July 1928
435
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
One of the greatest victories of the cross was won in an outdoor meeting (v. 13). Prayer leads to open hearts (v. 14). The first disposition to believe is a work of grace (v. 14). It doesn’t take a conspicuous beginning to start a great work (v. IS). Delayed obedience is the brother of dis obedience (v. 10). God does not ignore our gift of reason in guiding us (v. 10—“assuredly gather ing”). . Women of business, may be tyomen of prayer (v. 14). When God .points out our work, He opens the way for it (v. 14 —“whose heart the Lord opened ")._ A new-born Christian wants fellowship at once (v. IS). —o— -■ A S tudy of L ydia 1. Devout —a prayer meeting attendant (v. 13). 2. Industrious —a seller of purple (v. 14). 3. Attentive— she attended unto the things spoken (v. 14). 4. Receptive —whose heart the Lord opened (v. 14). 5. Obedient— she was baptized (v. 15). 6. Co»jii/eroi®-thought of others in her household (v. 15), 7. Humble —“if ye' judge me to be faithful”, (v. IS). 8. Hospitable —“come into my house” (v. 15). 9. Earnest—she. constrained us. (v. 15). 10. Loyal —entered house of -Lydia (v. 40). ■ wmmm m m a --O—: C an Y ou A nswer T h ese ? Why did Paul rebuke Peter at Antioch? What caused Peter to ignore the deci sion of the Jerusalem council? What relation was Mark to Barnabas ? What ,led to a protracted argument be tween Paul and. Barnabas ? . Was Paul right in refusing, to give Mark another chance? How did God make use of the disagree ment between Paul and Barnabas? :. Why did Paul wish to have Timothy submit to a Jewish ordinance and yet re fuse to allow Titus to submit to the same ordinance ? , Why does the .Spirit of God sometimes block the way of God’s servant and keep him from preaching the Gospel in a cer tain place? ' Is it ever right to consider a dream a message from God? How did the Gospel get its start on the continent of Europe? What ten points can .you find about-the character of Lydia? —o— • G olden T ext I llustration Come over into Macedonia, and help us (Acts 16:9). An aged minister was once traveling in a mining district of Pennsylvania. He hired a hall in a wicked town that he might hold some Gospel services. He went about inviting the men, and many promised that they would attend. Not a soul came to the meeting, but in faith that God had called him to preach there, he went straight ahead and preached his ser mons in an empty hall. Two years-later he passed through the town and found a
Gospel mission in operation with regular ^services. He found that the fnan in charge had been converted two years be fore ■ in the supposedly empty hall. He had hiddehi behind the door to hear what the strange preacher was saying. The Holy Spirit gave the words entrance to his heart. It pays to obey God’s call and to faithfully testify for Christ, whether or not we are made aware of immediate results. Paul’s Wonderful Dream Acts 15:36-l6 :15 Memory Verse. —“Speak, LORD, for thy servant heareth.” 1 Sam. 3 :9b. Approach.- —Boys and girls, did you ever have a dream? Sometimes, we like our dreams and --Sometimes we do not like them. In our story today we are to of dream was different from the kinds of. dreamedwe have,' for our dreams do not mean very much. Let us bow our heads and ask the Lord to help us to be brave and-true, and willing to do the things that are right and pleasing to God, like true soldiers. Lesson S'tor$gL\Nho can tell us about the lovely letter in our story last week ? It was a lovely letter because ;it told the. Gentile believers jUstfflwhat the Lord wanted them to do, and they heard the letter with joy and were glad to do as the friends at Jerusalem had advised. Soon after this, Paul asked Barnabas to go with him and visit every city where they had preached the Word of the Lord, and see how the people were getting along. Barnabas wanted to take John Mark, his nephew, along with them, but Paul was not willing to take Mark, because he had gone with Paul on a missionary trip be fore, and for some reason returned home and left the1older men. to face the dan gers and hardships of the trip alone. When Paul and Barnabas returned home and told the story of their wonder ful. missionary journey, John Mark saw what a terrible mistake he had made, and was now anxious to go with them on the second missionary journey. Paul was not willing -to. risk such an important trip with a helper who . had so. utterly failed them before.. Mark would have to prove himself after such a failure. Boys and girls,, we cap learn a.valuable lesson.from this story, by being faithful in whatever ■we have .to dc£.; If we ..are careless in get ting, our lessons, or-doing our work at home, we, too, will lose out when the chance comes to us, just because people do vnot want to risk important work to those who have not done their work well. One false step will often hinder a person in later life. Paul chose a man by the name of Silas to go with him. Barnabas and Mark went to Cyprus to preach the Gospel. We are glad to- say that Mark made good on this next trip and - later helped Peter. Paul later asked for Mark to belp him. If we hear of a wonderful dream of Paul. ■ In the days when Paul lived, they did not have the Bible as you and I have it t o d a y , and God often t o l d t h e m w h a t He wanted them to do through a dream. That kind
FRED S. SHEPARD ’S BLACKBOARD OUTL INE ' s UPPLICATION I N G I N G E RMO N ALVATION Baptized, he and all his.—Acts ,16:33. Paul also chose a young man by the name of Timothy, who had been taught the Bible from .a child. His mother and grandmother were both Christians, and Timothy was a true soldier for the Lord. He was' ready to go when the call came. Are you ready and willing to do whatever the.Lord may ask you to do? Now Paul was hinderedj'fbpm going where he had planned, for the Lord needed him in an other place, so He gave Paul a dream, or vision, one night. In his- dream Paul saw a man of Macedonia, who was a heathen, and worshiped idols. (Finish this interesting story, empha sizing Paul’s willingness and eagerness to go where the Lord wanted him to go. Teach M. V. and make application to your boys and girls; Prayer.) have made a mistake, let us trust God to help us to make good, as Mark did. L esson in O utline Acts 16:16-40 I. ' A Maiden Freed from an Evil Spirit. Vs.-16-18. ' 1. The Maid under the Influence of the Evil Spirit. Vs. 16, 17. 2. The Demon Cast Out. V. 18. II. The Imprisonment of Paul and Silas. . Ys. 19-24. , 1. Accused by the Masters of the Girl. Ys. 19-21. 2. The Decision of the Magistrates, Scourging and Imprisonment of the Accused. Vs. 22-24. III. The Prisoners Freed by an Earth quake. Vs. 25, 26. 1. The Joy’of the Prisoners. V. 25, . 2. The Earthquake. V. 26. IV. The Conversion of the Jailer. Vs. 27-34. 1. The Terror of the Jailer. V. 27. 2. His Prostration before Paul and Si las. Vs. 28, 29. 3. His Question. V. 30. 4. Paul’s Ansvver. Vs. 31, 32. 5. Baptism of the Jailer. V. 33. 6. Hospitality of the Jailer. V. 34. V. The Release of the Apostles. Vs. 35- 40. 1. Attempt at a quiet Dismissal of the Apostles. Vs. 35, 36. 2. Paul’s Dignified Refusal. V. 37. 3. The Magistrate’s Entreaties. Vs. 38. 39. 4. Their Departure from the :City. V 40. A ugust 26, 1928 Paul In a Roman Prison Text: Acts 16:16-40
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