Perspectives Week 5- Unleashing the Gospel

Introduction

Personal Introduction

2009-2011 (God’s invitation)

2012-2015 (North Africa)— Josiah

2016-2019 (South Asia)—

2019-2021 (International Director and Pastoral Bent)

Amsterdam to Richmond Hill

All the while I thought God was working through me… but really he was working in me. To develop me into a person that works from who I am, not what I do.

Preaching through Acts

Part 1: Opening the Door of Faith

Acts 1-9

Acts is Volume 2, written by Luke, for the purpose of communicating what Jesus continued to do “after he had given commands through the HS to the apostles whom he had chosen.”

Before Ascension he spent 40 days with them. (vs. 3)

Presenting Himself Alive

The reality of the resurrection totally transformed these cowards into bold witnesses.

Teaching about the KoG.

Emmaus

Acts 1:8 The Thesis Statement

But the first command was to “Wait”

Acts 2— They are actively waiting in corporate prayer

When the HS falls.

Peter Preaches and 3000 (2:41) were added to their number.

Those 3000 began to form the church in Jerusalem.

Acts 2:42-47… they meet in big group Temples, and in small groups houses.

Devoting themselves to apostles teaching, fellowship, sacraments, and prayers.

Acts 3— God continues to give witness with power and signs, which provide opportunities for preaching the Gospel.

Acts 4— Persecution enters, and Peter and John are arrested and threatened, but the church continues to pray for more boldness to “speak God’s work” (4:29)

Acts 5- But the movement didn’t just face resistance without, but also within. Sin crept in and began to corrode the purity of the work.

Ananias and Sapphira lie to the HS, and the result was death.

Fear came and created a renewed sense of holiness toward the task.

means and ends

Acts 6 the growth brought complexity, and instead of the Apostles’ giving their time to the priority of the task (witnessing) they were busy solving administrartive problems.

So they appoint deacons, so that they can give themselves to the ministry of prayer and the word.

But far from being a waiter, the decons were full of the Spirit and witnesses as well.

Stephen disputes with the Greek Jews and gives a riveting speech of the gospel in 6 & 7.

Acts 7 but the Jews hated Stephens words and bull rushed him and stoned him.

And 7:58, the accusers laid their garments at the feet of a man named Saul.

Acts 8 (until this point the spread of the Gospel has been regulated to Jerusalem).

Acts 8:1 “And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.”

Saul leads this massive, and violent persecution that in God’s sovereignty leads to the scattering of the Gospel to Judea and Samaria.

Philip goes to Samaria and even reaches outside of Samaria with the Ethiopian Eunuch.

Acts 9.

But Paul follows the spread into Samaria (Damascus being its capital), with a singular intent of stamping out this movement.

Acts 9:15 “But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.”

But one thing I want to share with you about Paul, is that deep people, fruitful people aren’t microwaved.

Elisha and Elijah

Paul went through some serious preparations.

Between 9:22-23, Galaatians 1:18 occurs, where Paul spent 3 years in the wildnerness of Arabaia.

Moses spent 40 years

Joseph spent 2 years in prison.

David spent 7 years in the wildenress hiding from Saul.

Etc. etc. God needs to develop you into deep people, to be used mightily by him.

This isn’t microwaved!

But finally Paul is released in Ministry, and things really begin to turn. But some prejudice has to be broken down first.

Because again the scope of God’s comission was to all nations, but 7 years into the movement the church was largely established in Jerusalem, Samaria and Judea.

Acts 10 & 11

Cornelius the God Fearer

What that means is that he had rejeceted the polytheism and idolatry of his homeland, and come to believe that the God of Israel was the one true God.

But to be a full proselyte of Judaism he would need to a) adopt the Hebrew Law including Kosher food distinctives b) and secondly, be circumcised.

Cornelius had not jumped that far…

So he wasn’t a convert, He was a God fearer.

He worshiped God, and prayed to HIm and was apparently very charitable in his alms to the Jewish people… but he had not “converted”. He was still a Gentile!

Bud he was devoted, and God responded to his devotoin by giving him a vision

Acts 10:5-6 “And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.””

Cornelius immediately obeys, and while his servants are heading to Joppa (30 miles) God is working on Peter.

Simiarly it happens while Peter is at prayer… Church God tends to reveal himself when we give ourselves to prayer.

