The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1921-08-06

UNTO me DOtn IN Jerusalem, anu III u
Judea. and in Samaria, and unto the ut
termost part Of the earth.-Acts is.
REFERENCE MATERIAL - Matt ID
1913; 2S:lS-20; Mark lG:G5; Luke PAS, A.
PRIMARY TOPIC-Adventures OF Pau
and Barnabas
JUNIOR TOPIC-saul silences a 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 (v. -.
Young as Antioch. the new religious
center, was, she had prophets and
teachers. Such are essential TO church,
life. Indeed, they are never absent
from the true church. In Ephesiansl
4 :S-l2 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.
~. odiHdDde anu SdVI ocHh TOi'
(vv. =, -.
While the five ministers were pray
ing and fasting, the Spirit of God COM
manded them to send forth Barnabas
and Saul. The work of evangelizing
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 ut Antioch. There
prayer, accompanied by the imposition
of hands before they went forth, show
ing that ordination has its place In the
sending forth of missionaries.
~. Preaching the Word Of God In
Cyprus (vv. 4, 81.
We are not told as to why they first
went TO Cyprus, but we infer that II
was because 1t was the home of Bar
nabas. 1t is most natural that those
who have heard good news should 60
with 1t first to their kindred and
friends. AS they went forth they
preached the Word OF God; not civic
righteousness, current history. philoso.
ply, etc. The great need today Is
Spirit-calied and Spirit-tilled men
preaching Gods Word. In fact, Spirit
filled men will preach nothing else.
~. Withstood by 'EIymas the sor-
cerer (vv. 6-12).
When Barnabas and Saul by invita-
ton were telling Sergius Paulus OF the
Word OF God, Elymas maiiciousIy
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 to.
Jesus in the wilderness. He Is the
enemy Of God and man. He now seeks
to bar-the gospel as II enters upon its|
career of the conversion of the hea-|
then. Saul denounced him in the most
scathing terms, calling him the child OIL
the devil, full OF guile and villainy, and
pronounced him the enemy or all right
eOusness, accusing him of pervertinr|
the right ways of the Lord. Surely a
man is never more of villain than In
trying to turn soul from the gospel.
4 Happily, the deputy Needed Saui's
teaching and believed the gospel. I'll
was In this connection that Saul's
name was changed 10 Paul.
v. In the Synagogue At Antioch In
PisIdIa wv. Is. 16).
From Paphos Paul and Barnabas
went northward to Perga. From
Perga they went into Antioch In Pr
sidia. where they entered the syna-
gogue on the Sabbath day. Though
he was sent to the Gentiles he does
not depart. from the order of begin
ming with the Jews. After the usual
reading Of the Scriptures, upon the
invitation Of the rulers. Paul deliv-
cred the discourse recorded In verses
17-41. This sermon is worthy Of care
full study. 1t consists of four parts
~ Historical wv. 1929; APOLOGIZE
Ical wv. -24-37); (3) doctrinal, wv.
80. 39); az practical wv. 40. AZ. II
sets forth the missionary message for
all times and lands. Its essence
should ever be the same. In this ser.
mon he presented the gloritied and
risen Christ as the Savior from sin.
basing his proof upon the testimony Of
living witnesses and the inspired
Word.
VI. The Effect Of the Sermon wv.
a2-52).
Many Of the Jews and proselytes
them to speak to them
again. Almost the whole city came
to hear the Word Of God the next
Sabbath. This great crowd melted
the jealousy Of the Jews. This jeal.
ousy could not long be restrained; n
broke out In open opposition. This
opposition was In turn answered BY
Paul's rejection of them and turning
to the Gentiles. ~