Multiplied Community: Sending

Introduction

We have been looking for the last couple of weeks on what it means to be a Multiplied Community.

We have talked about sharing our stories

· We are holding on to some of these “shared” distinctive

We have looked at some “shared” distinctives. Last week we talked about the distinctive of intercessory prayer.

o We are going to see another shared distinctive in our text today.

We are going to see more shared distinctives in our text today.

God takes two leaders, men full of the HS, and sends them out.

o God takes a leader, a man full of the HS, and sends them out.

· They were in Antioch for a year planting that church.

If you will remember from last week, they were in Antioch for a year planting that church.

o Barnabas and Saul planted it

Barnabas and Saul planted it ( I will probably swap back and forth between Saul and Paul today. Same guy)

o A year later we see theses other leaders that have risen up from the body. They are growing in their faith and following God’s guidance as they grew.

A year later we see theses other leaders that have risen up from the body. They are growing in their faith and following God’s guidance as they grew.

As they were following the HS, Satan tries to dismantle what God is doing there by having Peter arrested and James killed.

· As they were following the HS, Satan tries to dismantle what God is doing there by having Peter arrested and James killed.

o Peter is sleeping – He realizes that only the HS can save him now. He is resting in knowing that God was in control.

Peter is sleeping – He realizes that only the HS can save him now. He is resting in knowing that God was in control.

The church is led by the HS to pray for Peter.

· The church is led by the HS to pray for Peter.

God involved them in this intercessory prayer.

o God involved them in this intercessory prayer.

o God didn’t need them to pray, but he wanted to involve them in what he was doing.

God didn’t need them to pray, but he wanted to involve them in what he was doing.

They were crying out to God, because the understood the severity of this situation. Herod had just killed James.

o They were crying out to God, because the understood the severity of this situation. Herod had just killed James.

Angel comes in and leads Peter out of the prison. This was completely out of Peter’s control.

· Angel comes in and leads Peter out of the prison. This was completely out of Peter’s control.

· Peter comes to himself after the Angel left and sees that this is God exclusive activity.

Peter comes to himself after the Angel left and sees that this is God exclusive activity.

This God exclusive activity is happening at the beginning of this church plant.

The HS is setting the tone for what He is going to be doing in the lives of these people.

I want to point out that most of the people in this new church were not full time ministers.

They didn’t stop working because they were planting a church.

This activity of the Holy Spirit impacted every area of their lives and as a result, the gospel spread.

I was listening to a commencement speech that Lecrae gave a few years ago at a christian college.

He talked about the need for us as believers to blur the lines between secular and sacred.

this is what is happening in the early church. As they are having fresh encounters with the HS they are sharing those stories and the news of who Christ is was spreading.

“Everywhere we go, our lives should demonstrate to others that Christ is victorious. As unbelievers observe our lives, they should become aware of the victorious power of Christ.” - Blackaby

Story of Dean Dendy’s reaction to the story of what God spoke about Bethany’s cancer.

“it must be amazing to have God answer such a huge question in such a personal way!”

it is and he has made himself available to all people in that way.

“the most compelling evidence that Christ is alive and triumphant is His activity in the lives of His people… Your life ought to be convincing proof that God continues to work powerfully in the lives of his people.” - Blackaby

The church was growing at such an incredible rate because there was no division between sacred and secular.

take a look at our american culture. Is it the norm for us to be the same people on Mon- Fri that we are on Sundays? No… For some reason our culture has created a divide between the two.

We are going to see a very specific example today of how far reaching the gospel became because there was no division in peoples lives. There was no division because they were completely surrendered to the HS leading.

Body

Acts 13:1 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.

Acts 13:1

Acts 13:1–3 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.

During the first year of this new churches life, quite a lot has happened.

We have seen how the HS has already broken through some cultural and racial barriers as the church was multiplying. In our passage today we see that He is also breaking through the class system.

Manaen [man-i-en]

blurring the lines between secular and sacred

“Everywhere we go, our lives should demonstrate to others that Christ is victorious. As unbelievers observe our lives, they should become aware of the victorious power of Christ.” - Blackaby

Story of Dean Dendy’s reaction to the story of what God spoke about Bethany’s cancer.

“it must be amazing to have God answer such a huge question in such a personal way!”

it is and he has made himself available to all people in that way.

“the most compelling evidence that Christ is alive and triumphant is His activity in the lives of His people… Your life ought to be convincing proof that God continues to work powerfully in the lives of his people.” - Blackaby

Body

Manaen [man-i-en]

APB:ZGSSOCS

They Followed despite the opposition and threat of the enemy...

They continued to follow the guidance of the HS and as a result some incredible things were happening.

The church is growing. Originally it was just Barnabas and Paul and now they have added three more elders.

