Mexico Missouri message., 1916-09-14
INTERNATIONAL.
SUNDNYSOIOOL
LESSON
LESSON FOR SEPTEMBER II
PRISONER IN THE CASTLE.
(By p. o. SELLERS, Acting Director of
the Sunday School Course of the Moody
Bible Institute, Chicago)
Copyright, 1915, Western Newspaper Union)
LESSON TEXT-Acts %.


GOLDEN TEXT-He is my refuge and
my fortress-Ps. 91:2.
Paul was rescued from the mob by
the prompt action Of Lysias, and was
saved from scourglng 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 II. Mott is reaching the
student life Of the world.
!. Paul's 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 a 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 its 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
blameless (Phil, 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, II 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.
1 :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."
| II. Paul's Turning Point Wv. CPD.
! Paul seems to pick out three different
crises in this rehearsal. (1) His inter-
view with Christ, when he saw Jesus
| as he really was in his glory, living
risen Savior (Cor. 9:1; 1873. 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. (2) 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
| wv. 1919. His vision and commission
constituted 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
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. 0:13; 1 Cor.
GID. The purpose of Paul's whole
life and mission was changed.
III. Paul's Dangerous Position wv.
20-30). The mob gave him audience
until his words about the Gentiles. His
declaration that God had commanded
him to so upon mission to the Gen.
tiles as an Offense to the Jews, and
his words fell like spark upon an
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 relieve
their excitement and to express their
eXecratiOn. 1t was n manifestation of
their uncomfortable rage. The opposi-
ton of a mob is no proof that the
person 1t curses is wrong.
Immediately preparations stopped.
The commander was called, and, learn
ing that Paul was freedom Roman
citizen, he had cause to be afraid that
he had gone too far.
To assert Roman citizenship falsely
was punishable with death.
The chief captain told Paul that
with great sum he had obtained his
Roman citizenship, but Paurs reply
was, 'But am Roman born"
Paul was well cared for after this,
and in order to find out why the Jews
were so opposed to him, the captain
summoned the Sanhedrin to meet the
following day, thus unconsclously CIV
Ing Paul another opportunity to pro-
claim the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Paul indeed was ready to be bound,
and also to die at Jerusalem for the