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Ministry by J. Taylor
– Part Two

 
Introduction
The House of God and the Gospel
Deliverance from the Current Religious World
The Remnant that is Left
The Introduction of the Gospel into Europe - A Gospel Address





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INTRODUCTION


James Taylor Sr, 1870-1953

Those who are unfamiliar with JT should see Biography: J. Taylor and the 'Introduction' to 'Part One' of this Ministry page.

The House of God and the Gospel is an early landmark reading. It brought JT, who was only 35, under attack from older brothers in England, but he was eventually vindicated.

Deliverance from the Current Religious World exposes the various attractions of the religious world and is an excellent exhortation to young and old alike to follow the lead of the Lord Jesus in leaving it.

The Remnant that is Left encourages faithfulness in difficult days but exposes the sectarianism and the pretension that often accompany each other in those same times.

The Introduction of the Gospel into Europe is a challenging and instrucive Gospel Address.

G.A.R.

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THE  HOUSE  OF  GOD
AND  THE  GOSPEL
1 Timothy 1: 7
A Reading at Chicago, December 31, 1904
'Readings and Addresses at Meetings held in Chicago',
December 31, 1904, and January 1 and 2, 1905
Ministry by J. Taylor, 1: 112-131
Key to Initials:
Joseph Pellatt, Indianapolis       Joseph Revell
R. S. Sinclair, Indianapolis       James Taylor Sr.

EXTRACT  FROM  PREFACE
The reader may be aware that the following 'Notes', as they primarily appeared, were the occasion of much difficulty … It was not understood by many that the point of view taken in the Notes had reference to what is connected with the Holy Ghost down here, rather than to the heavenly side of the truth. This latter was affirmed, but because it was not made prominent, it was assumed by some that it was denied. But this was not the case – God forbid that it should be! – the heavenly side was affirmed, as said above, but the necessity for pressing it did not exist, whereas the necessity for calling attention to the church, as established at the beginning in the power of the Holy Ghost, as a practical sphere of protection and blessing for man, did exist. Hence the thought of the house of God predominated all through.

The spirit of popular revivalism – that in which God is flippantly connected with manifest disorder – which prevailed at that time, led to serious concern as to how little the revealed mind of God was adhered to in the announcement of the glad tidings; and on this account it was thought needful to call attention to the order and conditions which attended the first preaching by the apostles. The in-coming of the Holy Ghost from an ascended Christ, was the advent of a new order of things; it was an order of things in which the light of God was maintained in power, and in it were found practically, as they are to be known at the present time, the things – salvation, life, etc. – which the gospel announced as having come to pass through Christ.

Although heavenly, as vitally linked up with Christ in heaven by the Spirit, yet this new and blessed sphere was actually here on earth, and so – although absolutely apart from the world in the sanctification of the Spirit – was available to men. Compare Acts 2; Psalm 133. It may be remarked that it is not necessary that things should be in heaven in order that they may be in Christ. It is true, as said before, that the church is linked with Him in heaven – her place is there – in all her peculiar privileges and blessings, but at the same time salvation, although in Christ, is said to be in His name under heaven, Acts 4: 12; also as to life: the Spirit is said to be life, Rom. 8: 10, and He is here …

A word may be added as to 'living water'. What was in the minds of the speakers was that the living water refers to the Spirit as in man – in Christ, and now also in the saints – and so adapted to the thirst of men. In John 4 and 7 Christ is seen as the Giver of living water, but in both chapters what He gives is also seen as in the believer: in chapter 4 it becomes in the one who drinks a "well of water springing up into everlasting life," and in chapter 7 – where the Spirit is identified with the living water – it flows as rivers out of the belly of the believer. This is in view of thirst in others. The believer is not the source: Christ is this, but still the living water is said to flow out of the believer.

