Jackson County journal., 1919-08-29
IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
SUNlAYSQlOOL
LESSON
tBy REV. P. B. FITZWATER D. D.,
Teacher Of English Bible In the Moody
Bible Institute of Chicago)
Copyright. 1919. Western Newspaper Union)
LESSON FOR AUGUST II
CHRISTIAN MISSIONS.

LESSON TEXTS-Acts 1:8; 1871; 1923.
GOLDEN TExT-Go ye into all the
world and preach the Gospel to every
creature.-AMark 4o:15.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL - Matthew
8:1S-2O; Luke A:45-5S; Acts 26:12-20.
PRIMARY TOPIC-Helping everybody
to know Jesus.
JUNIOR TOPIC--The whole world needs
Jesus
INTERMEDIARY ToP1c-Taking the
gospel to the whole world
SENIOR AND ADULT TOPIC-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 q,
there is one unreached soul.
II. The Power Of Missions (Acts
1:8).
This power is the supernatural in
ducement of the Holy Spirit. Mission
ary 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 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
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-
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
. u3:1-14; 2s).
1. Who they were Q3:2). Bar
nabas and Saul were selected-tht
very best two men in the church. Th'
evangelization of the world is a tasl
! of such tremendous Importance that i
challenges the church to offer her bes
/ men and women. Since an institution
i is judged by its representatives, it be
e comes the church to put her most capa
l. BILE men to the front.
L 2 BY whom sent G3:2, ~. TIL
&c Holy Spirit chose these men and sen
Il them forth to their work. The churc
u at Antioch seemed to have deliberate
L ly planned this missionary enterprise
1t was after prayer and fasting tha
IL the Spirit ordered the church to sen
forth these missionaries It should b
81 the business of the church to cOnstan
III ly seek the mind of God relative
9a sending forth laborers into the Lord
vineyard. The Spirit calls and sen(
men forth but he does this throug
the church.
8. Some experiences of the first 70
to eign missionaries:
Q Withstood by Elymas the so
1t cerer 03:6-12). F1ymas moved by Il
devil, sought to turn the mind of Sers
ad us Pauus from the faith, thus barri1
ng the Gospel as 1t enters upon its wide
mission Of salvation. The most V
lainous Get which one can commit
do to turn a soul from the Gospel. C
an. Worshiped as gods IA :S-1S). (O t
- occasion wv S-1O). God accompani
the testimony Of these missionaries
his mighty power. He wrought m
acle through Paul. At his call t
inveterate cripple-ene who had nev
walked-leaped up and walked. T
cure was instant (b) The method {,
11-13). They called Barnabas, Ju
ter, and Paul, Mercury, because he w
the chief speaker. They declared tt
the gods had come down in the lii
ness of men, and they brought oxen a
garlands to offer sacrifice. (c) TIL
efforts foiled wv. 14-18). 1. The n
sionaries rent their clothes and r
in among the people. saying they W.
rot divine but beings of like passi(
with themselves. 2. They urged
people to turn to God. 3. p
stoned wv. 1929. Stirred up
wicked Jews from Antioch and Ice
um, the rabble who moment ago W
wWshiping are filled with satanic he
Doubtless Paul remembered Stephe
experience God raised him up and
went forth to discharge his duties
missionary. Such men of cour