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September 1929
T h e
K i n g ’ s
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October 20, 1929 Useful Work a Christian Duty
II. Paul’s Keeping Fit for Soul Win ning. 1 Cor. 9:19-27. On the Damascus road the Lord Jesus Christ appeared unto Saul. To Jesus he surrendered completely. Jesus then re vealed to him His plan concerning his future service—to bear the name of Jesus before the Gentiles and kings of the earth. This call to service was ever the controlling purpose of his life thereafter. Paul realized the great responsibility resting upon him and felt tha.t a special woe would fall upon him if he failed to preach the Gospel. His case is similar to that of Ezekiel. The Lord held personally responsible each of these men for doing a certain specific, definite work. There is danger in one’s interpreting the call and the responsibility connected therewith to Christian ministers and workers today, i.e., in making a too rigid and legalistic interpretation. Paul, having accepted Christ, was free from all men and enjoyed the fullest of Christian liberty; but his great passion for soul winning was such a consuming fire that he constantly waived his rights and privileges in order that he might win the greatest number to Christ. Paul had clear-cut and well-defined ideas as to what was right and what was wrong. Beyond these limits he under no conditions would pass. He knew the mes sage which he had for the lost world;! likewise he knew human nature and how to deal with the same. When he was with a Jew he became as a Jew; when, how ever, he was with a Gentile he became as a Gentile. Thus he adapted himself to the customs and manner of life of the people with whom he was associated and whom he wished to lead to the Lord. In his conforming, however, to the customs of the environment in which he was at any given time, he was always scrupulously conscientious never to violate any princi ple. Loyalty to Jesus Christ in everything was the watchword. A good illustration of his adapting himself to any situation is found in Acts 21:17-26. In heeding the request of the brethren at Jerusalem that he should go with other Hebrew be lievers, shave his head and purify him self in the temple, he made no mistake; neither did he do anything wrong. He had been misrepresented throughout the mis sion field by false Jewish brethren who were trying to impose the law of Moses upon the Gentile believers. P a u l had taught that salvation is through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and apart from the law. His critics misunderstood him and put a different construction upon his mes sage. Therefore, the brethren, upon his arrival at Jerusalem, insisted that Paul correct the wrong impression which the Judaizing false brethren had made. Thus he violated no principle in yielding to their request. He was, however, arrested on this occasion; but God overruled the circumstances and used this seemingly unfortunate situation in having the Gos pel carried into the very household of Caesar. It is quite evident, therefore, that the unseen providential hand of God was working at this time in the whole affair. Another instance of Paul’s conforming to the customs of the people was his par taking of food which had been offered in sacrifice to idols. He ate the meat simply for its food values, whereas those who did not have the knowledge ate the very same kind of meat with a religious mo tive. Paul, with his knowledge, sat and
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Scripture References: Gen. 2:15; Ex. 20:9; Neh. 6:3; John 5:17; 9:4; Acts 20: 33-35; 2 Thess. 3:6-12; Eph. 4:28. Devotional Reading: Psa. 8:1-9. Golden Text: “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, if any will not work, neither let him eaf’ (2 Thess. 3:10). L esson I n O utline Introduction: Historical Setting. Beginning the Lesson. I. Work Ordained of God. Gen. 2:15. II. Six Days of Work Enjoined in the Law. Ex. 20:9. III. Priority of Work. Neh. 6:3. IV. God’s Continued Activity. Jno. 5: 17. V. The Limited Time for Man’s Work. Jno. 9:4. VI. Paul’s Example of Working. Acts 20:33-35. VII. Idleness Condemned. 2 Thess. 3: 6 - 12 . VIII. Work in Order to Have Suffi ciency for Others. Eph. 4:28.
ate such meat with another, if the ques tion of religion were not suggested. When, however, it was suggested, then he refrained from eating. He illustrates in the latter part of this passage his principle of striving to meet each soul upon his own ground in order to win him to Christ, by the example of the contestants in a game, who were very scrupulous in regard to their physical training. Paul, therefore, kept himself fit for soul winning and service to others. III. Timothy’s Keeping Fit for the Min istry. 1 Tim. 4:7-12; 2 Tim. 2:1-5. In view of the prevalence of demon ac tivity and the propagation of their doc trines and teachings, as outlined in 1 Tim. 4:1-3, together with their abstaining from the eating of meats, Paul insisted that every creature is good and nothing is to be rejected. Following this injunc tion in verse 6, the apostle declared that Timothy would be a good minister of Christ if he taught the brethren the truth along these lines, and if he refused to lis ten to fables and traditions. In verses 7b-12 Paul exhorted Timothy to exercise himself in spiritual matters, for expe rience in godliness is of greater profit than bodily exercise. It was to be his ob ject always to act and to deport himself in such a way that no one could find fault with him on the ground of thoughtless, youthful conduct. In 2 Tim. 2:1-5, in this last letter of the aged apostle to the young minister, Paul urged Timothy to be a good soldier and to fight the battle of faith, not be coming entangled in the affairs of this life, in order that he might please God and that his ministry might be the most ef fective. P ith and P oint “When the wine’s in the wit’s out.” “Drinking makes thinking impossible,” said a Scotch Reformer. “Some day thinking will make drinking impossible.” “To live coarsely in the body is to vulgarize the soul.” “The moral welfare of a city is of greater value than the personal liberty of any individual citizen.”—/. H. lowett. “Over almost everything save our vir tues' there might be written the condemna tion—Too much,” says Dr. David Swing. — o —
— o — Introduction: Historical Setting.
'TH E first quotation is taken from the book of Genesis, which was written by Moses approximately 1,500 y e a r s prior to the Christian era. The second
quotation is taken from the book of Nehemiah and is usually supposed to have been written by Ezra the scribe a f t e r the return f r o m Babylonian c a p t i v i t y . The
statement in Jno. 5:17 was probably made at the second Passover of our Lord in the city of Jerusalem when He was in a debate with the Jerusalem authorities. The statement quoted from Jno. 9 :4 like wise was made by our Saviour but at the Feast of Tabernacles, about six months before His Crucifixion. It is taken from an- explanation He gave to His disciples. Paul’s statement concerning his work (Acts 20:33-35) was made by him to the elders of the church at Ephesus when he met them at Miletus in the year 57 or 58 A. D., after he had completed his third missionary tour. His statement in the second letter to the Thessalonian church was made probably in the year 52 A. D., shortly after his having established the church in that city. The letter to the church at Ephesus, from which the last quotation is taken, was written by Paul about 63 A. D., when he was in prison at Rome. Beginning the Lesson: Eight different texts, taken from va rious books of the Bible, are the subject for the consideration of today’s lesson. Many other passages bearing upon this lesson could be quoted. Especially is the book of Proverbs very rich in material bearing on social duties and helofulness to others. Illustrations drawn from in sects, such as ants and bees, afford ex-
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