The Reformed Presbyterian Standard and also 0\ir ... - Rparchives.org

November 25, 1914. A FAMILY PAPER. II
Inthe S a b b a t h
School
By Rev. Owen F. Thompson.
Lesson XI. December 13, 1914.
THE GREAT COMMISSION.
Golden Text—Lo, I am with you always, even
unto the end of the world.—Matt. 28:20.
Lesson Text—Matthew 28:16-20, Luke 24:36-49.
Time—April and May, A. D. 30.
Suitable Psalms—72, 67, 22, 98.
Exposition—The Imperator, one of the great
modern ships of the world, recently took her
maiden trip. As she sailed proudly into port at
the end of her first voyage over the waves, hundreds
of eyes read the device inscribed on her
prow, "My field,the world."
These words told of a great ambition that had
inspired her builders and the ship that steamed
so proudly into port and proven herself worthy
of it She had conquered the ocean and made
it her servant to carry her around the world.
The Master Builder in heaven has come inio
this world and has built him a ship. His ship
is the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus Christ is the
•Captain. His Spirit is the ipilot guiding the ship
here and there accordng to his orders. His people
are the sailors—the firemen, the engineers.,
the deck hands, the stewards, the cooks, the lookouts,
the wireless operators and all the rest who
are found on one of those great ships that plow
the mighty deep. The Kingdom of Heaven is
the Master Builder's vessel and he built it with
a great ambition in his heart, for on the prov
of his ship are inscribed the words where every
one may read, "The fieldis the world."
My friends, what is your position on ship
board The Kingdom of Heaven carries many
thousands of hands and they each one have a
position to flll. 'What is your position on the
Kingdom of Heaven Have you one at all Are
you drawing your pay, the commendation of Jesus
Christ Are you helping to make the ship fulfll
the great ambition of her builder—to conquer the
ocean of men and make that great multitude her
servant to carry her around the world
Christ does not make any distinction in his
call, but there is one thing certain. There are
no shanghaid sailors on board. His fieldis the
world. This is as much a part of the world as
China or Syria. We must remember, however,
that China and Syria are just as much a part of
the world as this land or our own comimunity. The
command is to go, and that word "go" is the
word that you cannot escape from if you are to
have a place in the kingdom of heaven.
So many times we speak or hear of the question
whether we ought to go or not, as though all
of life so far had been spent sitting still and as
though the rest of a 'Christian life might be spent
that way too. But if a person is to be a follower
of Christ there is no question whether he will
like buying a ticket in the station. Those around
cannot tell you how far you will have to go to
get there, for they do not know where you are going.
But you can be sure of one thing. There
will always be a GO connected with the call.
What things go together to make an imperative
call
One thing is the honor of Jesus Christ. Christ
has made his plan for bringing the world to himself.
Part of that plan is that his people shall
be the messengers to carry the offer of salvation.
There is no other way for the loffer to reach men
as things stand and for the honor of our Lord
we ought not to fail him. There are miUions
and millions still living in the darkness and degradation
of heathenism. Christ has given his
word that these nations and peoples shall hear
the gospel. Are you going to let the devils sit
by and laugh because Christ's work has not been
effective enough in his people to lead them to
do his bidding
Another thing that would come in to make up a
personal call to you would be the actual 'hearing
ot the call. Paul heard his call in the vision
and it was just as real to him as God's voice was
to Samuel.
How is it with you Have you not read the
call time after time in the papers Have you
not been told by those who have seen the need
that Christ is needing you there. Do these calls
apply to you or have you been vaccinated in
some mysterious way so that you are immune
from responsibility
There are many such calls to all parts of the
worid, your own door yard included, and you
can iiot obey them all. But they are all meant
for you in this way that they all blend together
to make a loud call to GO into Christ's work
somewhere. Other things may help to decide
which direction and how far, but the call to go
is without question.
Another thing that would come in to make up
your call would be the needs of the people there.
Or perhaps we ought to say just the needs of
others, wherever they may be.
There is so much to be known these days
about the need that you can find it for yourselves.
But without any other information it is enough
to say that there are millions without Christ and
there are thousands near us who have heard but
who have not learned to take him as a Savior in
all the troubles and sorrows and duties of life.
Another thing that would come in to make up
in the world have been forced on men by the
working of the inward spirit.
The Master is come and calleth for thee. How
is it with you Is Christ calling to your soul to
come after nim You may be sure that he is and
the thing for all wise children to do is to arise
and GO.
