Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world (Matt. 28:19, 20).
Someone asked the duke of Wellington if he thought Christians ought to attempt to go into all the world with the gospel. His answer was "What are your marching orders?" In our text today we find the Christian's marching order. But may this not be difficult, even dangerous? Yes, but we are to go, nevertheless.
We think of the story of Captain Pat Etheridge of the Cape Hatteras station of the United States Coast Guard. One night in a howling hurricane he saw the distress signal of a ship that had gone aground in the dangerous Diamond Shoal about 10 miles at sea. The rescue ships could be launched, but getting them back again was the problem. Captain Etheridge ordered the boats rolled out. One of the lifeguards protested, "Captain Pat, we can get out there, but we can never get back." "Boys," came the reply, "we don't have to come back!"
Our Captain has not promised that we will come back safely to our homeland when we go out in His service, but He has commanded us to go. But notice the wonderful promise that goes with His command: "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."
His promised presence, unfailing in all emergencies of life, underlies the faithfulness of His service, even unto death. The presence of Jesus was very real to Stephen as the cruel stones rained down upon him. It was real to John Bunyan as he dreamed his immortal dream in Bedford jail and to uncounted multitudes of men and woman who have obeyed the command of Jesus, "Go ye." His promised presence was not merely a theory, a fancy, but a wonderful fact.
MEDITATION PRAYER: "I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations" (Ps. 57:9).
Someone asked the duke of Wellington if he thought Christians ought to attempt to go into all the world with the gospel. His answer was "What are your marching orders?" In our text today we find the Christian's marching order. But may this not be difficult, even dangerous? Yes, but we are to go, nevertheless.
We think of the story of Captain Pat Etheridge of the Cape Hatteras station of the United States Coast Guard. One night in a howling hurricane he saw the distress signal of a ship that had gone aground in the dangerous Diamond Shoal about 10 miles at sea. The rescue ships could be launched, but getting them back again was the problem. Captain Etheridge ordered the boats rolled out. One of the lifeguards protested, "Captain Pat, we can get out there, but we can never get back." "Boys," came the reply, "we don't have to come back!"
Our Captain has not promised that we will come back safely to our homeland when we go out in His service, but He has commanded us to go. But notice the wonderful promise that goes with His command: "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."
His promised presence, unfailing in all emergencies of life, underlies the faithfulness of His service, even unto death. The presence of Jesus was very real to Stephen as the cruel stones rained down upon him. It was real to John Bunyan as he dreamed his immortal dream in Bedford jail and to uncounted multitudes of men and woman who have obeyed the command of Jesus, "Go ye." His promised presence was not merely a theory, a fancy, but a wonderful fact.
MEDITATION PRAYER: "I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations" (Ps. 57:9).
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