So he’s praying and hungry, and he sees the heavens open:

A great sheet, being let down by its 4 corners.

In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds.

And the voice said, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”

On this sheet, was all types of animals. Clean and Unclean.

In LEV 11, God makes a distinction in His law about certain animals that are clean (appropriate for his distinct people) and certain that are not.

Jews would eat the clean, and Gentiles ate both… And by eating the unclean, Gentiles are once again, unclean! And even stepping foot in the home of a Gentile who ate like this, would make the Jew Unclean. US VS. THEM.

But on this sheet are both. Clean and Unclean Together.

And A voice says, “Kill and Eat.”

Peter then, being a good Jew says, “BY NO MEANS!”

And the voice says, “What God has made clean, do not call common.”

In essence, the Vision was abolishing the Jewish dietary laws. And they were being abolished because they created a distinction, between Jew and Gentile.

Those dietary laws forbid a Jew from sharing table fellowship with a Gentile. Forbid a Jew from even entering into the home of a gentile.

The Distinction of clean and unclean food was abolished.

Peter was dense though, so he has to hear it 3x!

The Reason for all this vs. 33, “to hear all you have to say!”

The reason wasn’t just for Peter (a Jew) to be able to enter into the Unclean house of a Gentile. It was more.

It was to share with them the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

vs. 44— while he was preaching, “the Holy Spirit falls)

The Gentiles in Cornelius’ house received the HS “just as the Jews had (vs. 47).

So they were baptized!

Acts 11.

Peter reports it back to the church. And although met with initial resistance from the Jews, they eventually come around.

Acts 11:18 “When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.””

This was a paradigm shift, and while God was pulling down prejudice in Jerusalem He was simultaneously building an Outpost in Antioch.

The persecution had scattered disciples into Antioch, and Barnabas was sent to pastor that local church but being the developer of others that he is he went to Tarsus first to bring Saul.

So Saul and Barnabas are in Antioch discipling the disciples there.

Acts 12 discusses some divine deliverance of peter who had been imprisoned, but its Acts 13 and 14 that really begin to push the envelope of the Gospel to All Nations.

Acts 13 & 14

Acts 13 picks up where Acts 11 left off. Paul and Barnabas have returned from Jerusalem, and back with the church in Antioch.

And this church was so healthy. Not only had they initated the programatic evangelization of the Gentiles, they were about to formalize it with cross-cultural missions.

They also had a healthy plurality of leadership.

Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger (which was Latin for “dark”) insinuiting that their leadership had racial diversity as well! Lucius of Cyrene (which was in North Africa) and Manaen (a roman socialite raised in the same home of King Herod, who we looked at last week), and of course Saul.

And while the church was worshiping the Lord and fasting the Holy Spirit commanded them to

Acts 13:2 “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.””

Commissioned

By the HS. God is always the initiator.

By the Church

vs. 3, so after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

This laying of hands isn’t some magical transferrence of power. Instead it is a symbol of identification.

Here, when the church lays hands on Barnabas and Saul they are saying, “We are with you. As you go, we go.” We are fully identified with you.

Most of us have heard of William Carey. Known as the father of Modern Missions.

But few know the name Andrew Fuller. Andrew Fuller, was a dear friend of Carey’s but did not feel “set apart” to go to world missions.

So before Carey departed, he told his dear friend Andrew Fuller, “I will go down into the Pit, if you will hold the rope.”

Fuller spent the rest of his life founding and serving the Baptism Mission Society traversing the British Isles constantly raising funds, awarenses, and prayer for missionaries like Carey.

Fully identitfied. Simeon and Lucius and Manean weren’t set apart for that particular work, but they along with the entire congregation laid hands and said, “we will hold the rope.”

So they are commissioned by the HS, and the Church, but for the work to which they are called.

The Work

To Ananias God said, Acts 9:15 “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.”

Romans 1:1 “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,”

1 Corinthians 1:17 “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel,

Galatians 1:15-16 “But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles

Their Work was to preach the Gospel. They were set apart, and comissioned to make known the Good News of Jesus Christ.

so they are sent out (vs. 4) and make the 130 mile sail from Seleucia to Cyprus (the home of Barnabas), a natural place to start.

MAP

John Mark abandoned them.

Read Acts 13:13-14 “Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem, but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia.

