The Home-Mission Work of Christians
Norman Macleod, D. D. Luke 8:38-39 Now the man out of whom the devils were departed sought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying,… 1. Every man who is entitled to the name of Christian, knows in some degree what great things the Lord has done for him. 2. To every man, therefore, who knows this, however imperfectly or inadequately the blessing may be realized, the Lord says, "Go to thine own house," &c. 3. Look at their sphere of missionary labour, in which every Christian is to be the missionary agent. The circle made up of our relations, friends, companions, and those with whom we come most into contact. (1) Our own house has the first claim upon us. (2) To show to our own house what great things the Lord hath done for us, is the very duty which every kind of religious fervour demands, in order to prevent it from dying out like a fire that leaves nothing but ashes behind, or from being spent like a fresh flowing stream in mere noise and foam, without doing any practical good. (3) Our religion as seen in our own house is the best test of the reality of our Christian character. (4) Our home is the field which we can cultivate better than any other. 4. We are further taught, by the history of this Gadarene, the way in which this home mission work is to be carried on. It is chiefly by our life: by what we are. This influence of a good life, however, does not exclude a more direct showing by spoken word, of what the Lord has done for ourselves, and what He is willing and able to do for all. (Norman Macleod, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, WEB: But the man from whom the demons had gone out begged him that he might go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying,