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May, 1941
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
Outline and Exposition I. T he F oundation (Acts 12:25 to 13:3) A FTER BARNABAS and Saul had and there the foundation of world mis sions was laid. In that church, there were at least five prophets and teachers; the people were well taught in the things of the Lord. Their instruction in the Word of God issued in true worship, in ministry to the Lord, and in fasting. Evidently they obeyed the exhortation given by Barnabas to "cleave unto the Lord” (Acts 11:23), and held as their highest ambition to be pleasing unto Him. Consequently, they were quick to dis cern the voice of the Spirit, and they were ready not only to hear, but also to act when "the Holy Ghost said, Sep arate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.” When we remember that this was only a newly formed group, and consequently in need of continued teaching, we can understand the natural feeling of re luctance that there might have been over the loss of two leaders. But there is no record of any complaint at all. Why the Lord should separate these two men in a special manner and for a special purpose was never asked. n. T he O pposition (Acts 13:4-11) These two men were then “sent forth by the Holy Ghost,” add from hence forth they were to be\ directed by the Spirit and not by the church, though they represented the church. They de parted to various places until they came to the island of Cyprus, where they preached throughout its length, testify ing in the synagogues. But when they came to Paphos, the opposition began. Satan never willingly allows the gospel to enter any place without an attempt on his part to keep it out. At Paphos, Satan had his min ister in the person of a sorcerer, Elymas. Being in favor with the proconsul, whose « name was Sergius Paulus, this Elymas tried to turn the Roman official from listening to the gospel. But Sergius Paulus was “a man of understanding” (v. 7, R. V.), and he asked “to hear the word of God.” This inquiry aroused the sorcerer to greater opposition until Saul (who then began to be called Paul), “filled with the Holy Ghost,” brought blindness upon him, and judged him to be “full of all guile and all vil- liany, thou son of the devil” (v. 10, R. V.), one who would pervert the right ways of the Lord. The missionary can always reckon upon the presence and activity of Batan, arousing opposition and attempting to
fect, a law which operates in the spir itual as well as in the natural world. And the Holy Spirit is careful to in form us that in this Antioch church, which launched the greatest of all mis sionary movements, there were “proph ets and teachers.” And these men, whose business it was to declare and teach the Word of God, were there in the church before the missionary movement began. Surely the historical lesson is clear. If you want heroic mis sionary service, there must first be a definite teaching ministry in the church. If faith comes from hearing the Word, so also does the consecration of life to God’s service. Any other program is doomed to fail. 3. “The Holy Ghost said?’ (v. 2). Whether the Third Person of the God head spoke in an audible voice or in some other way need not be discussed. I have no doubt at all about His ability to speak audibly whenever He chooses. We also know He speaks in other ways, through the written Word, through prov idential circumstances, and through the “still small voice” in the soul. The important point is that He speaks. But it is significant that He spoke to the church at Antioch as the teachers there “ministered to the Lord” (v. 2). Thus the Holy Ghost honors the written Word. As the teachers were teaching the Word, the Holy Ghost spoke. If the Holy Ghost is not speaking to your church, perhaps the Word needs more real attention on the part of both preacher and people. A well-known missionary to Turkey was offered a consulship in one of the chief Turkish cities at a princely salary. “Why in the world did you not ac cept such a chance?” asked a young man in amazement. “Well,” was the quiet reply, “I de clined to step down from an ambas sadorship to a consulship.”—The Friend of Russia. Sailing Away on a Ship A cts 13:1-12 MEMORY VERSE: “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us” (Isa. 25:9). APPROACH: Sometimes when we plan to do something that will hurt another, our plans do not work out the Golden Text Illustration M ark 16:15
BLACKBOARD LESSON GO ME IflTOflU. THE WORLDADD PREACH THE G05PEL TO EUER4 CREATURE*
fulfilled their mission of mercy g (Acts 11:27-30), they returned to the newly formed church at Antioch,
I 'e n e n a e n s «no saul - tem a scot forth 64 THEWOL4 GHOST,- SAILED TO CyPRUS-ncn 15 : 2,4 stop the preaching of the Word. But the missionary can also always reckon upon the presence and power of the Holy Spirit to offset the persecution and fulfill triumphantly His own pur pose in the preaching of the. Word. HI. T he R esults (Acts 13:6-12) Two results flow from missionary en deavor, both seen in this passage. One result is that certain individuals, hear ing the truth, are hardened against the Word of God and hence against. Christ. This means that in reality they lend themselves to the devil for his purposes, although they think they are self-gov erned. They have equal opportunity with all others, but instead of yielding to the voice of the Lord, they believe Satan’s lie and thus remain as lost souls, with the added condemnation of having rejected the truth which was given. On the other hand, there are those who, like this Roman official, hear the Word and believe. The teaching by the word of Saul and the action of the Holy Spirit convicted him, and he believed and was saved. Points and Problems 1. “Took with them John, whose sur name was Mark” (Acts 12:25). A new missionary is introduced at this point, a turning point which the Lesson Com mittee calls the “Beginning of World Missions.” There are not many refer ences to this man in the New Testa ment, only seven, but these are enough to reveal that he occupied an important place as a helper to the Apostle Paul. In one of his last letters, Paul asks Timothy to bring Mark because “he is profitable to me for the ministry” (2 Tim. 4:11). Back of Mark’s original call was the prayer meeting for Peter which was held in the home of Mark’s mother (Acts 12:12). You never can tell what extra and unexpected good may come out of a prayer meeting. The people prayed for the deliverance of one of their missionaries, Peter. The Lord delivered him, and at the same time called another missionary out of the home where the praying was done. Per haps more “home prayer meetings” would give us more- preachers. 2. “Now there were in the church . . . certain prophets and teachers” (Acts 13:1). All real missionary effort is an illustration of the law of cause and ef
way we wished. We find that we a r e hurt ourselves. This is always true when any one tries to in terfere with God’s work. God is able to make His work grow—He can even perform a miracle to do this. Today
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