The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1940-03-28

GOLDEN TEAT-Ye shall be witnesses
unto me unto the uttermost parts OF
the earth.-Acts 1:8.
World conquest! The dream of die
tators and OF national leaders down
through the ages is to be accom-
plished, for there is One who has
the authority to claim such place
of leadership who will one day rule,
for then 1.-THE kingdoms of this
world" will have become ''the king
doms of our Lord, and Of his Christ;
and He shall reign for ever and
ever" (Rev. 11:15). While we await
His coming to take the throne are
we to sit idly by? No indeed, for
even now Christ has all authority
and He has commissioned His fol-
lowers to go out and to serve Him in
all the world by making disciples in
every nation.
1. The Obedient Disciples wv. 16,
ID.
The Lord never fails to keep His
Word, but often His followers miss
great blessing because they fail to
keep their appointments with Him.
He had told His disciples that after
His resurrection He would meet
them in Galilee, and we read that
they met Him at the appointed
place. One trembles to think of
what they and we might have
missed if they had failed to meet
Him.
His promise to us is just as true
and definite. "Where two or three
are gathered in my name, there am
I in the midst of them" (Matt. 10:
20) applies to us today. If we meet
Him at the appointed place, bless
ing will come to us and will flow out
through us to all the world.
Observe that "some doubted"
that is, they were perplexed and I'M
certain about the risen Saviour. If
they persisted in their lack of faith
we know that it must have shut them
out of great blessing, but at the
same time it did not hinder the
Lords gracious ministry to His 9TH
er disciples.
II. The AIl-Powerful Leader ".
49,.
Quietly and without any fanfare,
Jesus announced that all power was
given unto Him; or as the Revised
Version more appropriately trans
lates the word, "all authority" He
does have all power, but He has
more. He has the supreme authori-
ty which gives Him the right to rule
over the entire creation, heaven and
earth, spiritual as well as material.
No man in his right mind has ever
laid claim to authority over even so
much as the earth, but here is One
who without hesitation or qualifca-
ton declares that to Him has been
given all authority in heaven as well
as in earth, that is, over the entire
creation. Surely it is God Himself
who here speaks to US.
III. The Great Commission wv.
10, 20a).
cit is the sublimest of all specta-
cles to see the risen Christ without
money or army or state, charging
this band of SEQ men and women
with world conquest and bringing
them to believe it possible and to un-
dertake it with serious passion and
power. Pentecost is still to come,
but dynamic faith rules on this
mountain in Galilee" CDR. A. T.
Robertson).
Such faith and such a commits
sion call for a worldwide mission.
The church or Individual without a
worldwide missionary vision assur-
edly does not have the viewpoint of
Christ. Observe also that it is an
evangelistic mission. We are not
called to entertain the world, nor
primarily to improve the social Or
der. Our business is to make dis
ciples," that is, true followers of Je-
sus Christ, which they can only be-
come through accepting Him as Sa-
viour and Lord.
Such a ministry will inevitably be
a teaching ministry. Faith cometh
by hearing, and hearing by the word
of God" (Rom. 10:1D. How foolish
is the preacher or evangelist who
fails to teach the Word of God. 1t is
His appointed method which cannot
fail. Christian baptism is also a
vital part of the Great Commission.
1t was first practiced at Pentecost
(Acts q and later in the Church
(Acts 8 and 10).
Nv. The Abiding Presence ". 20b).
There is no other statement of fact
(for it is more than a promise) any,
where or by anyone that can COM
pare with the assurance of Christ
that He is with His witnesses al
ways, even unto the end of the age.
Consider first of all who is to be
with us, namely, the Son of God,
the risen Christ, the One with all
authority in heaven and earth! Then
note that He is to be with His dis
ciples always" How important that
is, for as we well know, the inspira-
ton of even the greatest human
leader largely goes with him to the
grave. The Lord Jesus, on the other
hand, is with each one of His chill
dren always. What assurance that
o. r