THE LIFE AND MINISTRY OF HUDSON TAYLOR (1832-1905)

Text: Hebrews 11
19 September 2010

1. “By faith” (Hebrews 11)

a) Used a number of times

b) The meaning of “by faith”

i) Demonstrated by the elders of the Old Testament

ii) Seen in the lives of those who were God’s servants

c) Hudson Taylor was a man who lived “by faith”

2. By faith ….Faith is seen as a means

a) Means to salvation

b) Means to respond in service

3. By faith … Faith as a manner of life

a) Preparation for the work of mission in China

i) Did with less to learn hardship

ii) Gave to the poor

b) Praying in facing each challenge

“And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” John 14:13

“Before leaving England, to move man, through God, by prayer alone.” Taylor

i) Praying for employer to remember to give his salary

ii)Praying for God’s provision

iii) Praying when he became sick

iv) Praying in a storm before arriving in China

4. By faith…becoming a man of faith

a) Challenges in China

i) Civil war

ii) No help from the C.E. S. mission

iii) Housing

b) Adopting the language, culture and dressing of the people

c) Reaching inland China

d) The drowning of Peter

e) Taking over the running of a hospital

f) Becoming sick and had to return to England

5. By faith…a ministry of faith …China Inland Mission

a) A vision to reach the inland provinces of China

i) Asked for 24 missionaries

ii) Opened an account with $50

b) Returned to China with family

c) Riots in Hangzhou

d) Death in family

i) Son

ii) Wife

e) Evangelistic journeys throughout inland China

f) Sailed to China 11 times

g) Achievements of CIM

i) 205 mission stations

ii) 800 missionaries

iii) 125,000 Chinese Christians

Lessons about faith

1. Faith is to pray over all matters

“And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” John 14:13

a) Power in the Lord’s name

b) Promise to do

c) Purpose to glorify the Father

2. The challenge for us to have a good testimony as a man of faith

“More than any other human being, James Hudson Taylor…made the greatest contribution to the cause of world mission in the 19th century.” – Ralph D. Winter