The key to the kingdom; an exposition of the great commission

Front matter

Book ,~B>r

Copightlf

COPYRIGHT DEPOStT.

Contents

CHAPTER. PAGE.

I. The Key Opens the Door to the

II. The Key Opens the Door to the

Introduction

BY A. W. HALSEY, D. D.

"I love thy Kingdom Lord The House of thine abode, The Church our blest Redeemer saved With His own precious blood."

Many generations of devout believers have sung these words without realizing how narrow is that conception of the ''Kingdom" that makes it synonymous with the Church. It is doubtful if any Twentieth Century singer will thus limit the scope of the Kingdom.

The Church has at last awakened to some adequate realization of the world embracing nature of that Kingdom "whose dominion is to be from sea to sea and from the river unto the ends of the earth."

Twice only in the teachings of Christ does the word Church occur, but His entire ministry as recorded in the Gospels seems dominated by the thought of that Kingdom which finds its final expression in those masterful words now the inspiring cry of thousands. "Go ye into 11

ITntroDttctfon all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature."

To ascertain where the Key is and to unlock the double closed doors of this Kingdom and to awaken in others some idea of its priceless value, is a task of no mean order. Yet this is the high and holy ministry enjoined by the providence of God upon the Church of today.

We may not altogether agree with the ardent student volunteer who raises his banner with the legend upon it "The Evangelization of the world in this generation," but we must admire his enthusiasm, his faith, his chivalric daring, and we must admit the possibility of his plea when we contrast the feeble instrumentalities put forth with the large results attained within a generation on the shores of the Victoria Nyanza and Nyassa lakes or the transformation wrought in fair Formosa or the Pentecostal ingathering witnessed in Manchuria and Korea. The Church has indeed been taught by Her divine Lord, that "Obedience to the Great Commission" is "the secret of all successful Christian work."

The history of modern missions, the new Acts of the Apostles, no less than the history of God's dealing with His ancient people as 12

ITntrofcuction recorded in the books of the Old and New Testaments, emphasizes anew that obedience to His greatest command brings the largest blessing.

The Church like Israel of old has been slow to learn this lesson. Jonah has had as many successors as critics, the one quite as harmful as the other. The modern missionary has left an apathetic and unbelieving Church without excuse. The facts verify the promise. Esther pleading successfully with the King of Kings for her people finds a parallel in Ann Judson, with her believing prayers for Burmah ; Elisha asking for a double portion of the spirit of Elijah has a true successor in Hudson Taylor on his knees before a map of China beseeching God for power to storm this stronghold of Satan ; Daniel because of his obedience is able to understand what the will of God is, but so is Mackay of Uganda able to endure the wrath of the King and enlighten his understanding regarding the Scripture.

If the Church at Antioch received "showers of blessing" because it first truly interpreted the meaning of the word "Christian," so also can the little group of disciples at Hernhutt or Hermansburgh, or the First Presbyterian 13

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Church at Wichita, or the Central Church at New York, or scores of other churches in many denominations throughout the land attest the fidelity of God to His promise. "Prove Me now herewith saith the Lord of Hosts and see if I will not open the windows of Heaven and pour you out a blessing."

The experimental stage is passed. That Church reaps the richest blessing which seeks to bless others. A prominent church in New York City recently celebrated the twentieth anniversary of its present pastorate. In twenty years one million and a quarter of dollars had been contributed by the church. One million of this was spent on objects outside of itself — City Missions, Home Missions, Foreign Missions. Need it be said that the church has been a great power for good in the community ?

It is the divine law, and when the whole church recognizes its obligation the Kingdom of God will be established. "The time is short, the work vast, the reward great, the Master urges."

A. W. Halsey.

Chapter I. The Key Opens The Door To The Throne

Obedience to the Great Commission is the key that brings us into the presence of the King on His throne, enabling us to prevail with Him in prayer for the salvation of a lost world.

The case stands just this way: unless we can come into the presence of the King on His throne, we cannot prevail with Him in prayer for the salvation of a lost world. But we cannot, we will not go thus into His presence unless we are willing to obey the Great Commission. Then we can and then we will go into His presence.

