The Penn's Grove record., 1911-03-24
A MINISTER
IN TRUST

I'm M4<al- is, ne was specially cdlleo
~ and the gospel was com.
" mitted to him that he
might preach it to all people. The
gospel Of the Gentiles was committed
to him; that is, he was set apart to
preach the gospel to the Gentiles, as
Peter was commissioned specially to
preach the gospel to the Jews. He
exhorts Titus to keep that good thing
which was committed to him, the
trust given him. Paul himself felt I'M
der constraint; he was not a free man,
but a servant of the Lord Jesus, to
whom was committed the ministry OF
reconciliation. He felt that necessity
was laid upon him to preach the Cos
pei as 1t was revealed to him. So
strong was this n of obligation
that he said, "Woe is me If / preach
not the gospel"
This idea of a trust underlies the
ministry. The gospel is Committed"
to the minister who is called to God;
it is a sacred trust. 1t is not something
given to him for his own use, but for
the purpose defined in his commission.
The servants were placed In trust
when the talents were committed to
them. The laborers in the vineyard
did not own it.; it was committed to
them in trust for the owner. This
cannot be too severely impressed up
on every one who enters the ministry.
He is no longer his own master, but a
servant to do the Lords will. The
gospel is committed to him for others.
He may have a call of God to a partic-
ular place or to a certain class of peo-
pie, but that mean simply that the
gospel is given him in trust for that
field OF that class, and woe is unto
him II he does not make known the
riches of grace and persuade men to
be reconciled to God. In this he may
call into service all his abilities, he
may command all the knowledge gain
ed in the broadcast studies, but all for
the n supreme purpose-the gospel
to those to whom he is called. To this
loyalty to God gives gives him joy n
his ministry and an abundant reward
in the assurance that he is serving the
Lord.
Purpose of the Gospel.
This gospel is committed to him in
trust for the church Of God. Paul felt
this. The church of the living God
was ever in his mind. The gospel is
for more than the conversion of indi-
viduals who may hear the word. 1t Is
for the founding and building of the
church of God. Paul gathered those
who believed into societies, or church
es. He commissioned others to or
dain elders In every city, that is, to or
ganize churches. 1t is popular at the
present time to speak lightly of the
church. It is regarded as a loosely
associated company of those of COM
mon faith, or, on the other hand, as an
association under priestly and des-
potic rule; a minister is referred to as
under no restraint or obligation to re-
gard the church, or as one who has no
freedom of will. But the gospel Of
Jesus Is for the church, it is in recog-
milton of its authority and for its up
building. Jesus preached the king
dom of God and sent his disciples as
messengers for his kingdom. Loyalty
to Jesus carries with it loyalty to his
church. The minister's message is
the message of the church of God;
he is entrusted with the interests and
work of the church.
Remember the Work.
The same thought carries US still
further. The minister receives his
ordination from the church by the
proper authority, the bishop or the
feels itself in trust for certain pdicm
presbytery. The particular church
feels itself in trust for certain princi-
pies and work, for a certain phase Of
truth and service, as in Paul's minis
try to the Gentiles, and in it's ordina-
ton it commits this trust to those on
whom the hands are laid. They go
forth under that commission, and up
on them rests the obligation to fulfill
the trust. There is large liberty of
individual judgment, but the commits
sion must be kept in mind. In meth
DDS of work, in the details of ones
ministry, there is room for the indi-
vidual judgment, but the commission
remains. There is not freedom to
break down the work of the church in
which one is a minister. Loyalty to
Christ, loyalty to the church OF God,
imposes the obligation of loyalty to
the church whose commission n
bears. So long as he bears the COM
mission he is under obligation to
guard and build the work of the king
dom of God as committed to him. He
rs a minister in trust.-United Pres
A-kzs