The Marietta journal. (Marietta, Ga.) 1918-1944, 1921-07-07
IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
011ndo1,Cchon1
JmrWUyoIltUVI
' Lesson '
tBy Rkt. r. Is. tIIZn A1Ek. ID. D.,
Teacher OF English Bible in the Moody
Bible Institute OF Chicago.)
&c. 1921. Western Newspaper Union.)
LESSON FOR JULY 10
SAUL THE PHARlsEE.

/ LESSON TExT-Acts 1888; 2:3, 4;
2S:4, g. 8. TO-
GOLDEN TEXT-Christ Jesus came
into the world to save sinners; of whom
| am chief.--l Tim. lis.
REFERENCE MATERIALr-I Cor. 1873
GAL l;13; Phil 3:4-6; l Tim. 1913.
PRIMARY TOPIC--Going to School In
Jerusalem.-Acts 22:3, 4; SEA
NOR TOPIC Saul Prosecuting
| Christians.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
! "A Young Pharisee.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
| Saul Prosecuting the Church.
l.. SauPs Training as a Pharisee
| (Acts - :3,4; 70 :4,5).
/. Taught to love his own nation. a
am a Jew" The Pharisees were
! the nationalists of their day. Those
who are intelIigently loyal to their own
| nation can more effectively help others
2. 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 it and
dangerously msapply it; but if he
has love in his heart for it 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
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 22:4).
u. Saul Thoroughly Conscientious
(26:9 100.
In his conscientiOusneSs he opposed
! Jesus, for he regarded Hin 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 fuItllment of
|
Christ was such an outstanding mira
cle-a proof of the Deity of Christ
that there was no room left for doubt
III. Stephens Martyrdom (Acts q:
"a; S:3).
In order to understand the signifi-
canoe of his martyrdom we must OBJ
tain a synthetic view of his life.
/. Who Stephen was GID. He
was one of the seven who were APP
pointed to look after the temperate
ties of the church.
.. Why Stephen was opposed (6:S-
| l5l. 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: QD Wisdom,
which means common sense; (2l
grace, which means beauty Of charac.
ter; CD power. he had the ability
to do wonders and great signs anu
speak the truth effectively. The men
of the opposing synagogues were not
able to withstand the wisdom and
|
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 e $4,000. Before
the council he made a magnificent de-
Tense. This he did by tracing the
history of Israel from the call of Abra-
ham to the crucitixion 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 Cod did not in the full
est sense dwell in il at any time He
proved this from Scripture Elsa. 81 {:
l, 2; / Kings S-27). In his conclu-
sion he declared that the Jews had
always been stiff-necked people re-
sisting the Holy Spirit, and now their
stuDbornneSs had reached its culmina-
ton in the betrayal, rejection and
murder of the Son of God. This
charge cut TO the heart. His argu-
ments were unanswerable. 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 CRASHED upon him as mad dog,
In this hour OF trial God gave him a
wonderful vision, He was permitted
10 see into heaven itself, and there
he got sight of the glorified Son of
Man standing at the right hand of
Sod.
4. Stephens 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,
making great lamentation over him.