The Coolidge examiner., 1936-10-02

Improved H CTTNNAV
Uniform o~-~~
= ESSON -
BY REV. HAROLD L. LUNDQUIST,
Dean of the Moody Bible Institute
of Chicago.
@ Western Newspaper Union.
Lesson for October q
THE MACEDONIAN CALL

| y
and teach all nations. - Matthew
| 2S:19.
PRIMARY TOPIC-PauTs Wonder
full Dream.
JUNIOR TOPIC-Gods Call to a
New Continent.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR
TOPIC-A Cry for Help.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT
! TOPIC-The Worlds Need of Christ.
The roots of American life, cul-
tural and religious, reach back in
to the European soil on which our
forefathers dWelt. The lesson be-
fore us is therefore of peculiar in
terest, for it relates the first step
in the carrying of the gospel into
Europe, and ultim tely to
| America.
Paul, the missionary with a pas
tors heart, felt constrained to go
and visit the centers where he had
ministered on his first journey. AS
he proceeded he was providentially
hindered and led by the Holy Spirit
to Troas. Here his next 'step"
seemed for time to be stop"
but soon God in vision called
him into Macedonia-and the gos-
pei had come to Europe.
1t is of interest to note that Paul,
as he thus began his second mis-
sionary journey, was
1. Obedient to the Spirit (Acts
16:6-12).
He had certain plans in mind.
He set out with a purpose, but
he was willing to have his own
itinerary changed as the Holy
Spirit led. 1t is significant that the
guidance was negative as well as
positive. The stops as we'll as ''the
steps of a good man are ordered
by the Lord CPS. 1929. Chris
tians will do we'll to remember that
providential hindering circum-
stances may be as much the lead
ing of God as the heavenly vision.
We are to be obedient to any guild
ance He gives but we are not to
submissive to His will. Paul was
about the Fathers business, not
idly waiting for the speaking of a
voice from heaven. 1t is to such
a man or woman that the Mace
donian call comes even in our day,
only now it comes from China,
India, South America. or Africa.
III. Faithful in Testimony (vv.
l3, 1N.
Paul, with his companion Silas.
Timothy who had joined them at
Lystra, and Luke (note that the
they of v. becomes I'VE" in
V. 10) came to Philippi in Mace
donia, but they found no Mace
donian man waiting for them. Had
they been mistaken in their vision
and call?
True missionaries are not thus
easily discouraged. They had come
to be fishers of men. The fisher
man does not expect the fish to
come to him. He goes after them.
Paul soon discovered that there
was n place of prayer at the river
side, evidently gathering place Of
devout Jews for worship. There he
met the man of Macedonia who
turned out to be woman. For
some reason the men were absent
from the place of prayer on that
all important Sabbath morning.
They were undoubtedly. the ancient
counterpart of our present day
men who are "brothers-in-law" to
the church, these foolish men who
seem to assume that bit of ''reli-
gion" second hand through wife or
children will suffice.
Lydia was woman of distinc-
ton, business ability, and of high
moral character. But Paul knew
that even good people need to be
saved. He spoke the truth of God.
She accepted the message as God
opened her heart, and at once she
entered into
Lydia proved herself to be one
of that noble succession of women
who have served Christ and the
church. She and her household
shared in the ministry of Paul by
their Christian hospitality, thus
helping forward the missionaries.
Observe carefully that she was not
saved by her works, but that her
works followed naturally after her
salvation.
Turning now to one of the epis-
ties of Paul we look at his expoSi-
ton of certain
~. Fundamental Missionary
Principles (Rom. 15:18-2D.
Those things which Christ d
wrought paul took no glory to
himself) through him Paul had
consistently directed into fields
where no one else had preached
the gospel.
The spirit of the missionary of
the cross is that of the pioneer,
pressing ever onward, taking new
land, not duplicating the work of
others, not jealous of their sue
cess, not seeking comfort or glory
Men need the gospel; they are lost
without it. Let us press on into
the yet unoccupied territory.