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Lesson Q uestions ■Acts 9 :1, 2. How did Saul’s religious zeal-manifest itself? Was he sincere but mistaken? What was his standing before men (Phil. 3:4-6)? Before God- (1 Tim. 1:15)? In what sense was he a subject for grace alone? Vs. 3-9. In what ways was Saul’s con version common to all? In what sense was :he one “born out of due time” ? Of what, was his conversion typical (Zech. 12 : 10 ) ? Vs. 17-19. Who was sent to Saul? Was he naturally willing to go? How had he been prepared for the mission he was to perform (vs. 10-16) ? 1 Tim. i :12-14. In later years, in what terms did Paul refer to his conversion and commission? Did he recognize that it was “all of grace” ? Golden T ext Illustration A herd of cattle was being driven through a long dark wooden bridge. In the sides ■ of the bridge, there were knot holes through which rays of light filtered. The terrified cattle tried madly to get away from them and came to the end of the bridge quite exhausted from their panic. God’s commands to us are just such rays of light, intended to illumine our journey and to help us Over the dark places. Yet how often we treat them as hindrances and annoyances and try to avoid them! Saul Chosen to be a Missionary A cts 9:1-9, 17-19 Memory Verse: “I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles” (Acts 22:21). Approach : While Philip and the other believers were preaching Christ to the people, there was one man, named Saul, who was doing all that he could to stop t h em. He e v e n wanted to kill them all. Saul did this, not because he was a wicked man, but because he was a Jew who had grown up in a Jewish school and c h u r c h a n d had been taught all of his l i f e t h a t Jesus was not the Christ, and that he must destroy all who preached that He was. Lesson Story: He heard that there were some believers of Christ away up in the city of Damascus. He wanted to perse cute them and to kill them in order to stop their preaching. So he took some friends with him and started on the road which led to Damascus. As they neared the city, a strange and wonderful thing happened to Saul. Sud denly a bright light surrounded him. He fell to his knees and heard a voice say, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” Saul, said, “Who art thou?” And the voice said, “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.” Then Saul knew that he had been great ly mistaken, and that it was truly Jesus who had spoken to him. Jesus wanted Saul to have time to think over all of these things. When his friends helped him to his feet, they found that he was blind. They led him to Damascus, and there he stayed for several days,
BLACKBOARD LESSON
to the member who is involved but also to the Head of the body, and to be able to restore the one who is afflicted de mands an understanding of the weakness of every human nature and a humble spirit which always accompanies such an understanding.. The law said that the sinner should be stoned; it knew nothing of restoration. But where grace abounds, there is not only full recognition of the awfulness of sin, but also full forgiveness and rein statement. The gospel which Paul preach ed, as set forth in Galatians, operated as a guard against spiritual pride. It tended to remind every believer of his own per sonal frailty. II. T h e G uard A g a in s t O v erlookin g T h e B u r d en s of O t h e r s (2-5). All believers are called upon to bear burdens of one sort or another. There are burdens of poverty and burdens of shift lessness ; physical, mental, and social bur dens. They are to be borne in such a way as to fulfill the law of Christ, not the law of Moses. Verse 2 speaks of infirmities, in the bearing of which other members of the body of Christ are to have a part. But verse 5 refers to burdens that are per sonal responsibilities. The infirmities may be shared; the responsibilities may not be shared. There is great danger that one may be exalted because of his own achievements. Nothing is so fatal to con tinued fellowship with the Lord as be coming enamored of one’s own work. Be lievers must constantly remember that whatever the results of their labor may be, the power and ability to accomplish these are given to them from the Lord. Therefore, the apostle says: “Let every man prove [or test] his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another” (v. 4). The meaning is that every one must bear his own responsibility in the work assigned to him. III. T he G uard A gainst S elfishness ’(6-10). “Let him that is taught . . . communi cate.” That is, let him share with the one who teaches. The Christian worker shares the spiritual riches which God has given to him, and the other members of the company share their material goods with him. Verses 7 and 8 give a warning against one’s attempting to get something from the teacher without being willing to share that which he himself possesses. From the context, it is plain that the statement, “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap,” refers to giving rather than to the use of strong drink, although the latter application is most frequently made.
thinking and praying. Then one of the believers came to him. Saul believed and was baptized, and his sight came back to him. Because Saul was like a different man, they called him by a different name—- Paul. Instead of being Jesus’ enemy, he was His friend, and he went even to the Jewish synagogue and preached Jesus.
AUGUST 16, 1931 Sowing and Reaping ( Temperance Lesson)
Lesson: Galatians 6:1-10. Golden T e x t : “Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man sow- eth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7). I. T he G uard A gainst S piritual P ride (1). The Revised Version reads: “Even if a man be overtaken in any trespass.” The man referred to is a brother in the Lord, a brother who has sinned. He is not cast out of the body, nor does he lose his sal vation ; but he needs to be restored to fel lowship with his Lord and with his fel low believers. The word “restore” is a surgical term. It means “to repair” or “to reset,” as in a dislocation. To restore a brother who has sinned demands under standing skill, delicate handling, a n d much care. Only that love which is “the fruit of the Spirit” is sufficient for such work. The believer who is in full fellow ship with the Lord is kind, gentle, and easily entreated; but the “dislocated” member is hard to deal with, because, being out of fellowship with the Head of the church, he is ill-tempered. The dan ger among Christians is that their concern for one another will cease when one of their number is overtaken in a trespass. The backslider often becomes hard and rebellious, resentful of any attempt at restoration. This attitude reacts upon that which is fleshly in all Christians, and often, instead of there being quiet, spirit ual restoration of the sinning brother, there is only criticism and no real restora tion at all. In order to restore a brother who has fallen, there must of necessity be consid eration of oneself. Note the phrase, preg nant with meaning: “Considering thyself lest thou also be tempted.” The implica tion is that if we were tempted as the fallen brother was tempted, we, too, would fall as he did.. It is not said, “lest ye fall,” but “lest ye be tempted" This is a humbling thought. It should produce within us that meek and lowly spirit which alone can be used in restoring the fallen. It is easy to stand aside and find fault with one who is “out of joint.” But to recognize when a trespass has been committed, to realize its 'injury not only
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