The Omaha guide., 1946-10-26

H-46. AZ. 40; 14:26. q.
MEMORY SELECTION-But when it
lessed God to reveal his Son IN
ne. that l might preach him among the
leathen.-Galatians lis. Is.
God uses men to accomplish his
nigh and holy purpose OF preaching
ne gospel in all the world. They
must, however, be men vino have
been called by the Holy Spirit, pre-
pared and sent out by him. They
must be willing to labor and to sac
rifce without limit for his glory.
Paul was such a man, ard as
we study the W dening sphere OF his
service ard influence, we catch a
vision of what missions should mean
in the church.
L. A Missionary Call (Acts 1910.
Much discussed among earnest
Christians is the question of what
constitutes a missionary call.
The need must be brought home
% the individual believers heart by
he Holy Spirit, and he must give
= conviction that one is to go out
20 meet that need.
Note that the call came through
4 live, active and well-equipped
lurch in Antioch. a city of Syria.
t was a cosmopolitan church-read
he anne of those who served
there. They were Of many n%ationali-
ties and Of various occupations and
Gocial positions. In the midst Of that
yroup were two exceptionally able
preachers, Barnabas and Paul
hey all loved the Lord and servel
It.m.
TO such a church the Holy Spirit
can speak. be heard and cbeye6.
Notice that they gave Of their best,
y, the direction Of the Spirit, not
Withholding it for themselves (cf. II
Sam. 24:24). God wants our best.
Sent forth by the Holy Spirit these
men went promptly and willingly.
Why should the Lord have to plead.
and prod, and wait for his people
TO obey him?
II. A Missionary CONQUEST (Acts
ga, 5. Is. IA 44-45. 4S, 40.
To trace this first missionary
journey it is well to look at the map
illustrating the Acts and epistles at
the back of most Bibles.
It will appear at once that it was
lot an easy itinerary these men
unGcrtcck. 1t involved travel by sea,
trough difficult country. and offer
among hostile and hateful peoples
God does not call. his Servants tt
an air-conditioned armchair evan
gelism. His Word must 60 GU
where it has never been heard, ant
that means pioneering among ii,
most backward Of peoples, the need
lest Of this earth. 1t means work
ing in rescue missions, in thank
less and difficult pastorates; yes
anywhere the Divine Executive, the
Holy Spirit. may direct.
Paul met both popularity and per
secution, and that not far apart
After the experience of acceptance
and rejection on the island Of Cy
prus (Acts 1877, g, Barnabas and
Paul went to Antioch IN Pisidia "a
different city than Antioch in Syria;
see map. Here they were invited
to preach in the synagogue anc
Paul was blessed in the presenta.
ton of a powerful gospel mes.
sage. Read it in Acts 13:16-41. II
met with such a response that the
people "besought that these words
might be preached to them the next
Sabbath" ". Az. So great was the
popularity of Paul's message that
the whole city came the next Sab
bath ITO hear the Word of God"
What a wonderful sight that must
have been.
But wait-there is something else
here beside popularity, and its
name is jealousy ". 45). 1t caused
the Jews TO blaspheme as they con
tradicted Paul's preaching.
Jealousy always makes a fool
out Of the n who yields to it. Yet
this green-eyed monster is per.
mitted to 60 right on hindering the
, work Of God. The result in this case
was that Paul turned from the Jews
to the Gentiles with the gospel, to
their great joy and delight. This is
a great turning point in the history
of the church.
Now the preachers turn home
ward to Antioch in Syria, and there
they had
Ill. A Missionary Conference
(Acts 1925, I'D.
Nothing stimulates missionary
giving. and praying, and going in a
local church like a live missionary
conference, where those who have
been on the field come back and
tell what the Lord has done as they
went out to serve him
1t is good to know that what the
Lord led men out 10 do has been
fulfilled. That completes the circle
Of divine guidance and blessing, and
strongly encourages US to go again
and others to 60 for the first
time-to do missionary work for
God.
The church which does not have
such an annual missionary confer.
ence misses a blessing and an op.
portunity for enlarged vision and
service. No pastor or church car
afford to miss such an open door
for the working of the Holy Spirit
of CGG