Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1919-08-15

to know Jesus.
JUNIOR ToPIC-The whole world needs
Jesus
INTERMEDIATE TOPIc-Taking the
gospel to the whole world.
SENIOR AND ADULT ToPIC-Chris-
tian missions; aims and results
!. The Obligation Of Missions MARK
1919.
God saves men for purpose. That
purpose Is TO be nborers together with
him In the salvation Of others. Chrlst'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
prench the Gospel to every creature,
this obligation will obtain as long as
there Is one unreached soul.
". The Power Of Missions (Acts
1:S).
This power Ia the supernatural In.
ducement Of the Holy Spirit. Mission.
ary endenvor 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 60 forth under the
leadership and power Of the Holy
Spirit. The Spirit was not given pr.
marily TO make Christians happy, hut
10 make them strong 10 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 tActs 1:S).
The disciples were to begin their
witnessing where they were when the
Holy Spirit fell upon them-JeruSa-
lem. But they were to 20 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
60 to your neighbors next to you. and
on to the rcmotest bounds of the earth.
There is no such thing as "homc mis-.
sionS." except that you begin mt home.
W. The First Foreign Missionaries
03:1-l4; 2S).
l. Who they were O3:2). Bar
nabas and Saul wee sclected-the
very best two men in the church. The
evangellzatlon Of the world Is task
Of such tremendous Importance that II
challenges the church 10 offer her best
men and women. Since an institution
Is judged by its representatives. 1t he.
comes the church to put her most capa.
Bile men to the front.
2. BY whom sent (l3:2, ~. 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. II should he
the business OF the church to constant
ly seek the mind OF God relative 10
sending forth laborers into the Lords
vineyard. The Spirit calls and sends
men forth, but he does this through
the church.
3. Some experiences OF the first for.
eign missionaries:
~ Withstood by Elymas the sor-
cerer Q3 6-12). Elymas moved by the
devil, sought to turn the mind Of Sergi-
us Paulus from the faith, thus barring
the Gospel ms II enters upon its widest
mission of salvation. The most VII
famous act which onu can commit is
to turn n soul from the Gospel. (2).
WorshIped rs gods (1I:S-1S). ta) The
occasion wv. S-l0). God accompanied
the testimony of these missionaries by
his mighty power. Hu wrought mir
acle through Paul. At his call the
inveterate crlpple-on, who had never
up ard walked The
cure was instant. (b) The method wv.
lib. They called Barnabas, Jupl-
ter, and Paul, Mercury, because he was
the chief speaker They declared that
the gods had come down In the like.
ness of men. and they brought oxen and |
garlnnds TO offer sacrifice. (c) Their
efforts foied wv. 14-19. 1. 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. 3. Paul
stoned wv. 1929. Stirred up by
wicked Jews from Antioch and Iconi.
um, the rabble who moment ago were
are filled with satanic hate
Doubtless Paul remembered Stephens
experience. God raised him up and he
went forth to discharge his duties as
a missionary. Such men Of courage
nre needed today.