22
Christian Service
bodies of light throughout the world, to be as signs to the people, living
epistles, known and read of all men, their faith and works testifying to
the near approach of the coming Saviour, and showing that they have
not received the grace of God in vain. The people must be warned to
prepare for the coming judgment.—
Testimonies for the Church 2:631,
632
.
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As they [the disciples] meditated upon His pure, holy life, they felt
that no toil would be too hard, no sacrifice too great, if only they could
bear witness in their lives to the loveliness of Christ’s character. O, if
they could but have the past three years to live over, they thought, how
differently they would act! If they could only see the Master again,
how earnestly they would strive to show Him how deeply they loved
Him, and how sincerely they sorrowed for having ever grieved Him by
a word or an act of unbelief! But they were comforted by the thought
that they were forgiven. And they determined that, so far as possible,
they would atone for their unbelief by bravely confessing Him before
the world.—
The Acts of the Apostles, 36
.
The two restored demoniacs were the first missionaries whom
Christ sent to preach the gospel in the region of Decapolis. For a few
moments only, these men had been privileged to hear the teachings
of Christ. Not one sermon from His lips had ever fallen upon their
ears. They could not instruct the people as the disciples who had
been daily with Christ were able to do. But they bore in their own
persons the evidence that Jesus was the Messiah. They could tell what
they knew; what they themselves had seen, and heard, and felt of the
power of Christ. This is what every one can do whose heart has been
touched by the grace of God. John, the beloved disciple, wrote: “That
which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have
seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have
handled, of the Word of life; ... that which we have seen and heard
declare we unto you.” As witnesses for Christ, we are to tell what we
know, what we ourselves have seen and heard and felt. If we have
been following Jesus step by step, we shall have something right to
the point to tell concerning the way in which He has led us. We can
tell how we have tested His promise, and found the promise true. We
can bear witness to what we have known of the grace of Christ. This is
the witness for which our Lord calls, and for want of which the world
is perishing.—
The Desire of Ages, 340
.
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