Who are the Gideons?

Facts and Statistics:

Founded 1899

An extended missionary arm of the church

Oldest Christian business and professional men’s association in the USA

Gideons International is a board of distinguished Christian Laymen engaged in worldwide Gideon ministry

130,000 members

170 countries – Bible translated in many different languages

Objective – winning others to Christ

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Jn 3:16

Association & Fellowship

Personal Testimony

Placing the Bible – God’s Holy Word

Demand – 2,000,000 readers per week

Primary function of Gideons – placing and distributing Bibles and New Testaments in the human traffic lanes and stream of human life

Gideons are laymen - stand shoulder to shoulder as missionaries of local churches and their pastors going to all four corners of the world to win others for Christ

Gideons place 45,000,000 scripture copies a year – 1,000,000 copies every eight days, 86 per minute

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Gideons is non-profit. Every dollar contributed is used to make it possible to place scripture. Every contribution is tax-deductable.

The gospel message and the scripture is an indispensable element in winning people to Christ

All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 2Ti3:16 - The product is God-breathed.

The Gideon Living Memorial Bible Plan - How to dedicate Bibles to in the memory of a loved one or friend:

1. Fill out info on back of handout
2. Detach and place in offering plate or give to me at end of service
3. Gideons will:

1. Send a nice Memory or In Honor card to the persons requested to inform them of your gift.
2. Send you a notice of the cost of Bibles provided.
3. Place the Bibles (or NTs) in one of the 172 countries the Gideons serve.
4. Send an official receipt for income tax purposes.

1. Cost:

1. 1=4.74
2. 5=23.75
3. 10=47.50
4. 15=71.25
5. 25=118.75

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Thank all for the time to speak and fellowship

This evangelist passes over several other appearances of Christ, recorded by Luke and John,

and hastens to this, which was of all other the most solemn, as being promised and appointed

again and again before his death, and after his resurrection. Observe,

I. How the disciples attended his appearance, according to the appointment

# 16

They went into Galilee, a long journey to go for one sight of Christ, but it was worth while.

They had seen him several times at Jerusalem, and yet they went into Galilee, to see him there.

1. Because he appointed them to do so. Though it seemed a needless thing to go into Galilee, to

see him whom they might see at Jerusalem, especially when they must so soon come back again

to Jerusalem, before his ascension, yet they had learned to obey Christ's commands and not

object against them. Note, Those who would maintain communion with Christ, must attend him

there where he has appointed. Those who have met him in one ordinance, must attend him in

another; those who have seen him at Jerusalem, must go to Galilee.

2. Because that was to be a public and general meeting. They had seen him themselves, and

conversed with him in private, but that should not excuse their attendance in a solemn assembly,

where many were to be gathered together to see him. Note, Our communion with God in secret

must not supersede our attendance on public worship, as we have opportunity; for God loves

the gates of Zion, and so must we. The place was a mountain in Galilee, probably the same

mountain on which he was transfigured. There they met, for privacy, and perhaps to signify the

exalted state into which he was entered, and his advances toward the upper world.

II. How they were affected with the appearance of Christ to them,

# 17

Now was the time that he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once,

# 1Co 15:6

Some think that they saw him, at first, at some distance, above in the air, ephthe epano -- He

was seen above, of five hundred brethren (so they read it); which gave occasion to some to

doubt, till he came nearer

# 18

and then they were satisfied. We are told,

1. That they worshipped him; many of them did so, nay, it should seem, they all did that, they

gave divine honour to him, which was signified by some outward expressions of adoration.

Note, All that see the Lord Jesus with an eye of faith are obliged to worship him.

2. But some doubted, some of those that were then present. Note, Even among those that

worship there are some that doubt. The faith of those that are sincere, may yet be very weak and

wavering. They doubted, edistasan -- they hung in suspense, as the scales of the balance, when

it is hard to say which preponderates. These doubts were afterward removed, and their faith

grew up to a full assurance, and it tended much to the honour of Christ, that the disciples

doubted before they believed; so that they cannot be said to be credulous, and willing to be

imposed upon; for they first questioned, and proved all things, and then held fast that which

was true, and which they found to be so.