This was a 175 mile sail. And apparently the plan was to land in Perga--- only to make their way to Antioch in Pisidia. This isn’t the same Antioch of Syria. And the journey from Perga to Antioch in Pisidia was approximately 100 miles on foot over the substantial Taurus Mountain Range.

At this, the cost was just too great for John mark. He had had enough.

Rather his silver spoon upbringing hindered his ability to endure.

Or the look in paul’s eyes with Elymus scared him.

Or just the difficulty of the terrain…

John mark abandoned them. And that’s exactly how Paul felt and was a deep offense to Paul.

And becomes a point of serious contention between Paul and Barnabas in Acts 15, although there is eventual forgiveness and restoration in Colossians 4:10.

The point though is that this is costly work.

The work of preaching the Gospel, anywhere, but especially cross culturally is riddled with costs. And Jesus would say that you’d be foolish not to count it… but church the privelege of joining God in His work far outweighs the cost of following HIm!

So instead of thinking of the cost it would cost you to share the gospel, maybe consider the cost to you and others if you don’t.

in Antioch

Paul preaches the Gospel

Condemnation and Justification

Many believe and are filled with joy and the HS, but many reject.

You’ll get both. But a farmer just sows seed. God dictates the soil.

And the rejecting Jews ran them out of the district (vs. 50)

Acts 14.

Antioch---Iconium

Disciples were made, but again some rejected.

So they plotted to mistreat them, so they fled.

Iconium—Lystra vs 7 (continued to preach the gospel)

Miraculous. healing,

But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and persuaded the mobs to stone paul.

Lystra to Derbe

He pops up and go to Derbe where they preached the Gospel there also.

Retraced their Steps

Acts 15:21-23 “For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.” Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings.”

Acts 14:26, they go to Antioch where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled.

And here in their 1st missionary journey is a 2 fold work.

Preach the Gospel that Saves

Teach the Grace that Strengtehns.

Both of these aims is the Full Work to which they were Commissioned.

For Paul and Barnabas, and all of us are commissioned to be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. But not simply to make converts, what did Jesus say in Matthew… Go and make disciples.

Disciples are followers of Jesus. Not accepters only.

Disciples don’t just accept the Grace that Saves, but they grow in the Grace that Strengthens.

Soufian and Professor Story

Conclusion

So the Gospel has spread. Consistently initiated and perpetuated by the Sovereign Work of God alongside the chosen instruments of God (his people).

And at this point (48AD)

Gentiles Homes weren’t just open to the Apostles.

But Gentile hearts were open to the Gospel.

The door of faith is flung wide, and thousands have put their faith in God, and little pockets of Gentile Churches have been firmly established.

Acts 15

The Honeymoon is over, now these Gentile and Jewish Christians have to learn to live together.

How are they to handle the differences and inevitable dissensions that these cultures will provide?

Issue

Acts 15:1 “But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.””

And Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension or debeate.

So initially the problem involves a question of the Gospel!

What is actually rquired for salvation?

Guys, this is worth debating and dissenting over. We must be crystal clear in our understanding of salvation, as to not miscommunicate it and require unnecessary things from those we share with!

But… these Jews who were really wanting Grace + Law, weren’t bad people. They were vs. 5 BELIEVERS

Other Christians. It would be so much easier to dismiss these Judaizers if they had horns. If they were evil. But they aren’t. They are Christians. Followers of Jesus Christ.

And their understanding of salvation isn’t crazy. If you put yourself in their shoes you’d acknowledge:

For most of the last 20 years, all Christians were Jews.

Jesus was a Jew, and Jesus taught salvation comes from the Jews.

And previously if Gentiles wanted to convert to Judaism they needed to be circumcised and obey the Torah to convert. Why should that change now!?

From a strict Jewish standpoint there was no salvation apart from belonging to the Covenant Community, Israel. And to be a part of Israel, a Gentile must take the covenant adherence of circumcision and adopt the law of Moses.

And their dissension and debate with Paul and Barnabas isn’t crazy either. If you put yourslef in their shoes you’d see:

They are just products of their upbringing. These guys are Pharisees.

Think of their immersion in Mosaic Law and tradition.

Think of the pride they felt as being the chosen people of God.

The pride of attaining the level of a Pharisee, how he must have burst with satisfaction as he put on the dignified robes of a leader of God’s people.

They were just leaning into their backgrounds and training to ensure that no Christians slipped past Sinai on the way to Calvary.

