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The Saviour’s words, “Ye are the light of the
world,” point to the fact that He has committed to His followers a
worldwide mission. As the rays of the sun penetrate to the remotest corners
of the globe, so God designs that the light of the gospel shall extend to
every soul upon the earth. If the church of Christ were fulfilling the
purpose of our Lord, light would be shed upon all that sit in darkness and
in the region and shadow of death; instead of congregating together and
shunning responsibility and cross-bearing, the members of the church would
scatter into all lands, letting the light of Christ shine out from them,
working as He did for the salvation of souls, and this “gospel of the
kingdom” would speedily be carried to all the world.
The Call to Witness
From
all countries the Macedonian call is sounding, “Come over and help us.” God
has opened fields before us.. . . Providence is going before us, and divine
power is working with human effort. . . . Some have heard the call of God,
and have responded. Let every sanctified heart now respond, by seeking to
proclaim the life-giving message. If men and women in humility and
faithfulness will take up their Godgiven, appointed work, divine power will
be revealed in the conversion of many to the truth. Wonderful will be the
results of their efforts.
The Lord is bidding His people in every place to sow
beside all waters. It means much to obey His command. It means a continual
imparting of the gifts we have received from heaven. The cause of God needs
consecrated workers, and it needs money. Shall we continue to spend our
means for things that are unessential, while a neglected work remains
undone? Shall we not rather repent of our indifference toward this work,
and pray for spiritual discernment to see and
understand, as we should, its urgent needs?
The spirit of liberality is the spirit of heaven.
Christ’s selfsacrificing love is revealed upon the cross. That man might be
saved, He gave all that He had, and then gave Himself.
The cross of Christ appeals to the benevolence of
every follower of the blessed Saviour. The spirit here illustrated is to
give, give. This carried out in actual benevolence and good works is the
true fruit of the Christian life.
The Need of Conversion
The
work of God needs men and women who have learned of Christ. The moment
God’s workmen see Him as He is, that moment they will see themselves as
they are, and will ask Him to make them what they ought to be. Selfishness
makes men hindrances instead of helps. In God’s light we can see our
defects; and in His strength we can remedy them.
At the final day, when the earth shall perish, he who
has laid up treasures in heaven will behold that which his life has gained.
If we have given heed to the words of Christ, then, as we gather round the
great white throne, we shall see souls who have been saved through our
agency, and shall know that one has saved others, and these still others,—a
large company brought into the haven of rest as the result of our faithful
labors, there to lay their crowns at Jesus’ feet,
and
praise Him through the ceaseless ages of eternity. With what joy will the
worker for Christ behold these redeemed ones, who share the glory of the
Redeemer! How precious will heaven be to those who have been faithful in
the work of saving souls!
The nearer we come to the close of this earth’s
history, the more delusive will be the snares of the enemy. As time passes,
his attacks will grow fiercer and more frequent. Satan’s supreme effort is made to ensnare and deceive if possible
the very elect,—the church and the ministers of Christ. . . . If he can
lull them to indifference to their high calling, his triumph
is
certain. What is needed at this time is thorough conversion and
wholehearted consecration. He who is closely connected with Christ will be strengthened
to withstand the enemy’s devices. Our safety lies in practising heartily
the truths of the Bible. By humbling ourselves before God, we invite His
saving power.
A great work is to be done in foreign fields; and just
as verily a great work is to be done in the home field; for it is by
consecrated, faithful effort in the home field that workers are to be won
for God who will go forth to proclaim the truth in foreign fields. . . .
All classes are to be reached. As we labor, we shall
meet with different nationalities. None are to be passed by unwarned. The
Lord Jesus was the gift of God to the entire world—not to the higher
classes alone, and not to one nationality, to the exclusion of others. His
saving grace encircles the world. . . . And
while the servants of God are aroused to give the light, all nationalities
are represented as pressing into service as instrumentalities of divine
choosing.
There are many who long for special talent with which
to do some wonderful work, while the duties lying close at hand, the
performance of which would make the life fragrant, are lost sight of. Let
such ones go to work, taking up the work lying directly in their pathway.
