Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1919-08-14

GOLDEN TEAT-So We INTO All hs
world and preach the Gospel TO ever,
creature.-Mark 1918.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL = MATTHEW
- 10: Luke N:45-5s; Acts 2S:12-20.
PRIMARY TOPIC-HeipinE everybody
t. know Jesus.
JUNIOR ToPIc-Ths whole world needs
Jesus.
INTERMEDIATE TOPIC Taking tn.
gospel to the whole world.
SENIOR AND ADULT TOPfC-Chris
tan missions; aims and results.
!. The Obligation Of Missions Mark
1919.
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 81
there Is one unreached soul.
II. The Power of Missions (Acts
1 ~.
This power is the supernatural in
ducement of the Holy Spirit. Mission
airy endeaver without the Holy Spirit
is doomed to failure. Power to witness
for Christ is the purpose of the gift
of the Spirit. Success win 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 carTy 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 1:S).
The disciples were to begin their
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-
cry disciple of Christ. Begin witness
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
(13:1-14; 28).
l. Who they were (13:2). Bar
nabas and Saul were selected-the
very best two men in the church. The
evangelization of the world is a 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, A.. The
Holy Spirit chose these men and sent
them forth to their work. The church
at Antioch seemed to have deliberate
ly planned this missionary enterprise.
1t was after prayer and fasting that
the Spirit ordered the church to send
forth these missionaries. It should be
the business of the church to constant
~ seek the mind of God relative to
sending forth laborers into the Lord
vineyard The Spirit calls and sends
men forth. but he does this through
the church.
8. Some experiences of the first for
eign missionaries:
G) Withstood by Elymas the sor-
cerer (13 :6-12). Elymas moved by the
devil, sought to turn the mind of Sergi-
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 is
to turn soul from the Gospel. (2)
Worshiped as gods (14:S-1S). (a) The
occasion wv. S-10) God accompanied
| the testimony of these missionaries by
! 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
! lib. They called Barnabas. Jupi
| ter, and Paul, Mercury. because he was
! the chief speaker. They declared thai
the gods had come down in the like
ness of men, and they brought oxen ant
garlands to offer sacrifice. (c) Theil
efforts foiled wv. 14-1S). /. The mis-
sionaries rent their clothes and raT
In among the people, saying they were
rot divine but beings of like passion.
with themselves. 2. They urged tn.
people to turn to God. 3. Pau
stoned (vv. 1922. Stirred up h,
wicked Jews from Antioch and Iconi
um, the rabble who moment ago wer.
worshiping are filed with satanic hare
Doubtless Patl remembered Stephen
experience. God raised him up and h,
went forth to discharge his duties al
a missionary. Such men of courag,
are needed today.