The Coolidge examiner., 1936-10-09

GOLDEN TEXT - Believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be
saved.-Acts 1881.
PRIMARY TOPIC-Two Happy
Prisoners.
JUNIOR TOPIC-Heroes in Prison.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR
TOPIC-How May I Become Chris
tian.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT
TOPIC-How to Become Christian.
The conversion of Lydia and her
gracious growth into usefulness as
a Christian is in striking contrast
with the experience that Paul had
with the demon-possessed damsel
(ActS 16: 1919. A satanic power
of divination had made her profit
able to unscrupulous men. Such
men have not perished from the
earth, and there are still those who
make merchandise of silly and sin
full women.
Paul commands the demon to
come out of her and at once the
issue is drawn.
1. Christianity versus Crooked
Business (Acts 16:22-24).
AS long as the missionaries were
at the place of prayer and in the
home of Lydia they were not dis
turbed. But as soon as they touched
the illegitimate gain of these
business" men who were making
money from the misfortune of the
poor damsel, bitter opposition
arose.
Cunningly combining the plea Of
false patriotism and anti-Semitism
with the ever-potent argument that
business was being hindered, they
raised a hue and cry which re-
suited in the beating and imprison-
ment of Paul and Silas (Acts 1914
2D.
We live in another century, but
men are the sarNe. Let the church
and its members only go through
the motions of formal service and
present a powerful religious phi
losophy, and the world will applaud
and possibly support its activities.
But let the pungent power of the
gospel go out through its life and
ministry, and deliver devil pos
sessed men and women, let its
God-given grace expose the hypoc-
risy and wickedness of men and
there will soon be opposition.
III. Down, but not defeated wv.
IS, 26).
The preachers landed in jail,
beaten, bloody, and chained to the
stocks. What disgrace it would
have been if they had come there
because of their misdeeds. How
ashamed we are when professed
Christian leaders sin and fall into
the hands of the law.
But Blessed are they which are
prosecuted for righteousness sake"
(Matt. 5:10). Little wonder that
they forgot their bruises and their
chains and began to sing and pray,
even at midnight.
Note that 'the prisoners were
listening to them" The words we
speak, the songs we sing, our every
action, speak either for God or
against Him.
AS they pray God speaks, chains
fall away, prison doors open. Men
can lock doors; God shakes them
open.
The jailer, cruel and bold when
he put them into prison, but now
in fear, is about to kill himself.
But God has better thoughts con-
cerning him. Paul cries out, do
thyself no HARM and he expert
enceS
HI. Salvation Instead of Suicide
wv. 27-34.
Thank God for the earthquakes
in our lives which bring us to him.
The jailer, being rightly exer-
cised by Gods dealings with him,
asks the greatest and most i'm
portant question that can ever
come out of the heart of unregene-
rate man-''What must 1 do to be
saved?" Reader, have you asked
this question? Then you, too, are
ready for the answer, Believe on
the Lord Jesus Christ and thou
shalt be saved"
The closing verses Of our lesson
present the personal testimony of
Paul that he had surrendered
Nv. All for Christ (Phil 3:7-1D.
All was but loss to him compared
with what he gained in Christ. We
speak of surrendering all for
Christ, but as a matter of fact
we lose only what is of no real
value and make infinite gain.
Paul, as are all great followers
of Jesus Christ, was a lone thing"
man. All that he had or was or
hoped to be, every ounce of energy
and love, went into his pressing
toward the goal unto the prize
of the high calling of God in Christ
Jesus"