Evening journal., 1910-04-09

Jesus had been preaching for more than
a year when he appointed twelve Of his
followers 10 be specially his representa-
tives sent forth-Apostles. He sent these
two and two throughout Judea- They had
not the Fathers appointment. lney had
not yet received the holy Spirit from on
high and did not receive it until Pentecost.
some two years later The holy Spirit was
not yet given, because Jesus was not vet
glorihed. (John 7.S9) But by virtue OF tho
holy Spirit given without measure TO
Jesus at the time OF his baptism, he con-
ferred upon these Apostles his own special
powers that they might heal tho sick,
cast out demons, etc. But their special
mission. like his own, was not that OF
healing physical ailments merely, nor
chiefly. They were TO proclaim the Lord
Jesus TO be tho King. the long-eNpected
Messiah, and to tell tho people that the
time was at hand for tho establishment of
his Mediatorlal Kingdom, In conjunction
with their nation. This message would be
In harmony with the expectation Of all the
Jews. For centuries they had been waiting
for tho fuhllmont Of Gods promise made
20 Abraham that through them all the
families OF the earth would be blessed.
The miracles Of Jesus and tho Apostles
were TO call attention to the proclamation,
''The Kingdom Of Heaven is at hand.
Matt. 3:2) This message, Ia harmony witr
that Of John tho Baptist, was expected tc
arouse all the "Israelites indeed" and tc
attract their attention to Jesus as the
King They were particularly warned
that their message was not for the Gen.
lilies. nor even for their nelghbors. th'
mongrei people called Samartans. True
Jews. and these only, were called upon tc
make ready their hearts and minds thai
they might be participants in the Kingdom
/ and its glories. Their message was only 1,
tho lost sheep of the house Of Israel
Tvs
They were TO make no provision for thei
journey-neither money nor extra cloth
ing They were 10 learn a lesson OF abso
lutte dependence upon the Master whit
sent them forth. They were not TO be beg
gars seeking from house 10 house. on thl
contrary. they were to recognize the dig
nifty Of their mission and service for Coz
and ambassadors of Messiah and We're 4
inquire in each village for the most wor
Thy, the most saint y. the most holy peo
pie because these would be the ones VIII
would be specially interested in thei
message-whother rich or poor, And sue
of these as received their message woul
be glad indeed to treat them as represen
tatives OF the King, whose Kingdom the
announced. Their stay IA each place wa
to be as guests until they we're ready Z
depart TO the next place. on entering int
a house they were to salute tho house
holder In a dignihed manner, advising hi
Of the object of their call. II receive
peacefully. cordially, their blessing woul
be upon that house Otherwise they wei
not to lose their own confidence and SER
nifty. but to pass along and look for OF
f moro worthy Of the message and Of the
as its representatives. Those receivir
them'would receive a blessing. Those r
iecting them and their message would 10
a great privilege.
Many wonder greatly why A. was prop
!, for our Lord and the Apostles 10 dec'a
!, the Kingdom Of Heaven at hand when,
/, a matter of fact It has not yet come al
: by the Lords directions his foilowe
: stin pray. "rhy Kingdom come; thy W
y be done on earth as fl Is done I'm heaven
D The understanding of this furnishes q
T key to the appreciation Of much of n
, Bible that is now misunderstood. We mu
r therefore. outline the matter in some d
tail
For more than sixteen centuries fsra
7 had been waiting for the fulhliment Z
e Gods promise that they would become
s great that through them the Divine hles
l ing would extend to every nation. On
- Lord through the Apostles slgnihed th
, Gods time had come TO fulhll all OF d
promises made to the Jewish nation
they were ready for them. To be read
they must be a holy nation. And TO 81
struct them and prepare them their La
Covenant had been introduced TO the
through Moses centuries before. And no
Z just preceding Jesus. John the Bapti
had preached TO them reformation, repen
4 ance, getting into harmony with the La
e that they might be ready to receive q
s Messiah While as a people they were d
- most religious nation in the world al IN
j, time, nevertheless but few of them we
a ''Israelites indeed"-at heart fully cons
h Grated to God; fully in accord with Z