the acts of the apostles-第32部分

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lights　in　the　world；　holding　forth　the　word　of　life。〃　Philippians　2：15；　16。

Every　true　minister　feels　a　heavy　responsibility　for　the　spiritual
advancement　of　the　believers　entrusted　to　his　care；　a　longing　desire　that
they　shall　be　laborers　together　with　God。　He　realizes　that　upon　the　faithful
performance　of　his　God…given　work　depends　in　a　large　degree　the　well…being
of　the　church。　Earnestly　and　untiringly　he　seeks　to　inspire　the　believers
with　a　desire　to　win　souls　for　Christ；　remembering　that　every　addition　to
the　church　should　be　one　more　agency　for　the　carrying　out　of　the　plan　of
redemption。

Having　visited　the　churches　in　Pisidia　and　the　neighboring　region；　Paul　and
Silas；　with　Timothy；　pressed　on　into　〃Phrygia　and　the　region　of　Galatia；〃
where　with　mighty　power　they　proclaimed　the　glad　tidings　of　salvation。　The
Galatians　were　given　up　to　the　worship　of　idols；　but；　as　the　apostles
preached　to　them；　they　rejoiced　in　the　message　that　promised　freedom　from
the　thralldom　of　sin。　Paul　and　his　fellow　workers　proclaimed　the　doctrine　of
righteousness　by　faith　in　the　atoning　sacrifice　of　Christ。　They　presented
Christ　as　the　one　who；　seeing　the　helpless　condition　of　the　fallen　race；
came　to　redeem　men　and　women　by　living　a　life　of　obedience　to　God's　law　and
by　paying　the　penalty　of　disobedience。　And　in　the　light　of　the　cross　many
who　had

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never　before　known　of　the　true　God；　began　to　comprehend　the　greatness　of　the
Father's　love。

Thus　the　Galatians　were　taught　the　fundamental　truths　concerning　〃God　the
Father〃　and　〃our　Lord　Jesus　Christ；　who　gave　Himself　for　our　sins；　that　He
might　deliver　us　from　this　present　evil　world；　according　to　the　will　of　God
and　our　Father。〃　〃By　the　hearing　of　faith〃　they　received　the　Spirit　of　God
and　became　〃the　children　of　God　by　faith　in　Christ。〃　Galatians　1：3；　4；　3：2；
26。

Paul's　manner　of　life　while　among　the　Galatians　was　such　that　he　could
afterward　say；　〃I　beseech　you；　be　as　I　am。〃　Galatians　4：12。　His　lips　had
been　touched　with　a　live　coal　from　off　the　altar；　and　he　was　enabled　to　rise
above　bodily　infirmities　and　to　present　Jesus　as　the　sinner's　only　hope。
Those　who　heard　him　knew　that　he　had　been　with　Jesus。　Endued　with　power　from
on　high；　he　was　able　to　compare　spiritual　things　with　spiritual　and　to　tear
down　the　strongholds　of　Satan。　Hearts　were　broken　by　his　presentation　of　the
love　of　God；　as　revealed　in　the　sacrifice　of　His　only…begotten　Son；　and　many
were　led　to　inquire；　What　must　I　do　to　be　saved？

This　method　of　presenting　the　gospel　characterized　the　labors　of　the　apostle
throughout　his　ministry　among　the　Gentiles。　Always　he　kept　before　them　the
cross　of　Calvary。　〃We　preach　not　ourselves；〃　he　declared　in　the　later　years
of　his　experience；　〃but　Christ　Jesus　the　Lord；　and　ourselves　your　servants
for　Jesus'　sake。　For　God；　who　commanded　the　light　to　shine　out　of　darkness；
hath　shined　in　our　hearts；　to　give

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the　light　of　the　knowledge　of　the　glory　of　God　in　the　face　of　Jesus　Christ。〃
2　Corinthians　4：5；　6。

The　consecrated　messengers　who　in　the　early　days　of　Christianity　carried　to
a　perishing　world　the　glad　tidings　of　salvation；　allowed　no　thought　of
self…exaltation　to　mar　their　presentation　of　Christ　and　Him　crucified。　They
coveted　neither　authority　nor　pre…eminence。　Hiding　self　in　the　Saviour；　they
exalted　the　great　plan　of　salvation；　and　the　life　of　Christ；　the　Author　and
Finisher　of　this　plan。　Christ；　the　same　yesterday；　today；　and　forever；　was
the　burden　of　their　teaching。

