The Morgan County press. (Wartburg, Tenn.) 1916-1926, 1921-08-05

JUNIOR TOPIC Paul's Narrow Escape
at Lystra.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC |
Early Adventures in Asia Minor.
Young PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
-Examples of Paul's Missionary Methods.
l.. Paul and Barnabas Preaching at
lconium wv. LID.
AS to their work In Iconium OBJ
serve:
/. Their manner of preaching. Ihls
is suggested by the little word so IN
verse l. They 80" spake that great
multitude believed. They were true
preachers. Only that which brings con-
viction of sin and induces decision TOT
Christ can be truly said to be preach
ing in the biblical sense. The same
is true Of the Sunday school teacher.
Let every Sunday school teacher at all
times have as his supreme aim TO pear
the gospel of Christ SO as to induce
decision for Christ.
2. Their attitude toward opposition.
This is suggested by the word there
fore" In verse g. Long time therefore
they tarried." The opposition did not
prevent their preaching, but melted
them to continue preaching. CHRISTIAN
workers should learn not to give up
work because of opposition.
3. The Lord accompanied their
preaching with miracles ". -. Since
the opposition was so fierce, special
help of the Lord was needed.
A. The effect of their preaching
". A.. The multitude of the city was
divided. Where men faithfully preach
the gospel there will be division.
H. Attempt to Worship Paul and
Barn abas as Gods wv. 8-1S).
i. The occasion wv. 8-1O)---the heal
J ing of the lame man., Gods gracious
power exhibited in healing this lame
man occasioned new difficulty. That
which ought to have been a help was
turned into a hindrance. The man
was a confirmed cripple. He had never
walked. He heard Pauls preaching,
which caused faith to be born in his
heart (Rom. 1O:17). When Paul per-
ceiyed that he trusted Christ, he called
with a loud voice that all could hear
for the man to stand upright. The cure
was instant for he leaped up and
walked ". 1O). There was no mag
netic touch, no treatment, only the
command and the naturally impossible
became the possible and the real.
2. The method wv. 11-13). They
called Barnabas Jupiter and Paul Mer-
curry, because he was the chief speaker.
The priest of Jupiter brought oxen
and garlands ready to offer sacrifices
unto those men ". 11). If they had
only known, in the person OF Jesus
Christ God had actually appeared to
men John II; Phil. 2:7, 81.
8. Their efforts frustrated wv. II
1S). This foolish act was happily
averted by the fact of the apostles, as
exhibited in the address of the Occa-
sion. ~ They deny that they are d.
vine beings and declare that to Wor-
ship beings with like passion to them
selves is criminal. co They direct
them to turn away from these vain
things unto the living God who made
heaven and earth and has ever left
witness of Himself In that He has
always done good, giving rain ana
fruitful seasons, filling their hearts
with gladness.
III. The stoning. Of Paul wv. 1922.
Wicked Jews from Antioch and leo
MUM pursued Paul with relentless
hate to this place, where they stirred
ND the very people who were willing
to worship them little while ago.
This shows that satanic worship can
soon be turned into satanic hate. This
hatred took form in stoning Paul and
dragging him out of the city for dead.
God raised him up, and with undaunt-
ed courage he pressed on with his du-
ties as a missionary bearing the good
tidings to the lost.
Soon after this Paul turned back
and revisited the places where he had
preached, telling them that through
great tribulation they must enter into
the kingdom of God.
Nv. The Organization of Churches in
the Field wv. 1929.
Evangelization with Paul did not
mean hasty and superficial preach
ing of the gospel but the establishment
of a permanent work. Elders were
appointed in every church. The work
4 of the missionary is not done until
there are established on the& field
3 self-governing and self-propagat:uG
churches.