Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1921-12-02
IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL |
Sllq9daySelool'
' Lesson '
ny REV P. b, FlTZWATER. d. D..
Teacher OF English Bible in the Moody
Bible institute of Chicago)
Copyright. 1894. Western Newspaper Union.
LESSON FOR DECEMBER 4
PAUL IN MELlTA AND ROME.

| LESoON IEAT-ActB 2S.l-3l
GOLDEN TEXT am ready to preac,
the gospel to you that are at Rome also
For l am not ashamed OF the gospel Of
Christ for It is the power OF God unto
salvation to everyone that belieyeth. =
Rom l:l6, 10.
REFERENCE MATEl,IAL,-Mark 1918
Rom. l:s-l7.
PRIMARY ToPIc-Tte End of Paul,
Journey.
JUNIOR TopIc-The End of a Lons
Journey.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Paul Living In Rome.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
-PauPs Ministry in Rome.
!. The shipwrecked Crew on MeIits
wv. 1.10).
Through the storm they lost their
bearings. AMI when they were safe on
land they learned that the island was
called Melita.
!. me hospltable reception of the
nntlyes w. y. They built n fire and
made them as comfortable as possible
rom the cold and the rain.
z. Paul gathering sticks for fire ".
81. This Is a fine picture of the worlds
greatest preacher and missionary not
above picking up sticks for fire. The
ability and disposition to serve natu-
rally In whatever way Is the evidence
or capacity for great commissions.
s. Paul bitten by venomous SER
pent ". 81. With the sticks that Paul
gathered there was a serpent. Per-
haps II had already curled itself up
for Its winter sleep, but when the
warmth of the fire aroused II 1t darted
at Paul aud fixed Its fangs upon his
hand. The natives expected to see him
fall down dead, yet he shook Ii off,
nothing harmed At first the natives
concluded that he was an escaped
murderer and that this was retrbutiye
Justice being meled out to him. When
they saw that he was unharmed they
concluded that he was god. a
4. Paul heals l'ubius' father wv. T.
10y. These people are now getting
some return for their kindness. When
this man of no.e was healed others
came also and were healed. To this
they responded In appreciation by load
Ing them down with necessarJ sup
plies.
u. Paul Arrives at Rome wv. 1l-16).
Whnp IunI lunHnH tgt'
charge TO the disciples was fulfilled.
After three months stay at Melita.
Paul departs for Rome In the ship Al.
exandria, whose sign was Castor and
Pollux. AT Syracuse they were de-
layed three days, perhaps for favora-
BILE winds. AT Puteol. he found breth-
ren, at whose request he tarried seven
days. At Applli-Forum and at the Three
Taverns brethren from Rome met him.
From Puteoll the news went before
Pau's coming. and so interested were
the brethren that they came more
than forty miles to meet him. This
greatly encouraged him, for which he
gave God thanks. No one, perhaps,
ever enjoyed more close fellowship
with God, and yet 40 man ever en-
loyed more and derived more benefit
from human fellowship than he. Ills
readiness to preach the gospel ut
Rome, which he had expressed In the
Epistle to the Romans, written from
Corinth about three years before, was
now realized. He was treated with
great lenency at Rome. for he was
allowed to hire house there and live
alone except that the soldier that re-
manned his guard was constantly with
him. Being chained to soldier was
rather lrksome, but yet It gave him a
chance to preach " the soldiers which
he could not have had any other way.
He rejoiced In whatever c cumstances,
just so the gospel was preached.
III. PauPs Ministry In Rome wv.
17-3D.
]. His conference with the leading
Jews wv. 17.22). He did not, as
usual, walt for the Sabbath day to
speak to the Jews. He only allowed
one day for rest. His object was to
have a fair understanding with them.
When they came he endeavored to
conclllate them. He told them that,
though he came as a prisoner, he was
not criminal. Though his own
countrymen had so sought his life, he
did not come with an accusation
against them. The result of this inter-
view was that the Jews cautiously
took neutral ground. but expressed a
desire TO hear what Paul could say in
defense of a sect which was every
where spoken against. The fact that
this sect was spoken against Is no evil
dence that II was wrong. Many times
thing may be wrong In mems minds,
because their judgments are biased. II
a thing is right In the sight of God 1t
matters not what men think about 1t.
2. Paul expounding the kingdom of
God and persuading concerning Jesus
wv. 23-31). He pointed out a real
kingdom-the Messianic Kingdom with
Jesus as the King, The Kingdom to
raul meant a definite reign of a def.
mite person, not simply an improved
state Of society. This he showed from
the Scriptures. He went through the
Old Testament, carefully showing this
to be in harmony with the teaching Of
the law and the prophets. This was
the method his Master had used (Luke
24:2T). His exposition lasted from
morning till evening--a rather long
sermon.