the desire of ages-第143章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　86

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Go　Teach　All　Nations


Standing　but　a　step　from　His　heavenly　throne；　Christ　gave　the　commission　to　His　disciples。　〃All　power　is　given　unto　Me　in　heaven　and　in　earth；〃　He　said。　〃Go　ye　therefore；　and　teach　all　nations。〃　〃Go　ye　into　all　the　world；　and　preach　the　gospel　to　every　creature。〃　Mark　16：15。　Again　and　again　the　words　were　repeated；　that　the　disciples　might　grasp　their　significance。　Upon　all　the　inhabitants　of　the　earth；　high　and　low；　rich　and　poor；　was　the　light　of　heaven　to　shine　in　clear；　strong　rays。　The　disciples　were　to　be　colaborers　with　their　Redeemer　in　the　work　of　saving　the　world。

The　commission　had　been　given　to　the　twelve　when　Christ　met　with　them　in　the　upper　chamber；　but　it　was　now　to　be　given　to　a　larger　number。　At　the　meeting　on　a　mountain　in　Galilee；　all　the　believers　who　could　be　called　together　were　assembled。　Of　this　meeting　Christ　Himself；　before　His　death；　had　designated　the　time　and　place。　The　angel　at　the　tomb　reminded　the　disciples　of　His　promise　to　meet　them　in　Galilee。　The　promise　was　repeated　to　the　believers　who　were　gathered　at　Jerusalem　during　the　Passover　week；　and　through　them　it　reached　many　lonely　ones　who　were　mourning　the　death　of　their　Lord。　With　intense　interest　all　looked　forward　to　the　interview。　They　made　their　way　to　the　place　of　meeting　by　circuitous　routes；　coming　in　from　every　direction；　to　avoid　exciting　the　suspicion　of　the　jealous　Jews。　With　wondering　hearts　they　came；　talking　earnestly　together　of　the　news　that　had　reached　them　concerning　Christ。

At　the　time　appointed；　about　five　hundred　believers　were　collected　in　little　knots　on　the　mountainside；　eager　to　learn　all　that　could　be　learned

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from　those　who　had　seen　Christ　since　His　resurrection。　From　group　to　group　the　disciples　passed；　telling　all　they　had　seen　and　heard　of　Jesus；　and　reasoning　from　the　Scriptures　as　He　had　done　with　them。　Thomas　recounted　the　story　of　his　unbelief；　and　told　how　his　doubts　had　been　swept　away。　Suddenly　Jesus　stood　among　them。　No　one　could　tell　whence　or　how　He　came。　Many　who　were　present　had　never　before　seen　Him；　but　in　His　hands　and　feet　they　beheld　the　marks　of　the　crucifixion；　His　countenance　was　as　the　face　of　God；　and　when　they　saw　Him；　they　worshiped　Him。

But　some　doubted。　So　it　will　always　be。　There　are　those　who　find　it　hard　to　exercise　faith；　and　they　place　themselves　on　the　doubting　side。　These　lose　much　because　of　their　unbelief。

This　was　the　only　interview　that　Jesus　had　with　many　of　the　believers　after　His　resurrection。　He　came　and　spoke　to　them　saying；　〃All　power　is　given　unto　Me　in　heaven　and　in　earth。〃　The　disciples　had　worshiped　Him　before　He　spoke；　but　His　words；　falling　from　lips　that　had　been　closed　in　death；　thrilled　them　with　peculiar　power。　He　was　now　the　risen　Saviour。　Many　of　them　had　seen　Him　exercise　His　power　in　healing　the　sick　and　controlling　satanic　agencies。　They　believed　that　He　possessed　power　to　set　up　His　kingdom　at　Jerusalem；　power　to　quell　all　opposition；　power　over　the　elements　of　nature。　He　had　stilled　the　angry　waters；　He　had　walked　upon　the　white…crested　billows；　He　had　raised　the　dead　to　life。　Now　He　declared　that　〃all　power〃　was　given　to　Him。　His　words　carried　the　minds　of　His　hearers　above　earthly　and　temporal　things　to　the　heavenly　and　eternal。　They　were　lifted　to　the　highest　conception　of　His　dignity　and　glory。

