Acts 14_21-28 - Missionaries and The Churches

Missionaries & The Churches

Acts 14:21-28 "21And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, 22Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. 23And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. 24And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. 25And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia: 26And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled. 27And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. 28And there they abode long time with the disciples."

Missionaries And The Churches

1.       Reaching Out To The Lost (21, 24-25)

a.       Preached the gospel (21)

b.      Preached the word (25)

c.       Teaching and preaching (21)

d.      Always on the move…Gospel

                                                               i.      Starfish:

                                                             ii.      An old man, walking along the beach one dawn, noticed a young man picking up starfish and flinging them into the ocean. The boy explained he was afraid the stranded starfish would die if left until the morning sun.

                                                            iii.      “But the beach goes on for miles,” said the man. “What difference will it make? There are so many starfish that nothing you can do will matter.”

                                                           iv.      As the boy picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea, he said quietly, “It matters to this one.”

2.       Reestablishing The Disciples (22)

a.       Confirming the souls of the disciples (22)

                                                               i.      Reestablishing; validating; strengthening

                                                             ii.      Wanting to ground them in their faith

b.      Challenging them to continue (22)

                                                               i.      Encouraging them to continue/grow in the faith

                                                             ii.      Evangelism is not enough; there must be teaching and encouragement from the Word.

                                                            iii.      This is why Paul established local churches wherever God led him.

                                                           iv.      The local church is the one place the believer should be able to get a dependable diet of spiritual food, find Christian fellowship, and discover opportunities for service.

c.       Cautioning them against false perceptions (22)

                                                               i.      We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God

                                                             ii.      We weren’t called to party…we are called to suffer for His name!

d.      Commissioning new pastors (23)

                                                               i.      The Gk. word translated “appointed” has a double significance: it means “to designate” as well as “to elect by popular vote.”

                                                             ii.      Titus 1:5 "For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:"

                                                            iii.      Titus 1:7 "For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;"

                                                           iv.      Acts 20:17 "And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.", Acts 20:28 "28Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood."

3.       Reporting To The Senders (26-28)

a.       Recommended by the church (26)

                                                               i.      It was the church that served as the sending agency

                                                             ii.      Thank God for those who help missionaries, but the final responsibility lies with the local church.

                                                            iii.      Grace of God

b.      Rehearsal of all that God had done (27)

                                                               i.      Acts 1:1-2 "The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:"

c.       Resorted for a long season (28)

                                                               i.      We need rest…when we don’t take it…we are stupid.

                                                             ii.