Evening star., 1919-08-16
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
: Christian Missions-Acts. 1.s:
13.1-14.28.
Golden Text-"Go Ye Into All
the -World and Preach the Cos
pei to Every Creature."-Mark.
1918.
BY REV. HUGH T. STEVENSON.

is,s:
BY REV. HUGH T. STEVENSON.
Missions originated in the heart OF
God. He showed His love for the
world when He sent the first foreign
missionary. Jesus Christ, to dwell
among men so that they might come
to know the love OF the Father.
Christ founded the church so that His
world program might become a re-
ality. The history of Christianity is
q story Of missions. The gospels.
which record the life of the first mis-
sionary, were all missionary tracts
seetting forth the good news, that its
>conquests might be extended and its
works confirmed. The epistles are
all ~byproducts of missions. for they
were written as q result of the mis-
sionary endeavors of the apostles and
abroad, went everywhere preaching
the gospel Of Christ, in accordance
with His marching orders to the
church. which Jesus issued just pre-
ceding His ascension.
Christ's ministry. mission and mes
sage were based on the fact that God
50 loved the world that He gave His
only begotten Son. that whosoever be-
.lieveth IN Him should not perish. but
have everlasting life" He came to
reveal the Fathers love unto men. He
came to redeem a lost world. 1t was
i. sHis mission to reconcile the world
unto God. The going out OF God after
=, shining. ignorant men is a conception
of Diety found only in the religion
Jesus gave to the world. He instruct
ed His disciples to carry the. love
message from the Father to every
creature.
The missionary movement was in
augurated by the Master SO that
Christianity might become a world
power. He planned to win the world
through the missionary work Of the
church. He instructed every member
fishing of the kingdom of God among
men by the evangelization of every
creature, fitting them by the accept
ance of the gospel for citizenship in
the church. enlisting the converts in
s. the service by baptizing them into
ithe fellowship of the church and edu-
eating them to observe all the
Masters teachings. He encouraged
them to undertake this work of wit
Messing for Him. which was to start
with those who had crueifled Him in
Jerusalem, then into Judea, Samaria
and unto the uttermost part Of the
sAarth, until every knee should bow
and every tongue confess Him as their
Lord. by the fact that all power, both
In heaven and upon the earth, had
been committed unto Him. and also by
the promise of His being with them
unto the end of this age. He ordered
them not to commence the work Of
winning men until they received pow
er from on high. Although the prom
Used gift of the Holy Spirit was given
years had passed that they commenced
the work of evangelization among the
Gentiles with the opening Of q new
Christian center at Antioch.
1t started in a prayer meeting of
the. ministers OF the Antioch, Church.
while they were fasting and praying
for guidance the Holy Spirit made 1t
clear to them that two of their num-
Der were to be set apart and sent
forth to preach the gospel. Saul and
Barnabas were chosen. and. after an
other season Of prayer they were
dedicated to the special service and
went. forth into Asia Minor. Their
frst missionary tour did not cover
more than two hundred miles from
Tarsus. the birthplace of Saul. who is
'nant- figure in the decisive victory
over the sorcerer In the Island Of
Cyprus He Is known henceforth by
the name 0f Paul. Friction between
the first two missionaries arose over
the departure of John Mark. that
x
! to separate IN their work for the ad-
lyancemene OF the Kingdom Of God.
PaufsS first recorded sermon had
come OF the characteristics OF Peter's
sermon at Pentecost. He preached 1t
IN Apttpch, Pisidia.s Multitudes were
won foH Christianity 40 a.result Of the
sermon. Among. the number were
many Gentj1es, The obstrucfions and
opposition Asta, the. Jews OF the city
caused Paaf To cite a passage from
the words of Isaiah, sustifying the
missionaries in deliberately turning
from the Jews and offering the gospel
to the Gentiles. This marked q new
era In missions. The Gentiles had
been offered the Gospel before, but
never before had It been presented to
tions from God. Victory crowned the
s1sseionaries' efforts among the Gen
tfle9, but finally through bitter 0ppo-
e4tfOR they were compelled to seek
new fields of labor. The advancement
pTShe kingdom always meets opposi-
tories marked their efforts. they were
&8Yeed to Zee for their lives.
seAf Iystra Paul healed a lame man.
sshese evidence Of faith he tested
by a positive suggestion that he stand
upright The miraculous result caused
missionaries were gods. The local re-
gious and political officers were car
Ned away in the excitement. and pro-
1osed to- worship the two mission
aries Their refusal to be .worshiped
caused q riot. The mob that had been
melted by Jews who followed the
t%a ,apostlss, thought that they had
leff;Ppul dead. His newly won friends
were surprised at his quick recovery.
After visiting Derbe the two return
ing missionaries preached at the va
rjous places, whore they had succeed
ed in starting new communities OF be-
l}evers, and commenced new work
At Perxa. They returned to report the
success Of their missionary work az
preachers. physicians and pastors 70
the brethren Of Antioch, who had sent
them forth.
It is q long step from the days of
Paul and Barnabas to the present age.
,fhe story of their difficulties and tri-
urnphs has been matched time and
again in the history Of missionary
endeavor. Judson toiled amid the per-
secutions and sufferinss at the hands
Of the Burmans for seven years be-
fore he had won his first convert. 1t
10 only few years ago that the CEN
tenary of mission work was cele-
brated by the Baptists. The Method
lists have just completed a cente-
nary celebration that has opened the
eyes Of men in all the various Chris
fian churches to the progress and
need of the hour.
The war has opened doors that have
been closed. Men have been brought
face to face with the need of a world
4eligfon that would unite all men In
a common faith. The religion of Je-
sus is the only one that can meet the
demands Of humanity. The only hope
for permanent peace Is the gospel OF