The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1919-08-16
LESSON FOR AUGUST II
CHRISTIAN MISSIONS.


LESSON TEXTS-Acts is; 1871; l4:2S.
GOLDEN TEXT-Go ye into all the
world and preach the Gospel to every
creature.--Iark .o:l5
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL - Matthew
2S:1S-2O; Luke "a 1853: Acts 26:l2-2O
PRIMARY TOPIC-Helping everybody
to know Jesus.
JUNIOR TOPIC-The whole world needs
Jesus
INTERMEDIATE TOPIC-Taking the
gospel to the whole world
SENIOR AND ADULT .TOPIC-Chrts-
tan missions: aims and results
!. The Obligation Of Missions mark
1919.
God saves men for a 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, Co
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 as
there is one unreached soul.
u. The Power Of Missions (Acts
1:S).
This power Is the supernatural In
ducement of the Holy Spirit. Mission
airy endeavor 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 60 forth in this blessed serv-
ice in the Spirits power are truly
happy.
~. The Scope Of Missionary En-
deavor (Acts l ~.
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 ev-
|
ing where Christ saves you, and then
go 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
| Q3 lila; 2S).
l. Who they were Q3:2). Bar
nabas and Saul were selected-the
very best two men in the church. The
evangelZatiOn of the world is task
of such tremendous Importance that II
challenges the church to offer her best
men and women. Since an institution
is judged by its representatives. ii be-
comes the church to put her most capa-
BILE men to the front.
.. BY whom sent Q3:2, ~. The
Holy Spirit chose these men and sent
them forth to their work. The church
at Antioch seemed to have deliberate
" planned this missionary enterprise
II was after prayer and fasting that
the Spirit ordered the church to send
forth these missionaries. 1t should he
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 sor
cerer C3 :6-12). Elymas moved by the
devil, sought to turn the mind of Sergi
us Paulus from the faith, thus barring
the Gospel as 1t enters upon its wides
mission of salvation. The most vii
famous act which one can commit |,
to turn a soul from the Gospel. (2)
Worshiped as gods IA :S1S). (aD TIL,
occasion wv. S-10). God accompanies
the testimony of these missionaries b!
his mighty power. He wrought a mir
acle through Paul. At his call tn,
inveterate cripple-One who had neve
walked-leaped up and walked. TIL,
cure was instant. (b) The method wv
lib. They called Barnabas. Jupi
ter. and Paul. Mercury. because he wa
the chief speaker. They declared tina
the gods had come down In the like
ness of men. and they brought oxen an
garlands 10 offer sacrifice. (c) Thei
efforts foiled wv. 14-1S). l. The mis-
sionaries rent their clothes and raj
In among the people. saying they wer
cot divine but beings of like passion
with themselves. 2. They urged tn
people 70 turn to God. 3. Pau
stoned wv. 1927. Stirred up b,
wicked Jews from Antioch and Iconi
um. the rabble who moment ago wer
worshiping are filled with satanic hate
Doubtless Paul remembered Stephen
experience. God raised him up and h
went forth to discharge his duties a
missionary. Such men of courag
are needed today.