Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1921-07-07
IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL.
Sll19ldaySclrool
' Lesson !!
Icy Rk,. +. Is. riIZs, IA r.lt, d. D.,
Teacher of English Bible in the Moody
Bible institute of Chicago.)
70. 1921. Western Newspaper Union.)
LESSON FOR JULY 10
SAUL THE PHARlsEE.

LESSON TExI-Acts 1888; 2:s. !;
s6:4. s. 8. 10.
GOLDEN TExT-christ Jesus came
Into the world to save sinners; Of whom
I am chief.-1 TIN. 1:15
REFERENCE WATERFALL Cor. 1879;
Gal. l:13: Phil. 3:4-6: Tim. lib.
/ PRIMARY TOPIC-Going to School in
Jerusalem.-Acts 1913. 4: 5:34.
JU NOR TOPIC - Saul Prosecuting
| Christians.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
"A Young Pharisee.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Saul Prosecuting the Church.
l.. sauI's Training as a Pharisee
| lActs 22:3,4; 26:4.5).
/. Taught to love his own nation. 81
am Jew" The Pharisees were
the nationalist of their day. Those
| who are intelligently 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 valuable asset
in life. One may misinterpret it and
dangerously misapply it; but If he
has love in his heart for 1t there is
hope of getting him to come into right
relationship to 1t.
3. Was Jealous toward God" The
root Of the word Jealous" signifies
ito boil" 1t means passion for God
and His work. 1t was zeal 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. He spared neither
| age nor sex, even to imprisonment and
death (Acts 22:4).
u. Saul Thoroughly Conscientious
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| In his conscientiousness he opposed
| Jesus, for he regarded Him as an
tmpostor. 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 fulhllment Of
he Scriptures. The resurrection Of
| Christ was such an outstanding mira
.le-a proof of the Deity Of Christ,
that there was no room left for doubt.
III. Stephens Martyrdom (Acts z:
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In order to understand the signifi-
,ance Of his martyrdom we must OBJ
4 tain synthetic view Of his life.
1. Who Stephen was GID. He
was one Of the seven who were up
pointed to look after the temporah.
ties of the church.
2. Why Stephen was opposed (6:S-
15). 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: ~ Wisdom,
which means common sense; (2)
grace, which means beauty Of charac-
ter; (3) power. He had the ability
to do wonders and great signs and
speak the truth effectively. The men
of the opposing synagogues were not
the Spirit by which he spake." They
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 (7:54-60). Before
the council he made magnificent de-
Tense. This he did by tracing the
history Of Israel from the call Of Abra-
hum 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
not speak against the temple, but
showed that God did not in the full
est sense dwell in it at any time. He
proved this from Scripture Elsa. 81:
l., Q; 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 theil
stubbornness had reached its culnlina.
ton in the betrayal, rejection and
murder Of the Son Of God. This
charge cut to the heart. His argu.
ments were unanswerabie. 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 8
wonderful vision. He was permitted
to see into heaven itself, and there
he got sight Of the glorified Son Of
Man standing at the right hand o.
God.
4. Stephens burial (8:1-S). 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.