Arkansas State press., 1944-05-05

A8HA0u U0bJtCtH ana oCilHttAiG EHAAH ST.
lected and copyrighted by International
Council OF Religious Education: used by
permission
PAUL CROSSES INTO EUROPE
LESSON TEXT; Acts ls:is.l5: Philip.
plans s;7-lA.
GOLDEN TEXT: I press on toward
tho goal unto the prize of the high call.
ing Of God In Christ Jesus.-Philippians
s;lS.
Pressing toward the mark"
(Phil. SID well describes the zeal
and intense devotion with which
Paul lived his life for Christ. He
was wholehearted in giving himself
to the preaching Of the gospel. Our
lesson tells Of his carrying Of the
gospel into Europe by the guidance
and blessing Of the Holy Spirit.
1t seems appropriate to consider
the two Scripture portions in re-
verse order. looking first at Paul's
declaration in Philippians Of his pas
sion to know Christ, and then in Acts
Of his purpose to make Him known.
The man with vision is eager to
serve. "A task without a vision
makes a man a drudge; a vision
without a task makes him a WIS.,
ionary; a task and a vision makes
him a missionary"
I. Paul's Passion to Know Christ
(Phil. 3:7-l4).
There were many things in Paul's
life Of which he was proud. until he
met Christ. ard then everything else
lost its importance and interest.
All things in life are relative In
value and our attachment to them
Is determined by heart attitude.
Now being spiritually minded and
having found in Christ real salts
faction for his soul, the Christian
counts as refuse the things in which
the world takes such pride and sat
isfaction.
To know Him. calls for a depth
Of experience, sacrifice and Of Joy
which is not easy to describe in
words. II begins with a divine
righteousness impaired by faith.
Self-righteousness will not suffice.
This is not a matter Of law, but of
grace.
II Is q resurrection faith and there
fore powerful. It is a faith which
accepts suffering for Christ as a
part Of fellowship with Him-not
only bearable but glorious because
Il ID In the power Of His resur.
rection.
That fellowship is n day to be
complete and eternal, for there is
to be for Paul the assured expert
'ence q Z personal resurrection out
from among the dead ". ID. The
faith Of Z Christian looks beyond
the grave.
All this has to do with the present,
% well n the blessed future. The
man who has this kind of spiritual
experience shares the purpose Of
Paul expressed in verses 1914. Here
there II no resting back In self.
satisned comfort, no pride in ones
past victories. no sense of having
arrived"
Paul saw not only the necessity
but the blessedness of going from
victory to victory. Too many Chris
tians Of today are entirely satisfied
with what they have attained (and
Il Is usually all too little).
There Is a prize to be gained,
the prize OF our high calling in
Christ Jesus" Let us, like Paul, be
Allied with holy dissatisfaction with
ourselves until we reach that bless.
ed goal.
The man who had such a vision
vas ready for Gods call to carry
the gospel into Europe.
II. Paul's Purpose to Make Christ
Known tActs ~l6;l3-l5).
The story of the conversion OF
Lydia has many elements of spe.
cial interest. It presents the turn.
ing point in the progress of the
gospel, which by the grace and lead
ing OF God brought it northward to
Europe rather than southwark into
Africa. Many Of US have heard
because Of the way Paul was led.
and one wonders II Europe and
America might not otherwise have
been the dark continents rather
than Africa. We are what we are
by the grace Of God.
Then we note that the first con-
vert was a woman. She was not the
last woman to give an attentive ear
and q believing heart to the gospel
message. The church through all
Its history has been blessed by the
readiness of women to bear and
heed the gospel.
We like to note that she set a pat.
tern of hospitality and service which
her sisters In the church have main
tained (see v. 15). She ICON.
strained the visiting preachers to
enjoy the comforts Of her fine home,
and thus put forward the work Of
Christ 0ee Ill John $50.
1t ID encouraging to note how per.
fectly the leading Of the Holy Spirit
worked out in the experience of
Paul and his brethren. The Lord
sent His prepared messenger to the
place where there was a prepared
heart waiting to receive the Word
s-tAt