March 23, 1952 AN OPEN HEART AND HOME Acts 16:6-15, 40 Pointers on the Lesson
need daily instruction from God’s Word. In these five verses the believer is pre sented in three distinct aspects: as a son in verse 1; a soldier in verse 3; and an athlete in verse 5. As a spiritual son he ought to manifest the strength of his Lord and be interested in the spread of His gospel (w . 1,2). As a Christian soldier he ought to be obedient to orders, discipline and separation from the affairs of this world (w . 3,4). Then as an athlete in the Christian race he ought to abide by the rules of the game (v. 5). These rules are to be found in the Word of God. Acts 16:1-3a; Phil. 2:19-23; 2 Tim. 2:1-13 Memory Verse: “ Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly di viding the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). Paul, the great missionary, needed a helper, someone upon whom he could truly depend in his missionary work. While Paul was visiting in Timothy’s town, Timothy’s friends told him what a splendid Christian he was. Timothy went with Paul on his journeys to preach the gospel; and sometimes when Paul was unable to visit some one of his churches, he sent Timothy in his place. In the letter to the Philippians Paul said that Timothy had served the Lord Jesus with him as a son would work with his father. God’s Word contains two letters writ ten by Paul to his beloved Timothy, First and Second Timothy. Paul asks Timothy to be strong in the Lord and to endure hardship as a good soldier for his Lord. Paul asked Timothy to remem ber all of those things which he had learned about his Saviour while they had worked together on their mission ary journeys. One of the sayings which Paul wrote to Timothy has been hidden in the hearts of thousands of those who love the Lord Jesus Christ: “ Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a work man that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” If you have not memorized this verse, learn it this week; for it is one of the most precious of all the verses in the Word of God. Timothy was dependable and faithful in the work of his Lord. His words, his thoughts, and his actions showed others that he had believed upon the Son of God and that his life had been changed. His life constantly showed others that he had hidden the Word of God in his heart. What does your life show others? When they hear you speak and watch your actions do they want to know your Saviour too? Or are you just like your unsaved friends in words and deeds? Pray that always in your home, among your friends, in your school, wherever you are others may see the Son of God living within you and may want to know Him too. Helps for the Children Timothy, The Dependable Follower
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This series on “ Early Followers of Jesus” includes a study of Lydia, the first recorded convert in Europe. This conversion was of great importance since through it a church was estab lished at Philippi and after the found ing of this church it was not long until other churches were established on the Greek peninsula. Then from here the Gospel continued its western progress. Lydia’s interest in the things of God, her industry and hospitality are sym bolic of the service of women in the Christian church. Closed Doors 16:6,7 Our lesson today is concerned with an important phase of Paul’s second missionary journey. After Paul and his companions had passed through the southeastern section of Asia Minor, they found themselves in Mysia which is in the northwest section of the same coun try. Here they confronted two closed doors—Asia and Bithynia. The Asia re ferred to here does not mean the great Asiatic continent, nor even the rich peninsula called Asia Minor, but only so much of its western coast as consti tuted the Roman province of Asia. They were also forbidden to enter Bithynia. Evidently this was because Europe was the most advantageous place for gospel work at that time. It was left for some others to take the message of God to Bithynia. Pliny, the governor of that territory, tells us that by the end of the first century it was filled with Christians. Today we ought not be too much dis turbed by the closed doors which we often face. Very likely they are God’s method of showing that He has some thing better *in store for us. Think of some of the closed doors in your life. An Open Door 16:8-10 A vision appeared to Paul at this time appealing to him to come into Mace donia with the gospel. Who was the man of this vision? It is impossible to tell. It has been suggested that it might have been Luke inasmuch as the writer of the book of Acts apparently enters the picture at this point. Note in verse 10 the first of the “we” sections of the book. The main point, however, is that Paul’s party was convinced that the Spirit of God had opened unto them the path of service into which they should enter. Think now of some of the open doors God has set before you. Did you enter them? Entering the Open Door 16:11-14 It will be helpful for the teacher to T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
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• Hermon House reaches i?"\ Jews individually —the most effective method of evan gelizing Cod’s chosen people. Our house-to-house and shop-to-shop visita tion, Open Air Meetings and Bible Classes, our reading room and chapel services, the letters and tracts that are mailed each month to individual Jews around the world—all are designed to confront the individual Jew with the claims of his Messiah. This 43-year-old faith work needs the support of the Lord’s people who are interested in the salvation of His breth ren. We invite your fellowship. jy + f “ A Study of Prophecy.’’ Send today for this timely and fas- cinating booklet . . . mailed to'you without cost. Write Dept.K. NEW YORK JEWISH EVANGELIZATION SOCIETY, INC. t, 0. Box 144, Cooper Sta., New York 3, N. Y.
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