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August, 1935
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
them, and they engaged in the work to gether. To the believer, nothing “happens,” but each experience has a purpose which reaches far beyond the individual and the immediate circumstance. As Priscilla and Aquila discussed with Paul the teachings of Christ, they probably had no thought that they were thus being fitted to do a much-needed work with Apollos at a later day. These two dear people could very well have resented their deportation from Rome, since their change of location prob ably entailed considerable material loss. But they were willing to accept whatever experiences the Lord might be pleased to allow to come to them. Although, for a time, their condition was grievous, yet with the coming of Paul, how they must have praised God for His plan that had brought so much good 1 Opportunity for service came to Pris cilla and her husband when “a certain Jew named Apollos . . . came to Ephesus” (vs. 24-26). Apollos was “an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures” (v. 24). But he needed instruction in the things of the Lord, for, at that time, he knew only “the baptism of John.” Being fervent in spirit, he was diligent in speaking and teaching. When he came to Ephesus, he began at once to “speak boldly in the syna gogue” (v. 26). When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they recognized his lack of understanding of the fullness of the gospel message, and they “expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.” It speaks well for the humility of Apollos that, eloquent and learned though he was, he was willing to be taught by a tentmaker and his wife. The result of the teaching was that Apollos became widely used by the Lord (vs. 27, 28).- He went forth to give to the saints of Achaia help that was much needed, and his preaching also brought conviction to the Jews. Being now more fully instructed, he could and did publicly refute the arguments of the Jews that were opposed to Christ. He spoke fearlessly, “showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ” (v. 28). In a coming day, all the service of Apollos will be rewarded, and in that reward, Priscilla, a devoted Chris tian woman, will, with her husband, have a large share. Points and Problems 1. “We went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to he made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither” (Acts 16: 13). Two things are worthy of note here. First, the church at Philippi was born at a prayer meeting, a fact which may have had something to do with its remarkable char acter. Of all the churches founded by the apostle, it seems to have been his favorite. Second, there is no mention of any men present, except Paul and his companions. Human nature does not change much. It seems to be somewhat the same today in the matter of prayer. Look in on the aver age prayer meeting today, and you will find more women than men. Thank God for the women who pray. The women often put to shame the men when it comes to spiritual affairs. 2. Women seem to have held an impor tant place in the founding of the Philip pian church. Lydia was the first convert. And when Paul wrote his epistle to this church, he mentions two other women, “Euodias” and “Syntyche,” as “those
women which labored with me in the gos pel” (Phil. 4:2, 3). It is reasonable to sup pose that these two women may have been among the original group of women that Paul met at the riverside prayer meeting. 3. It is not exactly certain just what these women were, religiously, when Paul first met them by the riverside, but they were not pagans. There are three possibil ities. First, they may have been Jewish, but this is not probable. Second, they may have been Jewish proselytes. Third, they may have been of that group to which Cornelius probably belonged, Gentiles at tracted by the religion of Judaism, yet who had not submitted to the formal rites which would make them proselytes in fact. Like Cornelius, they believed in God, and prayed. Yet they needed the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. 4. Lydia was a woman in business life, yet she found time for spiritual things, and for her “household” (Acts 16:15). Modem women would do well to follow her example. Golden Text Illustration Pandita Ramabai is universally ac knowledged to be the most distinguished woman in India, native or foreign. . . . Forsaking idolatry, she turned to Christ, and then consecrated herself with a love and devotion truly wonderful to the eman cipation of child-wives and child-widows from their terrible bondage. In the fam ines and pestilences of 1897 and later years her ministry expanded far beyond her original design, as she threw herself into the desperate situation and rescued thou sands of girls and women from death, des titution, and the base designs of wicked men. Never will the writer forget the privilege he enjoyed of being the guest of this ! remarkable woman in her great Christian settlement known as “Mukti” (sqlvation), and addressing her “family” of many hundred sweet-faced little child- widows. Her schools, orphanage, and res cue home have witnessed some wonderful outpourings of the Holy Spirit and the conversion of great numbers of souls. -—R obert H. G lover , in The Progress of World-Wide Missions. A Meeting Out of Doors A cts 16:11-15; 18:1-3 Memory Verse: “The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord” (Psa. 33:5). Approach: Today in our story we are going to follow Paul a little way as he goes on a journey preaching the gospel. We will come to know of some of the
in those days. As she listened to the mes sage which Paul brought them, the mes sage of how Jesus the Son of God had come to this earth to live and die for all who would believe, God opened Lydia’s heart, and she understood and believed the words which Paul spoke. She was the first one in that big country to believe in the Lord Jesus. Soon there were many more believers. Although often Paul was treated badly and had to flee for his life, often, too, he had happy times staying with the Chris tians. Sometimes he lived in the home of a believer, working at his job of tentmak ing and preaching to the people who were about him. That is the way the gospel spread. Often there were no churches. Meetings were held on the street, by the river, or in the homes. Paul preached to the people about the Lord Jesus. Some believed and told their friends. Some of these friends be lieved, and they told others, and the mes sage has gone on and on. O 1 ÏÎ «. t>NA Objects: An electric extension cord, a light bulb, and a handbag. (Attach one end of the cord to an electric light socket, put ting the other end with the lighted bulb into the handbag.) Lesson: This cord reminds me of two women, Lydia and Priscilla. Of course you are wondering how this common- looking cord can be like the two splendid Christian women mentioned in the book of Acts, but wait and you shall see. Let us follow the cord and see where it leads. It goes inside this dark-looking handbag. Why is it going there? Why, see! This black handbag is filled with light because the electric cord has carried the light to it. Now let us remember the, two women in our lesson. Priscilla worked with her hus band Aquila and with Paul in a tent- maker’s shop. That shop was in a city whose sin was blacker than the darkness inside this bag, but Priscilla, with the other Christians, carried the light to those who were in darkness. I have wondered just how dark the part of the city was in which Priscilla worked. No doubt many people swore, drank intoxicating drinks, and lived sinful lives. When Priscilla and her Christian friends came, they brought the light of the gospel of Christ. Now think of Lydia. She was a travel ing saleswoman from Thyatira, a city in what is now known as Asia Minor. So far as the true Light was concerned, many of the places where she went to sell her goods were dark; but she, like this electric cord, took the light of the gospel with her. You boys and girls may never be tent- makers or traveling salespersons, but you can, nevertheless, take Christ, the Light of the world, into dark places. It may be that your room at school needs Him and His Light. Some will need to take the Light into their own homes, where others do not know Christ. Object Lesson T aking the L ight
people to wh o m P a u l preached, as well as l e a r n of some of the places where they met. Lesson S to ry : L a s t we e k we learned t h a t Paul went on many long journeys, preaching the gospel to the p e o p l e . On one journey, he crossed
the sea and came into a new country where no one had been to preach about Christ. Paul came to the city of Philippi, and on the sabbath day he went out to where the people used to gather together down at the riverside to worship. Paul walked along by the river, and soon he found a little group of women. They had come to pray together. A woman named Lydia was among them. Lydia was a seller of the purple cloth which was very valuable
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