5. "And he reasoned . . . and per suaded" (Acts 18:4). We find here suggested the most effective method for Gospel preaching. First, a basis for faith is laid down—reasoning out of the Scriptures; second, an urgent invitation is then extended to embrace the truth previously presented. F ot the Children P a u l P reaches in th e M arket P lace A cts 17:15-20 MEMORY VERSE: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Ex. 20:3). Last week we learned from God’s Word about some angry Jews who tried to harm Paul and Silas because they were telling the people about the Lord Jesus Christ. Soon again these two great mission aries had to preach the Gospel before some Jews who did not believe what they said. Paul’s life was again in danger, so the Christians brought him to a town called Athens. Paul told these Christians to have Silas and an other one of his helpers come to him at once. While Paul was waiting for these two men, he was greatly dis turbed when he saw that the whole city was worshiping idols rather than worshiping the true God. Paul went into the synagogue and talked with many of the Jews about the Saviour. He also preached the Gospel in the market place where many people were selling animals, food, materials and clothing in the street. Paul was anxious that these people should learn about and love the only true God in stead of trusting in idols who could not see or hear or answer prayer. Some one said that it was easier to find a god than to find a man in Athens. Some of the religious leaders in Athens made fun of Paul; others thought that he had come to tell them about some new gods because he had told them about Jesus and the resurrection. At last Paul was taken to a famous hill where some of the well-known men of Athens made decisions about problems and hard questions. Paul was asked to tell about the new god of whom he had been telling the people. How thrilled Paul must have been because he had this opportunity to talk about his Saviour! Proudly and boldly he preached a sermon telling these peo ple about the Lord Jesus Christ who is the only real God. At the end of the sermon, some of the men and women received the Lord Jesus as their Saviour and commenced obeying the commandment, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” These, who for so long had worshiped many gods trying to find peace and happiness, now had everlasting life through the one true God and His Son, the Saviour of the world.
Paints and Problems 1. "Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship" (Acts 17:23). Hosts of peo ple across the world are seeking to worship God in their own way. But such worship is of no avail because it is done in ignorance of the one and only way of salvation. Men must know God’s appointed way of worship before they can truly worship Him. That way is by means of a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:6). List some of the ways by which men to day are “ignorantly” seeking to wor ship God. 2. “Neither is worshipped with men's hands1" (Acts 17:25). Worship is not a matter of the hands; it is an atti tude of the heart. God is not to be worshiped through human effort, but by faith. True worship acknowledges worth of God and accepts a portion of that worth for the soul’s redemption. Fine buildings, elaborate ritual or ex pensive sacrifices can never be substi tuted for faith in the living Saviour. The tragic error of the day is that men believe they can save them selves; they think they can worship God with their hands. Cain fell into this error in his day. It is a device of Satan which seeks to obliterate the importance of Calvary. It substitutes “men’s hands” for God’s grace in the matter of salvation. 3. "And hath made of one blood all nations of men" (Acts 17:26). There is such a thing as a universal natural brotherhood of man. It came about as a result of the first creation. But this must not be confused with the spiritual brotherhood of man which is made possible only through faith in Christ resulting in the new creation. Naturally, men are spiritually the children of the Devil (John 8:44). Only by the new birth do they become members of the spiritual brotherhood of man (John 3:3,5). 4. "He abode wi t h t hem and wrought" (Acts 18:3). A problem pre sents itself here: Should not all min isters and missionaries support them selves as they carry on their work? It appears that Paul did so in his day. But the problem is solved when we observe that Paul was not laying down a principle in his action which should guide all Christian workers. In his first Corinthian letter Paul clearly states that “the Lord [hath] ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:14). Evidently, in the early days of the church, in order to keep down criticism, Paul thought it best not to receive offerings for his work, but to earn his own living by his trade. There may be similar conditions to day. But the general principle is that they who devote their full time to the Gospel ministry should be supported by God’s people. OCTOBER, 1946
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MONTHLY Editors: Keith L. Brooks and Howard W . Kellogg
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