We see that in the span of a year, the church has grown from just the two that went to plant to a full body of believers that are not only meeting together, under threat, but have grown to a place where they can hear and discern what the HS is saying to them.

Shared Distinctive! -

Mission Leading People to Know God – The Gathering Place Mission Statement is our most significant distinctive. We believe that God created man to enjoy a personal intimate relationship with Him. The Christian life should be more than just a list of religious things to do. The first way we want to lead people to know God is by introducing them to Jesus Christ as Savior (). Following salvation we believe God will also use us to lead believers to know him in a progressively more intimate way. We promote intimate moments with God where we learn to discern His will, obey it, and get to know Him through obedience ( AMP)

10 And this, so that I may know Him [experientially, becoming more thoroughly acquainted with Him, understanding the remarkable wonders of His Person more completely] and [in that same way experience] the power of His resurrection [which overflows and is active in believers], and [that I may share] the fellowship of His sufferings, by being continually conformed [inwardly into His likeness even] to His death [dying as He did];

God will not let this idea rest until we get it. nearly everyday this week the Lord has touched on this idea.

When we think of “the church” we need to immediately think of a body of believers that are actively pursing God, growing in their faith, and sending our people our as the HS leads.

This is not the norm in our Southern Culture. Glen talked about last week of how the church shopped when they first moved here years ago. That is the norm. people looking for a place that they like and they can be comfortable (hidden, stagnant, and pampered).

That is not the church. The example we see here in our text is growing and growing rapidly.

The mentioning here of Man-i-en is showing that the HS has not only broken through the cultural race barriers, but also through the class system.

Man-i-en was raised in Herod the Great’s household. He was basically a foster son. He would have held nearly the same place as his brother (Prince Herod of Antipos).

This is further proof that as we follow the guidance of the HS, he will do the work and bring the Gospel to places that seem impossible to us.

JTB was killed by Herod for proclaiming Jesus as the Christ, James was just killed by Herod, Peter was imprisoned by him, and now the son of the man that killed him is not only a follower of Christ, but is listed in this passage as an equivalent to Barnabas, Peter, and Paul.

Consider what Man-i-en was giving up to be a part of this church!

He would have been giving up his comfort, financial security, safety, and social status.

Whatever you “think” God is able to do through you, throw that idea out the window. It’s way bigger than that. lol

No one would have probably guessed that one of the sons of Herod would have not only been involved in the church, but would have been one of the teachers of this new faith!

They meet together to worship and fast...

Here is another shared distinctive of early church and TGP - We meet together. This happens on Sunday mornings in our worship services and on week nights at our Life groups.

But we don’t just get together, the expectation when we meet is that the HS is going to speak to the body.

They met together with the expressed purpose of experiencing God corporately as a body.

Our corporate experience will always be different than our personal experience.

Both are necessary. Both provide us with different things.

God could have called Paul and Barnabas privately, but the body would not have had the benefit and joy of God involving them in what he was doing.

As they meet, the Holy Spirit spoke and called Saul and Barnabas to go out

While they were meeting...

God called them to go to a new place and released them for their call at Antioch.

God can call you and me from this body to a new place. We all need to get to a place where we are willing to be ok with that.

I know that is going to be a struggle for some of you. It is for me, but if I believe what I say I believe, I have to be willing to obey. Right?!

We often worry about being sent out because who is going to do all the things I’m doing when I’m gone?

I remember panicking a little bit with Scott and Jessica told us God had called them to Tyler.

We were loosing our children's minister and I was loosing a great friend… and her knuckle headed husband.

If God calls you, he will also release you. in verse 2 it says “set apart for me Barnabas and Saul”. That is God telling the church at Antioch, “OK, you need to stop expecting them to do things. I need them somewhere else.” God released them from their responsibilities at the church in Antioch.

God sent out the best...

- We have heard Glen say this before, but it makes so much sense and this is what we see happening in Antioch. God took the ones who were ready to say yes, no matter what, and sent them out. They were willing to go. Are you willing to go, no matter what?

David Platt- are you willing to write God a blank check?

When we follow the HS call it leaves room for others to grow and fill those voids.

All of the sudden, we have some openings. Levi was playing drums, Ashley helped lead worship, Peyton volunteered with the kids on Wednesday night. As you have probably already noticed, we don’t have drummer, a female vocalist, or someone to help Brittany with the kids on Wednesday nights. .

God calling people out, fosters growth at every level.

I used to have a pastor that always talked about God “bringing us to the next level”. He talked about it all the time. He wanted us to understand that we should never stop growing.

That is precisely what God is trying to do in your life.

If you found yourself thinking, “I’m glad God called Ashley, Levi, Peyton, or Sam and not me...” Your’re Probably Next!

God calling Bethany and I to Donahue...

This was a new experience for us. We were on the heals of a really difficult, but really growthful, stage in our lives. What we wanted was for life to go back to what we considered “normal”. But what we needed was to heal and God knew that the old way of doing things wouldn’t bring that healing.

Tell the story of meeting with G&T

Following his call and stepping out in faith was what we needed and was where we found the happiness we longed so desperately for.

God built a solid foundation…

Just like God took his time (a year) to build up the church in Antioch so that it was ready to send out Paul and Barnabas, God has been taking his time to build us up for the very same purpose.

EXAMPLE: I thought about this while I was running this week. The forest service just repaved a large portion of the road that we live down. It was in bad need of repair. Some of the pot holes were deep enough that small cars could bottom out if they hit them.

I hit one in my old Tahoe and lost the center of the wheel that covered the lug nuts and you normally had to pry it off with a pry bar.

They repaved the road, but when I went running I noticed that one of the pot holes was back already.

You know what happened? I do. The foundation is bad. that road was gravel when I was a kid. They later graded it, sprayed down tar, and covered it with crushed limestone. over the years, the foundation has continued to fail and instead of repairing the problem, they literally patch it. they pour hot tar and limestone in it. It is repaired for a while, but the problem comes right back.

God is trying to avoid this same problem in our lives and in our church. He is taking his time with us, allowing us to come to a full understanding of the place he has us before he moves us the next “level”.

Don’t feel bad about allowing God to take his time, but also understand that the expectation that God has is that you will continue to grow.

God has spent the last three years developing the foundation of TGP West and He is now saying through this study that it is time for all of us to move to the next level.

We are all in different places, but what is the next level for you?

They were completely submissive to the HS.

This was true of the leadership and of the entire congregation. This passage isn’t just about the men listed. The entire church was a part of this worship and fasting.

As a body, THEY, obeyed and sent Barnabas and Paul out.

Let’s be honest with one another for a moment. Y’all ready for that?

We all love our life groups and our church body.

It’s not fun to consider that God will call some of us to something new is it?

Here is the deal though, consider for a moment, what we are giving up by refusing to follow the guidance of the HS.

by refusing to ask or to obey, we are stagnating the growth of everyone else.

Think about what we just discussed. As we grow and move to the next level, God calls new people to the areas of ministry that God is releasing us from. When we put the brakes on what God is doing in our own lives, it also puts the brakes on everyone else. Can God work around that? Sure He can, but you are still robbing yourself of what God knows is best for you.

You are giving up what God knows is best for what is temporarily comfortable.

I can tell you from my life, the things that God has called me to do that have been the hardest, have been the best! They didn’t feel good in the moment. They were hard, but now, I wouldn’t change any of them.

Story of leaving Petron to go work for Aaron.

God was repeatedly saying to go. I knew it and had it documented for months in my journal.

Bethany and I were on the same page about it. We both believed God was saying to go. Seemed like a shoe in.

Dad and Steve both thought I was an idiot. I tried to explain to them what God was saying and they wouldn’t even hear me out. For them, logic was way more important that what I thought God was saying.

I talked with Glen. He was no help. lol he asked me what God was saying and said, “ok, do that”.

Leaving that job was one of the hardest things I had ever done. It was also one of the best things!

I was no longer dependent on my dads approval to make a decision.

God used that time to open a new position at Petron that was a better fit for me and for them. Had I not left (and opened up a spot for someone else to rise up) I would still be stuck in a job that wasn’t a good fit for me or for the long term success of Petron.

God used that time to allow me to learn things that I had been asking God to learn, specifically about raising cattle.

God knew what he was doing and my life wouldn’t be the same today if I had not obeyed him.

God used that time of difficulty to pry some strong holds out of my life that he needed gone so that I could be the man that I and he wanted me to be.

While they were worshiping...

This is not a guilt trip

We are all called to be a part of this body

Be a part of it. There are no parts of the body that have no purpose.

I need you to be here. Just like you need me to be here.

Just to be clear, I’m not pressuring you to just do something or to volunteer in some ministry. I am pressuring you to pursue God and ask him what he wants you to be doing.

here are a couple of good examples:

Cleaning the church. Bill does it, but i know he isn’t the only one that is called too.

Budda knows that God has released her from doing the books and we have asked you guys to ask God if he is calling you to take over that ministry.

The children's classes need more workers.

The list goes on and on...

Honestly, I think those ministry positions haven’t been filled because no one is asking God if he is calling them or they are being called and are fighting it.

Let me say again, this is not about guilting you into doing something. Here is what I know from my life, when God is calling me, I know. I may try to tell myself otherwise, but I know. If you know, if you are feeling the prompting of the HS, obey.

If God isn’t calling you, DON'T DO IT! - Notice that this didn’t start with Paul and Barnabas saying, “well, i think it’s time we...” They waited until the HS called them. It is so important that we wait on the timing of the HS.

I’m not bringing these things up because I’m upset and “dang it, I won’t you people to do what you are supposed too!” I’m way more interested in you experiencing God than I will ever be in you just filling empty spots.

I’m talking about because I have lived on both sides of obedience and I know where the good spot is.

there are seasons where God calls us to rest and wait.

there are seasons where God calls us to rest and wait.

If that’s where you are, do that, please! Wait for God’s call.

If that’s not you, what has God called you to?

Side note, one of our distinctives is that all ministry is grass roots. If what God has called you too isn’t already happening, it may be that God is calling you to start it.

If that is striking any of you, the way that works is you get you directive from God, you bring it before the Elders and we will pray and affirm it and then support you however God leads so that you can fulfill God’s call.

If you are called to be a member of this church and you aren’t fulfilling your call, the body suffers.

Please, please, please… hear my heart on this. I want you to experience God. I could care less about the floors getting mopped. Y’all with me?

Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, Manaen and Saul all held a role in the body. God had a reason for each of them being there. He had a specific call for each of them. look at verse one again. “in the church there were… Prophets and teachers”.

you have to dig down into the Greek grammar to see this, but Barnabas, Simeon, and Lucius were prophets and Manaen and Saul were teachers.

Whether you see your value or not, God has a reason for each of us being a part of this body.

Be smart… don’t come if you are sick

make this time and ministry a top priority because it is God’s top priority.

Please, please, please… hear my heart on this. I want you to experience God. I could care less about the floors getting mopped. Y’all with me?

They laid their hands on them...

This wasn’t an act of ordination or granting them with the HS.

This was about the church affirming the call to B&S to go out.

They were all there and all took part in this process. God didn’t leave the church out.

Once again, he included them in the work that he was doing.

As God calls you out or to a ministry here at TGP, we as a church are going to be a part of that process. God isn’t going to call you out to be a lone wolf. That’s not how he rolls.

We are going to affirm your calling and support you in that.

Closing:

Yesterday morning this passage was in Moravians and Oswald referenced it in Utmost. Oswald isn’t even in my daily routine this year, but for some reason I clicked on it. I think it’s significant to where our body is right now.

Luke 18:18–30 ESV

18 And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’ ” 21 And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 24 Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27 But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” 28 And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

Listen, All of us have areas in our lives that we want to control. It’s normal, but it’s not ok. God wants complete control. He isn’t Lord of our lives if we are still lording over certain areas of it.

Here is what Oswald said,

“The rich young ruler went away from Jesus speechless with sorrow, having nothing to say in response to Jesus’ words. He had no doubt about what Jesus had said or what it meant, and it produced in him a sorrow with no words with which to respond. Have you ever been there? Has God’s Word ever come to you, pointing out an area of your life, requiring you to yield it to Him? Maybe He has pointed out certain personal qualities, desires, and interests, or possibly relationships of your heart and mind. If so, then you have often been speechless with sorrow. The Lord will not go after you, and He will not plead with you. But every time He meets you at the place where He has pointed, He will simply repeat His words, saying, “If you really mean what you say, these are the conditions.”

For this man, his possessions are what held him back from following Jesus.

What is holding you back?

As Doug would say, “I’m meddling now”. lol

Look at this. This is from Blackaby this morning.

“Contrasted with Zach. (the rich young ruler), who recognized his spiritual poverty and found salvation… Do not let your resources, wisdom, talent, or abilities to prevent you from trusting the Person who can bring about abundant life. Self reliance robs us of God’s good gifts!” - Blackaby

What area of you life do you know that the HS has spoken for you to give up? It may not be finances. It may be security, location, job...

In life group this week I’d like for you guys to share some times in your life that God called you to something hard and you obeyed or you didn’t obey and you know see the results of that disobedience.

If you don’t have a story like that it’s ok, be encouraged by the stories of others and ask God to give you both the desire and strength to obey what he is calling you too.

As Jesus told the RYR, “If you really mean what you say, these are the conditions.”

Are you more devoted to your idea of what Jesus wants than to Jesus Himself? If so, you are likely to hear one of His harsh and unyielding statements that will produce sorrow in you. What Jesus says is difficult— it is only easy when it is heard by those who have His nature in them. Beware of allowing anything to soften the hard words of Jesus Christ.

The only way we can be the church that God is calling us to be is if we each individually and corporately devote ourselves to Jesus and obey his calling. God will not force his will upon us. The only way this works is if we, out of love, choose to follow. We choose to write the blank check.

Pray