Our illustration is that of Queen Esther. Mordecai knew very well that Esther must go personally into the presence of king Ahasuerus if she would prevail in prayer with him in behalf of the people. He knew also that she would not thus go into the king's presence unless she had the burden of the people's salvation upon her heart to the extent that she would obey him, i. e., be willing to lay IS

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down her life for them. Then she could and then she would go before the king. It is just so with us today.

i. That this is true we are plainly taught in God's word.

Christ says, "If ye abide in me and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you." What does it mean to have Christ's words abide in us and for us to abide in Christ? It means to obey Him. Christ Himself leaves us in no doubt on this point. He says, "If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love," i. e., in me. He says again, "He that hath my words and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me and I will manifest myself unto him." Thus we have it very clearly taught that to obey Christ is to gain admission into His presence and prevail with Him in prayer. Now Christ's latest and greatest commandment to the christian is to carry the Gospel to every creature. Christ's last words were: Ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when He had said these things, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. (Acts 1 : 8-9.) 16

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But we do not have to go outside of the very words of the Great Commission itself to find scriptural support for this proposition. Christ says, "All authority hath been given unto me in Heaven and in earth." There is the King on His throne. Then he says, "Go ye into all the world . . . and I will be with you unto the end of the world." There is admission into the presence of the King, and the King's power vouchsafed, conditioned on obedience. When Christ says, "Go ye and lo I am with you," it is just another way of saying, "Go and lo! you are with me having almighty power." This is a very important fact, for

If God's Kingdom is ever to come in the world, or the world into the Kingdom, God's people must get access to the throne of the King, and come into communion with Him ; in other words, be possessed of the power of prevailing prayer. For God says, "I will yet be entreated of concerning this thing." God says, "Ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possessions." He says, "Seek and ye shall find; but seek ye first the Kingdom of God." He says, "When b 17

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thou prayest, pray, Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." He says, "Pray ye the Lord of the harvest that He will send forth laborers into the harvest." This we will not do, we cannot do, until we can get into His presence ; and we cannot get into His presence as christians until we are ready to obey the Great Commission, for He has promised His All powerful presence on no other condition than that of obedience.

2. This is true in the very nature of the case. How can the Church of Christ come into the real secret presence of the King of Glory as long as she is indifferent to the dearest desire of His heart, and the cause for which He gave His life? How can she hold real communion with Him with whom she has no real practical sympathy as regards the great concern of His soul? Such a thing is impossible. There is no such thing as communion with God today that enters into the deep flowing current of His life, apart from a longing for the world's salvation that means a willing obedience to go to the uttermost parts of the earth, if necessary, to preach Christ's Gospel to every creature. And I bring the charge against the church today, that as a body she does not know what 18

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prevailing prayer is; as a church she is not praying in the real scriptural meaning of prayer. The secret of it all is, she is not obedient to Christ's command to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. Until she is willing to obey, she cannot and will not pray, except as the Pharisee prays, "I thank thee that I am not as other men are;" or as the returning prodigal and the- penitent backslider prays, "God be merciful to me a sinner I" But Christians have no business to stop at such prayers.

When the church gets the world on her heart, immediately that burden will bring her to her knees in unselfish prayer: at once it will bring her into sympathy with Christ, and hence, it will bring her into the very presence of the King; then she will pray and pray prevailingly. We read : "Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer, Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day : I also and my maidens will fast likewise ; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her 19

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royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house : and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house. And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favor in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the scepter. Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, Queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom." That is our illustration.

See Moses trudging up the mountainside with the burden of the people's salvation upon him. Where is he going? To meet God. And he meets Him. We hear him cry: "If thou wilt forgive their sin ! If not, blot me I pray thee out of the book which thou hast written." That is like Esther going in before the King on his throne, saying : "I will go in unto the King, and if I perish, I perish." Moses had left all to follow Christ, to go to the uttermost part of the earth with Him for the salvation of a lost race. Hence it is, he comes into the presence of the King, and beholding the glory of God, he is changed into His very likeness, 20

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so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look upon him ; and pleading with God in prayer, he saves a race and organizes the Kingdom of God on earth.

See Abraham rising up early to climb the mountain. What for? To meet God! He has the burden of the world's salvation upon his heart : for his son Isaac was to be laid upon the altar, and in Isaac was the seed to be called which should bless all nations. He meets God also; he prevails with God in prayer, too. He is called the Friend of God, and Father of the Faithful, whose seed is coming to be as the sands of the seashore for multitude, — the seed of the Kingdom of God.

See John Knox wrestling with God for Scotland until he is ready to die, praying, "Oh God, give me Scotland or I die." He had come into sympathy with the Son of God, who sweat great drops of blood in prayer for the lost world, and hence he found access to the throne and prevailed with God in prayer. Hence John Knox is called, "The man of God, the Light of Scotland, the Comfort of the Kirke, and the Mirror of Godliness ;" to whom God gave Scotland in answer to prayer, and 21

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through whom the Kingdom of God has received an innumerable host of citizens.

See Livingstone, away off there in Africa dying upon his knees, crying, "All I can add in my solitude is, may heaven's rich blessings come down on every one who will help to heal this open sore of the world !" This man, like the others who were obedient to the great commission, was given access to the throne of grace, in accordance with the promise of the King. When Stanley found him down there in the forests of Africa, he thought he had seen a celestial being. He had, too; one who had stood in the very presence of the King of Heaven. And, "Why was it," asks one, "that in ten years after Livingstone's death, Africa made greater advancement than in the previous ten centuries? All the world knows that it was through the vicarious, prevailing prayer of one of Scotland's noblest heroes."

Yea, these men, and others like them, not #nly get into the secret presence of the King, but they get what they ask; they enjoy the privileges of prevailing prayer. They get within the Kingdom, and get the Kingdom within them, and help make it possible for the Kingdom of God to come into the world. 22

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Look at Pastor Harms. Coming into the Hermannsburg parish with his soul on fire for the salvation of a lost world, he urged his people to undertake a mission to the heathen. They showed a willingness to obey. But how ? They were poor. "Pray," said Harms, "pray." And they came into the presence of the King and urged God to extend His Kingdom until their work is one of the marvels of the age. "Six shillings from a widow, a sixpence from a laborer, and a silver penny from a little child," were the first gifts. Then "men as well as money began to be offered for the work, until a little company stood ready to go wherever God would send them, asking only to be sent to the field of greatest need. The field chosen was a district in Southern Africa. Then a party of converted German sailors arrived in the village, asking Pastor Harms to send them to Africa under the care of his missionaries. Then no less than sixty peasants immediately came forward and asked to be sent as colonists." Here was a stupendous enterprise. How could it be carried out ? It called for large resources. Harms said, "No one encouraged me, but the reverse. Even the truest friends and brethren hinted that I was 23

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not in my senses." But, says he, "I knocked hard upon God. I prayed fervently to the Lord and laid the whole matter in His hands. As I arose from my knees at midnight, I said with a voice that almost startled me in the quiet room : 'Forward now, in God's name !' ,; The result? His obedient spirit to the heavenly commission brought him into the very presence of the King. As a prince he wrestled with God and prevailed.

"Seven years after the first missionary sailed," says one giving a history of this work, "the congregation at Hermannsburg was able to make the following remarkable report : In the home land they owned, and had in successful operation the mission house occupied by forty-five students ; the refuge farm, an asylum for discharged convicts occupied with twenty inmates ; a mission farm and a printing house. In Africa, they owned 40,000 acres of land, occupied by eight stations, at each of which comfortable houses and workshops had been erected and one hundred of their own number were already on the foreign field. Besides this they owned a ship and published a missionary magazine." All brought in seven years through prayer by a pastor and his people who set 24

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themselves to seek first the Kingdom of God. Thus does God hear the prayers of those who obey Him.

Why is it that the church of Jesus Christ is without power in prayer, today, as is manifestly the case? It is because she is out of sympathy with the will and work of the Great Head of the Church. When the church gives less than two cents a week per member to extend the work for which the Son of God gave every drop of blood in His body, she may, with such a performance, fool herself and some others, into the belief that she is interested in the extension of the Kingdom of God among men, but she cannot fool God. The Protestant Christians of the United States were worth last year, 1903, $23,000,000,000. They added to their permanent wealth last year $725,000,- 000. All they gave last year to save two-thirds of the human race for time and eternity was one-twelfth of one-tenth of the increase of their permanent wealth. The church is not in sympathy with God in this work and hence her prayers rise no higher than her head. Jesus Christ said, "If ye abide in me and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you." If we abide in 25

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Jesus Christ we will be in holiest harmony with the great heart of the Son of God which broke sorrowing for a lost world. If His words abide in us, we will be obedient to the dearest desire and clearest command of the Son of God, who has all power in heaven and earth. Then, and not until then, can we pray, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven," and get an answer to our prayers. But then, we can.

Dr. Van Dyke in his little book entitled "The Other Wise Man," tells us how there was a fourth wise man who knew about the birth of Christ the King. His name was Artaban. Ten days before the three wise men started on their journey from the East to find the King and bring presents and worship to Him, Artaban sold all his large property and converted his wealth into three great gems, a sapphire, a ruby, and a pearl; these he meant to present to the King along with the gifts of his companions, whom he expected to accompany to Bethlehem. The three other wise men had agreed to wait for him to join them at Borsippa, ten days after they saw the star appear. If at that time he did not come they would start on their journey without him. He made all 26

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haste to arrive at the appointed place. But just as he was approaching within a few miles of the place, where he was to meet his companions, after a ten days' hard riding on his faithful horse, he found, lying right across his path, a man whom he thought to be dead. He turned to leave him and hasten on his way, lest he should be too late to go with the other wise men to find the new born King. "But, as he turned, a long, faint, ghostly sigh came from the man's lips. The brown, bony ringers closed convulsively on the hem of the Magian's robe and held him fast.

"Artaban's heart leaped to his throat, not with fear, but with dumb resentment at the importunity of this blind delay.

"How could he stay here in the darkness to minister to a dying stranger ? What claim had this unknown fragment of human life upon his compassion or his service ? If he lingered but for an hour he could hardly reach Borsippa at the appointed time. His companions would think he had given up the journey. They would go without him. He would lose his quest.

But if he went on now, the man would surely die. If he stayed, life might be restored. His 27

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spirit throbbed and fluttered with the urgency of the crisis. Should he risk the great reward of his divine faith for the sake of a single deed of human love ? Should he turn aside, if only for a moment, from following the star, to give a cup of cold water to a poor, perishing man ? " 'God of truth and purity/ he prayed, 'direct me in the holy path, the way of wisdom which Thou only knowest'

"Then he turned back to the sick man." Owing to this deed of charity Artaban was too late to accompany the wise men on their journey to Bethlehem, and one of his gifts for the King had to be used. But he set out alone bearing the other two gems. When he arrived in Bethlehem, Joseph and Mary had taken Jesus and fled to Egypt and the officers of Herod were just beginning their awful slaughter of the innocents. He heard the cry go through the streets ! "The soldiers ! The soldiers of Herod ! They are killing our children !" A mother with her little babe in her arms implored his protection. What should he do? what could he do? He took one of the gems which he had bought to present to Christ the King and bribed the officer to pass by that mother's babe.

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Now he prayed : "God of Truth forgive my sin. Two of my gifts are gone. I have spent for man that which was meant for God. Shall I ever be worthy to see the face of the King ?"

Bearing his other gift he started for Egypt. There he learned from a Hebrew Rabbi that those who would seek for Christ the King would do well to seek him among the poor and lowly, the sorrowful and the oppressed. For thirty-three years he sought Him thus, all the time ministering to the needs of the afflicted and distressed. One day, an old man, he found himself in Jerusalem, and saw great crowds going all in one direction. Artaban asked whither they were going ?

