The Green Forest tribune., 1916-09-29
INTERNATIONAL. SUNl4YSQ1OOL
 LESSON (By B. O. SELLERS, Acting Director of the Sunday School Course of the Moody Bible Institute. Chicago.) (Copyright, 1916, Western Newspaper Union
LESSON FOR OCTOBER I
PLOT THAT FAILED.
LESSON TExT-Acts 23.

oohiiNNi III Iuli IliC IclilDlc COol of Jerusalem also In CaeSarea, the Roman capital of Judea, on the Medi- teranean coast, in the year A. D. 57, just at the close of Paul's third mis- sionary journey. The lesson pictures two successive days of strange adven- lures in which Paul was concerned, a narrow escape and the unexpected providences used in his deliverance. The day was inaugurated by Pauls magic words II am a Roman citizen, which caused the commander, LysiaS, to release him from the threatened scourging, and made him more than ordinarily careful in his treatment of Paul.
 !. Before the Elders (vv. 1-12). By referring back to chapter 21, V. 13, we find the charge which really underlay all of Paul's trouble, his preaching in the name of the Lord Jesus. Paul's defense is interesting. He gives us q rehearsal of his Christian life, laying emphasis upon It's blamelessness and the fact that he is not an apostate Jew. The high priest speaks to silence him, but not gently. Although Paul for moment seems to give way to his justifiable indignation, he quickly re- veals his reverence for the rulers of the people. He then divides the san hedrin. Read carefully chapter 22 :6-7, and compare with verses r and IS. The sanhedrin could not explain this testimony of Paul, and were seeking to put aside the whole question. An Interesting discussion would be to con- sider the insult to Paul. Was his in- dignation right and rightly expressed? Another question, the matter of Pauls apology. Just for what did he apolo- gize? Is it ever wrong to speak evil of rulers? These were indeed days of stress and storm. Was Paul justified in dividing the sanhedrin in order to conquer their opposition to him? Again, how God used these incidents in the furtherance of the gosped is a suggestive lesson for us all. 1t has been hinted that Ananas was not in his priestly garments, and therefore perhaps not readily recognized by Paul. Paul may never have seen him. as he was elected high priest after Paul had left the council. It is inter- esting to note that it is not said that anyone struck Paul or that Paul did not apologize for his words or deny --a-------4-,--4--e=4= -.----s tnenl Io De due, but only for their be- ing spoken to the high priest. Read in this connection what Christ said to the Pharisees (Matt. g :2D. Paul ap- ologiZed because he had broken the law found in Exodus % :2S. In the trial of Christ one of the officers struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, whereupon Jesus answered him, say ing: "If 1 have spoken evil, bear wit ness of the evil, but if well, why shit when Jesus was ill-treated by the com mon soldires he opened not his mouth. Was Paul one "who was angry and sinned noty' (See Eph. 1 :26). Our danger is not so much in the posses sion of temper, but in OUT lack of controlling it.
 II. The Plot and Deliverance (vv. 12- 35). Paul's prospect was not pleas ant one. In his darkness God appeared to his faithful servant to cheer him (v. III. Perhaps Paul was tempted to think he had made a mistahe in com ing to Jerusalem over the protests of his friends, but evidently the Lord heartily approved of his testimony there. A dangerous conspiracy was forming against him, but God was, as he always is, beforehand with his com fort and preparation for the crisis. w have often speculated as to what be- came of the forty men who entered | into 1t (see V. 12)-whether they ac- 1 tually lived up to their oath. If they did, they must have died of starvation. | They were determined men, willing to go any length, and fancied they were 1 doing the will of God. There is no more dangerous man than he who fan cies that he must be the judge as to who are Gods friends and who are his foes, and that he is the appointed exc cutioner of Gods judgment. The plot was well laid, and seemed certain of success, but it failed miserably. iSee Psalm 2:1-4 GA :1-10 Isaiah fl :10) The wicked, who leave God out of their plans, no matter how cunningly they plot, are doomed 10 failure (Rom S:3D. These plotters eo-operated with the priest. EcclesaStics have often descended to the lowest viHainy Mer are not murdered today. though theiI regulations are often blasted by un principled and hellishly impelled pro fessed followers of the lowly Naza rene. Paul had friends in this city His nephew's discovery and revelation and the Gentle soldier, colonel, eff fered his deliverance. In the boys heart there must have been great ad mlration for the uncle. It would b' well for teachers of boys to have then repeat in their own language this boy'' story. Paul was not safe in Jerusa lem, The Roman governor recognized the nature of the conspiracy. and thu desperate character of the Jewish ia natics, and therefore sent him under
 strong guard to Caesarea, which wa
 reached after jOurnew on horseback lasting through the night and the fol
 lowing day.
 The twenty-third Psalm Is person
 al possession for every Christian
 Again and again it has been pointed
 out that if the first verse began, 9Th
 Lord is a shepherd" 1t is not likel,
 that men and women and children fo
 5000 years would have counted if on