THE KING’S BUSINESS
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is the only evangelist who, in his list of apostles, records the fact that he belonged to a despised class, the publicans. The other three cover up this fact. Matthew humbly writes the fact, and thus magnifies the grace of God in calling him. In each of the three lists Judas Iscariot is mentioned last, and his disgrace as the “traitor” is noted in each list. The apostles are grouped in twos in the list. The method followed in the group ing is worthy of study. The most difficult question that arises in regard to the choosing and sending of the Twelve is why Jesus chose to send out Judas Iscariot. It seems hardly sufficient to answer that it had been predicted in the Old Testament that one of His immediate circle would betray Him (Ps. 41:9 and 55:12-14), and that therefore Jesus chose Judas, whom He knew to be a devil (John 6:70, 71), in order to fulfill this prophecy. The simplest and most natural explanation seems to be, that Judas had gifts that would have ad mirably fitted him for a place in the apos tolic company and the leadership of the early church, if they had been sanctified. Grace gave him the great opportunity, but he hardened his heart and brought upon himself the greatest condemnation and in famy. The Twelve were prepared for the work by the Lord’s imparting to them power to do it (cf. Acts 14:5 and 8). The commis sion was at this time to Israel alone. The middle wall of partition was not yet broken down (Eph. 2:13-17). After the Cross, the commission widens (Acts 1:8). The apos tles had a five-fold commission—preach, heal the sick, cleanse lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. This is substantially the business of the missionary of Christ at home and abroad today. Our mission is to sou» and body, but Christ put the spiritual need first. The Church has a manifest mission to the sick, but it is moral “lepers” that it is our first duty to cleanse, and those “dead in trespasses and sins” that it is our most important mission to raise. It is to be noted that this work of heal- (Continued on Page 81)
city, in the street, in heathen lands. Are you in sympathy with your Lord in His compassion for the multitude? It was not so much their physical diseases that touched His heart as their spiritual destitution; they were as “sheep having no shepherd.’’ To day when we hear of famine in India or want in Belgium, it moves us to pity and to generosity; hut we listen to stories of spir itual destitution and it awakens little re sponse. Most of us seem more concerned about the bodies of men than about theii souls. Jesus sought to meet the need of shepherds by getting his disciples to pray. The best way to get workers is to pray for them. Shepherds given in answer to prayer are the right sort. This method of getting shepherds has lately gone out of vogue in our churches. Now, men are invited to come and display their wares, and what a tiresome procession of candidates it is! Christ’s way is best. Having set them to praying, Jesus next set them to answering their own prayers. It was first “Pray” ; then “Go.” Many a man begins by praying and ends by going; but before they went “He gave them power.” There is no use going unless He does give us power. Jesus must have been Divine if He could bestow such power upon others. (V. 1.) It is evident that demoniacal possession is something more than a mere form of disease; for Jesus carefully dis tinguishes between casting out demons and “all manner of disease” and “all manner of sickness.” Every kind of disease and sick ness was to yield to the power of the apos tles. These powers were not confined to the twelve apostles (Luke 10:9-19; Mark 16:17, 18; 1 Cor. 12:9; James 5:13). Sunday, January 31. Matthew 10:2-8. Jesus made choice of these twelve men after a night spent in prayer (Luke 6:12, 13). There was a great diversity among them in temperament, previous history and natural ability. They are an impressive il lustration of the different types of men the Lord Jesus can use in His work. Matthew
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