248 



Inasmuch 



school of instruction, in Acts the school of preach 

 ing, and in Revelation the school of vision. 



From this digression, we turn back to source 

 one the Gospels, the school of missionary in 

 struction to find out how our Lord s mind is 

 declared, and how His purpose is revealed. 



Here we must apply the law of living energy 

 we have just spoken of, as against any method of 

 division or mechanics. For our present purpose, 

 the Gospels, the school of missionary instruction, 

 end not with the last verse of St. John, but with 

 the thirteenth verse of the second chapter of the 

 Book of Acts; when &quot;Peter standing up with 

 the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spake forth 

 unto them.&quot; The Apostles passed then, and not till 

 then did they pass, from the school of missionary 

 instruction into that of the missionary message. 



Our Lord s spirit and intention are revealed, 

 in the Gospels, in three ways, and in an ascending 

 order. 



1. In a practical way through His example. 



2. In a mandatory way through His com 



mands. 



3. In an inexorable way through the law of 



His life. 

 Practical: through the example oj Christ. 



Every chapter of the Gospels, the school of 

 instruction, illustrates the missionary example of 

 Christ. In subjection to His earthly parents, in 

 limitation to His earthly conditions, in associa 

 tion with the frailties, sufferings, and longings of 

 His fellow human beings, in preaching the Word 



