The Messy Mission of the Church

INTRODUCTION

Chapter 12 ends with James, the brother of John and son of Zebedee, being killed; Peters's Prison broken by the angel, a messenger of God, and Harod meeting his fate at the hand of the judgment of God where he was buried and the decay set in on his earthly body.

Antioch is now at the Center of the church movement and Christian faith. They send relief to famine-stricken believers in Jerusalem and are now staging to send out their first missionaries.

Paul and Barnabas are now starting out on their first missionary journey. Anyone who has ever participated in serious mission work will tell you that nothing ever goes as planned.

One year, I was with our students in the 9th ward area of New Orleans. This was before Hurricane Katrina. Our students were doing a puppet show for the kids when they suddenly rushed the puppet stage, tearing it down and ruining the illusion of the puppet show.

On another occasion, I taught students at a mission church in Moldova, Bolivia. Their government elections were taking place, and I made the mistake of asking how they were going. We had one faction who believed Moldova should become part of Western Europe and another who believed it should become part of Russia. This led to a heated debate that almost came to blows in the classroom.

Today, you will hear about three different factions in play. You will also see Paul and Barnabas commissioned and sent out by the Holy Spirit to Evangelize the lost in Cyprus, Iconium, and Lystra.

BIG IDEA: What are You Willing to Sacrifice for the Sake of the Gospel?

3 Factions in our Text

Faction One: those who follow the call to go.

Faction Two: those who have ears to hear the message.

Faction Three: those who stand in the way of Christians.

Note: A faction is a group within a larger group, party, government, or organization with differing opinions and interests from those of the larger group. The word faction means to “do” or “make.” These people separate from a larger group to do or make something happen.

We have the same factions in the Church today.

Acts 13:1–4 ESV

1 Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 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.” 3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. 4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.

In the Church at Antioch were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon, called Niger (means black), Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the Tetrarch, and Saul.

The Church Gathered:

What is the purpose of the Church gathering every Sunday?

When the Church gathered: 1) they regularly heard the gospel proclaimed. 2) They received instructions in the faith. 3) They appointed church leadership. 3) They implemented the vision and mission of the church to the world.

We know that there is only one church in a global sense, we have many gathering places, however, when the Church met in Antioch they understood that they also belonged to the same body as those who gathered in Jerusalem.

The Church Scattered:

What is the overall Mission of the Church?

The overall mission of the Church is given in Acts 1:8 when the spirit comes He should prompt us to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Samaria and to the ends of the earth.

Edward Hammett in His Book Gathered and Scattered diagnoses five failings of the Church today in fulfilling this purpose.

1). The Church has become Apathetic to it’s mission.

2). The Ministry in the Church has become primarily dominated by its Clergy/Pastors.

3). The world around us has become secularized to the point that we cannot expect non-Christians to have even a basic knowledge of the content of the Bible.

4). The programs to which Churches have given their attention have proven ineffective.

5). The Church has cultivated a spirit of intolerance of different beliefs to the point that it fails to engage the pluralistic society that has beliefs different their our own.

THE MESSY MISSION OF THE CHURCH

The church becomes the church when we Call out the called, Send out the qualified, and Speak out the Gospel.

We fast and pray for those that God is calling out.

We trust the Holy Spirit as He sends them out.

We celebrate the results as His call boldly speaks out.

Faction One: Those Who God Calls Out

How do you know if someone is truly called into Ministry or the Mission field?

We read that while they were worshiping and fasting, the Spirit Revealed to them to set Paul and Barnabas apart for the mission ahead. Notice that it says while they were worshiping, indicating that the calling was prompted by the Holy Spirit and acted upon by the church.

Martin Loyd-Jones

The call into missions or full time ministry is not something that an individual can do, it is something they must do.

Jeremiah had a burning deep down in His bones: Jeremiah 20:9

Jeremiah 20:9 ESV

9 If I say, “I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,” there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.

(note: this is right after Jeremiah has been removed from the stocks for prophesying.)

1). The Inner Compulsion

You do not choose the calling into the ministry; it chooses you.

Loyd Jones stated there must be “a consciousness within one’s own spirit, an awareness of a kind of pressure being brought to bear upon one’s spirit.” He identified this as an irresistible impulse, as “some disturbance in the realm of the spirit” that “your mind is directed to the whole question of preaching.” This inner coercion becomes “the most dominant force in their lives.”

2.) The Outside Influence

The input and counsel of other believers becomes influential to the one destined for the ministry. It may be the feedback of a pastor or the affirmation of an elder. It could be the encouragement of another believer. When they hear this person speak the Word, perhaps in a class or Bible study, they are often the best one’s to discern who is called into the ministry.

3.) The Loving Concern

The one called will experience a loving concern for others. God gives to the one chosen to preach an overwhelming compassion for the people. As part of this divine choice, the Holy Spirit imparts a consuming desire for the spiritual welfare of others. Lloyd-Jones wrote: “The true call always includes a concern about others, an interest in them, a realization of their lost estate and condition, and a desire to do something about them, and to tell them the message and point them to the way of salvation.”

4). The sobering Humility

This person is overwhelmed with a deep sense of his own personal unworthiness for such a high and holy task and is often hesitant to move forward to preach for fear of his own inadequacies. Lloyd-Jones writes, “The man who is called by God is a man who realizes what he is called to do, and he so realizes the awfulness of the task that he shrinks from it.” Though he is compelled to preach, he is at the same time fearful of doing so. He is sobered by this weighty assignment to speak on behalf of God.

Acts 13:4–12 ESV

4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them. 6 When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. 7 He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10 and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? 11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

STOP #1 BARNABAS AND SAUL (PAUL) IN CYPRUS

Faction Two: Those Who Have Ears to Hear

God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called

The Holy Spirit is the stamp of approval on the Qualified's resume.

If someone tells you that they feel as though they are already qualified to be set apart for the gospel ministry, it is a sure sign that they are not called. Think about all the people God has used to further the gospel ministry. None of the men had the qualifications you would want on a resume.

Abraham was a nomad and worshiped pagan Gods, David was a sheep herder, Rahab was a prostitute, Peter was a lowly fisherman, and now Paul was a former persecutor of Christians and an enemy of the cross. Verse 4 begins with “so, being sent out by the Holy Spirit.”

The Holy Spirit is the sending agent of the Church and we are His laborers in the field.

What if the Spirit does not qualify someone through the church and decides to go it alone?

It will not go well for them. I have witnessed many people who try to circumvent the Holy Spirit and the Church who have not qualified them for ministry fail miserably. Could the current state of the Church and lack of sound biblical teaching be the result of men who are not qualified or called for the job at hand?

a). The Qualified go to those who are Open to the Word of God

Sergius Paulus a man of intelligence called for Barnabas and Saul to come so that he might hear the word of God. While this Magician Bar-Jesus may have promised to know the way of salvation, Paul’s message was radically different from anything he had been teaching. Paul’s message apparently attracted this very intelligent man of high standing in the community.

When we engage our community and world with the gospel, we should expect that some people will genuinely want to hear the message. When I get up to preach every Sunday at the Journey I pray for hearts that are open to hear the message. I pray for good soil that allows the message to take root in their heart and lives.

I don’t think the man’s intelligence and status had anything to do with his hunger for the word of God. It could have just as easily been someone who was poor, uneducated, and marginalized. This experience reminds us that you never know to whom the Lord will direct you - who will listen and who will reject the gospel. Remember that these apostles were nobodies compared to the Roman Proconsul, yet they find themselves in front of him proclaiming the good news.

Remember that Paul does say in 1 Corinthians 1:26 that the conversion of the wealthy and powerful is a rare thing.

Note: One of Jesus' hardest examples of how the word takes root in a person's life is the sower and the seed.

4 Types of Soil and 4 Different Responses (Matthew 13).

1). The Hard Ground (fell by the wayside, preventing it from sprouting)

2). The Stony ground (provides enough soil for the seed to germinate and begin to grow, but because it does not have depth, no roots can develop).

3). The Thorny Ground (allows the seed to grow, but the competing thorns choke the life out of the beneficial plants.)

4). The good ground (receives the seed and produces much fruit).

The Condition of Their Heart determines a Man’s Reception of God’s word.

Ezekiel 36:26 “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit, I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh, and give you a heart of flesh.”

b).The Qualified Call Out those Opposed to God’s Word.

A major part of your pastors' and elders' calling is to recognize, discern, and call out those who hinder the Spirit from working on people's hearts and lives.

The opponent is a man by the name of Bar-Jesus. He is also known as Elymas, meaning “sorcerer.” Romans place great value on omens and divination. They also believed that the Jews had inside information into the spiritual realm, a fact that made it easy for Bar-Jesus to come in and claim his place as a popular Sage.

Bar-Jesus immediately begins to oppose God’s word and seeks to turn those hearts that were open to God’s word against Paul and Barnabas.

2 Primary Reasons that People Oppose the Gospel Message:

1). Pride: No one likes to admit that they are wrong. They refuse to humbly repent of their blindness and say that the gospel is true and salvation is in Christ alone. Another part of the pride could be the fear of those around them and what they will say or think if someone does admit they were wrong.

C.S. Lewis - may be the author of some of the most famous Christian books. Many are astounded to learn that even though C.S. Lewis grew up in a devout Christian home in Ireland, he actually became an avowed atheist in his early teens while attending public schoos at the presteigious Malvern College in England. It was not until the age of 30 that Lewis returned to the Christian faith.

2). Materialism: Many others refuse to give up their materialistic lifestyles to follow the path of a disciple of Christ. The gospel confronts all of the heart idols in our way.

Consider the Bigger Picture of what is tied to the Encounter between Paul and Bar-Jesus

View Opposition from a Christian Perspective

We must expect spiritual warfare and the battle when it comes our way. Christians today will be opposed not only by Islamic terrorists but also by secularists in the media, professors in our universities, and those who like to argue. Opposition is inevitable. We find a joy expressed in verse 52 among those standing firm in the face of increased opposition.

We must Trust in the Power of the Word and Spirit.

John Polhill reminds us, “Christianity has nothing to do with the magic and superstition of this world; its power, the power of the Word and Spirit, overcomes them all” (Acts, 294). The gospel really is the power of God unto salvation (Rom 1:16). John Stott says,

“The Holy Spirit overthrew the evil one, the apostle confounded the sorcerer, and the gospel triumphed over the occult.” (Message of Acts, 220)

Let this story encourage you in your witness! Maintain an unshakable confidence in the gospel. And maintain an unshakable confidence in the Spirit’s power to overcome obstacles and open people’s hearts to the gospel.

Note: In the end when the Proconsul saw the power of God on full display as the mist of darkness set in on Bar-Jesus, we see the light of Salvation burst on the Gentile ruler Sergius Paulus! As in the early chapters of Acts. The miracle provided and occasion to proclaim the gospel. This should encourage us to continue to seek to make the gospel known to unbelievers. Some people will repent and turn.

Stop # 2 Paul and Barnabas in Antioch of Pisidia

Paul and Barnabas now come to Antioch in Pisidia. This Antioch is different from the one we read about in Acts chapter 11. It is in what we know as modern-day Turkey.

vv. 13-16

The commonplace that Peter would go to when he came to a town was the synagogue. This is interesting since Paul was called to go to the Gentile nation. The rulers of the synagogue sent word to Paul and Barnabas, calling them “Brothers,” encouraging them to come down and give a word of encouragement to the people.

Paul’s Message in Antioch of Pisidia Acts 13:13-52

Part #1 The Nature of the Mercy and Grace (Goodness) of God

1). Made the people great during their stay in Egypt. (Used Joseph)

2). Led them out of the bondage of Slavery in Egypt. (Used Moses)

3). He Put up with them in the Wilderness.

4). After destroying 7 nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them the land He had promised. (450 years this took)

5). He gave them Judges to help execute justice.

6). They asked for a King and He gave them Saul of Kish.

7). After Saul’s prideful heart he gave them David, a man after God’s own heart who will do His will.

Part #2 God’s Redemption Plan

1). God has brought Israel a Savior named Jesus.

2). John prepared the way for one whose sandals he is unworthy to untie.

3). The message of Salvation has been given to the sons of Abraham and those who fear God.

4). Those rulers in Jerusalem who did not recognize the signs or words of the prophets found him guilty and worthy of death.

5). They turned him over to Pilate to have him executed.

6). They took Him down form the cross, laid him in a tomb, and three days later He rose from the dead.

7). The great king David’s body and all the other patriarchs bodies saw corruption once buried in the ground. The son of God saw no corruption.

8). Through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is possible and by him everyone who believes is freed from the Law of Moses.

Note: In verse 42, after hearing all of this, the people begged that they might hear more of this on the next Sabbath. Perhaps you have experienced or heard from someone who has sat under false or bad teachings, and when they come in contact with the truth of the gospel, they cannot get enough. They are hungry for more of the truth..

Acts 13:44–52 ESV

44 The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him. 46 And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “ ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ” 48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. 49 And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region. 50 But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. 51 But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Faction Three: Those Who Will Stand in the Way of Cross

Notice that jealousy filled the hearts of the Jews. When they saw the crowds following Paul and Barnabas, they began to contradict all that they were saying.

What did Paul mean by saying that it was necessary for the word to first be brought to you as the Jewish nation? Paul and Barnabas follow the scripture, concluding that Jesus Christ was first sent for the Jews as a nation.

