The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1933-11-30
Lesson for December 3
PAUL IN EPHESUS

FAOE I'm EFFtESOS
LESSON TEXT-Acts 1880.
GOLDEN TEXT-Blessed are they
which are prosecuted for righteous
ness sake, for theirs is the kingdom
of heaven. Matthew $40.
PRIMARY TOPIC-Praising God
With Our Gifts.
JUNIOR ToPIC-Asia Hears of
Jesus
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
1C-How to Meet Opposition.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
IC-Facing Conflict for Christ.
/. Paul Preaching in Ephssus ivy.
e-f0).
l. In The Jewish synagogue ". 81.
He was permitted to preach here for
three months. Ills preaching was
characterized,
(a) BY bOldness. He realized that
God had sent him and that he was
backed by divine authority.
(b) BY reasoning. Gods message
is in accord with the highest reason.
(c) BY persuasion. 1t is not enough
to go boldly with reasonable mes
sage, it must be accompanied by per-
Suasion.
(O By speaking concerning the
kingdom of God" He did not dis
course on current events, philosophy,
or literature, but upon the message
of salvation through Christ.
.. IN the school of TyrannuS wv.
9, 10). The Jews were only hardened
by Paul's earnest preaching. Paul
separated the disciples from them and
resorted to the school of Tyrannus.
II. God Works Miracles Through
Paul wv. II, 72).
AS Christ's messenger he needed
credentials. If Paul's ministry was to
be successful here, God must, in an eX-
traordinary way, put his. seal upon his
work. So wonderfully did he manifest
his power that even handkerchiefs
and aprons which had been in contact
with PaulS body healed the sick and
cast out evil spirits from those who
had been made wretched by them.
III. PauPs Work Initiated wv. 49,
16).
Seeing the marvellous power Operat-
ing through Paul, certain Jews who
went about the country practicing
magical arts at the expense of their
poor unfortunate fellow countrymen,
undertook to use the name of Jesus
in their deceptive work. Knowing
that the connection with Jesus Christ
was but pretense on the part of these
Jews, the use of his name by them
only enraged the evil spirits who
sprang upon and Overcame them.
w. A Glorious Awakening at Eph-
esus wv. lad.
l. Fear fell on all ". ID. News Of
the casting out of these evil spirits Gre
ated impressions favorable to Christi
anity.
2. 1t brought to the front those who
professed faith in Christ while not liv-
ing right lives ". 1S). They believed
on Christ but had not broken from
their sins.
3. They gave up the practice of
black arts ". 19). This means forms
of jugglery by use of charms and
magical words. No one can have fel-
lowship with God while practicing
these arts. They proved the genuine
ness of their actions by publicly burn
ing their books.
A. The uproar of the silversmiths at
Ephesus wv. 2S-4D.
(a) The occasion wv. %. 24. This
was the power of the gospel in de-
Stroying the infamous business Of
Demetrius and his fellows. They
were not particularly interested in the
matter from a religious standpoint, but
because it was undermining the prin-
cipal business of the city.
(b) The method wv. $500. Deme-
trius, whose business was the main
stay of others of a similar nature,
called meeting and stated that much
people had been turned from idolatry
and that the market for their wares
was materially weakened. He ap-
pealed to his fellows on the ground:
Q) or business ". 2O. The world
is willing to tolerate any kind of re-
ligion so long as it does not interfere
Will IT'S DuSlleSS VI vi NV liz.
(2) Of religious prejudice ". 2O,
He became quite religious when his
business was being interfered with
(c) The issue wv. 2S-4D. The
speech of Demetrius gained his end.
The crowd was enraged and cried in
unison, Great is Diana of the Eph-
esians!" (v. 28). This method of prov
ing a point seems quite modern. The
mob was quieted by the tact of the
town clerk ". 35).
First, he rebuked them for yelling
for two hours to prove a point which
everybody admitted wv. So, 3G) Sec
ond, he showed that Paul and his com.
panions were not guilty of any crimi-
nal act wv. 1880. Third. the people
were in danger of being called to ac-
count for this riot should it come to
the ears of Caesar wv. 40, All.