142
April, 1939
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
I N T E R N A T I O N A L L E S S O N Commentary Outline and Exposition Blackboard Lesson Childrens Division Golden Text Illustration Object Lesson B y B . B . S u t c l if f e B y G r btc h bn S ib le y B y H b lb n G a iley B y A lan S . P earce B y E l m er L. W ilder
Points and Problems B y A lva J. M c C lain
MAY 7, 1939 PAUL WORKS A HARD FIELD A cts 17:16 to 18:17; 1 C orinthians 2:1-5
part, but of the mighty working of the Spirit of God in him, that could accomplish this result. He reminded believers that when he had declared to them the testimony of God, there had been nothing in the manner of his preaching to cause his hearers to be come self-important. He further reminded them that his constant theme had been Jesus Christ and Him crucified. The inference is not that the crucifixion of Christ was the only truth Paul preached, but rather that the crucified One was the center of all his preaching. Paul would glory only in the cross, lest he himself should become proud and unduly exalted (Gal. 6 :14 ), and he would count all things but loss for Christ’s sake (Phil. 3 :8 ). As far as he himself and his abilities were concerned, he ministered in weakness; as far as his manner of life before God was concerned, it had been in fear; and as far as his carefulness in mak ing the message clear was concerned, it had been with much trembling. This .admission of Paul’s did not mean that he was cringing and physically afraid. Rather it meant that he had been strength ened and emboldened to preach without restraint in spite of the people's prejudices and passions. He did not attempt to im press them with human eloquence or en ticing words of man’s wisdom. His power was traceable to something more than per sonal magnetism or philosophic reasoning. He spoke in the energy of the Holy Spirit. Paul’s purpose was to found the faith of his hearers in the power of God, which is immovable, unchangeable, and eternal. But a faith built upon the wisdom of men would need continually to be revised as men grow in knowledge. Points and Problems 1. "Departed from Athens . . . came to Corinth" (Acts 18:1). The outstanding characteristic of the original Christian mis sionary program was mobility. Although the first converts were recruited from raw paganism with all its attendant vices, the apostles did not remain to coddle them but committed them to the care of the Holy Spirit, believing that He had the power to guide and keep them if they were really bom of God. 2. "Reasoned in the synagogue" (v. 4 ). W e need not fear this word “reasoned,” but we should be careful to understand what it means as used in the Book of Acts. It does not mean philosophical reasoning, that is, argument based on the foundation of logic and rationality. Undoubtedly Paul used the principles of logic, but they were only tools, not the foundation, of his “rea soning.” Acts 17:2 points to the foundation: “And Paul, as his manner was. . . reasoned with them out o[ the Scriptures.” W e need more logic and reasoning in the pulpit, but not the kind that cuts loose from the only infallible foundation, the Word of God.
Acts 18:1 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. 5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Cnrist. 6 And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth 1 will go unto the Gentiles. 7 And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man*s house, named Justus, one that wor shipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue. 8 And Crispus, the chief ruler of the syna gogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized. 9 i Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by • vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: 10 For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. 11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. 1 Corinthians 2:1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Lesson Text: Acts 18:1, 4-11; 1 Cor. 2: 1-5. Golden Text: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4:13). Devotional Reading: 1 Cor. 1:18-31. Outline and Exposition I. His M essage (Acts 18:1, 4-6) S OON after Paul delivered his address . on Mars Hill at Athens, he went to Corinth. He remained about one year and a half, making his living by tent mak ing. At that time Corinth was the chief commercial center in Greece. It had a population embracing many nationalities and was a place of great wealth and impos ing magnificence. But debasing immorality was practiced and even was fostered by leaders of some of the religions represented in the city. Each Sabbath day, Paul went into the synagogue and reasoned with those who gathered, both Jews and Greeks. To the former he doubtless would make his ap proach by means of their Scriptures, that [These lessons are developed from out lines prepared by the Committee on Im proved Uniform Lessons o f the Interna tional Council. The outlines are copy righted by the International Council o[ Religious Education and used by permis sion. Scripture portions quoted are [rom the King James Version unless otherwise stated. ]
is, the Old Testament; to the latter, his ap peal would be to their conscience. He boldly declared to the Jews that the despised Jesus of Nazareth was their Messiah. This testimony infuriated them. When the opposition and blasphemy of the Jews be came vicious, and Paul could do nothing further for them, he withdrew, saying, “From henceforth I will go unto the Gen tiles” (v. 6). It is plain from the Scriptures that Paul did not mean he would not again preach to Jews, nor that his habit of going to Jews first would be changed. But the thought seems clear that, as far as Corinth was con cerned, he would no longer preach to the Jews there. In the very next chapter of the Book of The Acts we are told that Paul spent three months at Ephesus preaching to and teaching the Jews both in the syna gogue and the school of Tyrannus (Acts 19:8-10). II. H is E ncouragement (7-11) When Paul withdrew from the Jews, a means was providentially furnished for his continued preaching—in the house of a Christian man, Justus by name. Paul was further encouraged by seeing the Lord win converts through the preach ing. One of the leading Jews, Crispus, a ruler of the synagogue, was saved, with all his house. Many other Corinthians believed and were baptized. Moreover, the Lord gave encouragement by granting to Paul a night vision in which he was assured that no physical harm would come to him in that place. He was exhorted to speak and not to be afraid. An added encouragement to Paul was found in the fact that day after day, for a year and a half, he was allowed to teach the Word of God without hindrance. In our land of liberty, it is hard for us to real ize what freedom of this kind would mean to Paul. W e in America are in danger of taking our blessings as a matter of course. III. His M ethod (1 Cor. 2:1-5) After Paul had left Corinth, he wrote to the believers there, giving further instruc tions concerning their faith in Christ and what the character of their life as Chris tians should be. Had some become puffed up because of their knowledge of spiritual matters and because they had been richly blessed by the Lord? Paul was moved by the Holy Spirit to write of the meekness and lowliness that must characterize true Christianity. That Paul could point to his own con duct as a pattern for believers to follow is in itself an evidence, not of pride on Paul’s
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker