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T H E K I N G ’ S: B U S I N E S S
May, 1941
to study about some of the first mission aries. LESSON STORY: The first followers of the Lord Jesus were faithful in giv ing out the good news of His salvation. Sometimes , these missionaries were treated cruelly, and they were scattered abroad. But they did not stop preach ing about the Lord Jesus, and many people believed. When the church at Jerusalem heard about this, they'sent Barnabas to Antioch, where with Paul’s help he told the believers about God’s message. The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. When the disciples at Antioch heard that there was a famine coming, what do you think they did? They didn’t hoard all they had, lest they should be hungry themselves, but e a c h o n e brought a portion and sent it by Paul and Barnabas to the poor in Jerusalem. No wonder they were called Christians! The first thing that we should share with others is the story of God’s grace. Then we should share our earthly pos sessions, too. The people who» give out the gospel are called missionaries. Do you think the people who gladly give their money to help in this work should be called missionaries, too? I do. OBJECTS: A. piece of thin white paper lM x 11% inches, and a flash light. LESSON: Life for the followers of Christ seemed smooth and fair like this piece of paper, until they began to be persecuted and were in real danger from their enemies. We read in Acts 11:19, “They . . . were scattered abroad.” Life for them had changed. It apparently had maiiy “knotty” problems. I will Acts 12:25 And Barnabas and Saul re turned from Jerusalem, when they had ful- filled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark. 13:1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teach ers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 8 And when they bad fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. 4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. 5 And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister. 6 And when they had gone through the Isle unto l’aplios, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus: . 7 Which was with the deputy of the Object Lesson N ot a K not
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church is scattered by persecution. Saul is converted. The scattered Christians reach Antioch. They decide to preach to Gentiles as well as to Jews. A great number are saved. Saul is brought in. The new place becomes a center of mis sionary effort to the whole ancient world. Looking at the case of Stephen, we should learn that it is not how long we serve the Lord here on earth, but how faithful we are, that really counts in the long run. He that saves his life may lose it. Golden Text Illustration R omans 1:16 Stephen Grellett, a great missionary preacher of his time, was directed by the Holy Spirit to take a long journey into the backwoods of America and preach to some woodcutters. He found only empty shanties, for the cutters had gone into the forest, but finding a large shanty he preached his sermon. The years passed until one day he was walk ing across London Bridge, when a man took hold of him, and said: "I have found you at last! I have found you at last!” “Friend,” said Stephen Grellett, “I think you are mistaken.” “But I am not,” said the nfan. “Did you not preach on a certain day in a certain place in the backwoods of America ?.” “Yes, but I saw no,one there to 1'=*''” ” "I was there. I was the ganger of the woodmen—we had moved—i had left my lever, and I went back after it. I heard a voice and saw you through the timber wall. I listened to you and was deeply convicted of my sin. The arrow stuck fast. I had no Bible. At last I got one, read it, and obtained eternal life. I told my men the same blessed news, and they were every one converted to God, and three of them became missionaries. And then, I have been possessed of' a desire to tell you that your sermon had been the means of the conversion of at least one thousand souls.”—The Bottles of Heaven, by Revilo. The Church at Antioch A cts 11:19-30 MEMORY VERSE: “ Y e a r e m y friends, if ye dp whatsoever ! command you” (Johp 15:14). APPROACH: Did you ever receive a piece of good news? What did you do with it? The gospel is God’s good news
tie a knot in this paper to show some-' thing of what had happened to them. [Tie a knot nearest the end held in the left hand. Fold the paper once along the full length, and do not wrinkle the paper. When the knot is Made, the right end will be a little more than a, right angle to the left. Fold the right end back over the knot with the top edge meeting the top edge of the left end where the left end and the edge of the knot meet.] • Just as this paper seems to be spoiled by this knot, so some might think that the lives of Christ’s followers had been spoiled by the persecution which scat tered them. What do you see when I shine this flashlight through the knot in the paper? “A five-pointed star.” In Acts 11:20, we read, concerning the Christians who left Jerusalem to escape their enemies, “And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were _come to An tioch, spake unto the Grecians, preach ing the Lord Jesus.” Even though the Christians were going through "knotty” circumstances, they did not fail to re veal Christ, the Star of Hope, to the lost. If Christians "in trouble today will allow the light of the Spirit of God to shine into their lives, they will reveal the Star of Hope, Christ Jesus, to those who are lost and in darkness. country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man) who called for Barnabas and Saul, and de sired to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so Is his flame by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. 9 Then Saul, (who also Is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, 10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child* of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? 11 And now. behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediate ly there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord. GOLDEN TEXT: “And he said unto them. Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mk, 16:15). DEVOTIONAL BEADING: Psa. 72:6-18.
JUNE 8, 1941 BEGINNING OF WORLD MISSIONS A cts 12:25 to 13:12
to men. Every one who hears it should want to tell it to some one else. Peo ple who tell the gos pel m e s s a g e are called missionaries. Some of them go to countries far from their homes. This month, we are going
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