These guys aren’t much different than you and I. They are just products of their upbringing.

We all are. Each of us brings with us our own doctrinal or practical distortions of church or of discipleship because of our past experiences, our culture, or our environments.

That’s why a good missionary must not only exegete or study the message of the Bible and the Gospel, but must also exeget your own culture and that of those you are trying to reach.

These Jews were just bringing their culture into their understanding of Grace. We all do it!

So Paul and Barnabas and others head down to Jerusalem to settle the matter with the Apostles (led by Peter) and the Elders of Jerusalem (James).

Peter reminds them of Acts 10 and Acts 11. The vision of the sheet with animals, and the salvation of Cornelius and all his household.

Reminds them that God made no distiction between the Gentiles or Jews when he gave His Holy Spirit to them just as he had to Peter in Acts 2. And the ony thing that was required then was FAITH.

Then he says, “Why then place a yoke on their necks that neither you or our faithers have been able to bear!”

Why require GRACE + LAW?

Peter is reminding the Jews, that the LAW was too much for them. IN fact the whole point of the Law was to show how impossible it was to follow, and consequently reveal their sin and need for a Savior!

So Peter’s conclusion: SALVATION IS THROUGH GRACE ALONE.

Paul and Barnabas jump on and corroborate Peter’s story by sharing examples from ACts 13 and Acts 14.

But then James jumps up and really drives the nail in the coffin.

This James was leader of the church in Jerusalem, and held the nickname James the Just. In fact, it was reported that when he died his knees had callouses due to how often he hit his knees in prayer throughout his life.

In essence, his voice carried weight!

He attests to Scripture, that this has been God’s desire all along!

He quotes Amos 9. “That the remnant or rest of mankind, aka GENTILES the Goyim, the nations outside the nation of Israel will seek the Lord and be called by His name.”

He reminds his hearers that the inclusion of the Gentiles was long foretold by prophets of Old and christ himself.

So with Peter and James (Apostles and Elders) in agreement, the matter is setlled the Decision is Instituted.

Conclusion:

Salvation is by Grace Alone!

But then confusingly he provides 3 LAW based restrictions!

Which we will come back too soon.

The Acts 15 council is one of the most critically important events in mission history. They recognized that God was fulfilling His ancient purpose to form a people of worship for His name among the nations (15:14-18). Instead of insisting on the entire Mosaic covenant as normative for all peoples, God was calling for obedience in Christ that fulfilled the earlier Noahic covenant (see Hawthorne, Reader p 141, footnote 5) which had been given to all humanity.

So the Biblical precedent is set and established: The Gospel is for all peoples. But I want you to really see in Acts that:

This is God’s work. He began it. He initiates it. He will complete it. We can trust Him.

He invites us to be witnesses, regardless of location.

Yet He specifically comissions some to GO cross Culturally (Set apart by the HS

The Church affirms and comissions, yet also holds the rope.

The task is to Preach the Gospel and Make Disciples

And crystal clear clarity on the content of the Gospel is ESSENTIAL!

So let’s break here: and when we come back we will jump into some of the practicals of this calling.

Part 2: Practical Applications

The Missionary Task: 2 Parts

Taking the example of Paul and Barnabas we see that the missionary task “simplified” is in 2 parts.

Part One: Communication.

The goal was to preach the Gospel. That is the Content. So, are you familiar with the content of the Gospel?

Can you communicate the foolishness that is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1).

As you study the book of Acts, pay attention to the Content of the Gospel. What you’ll find are 4 general points:

Gospel begins with God— Acts 13. He is Holy. He is Love. He is the Creator. Who has created you in his image, so that you may reflect his image to the world. He is the God who is patient and steadfast, that althgouh you fall short over and over and over again, He bears with you.

The Gospel begins with who God is. So often, we feel like we have to death, burial, and resurrection people in the face. We will get there, but that is only good news when people have an understanding of who God is.

Gospel is Bad News— That although made in his image, we all fall short of that image. That instead of living accountable to our creator, we desire to be the master of our own fates, and we worship the created creature (even ourselves) instead of our creator. And because of that…

We deserve death. Spiritually— seperated from God who is Spirit. Physically.

Gospel is Good News— God in his love provided a substitute for you. He died the death you deserved, and in exchange has give you eternal and new life you don’t deserve. And all that is required is faith! You are saved by grace through faith.

