must expect persecuI
ton from the God-hating world On
Tim. 3:12: John ~15:18-20) Some think
that this was when Paul was caught
mp into the third heaven" III Cor. 12si
24). His treatment did not stop his
testimony. o separate him from
friends Tvs. 20, 21).
I'll. The Return wv. 22l2s). when,
they hed preached the gospel to the
city" ". Ply literally having evan
gelized the city" they started home
confirming believers and appointing
leaders In each center visited. They
did not take the short cut Of 100 miles.
to Paurs home In Tarsus. but they
visited their converts.
~Syn1bolically the cripple Of Lystrai
Il . type of sin, (a) helpless. (b) born
In that condition (Psa. $3.50, (c) had
to be helped from without, by outside