The evangelist’s sphere is the world. He brings Christ to it and seeks to bring souls out of it to Christ. But he always works from the assembly and leads souls into it. You know what a drawing compass is? An evangelist should be like that. One leg is fixed in the assembly; his other leg circles the world. He goes out in burning zeal and wholehearted energy to seek souls, wherever God leads him. The world is his parish.
Let us listen to the Scriptures in this matter: “Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away” (Matt. 13:47-4847Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: 48Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. (Matthew 13:47‑48)). When the net was full, they drew it to shore. They work very hard. There is downright hard work connected with the gospel. It is a very easy thing to stay at home and toast my toes and say, “Thank God, I am going to heaven.” But to go out and labor for the Lord and get hold of souls is not very easy. But they had their recompense. They caught the fish and “gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.” The vessel is the assembly. You cannot expect to catch fish in the assembly. You must go out into the dark waters around to catch them.
Fishers and Porters
The Lord said to Simon and Andrew, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matt. 4:1919And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. (Matthew 4:19)). The work of the evangelist is to bring souls to Christ first of all, and then to the door of the assembly. My advice to you is, Do not introduce your own converts. Let the porters take them in. We read of the porters in Solomon’s days. Their service is given in 2 Chronicles 35:15. Are you a good porter? A few good porters in the assembly are of great service, because the porters keep out what ought not to be in, and let in those who have a title to go in. It is a great cheer to a young soul when the porters can say, “Come in, thou blessed of the Lord.” I like a good warm-hearted porter.
We have all had our work assigned to us, but let us remember we are all subject to Christ. The evangelist catches the fish; others should determine if they be good or bad. The evangelist gives account to the Lord. He is of the assembly, and, of course, if his walk and ways are not right, he comes under the discipline of the assembly, but he is the servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.
A Willing Heart
What God looks for is a willing heart. You may be as devoted as you like to be. You may yield all to Christ. There is no must when it is a question of devotion to Christ. I never say to a person, You must be devoted. But I sometimes say, You may be devoted. We all have the opportunity to be such, and it is a fatal mistake if we miss that opportunity.
There is a striking illustration of this in the Book of Judges. Some of the people responded splendidly to Barak’s call, and others held back. This is celebrated in the song of the fifth chapter, which I would ask you to study carefully in relation to the question of being devoted to the Lord. “Awake, awake, Deborah; awake, awake; utter a song: arise; Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam” (vs. 12). They were anticipating a song and freedom. But some had no part in the battle and no heart for the song, and so is it today.
The Lord help you and me to yield ourselves unreservedly to Him. I take my orders from the Lord, and I recommend you to do the same. If you do, you are sure to be right. “He gave to every man his work.” Let us each do our own work and seek only to please Him, till we see Him face to face. Oh, how we shall rejoice to hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” not only about others, but we being devoted to Him, that He may say it even to us.
W. T. P. Wolston