THE K I N G ’S BUS I NE S S
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of the sea. Across th e sea is famous Troy, where th e arm ies of Europe and Asia m et in frenzied conflict. There was Greece, renowned for its culture, and beyond was Rome, th e world ru ler. W hat fields for service were th e re ; w hat work to be w rough t; w hat deeds to be done in the nam e of th e risen Christ, and by th e power of th e Holy Sp irit of God. Suddenly, th e figure of a man is pro jected before Paul. I t stands out from th e shore beyond, and from th e lips of th e man issues a cry, “ Come over into Macedonia and help u s !” There could be b u t one in terp retation of th e mes sage. This man represented hum an need and th a t cry th e depths of th e need. This was no t a dream ; th is man was a su p e rn a tu ral vision. There is a cry in th e souls of lost men which God h ears; an in a rticu la te cry which rises from souls burdened w ith sin, and finds expression in sighs and groans and broken hearts. The vision is th a t of a m an,— n o t of a politician calling for votes; no t of a m erchan t calling for customers; no t of a devotee of pleasure calling for fol lowers; b u t a blind man calling for ligh t; a hung ry man calling for bread; a th irsty man calling for w ater; a lost soul crying ou t for a Saviour. The vision is suggestive. This man is th e embodiment of heathendom ; he stands for the unevangelized masses. The call is th a t of Christ to Paul, the m issionary rep resen tative of th e church. I t is a call for help from perishing ones. P au l him self had been called th rough a vision, and by th e Holy Spirit h ad been equipped for service. I t is a n igh t vision, suggesting th e aw ful darkness of a world w andering in sin, and out of the depth of th e ir distress, voicing th e ir need. H um anity is symbolized. W ithou t the Gospel, — helpless, hopeless, crying “ Come and h elp !” If our sp iritu al eyes are open, we will see, and if our spir itu al ears are open, we will h ear the
Spirit. A desire to go to a field is not necessarily a call to th a t field. Asia was needy, and so was B ithynia, where th ere were many Jews, bu t th e Spirit had planned otherw ise. The Book of Acts is well called “ th e acts of the Holy Spirit.” He is seen descending upon th e believ ers and form ing a visible temple for the L 0rd— th e Church of God. He im parted courage to persecuted preachers (Acts 4 :3 1 ); He exercised au th o rity in the church and rebuked sin (5 :1 -6 ); He chose its officers (6 :1 -6 ); He sent forth m issionaries (1 3 :1 -4 ); He decided ques tions of g reat moment (1 5 :2 8 ); now we see Him controlling th e lives of trav el ing evangelists and directing th e ir steps; forbidding th e ir going where they Sought to go, and compelling them to go where He w anted them to go. They were th e Sons of God, and were led of th e Spirit of God (Rom. 8 :1 4 ). He leads to fields of activity, b u t of H is own choosing. F o rtu n ately for them , they were obedient to th e heavenly vision (2 6 :1 9 ). Never choose your own field. Men push th e ir way into places, and find th e ir w ilfulness brings to them w retch edness. Livingston set his h e a rt on China, b u t God set H is on Africa. Carey h ad Polynesia upon his h eart, b u t God had chosen Ind ia for him . Judson reached India, b u t was driven of God to Burmah. Can you get th e lesson? When th e will is surrendered God directs men into channels pleasing to Himself, and makes those channels blessings to others. How many barren , unprofitable, unhappy lives have been made so by failu re to perm it th e Lord to say “This is th e way, walk ye in it.” Here lies one of the g reat fundam ental laws of God concerning soul w inning and Christian service. If you learn th is God can use you, and He is looking for such serv ants. (3 ) The F erv en t Call, vs. 9-12. At Troas, th e evangelist waited upon th e Lord for guidance. Imagine P aul standing in th e n igh t upon th e shore
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