There are two statements that I have heard
and they seem opposite to each other, but they
are both true. They are statements of the same
thing from different standpoints. They are these.
No one should go to be a foreign missionary if
he can be satisfied to remain at home. The other
is. No one has a right to be at home unless he
can give proof that God does not want him in the
foreign field.
Now the last thing is. What are you going to
do about it You are not too young. You are not
too old. You are not too inexperienced. You are
not too busy. You are not too much afraid. You
are not too sick. You are not too araibltious.
There are no other calls that can take a first
place. None of these things count. Some might
keep you out of the foreign field. Some might
keep you out of the home field. Some of these
things might conflne your work to particular
lines, Lesson but XI. no one or all of them December will count 13, as 1914. an
excuse with LESSON God to FOR keep THE you CHILDREN.
from being a missionary.
Whether By Anna you Pritchard go to the George. foreign fieldor
to a friend THE or to GREAT God in COMMISSION.
prayer, every person to
be a true Matt. Christian 28:16-20; HAS Luke TO GO! 24:36-49.
Eleanor, what sea did Jesus love so well "The
Sea of Galilee." Twice after Jesus rose from the
dead he was seen by his friends in Galilee right
near this beautiful sea.
On the table sink this pan of water in the
sand for the Sea of Galilee, and pile the sand
around it for the mountains. Use this half of
a walnut shell for a fishingboat.
You remember, the angel told the women: "He
goeth before you into Galilee." And Jesus said,
"Tell my brethren that they go into Galilse." So
after Jesus had been seen the firstsix times in
and around Jerusalem, the disciples start for
Galilee. The Passover is over in Jerusalem and
many people are walking back to Galilee and to
the cities along the road in that direction. These
sticks are all the people going home after the
Passover. As the disciples and the women hurry
along, they separate and mix in the crowd. When
they meet other friends of Jesus do you suppose
they tell about his resurrection, Grace Yes, and
that they are on the way to meet him in Gall-
your call would be the Great Commission. This lee. But, do the others want to go too "Yes.'
is always spoken of in a Missionary sermon and Nothing would keep them back. Who are some
there is no need to say that we are bound to take of them, Mary "Mary and Martha and Lazarus."
Christ at his word. He gave the commission to "Bartimaeus." "The leper." "Jairus' daughter."
his own and made no exception when he gave it. Here come the crowd toward the mountain in
So many seem to think that because only a Galilee. They do not know just when Jesus will
very small proportion can go to be foreign missionaries
meet them there, but they want to be in time so
that the Great 'Commission applies to as not to miss him.
only a few. That is not true. It applies to every One night while they are waiting, Peter says
go or not. ORGANIC The only question that INDIVIDUALITY could come person who accepts Christ. ai\d If you SOCIALITY
are not a missionary
of Christ in vpliatever station or work' you others reply, "We also go with thee." So seven
to some of the disciples, STRUCTURAL
"I go afishing." The
is WHERE he will go. The call may not take
you far. With a mother it inay take her no farther
than to the bedroom to talk to her child Lord and Savior.
ing a big fish net, go out in this boat. They are
may be then
characteri:ze
you are guilty of disobedience
the
to your of them come down tho mountain side and tak­
before C Ohe Rgoes Rto Esleep. S PIt may O Ntake D a Eparent
N C E Another thing C Othat U would R S go Eto S make up Oa call F B I B L E S T U D Y
into tihe inner room to the place of prayer. It for you would the working of God's Spirit in
may conducted take one to under the desk the to write personal a letter. direction It of Dr. Wilbert W. White, President of the Bible Teachers' Training
your heart. All these other things mean nothing
if there is
may School, take you New to a York. friend or They schoolmate. form It a- department of
not
the
the working
School's
of
work.
his Spirit in
may take INDIVIDUALITY you to a Mission Sabbath in School. the student It your heart is recognized to be a propeller and from developed within. Many by the method. There is individuality in
may every take assignment.
you to the ends The of the student earth. is It led is to of think the great and things to interpret that have been for himself, accomplished rather than to receive the instructor's
views. Only thus can one come to teach with authority.
SOCIALITY is present in the plan for study by groups, where such is desired. A group receives assignments
and sends reports through its secretary.
Write for circular giving full particulars.
Address, Correspondence Department,
bible: teachers training school.
SPIRITUAL 541 Liexington Avenue, New York. PRACTICAL