The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1942-11-26

LESSON TEXT-Matthew 18:1517; Acts
is; PAP; 6:1-4; ll:27-3O; 1918; John 1:3.
GOLDEN TEXT-As my Father hath sent
me, even so send l you.-John 20:2l.
The church is the greatest institu
ton in all the world, with the most
widespread membership and infiu
ence That is true from a purely
secular or worldly standpoint Then
when we realize that here is more
than a human organization, for it
is in fact a divine organism; that
it is the means through which God
is now manifesting this power to-
ward men, we see the supreme i'm
portance of understanding the
church and our relationship to it.
This week we stress the mission
of the church. We note seven things.
l. Holiness of Life Matt 18:l5-l0.
In a time when general standards
of decency and honesty are low,
and no one wants to be his broth
ers keeper, the church needs to be
reminded that part of its mission
is to maintain holiness in life and
the relationship of one to another.
Notice that mans attitude toward
his felloWman is first a matter for
personal attention, then it becomes
of real interest to the church, and
if no response is found there, the
offending individual is excluded and
put in the hands of God. Be sure to
observe that all this is done to
gain or win him back, not for re-
venge or in bitterness.
ii. Witness in Divine Power (Acts
1:8).
The witness bears testimony to
that which he has experienced, and
in the case of Christian experience
he is assured of divine power in
carrying out his sacred task.
The world would have laughed
(and possibly did at the idea of
small group of humble believers
making the gospel effective simply
by telling others about the Saviour
but it worked, because God S pow
Ell was in it.
III. Unity in Faith and Practice
(Acts 2:42).
The early church had not yet been
split up by the PHILOSOPHERS of men
and the vagaries Of doctrine, which
have since divided God S people. 1t
was His purpose that His people
should be one in Him, something we
should recall before we divide them
just to promote some theory OF in
depreciation.
Unity is not only a matter of be-
lief, it must reach into the practice
of daily life. They were steadfaSt
not only in doctrine, but in COM
munion and prayer. A bit more
unity there might bring us closer
together in belief.
~. Service, Spiritual and Social
(Acts GID.
The church rightly put the empha-
sis on the spiritual. The leaders
who had gifts for ministry of the
Word did not permit themselves to
be diverted into social service Too
many in the church have failed at
that point Even the good may be
the mortal enemy of the best.
At the same time the early church
did not neglect social needs Men
were appointed to care for them.
In all too many instances the mod
ern church has failed to minister to
the social needs even of its own peo-
pie and has weakly (and one fears
gladly) turned them over to social
agencies, What a pity!
V. Love-in Deed as Well as in
Word (Acts 11:27-3O).
Talking about the need of others,
wishing them Gods blessing, say
ing desultory prayer asking God
to bless and help them, is not suf-
ficicnt, in fact it is not Christian at
all (see James 2:14-1O.
Love acts. 1t gives. 1t serves.
1t proves faith by works 1t trans
lates the gospel into a language an
unbeheving world can understand.
VI. Obedience to the Holy Spirit
(Acts 1919.
God has certain plans for the
work of the church in the world,
and be sure that they are no small
or Indifferent plans, His mighty
agent in bringing His will to pass
in the world is the third person of
the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. If the
church will respond to His guidance
and be subject to His control, the
work of God may 60 on unhindered.
But just there, Christian friends, the
church has most ingloriously failed.
The early church was directed of
the Holy Spirit to set apart Paul
and Barnabas for the work of mis-
sionaries and evangelists Knowing
as we do the marvellous results of
their ministry, we shudder at the
thought of what might have hap
pened if the church had disobeyed
the Holy Spirit that day
VII. Fellowship q John 1:3).
Here is the great secret of spiritu-
al life and groWth-Christian fellow
ship. And notice with care the place
for it is in the church. If we do not
come to the church we deprive our
selves and others of the opportunity
for fellowship. The matter of church
attendance (and twice on Sunday is
not too much) needs to be put on
our consciences lest we by our abb
sence bear an anti-church testimony
before our neignbors. But even
more important is our own need of
fellowship with Gods people.