A HOME MISSIONARY by G

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Dec 18, 1901

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 27, No. 51.

A HOME MISSIONARY.

By G

THERE was at least one time when it was more important to be a home missionary than to travel about the country in company with the Lord. Jesus and His disciples crossed the Sea of Galilee to Gadara. There they met a man possessed of devils, and Jesus commanded them to come out of him. The devils asked permission to go into a herd of swine near by. Jesus told them to go, and when they had entered into the swine, the whole herd ran into the sea and were drowned. When the people saw the destruction of their property, they besought Jesus to depart out of their country. There was nothing to be gained by staying where He was not wanted, so Jesus went away.

The man out of whom the evil spirits were cast felt so thankful for his restoration that he desired to accompany Jesus in His labors. He thought it would be an excellent thing for him to be with Christ personally all the time. No doubt it would have been very gratifying to him to be constantly in such company and under such instruction. But the Lord had a work for him to do right at home. Jesus knew that there were people there who would accept the truth when the excitement was over, and they had time to reflect on the power and goodness of the One whom they then rejected. This man could do a work, by simply showing himself and relating his experience, which the Lord Himself could not do under existing circumstances. So He quietly went on to other fields, and left the new disciple to do some home missionary work, until the time was propitious for Him to return.

When this man desired to go with Jesus, the Lord said to him, “Return to thine own house, and show ‘how great things God hath done unto thee.’” This new disciple showed his faith by his obedience, and “went his way, and published throughout the whole ‘city how great things Jesus had done unto him. ‘And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, ‘the people gladly received Him; for they were all ‘waiting for Him.’” Luke 8:39, 40.

This was a most remarkable reversion of sentiment, and it came through the home-missionary work of a man whose very presence was dreaded by the people prior to the first visit of Jesus. Lessons: (1) One can be a missionary without going away from home. (2) “To obey is better than sacrifice.” (3) Personal testimony as to benefits received from Christ is often more effectual than a sermon. (4) The visible presence of Christ in missionary work is not as important as the assurance that we are laboring where He would have us, and doing the work that He would have us do, be it ever so humble. In this way we may know by faith that He is with us to bless and to strengthen. G.