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signs following.’ “They were sent into the world to tell the world about Him, and so that the world might not only hear of Him from them but might in a true sense see Him in them.” “In each genuinely Christian man and woman the world is to have, in some sort, a messenger from the Lord, but not a messenger only; we are to be mes- mages also, as being personalities transformed and occupied by H im .l||H . C. G. Moule. Matthew 28:18, 19 All authority hath been given Me—Go ye therefore—Let us see in these words of Christ, the strongest argument in favor of missionary work both at home and abroad.— Bishop Ryle. The “Great Commission” is the keynote of the Bible. Showing the temporary character of the Patriarchal and Jewish Dispensations and the permanence of the reign of Christ, it harmonizes all the apparent discords of the Word of God and attunes garth with heaven. It realizes the dream of the patriarchs and the hope of the prophets, and conserves the life of the Nazarene, with its glorious divine revelation and vast human possibilities, for all sub sequent generations. Placing the power and the wealth of God at the disposal of man, it is the invitation to the great feast of the Lord (Matt. 22:1-14; Luke 14:15-22), hinted in the doom of the devil (Gen. 3:14,15), assured at the call of Abraham (Gen. 12:1-4; Heb. 6:13-20), fore told in ancient times (Gen. 49:10; Deut. 18:15-18; Isa. 53), announced by John the Baptist (Matt. 3:1-3) and set in order by the Lord Himself (Phil. 2:5-11).—Adam K. Adcock. This was not a commission given to the Apostles but to the whole Church. We must all take our share. We must all bear a hand. It matters not how poor and in significant we may be, we have all a part to play. By gifts and prayers, if not by personal service, we must participate in this task. The first business of the saved man is the salvation of souls.—Bel. All authority was given—when, after His resurrection, He ascended to His Father (see John 20:17, cf. Psa. 68:18, Eph. 4:8). Then it was, most likely, that the Father con ferred upon Him all rightful authority in Heaven and on earth.—Worrell’s New Testament. “I have all power”, saith He in effect, “in heaven and jurisdiction over all the earth: go ye therefore into all the world, making disciples of all the nations, nothing doubt ing that all spiritual influences and providential agencies will be made subservient to the great errand on which I send you.”—The Training of the Twelve. The hidden power lay in the conjunction: "Go ye there fore.” It would have been the height of folly to have gone on such an errand in their own strength; but why should they hesitate to go in the name and at the bidding of One to Whom all authority had been given in heaven and on earth? Yet the power is not delegated to them. It re mains, and must remain with Him. It is not, “All author ity is given unto you.” They must keep in closest touch with Him, wherever they go on this extraordinary mission. -^-Expositor’s Bible. Teaching them—This brings beautifully into view man’s fundamental need of education under Christ. All men need to become pupils of Jesus Christ. Teaching—this is the great business of Apostles, evangelists, pastors, and all ministers of the Gospel.—James Morrison. Lo, I am with you always—Let us quote from John G. Paton’s journal, written in dire peril and when newly be reaved of his wife and infant son: “Nothing else in the world but the abiding consciousness of the presence and power of my dear Lord and Saviour could have preserved me from losing my reason and perishing miserably. His words in Matt. 28:20 became to me so real that it would not have startled me to behold Him, as Stephen did, gaz ing down upon; the scene.”—-Carus-Wilson. Acts 1:6-8 Ye shall receive power—Ye shall be my witnesses—- Christ’s missionary command, spoken already under cir cumstances of so great solemnity, He now repeats for the third time, that it may sink into the souls of His disciples. And to make it impressive in the utmost degree, He uses for it His final minutes on earth, and proclaims it on the very brink of His ascension.—Amos R. Wells. The Spirit’s power is to be shown chiefly in our witnessing
for Christ. That is the form of' our service. We are not to witness of truth merely, not to become wise and wonder ful orators or teachers, but we are to be witnesses of Him. I do not know how to express this better than to say that our business is to make Jesus real to men, so to live and so to speak that they shall see in us and through us a power and a Presence that will make them long for the same loving and almighty help in their lives. Thus to min ister Christ to men is the highest service to which we can be called, and the most helpful thing we can do for weak and erring men.—A. B. Simpson. These men were already disciples, they were now to be witnesses, and their definite work was to bear testimony to their Master; they were not to be theologians, or philoso phers, or leaders, but witnesses. Whatever else they might become, everything was to be subordinate to the idea of personal testimony. It was to call attention to what they knew of Him and to deliver His message to mankind.— W. H. Griffith Thomas. The one lack of the Christian church today is the lack of spiritual power.—Rev. O. P. Giford. You cannot expect to receive power from Him unless He has appointed you to the work for which you are seeking power.—.Rev. J. Stuart Holden. “All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore and make disciples of all the nations” (Matt. 28:18, 19, R. V.). “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15, R. V.). “Ye shall be witnesses DEVOTIONAL unto me . . . unto the uttermost COMMENT part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). John A. Hubbard Thus spake He whom we call “Lord.” What could He have said to more plain ly reveal His will concerning His followers? When you are going away (from home or business), having something very important to say to those whom you are leaving, some thing upon the doing of which much depends, when do you speak of it? The last thing. Why last? “Lest they for get.” The last words that fell upon the ears of the dis ciples from the lips of Jesus were those given above—“my witnesses unto the uttermost part of the earth.” And yet there are some, claiming to be Christians, who boldly de clare that they do not believe in foreign missions. Many others, not bold enough to say it with their lips, are effectu ally saying it by their lives. “Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). “Christians called to be missionaries.” : Indeed they were thus called, and still are! Acts 1:8 gives us the outline of H IS program for this dispensation. All Christians are to be witnesses. Not all are called to be ministers, or or dained missionaries, but all are to be witnesses—to give first-hand testimony of what they know. Know about what, or rather, about Whom? About Jesus—“witnesses unto Me.” The Spirit-filled witnesses in the book of Acts were continually bearing witness to Him—to His death, resur rection, ascension, and coming again. Where were they to bear witness? At home (“Jerusa lem”), in their own country (“Judea” ), in the neighboring country (“Samaria”), and “unto the uttermost part of the earth.” This is the exact order followed in Acts. ■ How were they to witness? In the power of the Holy Ghost. Not one step was to be taken, not one word uttered in testimony, until they were endued with power from on high (Luke 24:49). Yes, this is His,—-your Lord’s,^-program. What a privi lege to have a share in it! Are you fulfilling your part? “Christians called to be missionaries!” “To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts”. (Heb. 4:7).
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