We are bound to connect John 7 with Acts 2 in order to see the historical fulfilment of the Lord's promise; and in doing this we must introduce the collective idea, which the latter chapter supplies – no believer could in himself contain the Spirit. Peter alluded to the Spirit in his address in Acts 2. He was in the believers as given by a glorified Christ, and as such was available to thirsty souls in the world. John 7 may be said to refer strictly to those who believed on Christ during the time of His testimony in humiliation down here; as glorified He would give to them the Holy Spirit, which would flow out from them. What is seen in the church, as recorded in the early chapters of Acts, is the only adequate answer to this, although it goes on, in the principle of it, till the end, Rev. 22, and in measure may be exemplified in each believer. But in order to drink, each one must come to Christ, the Source and Giver.

The reference to locating the living water may seem new, but it is extraordinary that the thought contained in it should be questioned. The New Testament teaches, as shown above, that the Spirit is the living water, and also that He dwells in the assembly, which is morally a location – compare John 14: 17 – wherein then is the error in saying that He should be located? To 'locate' simply means that souls should be instructed as to the sphere where the blessed activities of the Holy Ghost are known …     JT


J.T. My thought in suggesting this scripture was that we might get some idea of the conditions under which the gospel primarily was announced. Historically the apostolic preaching did not begin until the house was formed.

J.P. I suppose the character of God, the way in which He has been pleased to come out in Christ, was to be set forth in connection with the house?

J.T. That is the thought in the house.

J.P. The house of God is really very wonderful in that way.

J.T. Yes, and I think the assembly at Ephesus formed a good opportunity for the apostle to outline the conduct that was becoming to the saints viewed as the house; the saints there were formed according to God. Timothy was at Ephesus, and I think this gives a clue as to what gave rise to the epistle.

J.P. The state of things at Ephesus was such that God could take account of it and use it to bring out the truth of His house.

J.T. Exactly; the house was there really at Ephesus. Perhaps in the Acts the first great point is Jerusalem; then Antioch, and finally Ephesus. The ministry of the apostle had been so effectual at Ephesus that a company was formed of such a character as to enable the Spirit to regard it as the house of God. In this way I think it may be taken to represent the whole church.

J.R. The first gospel address really took the form of an explanation of what God had brought to pass through Christ, the Spirit here answering to His exaltation.

J.T. Yes, "the great things of God". God had come to dwell among His people at Jerusalem, and the effect of this was apparent to the multitude. The saints were fully in accord with their great privilege, Acts 2.

J.P. It is like God to begin at the top; from the highest point. If we are going to look at the gospel all this invests it with a wonderful character.

J.T. If God is going to be represented down here, you would expect He would bring to pass in His assembly at Jerusalem, or Ephesus, or anywhere else, what would adequately set forth His character.

R.S.S. The first intimation of decline was also at Ephesus, Rev. 2.

J.T. God set up the assembly perfectly at Jerusalem and Ephesus. That is to say,

Ques. The church at Ephesus stood representatively at the beginning: does not Philadelphia stand representatively at the end?

J.T. Yes, I think so, but the point in Philadelphia is appreciation of Christ. Philadelphia is not the candlestick, but Ephesus was that representatively.

J.P. Philadelphia is the moral recovery of what was true at the beginning, in connection with appreciation of Christ, but not the candlestick.

Ques. Does not Philadelphia really bring out in the end what is suited to the heart of Christ, descriptive of what the church really is?

J.T. Yes, what the church is to Christ. There is nothing public about it, but in Ephesus there was what was public.

I think it is a great thing to be able to take account of what God established: there was nothing lacking in it when He established it.

Ques. Is it not our privilege now, notwithstanding all the breakdown, to be in the light of it?

J.T. Yes, I think it is our privilege to be in the light of it, but you can never be it.

J.P. I think what we have set before us is most important, for in the minds of many the thought of the gospel has been entirely dissociated from that which God established in perfection in the beginning.

J.T. Yes, but if you will consider the principal gospel parables in Luke, you will find the existence of the house is supposed in them.

J.P. Mention one, please?