If　those　who　today　are　teaching　the　word　of　God；　would　uplift　the　cross　of
Christ　higher　and　still　higher；　their　ministry　would　be　far　more　successful。
If　sinners　can　be　led　to　give　one　earnest　look　at　the　cross；　if　they　can
obtain　a　full　view　of　the　crucified　Saviour；　they　will　realize　the　depth　of
God's　compassion　and　the　sinfulness　of　sin。

Christ's　death　proves　God's　great　love　for　man。　It　is　our　pledge　of
salvation。　To　remove　the　cross　from　the　Christian　would　be　like　blotting　the
sun　from　the　sky。　The　cross　brings　us　near　to　God；　reconciling　us　to　Him。
With　the　relenting　compassion　of　a　father's　love；　Jehovah　looks　upon　the
suffering　that　His　Son　endured　in　order　to　save　the　race　from　eternal　death；
and　accepts　us　in　the　Beloved。

Without　the　cross；　man　could　have　no　union　with　the　Father。　On　it　depends
our　every　hope。　From　it　shines　the　light　of　the　Saviour's　love；　and　when　at
the　foot　of　the　cross　the　sinner　looks　up　to　the　One　who　died　to　save　him；
he

210

may　rejoice　with　fullness　of　joy；　for　his　sins　are　pardoned。　Kneeling　in
faith　at　the　cross；　he　has　reached　the　highest　place　to　which　man　can
attain。

Through　the　cross　we　learn　that　the　heavenly　Father　loves　us　with　a　love
that　is　infinite。　Can　we　wonder　that　Paul　exclaimed；　〃God　forbid　that　I
should　glory；　save　in　the　cross　of　our　Lord　Jesus　Christ〃？　Galatians　6：14。
It　is　our　privilege　also　to　glory　in　the　cross；　our　privilege　to　give
ourselves　wholly　to　Him　who　gave　Himself　for　us。　Then；　with　the　light　that
streams　from　Calvary　shining　in　our　faces；　we　may　go　forth　to　reveal　this
light　to　those　in　darkness。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（211）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　21

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　In　the　Regions　Beyond


The　time　had　come　for　the　gospel　to　be　proclaimed　beyond　the　confines　of
Asia　Minor。　The　way　was　preparing　for　Paul　and　his　fellow　workers　to　cross
over　into　Europe。　At　Troas；　on　the　borders　of　the　Mediterranean　Sea；　〃a
vision　appeared　to　Paul　in　the　night：　There　stood　a　man　of　Macedonia；　and
prayed　him；　saying；　Come　over　into　Macedonia；　and　help　us。〃

The　call　was　imperative；　admitting　of　no　delay。　〃After　he　had　seen　the
vision；〃　declares　Luke；　who　accompanied　Paul　and　Silas　and　Timothy　on　the
journey　across　to　Europe；　〃immediately　we　endeavored　to　go　into　Macedonia；
assuredly　gathering　that　the　Lord　had　called　us　for　to　preach　the　gospel
unto　them。　Therefore　loosing　from　Troas；　we　came　with　a　straight　course　to
Samothracia；　and　the　next　day　to　Neapolis；　and　from　thence　to　Philippi；
which　is　the　chief　city　of　that　part　of　Macedonia；　and　a　colony。〃

212


〃On　the　Sabbath；〃　Luke　continues；　〃we　went　out　of　the　city　by　a　riverside；
where　prayer　was　wont　to　be　made；　and　we　sat　down；　and　spake　unto　the　women
which　resorted　thither。　And　a　certain　woman　named　Lydia；　a　seller　of　purple；
of　the　city　of　Thyatira；　which　worshiped　God；　heard　us：　whose　heart　the　Lord
opened。〃　Lydia　received　the　truth　gladly。　She　and　her　household　were
converted　and　baptized；　and　she　entreated　the　apostles　to　make　her　house
their　home。

