TRUE MINISTRY by Elder P. M. Howe

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 13, 1901

TRUE MINISTRY.

By Elder P. M. Howe

ELDER P. M. HOWE.

(Bartowville, Ontario.)

“As ye go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.’ Matt. 10: 7, 8.

This text expresses the real idea of true ministry—just what the life of every follower of Jesus will show. To preach is to give one's life to the people. As He gave His life freely to us, so we are to give ourselves to all about us.

To preach the gospel is simply to hold up the pure, sanctified life of Jesus to the wondering gaze of a lost world. He came to seek and save the lost. “And I, if I be lifted up,” Jesus said, “will draw all men unto me.” If we are crucified with Christ, He will appear in us, lifted up, the living Jesus, ready to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out devils. The world is full of men and women in all the various walks of life who are longing to see Jesus. They desire to be saved from sin and from disease; but He seems to be away in heaven, or far off in some out-of-the-way place difficult to reach. “We see Jesus.” The sinner longing for power to live a holy life, says in his heart, “I, too, would see Jesus.”

Now it is written that by beholding we become changed; so if we really see Jesus, we must become changed into His likeness. We read again, “We shall be like Him.” His life flowed out as a beautiful spring of water to the thirsty souls about Him. All might drink, and thirst no more; for the satisfying draft sparkled with the life of God's dear Son. His life flowed out. The promise is that rivers of living waters shall flow out from us.

This well of water “springing up” is Christ in us, ready to transmit His life through us to the world. All who would might come to Him, and drink freely of the water of life; all might be saved; all the sick might have been healed. Even the lepers cried out, “If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean;” and it was so. Devils, long ago banished from heaven, could not now be silent in His holy presence. There was no place found for them in human beings when Jesus came near, and they had to depart into the swine. Oh, what a defilement of the temple of God, for devils to inhabit it!

Christ's stay on earth was not for pleasure and ease. His time was occupied in doing good. He studied His Father's will. He prayed. He wept. He toiled. To all He ministered freely of the things received from God. It is an expression of great selfishness to withhold from others as needy as ourselves any good thing given to us. Jesus never did so. He ministered unselfishly to all. Having healed the sick in one place, He hastened on to others. The blind and the deaf and dumb were in the way. All might see and hear and speak.

He could not be induced to stop work to tell of the wonderful miracles wrought. These were facts of experience, so faithfully and indelibly written that time could not efface them. His works followed Him. Their memory could never be forgotten. No; time was too precious. Lepers and insane persons were in the way, too. All must be cleansed, and all set free.

The widow, mourning for her only son, now dead, must see him alive again. The touch of Jesus gave back her support, and caused great rejoicing. The enemy had lost a victim. Away over the hills, many miles distant, a mother was watching by the bedside of her dying child. He must go to comfort her heart, and what could do this so well as to heal the sick one?

He found no time to exalt self; for multitudes were hungry, and must be fed. To rest by the way, to glory over the wonders done in the name of His Father, meant the loss of some poor, sick, perishing soul. Freely He had received, and freely He must give. He was “God with us.” None thought of going away off for help then. Every good desire of men's lives was seen in this man. “Is not this Christ?” They would make Him their king. Such a king could deliver Israel; but when they would crown Him, He was gone. Across the stormy Galilee were two demoniacs. They must be set free. His commission was to “let the oppressed go free.” He had no thought of staying to be praised and crowned king by the people, simply because He had performed a miracle to feed the hungry.

There was a great work yet to be accomplished. The temple was fast being made a den of thieves. It must be cleansed once more. He hastened on all through the days and nights, foot-sore and weary, but never discouraged, to do His Father's bidding. He suffered much. The cross and an ignominious death were before Him, yet He could not leave His field of labor. It was more than His meat and drink to do His Father's will. He left us an example that we should follow His steps.

Of Him it is written, “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth.” The Third Angel's Message of Revelation 14 is given to reveal in us the obedience of Christ. It is said of the one hundred and forty-four thousand, “Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus:” “and in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault.” Here is a company of people just like Jesus. What a glorious privilege to be just like Him! Are you and I, dear reader, among this number? “As He is so are we in this world.”

He in us, and we in Him—one; thank the Lord. Then the world is to see Jesus near by again. The wonderful works done by Jesus nineteen hundred years ago will be done in His Church again, and even greater works. He will again be lifted up, and multitudes will flock to hear the gracious proclamation that “the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

He longs to be seen, but ever refuses to disclose His glorious person save in His children. We are here to manifest Him to the world. Shall we do it? Shall we open the door and let Him in? Shall we show to the world the Christ so completely revealed in the Third Angel's Message?

“The last shall be first.” We are called to a place in the Church militant where every error is to be seen and given up, and only truth appear. The power of the faith of Jesus is manifested to separate His people from all perversion of truth, and hold them free from sin, in the love of the truth, right here in this present evil world.

He received an unction from on high, and went about doing good. Herein lay the secret of His power and holy life. It is written, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” This is the only way to be fitted up to go about doing good—to walk as He walked, to follow His steps, to overcome as He overcame, and to be translated as He was translated.

Then “let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author, and finisher of our faith [the faith of Jesus]; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”