Gospel is Response— Repent, turn and believe. It transforms and changes.

Preaching the Gospel requires a deep awareness of and familiarty with the content of the Gospel.

But communication is so much more as well.

Matthew 13:18-19 ““Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.”

Hearing it is one thing… But do people actually understand it?

This is what Hawthorne calls the Wall of Communication.

There are legitimate barriers to communication especially to people of vastly different cultures.

Language!?

This is why most agencies encourage 2-3 years of full time language learning, really before you launch a ministry, you must put in the hard work of crossing the language barrier to communicate in a way that is understood.

Cultural Values

Ee-Taow and value of betrayal and deceit.

But cultural values can also be incredible bridges.

Soufian and Abolutions

Communicate in such a way that your audience hears and understands.

Part 2: Receiving

Barnabas and Paul, once the Gentiles heard and understood the Gospel they also established the churches, and strengtheened/encouraged them to continue in the faith.

But some thought that meant… they should look like us, act like us, become like us.

That salvation is of the Jews, so to be apart of God’s covenant people they need to believe in Jesus yes, but also conform additional jewish practices.

Here is why many tend to reject the Gospel.

Not because its bad news, but because we communicate that to become Christian they have to leave their culture, traditions, and heritage. To commit “cultural suicide” to follow Jesus.

Now listen, there is always a cost of following Jesus, and all cultures (including our own) possess traditions and behaviors that are contrary to biblical holiness and morals. But, some things are simply cultural.

The Gentiles didn’t need to be Circumcised to be saved or follow Christ.

As James said… do not trouble them!

Now a quick note, what about the Mosaic Restrictions James goes on to list in Acts 15! What is that about!?

It’s about restricting your freedoms to maintain fellowship.

All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. And although lawful for the Gentiles to eat meat with blood, it’d be better if they didn’t because it would be offensive to Jewish culture and serve as a barrier to fellowship and the spread of the Gospel.

Let me give you an example:

Noubar in the West Bank

Drive people to the Word of God, prayefully led by the Spirit of God. Be slow to prescribe, and let the Spirit do progressive change in the disciple making of his church.

That serves as a great segway into what I’d like to move us into next… some key ingredients to this Missionary Task as modeled by Barnabas and Paul.

The Essential Ingredients:

Progressive Change

The first is Progressive Change.

Churches are established over time.

Mark 4:26-27 “And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how.”

As American’s our primary metaphor is Manufacturing.

Speed, efficiency, scale, maximize, production, see a goal, reach a goal. Achieve.

But the Kingdom of God’s metaphor is Agriculture.

You work hard. Now listen, farmers work hard.

But they plant and water, then go to bed. And over time… night and day night and day night and day it sprouts and grows.

This isn’t a quick thing ya’ll. Acts 14 and 15 took place in 48/49A.D.

Nearly 20 years post resurrection!

A believer’s position in Christ is established in a moment. A believer’s transformation into the person of Christ is a lifetime. That goes for a church as well.

There are 2 essential ingredients to promote this Progressive Change, and they were seen in my experience in the West Bank.

The Word of God— 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

Do you know the Word of God? What do you believe about the Word of God?

Is it inerrant? Inspired? Authoritative?

Are you familiar with it? Can you successfully use it in the messy, inconvenient relationship that is discipleship?

The Spirit of God— 2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

The work of transformation is the Spirit’s work.

Again as you work with young believers, you’ll want to speed it up. Force it. Mold it how you think it fits best.

Drive their attention to the Word of God, and facilitate rather than prescribe.

Sanjay and Temple Worship

This work is progressive.

Long after Paul planted these churches in Galatia, he was writing them to disciple and strengthen in the faith.

Which leads us to another essential in this missionary task: suffering.

Apostolic Suffering

Do you possess a theology of suffering? Why does God allow even ordain suffering?

From the jump, Paul and Barnabas were called to suffer. Acts 9:16 “For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.””

Just take Acts 13 and 14, their first missionary journey.

Sailing by boat (listen, taking a plane ride is exciting the first couple of times, but I can promise that honeymoon will dissipate. The thrill of adventure is unsustainable.)

Traversing by foot. (sometimes this is literally needed), other times its’ the physcial discomfort of 110 degree heat, crowded trains, horribel food, etc.

Spiritual warfare (magician bar-jesus)

Abandonment by others (John Mark)

Climbing mountains (taurus range)

Poisoning of minds

Stoning

Run out of cities. and Rejected.

