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The Desire of Ages
Calling the twelve about Him, Jesus bade them go out two and two
through the towns and villages. None were sent forth alone, but brother
was associated with brother, friend with friend. Thus they could help
and encourage each other, counseling and praying together, each one’s
strength supplementing the other’s weakness. In the same manner He
afterward sent forth the seventy. It was the Saviour’s purpose that the
messengers of the gospel should be associated in this way. In our own
time evangelistic work would be far more successful if this example
were more closely followed.
The disciples’ message was the same as that of John the Baptist
and of Christ Himself: “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” They were
to enter into no controversy with the people as to whether Jesus of
Nazareth was the Messiah; but in His name they were to do the same
works of mercy as He had done. He bade them, “Heal the sick, cleanse
the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received,
freely give.”
During His ministry Jesus devoted more time to healing the sick
than to preaching. His miracles testified to the truth of His words, that
He came not to destroy but to save. His righteousness went before
Him, and the glory of the Lord was His rearward. Wherever He went,
the tidings of His mercy preceded Him. Where He had passed, the
objects of His compassion were rejoicing in health, and making trial
of their new-found powers. Crowds were collecting around them to
hear from their lips the works that the Lord had wrought. His voice
was the first sound that many had ever heard, His name the first word
they had ever spoken, His face the first they had ever looked upon.
Why should they not love Jesus, and sound His praise? As He passed
through the towns and cities He was like a vital current, diffusing life
and joy wherever He went.
The followers of Christ are to labor as He did. We are to feed
the hungry, clothe the naked, and comfort the suffering and afflicted.
We are to minister to the despairing, and inspire hope in the hopeless.
And to us also the promise will be fulfilled, “Thy righteousness shall
go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rearward.”
Isaiah
58:8
. The love of Christ, manifested in unselfish ministry, will be more
effective in reforming the evildoer than will the sword or the court of
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justice. These are necessary to strike terror to the lawbreaker, but the
loving missionary can do more than this. Often the heart will harden