On-Mission Christians

Introduction

On-mission...

All genuine followers of Jesus are on-mission Christians...

John 14:15 ““If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

Matthew 28:18–20 “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.””

All genuine followers of Jesus are on-mission Christians...

Other side of the world or the other side of the street...

Crystal Davis...Peru

April Trigsted...

Danny Sanchez...

This morning, as we continue in Acts 13, looking at the beginnings of the First Missionary Journey, I want us to see not only that all genuine followers of Jesus are on-mission Christians, but we will also learn four vital lessons on-mission Christians must know if we are to fulfill the mission God has given us, regardless of where that mission might take us.

Body: Acts 13:4-12

Verses 4-5

Sent out by the Holy Spirit...

Seleucia...Cyprus...Salamis...

...proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews.

John was their assistant...

Being an on-mission Christian requires us to obey the call of God to bring the Gospel to those who don’t know it.

We can do good things as on-mission Christians (and we should!), but the best thing we can ever do is bring the Gospel to someone...

Verses 6-8

...gone through the whole island...

Paphos...

Bar-Jesus...

Sergius Paulus...

Proconsul...

Two roles of leadership in Roman lands:

Proconsul = the chief officer in a senatorial province (responsible to the senate) {Roman lands}

Procurator = the chief officer in an imperial province (responsible to the emperor) {Conquered land}

a man of intelligence...

summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.

An on-mission Christian knows where the Gospel goes there is likely someone who wants to hear it.

Why did you say “wants to hear it”?

Verses 9-11

Saul, who was also called Paul...

...filled with the Holy Spirit...

“You son of the devil...”

“...you enemy of all righteousness...”

“...full of all deceit and villainy...”

villainy = the quality of dishonesty without any moral hesitation

“...will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?”

“And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you...”

An on-mission Christian knows where the Gospel goes there will eventually be opposition.

This is the other side of knowing that there is someone who wants to hear the Gospel...

Be willing to confront opposition, but leave the results to the Holy Spirit.

But, the best way to confront the opposition is to faithfully proclaim the Gospel in spite of the opposition...

Verse 12

...the proconsul believed...

He saw...he heard...

An on-mission Christian knows that faith often follows bold proclamation of the Gospel.