Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-05-03
MAN SENT FROM GOD.

MAN SENT FROM GOD.
Rev. Z. P, johnson, ID. d.
There was a man sent from God whose
name was John. The same came for wit
ness 10 bear witness OF the light that all
men through him might believe.-John t.,
9, Z.
The public ministry of John the Bap-
list was short. ike the public ministry
Of the Lord Jesus, and that of the great
forcyunner, like that of the great Mes
siah, was ended by violent death. But
TO this plain and fearless preacher OF re-
pehtance it was given of God to stir and
sway the whole Jewish nation; TO turn
man of the children of Israel TO the
Lori tA>lr God" and Ito make ready
people prepared for the lord
There is great inspiration in the study
Of tie sending of this man on his divine
mis>on-this simple minded, sincere
hearted. sublime-liyed man. He may.
perhaps. have been a very ordinary and
commonplace kind of a man-saye that
his ever-profound conviction of his divine
sending concentrated every faculty and
plan, every wish, word and act of his
life upon his own great duty to bear
witness to the light"
lie was so ordinary a man that God
could use everything he had. and at any
tine and just as he saw fit. He was
humble and self-abased enough for God
to cXalt him TO be the greatest of the
prophets; he was fearless enough to tell
his hearers, rulers and priests, soldiers,
puhHcans and common people alike. the
hard. but necessary. sacrifices and prac-
ticai duties which true repentance de-
manded, he was modest and self-deny-
ing enough TO make himself less than
the most mental servant to the coming
Messiah, and to rejoice greatly over the
MeSsiah's increase, which must neces-
sarily be accompanied by his own de-
crease. Even his long confinement in the
wretched dungeons of Mschaerus (which
must have been inexpressibly severe and
calling to such a hardy and bronzed will
derness dweller as he). shows him more
anxious for the Lords full self-revela-
tion than for his own release from prison.
Why may not we live as men sent
from GodY You may say perhaps that
we arc not so well qualified as John the
Rslust for such an important mission.
But, SO far as merely human gifts are
concerned. physical and psychical nature.
heredity, temperament and educational
privileges, any one of us would average
up as well as John the Baptist He,
however, was wholly surrendered to his
mission, and ir this was the great secret;
he was filled with the Holy Spirit: so
he thought the thoughts of God after
him, and he willed the viii of God after
bne all ~ al
fications John the Baptist had We might
have.
But you may say. perhaps, that John
the Baptist had a singularIy important
and unique mission, one necessary to be
honored and fulfilled once in those early
days for all time as if there could fifty
be but one forerunner for the one Great
Kedeemer of men. But John the Bap-
tist was type and pioneer in that mission
for each believing disciple
We know from the Gospel records that
not only the twelve apostles. but also the
seventy disciples. were used by the Lord
Jesus as his special forerunners, going
out by his express command to preach
the gospel of the kingdom aud to prepare
his way before him, and prepare the peo-
pie for him, in every city and town Of
the holy lane whittier he himself would
afterward come And that specific mis-
sion of those fOurscOre followers of Je-
sus is no more significant and impressive
as Teaching our supreme duty today TO
prepare the way of the Lord before him.
than the single and specific mission of
John the Baptist; for he was controlled
I'm,
afterward commanded the whole time
and life of the apostles and disciples,
Surely we may live in our day and gen
eraticn as men "sent from Cod
Unless the Lords arm is shortened.
that it cannot save us; unless his grace
is weakened, that it cannot purify and
exalt us; unless his light is dimmed that
il cannot be reflected from the dull sur
face of our poor, selfish lives; unless the
crude natural men and women of to-day
are of far coarser and 1neaner clay for
tie Divine Potter to shape than the men
and women Of twenty centuries ago; I'M
less the Great Master is less powerful
now than then, less skilful now than
then, less willing and merciful and pa
tent now than tben--and who for a mo-
ment could accept such a suggestion as
any one of these surely it is certain,
beyond all question, that God has dis
unct and honorable place for each one OF
US in his great plan and kingdom.
He is no respecter OF persons; this is
his will for each one Of us~our sanctif-
cation; this is his acknowledgment Of
are my Witness This is the
iesne OF the work OF his spirit and proyi-
dence within US, that we shall come into
q perfect manhood. unto the measure Of
the stature Of the fullness Of Christi
Now, If all this be true, for any one Of
rs TO talk in a contemptuous tone, or
despairing way, Of our gifts. or priyi-
leges, or spheres Of work, is simply sac
rilegious and wicked. All the breadth
Of love is before us, all the length Of
faith is before us, all the depth Of human
need is before rs, all the height Of spirit
ual desire is before us, and all the full
ness Of God is before US! And yet we
trifie and complain because our gifts, or
privileges, or means or spheres. are 50
small, while men and women whose ma
tive gifts, heredity, Compartments, or OPP
p0rtunities may not have been oue-tenth
as favorable a. ours welcome the inhll-
ing Of the Holy Spirit and the outflowing
Of self, and press on TO do a service aud