Triumph. “And ye are witnesses of these things”—the Trust. Acts 2—“Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God, ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain” -M.he Tragedy. “ This Jesus hath God raised up”—the Triumph. “Whereof we are witnesses”—the Trust. Acts 3—“ Ye killed the Prince of Life” —the Tragedy. “Whom God hath raised up”—the Triumph. “Whereof we are witnesses”—the Trust. Also Acts 4, 13, 17 and 26. This was the Apostolic message. When Peter first gave this message 3,000 turned to the Lord, on the second occa sion 5,000 were saved. This was Paul’s message (Acts 13, 17, 26). He tells us “My preaching was in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.” “ I charge you —proclaim his message.” I think of a young man who was determined to pro claim His message and get this gospel out to the ends of the earth. When he started his ministry, he covenanted with God, “ I am Thine, Thine only, Thine forever.” Eventually he became the suc cessful pastor of a fashionable church in New York City. The pews were rented. For this reason the Church board did not wish to make their church a center for evangelism on Sunday night. This grieved the pastor for he felt he must preach His message. So he quietly resigned. Six like-minded persons went with him and after prayer it was de cided to rent a theater and try to reach the masses of New York City. God richly blessed their step of faith. Souls were saved. A Bible School was started amidst the dusty props on the stage of the theater and eventually a church es tablished which became known as the New York Gospel Tabernacle. As the work developed and young people grad uated from the Bible school they were sent forth at home and abroad to preach the gospel. Today the Society established by this man of God has 1,000 churches in the homeland, with twenty mission fields in the regions beyond where 2,400 churches and outstations have been es tablished, and where 2,600 missionaries and national pastors are preaching the gospel in 153 languages and dialects. Now two million dollars are poured into the missionary treasury each year. This young man was Dr. A. B. Simpson, founder of The Christian and Mission ary Alliance. III. “ But YOU—fully discharge your function as God’s steward.” No matter where God places us we are His stewards. He entrusts gifts, talents, wealth to us so that w« may fully dis charge our function as God’s stewards. “Ye are not your own, ye have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” Soon after taking up my position at Nyack eleven years ago, I heard one of the students give a striking testimony. (Continued on Page 21) Page Nine
Getting a glimpse of a well-known friend, he shouted in ecstasy, “How good is the news! Four days now until I see Jesus!” Four days later the godly youth struggled along to the gallows. Tearful crowds groaning watched him as he passed. Arriving, he took out his tes timony. He read it to the vast crowds. It was a beautiful confession of fidelity and devotion. Up the ladder to the rope he climbed, crying, “ I care no more to go up this ladder, and over it, than if I were going home to my father’s house. Every step is a degree nearer heaven.” As he stood up, the napkin was placed over his face,
If the God-Man was a man of prayer, how much more must we be men and women of prayer. It is prayer which charges the soul of the Spirit-filled be liever with the life of God. It is prayer which charges the atmosphere surround ing the Spirit-filled believer with the power of God. It is prayer which charges communities where a heaven sent revival is in progress with spiritual power caus ing all who enter that sphere to realize their lost condition. They become con vinced they must make a decision. No prayer—no blessing! Little prayer—lit tle blessing! Much prayer—much bless ing ! This is the inexorable law of a Spirit-filled ministry. 5. We must hold to the conviction that Spirit-filled believers are warriors for God. Said the Apostle Paul to Timothy, “ share the hardship of my campaign like a gallant soldier of Messiah Jesus” (Way, 2 Tim. 2 :3). God has called us to battle to fight the good fight of faith. We must overcome our enemies by the Blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. We must not quail before our foes but overcome them by the presence and power of the Son of God. As we hear the dreadful news from China we know not what may await us. It may be that some of us will seal our testimony with our blood. May we be as ready to die as the Scottish Covenanters. In one day nine hundred of these Covenanters were ruthlessly slain or taken captive to be executed at a later date. One of the prisoners taken, who through physical weakness had not been able to be with his friends at the time o f battle, was Hugh MacKail. He suf fered with tuberculosis. He had been licensed to preach at twenty, and preached his last public sermon at twen ty-one. He had to go into hiding from that day. In due course he appeared before the council. He refused to tell anything of other believers, and the Earl o f Rothes, convulsed with passion, ad judged him worthy of the torture of the bone and marrow mixing boot. The exe cutioner enclosed his leg and knee within the tight iron case, and then placing a wedge of iron between the knee and the edge of the iron case, stood with mallet in hand. At a nod from the chairman of the council, the executioner struck the wedge a heavy blow, forcing it between the knee and the iron boot, and causing most excruciating pain. The brutal wedge was driven home savagely eleven times until the leg was smashed, but no word of betrayal or accusation of his brethren stained the lips of Hugh Mac- Kail. He was carried to his dungeon to lie in painful intercession for his fel lows, who outside on the gallows were dying for the sake of the Name. Again he appeared before the council, and he was condemned to die at the Mereat Cross of Edinburgh. He was borne with shining face from the court room and through the large crowds who openly wept as he passed. “ Trust in God,” he called to them, “ Trust in God!” J U L Y , 1 9 5 I H
Dr. Thomas Moseley
but, lifting it, in a remarkable voice by faith inspired he burst forth: “ Now I leave off to speak any more to creatures, and turn my speech to Thee, O Lord. Farewell, father and mother, friends and relations! Farewell, the world, sun, moon, and stars! Welcome, God and Father! Welcome, Sweet Lord Jesus, Mediator of the New Covenant! Wel come, Blessed Spirit of Grace, God of all Consolation! Welcome Glory! Welcome Eternal Life! Welcome Death!” The bloody rope tightened around his thin young neck. And so with Christ was Hugh MacKail. But YOU—hold to your conviction that Spirit-filled believers are warriors for God. In this day of apos tasy let this inspired word come with power to each one of us—“ But YOU— hold to your convictions.” II. “ I charge YOU—proclaim His message.” How are we to proclaim His message? By our lips and by our lives. What is His message? The Tragedy of His cross, the Triumph of His resurrection, the Trust committed to His Church. Seven times we find this message re corded for us by St. Luke. Luke 24— “ Thus it is written and thus it behooved Christ to suffer”—the Tragedy. “ And to rise from the dead the third day”—the
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker