Trip 1: Cyprus & Asia Minor: Cyprus
Notes
Transcript
Mission creep...
Mission creep...
ABM and Anglican Consultative Council are confused...
5 marks of mission are wrong (creation care, injustice, poor/needy)
Mission is God’s Work, Sending out God’s Word, as God’s Witness to Jesus, for God’s Worldwide Rescue
God’s Work of sending
God’s Word as
God’s Witness to Jesus for
God’s Worldwide Rescue
Context:
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria.
Not in Israel anymore.
[Brief summary: praying, God tells them to send out Paul and Barnabas, they go to island of Cyprus, preach, a Roman ruler turns to Jesus, the barrier against him is judged with temporary blindness; they go to southern Turkey, preach in a synagogue, get invited back, whole town comes, Jews get jealous and chase missionaries out of town]
First official delegation beyond boundaries - which will include Gentiles (andsent by a mixed Gentile/Jewish church).
A few sidenotes:
Saul/Paul (Hebrew/Roman)
synagogues (what were they)
// My appreciation for leather comes from my Dad
// We care about the cares of people we admire - what is God’s concern and work?
Mission is God’s Work
Mission is God’s Work
2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
God’s Holy Spirit -
not told how - this is also rare (we should be careful using this language of God is showing me, God told me - it is rare in Scripture - evn in the New Testament and in Acts and in the Epistles).
15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.
Saul was already set apart for this work. Always God’s plan. Always God’s plan for Saul.
3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
Notice again that because this is God’s work - there’s prayer. Calling on God to do his work. Trusting in God for outcomes. The whole church joining in. Not ordaining. Not commissioning - but agreeing with God and releasing two of their very best for this work.
4 The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.
Again note- sent by the Holy Spirit. God’s work.
9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said,
When Paul speaks his words of judgment, they are God’s Holy Spirit’s judgments.
47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “ ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
God is the one who has sent Paul and Barnabas with his rescue message to ALL people.
This is God’s work. God’s concern. Is it ours?
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.
God does the rescuing. God chooses people for eternal life. If you’ve trusted Jesus - it is because God chose you.
So pray - pray for God to do his work. If it is his work and we are his people, we should care about it happening. We should be interested. We should be praying, and worshipping him for what he is doing.
(We can also trust God with the results - with the rescues - it isn’t because all those who were impressed with Paul’s clever strategies, etc)
[Talked about this next bit last week - always overcomes barriers…
// What do missionaries do… ?
Mission is God’s Work...
Sending God’s Word
Sending God’s Word
Acts 13:5 (NIV)
5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.
Even heading to Gentile areas - they still start in Jewish communities.
Acts 13:7 (NIV)
7 who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God.
But quickly non Jews find out. What does he want? The word of God!
Acts 13:12 (NIV)
12 When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.
Sergius Paulus trusts because of the amazing miracle of judgment?
No -
16 Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: “Fellow Israelites and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me!
It’s a message.
(then a summarised sermon - half of chapter 13)
Acts 13:44 (NIV)
44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.
Acts 13:48 (NIV)
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.
If it doesn’t have the sharing of the word of God at the centre - it isn’t mission.
(It might be a good thing, a godly thing - but don’t call it mission).
// ?? - not just any sharing of God’s Word.
// Mormons have missionaries too - who share ‘the word of God’ -
// there’s a critical difference...
Mission is God’s Work
Sending God’s Word as
God’s Witness to Jesus
God’s Witness to Jesus
23 “From this man’s descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised.
Jesus the Rescuer promised by all of Israel’s scriptures and in King David’s Line. Half of the sermon is preparation to show
God chose israel, God propered Israel, God endured them, gave them land, gave them judges, gfave them King Saul, gave them King David -
gave them rescuer Jesus as keeping his promise...
27 The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.
Jesus promised as suffering servant.
30 But God raised him from the dead,
Acts 13:32–33 (NIV)
32 “We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors 33 he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: “ ‘You are my son; today I have become your father.’
The Old Tesament all points to this Jesus. Suffered. Raised. Alive.
Was always Son. Son at baptism. Truly Son in a way that King David never was.
Psalm 2 - Son of God and Ruler
Psalm 16 - God’s Chosen Ruler
Isaiah 55 - Servant who has suffered and brings rescue.
[gospel declaring has done a lot of harm…? ]
God’s Work
Sending God’s Word
As Witness to Jesus
For Worldwide Rescue
For Worldwide Rescue
Always in charge - never to die - rescuer.
39 Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.
This is the point of mission. We heard last week that God’s Word overcomes every barrier. This is what is does this for. God isn’t simply showing how powerful he is - but he has a rescue for anyone in the world who will trust Jesus.
Forgiven - set free.
In the right with God the creator.
God’s Work.
Do you yourself know this freedom. Set free from the power and punishment of every criminal act against God - intended or accidental.
This is God’s Big Work - it is what mission is all about. Currently 40% don’t have someone living and sharing this rescue message with them around the world. 3.28 billion people.
Currently the vast majority of Alice Srings residents don’t know this good news either. They can be set free and safe in God becuase of Jesus the Rescuer.
That’s why we support missionaries like the Purdeys who want to train pastors in Chile with this good news message from God for rescue.
It is a message whcih is rejected. Paul and Barnabas are kicked out of this region.
It gets opposition even from other religious groups - even insiders - this has always been the case - we’ll look at inevitable suffering later.
Acts 13:46 (NIV)
46 [..] Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.
Rejection is missing out on life forever. Life after this life.
But it is God’s Work to send out God’s Word to share about Jesus to the world for rescue.
If you’re not on board -
If you are - pray, (check your consumption of news vs praying for mission)
If you are - give (check your expenditures of charity versus mission)
pray for your family, pray for your friends and neighbours - it is GOD’S WORK of rescue -
As a church - should we review our spending - our gospel partners?
God’s concern - our concern - next week afternoon with Ben is for all of us -