J.T. There is Luke 14; that is to say, the "great supper", as we call it. You cannot have a great supper without a house in which to spread it.

R.S.S. I suppose the thought you had in mind, is that the general idea is to connect the gospel with the individual?

J.P. The individual, as having needs and these being met, you mean?

R.S.S. The individual who proclaims it.

J.P. It applies to both sides – the man that preaches it and those to whom it is preached.

J.T. Yes, I think so. "Filled to all the fulness of God", which meant that they were to have the knowledge of God in love.

I think the popular idea of the gospel is pretty much theoretic – very largely a question of doctrine: I should perhaps say a question of creed.

R.S.S. That is, it is vital – a living thing.

J.T. And as such it is that which is brought within the reach of man, so the first gospel address we have is in regard to what is down here,

J.P. The Jews did not know what had happened when they heard the disciples speaking under the power of the Spirit of God, and some said they were drunk with new wine.

J.T. So it takes the character of an explanation; the effect produced by the presence of the Spirit in the saints led to enquiry on the part of the people.

J.P. In 1 Corinthians 14 we get the order in God's house: a simple person coming in would recognise by this that God was there.

J.T. The order of Solomon's house greatly affected the Queen of Sheba.

J.P. Scripture says, "When the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built …".

J.T. I should like to see the saints living according to God. I think we ought to be concerned about the gospel,

R.S.S. I believe, in general, if what characterises the saints were analysed, you would find they are very largely formed by that which is not according to God.

J.T. And the next thing is for us to get together in affection. If we are to be of any help at all to men, it must be as bound together by the Spirit.

R.S.S. And then something vital comes out.

J.T. Preaching and building go together in the scriptures.

J.P. Do you not mean building and preaching?

J.T. Exactly – I did. The building precedes the preaching. Historically the preaching began after the building was formed by the descent of the Holy Ghost.

J.P. The order in verse 31 of Acts 9 is very instructive viz., edification followed by increase, or multiplication.

J.T. I have no doubt the order of Scripture is right. In the case of Noah his preaching depended on his building. Building and preaching went on the same length of time.

J.P. In Hebrews 11 it says, "By the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith". It was his preparing an ark. That was the point.

Rem. In the case of Nehemiah it was the building of the wall.

J.T. It is wonderful to see how the building of the ark brings out the patience of God. As it is said in Peter, "The longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah".

Nobody regarded the preaching in the days of Noah; never-theless the ark was built, and completed; and I think God gained His point, in that His longsuffering came out.

Ques. The building of the house of God is the condemna-tion of the world, is it not?

J.T. I think so. It indicates the overthrow of the world-system. That is what the gospel involves.

The establishment of the house of God indicated the overthrow of the world-system. That is really, too, what the ark meant.

Salvation is not for heaven, but from this world. The salvation of the children of Israel involved the destruction of the Egyptians.

J.P. He "gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world", Gal. 1: 4.

J.T. The point now is water; that is, baptism.

Ques. Is it not more Judaism in Galatians? Judaism was something God set up for a time, and people wanted to go on with it.

J.T. The world-system, as the Lord found it here, was in connection with Judaism. What gave it all its power was that it was set up by God.

Rem. Please say a little more about the world-system. I believe people have a wrong idea with regard to the world-system. They look at it more in view of the lusts of the flesh.

J.T. Judaism was that which was established by God, and it was in that way it had all its power.

J.P. So in John's gospel, the Jew morally is the world.

J.T. What we need to see is that the Lord came into things as He found them, came into what was here. He found a system of things established, which He owned and recognised.

J.P. The gospel was, and is, really a divine explanation of what God has brought to pass and established in Christ at His right hand, and in the Holy Ghost down here.

Rem. When Noah came out of the ark, he came into a new scene.

J.T. Yes, and he brought every element of the new world out of the ark. When the Lord came into this scene He would have established His kingdom.

