September -1931
T if e K i n g ’ s B u s i n e s s
418
BLACKBOARD LESSON
resurrection of Christ for justification. He .must have heard that Christ was the only sacrifice for sin and the only suf ficient substitute for sinners. There only waited now his belief that that sacrifice and that substitute were for him. Would he take what God had provided, or would he attempt to provide a sacrifice and a substitute for himself? If the former, he would believe to the saving of his soul; if the latter, he would reject the offer to his eternal damnation. It is just as sim ple today. To accept what God has pro vided issues in salvation; to reject it is sues in eternal condemnation. IV. E xhorting T he P hilippians ( P hil . 4:4-7). The jailer was among the first believers in the church at Philippi. • The company grew, however, both in numbers and in grace. Now, while imprisoned, the apos tle writes an intimate and tender letter to these, his “children” in the gospel. He exhorts them to “rejoice in the Lord alway.” The reason for this is that “the Lord is -at hand.” Whether this meant that He is at hand in the sense of His spiritual presence or of His personal com ing, the effect would be the same. The Christian could rejoice whatever circum stances were his, if he sensed the Lord’s presence, or if he walked with the hourly expectation that the next step would be the one that would bring him into the personal presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. If the object of the Christian’s joy is the changeless Lord Jesus, that joy will be unalterable and independent of fluctuating circumstances. The method of obtaining this ceaseless joy has been condensed into three phrases: “Carefulness for nothing, prayer fulness in everything, and thankfulness for anything.” Conybeare and Howson translate the words, “be anxious for nothing,” to read : “Let no care trouble you.” Worry is contrary to nature as well as’ to the revelation of the Word of God. Whatever distracting elements may be present, when God is given His rightful place, there is calmness and poise and confidence in the otherwise anxious soul. In times of stress, the believer is to take everything, large or small, to God in prayer. The small things are usually the ones that defeat us, because we think we can handle them ourselves without the Lord. But there is nothing large to God, and there is nothing small to Him. Com bined with prayer, there is to be thanks giving. The question sometimes arises, “How can I give thanks in the midst of trouble ?” The answer is simple. When trouble is committed to God in prayer, then the suppliant may claim the Father’s promise that He will take care of it. “If God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the Truth in a Nutshell Prayer is ever profitable; at night it is our covering; in the morning it is our armour. Faith never yet outstripped the bounty of the Lord. If our circum stances find us in God, we shall find God in all our circumstances. —S elected .
OCTOBER 11, 1931
Paul in Philippi Lesson: Acts 16:16-40; Phil. 4:4-9. Lesson Text: Acts 16: 22-34; Phil. 4: 4-7. Golden Text: “Rejoice in the Lord al ways and again I say, Rejoice” (Phil. 4: 4).. m M I I i. S uffering P ersecution (A cts 16:22-24). Persecution arose because Paul had freed a slave girl from the demon which possessed her and by which, through her soothsaying, she had been of profit to those who owned her. Paul had com manded this spirit to come out of the girl, and after it had left her, she was of no further use to her masters. They there fore were angered because of the mone tary loss. When the gospel brings relief from Satan’s dominion, when worldly gains are cut off, and when the profits made from vice and sinfulness are taken away, similar persecution arises even to day. Up to this time, the opposition to the gospel had arisen from religious motives. But now, when so-called business is inter fered with, the preachers are again ac cused and maltreated. The gospel never hinders legitimate business, but the lead ers of the underworld and those whose gains come from nefarious undertakings are always opposed to it because it stops their illegitimate gains. The masters of the slave girl did not openly charge Paul and Silas with com bating Satan, but, shrewdly, they accused them of disloyalty to the government and of causing trouble in the city. They were successful in stirring up the wrath of the multitude. The crowd is ever ready to stampede 1 Paul and Silas were brought before the magistrates and were sentenced to be beaten. After they had thus been unfairly punished, they were given over to the jailer for safe keeping in the prison. The jailer thrust them into the inner prison, or dungeon, where only desperate criminals were confined. As an added in dignity, their feet were fastened in the stocks. This bit of history, like so many others, proves that “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer perse cution” (2 Tim. 3:12). The world is the enemy of God, and therefore the enemy of God’s people. II. S inging in P rison (A cts 16:25, 26). Instead of repining and giving way to bitter recriminations against the people of Philippi who had so shamefully treated them, Paul and Silas remembered the truth which was later expressed in Ro mans 8:28: “All things work together for good to them that love God.” Assured of this, they could afford to accept the per secution unmurmuringly. This was not simply an abstract doctrine for the apos tles ; it was a living reality. It enabled them to forget the beating and the stocks, and it set their hearts to singing praises unto God. Here we have a record of an extraor dinary prayer meeting. It was held at an unusual hour —midnight. The beating which the missionaries received, and the uncomfortable and painful position in which they were confined, precluded sleep. But instead of bemoaning their lot, they
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% co R .9 m ‘vsi ft remembered God and lifted their voices in prayer and song to Him. The prayer meeting was held in an unusual place— the inner prison. Doubtless no one else who had ever been in that dungeon had been disposed to praise God. That place was probably more accustomed to hear ing bitter oaths and cursings than the sound of prayer and praise. Certainly none bore with such patience the injustice and cruelty that befell them. The number attending this prayer meeting was un usual—only two. But with these two there was a Third, unseen but very real, the person of our Lord Jesus Christ .(Matt. 18:20). He had not left them. He entered with them into their bitter trial. The results of this prayer meeting were also unusual. The other prisoners heard the singing and were dumbfounded. What thoughts must have come into their minds as they witnessed the un usual conduct of two of their number who had been unjustly imprisoned! Not only did the prisoner's hear, but God heard, and He answered. Suddenly an earthquake, of such severity- that even the foundations of the jail were shaken, startled all in the prison. The doors of the cells were thrown open, .and the bonds which held the prisoners were loosed. III. P reaching in the P rison (Acts 16:27-34). When the jailer was awakened by the earthquake and saw the prison doors wide open, he at once concluded that all the prisoners had fled. He knew that his life would be in jeopardy if any of the prisoners in his care escaped. It is not unnatural, therefore, that he should think,of suicide. But Paul cried out tell ing him to withhold his hand, for all the prisoners were present. There must have been something in the apostle’s voice which not only staid the jailer’s hand, but also arrested his conscience and brought conviction of sin. He had always known that he would have to face the Roman tribunal if any of his charges escaped, but now he felt also the danger of stand ing before the tribunal of God, without salvation. He hastened to his unusual prisoners with the cry, “What must I do to be saved?’’ No nobler question was ever asked. It has been asked many times since that day. How carefully the answer should be framed, and how clear should be the reply! The issues, not only of earthly life but of eternal life, hang upon the answer to that question, i Then, in what has become one of the most frequently used verses,of Scripture, Paul replied: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,; and- thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” The jailer must have heard of the death of Christ for sin and of the
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