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November, 1933
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
say with the psalmist, “My times are in thy hand” (Psa. 31:15). “ So we went toward Rome,” and so the Christian moves toward the glory, with all experiences con trolled, all circumstances arranged, and all the j ourney provided for. And now, for the refreshment of Paul’s spirit, they find “brethren” at Puteoli. The brethren in Rome, hearing of the approach of Paul and his party, went out to meet them as far as Appii Forum and The Three Taverns. When Paul saw these brethren, his heart rejoiced, and he took courage. He may have thought that the brethren at Rome would not give him a ready welcome, now that he was coming as a prisoner. There had been some question concerning his readiness to visit Rome (Rom. 1), and now that it appeared as though he were forced to come, instead of visiting them of his own free will, they might not welcome him. But when these brethren came out to meet him, he thanked God and took courage. When at last they reached the city, the other prisoners were delivered to the cao- tain of the guard, but Paul was allowed to live by himself with only one soldier to guard him (v. 16). His arrival at Rome fulfilled his expectation and his desire. He had written to the believers there that he desired to visit them (Rom. 1 :11-13; 15:22, 23), and the Lord had told him he would testify in Rome (Acts 23:11). Although he was chained as a prisoner, even this would contribute to the furtherance of the gospel which he desired to proclaim (Phil. 1 :12). II. T he W itness at R ome (17-22). After three days, Paul called together the chief of the Jews. Because these were the leaders, if he could win them, there would be little difficulty in winning the others (v. 17). He laid the whole matter clearly and fully before them, not defending him self, but attempting to open the way for the wide preaching of the truth. He would disarm suspicion at once, if that were pos sible. He told them he had not committed anything against the nation, nor against the customs o f the fathers. Yet he was deliv ered as a prisoner to the Romans, who, after examining him, were of a mind to let him go because they found no fault in him. But the Jews had risen against him to such an extent that he had been com pelled to appeal to Caesar. He had not done this in order to accuse his nation, but only that his own innocency should be es tablished (vs. 17-19). This is an example o f the ingenuity Paul used to further the preaching o f the gospel. This tact is fur ther revealed when he tells these leaders of the Jews that it was “ for the hope of Is rael” he was bound with the chain (v. 20). This would awaken their sympathy, be cause they, too, rested in that same hope. Their reply was that they had heard nothing about him, either by letters or by the personal presence of any o f his ac cusers. But their curiosity had been aroused, because they had heard o f the peculiar sect which they supposed was “ev erywhere spoken against” (v. 22), and they would like to hear something con cerning it. This request opened the way for Paul to discuss with them what was near to his heart, the truth concerning the kingdom o f God. The sect was “everywhere spoken against” because of its claims. It claimed to possess the truth—it was not seeking it. The truth had come by revelation, not by evolution. The sect was also spoken against because of its character. By its very nature, it must condemn all others and separate from them. Moreover, the sect was spoken against because of its con dition. It demands full surrender, which
■“having more perfect knowledge of the way” ? What do you think was the real motive behind the postponing of Paul’s case? A Returned Missionary A cts 21:8-20 Memory V erse: “We are laborers to gether with God” (1 Cor. 3:9 ). Approach : The time had come when Paul determined to go back to Jerusalem. This was the chief city of the Jews. Many
and now they were sure that if he went on he would be put in prison. But Paul was not afraid. He told his friends not to weep, and he assured them that he was “ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” They saw that they could not stop him, so they went on with him. Paul was a brave follower o f Jesus Christ. He did not stop when there were hard or dangerous things to do. Jesus needs brave followers today. Many o f the missionaries have hard things to do and strange places to go. They often have enemies who wish to hurt them—but, like Paul, they must not be afraid. Golden Text Illustration An Indian went to a white man and asked for some supplies. He received a handful. When he came to use them, he found in them a shining piece of silver. There was a struggle within him, .but right triumphed, and returning to the white man, he gave him back the coin, saying as he did so, “The bad man in my heart told me to keep it, but the good man said, ‘Take it back.’ The bad man said, ‘It’s yours; no body will ever know.’ The good man said, ‘It's not yours; return it. It would be wicked to keep it; it would be like stealing. God would know.’ ” It is good to exercise oneself to “have always a conscience void o f offence toward God, and toward men” (Acts 24:16).— S elected . . lion Christians in various catacombs be neath Rome. There must have been as many more whose bodies were not buried in the catacombs. It can readily be seen that God’s Word did not return to Him void when it was given forth in Rome by His servant Paul. Outline and Exposition I. T he J ourney to R ome (11-16). After three months spent on the island of Melita, where they had been wrecked, Paul and his companions were taken aboard a ship called “Castor and Pollux,” meaning “The Twin Brothers.” The ship sailed to Syracuse and stayed three days. Thence they sailed to Rhegium, and after spending one day there, they went on to Puteoli (vs. 11-13). Here they found certain brethren with whom they tarried a full week (v. 14). “And so we went toward Rome” (v. 14). “ So,” by the good providence of God, they had been preserved during the wreck, they had found favorable sailing conditions, they had found a proper ship to sail in, and they had enjoyed favorable winds. God was arranging the proper time for their arrival at Rome, which occurred not a day too late nor too soon. All circumstances are in His hands, and the Christian may BLACKBOARD LESSON
of Paul’s f r i e n d s were there. It was a l o ng and har d journey to Jerusa lem. More than that, Paul was warned not to go. It happened this way. Lesson S tory : On the way to Jerusa lem, Paul and his followers stopped at
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Caesarea to rest and to visit friends. There was a man in Caesarea who was a prophet. He took Paul’s girdle, bound it round his hands and said, “Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands o f the Gen tiles.” When Paul’s friends heard this, they begged Paul not to go on. They knew that Paul had many enemies at Jerusalem,
DECEMBER 17, 1933 PAUL IN ROME A cts , C hapters 27 and 28
Lesson T ex t: Acts 28:11-22, 30, 31. Golden T ex t : “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14). ■ Rome 1 he Apostle Paul’s journey from Pute- oli to Rome was over the famous Appian Way. This was one o f the most famous o f the Roman roads. Extend ing south from the Eternal City, it carried the empire’s commerce to Capua, and to seaports on the present Bay of Naples. The great grain ships from Alexandria docked at Puteoli, and their cargoes were carried
up the Appian Way to Rome. Thus this one of Rome’s justly celebrated system of highways s e r v ed a very useful purpose in the preservation o f the empire. Although many of the great monuments which now stand in
Rome were not built in the days of Paul, the city had almost reached the zenith of its power and greatness in his day. It is estimated that there were about a million and a half inhabitants in the city at that time. The outlying districts had been weld ed into one great empire by Julius and Augustus Caesar, and Rome was the center o f the civilized world. This gave Paul an opportunity to reach people o f every na tion with the message of the gospel. He was allowed to live in a house o f his own, and to preach with considerable freedom. In this manner, although he was a prisoner, he was able to serve his Lord most effec tively. The success which attended his ef forts is evidenced by the great number of people who became Christians. One of the caretakers at the Catacombs o f St. Calixtus told us that there were tombs o f three mil
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