1 'We are going,' they answered, 'to the place called Golgotha, outside the city walls, where there is to be an execution. Have you not heard what has happened? Two famous robbers are to be crucified, and with them another, called Jesus of Nazareth, a man who has done many wonderful works among the people, so that they love him greatly. But the priests and elders have said that he must die, because he gave himself out to be the Son of God. And Pilate has sent him to the cross because he said that he was the King of the 29

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Jews.' . . . Artaban's heart beat unsteadily with that troubled, doubtful apprehension which is the excitement of old age. But he said within himself : 'The ways of God are stranger than the thoughts of men, and it may be that I shall find the King at last, in the hands of His enemies, and shall come in time to offer my pearl for His ransom before He dies.'

"So the old man followed the multitude with slow and painful steps towards the Damascus gate of the city. Just beyond the entrance of the guard-house a troop of Macedonian soldiers came down the street, dragging a young girl with torn dress and dishevelled hair. As the Magian paused to look at her with compassion, she broke suddenly from the hands of her tormentors, and threw herself at his feet, clasping him around the knees. She had seen his white cap and the winged circle on his breast.

" 'Have pity on me/ she cried, 'and save me, for the sake of the God of Purity !' "

Artaban trembled. A struggle was going on in his breast. Then "he took the pearl from his bosom. Never had it seemed so luminous, so radiant, so full of tender, living lustre. He laid it in the hand of the slave. 30

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" 'This is thy ransom, daughter ! It is the last of my treasures which I kept for the King.' "

Just then the earth quaked and a tile from one of the buildings fell and struck the old man on the temple. As he was dying, those who stood near turned to listen to a voice which said: ''Come ye blessed of my Father, enter into the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and ye gave me meat, I was thirsty and ye gave me drink. I was a stranger and ye took me in; naked and ye clothed me. I was sick and ye visited me. I was in prison and ye came unto me."

"Then the old man's lips began to move, as if in answer, 'Not so, my Lord! For when saw I thee an hungered and fed thee? Or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw I thee a stranger, and took thee in? Or naked and clothed thee? When saw I thee sick or in prison, and came unto thee? Three-andthirty years have I looked for thee ; but I have never seen thy face, nor ministered to thee, my King.'

"He ceased, and the sweet voice came again.

" 'Verily I say unto thee, inasmuch as thou 31

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hast done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, thou hast done it unto me. Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.' "

Opens tbe Door to tbe Iking's IDestrs

Chapter II. The Key Opens The Door To The King's Vestry

The proposition which we shall consider in this chapter is, Obedience to the Great Commission is the key that opens the door into the vestry room of the King and secures the investiture of power, — the anointing of the Holy Ghost.

The case is simply this: unless we are invested with the authority of the Holy Spirit we will have no power to prevail with mankind to enter into the Kingdom of God. But we cannot, we will not receive this investiture of power, unless we are willing to obey the Great Commission and go with Christ unto the uttermost part of the earth to preach the Gospel unto every creature. But whenever we are practically willing thus to obey, then we will receive this power.

Our illustration is that of Elisha going with Elijah. Elijah knew that Elisha could not receive a double portion of his spirit, i. e., be c 33

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clothed with his mantle and invested with his power unless he was practically willing to go with him all the way to the end. But then he could and then he would receive such an investiture. It is just so with us today if we would be clothed with the Spirit of Christ.

I. That this is true we are plainly taught in God's Word. The Great Commission itself is our authority. Christ said, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, . . . and lo, I am with you." That is, "My almighty power shall rest upon you when you are willing to carry out this command." All power, the power of God, is the power of the Holy Spirit, which Christ had without measure, and which He here promises His disciples upon condition of their obedience to the great commission.

(i.) The great need of the church today is the power of the Holy Ghost. We must have the Holy Spirit if the Kingdom of God is ever established in the earth. For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. It is not by might, nor by power (military or civil) but by my Spirit, saith the Lord. The 34