III. What Jesus Christ said to them

# 18-20

Jesus came, and spoke unto them. Though there were those that doubted, yet, he did not

therefore reject them; for he will not break the bruised reed. He did not stand at a distance, but

came near, and gave them such convincing proofs of his resurrection, as turned the wavering

scale, and made their faith to triumph over their doubts. He came, and spoke familiarly to

them, as one friend speaks to another, that they might be fully satisfied in the commission he was

about to give them. He that drew near to God, to speak for us to him, draws near to us, to speak

from him to us. Christ now delivered to his apostles the great charter of his kingdom in the

world, was sending them out as his ambassadors, and here gives them their credentials.

In opening this great charter, we may observe two things.

1. The commission which our Lord Jesus received himself from the Father. Being about to

authorize his apostles, if any ask by what authority he doeth it, and who gave him that authority,

here he tells us, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth; a very great word, and

which none but he could say. Hereby he asserts his universal dominion as Mediator, which is

the great foundation of the Christian religion. He has all power. Observe, (1.) Whence he hath

this power. He did not assume it, or usurp it, but it was given him, he was legally entitled to it,

and invested in it, by a grant from him who is the Fountain of all being, and consequently of all

power. God set him King

# Ps 2:6

inaugurated and enthroned him,

# Lu 1:32

As God, equal with the Father, all power was originally and essentially his; but as Mediator, as

God-man, all power was given him; partly in recompence of his work (because he humbled

himself, therefore God thus exalted him), and partly in pursuance of his design; he had this

power given him over all flesh, that he might give eternal life to as many as were given him

# Joh 17:2

for the more effectual carrying on and completing our salvation. This power he was now more

signally invested in, upon his resurrection,

# Ac 13:3

He had power before, power to forgive sins

# 9:6

but now all power is given him. He is now going to receive for himself a kingdom

# Lu 19:12

to sit down at the right hand,

# Ps 110:1

Having purchased it, nothing remains but to take possession; it is his own for ever. (2.) Where

he has this power; in heaven and earth, comprehending the universe. Christ is the sole universal

Monarch, he is Lord of all,

# Ac 10:36

He has all power in heaven. He has power of dominion over the angels, they are all his humble servants,

# Eph 1:20, 21

He has power of intercession with his Father, in the virtue of his satisfaction and atonement; he

intercedes, not as a suppliant, but as a demandant; Father, I will. He has all power on earth too;

having prevailed with God, by the sacrifice of atonement, he prevails with men, and deals with

them as one having authority, by the ministry of reconciliation. He is indeed, in all causes and

over all persons, supreme Moderator and Governor. By him kings reign. All souls are his, and

to him every heart and knee must bow, and every tongue confess him to be the Lord. This our

Lord Jesus tells them, not only to satisfy them of the authority he had to commission them, and to

bring them out in the execution of their commission, but to take off the offence of the cross; they

had no reason to be ashamed of Christ crucified, when they saw him thus glorified.

2. The commission he gives to those whom he sent forth; Go ye therefore. This commission is

given, (1.) To the apostles primarily, the chief ministers of state in Christ's kingdom, the

architects that laid the foundation of the church. Now those that had followed Christ in the

regeneration, were set on thrones

# Lu 22:30

Go ye. It is not only a word of command, like that, Son, go work, but a word of encouragement,

Go, and fear not, have I not sent you? Go, and make a business of this work. They must not

take state, and issue out summons to the nations to attend upon them; but they must go, and bring

the gospel to their doors, Go ye. They had doted on Christ's bodily presence, and hung upon

that, and built all their joys and hopes upon that; but now Christ discharges them from further

attendance on his person, and sends them abroad about other work. As an eagle stirs up her

nest, flutters over her young, to excite them to fly

# De 32:11

so Christ stirs up his disciples, to disperse themselves over all the world. (2.) It is given to their

successors, the ministers of the gospel, whose business it is to transmit the gospel from age to

age, to the end of the world in time, as it was theirs to transmit it from nation to nation, to the

end of the world in place, and no less necessary. The Old-Testament promise of a gospel

ministry is made to a succession

# Isa 59:21

and this must be so understood, otherwise how could Christ be with them always to the

consummation of the world? Christ, at his ascension, gave not only apostles and prophets, but

