Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-06-23

Tho Gospel for tho World.

IUkE ~ if-ssh
GotnES TExr :-"They went forth aud preached
everywhere"
Central Truth The true disciple
Christian missionary.
There could be no more hitting topic
with which to conclude this half years
studies. Our Saviours public ministry
is ended. Ills death upon the cross has
been accomplished. SO has his ressur.
rection from the dead. The great Cos.
pei feast is fully prepared. Nothing re.
mains but that messengers be instruct.
ed. endowed and commissioned to bear
the good tidings to all the world.
OF this remaining work we have some
account in the few verses before us.
Just when all these words and events
were spoken and transpired Is not Ger.
tain. After our Saviour appearance To
the two in the way to Emmaus, they
fastened back to Jerusalem to tell TO
the other disciples the great things
which had happened TO them. They
found the eleven, with others, gathered
together, and, Gs they entered the room
where they were, were greeted with the
cry, "rhe Lord is risen indeed, and hath
appeared unto Simon" And in the
midst of their own joyful story, Jesus
himself stood before them. His first
work after quieting their fears, excited
by so sudden an appearance, was to
convince them of his bodily presence.
1t is possible that all that which fol
lows down to the forty ninth verse
transpired at this interview. More
likely, however, these verses are q sum
mary of the Saviour's teachings during
the forty days which followed his res.
surrection. But, however that may be,
il is certain that we have here an inter.
esting portion of his last words, and,
with it, the record OF his Withdrawal
from mortal sight. As such, they are of
deep and tender interest. Neither teach.
er nor scholar will be at loss to find
important truths.
/. 1t is noteworthy that again, as in
his words to the two on the way to En-
msus, our Saviour puts honor or the
Old Testament Scriptures. There are
those who speak lightly of that portion
of the Bible. They speak of II as a col
lection of Hebrew legends and incredr
BILE stories. our Saviour had different
view. In his very last utterances to
those he was about to leave, he took
pains to say that in every part OF those
writings there were plain predictions
about himself. and that all these must
be fulfilled. lie had told them this be
fore, and now he repeats and empha.
sizes it. Let il be settled that to dis.
parage the old Testament Scriptures is
TO part company with Christ.
>. "Then opened he their under
standing, that they might understand
the Scriptures. That Is, having shown
them that all the wonderful things
which had put 80 great a strain upon
their faith were just what their own
Scriptures should have led them TO ex.
pect, he quickened their inner eye, that
these might no longer be as a sealed
book. No doubt this is but another ac-
count of that which is spoken of in
John 20: 22-"Aud he breathed on
them, saying, Receive ye the Holy
Ghost" The Bible tells of things with
which even the disciple is all too un.
familiar; often il speaks to minds blind
ed and hearts hardened by prejudice,
passion and unwillingness to obey.
Only the Divine Spirit can prepare such
eyes to see and such hearts and minds
to feel aud understand. Is il not al.
ways a good thing to begin the reading
and study Of the Bible with prayer for
the Spirits aid?
3. twill be profitable TO fix attention
for moment upon what in the next
two verses il set forth as great ne.
cessily. and as the very kernel of what
was thenceforth to be the Gospel mes.
sage. "lhus it is written, and thus IL
4 4 -.
from the dead. Chrlst's death was not
a mere martyrdom TO fidelity and truth
nor was it great crime of wicked men.
and nothing more. From the first. it
had been in Gods thought and heart.
II men were to be saved, there must be
an expiation. II had been written that
Christ should suffer, and there were
great moral reasons requiring il.
His sufferings had now been accom-.
plished. and thenceforth repentance
and remission of sins should be preach.
ed in his name This was TO be the
kernel, the heart, the inner suLntance
of the Gospel message. And so, i'm
Apostolic days, IL was. Whatever was
lett out this was put first. And in such
preaching there was, and always has
been, immense power. Add to the call
to repentance the sure promise of inn.
mediate peace through an expiation
actually accomplished, the pledge of
pardon. and Gods perfect good will a.
an immediate possession, and hearts
are moved. melted and won. This is
Gods way of reaching them.
4. This brings US to the central truth
of the lesson. II is the business of
every one who has found these things
out, and knows them by experience, TO
be witness OF them. "And ye are
witnesses OF these things" Doubtless
this was primarily addressed to the
Apostles. But the duty and privilege
we're not to be theirs alone. In the
very first days. when persecution arose,
ethey,n that Is, az, that were scatter.
ed abroad went everywhere preaching
the Word Every true disciple is to
count himself Christian missionary.
Then the Saviour tells us where this
witnessing, this missionary work, Is to