Washington telegraph., 1921-07-08

INTO the world TO save sinners, Of whom
/ am chief Tim. ll5
REFERENCE MATERIAl-I Cor. 1873.
| Gal. 1873. Phil 3.4-6 / Tim. 1913
PRIMARY TOPlC-Gous to School in
Jerusalem.-Acts 22.3, 4, 5.54.
JUN NOR TOPIC - Saul Prosecuting
Christians
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
"A Young Pharisee.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Saul Prosecuting the Church.
l.. Sau's Training as a Pharisee
(Acts - ;3,4; 26:I,5).
/. Taught to love his own nation. Il
am jew" The Pharisees we're
the uationalists of their day. Those
who are intelligently loyal to their own
nation can more effectively help others.
=. Taught to love Gods law. Taught
according to the perfect manner Of the
law Of the fathers" Love for the
Holy Scriptures is a valuable asset
in life. one may misinterpret ii and
dangerously misapply il; but if he
has love in his heart for ii there is
hope Of getting him to come into right
relationship to it,
3. Was jealous toward God" The
root Of the word jealous signifies
ito boil 1t means a passion for God
and His work. 1t was zeal for God
that made Saul think Of and plan
for his work. This zeal for God ex-
pressed itself in persecution of the
Christians whom he regarded as do
ing that which was contrary to Gods
law and purpose. lie spared neither
age nor sex, even to Imprisonment and
death (ActS % ~.
II. Saul Thoroughly Conscientious
(26:9, lO).
In his conscientiousness he opposed
Jesus, for he regarded Him as an
impostOr. Saul is to be commended
in that he responded to his conscience,
but he is to be condemned for his
attitude toward Jesus for there was
overwhelming evidence that Jesus was
Gods Son and came in fultillment of
the Scriptures. The resurrection of
Christ vas such an outstanding mira
cle-a proof of the Deity Of Christ,
that there was no room left for doubt.
~. Stephens Martyrdom (Acts I:
"a; s :3).
In order TO understand the signih-
canoe Of his martyrdom we must OBJ
tain a synthetic view Of his life.
l. Who Stephen was GID. He
was one of the seven who we're ap-
pointed to look after the tempOrali-
ties of the church.
> Why Stephen was opposed t6:S-
l5). In his work he testified of Christ
and by the Holy Spirit wrought mira
cles. These mighty works aroused
the people. The following features
characterized him: Q) Wisdom,
which means common sense; (2)
grace, which means beauty of charac-
ter: CD power. He had the ability
to do wonders and great signs and
speak the truth effectively. The men
Of the opposing synagogues were not
able To withstand the wisdom and
the Spirit by which he spake." They
arrested and brought him before the
great council Even here they could
not silence him by argument, so they
decided TO do it by violence.
3. Stephen stoned G :5fGO). Before
the council he made a magnificent de-
feuSe. This he did by tracing the
history Of Israel from the call of Abra-
ham to the cruciiXiou Of Christ. His
aim In this review was to show that
God never had been localized and that
the temple was but small part Of
Gods plan. In his address he did
not speak against the temple, but
showed that God did not in the full
est sense dwell in it at any time He
proved this from Scripture lisa. 81:
l, >; Kings S-27). In his conclu-
sion he declared that the Jews had
always been a stlff-necked people, re-
Sstng the Holy Spirit, and now their
stubbornness had reached its culmina-
tiOn in the betrayal, rejection and
| murder Of the Son Of God. This
charge cut to the heart. His argu-
ments were uuanswerable. Being un-
willing to answer him and at the same
time to accept the truth presented,
their anger was stirred to its highest
| pitch; SO their only answer was stones.
They gnashed upon him as mad dog.
| In this hour of trial God gave him a
wonderful vision. He was permitted
to see into heaven itself, and there
he got sight Of the glorified Son Of
Man standing at the right hand of
God.
4. Shephens burial (S:1-3). His
death is described as falling asleep.
This is really all that death is to the
! Christian. Devout men buried him.