Success depends not so much on talent as on sanctified energy and
willingness. . . .
Christ’s Love the Motivation
If
the love of Christ fills the heart, this love will be manifested in the
life. If you have a fitness for a special line of service, this will be
seen as you do your best in the work nearest to you. Be faithful and thorough
in all that you do. Do not be discouraged if the beginning you make seems
small, but set your mark high, and put forth earnest efforts to reach it.
Do not allow obstacles to dishearten you. Concentrate your efforts on the
surmounting of these obstacles.
Persevere,
and you will succeed.
Right where you are, and right where the people are,
let earnest efforts be put forth. The Word of
God has, as it were, been hidden under a bushel. That Word must be
explained to those who are now ignorant of its requirements. Search the
Scriptures with those who are willing to be taught. . . .
My message to our people is: “Lift up your eyes, and
look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.”
When the Samaritans came to Christ at the call of the
Samaritan woman, Christ spoke of them to His disciples as a field of grain
ready for harvesting: “Say ye not, There are yet four months, and then
cometh harvest?” He asked. “Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and
look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that
reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both
he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.”
And how did that harvest begin?—With one woman,— just
giving the truth to one woman, and that woman giving it to others; for she
went to the village, and said to the people, “Come.”
They came, and they listened, and the harvest began. . . . As a result of
His labors, “many more believed” on Him. This was their testimony: “We have
heard him ourselves,
and
know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.”
Just such work is to be carried on to-day. There are
many preparing for the harvest, but they know it not. At this time every
word and act of ours should be fraught with meaning.. . . The reapers must
act their part. God’s people must arouse from their indifference and
selfishness, and reveal a desire to be used as the Lord’s helping hand.
A Call to Action
My
brethren and sisters, arise; shine! The time has come when we should make every
possible effort in giving this last message to the world. I call upon all
who possibly can to connect
with the work, and to do it now. . . . God’s first and great commandment
is, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind.” The second is like unto
it: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”
The Lord is sending us repeated instruction pointing
us to the importance of becoming earnest, diligent workers. We have an important
work to do, a work that will not wait, a work
that can be accomplished only in the power of, and through, the Spirit, and
under the direction and guidance of Christ. Let every believer at this time
show himself a worker together with God. Let all differences be put away,
all light, meaningless talk. Let us speak and act righteously. The Lord
will work through every soul who will yield heart and life to His control.
To all who will be led by the Spirit, God will impart His righteousness. He
commits to His true followers the power of persuasion, the power of His
grace and truth, a deep and constant love for His
work in home and foreign fields. He gives them hearts that are in earnest
in gathering with Christ. With helpers possessing such gifts as these, the
missionary work cannot be without fruit.
A Glorious Future
The
kingdom of grace is now being established, as day by day hearts that have
been full of sin and rebellion yield to the sovereignty of His love. But
the full establishment of the kingdom of His glory will not take place till
the second coming of Christ to this world. “The kingdom and dominion, and
the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven” is to “be given to the
people of the saints of the Most High.” They shall inherit the kingdom
prepared for them from the
foundation of the world. And Christ will take to Himself His great power,
and reign. . . .
But before that coming, Jesus said, “This gospel of
the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all
nations.” His kingdom will not come until the good tidings of His grace
shall have been carried to all the earth. Hence, as we give ourselves to
God, and win other souls to Him, we hasten the coming of His kingdom. Only
those who devote themselves to His service, saying, “Here am I; send me” to
open blind eyes, to turn men “from darkness to light, and from the power of
Satan unto God,”—they alone pray in sincerity, “Thy kingdom come.”—Ellen G.
White, “For a Witness Unto All Nations,” The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Nov. 14, 1912.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND SHARING
1.
What part do our lives play in witnessing for Christ?
2.
What could make a person a hindrance rather than a help?
__________
Ellen G.
White, whom Seventh-day Adventists believe had the gift of prophecy, was
one of the founders of the church.
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