Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1901-10-24
WHAT IS MEANT BY THE EVAN. "
" GELIzATION OF THE WORLD.
Matt. xviii, 10, 20.


Acts i, :. Oct. 2I.
These passages are the last
words of Jesus to His disciples,
and are not improperly styled, the
marching orders of the church of
Christ.
Christ's mission to the earth
was to seek and to save the lost
BY sin man had forfeited the favor
of God, and was hopelcssly lost
unless God interposed in his be-
half. The death and resurrection
of Christ was the means ordained
for his salvaton; aud, so far as
we can see, was the only way by
which man could be saved. The
three years life of Christ in the
flesh seems chiefly to have been
for the training of the twelve
apostles who should represent Him
after the ascension. 1t seems pass
ing strange to MS that they should
have been so dull, and slow to
learn that he came, not to cstab-
lish a temporal, but spiritual
kingdom. 1t required that forty
days experience between the re-
surrection and the ascension to
complete this training and elevate
their faith to the belief in a spirit
ual Christ. That is the only eX-
PLANTATION of the prolonged stay Of
"thc forty days"
And now, as He is about to
leave them, He speaks these last
words defining the mission of thu
church, and making plain to them
their duty when He was gone.
But before these orders were to go
into effect, or they were prepared
to execute them, one condition was
laid down. They were to remain
in Jerusalem till the power of the
Holy Ghost should come upon
them. This condition having been
met, they were full graduates from
the school of Christ, and We're pre-
pared for their great mission i'll the
world. And how marvelously
changed were these men from this
day forward! They We're now
ready to obey orders, and referr-
ing to the chart that had been Civ
Ell them, they fell into line as
brave and obcdient soldiers.
60 PREACH.
These two words define the work
of ChriSt's ambassadors. Begin
ming at Jcrusalem," they were to
90 into the whole world and preach
Christ. This was their only theme
and is the only theme authorized
to the ministry to this day. Any
preaching that has not Christ in il
is not legitimate gospel. Christ,
and Him crucitied," is the only
gospel that can sage the world.
The simple story Of the cross ha-
more power to break and trans.
form the hearts of men than all
other influences combined. II
never grows stale, and men never
tire listening TO its charming
sound. 1t is the only story thai
meets and satisfies the universal
want of the human heart hunger
, ING for the bread of life. Bowet
down by sense of guilt and con
scious of its own helplessness, thi:
, gospel of forgiveness comes to the
sinner as Joyful news" TC
preach Christ is to preach Him a.
the author of salvation, and as thu
only name by which men can b,
, saved. Repentance aud the re-
mission of sins" in this name il
the only preaching that can NOV,
the stubborn heart and inspire il
l! with hope.
1t is the ordained means of say
ing the world, and will accomplish
its end whenever and whereve
, preached in its purity and simple
ity. All who believe and ODE.
: this gospel shall be saved; and al
, may do this. Christ, preached
! and believed on these, means tn
evangelizatiOu of the world. Thi
is the remedy, and the only infal
, lible remedy of all of earth's ills
All reformation falling short o
, this will prove Il failure in the end
S TEACHING AND WITNESSING.
Teaching them to observe al