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Christ’s Work and Our Work, May 31
Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved.
Mark 16:15, 16
.
It may be surprising to some that Christ’s work was not extended to the heathen
nations, that it was confined in so small a circumference. But the heathen nations
were not prepared for His work. And had He devoted His time to the conversion
of the Gentile world, He would have closed the door whereby He could bear His
message to the Jewish nation....
Frequently the people of other nations came to Christ to be healed, or to make
some request for their relatives or friends. These people represented the great
human family, who knew not God or the truth, but who felt a soul-longing for
something they had not. All who came to Christ listened to His instruction, and
as they heard the word of truth, they were deeply impressed. In speaking words
of hope to those weary, unsatisfied souls, in healing the infirmities of those who
came to Him, Christ was setting an example to be practiced from one end of the
world to another. He was speaking and acting for humanity at large.... Although
generation after generation would pass away, His lessons of practical service
would be given by His witnesses. He was to ascend to heaven, but His work was
to be carried forward with greater power than before, because He and His Father
would cooperate in doing greater things for His people than they had seen while
He was among them.
We are to work while it is day, for the night cometh, in which no man can work.
Our life is represented as a day, and when our work is ended, when the worker
ceases his busy activity, the work does not cease. Others take it up. Though the
human agents pass away, the work of Christ does not cease, but goes on, each
worker doing God service by working as Christ worked.
We often feel that in the work of God there are great interests to be handled
that we are unable to touch. We seem bound about. Let us remember that Christ’s
work while on earth was confined to a narrow compass. Yet multitudes from all
parts of the world heard His lessons. He was giving His message to those who
would afterwards become His disciples.
Christ worked out before His disciples and the world a perfect example of true
religion. And when men realize the importance of showing patience, sympathy,
and regard for the souls of men, nigh and afar off, Christ will be revealed in His
followers.—
Manuscript 50, May 31, 1897
. “The Work of Christ.”
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