Roanoke Rapids herald., 1923-12-07
IMPROVED UNIfORM INTERNATIONAL
Sl119ldaySc]'ool q
' Lesson '
tBy REV. r. b. FlTZWATER. ID. D.,
Teacher of English Bible in the Moody
Bible Institute OF Chicago.)
re tn'a w"ste-r New-nan~r Union
LESSON FOR DECEMBER 9
THE OUTREACH OF THE EARLY
CHURCH

CHURCH
LESSON TEXT-Acts s:4-s: 14-l7; 2b.
| GOLDEN TEXT-"Ye shall be wit
| nesses unto me both in Jerusalem. and
In all Judea. and in Samaria, and unto
the uttermost part of the earth. -
Acts l:S.
PRIMARY ToP1C-Philip Telling
About Jesus.
JUNIOR TOP1C-The Gospel Spreads
:, Samaria.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
Becution.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Expanding Missionary Vision and
Activity.
!. The Gospel Spreads to san,aria
(Acts S:4-S; 14-17; 25).
l. Philip Preaching the Gospel in
Samaria wv. 4-S). Following the ston-
Ing of Stephen the enemies of the Lord
were more active than ever in their
efforts to stamp out the new faith.
With Saul as their leader they dragged
from their homes and imprisoned those
who confessed Christ, but the Devil
overreached himself in this, for this
scattered the believers everywhere,
and they preached the Gospel as they
went. The time had now come for the
witness-bearng to extend beyond Je-
rusalem and Judea as the Lord had
commanded. The Lord permitted the
persecution so as to scatter them
2. Peter and John Visit Samaria
wv. 1917; 25). When the apostles
heard of Philips work in Samaria they
sent two of their best men to encourage
it. These men had discernment to
know that the spirit had not yet fallen
upon the believers, so they laid hands
upon them and the Spirit was given
them. These Samaritans were really
converted, regenerated, but had not yet
been filled with the Spirit. In this they
were like many church members today
without the Spirits gift.
3. Philip Preaching to the Ethiopian
Eunuch (Acts 8 8:30-40). In the con-
version of the eunuch we see the Lords
work still broadening. The Gospel was
first preached to the Samaritans who
were nationally on the horderland be-
tween the Jews and the Genties This
Ethiopian was In all probability Gen
tile, q proselyte to the Jewish faith. In
his conversion We see the work reach
Ing afar even on Its way to the ends
of the earth. BY divine direction Philip
left his great Sork in Salnaria and was
directed to the eunuch. The Spirit OF
God directed him to 80 and join him
self to the chariot of the Ethiopian.
The coming together of these two men
in the desert was providential. ~ The
eunuch's employment on the way. He
was reading the Word OF God. (2) The
absolute need of preacher. The
eunuch was reading the fifty-third
chapter of Isaiah, one of the clearest
testimonies of the Messiah in the Old
Testament, yet was unable to under
stand 1t. The one thing needed in the
salvation of men Is for the saved man
to bring the message to the unsaved.
| (3) The message Of Philip was Jesus.
He began at the Scriptures and
preached Jesus. The central theme Of
the preachers message should be Je-
sus. (4) The eunuch baptized. AS
consequence of Philips preaching the
eunuch proposed baptism. Men who
accept the message of salvation in
Christ naturally demand baptism.
II. Tho Conversion Of Saul (Acts o:
1907.
The great apostle of the Gentiles is
now laid hold of by the Lord Jesus and
made flaming evangel of the Cross to
the whole world. We thus see the Lord
making ready for the widest dissent
nation of the Gospel Of His grace
III. Tho Gospel Spreads to Asia
Minor (Acts 9:31-15 :35).
l. Peter at Joppa (Acts 9:32-43).
On his tour of evangelizing Peter came
down to Joppa and lodged with Simon,
a tanner. This shows the widening Of
his sympathy in that Jew was willing
to lodge with one of such an occupa-
ton.
2. The Conversion of Cornelius (Acts
10Y. In the conversion of this Gentle
and the coming of the Spirit upon him,
the middle wall of partition between
Jew and Gentle was broken down.
The way was now open for the further
outreach of the Gospel.
3. Paul's First Missionary Journey
| (Acts IL, l4). Inc Spirit of God now
came upon the church for the definite
purpose of preaching the Gospel to the
whole world. Paul and Barnabas with
John Mark went out preaching the
Gospel through the provinces of Asia
Minor.
4. The Conditions of Gentle Saliva
ton Settled (Acts 10 :1-35). Before the
Gospel could be preached to the whole
world the dispute In the church over
the condition of Gentle salvation had
to be settled, so council was held at
Jerusalem in which these conditions
were clearly settled.
Temperament.
Matthew has the temperament of
| 1T. ho