Called

Scripture

Acts 11:19–29 NRSV

Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, and they spoke the word to no one except Jews. But among them were some men of Cyprus and Cyrene who, on coming to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists also, proclaiming the Lord Jesus. The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number became believers and turned to the Lord. News of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast devotion; for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for an entire year they met with the church and taught a great many people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called “Christians.” At that time prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted by the Spirit that there would be a severe famine over all the world; and this took place during the reign of Claudius. The disciples determined that according to their ability, each would send relief to the believers living in Judea;

Introduction

This morning is further development of using your gifts. But before we get too far I just want to praise God for the awesome Trunk or Treat we had Wednesday night. Tis demonstrate answering God’s call outside the walls to the community. We brought families together from all over the county not just oakwood we estimate we had somewhere between 700 and 800 people. This just demonstrates what the 3 churches are capable of! Talk about Kingdom building this was it. No, onto saying yes and goin Hog Wild.

We are looking at this morning, and how appropriate. Its about jesus disciples answering or saying yes to his call and how it resulted in the gospel being taken to the gentiles. Also this illustrates how churches can and should work together for the Kingdom of God! Let’s take a closer look, but first some background.

Background

We have discussed before how Acts is really part 2 of the gospel of Luke. Luke is writing to an individual, most likely though it could be a group of people, name Theophilus a Greek name that means “lover of God.” In the first book he writes about Jesus from conception to ascension. In Acts he writes about Jesus from ascension to the founding of the church up until 40AD or so. We see that Jesus is still active in the lives of his disciples as they build his church. This is evident in the miracles, the calling of Saul, and the taking of the gospel to the gentiles, in fact we can see that here in verse 21

Acts 11:21 NRSV

The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number became believers and turned to the Lord.

Luk

Luke 11:21 NRSV

When a strong man, fully armed, guards his castle, his property is safe.

Well, who was Jesus hand with and who was the great number and what does it mean for us today, what is its relevance in our 21st century walk with the Lord. Let’s unpack these verse and see.

Exegesis

s relevance

Our scripture comes in a section that begins with Peter having a strange dream in which Jesus removes the dietary laws. Also there is a gentile, a God fearer the Jews called them, and a centurion to boot, also has received a vision of and angel that told him his prayers had been answered, and told him to send for Peter in Joppa. Long story short Peter goes and now he realizes that the gospel is to be brought to the gentiles.

Peter goes back to the Jerusalem church which is made up of Jewish believers and he tells them about his vision and all about the gentiles receiving the Holy spirit. His great quote is I now know that God shows no partiality. The story ends with peter saying, “Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.” The story of Peter’s experience ends here, but the story of the gentiles does not.

Earlier in Acts Luke tells us the story of the stoning of Stephen as the Pharisee Saul watches and approves. Stephen becomes the first martyr for Jesus and this begins a persecution of the church that results in may Christians leaving Jerusalem. This is a story that shows that suffering can be redemptive, but that’s not where we are going today. But, Luke’s story demonstrates that God took this persecution and used it to spread the gospel, especially to the gentiles.

It seems that 2 Jewish Christians who escaped to Cyprus answered God’s call to be missionaries. They went to a town in Asia Minor, not far from the island of Cyprus. This wasn’t a small town, Antioch on the Orontes River in what is now Turkey, was a city they estimate of upwards of 700,000. It was the political and military center of the Roman Empire in Asia.

Luke says these missionaries spoke to Hellenists, that is they were Greek speaking and cultural gentiles. And luke further says, as I said at the start of this discussion that Jesus was in control of it all. A great number of people were converted. In fact, this was so great an event that news of it made it all the way back to the Jerusalem Church which folks was the center of Christianity at this time, it was the mother church made of of the remaining apostles. However, after the destruction of the Temple and another great dispersion of the church Antioch will become the center of Christian activity for a number of years. In fact Antioch soon becomes the missionary sending church and that starts with Paul and Barnabas. Let’s turn our attention to them.

The Jerusalem church sends Barnabas to Antioch to grow the discipleship of those new believers. As read Luke think highly of Barnabas calling him a “good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.” And under his tutelage even more were brought to the faith. So many more that he couldn’t handle it and needed help. Enter Paul. Paul had been converted and “approved” by the Jerusalem church with the help of Barnabas. When Paul escapes Damascus after his conversion, goes to Jerusalem, he returns to his hometown of Tarsus and stays there some 9 years scholars think. Barnabas remembers him goes to Tarsus and brings him to Antioch. We have no real idea what Paul was doing, but this act is the start of what we know about Paul and his calling to the gentiles!

Now Luke makes an abrupt departure of this story of the conversion of gentiles to the story of a prophet Agabus (excursus: explain first century prophets) who we will here form again in Acts. he prophesies of a great famine that will take place. We have history of this famine in Judea! I think Luke tells us this story because we see the new church, the gentile church helping the mother church! What a view of the Kingdom! Barnabas and Paul take the offering, the relief to Jerusalem. What a marvelous story of churches working together. Jerusalem send Barnabas to grow the disciples in Antioch and the disciples in Antioch then send a relief offering to help the Jerusalem church to thrive.

Application

This is a Biblical model, in a way, of what we will be doing in forming the Faith Community with Oakwood and Flowery Branch. In fact that’s a great name for a church isn’t it? Faith Community Church? Anyway . . .

What we see that pertains to our journey with Jesus is the fact that ordinary nameless Christians gave birth to the great missionary church of Antioch. if those 2 nameless believers had not answered God’s call to go to Antioch you and i might not be sitting here today! God was working in Peter to go to the gentiles and God was working in the hearts of these nameless missionaries to build his kingdom.

It is by this missionary Spirit that the Kingdom is built and growth and change occurs. The churches on Wednesday night created community where there was none. The missionaries created community where there was none. The churches working together created community where there was none.

We must answer this call to a missionary Spirit to build the Kingdom here in south hall! it will take the three churches working together to do this. (Speak of the Vision of VBS and convo with Stan Brown. If we do not do this as three churches, tow could whither and die and we will not realize our potential to what god has in store for us. AND, its is everyday Christians. We see here that most of the significant work for the building of the Kingdom has been done by ordinary folks like you and me. But, the key is that we must say Yes to god’s call to a missionary Spirit. we have to be obedient to the call, or nothing happens and we slip into decline, growth stops, and we die.

Greatness, as Jesus says is not in size and newsworthiness, but in service. What is Jesus asking of us? Say YES! to kingdom building.

Be kingdom builders: churches helping churches: Because of this mentality, the need of the church in Jerusalem became the responsibility of the church in Antioch. Some have called this the kingdom perspective—where our concerns are not only for our own programs but for the entire kingdom of God. Those with such a perspective think not only of their own work but also of the impact their activities have on the wider body. Leighton Ford speaks of the need to be kingdom seekers rather than empire builders.

Thursday was All Saints day. Today is All Saints Sunday, the day we remember those ordinary Christians that make up that cloud of witnesses cheering us on to victory. If it hadn’t been from their missionary spirits we would not be here today.

Hebrews 12:1–2 NRSV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-

Ordinary people doin extraordinary things. You and I can do this and we can become part of that cloud of ordinary folks that did an extraordinary thing, becasue

Acts 11:21 NRSV

The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number became believers and turned to the Lord.

Acts 11;21