The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1935-06-20

creature.-Mark 1915
PRIMARY TOPIC-sharing the Good
News of Jesus
JUNIOR TOPIC-Paul Goes Preach
ing.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
IC-What Can I Do for Missions?
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
IC-The Missionary Purpose Of the
Church.
God is, in his essential being, mer-
ciful and compassionate. All his
promises to and actions toward man
have been with redemptive ends.
|. Israel a Missionary Nation.
Following the apostasy Of the whole
race, God called Abraham to become
the head of a race through whom all
the nations of the earth were to be
blessed (Gen. 1913. The first Cos
pei promise, that of Genesis S:15, was
to become an actually through the
missionary activities Of the Jewish
people.
l. The nations of the earth Invited to
look to God lisa. IS :22). Israel was
called to be the peculiar witness to
the nations Of Jehovah, the one God
Deut. $40.
2. Christ given as a light to the
nations Us. 1876, Christ is the way,
the truth, and the life John 1866.
Christ is the light Of the world John
S:12).
3. Jonah, Jew, goes as a mis-
sionary to a Gentle city (Jonah
3:1-10). Jonah is prophetic of the ma
ton and Gods purpose for the Jews.
While the chosen nation has been dis
obedient to God as Jonah was, yet
after severe chastisement they shall
fulfill the divine purpose.
II. The Church a Missionary Or
ganization.
The very genius Of the Church is
propagation through devout mission
airy effort.
l. The apostolic commission Matt
2S:18, 20).
a. The authority of Jesus ". 1S).
God gave him all authority in heaven
and earth. b. The commission OF
the apostles wv. 10, 20).
% 1t was to teach, that is, make
disciples of all nations ". 19). They
were to make known to the world that
Christ died to save sinners.
(2) Bapttze those who believed.
This baptism was to be in the name
of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, in
dlcating that the believer has been
brought into definite relationship to
each member of the Holy Trinity.
90 70 teach the disciples obedi-
ence ". 20). Profession is not enough.
Oberience must ISSUE
c. The all-sufficient promise ".
20). There would constantly be the
blessing and fellowship of the all
powerful Savior and Lord.
>. The missionary program (Acts
1863. The Church is under solemn
obligation to witness to all the world
of the gracious salvation which has
been provided in Christ.
8. The first foreign missionaries
(Acts 10: 12). The occasion for this
enterprise was a meeting of certain
prophets and teachers at Antioch.
While these ministers were engaged in
praying, the Lord laid heavily upon
their hearts the evangelization of the
world. This marks the beginning OF
foreign missions as the deliberately
planned enterprise of the Christian
Church.
4. Preaching the gospel in Europe
(Acts 1G :6-10). Paul's inclination was
to tarry in Asia Minor preaching the
Word, but he was carried along by the
Spirit. The Holy Spirit is just as
active in closing doors as in opening
them. The time had come for the
gospel to begin its conquest of an
other continent. Paul, being hemmed
in on all sides, was given the vision
of man of Macedonia pleading for
help.
5. Preaching Christ before Agrippa
(Acts 26:12-20). Paul, having been
brought before the king, took ad-
vantage of the opportunity to witness
to him of the Savior. Observe,
a. His manner of life ". 12). He
showed that he had been in strictest
accord with the most rigid sect of the
Jews. b. Ills supernatural CONVEX
sion wv. 1870. Christ had appeared
to him on the way to Damascus and
revealed himself to him. c. Jesus
Christ commissioned him for a work
wv. 1919. He was sent to the Gen
tiles to open their blind eyes, to turn
them from darkness TO light and from
the power of Satan to God. d. His
conservation wv. 10, 20). He rendered
immediate obedience to his commits
sion. He showed that the opposition
which he now experienced was due
to his vigorous prosecution Of his