Rem. The rich and mighty men in the world were not needed in God's system at all, and on the other hand those in His system had no place in the world-system.

Rem. In the case of Paul, all he had as in the world-system was nothing to him among the saints.

R.S.S. All Paul had in connection with the world-system he calls "dung".

J.T. It is remarkable that he went to tent-making afterwards. He did not seem to take advantage of his education at all.

J.P. It was a beautiful point our brother brought out when he said that when Noah stepped out of the ark he came into an entirely new scene; everything in it had been brought through in the ark.

J.T. What would Noah have done otherwise? He could not have established a new world by himself. It requires a great many things to establish a world.

Rem. In the house of God everything is preserved for God.

J.T. Every element of the coming age is preserved in the house. Although the ship in which Paul sailed was actually wrecked, Acts 27, nevertheless all on board reached land safely.

Ques. What answers to the ark now?

J.T. The ark is typical of Christ, but I think also of the church in a way, as I said; the idea is there at any rate.

Rem. All would not take account of the ark as you have spoken of it.

J.T. Any right minded person would admit the flood was a mercy, the only hope for the world.

J.P. What must have been the feelings of Noah and his family when they came out of the ark into a new world! Saved from that old world – so horribly corrupted – by that which to the world was judgment.

J.T. And what an infinite mercy baptism is to a man who has a family. Look at the polluted system of things we have to deal with.

Ques. Why do you say, "to a man who has a family"?

J.T. God takes account of your family. If I professed interest in you, you would not take much account of it if I did not interest myself in your family.

Ques. Would you say salvation to you and your house is not soul salvation, but salvation from this present evil world?

J.T. Yes. The thought of salvation formerly referred to the state of the world; and every person taught of God wants to get out of the world.

J.P. Romans 8 looks on to the deliverance of creation.

J.T. The creation is subject to the power of sin, and groans under it. As to our bodies, we have part in this, notwith-standing that we have the first-fruits of the Spirit,

While you await the salvation of your body, you get soul-salvation from the world-system in virtue of the presence of the Holy Ghost down here.

R.S.S. Someone asked the question, What is the ark symbolical of? The general thought would be, It typified Christ.

J.T. I think in a certain sense that Noah is typical of Christ, in that he prepared an ark to the saving of his house.

R.S.S. Something like the city of refuge.

J.T. In view of the destruction of Judaism the spared ones from among the Jews found refuge and preservation in the assembly, Acts 2: 47.

Rem. Salvation is found in the Christian circle.

J.T. I cannot conceive how anybody can think of salvation being available to men without the church at the present time. By "present time", I mean the time of the Lord's absence from this world.

Rem. A few Christians walking together in love are a great thing for the people in that vicinity.

J.T. We want to get the idea of salvation from Scripture. It means deliverance from the world-system.

Every Christian can tell how salvation came to him. Christ has effected it for him, but through what He has established down here.

J.P. Do not omit this portion: "Men and brethren, what shall we do? … 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". Peter's answer to the Jew's question is gospel.

Rem. It is an important thing to see that He set the gifts in the church.

J.T. I do not see how you can have the gospel without the church.

Rem. Things are at such a low ebb you cannot find many evangelists and teachers.

J.T. You do not see very many according to God. You might find a good many taking that place, but those who are really formed according to God are not plentiful.

What is popularly called preaching the gospel to-day is really preaching a creed.

Ques. Do you mean by creed, the different ideas of the different sects ?

J.T. I think any man with a fairly good mind and educa-tion, who can give a good address, can preach, but the question is: Has he the gospel to present?

Take the parable in Luke 10. If the Samaritan had left the half-dead man by the roadside, after he had poured in the oil and wine, he would have still been exposed to the robbers; but the Samaritan did not leave him there.

Rem. The man would not have been saved from his enemies if he had been left there, but he was brought to the inn. Where is the inn?

J.T. I fancy it must be among the saints. Where could the Lord find anybody to take care of His people? Could He go to the rulers of the world, or to the magistrates of the city? No, only to those who loved Him.

