The midland journal., 1946-06-07
TRAINING FOR SERVICE

| LESSON TEXT Mark 6:7-13: Luke
/ MEMoRY SELECTION = And he that
taketh not his cross. and followeth after me,
is not worthy Of me.-Matthew 1888.
Workers for God, and with Godl
Such is the high privilege Of the men
and women who respond to his call
and who go out to witness for him.
On the one side, we have world
desperately in need of the gospel,
perhaps more so than any genera
ton in history. On the other hand,
we have the gospel of the saving
grace of God in Christ Jesus, the
only solution to the problems of man.
kind, the perfect answer to mans
need.
How shall these two be brought
together? BY sending out witnesses
to tell the glad tidings of redemp-
tion and peaces Where shall we find
these witnesses? In the church, for
only the believer in Christ is quail
fed to tell others of his saving
grace.
Our lesson, in telling of the Lords
calling and sending forth laborers
into his harvest field, gives us much
helpful instruction regarding serv-
ice for the Lord. We learn that
I. God Provides for His Workers
MARK 6:7-10).
| Jesus sent out his twelve disciples
two by two, thus providing every
worker with fellowship and help in
hours of encouragement and trial.
This also served to keep a man in
balance SO that he would not become
self-willed and proud of his own
| achievements.
| 1t was wise provision. Perhaps
the church should have observed it
with more care, and thus have
saved SOME good workers from go
, ing astray.
They were not to be numbered
with extra equipment, nor be con-
cerned about their daily sustenance.
The Lord would provide through the
hospitality and generosity of his
people.
Note that the expected hospitality
was not to be allowed to hinder their
work (cf. v. 10 with Luke 10:D.
Many preacher or evangelist has
ruined series of meetings by let
ting social life hinder prayer, soul
winning, or preparation for preach
ing.
III. God Gives Power to His Work.
ers mark 6:7, 11-13).
He gave them authority over evil
spirits, so that they could drive
them out. He gave them power to
heal; he gave them power to preach
effectively.
The man who goes forth to speak
for the Lord does not have to mus
ter up his own puny powers or de-
pend on the weak arm of some hui
man helper. His resources are in
finite and omnipotent. He speaks
for the Almighty God. He has a
message with saving power.
All too often the servants of the
Lord are apologetic and hesitant in
their ministry. They mistake weak
ness for rneekness, and in their de-
sire not to assert themselves, they
fail to speak ringing "Thus saith
/ the Lord"
/ We need a revival of authorita-
tive preaching, of that holy boldness
which was not afraid to rebuke sin
and any unwillingness to do the
Lords will ". 11). We need a new
emphasis on repentance ". 12).
iii. God Calls Helpers for His
Workers Luke 10: /, q.
After the twelve were sent out,
he called and commissioned the sew
enty. That blessed process has
gone on ever since. How blessed
it is that even in our day of unbelief
and sin, hundreds of young men and
women are going out to all the mis-
sion fields of the world to work
with older and experienced mission
aries.
Perhaps these words will be read
by some young man or woman who
has felt the promptings of the Spirit
of God to go into his service. Step
out by faith just now, and begin to
prepare yourself for Gods service.
If the writer of these notes can be
Of help to you, do not hesitate to
write to him. God is looking for
more workers.
Do not overlook the important ad-
monition in verse 2. The Lord is
waiting for his people to pray for
laborers for fields which stand white
and ready for harvest.
Nv. God Requires Self-Denial Of
His Workers (Luke 14:25-27).
The mighty works and the power
full words of Jesus made it impos-
sible for people to ignore him. Null
titudes followed him, but he, know
ing the fickleness of the human
heart, faced them with the real de-
mands of discipleship.
The Lord was never concerned
with mere numbers. He wanted fol-
lowers whose hearts were right. The
church has broken down its testi-
mony in the world by its frantic de-
sire for more members, great
crowds, large church buildings, at
the expense of compromise of tes-
timony.
/ mi