Christ's　words　on　the　mountainside　were　the　announcement　that　His　sacrifice　in　behalf　of　man　was　full　and　complete。　The　conditions　of　the　atonement　had　been　fulfilled；　the　work　for　which　He　came　to　this　world　had　been　accomplished。　He　was　on　His　way　to　the　throne　of　God；　to　be　honored　by　angels；　principalities；　and　powers。　He　had　entered　upon　His　mediatorial　work。　Clothed　with　boundless　authority；　He　gave　His　commission　to　the　disciples：　〃Go　ye　therefore；　and　teach　all　nations；〃　〃baptizing　them　into　the　name　of　the　Father　and　of　the　Son　and　of　the　Holy　Spirit：　teaching　them　to　observe　all　things　whatsoever　I　commanded　you：　and　lo；　I　am　with　you　always；　even　unto　the　end　of　the　world。〃　Matt。　28：19；　20；　R。　V。

The　Jewish　people　had　been　made　the　depositaries　of　sacred　truth；　but　Pharisaism　had　made　them　the　most　exclusive；　the　most　bigoted；　of

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all　the　human　race。　Everything　about　the　priests　and　rulerstheir　dress；　customs；　ceremonies；　traditionsmade　them　unfit　to　be　the　light　of　the　world。　They　looked　upon　themselves；　the　Jewish　nation；　as　the　world。　But　Christ　commissioned　His　disciples　to　proclaim　a　faith　and　worship　that　would　have　in　it　nothing　of　caste　or　country；　a　faith　that　would　be　adapted　to　all　peoples；　all　nations；　all　classes　of　men。

Before　leaving　His　disciples；　Christ　plainly　stated　the　nature　of　His　kingdom。　He　called　to　their　minds　what　He　had　previously　told　them　concerning　it。　He　declared　that　it　was　not　His　purpose　to　establish　in　this　world　a　temporal；　but　a　spiritual　kingdom。　He　was　not　to　reign　as　an　earthly　king　on　David's　throne。　Again　He　opened　to　them　the　Scriptures；　showing　that　all　He　had　passed　through　had　been　ordained　in　heaven；　in　the　councils　between　the　Father　and　Himself。　All　had　been　foretold　by　men　inspired　by　the　Holy　Spirit。　He　said；　You　see　that　all　I　have　revealed　to　you　concerning　My　rejection　as　the　Messiah　has　come　to　pass。　All　I　have　said　in　regard　to　the　humiliation　I　should　endure　and　the　death　I　should　die；　has　been　verified。　On　the　third　day　I　rose　again。　Search　the　Scriptures　more　diligently；　and　you　will　see　that　in　all　these　things　the　specifications　of　prophecy　concerning　Me　have　been　fulfilled。

Christ　commissioned　His　disciples　to　do　the　work　He　had　left　in　their　hands；　beginning　at　Jerusalem。　Jerusalem　had　been　the　scene　of　His　amazing　condescension　for　the　human　race。　There　He　had　suffered；　been　rejected　and　condemned。　The　land　of　Judea　was　His　birthplace。　There；　clad　in　the　garb　of　humanity；　He　had　walked　with　men；　and　few　had　discerned　how　near　heaven　came　to　the　earth　when　Jesus　was　among　them。　At　Jerusalem　the　work　of　the　disciples　must　begin。

In　view　of　all　that　Christ　had　suffered　there；　and　the　unappreciated　labor　He　had　put　forth；　the　disciples　might　have　pleaded　for　a　more　promising　field；　but　they　made　no　such　plea。　The　very　ground　where　He　had　scattered　the　seed　of　truth　was　to　be　cultivated　by　the　disciples；　and　the　seed　would　spring　up　and　yield　an　abundant　harvest。　In　their　work　the　disciples　would　have　to　meet　persecution　through　the　jealousy　and　hatred　of　the　Jews；　but　this　had　been　endured　by　their　Master；　and　they　were　not　to　flee　from　it。　The　first　offers　of　mercy　must　be　made　to　the　murderers　of　the　Saviour。

And　there　were　in　Jerusalem　many　who　had　secretly　believed　on　Jesus；　and　many　who　had　been　deceived　by　the　priests　and　rulers。　To　these　also　the　gospel　was　to　be　presented。　They　were　to　be　called　to

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repentance。　The　wonderful　truth　that　through　Christ　alone　could　remission　of　sins　be　obtained　was　to　be　made　plain。　While　all　Jerusalem　was　stirred　by　the　thrilling　events　of　the　past　few　weeks；　the　preaching　of　the　gospel　would　make　the　deepest　impression。

