555
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
September 1928
as to exhaust the physical and mental en ergies o f the people. “From Miletus Paul sent to Ephesus and called the elders o f the church” (v. 10). He recounted to them the work that he had done in their midst. Would that all ministers could say what Paul said I He gave them: (1.) Devoted service— “at all seasons” (v. 18). (2.) Humble service —“ with all humility" (v. 19). (3.) Heartfelt service—“tears and temp tations” (v. 19). (4.) Faithful service— “ kept back nothing" (v. 20). (5.) Thor ough service —“publicly and from house to house" (v. 20 ). ‘“ ’Now behold I go bound in the'spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there” (v. 22). Paul’s own spirit had a feeling in regard to the proposed trip to Jerusalem, from which he could not get free. Nothing tries one’s mettle more than uncertainty o f impend ing evil yet undefined. Although the Holy Spirit constantly witnessed to Paul that bonds andi afflictions awaited him (v. 23), the prospect did not turn him a hair’s breadth from the course he felt he ought to take. One thing is fully demonstrated by Christian history : when conviction lays hold of a man, he overlooks all pain, labor* loss and sorrow and finds himself enabled to rejoice in any circumstances. With Paul he can say “None o f these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy" (v. 24). The words “none o f these things move me” are more literally : “ I make account o f nothing,” or “I do not carry it on the ledger.” This was, a new standard of valuation. Paul’s service for Christ had become to him o f greater quantity than his very life. Our work is our greater self. To do the will o f God bravely is worth more than to live long on earth. To reach the goal*-to win God’s favor—| this is' the all-important thing. It is a great thing when the preacher can say to those to whom he has preach ed : “I am pu/re from the blood o f all men, fo r I have not shunrted'to declare.all the counsel o f God” (vs. 26-27). It is one thing to be pure by the blood o f the Son of man; quite another to be pure from the blood of the sons o f men. Paul preached grace, but he did not hesitate to take to himself the teaching o f Ezek. 33: 8 . May there be bloodspots on preachers and laymen? Could angels point to Christians and say: “ Behold those spots on their souls! Those witnesses to the fact that they have not done their duty to their unsaved acquaintances” ? What would we say o f one who saw his friend in great danger yet gave no word of warning? W e would say he had a life to answer for. In the spiritual realm we are otir brothers’ keepers. If we have kept the Gospel to ourselves, there may be bloodspots staining our record. We are responsible to declare the whole counsel of God, not simply favorite sub jects. One may teach nothing but what is true, yet never come to the most vital truths. Nothing is more dangerous than half truth. Many a preacher today camouflages by preaching sections of truth. Their hearers say: “ I did not hear a thing to which I could object.” They have said nothing unorthodox, nor have they revealed the way o f the cross. God says to every preacher, as He did to Jere miah: “Diminish not a word" (Jer. 26:2).