# Eph 4:11

Now observe,

[1.] How far his commission is extended; to all nations. Go, and disciples all nations. Not that

they must go all together into every place, but by consent disperse themselves in such manner as

might best diffuse the light of the gospel. Now this plainly signifies it to be the will of Christ,

First, That the covenant of peculiarity, made with the Jews, should now be cancelled and

disannulled. This word broke down the middle wall of partition, which had so long excluded

the Gentiles from a visible church-state; and whereas the apostles, when first sent out, were

forbidden to go into the way of the Gentiles, now they were sent to all nations. Secondly, That

salvation by Christ should be offered to all, and none excluded that did not by their unbelief and

impenitence exclude themselves. The salvation they were to preach is a common salvation;

whoever will, let him come, and take the benefit of the act of indemnity; for there is no

difference of Jew or Greek in Christ Jesus. Thirdly, That Christianity should be twisted in with

national constitutions, that the kingdoms of the world should become Christ's kingdoms, and

their kings the church's nursing-fathers.

[2.] What is the principal intention of this commission; to disciple all nations. Matheteusate --

"Admit them disciples; do your utmost to make the nations Christian nations;" not, "Go to the

nations, and denounce the judgments of God against them, as Jonah against Nineveh, and as the

other Old-Testament prophets" (though they had reason enough to expect it for their

wickedness), "but go, and disciple them." Christ the Mediator is setting up a kingdom in the

world, bring the nations to be his subjects; setting up a school, bring the nations to be his

scholars; raising an army for the carrying on of the war against the powers of darkness, enlist

the nations of the earth under his banner. The work which the apostles had to do, was, to set up

the Christian religion in all places, and it was honourable work; the achievements of the mighty

heroes of the world were nothing to it. They conquered the nations for themselves, and made

them miserable; the apostles conquered them for Christ, and made them happy.

[3.] Their instructions for executing this commission.

First, They must admit disciples by the sacred rite of baptism; "Go into all nations, preach the

gospel to them, work miracles among them, and persuade them to come in themselves, and bring

their children with them, into the church of Christ, and then admit them and theirs into the

church, by washing them with water;" either dipping them in the water, or pouring or sprinkling

water upon them, which seems the more proper, because the thing is most frequently expressed

so, as

# Isa 44:3

I will pour my Spirit on thy seed. And,

# Tit 3:5, 6

Which he shed on us abundantly. And,

# Eze 36:25

I will sprinkle clean water upon you. And,

# Isa 52:15

So shall he sprinkle many nations; which seems a prophecy of this commission to baptize the nations.

Secondly, This baptism must be administered in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of

the Holy Ghost. That is, 1. By authority from heaven, and not of man; for his ministers act by

authority from the three persons in the Godhead, who all concur, as to our creation, so to our

redemption; they have their commission under the great seal of heaven, which puts an honour

upon the ordinance, though to a carnal eye, like him that instituted it, it has no form or

comeliness. 2. Calling upon the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Every thing is

sanctified by prayer, and particularly the waters of baptism. The prayer of faith obtains the

presence of God with the ordinance, which is its lustre and beauty, its life and efficacy. But, 3.

It is into the name (eis to onoma) of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; this was intended as the

summary of the first principles of the Christian religion, and of the new covenant, and according

to it the ancient creeds were drawn up. By our being baptized, we solemnly profess, (1.) Our

assent to the scripture-revelation concerning God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. We

confess our belief that there is a God, that there is but one God, that in the Godhead there is a

Father that begets, a Son that is begotten, and a Holy Spirit of both. We are baptized, not into

the names, but into the name, of Father, Son, and Spirit, which plainly intimates that these three

are one, and their name one. The distinct mentioning of the three persons in the Trinity, both in

the Christian baptism here, and in the Christian blessing

# 2Co 13:14

as it is a full proof of the doctrine of the Trinity, so it has done much towards preserving it pure

and entire through all ages of the church; for nothing is more great and awful in Christian

assemblies than these two. (2.) Our consent to a covenant-relation to God, the Father, Son, and

