The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1936-11-12
IMPROVED
UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
CUNDAy
OCHOOL Lesson
By REV. HAROLD L. LUNDQUIST,
Dean OF the Moody Bible Institute
of Chicago.
g Western Newspaper Union.
Lesson for November Is
THE HEROISM OF CHRISTIAN
FAITH

FAITH
LESSON TEXT-Acts 21:12. 10. 27-34;
Romans Oils.
GOLDEN TEXT-Greater love hath no
man than this. that a man lay down his
life for his friends. John 1918.
PRIMARY TOPIC-On the Castle Steps.
JUNIOR TOPIC-on the Castle Steps.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Taking Risks for Christ.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
-Risking ALI for Christ.
We now come to the close of the
third missionary journey of Paul.
AS he came to Jerusalem for the
last time in his eventful life he was
warned by a prophet, Agabus at
Caesarea, that if he went up to
Jerusalem he would be bound and
given over to the Gentiles.
Heroism of the highest and noblest
type has characterized the follow
ers of Christ in all times. Paul
was not one to be deferred from
what he believed to be Gods will
by the probability that he would
suffer. Like all who follow the
Lord Jesus Christ in truth he was
/. Fearless, in Practice as Well
as Theory (Acts 21:12, 10, G-3Q.
Many there are who sing, "Tn go
where you want me to go, dear
Lord, I'll be what you want me
to be-" or smoothly repeat consecra-
ton vows, who are frightened away
at the slightest difficulty, and who
feel that they must have been mis-
taken about the Lords will for their
life at the first indication that his
guidance would interfere with their
comfort or convenience. No such
cowardice or vacillation was found
in Paul.
In the first place, he did not intend
to have holy purpose weakened
by disheartening talk. How many
young men and women have left
a place of sacred meeting with God
aglow with the purpose of serving
Him in the foreign mission field,
and then permitted an uninterested
friend or relative or employer to
talk them out of it.
In the second place, we find Paul
carrying through his purpose. When
he came to Jerusalem he was coun-
seled to enter the temple to take
Nazarite vow, and thus to satisfy
his enemies. Some have COM
mended Paul for thus pacifying
those who withstood him, others
strongly condemn him for yielding.
His purpose was good, but his act
led to unfortunate results. An in
furiated Jewish mob saw him in
the temple and wrongfully accused
him of defiling the temple by bring
ing a Greek into this holy place.
A riot ensues, and Paul would
have been killed had not the Ro-
man captain and his band rescued
him. Was Paul afraid? He i'm
mediately turned his arrest into an
unsurpassed opportunity to give a
testimony and to make a defense
of his ministry (See Acts 21:40-
22:22). He admonished others to
abe instant in season and out of
season" III Tim. 40; he practiced
what he preached. He constantly
urged faith in God, steadfastness
in the midst of trials; he gave full
proof of these things in his own
ministry.
In all this he did not seek his
own glory, or any honor for his
own name. The Christian hero
knows nothing of heroism for pub
licity's sake; he does not serve
with an eye on the "grandstand."
Paul was actuated by a deep and
a genuine
III. Concern for the Salvation of
His People (Rom 9:1-5).
The Christian worker who knows
nothing of great sorrow and I'M
ceasing pain" in his heart over the
plight of the unsaved does not fol-
low in the Pauline succession, nor
does he know the heart of the Man
of Sorrows.
Paul surely did not wish himself
separated from Christ, but was so
deeply moved that he said he could
wish" tiff it were not wrong-in
order to save his brethren.
Do we need a revival of COM
passion in our churches, and in our
own hearts, a yearning over the
n1ultitudes about us who are as
skeep without a shepherd?