He first told them of the generous o f fering given by the Christian people of the Macedonian church. W e must re member all we have is a gift from God, it all belongs to God. The Macedonian churches had also suffered from persecu tion, and Paul had been with them dur ing some o f the suffering. The people could have said they were in need them selves and could not afford to give any thing, but instead they opened up their hearts and gave generously to the Chris tians far away. They were poor them selves,. but their love went out to the other.- Christians in Jerusalem, and so gloriously did their joy in Christ spring up, that they gave to ' Christians still poorer and more afflicted than they were. Now Paul, in asking the people in the church at Corinth, did not a:sk in a com manding way, even though he was the (human) founder o f that church. He wanted the gifts to be a free-will offer ing from the heart, for forced contribu tions are not genuine gifts, they are taxes. Paul had been telling the people how the Macedonian people had been giving out of their poverty, and now these people would have a chance to show their love by their gifts for the poor Christian Jews in Jeru salem. Now, boys and girls, listen very care fully, for the next message Paul spoke is the most wonderful saying : “ That, though He was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor.” O f course he is speaking o f our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ, before coming to this earth, was rich in author ity and honor ; rich in all the glory of heaven where He sat beside the Father on the throne o f the universe. In becoming man, He gave up all that splendor, and became a helpless human babe, growing up in a humble earthly home. He did this that He might get close to men ; that He might lift them up into the Father’s love and save them from their sin. “ That through His poverty, we might become rich.” In these wonderful words the entire Gospel is told. Paul wanted them to give as they were able, for that is the way God wants us to giveiS Do you know, boys and girls, when the taber nacle was being built in the wilderness in the time o f Moses, the people gave free will offerings, from the heart, and Moses had to tell them not to give any more, for they had enough to build the tabernacle as God had directed. If all of God’s peo ple would give that way, we should never have to ask for money in our churches, and all the missionaries that are willing and ready to go could be sent and cared for. (Teach M. V. and stress the joy. of true giving.) (Prayer.) O ctober 28, 1928 Paul’s Journey to Jerusalem T ex t: Acts 20; 2 Cor. 11:28 L esson in O utline I. Paul, the P e r s e v e r i n g Pioneer Preacher. 20 :l-38. 1. Journeys from Ephesus through '-^Macedonia to Greebe and return to 'Troas. Vs. 1-6. 2. Lord’s day meeting in Troas. Vs. 7- 12 . 3. Voyage from Assos to Miletus. Vs. 13-16. • 4. Farewell speech to Ephesian elders. Vs. 17-35.
FRED S. SHEPARD ’S BLACKBOARD OUTLINE 1 0 Y A L L Y O V I N G L Y U I B E R A L L Y God loveth a cheerful giver. —2 Cor. 9 :7
5. Paul’s sad farewell. Vs. 36-38. II. Journey from Miletus to Jerusalem. 2 1 :1.-17. 1. Voyage to Tyre and meeting with the brethren. 21 :l- 6 . 2. .Voyage to Caesarea and. meeting with tiie brethren. Vs. 7-14. 3. Journey to Jerusalem. Vs. 15-17. 4. Paul’s anxiety for the churches. 2 Cor. 11:28. —o— . P AUL had given three years of faithful effort to Ephesus and the surrounding region. Many churches had been planted, perhaps, as some believe, the seven men néyirtg and tarrying. Verses 7-12 give an interesting account of a Sunday evening service at Troas. It was their last chance to hear Paul, and he preached a long sermon and conducted a question box afterward. Still they urged him on “and he continued his speech until'midnight’ (v. 7) . ‘ In the (didst of the interesting exposition, a cry went up: “Eutychus has fallen out o f the window.” Sitting on the sill, he had fallen fast asleep and suddenly lurched out of the third-floor window. Verse 8 furnishes an interesting com ment: “ There were many lights, in the upper chamber where they were gathered t o g e t h e r .” One commentator says: “ Christianity has no dark seanc.es.” Mat thew Henry says: “ They had many lights so the hearers might turn to the Scrip tures and see whether those things were so.” The many lights must have exhausted the oxygen. No wonder sleep overcame the youthful frame of Eutychus. Per haps he had sold fish all day, and the bad air and the prolonged discourse proved too much for him. Some of the commen tators land hard upon the wicked youth who went to sleep in church. But isn’t it sometimes perfectly excusable to fall asleep in church? We must admire an overworked man who shows his loyalty by going to church, even if he does sleep in the pew, and there are some sermons well calculated to cure insomnia. Fur thermore, sleep at midnight is a most natural order of things for a youth. A There are three Ways in which church sleeping might be prevented. The first is better ventilation. The second is more wide-awake preachers. A third would be earlier retirement at night for some church members. However, the case be fore us presents special circumstances. Ordinarily sermons should not be so long tioned in Revela tion. The first epis- fie to the Corinth ians had been writ ten. The opening verses of our chap ter for today brief ly tell the story of ten months’ j our-
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