As　the　messengers　of　the　cross　went　about　their　work　of　teaching；　a　woman
possessed　of　a　spirit　of　divination　followed　them；　crying；　〃These　men　are
the　servants　of　the　most　high　God；　which　show　unto　us　the　way　of　salvation。
And　this　did　she　many　days。〃

This　woman　was　a　special　agent　of　Satan　and　had　brought　to　her　masters　much
gain　by　soothsaying。　Her　influence　had　helped　to　strengthen　idolatry。　Satan
knew　that　his　kingdom　was　being　invaded；　and　he　resorted　to　this　means　of
opposing　the　work　of　God；　hoping　to　mingle　his　sophistry　with　the　truths
taught　by　those　who　were　proclaiming　the　gospel　message。　The　words　of
recommendation　uttered　by　this　woman　were　an　injury　to　the　cause　of　truth；
distracting　the　minds　of　the　people　from　the　teachings　of　the　apostles　and
bringing　disrepute　upon　the　gospel；　and　by　them　many　were　led　to　believe
that　the　men　who　spoke　with　the　Spirit　and　power　of　God　were　actuated　by　the
same　spirit　as　this　emissary　of　Satan。

For　some　time　the　apostles　endured　this　opposition；　then　under　the
inspiration　of　the　Holy　Ghost　Paul　commanded　the　evil　spirit　to　leave　the
woman。　Her　immediate　silence

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testified　that　the　apostles　were　the　servants　of　God　and　that　the　demon　had
acknowledged　them　to　be　such　and　had　obeyed　their　command。

Dispossessed　of　the　evil　spirit　and　restored　to　her　right　mind；　the　woman
chose　to　become　a　follower　of　Christ。　Then　her　masters　were　alarmed　for
their　craft。　They　saw　that　all　hope　of　receiving　money　from　her　divinations
and　soothsayings　was　at　an　end　and　that　their　source　of　income　would　soon　be
entirely　cut　off　if　the　apostles　were　allowed　to　continue　the　work　of　the
gospel。

Many　others　in　the　city　were　interested　in　gaining　money　through　satanic
delusions；　and　these；　fearing　the　influence　of　a　power　that　could　so
effectually　stop　their　work；　raised　a　mighty　cry　against　the　servants　of
God。　They　brought　the　apostles　before　the　magistrates　with　the　charge：
〃These　men；　being　Jews；　do　exceedingly　trouble　our　city；　and　teach　customs；
which　are　not　lawful　for　us　to　receive；　neither　to　observe；　being　Romans。〃

Stirred　by　a　frenzy　of　excitement；　the　multitude　rose　against　the　disciples。
A　mob　spirit　prevailed　and　was　sanctioned　by　the　authorities；　who　tore　the
outer　garments　from　the　apostles　and　commanded　that　they　should　be　scourged。
〃And　when　they　had　laid　many　stripes　upon　them；　they　cast　them　into　prison；
charging　the　jailer　to　keep　them　safely：　who；　having　received　such　a　charge；
thrust　them　into　the　inner　prison；　and　made　their　feet　fast　in　the　stocks。〃

The　apostles　suffered　extreme　torture　because　of　the　painful　position　in
which　they　were　left；　but　they　did　not　murmur。　Instead；　in　the　utter
darkness　and　desolation　of　the

214

dungeon；　they　encouraged　each　other　by　words　of　prayer　and　sang　praises　to
God　because　they　were　found　worthy　to　suffer　shame　for　His　sake。　Their
hearts　were　cheered　by　a　deep　and　earnest　love　for　the　cause　of　their
Redeemer。　Paul　thought　of　the　persecution　he　had　been　instrumental　in
bringing　upon　the　disciples　of　Christ；　and　he　rejoiced　that　his　eyes　had
been　opened　to　see；　and　his　heart　to　feel；　the　power　of　the　glorious　truths
which　once　he　despised。

With　astonishment　the　other　prisoners　heard　the　sound　of　prayer　and　singing
issuing　from　the　inner　prison。　They　had　been　accustomed　to　hear　shrieks　and
moans；　cursing　and　swearing；　breaking　the　silence　of　the　night；　but