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SEPTEMBER 2, 1923 PAUL THE APOSTLE Golden '.!'ext: "I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Ph. 3: 14. LESSON TEXT Ac. 22: 3, 6-10; Ph. 3: 7-14. Devotional Reading.-Is. 6: 1-8. Ou tline: (1) The Conversion and Commis– sion of Paul. ( 2) The Conflict and Courage of Paul. ( 3) The Consecration and Charge of Paul.
flashed fire. The Jewish leaders gladly availed themselves of this splendid tool and gave him authority to carry on the war against the witnesses of "The Way." Paul's own testimony concerning the condition of his heart is found in Gal. 1: 13; 1 Cor. 15: 9 and Acts 26: 9-11. He thought he was doing God service, but what was he really fighting against? Testimony to the truth that Jesus Christ was the Messiah, which was abundantly proven; the character of these new dis– ciples; the purpose of God as revealed in the Scriptures; and the condemnation of his own conscience as a witness to Stephen's death. There is a lesson here which will help us to understand men. Those under conviction wlll often say and do terrible things, showing us something of the soul's struggle with passion, pride, habits, ambition. While on the way to Damascus, sud– denly a new Sun appears in the heav– ens-a light which dimmed the daz– zling splendor of the noonday sun. Saul is smitten to the earth and hears the voice of the risen Lord (1 Cor. 15: 8). The men with Saul saw the light but did not bear the Voice, which was in– tended for Saul alone (Acts 26: 14). In the question "Why persecutest thou Me?" the Lord identifies Himself with every believer. He feels the slight– est wrong done to any one of His fol– lowers. When they are persecuted, He suffers. He takes His place with the smallest of ns, and fully associates Himself with us. Saul surrendered to the Lord and "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" gives us the key to the greatest of lives. This was the theme of Christ's
Introduction : The task of endeavoring to put the life of Paul in the limited space available for this purpose, is impossible. We can, however, call attention to a few out–
standing characteris– tics of this man among m en-the incompara– ble character, the illus- trious missionary, the
LESSON EXPOSITION T. C. Horton
intrepid soldier, the indefatigable worker, the greatest of the apostles– Saul of Tarsus. Born in a Gentile city celebrated as a center of Greek culture (Acts 21:39); by trade a tent maker (Acts 18: 3); by )Jirth a Roman (Acts 22: 28); he was sent (probably) at the age of twelve to Jerusalem to become a student of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). Three elements of world-culture met in Paul-Roman citizenship, Greek culture, Hebrew religion (Phil. 3: 5, 6). He was a Pharisee (Acts 23: 6) of the tribe of Benjamin, a zealot, full of fiery zeal. (1) THE CONVERSION AND COM– MISSION OF PAUL. Following the stoning of Stephen, filled with hellish hatred of Christians, breathing in treason against God and breathing out hate for the church, his heart filled with murder-we have the picture of a dragon from whose mouth
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