The Green Forest tribune., 1916-09-15
INTERNATIONAL. S(INIIAySCIlO)L
 LESSON
LESSON F0R SEPTEMBER Y
PRISONER IN THE CASTLE.

LESSON TEXT-Acts 9.
 GOLDEN TEXT-ETe is my refuge an my fortress.-Ps. 9l:2
 Paul was rescued from the mob b, ! the prompt action of Lysias, and wa saved from scourging by revealing hi Roman citizenship (2l :27-22 :29) Every true life, real social service pa triotism and national righteousness rest upon the value of conversion tt Christ. The fundamental message O the Christian church must always bt regeneration. With this message Bill! Sunday is gripping the large cities and Dr. John E. Mott is reaching th( student life of the world.
 |. PauPs Account of His Early Life (v. 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 a uni Eersfty which rivaled those of Athens and Alexandria, and Paul had probably heard it's 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 thcrs, and as touching the righteous ness which is of the law" he was blan eless (Phtl, 8 :6). He was jealous for God doing what he thought he would have him do even when "perse- cuted this way" the way of forgive ness, salvation and righteousness. Jesus said, T 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. l .14). 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 sincere in a bad cause he was Jealous in q mistaken religion; he was honestly on the wrong side. Politically and religiously prominent and active, he was in error still.
 il. Paul's Turning Point w. CPD. Paul seems to pick out three different crises in this rehearsal. CD His inter- view with Christ, when he saw Jesus as he really was in his glory, a living risen Savior (Cor. 9:1; 15.S). He had positive proof of the resurrection from the dead. This proof convicted him of sin. He had heard Jesus call. lie had asked Jesus what he would have Jim to do. He was ready to obey, and was given him to do. The fight which he met on that journey ar 'tSt1d nffn m his In&d course. The 'oice gave him his directions. In obedi- nee to the command, Arise and go," le gained knowledge and skill. CD He ights upon his interview with Ananias W. 14) where he received personal help rom an experienced Christian. In the darkness and conflict of those three lays of loneliness the questions must
 
 friends? Could he enter the service of the despised one and suffer repr0ach, danger and death? During this con aict he must have had before him the vision of what God would have him do, and the work for which he chose him (vv. 1G-1S). His vision and commission q strong motive for right decision. During the vision he came into the light, and confessed his faith by his baptism. As a result of those three days and his interview with Ananfas he came to know Gods will more fully. The next step was of course (3) his public avowal (See Acts , :3S Heb. 10 20; Rom. 10 :s3; Cor. 6:1D. The purpose of PauPs 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- ton?
 III. PauPs Dangerous Position (vv. 20-30). The mob gave him audience until his words about the Gentiles. His
 
 him to go upon q mission to the Gen tiles was an offense to the Jews, and his words fell like spark upon an mass of fanaticiSm.2 They broke out into q frenzy of excitement, and made preparations to stone him. An Oriental mob is hideOus beyond de- gree. bowling, yelling, cursing, enash- ing their teeth, fiinging their arms, casting off their garments (v. 23), throwing dust into the air to relieve their excitement and to express their eXecratiOn. It was manifestation of their uncomfortable rage. The opposi- ton of a mob is no proof that the person it curses is wrong. The wrong was not in Paul but in the mob: the cause of the famine in Ahab's time was not in Elijah; the commotion of our day is not with the reformers, but with those who uphold the evils which should be reformed. Paul used every power he had to aid his fortune-his Roman citizenship, his social position, his knowledge of law and his training and quick wit. The chief captain who spoke Latin and Greek would not un- derstand what Paul was saving in Hebrew (Aramaic), but from the fury of the people he concluded that Paul must be some great criminal, and therefore ordered that Paul should be. compelled by torture to confess his crime. While they were binding Paul he quietly asked the officer if it were lawful for them to scourge a Roman citizen, being uncOndemned
 Immediately preparations stopped. The commander was called, and. learn ing that Paul was a free-horn Roman