The Christian leader and the novitiate.
Driven from Lystra by the turbulence of the people, Paul and Barnabas went to Derbe, and there they "preached the gospel;" they seem to have been unmolested, and consequently they "taught many people" (Acts 14:21). Having traveled so far eastward towards Antioch, it became a question whether they should go on or return. Thus we come, as they came, to consider—
I. THE FUNCTION OF THE CHRISTIAN LEADER in relation to the Christian novice. We gather from the action of the apostles on this occasion that it is the teacher's duty:
1. To be earnestly concerned for his young disciples, and to go out of his way to serve them. It would certainly have been the more desirable course, "after the flesh," to go through the Cilician Gates, and so home to Antioch, rather than return and face the enraged populace from whom they had been obliged to flee. But a deep sense of what was due to those whom they had induced to forsake their old faith and enter on a new and trying course constrained them to forego the inviting and to pursue the perilous path. To encourage those who are beginning to live the Divine life, and who will probably find themselves beset with unexpected and serious difficulties, we should hold ourselves ready to go far out of our way and to run some serious risks.
2. To impart additional instruction. The apostles not only repeated what they had said before, but they added sound Christian doctrine; especially they taught that we must expect to bear the burdens before we enter into the glory of our Lord; that it is through much tribulation we enter the kingdom (Acts 14:22). Christian truth is large and deep. It has its portion for the idolater, another for the novitiate, another for the matured. The true Christian leader is he who varies his instruction in accordance with the spiritual condition of his disciples.
3. To exert a powerful personal influence, The apostles "confirmed the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith" (Acts 14:22); i.e. they brought to bear on their minds and hearts all the moral influence which they could exert by the weight of their love and their urgent solicitation; they appealed to them by every consideration which would touch their souls to remain steadfast in the faith, loyal to the Lord their Savior.
4. To make permanent provision for Christian culture (Acts 14:23).
5. To make them the object of earnest prayer (Acts 14:23).
II. THE PART OF THE DISCIPLE. This is:
1. To recognize the earnestness of his spiritual guide, and to give him his best attention. We have no truer friend, none to whom we owe more, not one who has a greater claim on our reverent regard, than the teacher who has led us to God.
2. To expect a fair share of struggle and endurance. There is no kingdom, and certainly not the kingdom of God, to be entered without trying and even painful experiences. The Christian disciple must lay his account with this fact: he is to understand that whoever will follow Christ must take up his cross to do so (Matthew 16:24); that there will be ridicule to be endured, opposition to be overcome, disappointments to be surmounted, inward evils to be subdued, many things that will demand a holy and elevated fortitude.
3. To submit to those who are appointed to exercise authority—the "elders in every Church;" and to avail himself of those means of grace and growth which they may institute.
4. To keep in view the consummation of Christian hope, the blessed kingdom of God. When trials thicken and duties multiply, when the new and better life is shadowed with dark clouds, when the way is long and toilsome, then the disciple is to look on and up, beyond the plains and hills of earth to the heavenly Zion, beyond the sufferings of the present to the glory which is to be revealed.—C.