Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known. Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. The king’s favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.

Proverbs 14:33-35

The Work Of The Evangelist

God knows I am no scholar, nor am I endued with any shining part or abilities; but I find, by happy experience, that the best rule to walk by, and try others and their doctrines by, is the revealed will of God, by the Spirit, in the heart, and in His Word. And I believe to enforce the Spirit’s work is to . . . insist on a union in the bond of love to Christ; to declare the whole will of God as revealed in His Word; to cry down priestcraft, and set up the gospel model; to preach down human inventions, and set up the will of God; to cry down the whole works of the flesh, and exalt the merits of Christ . . . is the doing of the works of an evangelist.

William Huntington, England, 1745-1813

REDEMPTION THROUGH CHRIST

Paul wrote, "Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners." (1 Tim. 1:15) REDEMPTION THROUGH CHRIST is God's grand design from all eternity and will be completed when all of His elect are perfectly conformed to the image of Christ.

FIRST, Christ was our surety and sacrifice from all eternity, "The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."

SECOND, Christ was the promised "seed of the woman" in Eden after the fall.

THIRD, Christ was pictured and typified in the sacri­fices and ceremonies of the law.

FOURTH, Christ was the subject of all the prophet’s messages. "Moses wrote of Him." "To Him give all the prophets wit­ness."

FIFTH, all of the faithful spirit-led men looked for and awaited His coming. "Abraham saw my day." Isaiah wrote that He would make His soul an offering for sin and by His stripes we would be healed!

SIXTH, in the fullness of time He came into the world clothed in the likeness of our flesh. His mission, not to condemn, but to save. His earthly life was marked by perfect obedience to the Father and compassionate love for sinners. "This man re­ceiveth sinners and eateth with them."

SEVENTH, on the cross of Calvary He died under the wrath and judgment of God for all our sins. "By one offering He perfected forever them that are sanctified." By His obedience the law is honored and by His death justice is satisfied.

EIGHTH, He has ascended to heaven, as our forerunner has entered the holiest, and is sat down on the right hand of God, where He ever lives to make intercession for us. "Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour."

NINTH, the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and His redeeming grace has been committed to faith­ful men to be proclaimed to all the world. "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel, he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, he that be­lieveth not shall be damned." Pastor Henry T. Mahan (bulletin 1982)

THE MISSION OF THE MESSIAH
Isaiah 61:1-4

When we read these verses there can be no doubt in our mind who this scripture is talking about. In the gospel of Luke the story is recorded how the Lord Jesus asked for the book of Isaiah, turned and read this passage and applied it to Himself (Luke 4:16-21). He said, "This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." All that heard Him, "wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth."

Our blessed Lord came to accomplish a tremendous undertaking for the glory of God and the good of God's elect (Gal. 4:4). As the Surety and Mediator of the covenant of grace (Heb.7:22), the entire weight of our salvation was laid upon Him (Isa.53:4-8). This verse tells us to accomplish such a task; He was anointed, appointed, ordained, empowered, and endued with God the Holy Spirit, He said, "the Spirit of the Lord God is upon me." These verses in Isaiah declare five distinct and glorious things the Lord came to accomplish for His sheep.

1). To preach the gospel, "The LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek." Jesus Christ is God's prophet to declare the will of God in salvation (Deut.18:18). Everywhere He traveled and in all the miracles He performed He was always doing the will of the Father and declaring the message of salvation through HIM (John 6:35-37; 7:37; 10:27; 14:6; 15:1).

2). To heal our diseases, "He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted." The Lord Jesus Christ took the sins of God's elect to Himself (1Peter 2:24) and gave us His own merited, perfect and everlasting righteousness (Rom. 4:3-6; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:9).

3). To be our Deliverer, "To proclaim liberty to the captives."

Christ is our Prophet to preach to us, our Priest to heal us, and our King to command our redemption from sin and to apply it to our heart (Phil.1:6).

4). To be our Comforter, "To comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness."

Christ Jesus not only provides comfort (Isa. 40:1-2), proclaims comfort (Matt.11:28-30), but also is the very person that stirs our heart with comfort (1Peter 2:6-7; Song of Sol. 5:16).

5). To be our Planter, "that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD." Every believer is the planting of the Lord into the Kingdom of God's grace (Col.1:12-14; 1Cor.1:30; Eph.2:8-9).