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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
September, 1933
immediately tested by the arrival o f certain prophets from Jerusalem who revealed that a great drought would come upon the whole earth (vs. 27, 28). The response revealed the oneness o f the members o f the body o f Christ (vs. 29, 30). The saints in Antioch at once began collect ing funds to relieve the need of the saints in Judaea. It was not left to the few, but “every man according to his ability” had a share in this collection. The true principle o f Christian giving was thus manifested even without specific instructions from the apostles. The shame of the church today is that even with particular and special in struction concerning Christian giving, the church falls behind in this and comes to a low plane of Christian experience. Giving is not for the Lord’s sake, nor for the sake o f the recipient, but for the giver’s sake. Giving is a grace, and the saints should grow in this grace as in all others. Giving has been called the highest Christian grace, because it brings the giver into fellowship with the Lord Himself who so loved that He gave Himself. The collection being made, it was en-ï trusted to Barnabas and Saul (v. 30), who took it to Jerusalem. Having delivered it, they returned to Antioch and made their report (12:25). The church in Antioch was thus a true missionary church, giving gifts and then waiting to hear reports of what the gifts accomplished. Lesson Questions Acts 11:19-21. In what way did perse cution prove a blessing (Acts 8 :1 )? What did the scattered believers preach? What was the result? Vs. 22-26. What news reached Jerusa lem ? What did the church there do ? What kind o f man was Barnabas? What did he exhort the believers to do ? Whose help did he seek? For how long were these two as sociated together? How large a following did they have? Where were the disciples first called Christians? Why? Vs. 27-30. What threatened calamity tested the reality o f the young Christians’ faith? How did the news reach them? What truth had they already learned (1 Cor. 12:26, 27)? 12:25. When Barnabas and Saul re turned to Jerusalem, who went with them? Jesus’ Friends Sharing with Others A cts 11:19-30 Memory V erse : “ By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13 :35), Approach : After Paul gave himself over to Jesus,-he began to work for Jesus. In stead of bringing harm and hatred to fol
ple to know about Christ is the thing that we will want to do, too. Golden Text Illustration Tsurukichi was a professional pick pocket. By the time he was fifteen years of age, he had been imprisoned five or six times. It was his ambition to become a clever burglar. He prospered in his evil course and for a while lived in luxury, but was later ap prehended and sentenced for thirteen years in Hokkaido prison. He was one o f many prisoners released on the occasion of the death of the Dowager Empress, and on leaving the prison determined to change his life. “But,” says he, “my repentance, being a thing without life, did not last long.” He afterward received another sentence of six years for burglary. Learning that religious books could be purchased by the prisoners, he bought a New Testament and began to study, that he might be able to read. At the end of one year’s study, he was able, with great difficulty, to read the Gospel of Matthew. After three years, he had read through the whole Bible; then, says he, “The old Tsurukichi died and the new Tsurukichi was born.” Today he is one of the greatest Christian workers in Japan. — M issionary G leaner . were unfortunate enough to be caught in a narrow defile from which they could not easily escape were in grave danger. This wild country was also notorious for its bands o f robbers. Even armies, such as those o f Alexander, had difficulties getting through the region. W e can appreciate the sacrifices of Paul the more when we realize the danger which he faced for the sake of his Lord. Outline and Exposition I P au l ’ s C all as a M issionary (13:1-5). Paul was one of the five prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch (v. 1). While they ministered to the Lord, not to man, and fasted, the voice of the Holy Spirit was heard (v. 2). Their ministry and fasting, which spoke o f self-sacrifice and self-denial, brought them into such fel lowship with the Spirit that His voice could be heard. W e permit too many sounds of earth to be heard and thus the voice o f the Spirit is drowned out. But care must be taken lest we insist on having the same experience as they. We now have the full revelation from God in the Word, and we must hear His voice speaking through that Word. “Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them” (v. 2). Two of the best among them were called, and called for the work which the Holy Spirit would appoint. Both the call ing and the work were of the Lord. The response was immediate. The church showed itself to be a true missionary church, and these two men showed them selves to be true servants of the Lord. The church prayed over them, laid hands upon them, and sent them forth. The prayer would doubtless be one of petition for the keeping and success of the ones sent forth; the laying on o f hands would be the identi fication o f the church with the ones sent forth; and the sending forth would be
BLACKBOARD LESSON
day, they went about telling their friends about Jesus and inviting them to meet to gether with the disciples and learn more about the gospel story. Then Barnabas sent for Paul. He knew that Paul was a great preacher, and he wanted him to come with him to Antioch and preach to these people who were so ready to listen. And Paul went. For a year they preached there together. Many be lieved and they joined themselves into a church. They called themselves “ Chris tians” because they were followers of Christ. Ever since that time, Christ’s fol lowers have been called Christians. How faithful these Christians-!were 1 They were so eager to bring others to Christ. If we are to be faithful Christians, bringing peo Lesson T ex t : Acts 13:1-5, 13-15; 14: 19-23. Golden Text :-' “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mk. 16:15). Asia Minor I^V pace does not permit of our visiting each of the cities in turn which were visited by Paul on his first missionary journey. We shall simply cast a few fleet ing glances throughout Asia Minor, that we may gain some impression o f the coun try through which he traveled. We do not know begin their annual exodus to the mountains to escape the oppressive summer heat. If Paul was there at that time, he joined him self to the emigrants and journeyed with them up into the mountains. There are sev eral streams which flow down precipitous ravines in this vicinity. At this season of the year, they are lined with a luxurious growth of beautiful pink oleander. Paul and Barnabas followed one of these streams up to the table-land of Asia Minor. At Antioch in Pisidia, they were about four thousand feet above sea level. Here the cool breezes from the Mediterranean tempered the heat o f the sun and made traveling quite pleasant. There were other dangers to be faced in this region, how ever. There were “perils of rivers, and perils o f robbers.” Sudden thundershowers were quite common here in the summer time, and when they came, every dry water course became a raging torrent. Those who certainly at w h a t season of the year the missionary party 'visited P e r g a . It was most likely in the spring or early summer. At t h a t time the inhabitants of the city and the surrounding plains
OCTOBER 22, 1933 PAUL IN ASIA MINOR A cts , C hapters 13 and 14
lowers of Jesus, he set out to be a fol lower himself. His one idea now was to tell others about this wonderful Saviour. L e s s o n S t o r y : Many others of Jesus’ disciples went about preaching His gos pel, too. They were p e r s e c u t e d . The Jews hated them and
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often tried to kill them, but they went about preaching in spite of that. And God blessed them and their numbers increased. The people in the church back in Jerusa lem heard about these new disciples, and they were glad. They took one of the mem bers of the church at Jerusalem, named Barnabas, and sent him away up to Antioch to visit these new disciples. He came and saw how faithful they were and how, every
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