The Ordinary Church

Acts 13:1–5 NASB95

1 Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 While they were ministering to 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, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. 4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 When they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had John as their helper.

INTRO: Have you ever noticed how some things that used to be considered normal or ordinary are more rare and even considered extraordinary? For example, it used to be pretty commonplace for people to be able to read and use a map. Do you remember that old map that stayed in the glovebox for emergencies? Or, it used to be that most women could cook meals from scratch and most men knew how to change a tire or repair a faucet. In the church, it used to be ordinary that families were devoted to gathering, worshipping, and even having family devotions at home.

But today, these traits are seen as exceptional. In some ways, I think our culture has lowered the bar. And that’s true in the church as well. When we see a church that is growing, sending, and reaching, we think, “That is an extraordinary church!” And we think that because so many of our churches are stagnant or declining. But what if I told you that that kind of church, though perhaps rare today, ought to be the ordinary, commonplace expectation for every Christ-centered church?

As we’ve talked about the Discipleship Trail over the past several weeks, we’ve looked at the ordinary devotion of individuals and we’ve talked about how we are all on a spiritual journey. The trail is simply a tool that helps us navigate and understand our Christian walk. And that Christian growth should not be rare, and we must be intentional to recapture what the bible tells us is normal Christian life. IOW, we are raising the bar to biblical norms.

Likewise, the church as a whole also needs to recapture the ordinary traits described in Scripture. We must find the standard that God has set forth, and raise our bar in faithful obedience. Now, let me frame this for LRBC:

We often measure things in the church to gauge our effectiveness in the mission- things like attendance numbers, baptisms, leaders developed, etc. These are ways we attempt to attach our work as a church to God’s eternal purposes. But these numbers require more than a program or a goal. They require a mindset shift. And we are going to identify that shift by looking at the NT church.

In our passage today, we are going to look at the mindset of the early church located in Antioch. It’s tempting to think that this is an extraordinary church, but in reality it is just a normal, ordinary church doing normal, ordinary church things.

When I first put this sermon together, I actually called these ‘goals.’ But that word makes this seem lofty or ambitious. The reality is that these traits demonstrated in Antioch ought to be our baseline, not our aiming point.

From the example of Antioch, we’ll draw three mindset shifts that realign the church with Scripture. As we walk through the passage, ask yourself: What would it look like for LRBC to embrace these same traits—and what measurable difference might it make in our community and beyond?

So, take out your sermon guides and follow along as we discover three mindset shifts that advance God’s Kingdom.

The first mindset that we observe in this passage is:

To Be A Launching Point, Not Just A Landing Pad. (1-2)

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Now, what we need to remember about the church in Antioch is that it was formed by Christians who were scattered out of Jerusalem because of the persecution that occurred in conjunction with Stephen (Acts 7). Some shared the gospel with Jews while others focused on the Greeks in Antioch. And what happened was that God began to do a work through their faithful witness.

Acts 11:21–22 NASB95

21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch.

So the church at Antioch began with the help of the church in Jerusalem who sent Barnabas to help them. Barnabas saw what was happening and went to find Saul (Paul) and the two of them spent well over a year teaching and developing leaders in this young church. (11:26)

Now, as we look at 13:1, we see that the church in Antioch now had both teachers and prophets (preachers) and they were busy about the work of the Gospel in their community. Paul and Barnabas had developed faithful men to be able to lead alongside them- they had invested in them and church was going well. And in their faithful ministry, God spoke to them.

I want to direct you to two important truths here:

The church was being faithful - even though they had a mission field in their backyard, the elders- those identified here as teachers and preachers - did not neglect to abide in the Lord. The text says they were ministering to the Lord and fasting.

They were intentionally seeking the will of God. They could have patted themselves on the back as they looked around to see a church that did not exist a couple years prior. They could have been so busy with ministry tasks that they skimped on their prayers and teaching. But they were not content to simply exist.

ILL: It would have been easy to get comfortable- to begin to think that maintaining this congregation was where they had landed and after a while maybe they would retire and receive the title “pastor emeritus” and that’d be that. But to assume that where they had landed was the extent of God’s plan would have been a mistake. Imagine if Paul - the man God used to author half the NT - never sought God’s will beyond Antioch.

The faithfulness of the church allowed for Kingdom expansion

The second truth here is that God speaks to His church.

The church in Antioch received a word from God - now, I don’t know if it was an audible word, but it was no doubt a clear word. And the word was to set apart Barnabas and Paul for a new work. BTW, God still speaks to His church - through His word, prayer and fasting - God’s Holy Spirit speaks!

Whatever the church was doing locally, God’s mission is bigger. God said, “hey guys- this church in Antioch is doing well, and since you’ve been faithful in the little things- raising up leaders, proclaiming and teaching the Word of God, now I want you to launch this wondrous hope beyond your context.

You received- as a landing pad- the Word of God and men of God who could train you, now launch men of God with the word of God out!

That’s multiplication- it’s churches acknowledging the grace of God that they RECEIVED the Gospel and to be good stewards means not just to add people in the congregation, but to LAUNCH that same gospel out. The same Gospel that changed my life can change the lives of millions upon millions.

Listen, God has blessed this church greatly. We have been a landing pad for many great men and women of God. Not only that, but did you know that in 1864 LRBC launched out members to start Enon Baptist Church? Now, what if that were not an extraordinary event, but a normal rhythm of launching missionaries, commission pastors, and church plants?

So what does that mean for LRBC? It means that we must, above all things, intentionally seek the will of God. Abide in Him- let our lives be marked by our absolute attachment to Christ. Practically, we must be intentional and listen to God. Get in His Word. Fast - fast from food, from social media; make time to sit in the presence of the Lord so that you may hear that still small voice.

And when you hear God saying “I’m ready to send!” We’ll be ready to launch.

Imagine what God will do with LRBC as a launching point rather than just a landing pad!

As we look back to our text, we can see another mindset lived out in this church. That is:

To Be A Kingdom Investor, Not A Church Scrooge (3-4a)

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Plainly, the church in Antioch heard from God, clarified the command, and obeyed. Obviously, we don’t have all the details of any conversations, or church votes. But I want you to think about this: God was asking this church to send out the two men who had probably the most biblical knowledge, the most experience in leadership; Barnabas was an encourager and great to have around. He was no doubt one who celebrated the victories the church saw, and reminded the people of the joy of serving the Lord. Paul was a theologian- he was wise and good teacher.

The temptation for Antioch could have been to become a church scrooge- holding tight to these men. Right? This church body probably loved these men deeply and had hoped they would stay there forever. They may have thought “Why these 2? Why not Simeon or Lucius?” I imagine that obeying God here was extremely difficult because it meant that the church would have to put their needs and wants aside for the sake of the Kingdom.

I’m reminded of our military veterans. So many of our loved ones made the choice to put their needs and wants aside and serve their country. They understood what was at stake and were not content just to sit back and assume someone else would do it.

Likewise, the church in Antioch did not ignore God’s call- they did not say “Well, we can’t really afford to lose these men right now- maybe the church in Jerusalem will send someone.”

Evidently, the whole reason that Barnabas and Paul were called to Antioch was to equip them to take up the work of the gospel, not to remain there and do it for them. And as they reckoned with this, I am positive that many tears were shed. I believe that Paul and Barnabas loved this church. I am positive that some people misunderstood this. But God was calling this church to think bigger than Antioch.

I love how, in v. 3 Luke says that the church sent them and in v. 4, it says they were sent by the Holy Spirit. That illustrates a church in partnership with God- it wasn’t the church’s idea to start a mission program, it was the Spirit’s command. And this mission was an investment into the Kingdom of God.

Friends, we must remember that our mission is not to simply exist as a church or even to build our congregation. Our mission is to take the hope of the Gospel to every corner of the world! That means that at times, we will send out people whom we love. Maybe people who are encouragers and whose presence will be sorely missed. Maybe people who give generously and we will feel the financial strain. People we love...

Our church mindset should put God’s Kingdom above our comfort. Obedience is rarely convenient, but it’s always fruitful! I want to encourage you today to be aware of God’s big picture. In fact, maybe the very best thing we can choose to do is to meditate through the model prayer that Jesus gave his disciples.

Matthew 6:9–10 NASB95

9 “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.

This week, will you pray and ask God to show you what comfort you are holding onto that prevents you from fully obeying God?

Well, as Antioch obeyed, they didn’t know what was ahead. They didn’t have maps or guarantees — only faith. That leads us to our final mindset shift:

To Be Faith-Driven, Not Future-Fearing (4b-5)

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It’s impossible to see what the future holds. We can guess, make predictions, and even try to control it. But ultimately, we have to recognize that it is God alone who stands outside of time and space. He sees the end from the beginning and has promised to guide us step by step. And yet, that uncertainty is precisely where faith becomes the engine that moves God’s people forward; not fear.

Paul and Barnabas stepped out because they trusted the God who called them more than they feared the unknown ahead of them. They didn’t have maps, guarantees, or a clear picture of how people would respond. What they did have was the Spirit’s leading—and that was enough.

And look at what God did with their faith. As they went from city to city, people begged to hear the Word of God (Acts 13:42). Entire regions rejoiced as the gospel reached them for the first time (13:48–49). They encountered opposition and hardship, but they pressed on because the Spirit empowered them with boldness (14:3–4). Their faith—small steps of ordinary obedience—became the doorway to extraordinary joy.

And think about Antioch. They didn’t see the whole picture either. They released two beloved leaders not knowing what would come of it—but they shared in the joy of every salvation, every church plant, every city reached, every life transformed. Why? Because they were a faith-driven church, not a future-fearing one.

What I want you to see is that when the church takes God at His word and acts in faith, they will experience the joy of their obedience. This church, though it didn’t receive a special letter in the NT, was able to rejoice in what God was doing through Paul and Barnabas. They could tell people of what God was doing and know that the same gospel that changed their lives, was changing lives across the region.

And the really cool part is that they could say, “Because we heard the word of the Lord and obeyed, we share in the joy of God’s salvation taken beyond our wildest imagination.”

Church, being faith-driven doesn’t mean being reckless. It means trusting God enough to obey Him even when you can’t see what’s on the other side of obedience. It’s saying, “Lord, we don’t know where You’ll take us, but we know You’re worth following.”

So what does this mean for us at LRBC? It means stepping toward the mission God places before us; whether that’s across the world or across the street. It means refusing to let fear of the unknown, fear of inadequacy, or fear of loss keep us from saying “Yes, Lord” to His call.

Church, the joy of Antioch wasn’t that they accomplished something extraordinary—it was that they trusted and obeyed in the ordinary, and God made it extraordinary. They prayed. They listened. They obeyed. And joy followed.

Not everyone in Antioch became a Paul or Barnabas. Most of them never left their city. But every single believer played a part in God’s global mission—because they embraced a mindset shaped by Scripture: a launching point, not just a landing pad… a Kingdom investor, not a church scrooge… faith-driven, not future-fearing.

And the same can be true here. Every one of us can pray. Every one of us can give. Every one of us can encourage. Every one of us can support those who go. And some of us will go.

The question is not whether God is still sending. The question is whether we are ready—willing—to hear and obey.

So, LRBC, let’s raise the bar back to the biblical norm. Let’s stop assuming that mission, growth, and multiplication are extraordinary. Let’s believe they are the ordinary expectation of a Spirit-filled church. And let’s step into that calling with joy.

[PRAY]

Discuss: What stands out to you about the spiritual posture of the Antioch church in verses 1–2? Why do you think Luke emphasizes their worshiping and fasting before the Spirit spoke?

Discuss: In what ways can churches (or individuals) become “Scrooges” with their time, people, or resources? What might generous Kingdom investment look like for you this year?

Discuss: The Antioch church didn’t know the outcome of sending Paul and Barnabas—but they trusted God and obeyed anyway. What fears often hold us back from stepping out in faith? How can we strengthen our trust in God’s leading?