This task requires suffering. Do you possess a theology of suffering?

And this suffering isn’t just what you incur, but what you cause in others?

Who are you hurting and causing to suffer in leaving?

Raising my kids overseas made me feel like I was torturing them. Robbing them.

Watchman nee says, “An opinionated person is an unbroken person.”

Let me share some of my experience with you.

Wedding 2 weeks before departure, “The sacrifice I’m making is nothing compared to the sacrifice he made fo rme.” Oh so spiritual! “You’ll see.”

90 days in I was ready to come home.

Sent me into depression.

I never would have said I possessed prosperity thinking but I started believing… “God All I’ve done is said yes to you, and this shouldn’t be the outcome. I must have misheard you.”

I didn’t know what it meant to suffer.

So for about 9 months I studied Suffering in the NT. Memorized scripture after scripture.

Began to actually enjoy the difficulty, because it made the presence of God so much nearer.

Uncomfortable = comforter.

Have you done hard things over time? Have you ever applied yourself over extended time in order to build resilience?

Unless a kernel of wheat goes into the ground it won’t die. Death is essential, and God facilitates that with suffering.

People and recruiters really want to make missions seem romantic and sexy… ya’ll it fades.

6 ways to be involved Video.

It isn’t romantic. Most the time its just a faithful grind. But it is worth it!

Read the Apostle Paul.

Listen to his pain in sufferings, but also his pain for the sufferings of the churches.

Because they won’t be immune from suffering either. YOu must teach your disciples that it is through many tribulations that we enter the Kingdom of God.

But fortunatley, He never leaves you or forsakes you. He will sufficiently provide you with grace that will be sufficient.

And part of that grace is one of our final ingredients: Passion

Apostolic Passion

Floyd McClung in your reader on page 204 writes, “Passion means whatever a persion is willing to suffer for.”

Your willingness to suffer is directly correllated to the strength of your passion.

Passion is cultivated, not by magnifying the Cost but by magnifying the Person of Jesus.

Meditating on and praising Him for all that He is done for us.

Meditating on and yearning for His glory to made known in all places.

It is Love for Christ that sustains suffering.

Not love for people. There will be days you don’t love people. But you know who doesn’t have those days? Christ.

He loves them. And You love Him. So keep grinding out of Passion for Jesus.

This Passion is Cultivated

In Detaching from the World: Anyone who loves the world, doesn’t have the love of the Father. (What McClung calls Abandonent)

St. Augustine and Dog Fighting

In Focus

Maturity and discipline is cultivated not only the things you say yes to , but what you say no to.

You won’t drift into the nations. It has to be deliberate. Focused.

I’ve seen so many give up 6 months in. Raising support. Submitting to a local church. This will take sustained focus.

In Prayer

Prayer is dependence on God.

What can we do apart from God!? A lot!

Despair in Haridwar.

Prayer is the key.

Passion for Christ will sustain suffering for Christ.

Consider all things as lost for the sake of KNOWING CHRIST.

So… communication, time, suffering, and passion… but there’s one more ingredient I want to leave you with.

Community. You need others.

Apostolic Bands

First, let me say that you need a local church. Now I possess a high view of the local church, and hold to the conviction that as the HS seperates people for the task of missionary service he does it from the local church, and affirmed/sent by the local church.

You will need a place like Antioch (Home Base), where you can come and rest, and report and celebrate together.

Secondly, though Paul had others.

Your reader calls these Apostolic bands

Teams that function autonomously from the home base.

Barnabas and John Mark, Silas and Timothy, etc.

This requires very high unity and EQ.

How well do you work with people different than you? Do you know yourself? Your gifts, tempermants, personalities?

Do you know how to engage in biblical conflict?

Teams are one of the hardest parts of missions. John 13:35 “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”” .

You can’t do this alone, it will require Home Church and Local Bands

It requires high EQ to work with both, and a humble spirit quick to submit and maintain peace.

Conclusion

There you have it:

The door of faith is flung open to the Gentiles in Acts, and the task was then to preach in a way that the Gospel is understood and establish in a way that isn’t cultural prescriptive.

That will require time, time for the word and spirit to do its work.

It will take suffering.

It will take Passion for Jesus.

It will take others.

Where do you need to invest some time? Where do you need training?

What Questions do you have for me?!