Strengthening the Church
I Will Build My Church: Luke & Acts Series • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 45:43
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I have known many church-planters, missionaries, ministers… when they are away from those they established the truth of God’s Word within the hearts of the people, they continue to have a prayerful concern and interest for those people.
Paul and Barnabas Return from their journey in Asia Minor in the Galatian region and these new believers remain on their hearts:
There is celebration and rejoicing over what God is doing among the Gentiles!
As travelers come through there is a constant seeking to know how these new churches are doing
Message comes that many are turning to “another gospel” Paul writes to Clarify and strengthen them... Galatians 1:6-11
I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ. For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.
Jews were coming in stating the works of the law were needed… especially circumcision. Paul addresses this in many direct and firm ways, consider Galatians 2:15-16
“We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.
Paul ends by reminding them the marks he bore on his body for this Gospel of Jesus Christ!
Paul and Barnabas see this same struggle and opposition reach their church as well in Antioch… This is where we see the church leadership meet with the apostles at the Jerusalem church… The Jerusalem Council:
I appreciate the accountability we see demonstrated here (STRENGTH)
Rocky Mountain Bible
Grace Bible Parachute
Grace Bible Collbran
IFCA an association fro doctrinal purity and accountability
The ability for brothers in Christ to come and discuss /even sharply debate the things of God in UNITY
The outcome demonstrates UNITY and a clear message of salvation by Faith in Christ not by works!
A letter is sent with multiple men
Acts 15:24-29 is the message sent...
“Since we have heard that some of our number to whom we gave no instruction have disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls, it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. “Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth. “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials: that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.”
Acts 15:30-36 gives us the response and what sparks the next Missionary Journey
So when they were sent away, they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brethren with a lengthy message. After they had spent time there, they were sent away from the brethren in peace to those who had sent them out. But it seemed good to Silas to remain there. But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching with many others also, the word of the Lord. After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”
Do you see the continued faithfulness of these men and the heart that they continue to have for souls!? God has put a burden on their hearts and WOW what He is going to do is outstanding!
Journey 1 & Journey 2 Quick Comparisons:
Gospel Outreach vs Clarity & Concern
Starting vs Strengthening
One Team vs Two Teams
Focuses still remained on the Gospel Truth and the focus remained on the churches…
Paul and Barnabas Part Ways
Paul and Barnabas Part Ways
Differing Opinions occur in churches among believers… Note what happens with these two men and the outcome… Acts 15:36-41
After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them also. But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. But Paul chose Silas and left, being committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord. And he was traveling through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Observations and Lessons to learn:
Sharp disagreement: severe argument with intense difference of opinion
Paul was probably not the best option to mentor Mark (but Barnabas was! “encourager”)
we need multiple mentors in our lives
we learn from many in the Body of Christ
Mark needed a second chance… and Mark was willing to try again!
Paul is going to face many trials on this journey… Silas (Strong and Bold) is the man to accompany Paul.
Scripture does not indicate right or wrong… rather differences
The work of the Gospel is not hindered by this… rather strengthened
There may have been varied opinions, parting of ways BUT there was not broken fellowship!!!
Colossians 4:10, 2 Timothy 4:11
Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings; and also Barnabas’s cousin Mark (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him);
Only Luke is with me. Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service.
The original purpose of this second journey… “Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”
Differing opinions and differences should not weaken the church but strengthen us!
Paul and Silas are bold for Christ! No doubt a challenging team to work with… yet along this journey we will see them pick up at least two young men and later a couple whom they mentor...
In Troas they bring Luke along with them Acts 16:10
When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
In Acts 16:1-5 we see Paul bring along a young man whom he would soon refer to as a son in the faith!
Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. And a disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek, and he was well spoken of by the brethren who were in Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted this man to go with him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. Now while they were passing through the cities, they were delivering the decrees which had been decided upon by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem, for them to observe. So the churches were being strengthened in the faith, and were increasing in number daily.
Note his circumcision was for the purpose of reaching the weaker brother, the lost with the gospel of Christ NOT FOR SALVATION!
As Paul and Silas go to each of these churches now with Timothy they declare
The clarification of Salvation by Faith in Christ and Christ alone
There is a way to live separate from the world as a follower of Christ
They mentor the next generation, and strengthen the church
The Outcome… churches were strengthened in faith and there was seen an increase in their number (winning souls for Christ!)
We seek to strengthen the believer in order to reach OUT to the lost!
A strong church body reaches the lost with the Gospel!
As Paul and Silas do this we will see next week how God leads them and works in amazing ways!