Acts 10:38

Let no one be misled by the fact of the apostle's frequently omitting the name of the Father and of the Holy Spirit when making mention of baptism, or on this account imagine that the invocation of the names is not observed. "As many of you," he says, "as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ;" and again, "As many of you as were baptized into Christ were baptized into his death."

How God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and power. Another edition says: As God anointed Him. Hence John preached Jesus, as God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit, then indeed when he said: He Himself will baptize you with the Holy Spirit (Matthew III). …

Because God was with Him. That is, the Father with the Son. For it is better to understand it thus than to indicate that the divinity of the Son cohabitated with the man whom He assumed, lest we seem to duplicate the person of Christ …

He is Christ [Anointed] because of the Spirit and the anointing that is in the Spirit. Therefore, the anointing of the Lord is not of something foreign to the divinity, nor is the name Christ nor those called Christian after him. For, in truth, someone …

"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power." This is understood in terms of His humanity. Since He emptied Himself and took on our flesh and our blood (cf. Heb. 2:14), it is said of Him that as man He …

Barnabas was full of the Holy Ghost and faith, chap. xi, 24. The disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost, chap. xiii, 52. And here, where his mighty works are mentioned, Christ himself is said to be anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power.

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth,....

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth--rather, "Jesus of Nazareth (as the burden of that 'published word'), how God anointed Him." with the Holy Ghost and with power--that is, at His baptism, thus visibly proclaiming Him MESSIAH, "the Lord's Christ." See Lu 4:18-21.

In aid of the Funds of the Baptist British and Irish Home Missionary Society. OUR Lord's public ministry on earth was a Home Mission. He Himself said to His disciples, "I am not sent save to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." He went to the very borders of the Holy Land. But there He stayed, and north and south, east and west, in all directions, in towns and in villages, He itinerated preaching to His own countrymen.

You will observe, if you read the chapter before us, that Peter's sermon was short and much to the point. He preached Jesus Christ to Cornelius immediately and unmistakably. He gave a very admirable sketch of the life of Jesus of which he affirmed himself to have been an eyewitness and he brought forward, in his closing sentence, just that simple Gospel which it is our joy to preach. "To Him all the Prophets witness, that through His name whoever believes in Him shall receive remission of sins."

You will observe, if you read the chapter before us, that Peter's sermon was short and much to the point. He preached Jesus Christ to Cornelius immediately and unmistakably. He gave a very admirable sketch of the life of Jesus of which he affirmed himself to have been an eyewitness and he brought forward, in his closing sentence, just that simple Gospel which it is our joy to preach. "To Him all the Prophets witness, that through His name whoever believes in Him shall receive remission of sins." This should be an instructive example to all professed ministers of the Gospel. We might say less about other matters without loss if we would say more about the Lord Jesus. If we should omit some other teaching, if there were more of a savor of the name and of the Person of Jesus Christ in our ministry, the omissions might be tolerated. It is a strange thing that men should profess to be sent of God and yet talk about everything except the great message which they are sent to deliver! My errand as a minister is to preach Christ and it will avail me little to have been clear and earnest upon other points if I have neglected to set forth Christ Crucified. To put my own views of doctrine or moral practice in the place of Jesus is to put out the sun and supply its place with a farthing rush light—to take away the children's bread and offer them a stone. We commend Peter as an example to all who preach or teach, either in the street, the sick chamber, or the House of Prayer—do as Peter did—come at once to the soul of your ministry, and set forth Christ Crucified in plain and simple language. If any should plead that the subject should be adapted to the audience, we see from the narrative that there is sure to be something in the history of Christ applicable to the case before us.

In aid of the Funds of the Baptist British and Irish Home Missionary Society. OUR Lord's public ministry on earth was a Home Mission. He Himself said to His disciples, "I am not sent save to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." He went to the very borders of the Holy Land. But there He stayed, and north and south, east and west, in all directions, in towns and in villages, He itinerated preaching to His own countrymen. Afterwards there sprang out of His home work what may be called the foreign Mission, when they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the Gospel. And thus the blessing of Israel became a blessing to all nations. It was always the Lord's intention that the Gospel should be preached to every creature under Heaven, but, so far as His own work was concerned, He began at home. And herein we see His wisdom, for it will be of little avail to attempt much abroad unless there is a solid basis at home, in an earnest sanctified Church, affording a fulcrum for our lever. We want to see England converted to Christ, and then shall she become the great herald of Christ's Gospel to other lands. As things now are, our soldiers and sailors are, too often, witnesses against the Gospel. And our travelers of all grades in foreign countries too frequently give an impression very unfavorable to the Cross of Christ. We want to have this nation saturated through and through with the Spirit of Jesus Christ. We want all its darkness chased away and the true light made to shine—then Missionary operations will receive a wonderful impetus. God will make His Truth to be known in all nations when He has first caused His face to shine upon His chosen. We shall now speak about Home Mission work under two heads. First, we have before us a Model Home Mission. And secondly a model Home Missionary.

How God anointed ... - That is, set him apart to this work, and was with him, acknowledging him as the Messiah. See the notes on Mat 1:1. With the Holy Ghost - See the notes on Luk 4:19. The act of anointing kings and priests seems to have been emblematic of the influences of the Holy Spirit. Here it means that God impaled to him the influences of the Holy Spirit, thus consecrating him for the work of the Messiah. See Mat 3:16-17; Joh 3:34, “God giveth not the Holy Spirit by measure unto him.” And with power - The power of healing the sick, raising the dead, etc. Who went about doing good - Whose main business it was to travel from place to place to do good. He did not go for applause, or wealth, or comfort, or ease, but to diffuse happiness as far as possible. This is the simple but sublime record of his life. It gives us a distinct portrait of his character, as he is distinguished from conquerors and kings, from false prophets and from the mass of people. And healing ... - Restoring to health. All that were oppressed of the devil - All that were possessed by him. See the notes on Mat 4:23-24. God was with him - God appointed him, and furnished by his miracles the highest evidence that he had sent him. His miracles were such that they could be performed only by God.