Middletown transcript., 1921-11-05
IMPROVED UNIFORM MERNATl0k.1-
Si11nldaySdhool
' Lesson '
By REV. P. B. FITZWATER. ~; r:
Taacher Of English Bible IN the Moody
Bike institute Of Chicago.)
Copyright, 1921, Western Newspaper Union
LESSON FOR NOVEMBER 6
PAuL's EXPERIENCES At JERU.
SALEM.

LESSON TEXT-Acts H:1S-23:A.
GOLDEN TEXT-God u our refuge ana
strength. q very present help In trouble.
Therefore will we not fear him.-Pa
REFERENCE MATERIAL - II Tim.
1:16-18: Ala, Is.
PRIMARY ToP1C-How Paul's Nephew
Saved His Life.
JUNIOR TOPIC-A Boy Tells OF Floe
Against Paul.
Paul and His Enemies. .
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Paul Attacked by q Jewish MOD.
l. Paurs Arrest (21 :1S-4W.
The immediate occasion Of this was
his effort to remove the prejudice
which certain ones held against him.
His reception by representatives OF
the church was most cordial. In order
that all the brethren in Jerusalem
might graciously receive him, 1t was
proposed to him by the elders that
he take Jewish vow to prove
that he vas in no way opposed to the
law. They recognized that such an
act would In no way compromise or
involve the Gentle brethren. AS to
how tar this act conciliated the Jews
we are not told, but 1t only enraged
the unbelieving Jews, causing them to
resort to mob law. These maddened
Jews, on the basis Of supposition,
seized him and dragged him from the
temple and beat him mercilessay, In
tending to put him to DEATH Paul
was rescued from the mob by the
Roman guard, sthtioned nearby. Paul
Kept himself under control and po-
Ntely asked permission Of the captain
to speak to the people. When he ad-
dressed him in Greek and quoted his
Raman citizenship, the captain grant
ed his request
II. PauPs Defense (22:1-2O.
/. His claim for q rightful hearing
wv. 1-s). ~ His birth ". 81. He
was q Jew born in Tarsus, city Of
no mean reputation. (2) His educa.
ton ". 81. He was educated in school
under the tutorship Of Gamaliel, and
Instructed according to the perfect
manner Of the fathers" tv. -. His
zeal ". 81. He was as Jealous to-
ward God as those Jews who were
trying to destroy him.
2. His attitude toward Jesus wv.
f. 81. II prosecuted this way unto
the death"-it was one Of hatred, as
was that Of the Jews.
8. How his attitude was changed
wv. 6-16). His changed attitude was
brought about by the Intervention OF
God. While on his way to Damascus,
with authority to bind and bring the
Christians to Jerusalem to be pun.
ished, he was smitten to the ground
by a light from heaven, and the voice
Of the Lord said, "Why persecutest
thou met" When Paul inquired as
to what the Lord would have him do,
he was told to go to Damascus, where
he would be told what to do. Ana
Mas was sent by the Lord to make
known His will to him.
| 4. The Lord commissioned him to go
to the Gentiles wv. 17-21). 1t was
not Of his own will that he preached
to the Gentiles, but by the Lords d.
rect commission.
III. Paul Before the sanhedrin (23:
1-1O).
The Roman officer, in order to learn
why Paul was arrested, commanded
the chief council to assemble, and
brought Paul before them.
l. Pauls earnest look at the coun-
ell wv. /, p. This was q solicita-
ton Of their honor to give him fair
hearing, and also look Of conscious
integrity and unfaltering courage. He
protests that his behavior as O per-
secutOr Of the church and preacher Of
the Gospel has been in keeping with
the highest principle Of national in
tegrity. At this the high priest Or
dered him to be smitten on the mouth.
2. Paul's stern rebuke Of the head
Of the council ". 81. "God shall
smite thee, thou whited sepulcher'-
fair without and foul within. This
was just sentence, no doubt direct
ed by the Lord. Paul's words show
that he had the highest respect for
the Office, but the man now occupying
1t was not worthy Of 1t.
g. Paul's appeal to the Pharisees
wv. 6-10). Seeing that he could not
get fair hearing, and perceiving that
the body before him was made up of
Pharisees and Sadducees, he appealed
to the Pharisees, hoping to get their
attention, for his preaching had some
thing in common with their beliefs.
This resulted in squabble.
w. The Lord Stood by Paul ". 11).
Paul was in great need Of grace to
sustain him. He may have begun to
question the wisdom Of his course in
going to Jerusalem, but this assured
him that big course was right, and
thus comfort was brought to him.
v. The Conspiracy to Kill Paul wv,
1920.
More than forty men banded to.
gether for the purpose of getting Paul
out Of the way. They placed them.
selves under a curse to abstain from
eating and drinking until they had
murdered him. God defeated their
plans without miracle. This was
done by Paul's nephew. Their fatal
mistake was that they left God ont