Holy Ghost. Baptism is a sacrament, that is, it is an oath; super sacramentum dicere, is to say

upon oath. It is an oath of abjuration, by which we renounce the world and the flesh, as rivals

with God for the throne in our hearts; and an oath of allegiance, by which we resign and give up

ourselves to God, to be his, our own selves, our whole selves, body, soul, and spirit, to be

governed by his will, and made happy in his favour; we become his men, so the form of homage

in our law runs. Therefore baptism is applied to the person, as livery and seisin is given of the

premises, because it is the person that is dedicated to God. [1.] It is into the name of the

Father, believing him to be the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (for that is principally intended

here), by eternal generation, and our Father, as our Creator, Preserver, and Benefactor, to

whom therefore we resign ourselves, as our absolute owner and proprietor, to actuate us, and

dispose of us; as our supreme rector and governor, to rule us, as free agents, by his law; and as

our chief good, and highest end. [2.] It is into the name of the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, the

Son of God, and correlate to the Father. Baptism was in a particular manner administered in the

# Ac 8:16, 19:5

In baptism we assent, as Peter did, Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God

# 16:16

and consent, as Thomas did, My Lord, and my God,

# Joh 20:28

We take Christ to be our Prophet, Priest, and King, and give up ourselves to be taught, and

saved, and ruled, by him. [3.] It is into the name of the Holy Ghost. Believing the Godhead of

the Holy Spirit, and his agency in carrying on our redemption, we give up ourselves to his

conduct and operation, as our sanctifier, teacher, guide, and comforter.

Thirdly, Those that are thus baptized, and enrolled among the disciples of Christ, must be taught

# 20

Teaching them to observe all thing, whatsoever I have commanded you. This denotes two things.

1. The duty of disciples, of all baptized Christians; they must observe all things whatsoever

Christ has commanded, and, in order to that, must submit to the teaching of those whom he

sends. Our admission into the visible church is in order to something further; when Christ hath

discipled us, he hath not done with us; he enlist soldiers that he may train them up for his service.

All that are baptized, are thereby obliged, (1.) To make the command of Christ their rule. There

is a law of faith, and we are said to be under the law to Christ; we are by baptism bound, and

must obey. (2.) To observe what Christ has commanded. Due obedience to the commands of

Christ requires a diligent observation; we are in danger of missing, if we take not good heed:

and in all our obedience, we must have an eye to the command, and do what we do as unto the

Lord. (3.) To observe all things, that he has commanded, without exception; all the moral

duties, and all the instituted ordinances. Our obedience to the laws of Christ is not sincere, if it

be not universal; we must stand complete in his whole will. (4.) To confine themselves to the

commands of Christ, and as not to diminish from them, so not to add to them. (5.) To learn their

duty according to the law of Christ, from those whom he has appointed to be teachers in his

school, for therefore we were entered into his school.

2. The duty of the apostles of Christ, and his ministers; and that is, to beach the commands of

Christ, to expound them to his disciples, to press upon them the necessity of obedience, and to

assist them in applying the general commands of Christ to particular cases. They must teach

them, not their own inventions, but the institutions of Christ; to them they must religiously

adhere, and in the knowledge of them Christians must be trained up. A standing ministry is

hereby settled in the church, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the

# Eph 4:11-13

The heirs of heaven, till they come to age, must be under tutors and governors.

3. Here is the assurance he gives them of his spiritual presence with them in the execution of this

commission; And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. This exceeding

great and precious promise is ushered in with a behold, to strengthen their faith, and engage

their observation of it. "Take notice of this; it is what you may assure yourselves of and venture

upon." Observe,

(1.) The favour promised them; I am with you. Not, I will be with you, but I am -- ego eimi. As

God sent Moses, so Christ sent his apostles, by this name, I am; for he is God, to whom past,

present, and to come, are the same. See

# Re 1:8

He was now about to leave them; his bodily presence was now to be removed from them, and

this grieved them; but he assures them of his spiritual presence, which was more expedient for

them than his bodily presence could be; I am with you; that is, "My Spirit is with you, the

Comforter shall abide with you,

# Joh 16:7

I am with you, and not against you: with you to take your part, to be on your side, and to hold

with you, as Michael our prince is said to do,

# Dan 10:21

I am with you, and not absent from you, not at a distance; I am a very present help,"

# Ps 46:1

Christ was now sending them to set up his kingdom in the world, which was a great undertaking.

And then doth he seasonably promise them his presence with them, [1.] To carry them on

through the difficulties they were likely to meet with. "I am with you, to bear you up, to plead

your cause; with you in all your services, in all your sufferings, to bring you through them with

comfort and honour. When you go through the fire or water, I will be with you. In the pulpit, in

the prison, lo, I am with you." [2.] To succeed this great undertaking; "Lo, I am with you, to

make your ministry effectual for the discipling of the nations, for the pulling down of the strong

holds of Satan, and the setting up of stronger for the Lord Jesus." It was an unlikely thing that

they should unhinge national constitutions in religion, and turn the stream of so long a usage; that

they should establish a doctrine so directly contrary to the genius of the age, and persuade

people to become the disciples of a crucified Jesus; but lo, I am with you, and therefore you

shall gain your point.

(2.) The continuance of the favour, always, even unto the end of the world.

[1.] They shall have his constant presence; Always, pasas tas hemeras -- all days, every day. "I

will be with you on sabbath days and week days, fair days and foul days, winter days and

summer days." There is no day, no hour of the day, in which our Lord Jesus is not present with

his churches and with his ministers; if there were, that day, that hour, they were undone. Since

his resurrection he had appeared to them now and then, once a week it may be, and scarcely

that. But he assures them that they shall have his spiritual presence continued to them without

intermission. Wherever we are the word of Christ is nigh us, even in our mouth, and the Spirit

of Christ nigh us, even in our hearts. The God of Israel, the Saviour, is sometimes a God that

hideth himself

# Isa 45:15

but never a God that absenteth himself; sometimes in the dark, but never at a distance.

[2.] They shall have his perpetual presence, even to the end of the world. There is a world

before us, that will never have an end, but this is hastening towards its period; and even till then

the Christian religion shall, in one part of the world or other, be kept up, and the presence of

Christ continued with his ministers. I am with you to the end of the world, not with your

persons, they died quickly, but, First, With you and your writings. There is a divine power

going along with the scripture of the New Testament, not only preserving them in being, but

producing strange effects by them, which will continue to the end of time. Secondly, With you

and your successors; with you and all the ministers of the gospel in the several ages of the

church; with all to whom this commission extends, with all who, being duly called and sent, thus

baptize and thus teach. When the end of the world is come, and the kingdom delivered up to

God, even the Father, there will then be no further need of ministers and their ministration; but

till then they shall continue, and the great intentions of the institution shall be answered. This is

an encouraging word to all the faithful ministers of Christ, that what was said to the apostles,

was said to them all, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Two solemn farewells we find our Lord Jesus giving to his church, and his parting word at both

of them is very encouraging; one was here, when he closed up his personal converse with them,

and then his parting word was, "Lo, I am with you always; I leave you, and yet still I am with

you;" the other was, when he closed up the canon of the scripture by the pen of his beloved

disciple, and then his parting word was, "Surely, I come quickly. I leave you for awhile, but I

will be with you again shortly,"

# Re 22:20

By this it appears that he did not part in anger, but in love, and that it is his will we should keep

up both our communion with him and our expectation of him.

There is one word more remaining, which must not be overlooked, and that is Amen; which is

not a cipher, intended only for a concluding word, like finis at the end of a book, but it has its

significancy. 1. It bespeaks Christ's confirmation of this promise, Lo, I am with you. It is his

Amen, in whom all the promises are Yea and Amen, "Verily I am, and will be, with you; I the

Amen, the faithful Witness, do assure you of it." Or, 2. It bespeaks the church's concurrence with

it, in their desire, and prayer, and expectation. It is the evangelist's Amen -- So be it, blessed

Lord. Our Amen to Christ's promises turns them into prayers. Hath Christ promised to be present

with his ministers, present in his word, present in the assemblies of his people, though but two

or three are gathered together in his name, and this always, even to the end of the world? Let us

heartily say Amen to it; believe that it shall be so, and pray that it may be so: Lord, Remember