"THE WORKINGS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: John 16:8-11(And when he comes, he will convince the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.)
Our Father and our God, we are persuaded that the Harvest is ripe and made ready by the shedding of Your blood at Calvary, we also realize painfully that harvesters are few, help us to remain conscious of the fact that You depend on us to labor in Your vineyard with all the gentleness we can muster, raise more harvesters from amongst us in the Chapel of the Healing Cross, such that, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, we would daily deliver souls to Your kingdom, we pray with thanksgiving through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE RUGGED EVANGELIST
‘And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.’ Mark 16:15 KJV
The above marching order handed down by Jesus Christ to His disciples is as fresh as it was when it was received by the earlier disciples. The contents of the directives are as potent as they were in the days of the earlier disciples and the circumstances of the world for which the directive was issued has not changed to warrant a counter directive suspending or withdrawing actions.
The Rugged Evangelist is one that has received the directive in Mark 16:15 in its raw state and is executing the orders contained therein. He is not bothered about the circumstances of the recipients, what bothers him is the fact that the directives must be carried out to the letter.
There is the tendency for disciples to act like Jeremiah did when he was sent to the house of Israel –
‘4 Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
6 Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
7 But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.
8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord. Jer 1:4-8 KJV
Critical to the office of a Rugged Evangelist are these points:
Hebrews Chapter Eleven contains the list of Saints Triumphant who were Rugged Evangelists, many of whom paid the supreme price pursuant to fulfilling the mandate in Mark 16:15.
Are you prepared to become a Rugged Evangelist for Christ? Yes you can!
COME LABOUR ON
1. Come, labour on!
Who dares stand idle, on the harvest plain
While all around him waves the golden grain?
And to each servant does the Master say,
“Go work today.”
2. Come, labour on!
Claim the high calling Angels cannot share—
To young and old the Gospel-gladness bear:
Redeem the time; its hours too swiftly fly.
The night draws nigh.
3. Come, labour on!
The labourers are few, the field is wide,
New stations must be filled and blanks supplied;
From voices distant far, or near at home,
The call is, “Come.”
4. Come, labour on!
The enemy is watching night and day,
To sow the tares, to snatch the seed away;
While we in sleep our duty have forgot,
He slumbered not.
5. Come, labour on!
Away with gloomy doubts and faithless fear!
No arm so weak but may do service here:
By feeblest agents can God fulfil.
His righteous will.
6. Come, labour on!
No time for rest, till glows the western sky,
While the long shadows o’er our pathway lie,
And a glad sound comes with the setting sun,
“Servants, well done.” Amen.
Jane Borthwick, 1859