R.S.S. Then there is the inn-keeper, which represents the Spirit of God. I suppose the two great things for us to-day are that Christ is glorified, and that the Spirit of God is here?

J.T. Yes, the Spirit here in the saints involves the "inn", I believe. nt moment? Does it not take the character of 2 Timothy, where the apostle exhorts Timothy to do the work of an evangelist?

J.T. Paul does not tell Timothy to be an evangelist, but to do the work of an evangelist.

J.P. I think it very remarkable that that should come in at the end, and it is presented in the widest possible way. "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely".

J.T. You must locate it for him. I would not pay any attention to a man's gospel if he does not locate what I need.

J.P. People say, We must go out for sinners.

You said a little while ago that a person could not be saved from the world-system apart from the saints.

J.T. Every Christian would agree with that: we all know what an advantage it is to be in touch with those who are going on in the Spirit.

R.S.S. What do you understand by "living water", in the way you were speaking of it just now?

J.P. The Spirit is living water.

R.S.S. How would you locate the Spirit? Where do you find it?

J.P. In the saints. Among the people of God, He was never sent to the world. He shall abide with you, and dwell in you.

J.T. How is living water, the Spirit, to be made available to the need of humanity?

J.P. Of course this is a day of weakness, but with regard to all these things of which you have been speaking, you can see them demonstrated under your very eyes.

R.S.S. Coming out as you find in Galatians, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, Longsuffering, gentleness, goodness", etc. Is that your thought?

J.T. Yes. The Lord spoke about the water He would give, John 4.

J.P. It "shall become in him a fountain of water, springing up into eternal life".

J.T. In chapter 7 you get rivers of water. The Lord Jesus put the living water down here,

R.S.S. Your thought in connection with the gospel was, you not only present God's attitude in the forgiveness of sins, but

J.T. Yes, you not only enlighten a person as to God's attitude toward him,

All the saints were to be formed according to God and to be in His house, as we said at the beginning. Ephesians 3 puts it "Filled even to all the fulness of God".

R.S.S. Would you think Andrew illustrates what you were speaking of just now? He first found his brother Simon, and brought him to Jesus. Of course, Christ personally is not here now, but in the faith of his soul he must come to Christ.

J.T. And it is important to get him as close as we can to spiritual people. You can enlighten him by presenting Christ glorified to him,

R.S.S. I was very thankful for your remarks just now in connection with living water being the Spirit. I think we have a very vague idea of it, except as we see it expressed in the people of God.

J.T. If you speak to a man of the Holy Ghost it is a mystery to him,

R.S.S. It is the same thing as to love, 1 Cor. 13. Love is spoken of there in connection with man here on earth, and the way it comes out is, "Charity suffereth long, and is kind", etc.

J.T. God knows man's heart and has adapted Himself to man, and the living water is the Spirit as adapted to the needs of man's heart.

R.S.S. I suppose in the passage we read what really comes out is God's attitude, and that expressed in the people of God down here.

Ques. Would you connect with that Simeon's prayer, when he held the child Jesus ("mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel") with this passage? It says, "Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth".

J.T. You mean as to salvation? Yes; Simeon saw in Christ God's salvation, although he did not wish to wait for it: seeing it, he was content to depart.

Ques. Does not the first epistle to Timothy, in the chapter we read, bring out what we should pray to God for, in order that we may live here according to God's mind? Is that not the thought where he speaks of praying for kings, etc.?

J.T. He says, "I exhort therefore, first of all, that supplica-tions, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings be made for all men; for kings and all that are in dignity, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all piety and gravity; for this is good and acceptable before our Saviour God, who desires that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. For God is one, and the mediator of God and men one, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all, the testimony to be rendered in its own times".

R.S.S. Yes, that is a great thing to see; and I have rather thought that perhaps the first thing a soul apprehends, the first light he gets, is the sense of what God's attitude is toward him. If a soul gets that, you may be quite sure a work of God is begun there.

J.T. It was a wonderful conception that God should have a company of people here descriptive of His heart: those who are filled full of love: and it seems to me a great point that such a company existed at Ephesus.

J.P. How important all this is for us at a moment like this! It turns us away from that which is merely external. It brings us back, I believe, to what is according to God,

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DELIVERANCE  FROM
THE  CURRENT  RELIGIOUS  WORLD
Matthew 13: 1, 36; 16: 1-4; 24: 1-4; Acts 1: 9, 12-14
Address at Purley, England, 1927
Ministry by J. Taylor, 27: 508-517

I wish to speak from these scriptures about deliverance from the world, and of our being maintained as delivered from it. I have in mind particularly the religious world, for the religious world in Scripture is treated as representing the world generally.

I want to show from Matthew how the Lord indicated in His own path the way of deliverance from the religious world. Matthew is particularly occupied with the world as an organised system in opposition to God, having its centre in Jerusalem. Other scriptures refer to the world as the men in it.

The house aspect of the system is perhaps the most attractive to the young; you find family gatherings there, social events, garden parties – what you may regard as a 'living' state of things.

Then His mother and His brethren come; worthy people they, surely! they are without. They claim Him on natural lines, but He is not at the beck and call of those who claim Him thus;

Young people, this word is for you, especially if you have not left that house; the Lord is indicating a lead that you should follow:

He sat by the sea to sow, for He will bring in another order of things;

Now the part we have spoken of is mainly for the young, but in chapter 16 we have something for those who are older. It is concerned with the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Then there is another class of thinkers; they think nothing of the Bible, they will tell you that it was all exploded long ago; they are Sadducees, they believe nothing they do not see.

These men pay no attention to God and the work of God. If you read the books of the leaders of religion written during the last century, you will find no reference to the great current work of God. It is not that they do not know of it, but they entirely ignore what they know.

In chapter 12 the Lord calls Jonas a prophet; He would in grace towards them give Jonah his status as a prophet in order that they might pay heed.

In leaving such a state of things you not only leave, but you put a distance between you and it – you burn all the bridges between you, and the further you get away the better.

Now there are many who appear to escape these things, but are held by what is in chapter 24 – the grandeur and embellishment of ancient religion.

Having said this to the disciples, He went and sat upon the mount of Olives. The force of His sitting on the mount of Olives is that He now speaks of the Spirit, that He is now operating through the Spirit.

In Acts 1 we have the final touch to all this; Scripture does not say that the Lord went up from the mount of Olives, but it says, the disciples returned from the mount of Olives. They returned into the city from the mount.

The disciples go to the upper room. The Lord had not told them to do so according to the passage, but they are persons who know what to do as having been with Him on mount Olivet.

The word used for 'upper' here is a stronger word than usual. Spiritually it means elevation in obscurity; it corresponds to our place as in Ephesians – seated in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus, but as compared with the temple, a 'room' implies smallness.

Note that it says there were several women. The women are representative of affection in Scripture, so that they are seen here as those who love Christ – Christ's companions who have learned to love spiritually.

Then there are the brethren of Jesus – a most remarkable set of persons in this world, a model company, for that is what it is.

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THE  REMMANT  THAT  IS  LEFT
Isaiah 37: 4, 22, 31-32; Leviticus 10: 12-15; John 6: 66-69
Address at Toronto, Canada, October 9, 1933
Ministry by J. Taylor, 37: 12-25
See: Poetry: The Man in the Glory: The Remnant that is Left: SJBC
See also: Ministry: C. H. Mackintosh 3: The Remnant - Past and Present

The words "that are left" are in my mind. We are living in remnant times, and it is well to have an understanding of the times so as to know what is to be done, what Israel is to do.

Isaiah 37: 4, 22, 31-32

I wish to speak of what is regarded by the Spirit of God as "left" of the original as contemplated in the history, and Isaiah serves in a special way to bring this out.

