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4 HjLHk ißfli MS n wf - With You Al way. “ All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, bap tizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to ob serve all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, 10, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Matt. 28:18-20. “The Great Commission” is our subject at this time. Matthew says nothing about its being given at a feast; Mark, however, does. We know that it was the most important command that he ever gave to his disciples. It had to do with the future of his kingdom. It was his last message concerning the work of his disciples. We all know the impor tance of the last message. Eagerly we bow with bated breath to catch the last words that come from the lips of a dear one while passing away. The Master’s message, therefore, is exceedingly important to his disciples at this time. For three years he has been in intimate relation with them. He has taken the lead, and they have followed. Now he is about to depart, and delivers to them his last directions concerning their work. It is not his last words—we will get them later on; but so far as the work which they had ahead of them is concerned, it is the last thing that he has to say. The disciples, however, are not alone in the mind of Jesus; he had every one of us in view at the time. The disciples simply represent the church, and if we are to be profited by the commission which he gave to them, we must each see ourselves stand ing in their place. We must hear Jesus speaking to us as he spoke to the disciples two thousand years ago. This is where the church at the present time is most deficient. It fails to realize the permanency of the gospel. It is disposed to think that the messages of truth contained in the gospel were for the people at that time. This is especially true when anything is said that we do not like. Let us not feel that way as we face this great and sol emn commission. All Power and Authority. Again, we observe that Jesus introduced his last commission by claiming inroerial authority: “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” This is a striking declaration. It is either true or false. If it is true, then the Lord pity many of the little pulpit performers who are sneering at the Deity of Jesus Christ. If it is false, then Jesus does not deserve even common respect, say nothing of worship. “All power!” Think of it! Think of all power operating to-day and that has ever operated in the world. Add to that the power of heaven. What that is we do not know, but it must be immense and glorious. Jesus said, “This is all mine.” But we are not simply to think of Christ as hav ing all power to do; the word caries with it also the idea of authority. Jesus not only has the pow er to do, but the right to command and direct. How striking all this is in connection with this last great commission. r hrrt /Chv- Wfll ' THWK, - B}) Jesvs had complied with all the requirements of the law and the prophets. In a little while he is to take up his mediatorial work at the throne of the Father. His right, therefore, to organize and di rect his kingdom is guaranteed. Heaven and earth are both interested, and he is given the mastery of both worlds. I beg that we shall see this as we face our relation to the commission. The Analysis Made. But again, let us notice that the commission is threefold: L Go. ,d1 • i 2. Make Disciples and baptize them. 3. Teach. He spake here as one of authority. “Go.” This is imperative. It is not ought or should; it is a plain, imperative, positive command. But it is not a command in the abstract; it is not a command to the nation. There is in it nothing of what we hear so much about today, national conquest. It is a plain, positive command given to the disciples: “Go ye, therefore.” Let us not fail to catch the significance of the “therefore.” It relates to his claim of authority. It was a despised Galilean, a homeless wanderer, who gave the command; but it was also a teacher just raised from the dead and clothed with universal authority. The Epistle to the Hebrews uses “therefore” to convey the same idea: “For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help in time of need.”. Christ has all power and al] authority; therefore let us be careful lest we disregard his command. Make Disciples. And this command is also for a specific work. It is not to civilize; it is not to educate; it is not to heal; it is not to make converts to any special creed, or to propagate any special dogma; it is to make disciples or Christians of all nations. This is a very simple work; nobody need be mixed up in his mind about it. The first work of the church, whether at home or abroad, is to make Christians, that is, to save the lost. Civilization, embracing education, and the like has its place; it is comprehended by the church scheme. I do not believe any church in any community has done its work until it has made possible the very best edu cation for every citizen, man or woman, "within the scope of its influence. I do not believe that the church has any right to fold its arms and request the state, which cannot teach any religion, to do its work of education. The same thing can be said with reference to all other forms of helpfulness. I believe the church ought to provide everything that humanity is in need of. It ought to train its youth; care for its sick; look after its orphans; and do all other forms of humanitarian work. But this is not its first work, and the church that sits down and depends upon such lines of work will soon be dead. The command is, “Make disciples and baptize.” That is the first and most important thing ahead of any church. God help us all to see that. How it would change things, if the churches of the coun try were to feel the force of this command. But do not forget that it is of all nations that we are to make disciples. I hear people say, “I am a home missionary; I believe in giving money at home where it is so much needed, but I do not be lieve in giving money to send the gospel abroad. Now there are just two things that I want to say about such people. In the first place, I have The Golden Age for May 3, 1906. Le n G . Broughton found that they give very little at home. They generally use the needs at home as a pretext to keep from giving abroad. They do not care anything about the needs at home; the root of the matter is not in them. If only for once they could have their souls filled with the love of Jesus, they would be weeping because they could not give more to the cause at home and abroad, instead of plotting to give as little as possible. Again, such people defy the authority of Jesus Christ, whom.they profess to follow. He says, “Go make disciples of all nations.” They say, “We will not do it; we will make disciples at home, but not abroad.” Wonder how Jesus feels towards such pretended followers? He must feel very much like a father when he commands a child, and the child looks him in the face, and says: “I will not do it, or I will do it my way.” Send Some One Else. again, some one says, “I cannot go; I know I cannot, therefore I am excused.” Well, it may be true that you cannot go. Certainly everybody cannot. I never have subscribed to the idea that “one must have a Divine call to stay at home; that the universal call is to go—everybody to go. Un less God shall call specially to stay at home.” I do not believe this. We must remember what we call home is just as much a part of the world as China. But while this is all true, I believe there are hundreds and thousands of God-called men and women in our churches today who ought to be in foreign lands, making disciples. Who knows but that God wants us? We are so disposed to excuse ourselves that it is hard for God’s voice to pene trate our hearts. It is an awful thing to get in the way of God’s plan. I have known a number of people who felt called to foreign fields, and who resisted the call. I have watched their lives, and they have never amounted to much. I tell you if God wants you for that work, you had better yield to his plan and then let him direct your life. Brt suppose one is not called to go, then what? Why the command is just as binding, and I think more so. If God has been so good as to let me stay at home and do his work, I certainly am willing tp go in the person of another whom I may help send. Let us not forget, also, that there is another phase of work which is to be done: We are commanded in addition to making disciples, to “teach all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” Plainly speaking our duty is this: First, to make disciples, and then to teach them the ways of Christ. We are just beginning to realize our teaching obligation,, and t means much in the progress of the church. For a long time the church was content with preaching’. Then the Sunday School came into ex istence. Now the Bible school and conference is heard of all over the land. The church is waking up to realize that she has lost ground for the lack of teachers and teaching. The Divine Promise. Finally, let us hear his last words: “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the age.” This is the most significant part of what Jesus said on this occasion. “I am with you.” What a blessed reality! But he has not promised to be with us only as we have carried out the requirements of the great commission. His plan is ever on the line of thor ough unselfishness. The plan of the church gen erally is, fortify things well at home, and then give abroad.” The same is true of individuals. They say, “Provide for all the possible rainy days, and then give of what is left.” The teaching of Jesus