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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
May, 1935
B I T T ER PILLS for anti-Semites— out of the Word of God. Crucify ing Conscience in Germany; Nilus, the Supposed Fundamentalist; Social Gospel, a Cloak for Com munism; Youth on the Toboggan; Archaeology Mocks Critics! These and many other topics in M A Y issue. lOe stamps; 4 months trial, 25c; $1.00 per year. P R O P H E C Y M O N T H L Y 2003 Addison Way Los Angeles, Calif.
JUNE 23, 1935 CHRISTIAN MISSIONS G enesis 12:1-3; I sa ia h 45:22 ; 49:6; J on ah 3:1-10; M atth ew 28:19, 20; A cts 1 :6-8; 13 :1-12; 16:6-10; 26:12-20 Lesson T ext: Acts 1:6-8; 13:1-12.
will result the conviction of sinners, the contrition of believers, and the continu ance of the church. There also will be a higher code of morals, a truer character of religion, and a deeper influence on society as a whole—though these results are but the by-products of true Christian missions. Sometimes Christians are disturbed by the question that they ask themselves : “Am I in the Lord’s place for me ?” There is one sure way of determining one’s po sition in relation to the Lord’s will, and that is by witnessing for Christ wherever one may be. If the Lord wants the indi vidual ' .elsewhere, He will then either hedge up his way or else move him to an other place. The Christian who is not a working missionary just where he is may well doubt the genuineness of his Chris tianity, and the church which finds itself without a world-wide missionary vision pervading all its activities may well doubt its connection with the true church of Christy - II. T he D irector of C h ristian M issions (Acts 13:1-3). Reverently it may be said that the only director of Christian missions is the Holy Spirit, who presides over the activities of the church. In the church at Antioch, there was opportunity for the Holy Spirit to move with freedom in the matter of missions. The church was well grounded in the truth, having five prophets and teach ers. Wherever the truth is properly taught, there will be volunteers for the mission fields-—volunteers whom the Holy Spirit will call. This church also “ministered to the Lord.” This expression indicates real worship—and in any church where a wor shipful attitude prevails, members will be found going afield with the Word of life. Moreover, this church was given to fast ing and prayer,, thus keeping in close fellowship with the Lord and being able and ready to hear what the Holy Spirit might say. Finally, this church was obe dient, giving up the best it had when there was need for such action. ' At the call o f the Spirit, the church laid hands upon those who were designated for special service, and sent them away to do the bidding o f the Holy Spirit. It is not the particular need of the world, nor the wide opportunity afforded by the task, nor the peculiar ability of the Christian, that constitutes the call to the mission field, although all these factors may enter in. It. is the Holy Spirit alone who is the direc tor of all Christian missions and whose guidance the individual Christian must follow. III. T he P ractice of C h ristian M issions (Acts 13:4-12). The called ones went out to evangelize by proclaiming the Word o f God (vs. 4, 5). The Word is essential, sufficient, and ever at hand. Conversion, civilization, ed ucation, and much else will follow as the one supreme essential is kept in mind, that is, the proclamation of God’s Word for the evangelization o f all peoples. The dan ger that besets modern missions is that other interests may obscure the main ob- jective. The called ones went out to meet bitter opposition (vs. 6-11). The devil is always active, and especially so when the Word of God is faithfully proclaimed. His opposi tion has always been felt wherever that
Golden T ext: “ Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mk. 16:15). Outline and Exposition I. T he I nstitution of C h ristian M issions ; (Acts 1:6-8). I srael is a missionary nation, but the church is a company of missionaries. Israel’s testimony will be heard by the other nations of the earth in a coming day, when she is restored to and estab lished in' her own land. In the period pre ceding that day, the Lord has ordained that missions—that is, the task of making Christ known to all men—shall be the busi ness of the members of the church. This obligation is not a self-chosen task, but one that is laid upon the church by the Lord Himself—a responsibility never to be re moved as long as the church remains upon earth. The power for such work is found only in the presence o f the Holy Spirit (v. 8). The ability to perform the task does not lie in learning, money, numbers, social influence, nor in any natural or . self-ac quired ability. All these things may be used by the Spirit to forward the work, but the power is in the Spirit alone (cf. Zech. 4 ¡6). The character of the work is suggested by the word “witnesses,” which really means “martyrs.” The members of the church are to be characterized by the spirit o f martyrdom day by day, not merely when they are providentially called to lay down their lives for the cause of Christ. ; The testimony in the work is to be to the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ (v. 8). In the early church, Christ’s fol lowers were to be His witnesses, or, in the words o f this 'passage, “witnesses unto me.” They were to be found speaking of Christ’s life, His death, His resurrection, and His coming again. The testimony was not an argument in favor of the advan tages o f civilization, or education, or mo rality, or religion, or good government. But it was a witness to a Person—the Lord Jesus Christ. Hence there would o f neces sity be the need for personal acquaintance with that Person, or else the witness would be as variable as the philosophies o f men. The sphere of the work is to be in all the world. The Lord knows where He de sires each witness to be, and will lead the surrendered Christian to that place. When witness to Him is faithfully borne, there
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