The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1928-07-05
Lesson for July 8
SAUL AND STEPHEN

SAUL AND STEPHEN
LESSON TEXT-Acts 22:8.419,2O;
26:4,5,9-11; 7:54-S:3.
GOLDEN TEXT-Be thou faithful
unto death and l will give thee a
crown of life.
PRIMARY TOPIC-SauPs Cruelty to
Christian People.
JUNIOR TUPIC-How Saul Perse-
cuted Stephen and Others.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
1C-Is Conscience a Safe Guide?
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
IC-Stephen's Influence on Saul.
|. sau's Training (22:3, 4; 25:4, 5,
Gil.
l. Taught to love his own nation
". 81. He declared, Il am Jew" Saul
was a strict Pharisee. The Pharisees
were the nationalists of their day. Be
ing strict Pharisee he was there
fore a patriot. Those who are intel
ligently loyal to their own nation can
most effectively help others.
g Taught to love Gods law ". 81.
Taught according to the perfect
manner of the law of the fathers
Love for the Bible is valuable asset
in life. To be destitute of love and
reverence for Gods Word is to be out
on Iife's ocean without chart or com.
pass.
3. He was Jealous toward God
(v.3).
His heart and soul went out to-
ward God with great enthusiasm. The
root meaning of the word Jealous"
is Ito boil" 1t means a passion for
God and His work. 1t was zeal for
God that made Saul think of and plan
for His work.
II. Saul Hears the Voice of Jesus
(Acts 22:9, 10Y.
1t was while on his way to Damas
Gus with authority to arrest and i'm
prison Christ's disciples that he
heard a voice from heaven saying,
"Why persecutest thou Me?" 1t was
this sight of the living Christ that
wrought the change in Saul.
Ill. Saul Thoroughly Conscientious
(Acts 300, 10).
In his conscientiousness he opposed
Jesus. for he regarded Him as an i'm
postor. Saul is to be commended in
that he responded to his conscience,
but he is condemned for his attitude
toward Jesus. Conscience is the law
of life for every man, but it needs to
be regulated by Gods Word.
w. Stephens History (6:1-15).
In order to understand the signif
canoe of Stephens martyrdom, syn,
thetic view should be obtained of his
life.
/. Chosen as a deacon GID. He
was one of the seven men appointed
to look after the temporalities of the
church.
2. Why Stephen was opposed
(6:S-15). In his work of charity he
testified of Jesus Christ and by the
Holy Spirit wrought miracles. These
mighty deeds aroused the people. The
following features characterized him:
~ Wisdom He was a man of com.
mon sense. (2) Grace. He had beau
tifu character 60 Power. He had
the ability to do wonders and great
signs, and he spake the truth eff
fectivel The men who opposed him
were not able to resist the wisdom
and the spirit by which he spake
Not being able to withstand him, they
arrested and brought him before the
great coul ell. Even here they could
not silence him by argument, so they
decided to do it by violence.
V. Stephens Martyrdom G:54G0)
Stephen made a magnificent defense
before the council. This be did by
tracing the history of Israel from the
call of Abraham to the crucifiXiOn of
Christ. His aim was to show that God
had never been localized and that the
temple was but small part of Gods
plan. He did not speak against the
temple, but showed that God did net
in the full sense dwell in it at any
time. This contention he proved from
Scripture lisa. 81 Il, .; l Kings $50.
In his conclusion he declared that the
Jews had always resisted the Holy
Spirit. Now their stubbornness had
reached it's elimination in the betray-
al, rejection and murder of the Son
Of God. This charge cut to the heart
His arguments were unanswerable.
In this hour of trial God gave him
wonderful vision. He was permitted
to look into heaven itself where he
beheld the glorified Son of man stand.
ing at the right hand of God.
VI. Saul Conserving Unto Stephens
Death (S:1-3).
The very ringleader in this perse-
cution was Saul. Stephens death is
described as falling asleep. Devout
men buried him, making great lamen-
tatiOn over him.