T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
150
iously compensates his servants for the suffering and pri vation they meet with in His service. The book of Acts closes with the judgment on Israel pronounced in a foreign land because the limit of the Gos pel has been reached. The Jews have driven the Gospel from the world’s religious centre to the centre of heathen ism. Until Rome was reached mercy lingered, but when earth’s remotest bounds were touched the door of mercy closed. In the closing chapter of the Roman Epistle, Paul de clares that he has “fulfilled the Gospel of Christ.” (15 :19 ). How much this means cannot easily be told. In the next verse he says that he has made it a point of honor not to go where anyone has been before him. He regarded his work io be the laying of foundations, (1 Cor, 3 :1 0 ), and to leave the building to others. This was not a hard and fast rule. He preached a year in Antioch after the church had been gathered there. (Acts 11:25, 26). He inter preted the Great Commission “Go ye into all the world and preach.” (Mark 16 :15 ), to mean for him at least that he should not go after some one else had opened the way to the heathen, but that he should be the first to go. In other words, he was a pioneer. His missionary zeal was born of the love of God. Passion for gold or fame leads men to great exertion and much sacrifice. So love of God in the heart will move men for the salvation of their fellow-men when their lost condition is realized. This lesson covers Paul’s second and third missionary journeys, his arrest, imprisonment, and journey to Rome. The whole story is one of intense interest and great im portance. In some respects the record of the second journey is of greater significance than DEVOTIONAL the rest. After visiting the churches COMMENT which had been formed as a result of John A. Hubbard his first journey, Paul moved forward to new territory. Having been for bidden by the Spirit to turn to the left (into “Asia” Acts 16 :6 ), he attempted to turn to the right ( “into Bithynia” verse 7 ), but was again checked by the Lord. Somewhat perplexed, perhaps, he kept going straight ahead until he reached the coast of the Aegean Sea— “they came to Troas.” (In the study of this lesson, by all means con sult the map of Paul’s journeys). It was here, doubtless while waiting upon God to know His plan, that Paul had the memorable vision and heard the Macedonian call. “And when he had seen the vision, straightway we sought to to go forth into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel unto them” (Acts 16:10, R. V .). This decision was fraught with the greatest significance for us people of the Occident, for it resulted in the preach ing of the Good News to our ancestors. As Dr. Stalkei strikingly puts it: “In this passage of Paul, from Asia to Europe, a great providential decision was taking effect, of which, as children of the West, we cannot think without the profoundest thankfulness. Christianity arose in Asia and among an Oriental people; and it might have been ex pected to spread first among those races to which the Jews were most akin. Instead of coming west, it might have gone eastward. It might have penetrated into Arabia and taken possession of those regions where the faith of the False Prophet (Mohammedanism) now holds sway. It might have visited the wandering tribes of Central Asia and, piercing its way down through the passes of the Hima layas reared its temples on the banks of the Ganges, the
care of all her treasure, came by that way. He had been up to Jerusalem to worship at the temple, and now as he sat in his chariot returning to his own land, he read the Scriptures. The part he read was where the prophet Isaiah told the children of Israel that a Saviour was coming into the world to die for their sins. When Philip saw this man, God’s Holy Spirit told him to go near to the chariot and speak to the man. Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading. Philip asked the man if he under stood what he was reading. The officer answered, How can I, except some man should explain it to me? And he asked Philip to come and sit with him in the chariot, and then he asked Philip to explain to him the words he had been reading in the Bible. What a joy it was to Philip to show this great officer of the queen how to come to Jesus. As they rode along they came to a place where there, was water, and the officer asked Philip if he could be baptized. Philip said if he believed with could. The officer said he did, and he commanded the chariot to stop, and they walked into the water, and Philip baptized the officer. He got back into his chariot to go hack to his own land, full of joy because he had heard about Jesus. Philip preached in all the cities as he traveled along. Our memory verse tells us God just as Philip did, tell people of Jesus. Prayer. Golden Text: “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.” Rom. 1:16. Besson Text: Acts 16:9-15; 28:30, 31; Rom. 15:18-21. (Devotional Reading— Rom. 10:8-15). The Gospel had a small and humble beginning in Europe, but since it is a beginning, there is a full and circumstantial account. There were no Pentecostal marvels, there was only a woman’s prayer meeting on the banks LESSON of the river Gangas on a Saturday EXPOSITION morning. Judaism was at such a low Dr. F. W. Farr ebb that there was no synagogue and no men to maintain it, but women are usually faithful and devoted and among a handful of wo men, the evangelization of Europe began. Lydia is the first convert of a continent. Indeed, we may call her the “man of Macedonia.” Acts 16:9. She was a progressive business woman of means at the head of a large establish ment that employed many women. Macedonian inscriptions show that women enjoyed higher social position and greater freedom in Philippi than in Athens, Ephesus or Corinth. She was a zealous proselyte of the gate like Cornelius. (Acts 10 :2 ). The higher type of heathen turned to Judaism for help in a world of dark ness and wickedness. Paul usually won his first converts from Gentiles like these. Luke says that the Lord opened Lydia’s heart. That is God’s work. On her part she lis tened and gave heed. This gave the Word of God a chance to do its work. More people would have their hearts opened if they would listen attentively to the message of the Gospel. Lydia proved the sincerity of her conversion by the exercise of the Christian grace of hospitality. This is one of the finest Christian graces and brings rich reward to those who can exercise it. She had wealth and a com fortable home. She insisted on entertaining the four Gos pel preachers. After Paul’s hard usage at Lystra, he must have enjoyed this generous treatment. Thus God grac DECEMBER 16, 1923 WORLD-WIDE MISSIONS
all his hearthe
wants us todo
Made with FlippingBook HTML5