However, the end goal is that it would reach the very ends of the earth, which will not happen through the hard-hearted nation of Israel.

“We are now turning to the Gentiles,” Quoting Isaiah 49:6 “I have mad you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”

Reaction to the News: They began to Rejoice and Glorify the Word of the Lord.

Shaking the dust off of Your Feet

Many Christians assume, when an unbeliever is unreceptive to the Gospel, there comes a time to “shake the dust off your feet” and move on.

This phrase is taken to mean: give up on that person, declare they are a lost cause, or move on to others who might be more receptive.

The command to shake the dust off of our feet is found four times in the N.T. Gospels and in all four accounts is spoken by Jesus to His disciples when He sent them out two by two.

In Biblical times, when leaving Gentile cities, pious Jews often shook the dust from their feet to show their separation from Gentile practices. If the disciples shook the dust of a Jewish town from their feet, it would show their separation from Jewish people who rejected their Messiah.

Notice the extreme reaction to their message to the point that they had them driven out of the town. There are situations in our lives where God calls us to stand firm, proclaim truth, and give patient testimony. Sometimes we need to continue until we see the results of that testimony.

Stop #3 Paul and Barnabas in Iconium, Lystra and Derbe

Paul and Barnabas in Iconium

As usual they start first at the synagogue and spoke in such a way that they drew a large crowd of both Jews and Greeks.

Remember that Paul just left a town where going to the synagogue brought people to attack him. He was driven out of town. Yet here he is again, back in the middle of Jewish culture.

As usual he goes right in and begins courageously preaching the gospel. Immediately they face opposition from these Jews who had poisoned the minds of the Gentile people. They had become angry enough to kill the missionaries over the good news that God extends unmerited kindness to all who will turn to him by placing faith in Jesus.

Now in verses 5-7 the threats turn to physical threats of stoning them to death. They now fled to the surrounding country and ended up in Lystra.

Paul and Barnabas in Lystra

Lystra was a small country backwater town during Jesus Day; it was a frontier outpost for the Roman Empire. I like to imagine it as the Wild, Wild, West. According to scholars, Lystra appeared uneducated and gullible.

THE PEOPLE OF LYSTRA

Kent Hughes says, “The people were half-barbarous.” He adds, “The Romans ruled the land, the Greeks controlled the commerce, and the Jews had little influence”

Note: this section shows the Perseverance to faithful and Flexible Evangelism.

Paul chooses to use God’s control over the elemental forces of a man crippled from birth. When Paul commanded the man to get up and walk he did just as commanded.

Immediately when Paul gave the command for the man to stand up and walk he did just as Paul commanded. The people were so overwhelmed that they began to worship them as God’s.

Note: When the disciples became aware of what was going on they were so horrified that they tore their clothes as if in morning.

Cultural Note

We must be careful in exalting our clergy or pastors beyond their position in the church. We do not follow celebrates and fawn over our clergy as if they are somehow at the same level as God.

(Story of Trip to Guatemala and Pastor Groupies)

a). The Gospel both Unites and Divides

Notice that we now see mixed reactions to the Gospel in Lystra. vs. 14. Jesus did come to bring peace, but a sword to divide.

The Stoning of Paul

Acts 14:19–20 ESV

19 But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20 But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe.

The stoning that was plotted in Iconium took place in Lystra. It was not a judicial execution, but a lynch mob had formed to do the dirty deed. Did Paul remember Stephen as the stones were being hurled at his head?

Unfortunately, we now see the fickleness of the crowd in Lystra and the anger of the Jews who wanted Paul silenced.

In the Galatians, Paul summarizes his sufferings as follows: “I bear on my body the marks of Jesus” (Gal 6:17). He was not exaggerating. Paul imitated Christ's suffering as he carried the good news to people who often rejected him and even wanted him dead.

CONCLUSION

Every Christian who wishes to follow Jesus faithfully and desires to see people come to know the Savior will have to bear some measure of suffering. It’s what I like to call the missions law. We simply won’t reach people without sacrifice.

Although for some reason Barnabas wasn’t stoned alongside Paul, he was also enduring many trials along this journey—his agony over the beating his friend endured no doubt being one of them.

WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO SACRIFICE FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL

Family and Friends

job

Financial Security

Reputation

Worldly Possessions

Do you truly take up Your Cross Daily and Identify with Christ in His suffering and Death?

If notc what is Holding you Back from Abandoning All for the Sake of the Gospel of Christ?