Middletown transcript., 1921-08-06

LESSON IEhI-ACtS l3.l-oS.
GOLDEN TEXT-Ye shall be witnesses
unto me both in Jerusalem. and in all
Judea and in Samaria, and unto the ut
termost part Of the earth.-Acts 1:S.
REFERENCE MATERIAL - Matt. IL:
S1-33: 2S:1S-2O: Mark 1918; Luke 4:46, Al.
PRIMARY TOPIC-Adventures of Paul
and Barnabas.
JUNIOR TOPIC-saul silences Sor-
cerer.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Paul Begins His Missionary Travels.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Paul Becomes a Missionary.
This marks the beginning OF foreign
missions as the deliberately planned
enterprise of the church.
!. The Gifts Of the Church at Anti
och ". u.
Young as Antioch. the new religious
center, was. she had prophets ana
teachers. Such are essential to churcn
life. Indeed, they are never absent
from the true church. In Epheslahs
:S-12 Paul says that when Christ as
cended He gave gifts unto men for the
purpose of perfecting the saints unto
the work of the ministry.
II. Barnabas and Saul Sent Forth
wv. =, -.
While the five ministers were pray
ing and fasting, the Spirit of God COM
manded them to send forth BarnaDas
and Saul. The work of evangellzlns
the world was laid SO heavily upon
these men that they refrained from eat
ing in order to seek the will Of the
Lord in prayer. This is the kind OF
fasting that meets Gods approval.
From the fact that they were directed
to send forth those whom the Spirit
called, we learn that the real call to
Christ's service comes from the Spirit.
The Spirit calls and the church sec
onds the motion by sending those who
are called. They sent the very best
men from the church at Antioch. There
was q second season OF fasting ana
prayer, accompanied by the imposition
of hands before they went forth, show
ing that ordination has it's place in the
sending forth of missionaries.
III. Preaching the Word of God in
Cyprus (vv. 4, 81.
We are not told as to why they frs,
went to Cyprus, but we infer that i:
was because it was the home OF Bar
nabas. 1t is most natural that thos.
who have heard good news should &C
with it first to their kindred and
friends. AS they went forth the!
preached the Word of God; not civic
righteousness. current history, philoso
ply. ETC. The great need today l.
Spirit-called and Spirit-tilled me!
preaching Gods Word. In fact, Spirit
filled men will preach nothing else.
w. Withstood by EIymas the sor
eerer wv. 6-12).
When Barnabas and Saul by invita-
| ton were telling Sergius Paulus OF the
| Word of God, Elymas maliciousl,
| sought to turn his mind from the faith
| This is the first obstacle they encoun
| tered. This oppOser is the same one
| who came to Adam in Eden and t,
Jesus in the wilderness. lie is thu
enemy of God and man. He now seek:
| W Ddi lIC So>ICl II SHlSlS upoil
career Of the conversion of the hea
then. Saul denounced him in the mos
scathing terms, calling him the child O
the devil, full of guile and villainy. ant
pronounced him the enemy of all right
eousness, accusing him of pervertin:
| the right ways Of the Lord. Surely E;
man is never more of villain than II
| trying to turn a soul from the gospel
Happily, the deputy needed Saul:
teaching and believed the gospel. 1
was in this connection that SAUL
name was changed to Paul.
V. In the Synagogue at Antioch ii
Pisidia wv. Is, 16).
From Paphos Paul and Barnaba:
went northward to Perga. From
Perga they went into Antioch in Pi
sidia, where they entered the syna
gogue on the Sabbath day. ThOugl
he was sent to the Gentiles he doe
not depart from the order Of begin
ming with the Jews. After the usua
reading of the Scriptures, upon th'
invitation of the rulers, Paul deliv
cred the discourse recorded in verse
17-41. This sermon is worthy Of care
full study. 1t consists of four parts
Q) Historical wv. 1928; apolOget
ical WV. 24-37); (3) doctrinal, wv
3S, 39); (4 practical wv. 40. 4D.
sets forth the missionary message TO
ell times and lands. Its essence
should ever be the Same. In this SCI
mon he presented the gloritied ant
risen Christ as the Savior from sin
basing his proof upon the testimony .
living witnesses and the inspired
Word.
vi. The Effect of the Sermon wv
42-5o).
Many of the Jews and proselyte
requested them to speak to then
again. Almost the whole city cam'
to hear the Word of God the mex
Sabbath. This great crowd incte'
the jealousy of the Jews. This ieal
ousy could not long be restrained:
broke out in open opposition. Thi
opposition was in turn answered b.
Paurs rejection of them and turnin
TO the Gentiles.