Co-Missioned

Introduction • A Joke: There's a light-hearted joke that goes around about change in the church. Q. How many [name the denomination you'd like to ridicule] does it take to change a lightbulb? A. Change?! While we Christians often crave stability, God's call for the church, to mission, means we have to tolerate uncertainty and risk • But we don't take those risks alone. Our mission is God's mission. The Spirit goes, and we come along for the ride • Let's look at how the Spirit works in and through the church • The Spirit disrupts our ways of doing things • The Spirit transforms the community into new Creation • The Spirit sends us out as partners to reproduce this work of disruption and transformation in others We will see this in the establishment of the church in Antioch and its work in the Early Church's Mission to the Gentiles. Important Background Before we can look at the story of the Church in Antioch, we need some context: • Jesus' earthly ministry was directed towards Jews, but he pointed towards a future ministry to Gentiles. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." 6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 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." (Acts 1:4-8, NIV) • The Church will receive Power from the Spirit, and with that they will be witnesses all over the known world • Acts traces this progression: Jerusalem > Judea > Samaria > Ends of the Earth (Rome) Despite instructions about going to the nations, the church focuses on evangelizing Jews. • Persecution sends Philip to Samaria where many eagerly receive the Good News • Peter reluctantly takes the good news to Cornelius • But what happens next things start to change en masse I. The Spirit Disrupts This brings us to our first observation about how the Spirit works: the Spirit is the Great Disrupter • Jews likely considered other Jews the most promising demographic for evangelism: they know the story, and hope for Messiah • So Jewish Christians focus efforts on sharing Good News with other Jews • But when some evangelists break the taboo and share Good News with Gentiles, there are unexpected results: 19 Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. 20 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. 22 News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. (Acts 11:19-24, NIV) The Spirit Disrupts the Church's way of operating because God has other plans • The church had a market-based approach to spreading the good news • They are like church growth gurus who tell you to focus where you can have most impact (Young white professionals in urban core, etc) • They have market-driven technique, but the Spirit tells them to do something you no one would expect to work: • Why would you tell Gentiles Messiah has come: Gentiles don't hope for Messiah, so they'll never buy what we're selling • To everyone's surprise, when they finally do tell the Gentiles, many of them want in The Church In Jerusalem hears. How do they react? • The Easy thing would be to try to control what's happening - These people need supervision • But their choice of emissary-Barnabas-signals that's not their intent • Barnabas (real name is Joseph) means Son of Encouragement. He introduced Saul to Apostles while everyone else was wary of him. • Barnabas, doesn't try to exert authority. He understands this is from the Holy Spirit • It's not the job of the church to get the HS to follow it, it's our job to discern what the HS is doing and follow • The church recognizes that while God is doing something new and uncomfortable, they need to nourish it rather than try to control it. Application When the Spirit calls us out of our comfort zone into a new posture towards the world, how do we respond? • Welcome Mat: New growth seems like a good thing in churches, but it can be uncomfortable for those who long for the familiar. There are stories of church's blowing up over the pastor's decision to put a welcome mat at the door. Sometimes our comfort is in direct opposition to God's mission. • Much of the church growth strategy is about building up your congregation not the church in general - involves techniques that attract the easiest people: Christians from other churches • Another mistake we can make: We consider certain religious outsiders -Spiritual seekers-to be worthwhile targets, but ignore others we assume won't be: antagonistic people • But remember: The Gentiles weren't the people the early church assumed would want to hear their message. • In our day, many seekers never come to faith and in Saul/Paul we see an antagonist coming to faith • Clearly God works in ways we don't expect • Our effectiveness at mission isn't about target demographics (like we're selling something) but about the work of the Spirit preparing hearts • It may not be the people we expect, or the people we would choose • What if God wants us to minister to mentally ill homeless people? - They are valuable to him, but not always to us (because we have goals that differ from Gods) Do we do what seems sensible to us, or do we give space for the disruption of the Holy Spirit? The Spirit Transforms The Spirit disrupts our ways of creating a community, and then it works to transform that new community • In Antioch, life wouldn't be easy for a community of Jews & Gentiles. Old prejudices would cause misunderstandings and conflicts • But the Spirit, working through other believers, moulds the community into something new. • That's where Saul enters the picture 25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. (Acts 11:25-26, NIV) The Spirit calls together a team with various gifts to instruct the church, transforming it into something new • Barnabas is a pastor - He has the gift of encouragement • Saul is a teacher - He is a learned biblical scholar & theologian, his life story shows the power of God to transform • Without encouragement, people can be overwhelmed by the rigours demanded by the Christian life • Without challenging teaching, the community won't strive for transformation • Barnabas & Saul give the right balance of support and challenge for the church to grow The name Christians is applied to the people in the church • Up until now they're seen as a Jewish sect • The church's way of life is distinct enough that they're seen as something new • They are diverse (Jews & Gentiles) full of zeal for God and the Good News, & Generous (example to follow) • If only that's how Christians were identified today! The proof of that transformation happens when the Spirit challenges the believers 27 During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) 29 The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. 30 This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul. (Acts 11:27-30, NIV) • When the Spirit (working through Agabus) tells them about a coming famine, their first impulse is generosity (without an explicit ask from leadership) • They might rightly be worried about their own situation • But their first concern is the needs of others not themselves • They're like Jesus who gives himself for our sake without concern for the cost to himself. Application Transformation is dependent on Spirit's leading & power, but it also involves people • God chooses to work through Saul & Barnabas. He works through people • People here have a role to play in shepherding the community into new life • Encouraging, teaching, modeling hospitality, generosity or reconciliation • Ask yourself: Is there a way I can help others along in this journey of new life? • If the idea isn't focused on people noticing you, but rather them seeing Jesus, then it's possible its the Spirit Living a Transformed life means allowing God to call us out of our comfort zone • Giving an offering to others when you'll be in need isn't natural - Spirit leads them to step out of comfort zone • God doesn't always explicitly direct us to step out "You There! Do this!" • As we learn to trust God, we become more willing to do things that seem 'risky' but we know are faithful • Sometimes we just need to ask WWJD and do it • We don't need explicit direction to respond with love to need around us The Spirit Sends God disrupts our efforts and builds a strange community. God shapes it into something new, and then God asks that community to sacrifice so it can begin the the process of replication Picking up the story after Saul & Barnabas return after taking the offering to Jerusalem: Acts 12:25-13:3 NIV 25 When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark. 1 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with 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 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. (Acts 12:25-13:3, NIV) What would the community think of the Instruction to send Saul & Barnabas away? • We've got a good thing going! We'll soon be the coolest church in town! • These two men are central to our community. We can't send them? • Look at the great work we're doing right here! We can't afford to let that stop The church understands their life is sustained by the Spirit, not their 'celebrity pastors' It's easy to place our hope in dynamic leaders or exciting programs • Without the Spirit these things fail • The Spirit can bring success, even without the most talented people or best programs • No individual person is indispensable (the church will go on when we're gone) • God doesn't need you specifically (he wants you) - he needs people who want to follow Spirit Because God works alongside his transformed people, those people must be willing to move outwards as God moves outwards • The movement to new places and new people is more important than our efforts to ensure stability in what came before • Safety (such as God offers) comes from following the Spirit, not from being settled in our way of doing things Successful mission begins with discernment of what the Spirit is doing • The church is worshiping and fasting - activity that shows they were seeking out God's will • They hear the Spirit and obey • Though God only called the two, all of them partnered in that work • Symbolized by placing their hands on them (OT place hands on sacrifice to identify with it) • The partnership continues - When Paul returns from missionary journeys, Antioch continues to be home base • The church supports the work through prayer and material support Application It's easy to do the first thing we can think of but we must wait for the Spirit • Notice the disciples are instructed by Jesus to wait for the Spirit (remain in Jerusalem) so they can move outward in the Spirit's power • The Antioch church sends Saul & Barnabas out when the Spirit directs The Opposite problem happens when we're not open to hearing from God: We need to eagerly listen • We must spend time attentive to the Spirit's direction - culture of busyness gets in the way • It's easy to set aside time on our terms - OK God, you've got 15 minutes, tell us what you want us to do • Instead we must cultivate an attitude of attentiveness, trusting God to direct in his timing Then we must act in obedience with the Spirit's message • It seems from the text, the church moved pretty quickly • What is practical differs by context, but when the Spirit directs, the transformed church eagerly responds The Spirit disrupts, the Spirit Transforms and the Spirit Sends Working Alongside God Theologians tell us God is a Missionary (sending/sent). • The Father sends the Son, The Father and Son send the Spirit, the Father, Son & Spirit send the church • John 20:21 "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." • In Acts we see the Holy Spirit at work: transforming, empowering, sending, preparing others to receive Mission is a joint venture between God and his church • The new world is impossible without God's power, but neither will it take shape without our participation • God is inviting us to set aside our ambitions for temporary things, and to devote ourselves to things of the highest importance - Will we take him up on the invitation?