Arizona sun., 1946-10-25

we study the widening sphere of his
service and influence, we catch 8
vision of what missions should NEAR
In the church.
la Missionary Call (Acts 13:1-N
Much discussed among earnest
Christians is the question of what
constitutes a missionary call.
The need must be brought home
to the individual believers heart by
the Holy Spirit, and he must give
conviction that one is to go out
to meet that need.
Note that the call came through
live, active and well-equipped
church in Antioch, a city of Syria
It was cosmopolitan church-reao
the names of those who served
there. They were of many nationali'
ties and of various occupations and
social positions. In the midst Of that
group were two exceptionally able
preachers, Barnabas and Paul
They all loved the Lord and served
him.
To such church the Holy Spirit
can speak, be heard and obeyed
Notice that they gave of their best,
at the direction Of the Spirit, not
Withholding it for themselves (cf. II
Sam. 24:2N. 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?
III. A Missionary Conquest (Acts
1874. S, 13, IA, 44-46, 48, 40.
To trace this first missionary
journey it is well to look at the map
Illustrating the Acts and epistles al
the back of most Bibles.
It will appear at once that it was
not an easy itinerary these men
undertook. It involved travel by sea,
through difficult country, and often
among hostile and hateful peoples.
God does not call his servants to
an air-conditioned armchair evan
gelism. His Word must 60 out
where it has never been heard, and
that means pioneering among the
most backward of peoples, the need
lest Of this earth. It 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, 81, 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 and
Paul was blessed in the presenta.
ton of a powerful gospel mes
sage. Read it in Acts 13:16-41. II
met with such response that the
people "besought that these words
might be preached to them the next
Sabbath" ". ~. 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 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 one who yields to it. Yet
this green-eyed monster is per.
mitted to go 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, 2O.
Nothing stimulates missionary
giving, and praying, and going in a
local church like 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 to do has been
fulfilled. That completes the circle
of divine guidance and blessing, and
strongly encourages us to go again
and others to go for the first
time-to do missionary work for
God.
The church which does not have
such an annual missionary confer
ence. misses blessing and an op.
portunity for enlarged vision and
service. No pastor or church can
| afford to miss such an open door