The Mission Continues
Notes
Transcript
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.”
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.”
We are seeing how God is going to continue the mission of Jesus beyond where it has been for the last 12 chapters.
Sermon title: The Mission Continues
Character focus change: From the Apostles in Jerusalem to the Apostle Paul.
This is the beginning of Paul’s first missionary journey.
Five items about the mission of Christ that we see in Acts 13
First...
The Holy Spirit Directs The Mission
The Holy Spirit Directs The Mission
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. 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.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
Even though there were “prophets” and “teachers” - The Holy Spirit is the one who has the authority to direct the mission.
He chooses his ambassadors. He initiates the call and commissioning.
As a pastor, I’m not the ultimate voice regarding God’s mission. God i
Second...
Deceivers Will Try To Thwart The Mission
Deceivers Will Try To Thwart The Mission
So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them. When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
Bar-Jesus or Elymas was likely a magician who derived his power and influence from demonic forces.
He opposed the mission of Jesus. He opposed Jesus.
Even now, there are loads of “influential” people who hate the mission of Jesus. The promote their own religion, their own ideals, and desire for others to follow them and not Christ. Many are likely successful because of demonic help.
Maybe you’ve seen interviews with people in Hollywood and the music industry
Bob Dylan once said in an interview that he sold his soul to be successful
Beyonce claims to have a female spirit possess her during concerts and writing music.
The demonic deception is serious and, without Christ, it’s frightening.
But, Bar-Jesus didn’t stand a chance against Messiah Jesus and His preacher. And neither do the demonic forces that seek to thwart our mission work!
Deceivers Will Try To Thwart The Mission
Third...
God Has Been Preparing For The Mission
God Has Been Preparing For The Mission
Paul shares Old Testament history, just like Stephen did, for the purpose of prepping the people for the most important piece of info they will ever get.
Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem, but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.” So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said:
“Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen. The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. And for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness. And after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance. All this took about 450 years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ Of this man’s offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised. Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’
OT history is merely God’s prequel to the main story.
Every ounce of OT history is meant to make us appreciate what comes in the New Testament.
It’s important for us to remember that even though the Old Testament reads as if it is God’s Plan A - meaning, the Law and earthly Jewish Kingdom, Jesus is actually plan A. And OT was simply a pathway to Plan A.
God always intended for us to be saved by Jesus and then for us to take Jesus to the rest of the world.
God Has Been Preparing For The Mission
Fourth
Proclaiming Jesus Is The Mission
Proclaiming Jesus Is The Mission
If you include the references by John the Baptist in verse 25, Jesus is mentioned or referred to 23 times here.
“Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation. For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed. And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead, and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm,
“ ‘You are my Son,
today I have begotten you.’
And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way,
“ ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’
Therefore he says also in another psalm,
“ ‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption.’
For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption, but he whom God raised up did not see corruption. Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about:
“ ‘Look, you scoffers,
be astounded and perish;
for I am doing a work in your days,
a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.’ ”
Do you see how Paul, after detailing how God was preparing the world for this great source of salvation, he pointed everyone to Jesus over, and over, and over again.
This is also our mission!
We are to proclaim Jesus.
Not an earthly political ideal.
Not a formula to your best life now.
Not a religious morality.
We are to proclaim Jesus.
Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
Proclaiming Jesus is The Mission
Fifth...
Converting All People Is a Goal Of The Mission
Converting All People Is a Goal Of The Mission
As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath. And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.
The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him. And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, saying,
“ ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”
And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region. But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Paul and Barnabas began the mission in Antioch of Pamphylia by attempting to convert the Jews of the town.
After having success with some, they then addressed the entire town - Which means they were seeking to convert the gentiles.
This is what drove the Jewish people crazy. They were jealous because Paul was preaching forgiveness of sins for, not just the Jews, but also the gentiles.
Converting only Jews is not the goal of the mission
Converting All People Is the Goal Of The Mission
Jesus loves the little children. All the Children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the children of the world.