But　the　work　was　not　to　stop　here。　It　was　to　be　extended　to　the　earth's　remotest　bounds。　To　His　disciples　Christ　said；　You　have　been　witnesses　of　My　life　of　self…sacrifice　in　behalf　of　the　world。　You　have　witnessed　My　labors　for　Israel。　Although　they　would　not　come　unto　Me　that　they　might　have　life；　although　priests　and　rulers　have　done　to　Me　as　they　listed；　although　they　have　rejected　Me　as　the　Scriptures　foretold；　they　shall　have　still　another　opportunity　of　accepting　the　Son　of　God。　You　have　seen　that　all　who　come　to　Me；　confessing　their　sins；　I　freely　receive。　Him　that　cometh　to　Me　I　will　in　nowise　cast　out。　All　who　will；　may　be　reconciled　to　God；　and　receive　everlasting　life。　To　you；　My　disciples；　I　commit　this　message　of　mercy。　It　is　to　be　given　to　Israel　first；　and　then　to　all　nations；　tongues；　and　peoples。　It　is　to　be　given　to　Jews　and　Gentiles。　All　who　believe　are　to　be　gathered　into　one　church。

Through　the　gift　of　the　Holy　Spirit　the　disciples　were　to　receive　a　marvelous　power。　Their　testimony　was　to　be　confirmed　by　signs　and　wonders。　Miracles　would　be　wrought；　not　only　by　the　apostles；　but　by　those　who　received　their　message。　Jesus　said；　〃In　My　name　shall　they　cast　out　devils；　they　shall　speak　with　new　tongues；　they　shall　take　up　serpents；　and　if　they　drink　any　deadly　thing；　it　shall　not　hurt　them；　they　shall　lay　hands　on　the　sick；　and　they　shall　recover。〃　Mark　16：17；　18。

At　that　time　poisoning　was　often　practiced。　Unscrupulous　men　did　not　hesitate　to　remove　by　this　means　those　who　stood　in　the　way　of　their　ambition。　Jesus　knew　that　the　life　of　His　disciples　would　thus　be　imperiled。　Many　would　think　it　doing　God　service　to　put　His　witnesses　to　death。　He　therefore　promised　them　protection　from　this　danger。

The　disciples　were　to　have　the　same　power　which　Jesus　had　to　heal　〃all　manner　of　sickness　and　all　manner　of　disease　among　the　people。〃　By　healing　in　His　name　the　diseases　of　the　body；　they　would　testify　to　His　power　for　the　healing　of　the　soul。　Matt。　4：23；　9：6。　And　a　new　endowment　was　now　promised。　The　disciples　were　to　preach　among　other　nations；　and　they　would　receive　power　to　speak　other　tongues。　The　apostles　and　their　associates　were　unlettered　men；　yet　through　the　outpouring　of　the　Spirit　on　the　day　of　Pentecost；　their　speech；　whether　in　their　own　or　a　foreign　language；　became　pure；　simple；　and　accurate；　both　in　word　and　in　accent。

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Thus　Christ　gave　His　disciples　their　commission。　He　made　full　provision　for　the　prosecution　of　the　work；　and　took　upon　Himself　the　responsibility　for　its　success。　So　long　as　they　obeyed　His　word；　and　worked　in　connection　with　Him；　they　could　not　fail。　Go　to　all　nations；　He　bade　them。　Go　to　the　farthest　part　of　the　habitable　globe；　but　know　that　My　presence　will　be　there。　Labor　in　faith　and　confidence；　for　the　time　will　never　come　when　I　will　forsake　you。

The　Saviour's　commission　to　the　disciples　included　all　the　believers。　It　includes　all　believers　in　Christ　to　the　end　of　time。　It　is　a　fatal　mistake　to　suppose　that　the　work　of　saving　souls　depends　alone　on　the　ordained　minister。　All　to　whom　the　heavenly　inspiration　has　come　are　put　in　trust　with　the　gospel。　All　who　receive　the　life　of　Christ　are　ordained　to　work　for　the　salvation　of　their　fellow　men。　For　this　work　the　church　was　established；　and　all　who　take　upon　themselves　its　sacred　vows　are　thereby　pledged　to　be　co…workers　with　Christ。

〃The　Spirit　and　the　bride　say；　Come。　And　let　him　that　heareth　say；　Come。〃　Rev。　22：17。　Everyone　who　hears　is　to　repeat　the　invitation。　Whatever　one's　calling　in　life；　his　first　interest　should　be　to　win　souls　for　Christ。　He　may　not　be　able　to　speak　to　congregations；　but　he　can　work　for　individuals。　To　them　he　can　communicate　the　instruction　received　from　his　Lord。　Ministry　does　not　consist　alone　in　preaching。　Those　minister　who　relieve　the　sick　and　suffering；　helping　the　needy；　speaking　words　of　comfort　to　the　desponding　and　those　of　little　faith。　Nigh　and　afar　off　are　souls　weighed　dow