Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1919-08-14

creature.-adark 1915.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL = MATTHEW
.2s.iis-2o; Luke 2:45-5s; Acts 2s:12-2e
PRIMARY ToPIC-Helping everybody
g JUNIOR TOPIC-The whole world needs
Jesus
INTERMEDIATE TOPIC Taking the
gospel to the whole world.
SENIOR AND ADULT TOPIC-Chrip,
tan missions: aims ana results
!. The Obligation Of Missions tMark
1915.
God saves men for purpose That
purpose is to be laborers together with
him in the salvation Of others. Christ's
parting message, yea, his final COM
mission to the disciples was, "Go.
preach the Gospel to every creature
This obligation still rests upon the
church. Since the command is to
preach the Gospel to every creature.
this obligation will obtain as long az
there is one unredched soul
U. The Power Of Missions (Acts
1:s).
This power Is the supernatural in
ducement Of the Holy Spirit. Mission
airy endeav0r without the Holy Spirit
is doomed to failure. Power to witness
for Christ is the purpose of the gift
Of the Spirit. Success will crown the
efforts of those who go forth under the
leadership and power Of the Holy
Spirit. The Spirit was not given pri-
marily to make Christians happy, but
to make them strong to carry the
Gospel to the heather. However,
those who go forth in this blessed serv-
ice in the Spirits power are truly
happy.
III. The Scope Of Missionary En-
deavor (Acts :8).
The disciples were to begin their
witnessing where they were when the
Holy Spirit fell upon them Jerusa.
lem. But they were to go out from
there to the "uttermost parts Of the
earth" This is the program for evr
cry disciple Of Christ. Begin witness
ing where Christ saves yon, and then
60 to your neighbors next to you, and
on to the remotest bounds Of the earth.
There Is no such thing as ''home mis-
sions," except that you begin at home
w. The First Foreign Missionaries
t13 :l-14; 2O.
i. Who they were (13:2). Bar.
nabas and Saul were selected the
very best two men In the church. The
evangelixation Of the world is task
OF such tremendous Importance that it
challenges the church to offer her best
men and women. Since an institution
is Judged by its representatives. It be-
comes the church to put her most capa-
BILE men to the Front.
2. BY whom sent (13:2. ~. The
Holy Spirit chose these men and rent
them forth to their work. The church
at Antioch seemed to have deliberate
" planned this missionary enterprise.
It was after prayer and fasting that
the Spirit ordered the church to send
forth these missionaries. Il should b
the business Of the church to constant
~ seek the mind OF God relative to
sending forth laborers into the Lords
vineyard The Spirit calls and, sends
men forth, but he does this through
the church.
| 8. Some experiences Of the first for
eign missionaries:
~ Withstood by Elymas the s01.
cerer l13:6-12). Elymas moved by the
devil, sought to turn the mind Of Sergi-
i us Paulus from the faith, thus barring
the Gospel as It enters upon its widest
| mission Of salvation. The most VII
famous act which one can commit b
to turn soul from the Gospel. (z1.
4 Worshiped as gods t14:8-18). ta) The
occasion wv. e-1O). God accompanied
4 the Testimony Of these missionaries BY
his mighty power. he wrought mir
acle through Paul. At his call the
inveterate cripple one who had never
walked leaped up and walked. The
cure was instant. (b) The method wv.
11-13). They called Barnabas. Jupi.
4 ter. and Paul, Mercury. because he wa
the chief speaker. They declared that
the gods had come Down In the like
ness Of men. and they brought oxen and
garlands to offer sacrifice. (c) Theil
efforts foiled (yv. 1879. I. The mis-
\ sionaries rent their clothes and ran
In among the people. saying they were
rot divine but beings Of like passions
with themselves. 2. They urged the
people to turn to God. 8. Pan
stoned wv. 1922. Stirred up By
wicked Jews from Antioch and Iconi
UNI. the rabble who moment ago wers
!. worshiping are filled with satanic hate
!, Doubtless Paul remembered Stephen'l
experience. God raised him up and b.
went forth to discharge his duties a,
!, a missionary. Such men OF couragl
, are needed today. ..
. Without Loyalty to Christ
, Christianity without loyalty to til
/: Christ. us Its motive and inspiration
may be llkened DWELL, may we say
our solar system minus the sun.
/; An Inward Beauty.
There, is nm inward haautv t;fo ~.