The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1931-08-27
Lesson for August 80
THE MISSION TO CYPRUS

THE MISSION TO CYPRUS
LESSON TEXT-Acts 12:25-13:12.
GOLDEN TEXT-For 1 am not
ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it
Is the power of God unto salvation to
every one that believeth: to the Jew
first, and also to the Greek.
PRIMARY TOPIC-Paul Starts on o
Great Trip.
JUNIOR ToPIC-Paul Begins an Ad-
venturous Journey.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
1C-Missionary Adventures in Cyprus.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
1C-Christianity at Court.
I. Barnabas and Saul Return from
Jerusalem (12:25).
The Christians at jerusalem were
IN need because of a famine which had
come upon the world. When news Of
this reached the believers at Antioch,
they were moved with sympathy for
them, and relief was sent at the hand
Of Barnabas and Saul. On their re-
turn from this ministry, they were &C.
companied by John Mark.
u. Gifts of the Church at Antioch
". u.
Young as was this new religious
center. it had prophets and teachers
Such are essential to right church life.
In Ephesians 4: S-12 is enumerated the
gifts which when Christ assembled on
high he gave to men for the perfect
ing of the saints unto the work Of
the ministry. Gifts in the Church are
not for the Church itself, but to enable
It to perform service for others.
III. Barnabas and Saul Sent Forth
wv. 2. 81.
This marks the beginning of foreign
missions as the deliberately planned
enterprise of the Church.
!. The occasion ". p. While the
five prophets and teachers were fast
ing and praying the Holy Spirit COM
manded them to send forth BarnabaS
and Saul. The work of evangelizing
the world was laid so heavily upon
these men that they refrained from
eating in order to seek the will of
God in prayer. This is the kind of
fasting that has Gods approval. The
missionary enterprise is the index to
the spirituality of church. The emp
tiness of missionary treasures and
the falling off of missionary candi-
dates reveal the unspirituality of the
home base.
2. The divine command ". p. The
Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barna-
has and Saul" The real callsto Christ
ian service comes from the Holy Spir-
It. The Spirit called, the Church re-
sponded by sending out those called
by him. Spirit-filled Christians know
the voice of the Holy Spirit. The Spir-
it called, and the best men which the
Church at Antioch had were sent out.
3. The obedience ". -. After fast
ing and prayer, Barnabas and Saul
were sent out The men were ready
to 60.
4. Instant obedience was rendered.
Those who have received the Spirits
call are not taken by surprise when
they are commissioned by the Church.
There should be no holding back on
the part of the Church, nor of the
workers when the Spirit calls. By the
workers when the Spirit calls.
~. Preaching the Word of God in
Cyprus wv. 4, 81.
We are not told as to why they
first went to Cyprus, but we are left
to infer that it was owing to the fact
that Cyprus was the home Of Barna-
bias. He was acquainted with the
country and the people and could be
thus assured of a respectable hear
ing among them. Besides, it was most
natural that those who had heard the
good news go first with it to their
kindred and friends. Andrew first
went to his brother, and the man out
Of whom the demons were cast was
denied the pleasure of following Jesus
in order that he might go and tell
his kindred. AS they went forth they
carefully carried out their commits
sion, for they preached the Word Of
God. Those who are faithful to God
will preach nothing but his Word.
The great need today is Spirit-called
and Spirit-filled men preaching Gods
Word.
v. Withstood by EIymas, the sorcer-
er wv. 6-12).
Sergius Paulus, the deputy, invited
Barnabas and Saul to tell him Of
Gods Word. Elymas maliciously
sought to turn his mind from the
faith. He sought to bar the gospel
as it entered upon its mission of
converting the heather. Paul came
to the front and denounced Elymas in
the most scathing terms. He called
him the child of the Devil, denounc-
ing him as full of guile and villainy,
pronouncing him the enemy of all
righteousness, and accusing him of
perverting the right ways of the Lord.
Surely a man is never more a villain
than when he tries to turn soul from
God.