Isaiah helps us as to this. If we consider ourselves as here tonight, what is left in numbers in our localities is small, and sometimes we become very discouraged because of this, and the enemy of our souls would press it in upon us. We see this in Rabshakeh intimating that Hezekiah could not put riders on two thousand horses.

Then Rabshakeh writes a letter to Hezekiah, and Hezekiah spreads it out before the Lord, in the house of the Lord.

God does not say anything at all at the first about the remnant that was left. If you get into your closet with God, you see with Him the things that be not as though they were: you get the sense that "all things are possible" with Him.

So we have the daughter of Zion and the daughter of Jerusalem. The last is one that understands government; government in, and going out from, the assembly.

Another thing comes out in our chapter in Isaiah;

Leviticus 10: 12-15

In the second scripture, we have the priesthood – those which "were left" of the priests, Aaron and his two sons; they are few; if two thousand riders cannot be put on two thousand horses, we may be sure there are not many priests.

That is the setting in this chapter, and the word is to the priests that are left. What is to happen to them? Are they not to be on their guard, are they not to be careful? It is a most solemn chapter.

John 6: 66-69

In the last scripture, John 6: 66, we have again the thought of some left. You will observe that

They did not all turn away back at Capernaum: thank God in all drifts from the truth some are left.

He challenges the twelve. Peter says, "We have believed and known", He is a leader in what he says. There are brethren here, dear young people, who have believed and known.

May the Lord grant us help to understand what "is left", and to see how it comes in for the whole thought

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THE  INTRODUCTION
OF  THE  GOSPEL  INTO  EUROPE
– A Gospel Address
Acts 16: 1-34, Bristol, July 1919
Ministry by J. Taylor, 11: 1-9

The point I want to call attention to is the way in which the apostle Paul carried on his service, a subject which should not only be of great interest to all who would labour, but to all Christians, whether labourers or otherwise, for it indicates the divine manner of approaching man with the gospel.

The incidents recorded in this chapter, as many know, mark the introduction of the gospel into the Western world; it was Paul's first visit to Europe.

As the chapter teaches, Paul is guided to Philippi. He was forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach in Asia, and when he assayed to go to Bithynia the Spirit of Jesus suffered him not, and he was subject. A beautiful model for all who serve!

Now, God is not carrying on government simply for the sake of having government on earth, but on account of those who shall be heirs of salvation. It is said of angels,

But to refer for a moment to the first woman mentioned in this chapter, Timothy's mother; she is an honoured woman, she is said to be a "believing woman", for that is how it should read; a Jewess, but not simply one who had believed.

Timothy himself had a good report. We read,

The next woman that we get is Lydia. What one notices in connection with her is that the apostle's desire is first of all to associate himself with that which is of God in that place.

What about your heart? Simeon in the temple, when he took up Jesus in his arms, said that the thoughts of many hearts would be revealed in connection with that Child. The coming of Christ involved the testing of every heart. How about your heart?

Now I want to come to the jailor, because, after all he is the character of the chapter; he is the man of Macedonia, and I shall show you, if I can, the beautiful manner in which God reached this man's heart, and what it involved for the servants of the Lord.

These servants began by prayer, and proceeded to praise. What energy there was! Their hymns are not preserved, but they sang a hymn of praise, and the prisoners heard; they were compelled to listen. How beautiful!

Is there any one here who is pursuing a course of sin? To such an one I would say, The gospel is to do you good.

Young people are disposed sometimes to speak with disrespect of the servants of God. He says,

That is the message, and the man is reached, he believed, and as we see in the sequel, he was instructed in the word of the Lord. Paul and Silas

Now I want to dwell upon what the effect upon this man was. It says,

May God grant to any of those who may have heard the gospel, to believe it, and may the joy that brings into our hearts be more known by us who believe, and may it be shared by all in the house. The households of the people of God should be scenes of joy.

May God bless His word.

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