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  THE DAUNTING TASK
  by A.W. Tozer
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Summary: The Church's success in spreading the knowledge of Christ's
salvation is due to the miraculous element of the Holy Spirit, and it
continues to need this empowerment to accomplish its task.

Topics: "Empowerment by the Holy Spirit", "The Mission of the Church"
Scripture References: Matthew 28:19-20, John 14:12, Acts 1:8, Acts 2:4, Romans 1:16, 1 Corinthians 2:4-5, Galatians 5:22-23, Ephesians 3:20, Philippians 4:13, 2 Timothy 1:7

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DESCRIPTION
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A.W. Tozer emphasizes the monumental task of the Church in spreading the
gospel of Christ, which is the power of God for salvation. He reflects
on the Church's reliance on the Holy Spirit, who empowered it at
Pentecost, enabling it to achieve remarkable moral victories in a short
time. Without this divine empowerment, Tozer argues, the Church would
have failed like many sects before it. He calls for the same power
today, recognizing that without the Holy Spirit, the Church remains
incapable of fulfilling its mission. The sermon concludes with a prayer
for empowerment to continue the work of spreading the gospel.

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CONTENT
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For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God
to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for
the Greek. --Romans 1:16

The greatest event in history was the coming of Jesus Christ into the
world to live and to die for mankind. The next greatest event was the
going forth of the Church to embody the life of Christ and to spread the
knowledge of His salvation throughout the earth.

It was not an easy task which the Church faced when she came down from
that upper room.... Left to herself the Church must have perished as a
thousand abortive sects had done before her, and have left nothing for a
future generation to remember.

That the Church did not so perish was due entirely to the miraculous
element within her. That element was supplied by the Holy Spirit who
came at Pentecost to empower her for her task. For the Church was not an
organization merely, not a movement, but a walking incarnation of
spiritual energy. And she accomplished within a few brief years such
prodigies of moral conquest as to leave us wholly without an explanation
--apart from God. Paths to Power, 7-8.

"We continue to need that power, Lord, or we still are hopelessly
incapable of the task You've left us. Empower us for our work, Holy
Spirit, even as You empowered the early church. Amen."

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/aw-tozer/the-daunting-task/
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