Laying the Foundations

What is our mission? What is our purpose. What it it that God has instructed us to do as the body of Christ?

At HWC, we interpret God’s instruction as Loving God and Loving People… it’s a simple missions statement… but do we fully understand all that goes with these powerful 4 words?

What does it mean to love God? It means we love Him with our whole self - our heart, soul and mind. We hold NOTHING back in our love for God.

What does it mean to love people? It means to love them as ourselves. We need to express to others the love that God has expressed to us UNCONDITIONALLY!

These two instructions are based off the greatest commands given to us by Jesus.

These four word simply the mission, but I pray we never lose sight of the depth of the mission. What I mean by this is I hope we never forget how far we must be willing to go in our love for God and in our love for others.

As our series First Church continues tonight, we meet back up with Paul and Barnabas after they had experienced a bit of a rough time in ministry. God was doing an amazing work and they were not about to give up or give in!

So what have these two guys been doing thus far?

They have been traveling throughout the region - going where the Holy Spirit would lead them to go.

They have been preaching the Word. They were telling the truth. They communicated the gospel message and were seeing amazing results.

They were sowing seed. The gospel was being received by many. So… was their work complete?

it is extremely important for the church to engage in evangelistic ministry. We must CHOOSE to go as instructed by Jesus in Matthew 28:19. We are to tell the good news.

But His instruction did not stop with the word… go. Jesus said for His church to do what? make disciples. So what exactly is a disciple and what steps can we take as we aim to obey this instruction?

A disciple is a student, learner, or pupil. In the Bible the word is used most often to refer to a follower of Jesus.

With this in mind, does “making a disciple” stop at salvation? Once a person has given their life to Jesus, has the church fulfilled her mission regarding that particular individual? I would say… no.

I like how Global University says it in their mission statement. “Reaching the lost. Training the Found.”

Salvation is what we hope for but we also work to train or teach new believers in the ways of the Lord. Why is this so important?

It is the renewing of the mind. We break free from the world through the salvific work of Christ and remain free as His truth and Spirit DAILY renews our minds. This is how we choose not to conform to the pattern of this world any longer, according to Romans 12:2. It is also how we learn of God’s plan for our lives, His pleasing and perfect plan!

Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

This truth is what sets the stage for what we see happen next in Acts 14. Paul and Barnabas return to some of the ministry areas to help continue the faith of the new believers. Yes, these people had made a decision to follow Jesus, but they were in need of strengthening and structure.

When we break free from the patter of the world… a new pattern needs to be acquired or installed. We were not given new life in Christ so as to wonder aimlessly through this world.

As we make disciples, we need to help and come alongside new believers as they are laying down new foundations in life. How long does this process take? As long as we have breath in our lungs! Our pursuit as disciples is a life-long pursuit, a journey that moves us away from the world and closer to our Savior.

In Christ, our hope was renewed and our purpose restored. Acts 14 gives a process to making disciples that we will take note of this evening.

The Strengthening of Believers

Acts 14:21 They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.

After preaching in Derbe and seeing many come to know the Lord, Paul and Barnabas go back to areas they previously ministered in. To be clear: this was NOT a retreat from the mistreatment they experienced in Lystra. They were moving according to the Spirit and making disciples as commissioned by Jesus.

The first thing we see mentioned is they strengthened the disciples and encouraged them to remain true to the faith. They discipled… they built up the believers and strengthened their faith foundation.

The instruction they give is not mentioned here by accident. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”

Jesus never promised that our life would be easy. He did, however, promise that we can make it through any storm so long as our foundation remained strong.

A strong foundation in the Lord comes through what according to Jesus? It comes through hearing His words and placing them into practice. (Matthew 7:24-27) Such a foundation can weather ANY STORM. Why? Because His words bring stability and strength to our lives. His words go deeper than our foundation… His words are what our foundation in life is built upon.

Hardships are a given… but how we navigate through those hardship will depend on knowing the words of Jesus and applying those words to our lives. Our foundation and ability to remain true to the faith depends on that truth!

Paul gives a teaching that I believe is CRITICAL to this point this evening. It is found in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 and it reads, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

First off, Paul is NOT giving info on how to win a foot race… but He is strengthening the believers in the church at Corinth by encouraging them to be disciplined in their spiritual life! These disciples do not define us as Christians but they certainly refine us and strengthen our resolve to remain true to the faith!

These disciplines would include daily worship, prayer, the study of the Word, and even fellowship with other believers.

These are what strengthen our walk with the Lord and prepare us for the “hardships” we might encounter.

UFC Fighter: The fight is not won in ring but is won in the weight room. In other words, if you come to the ring unprepared, you’ve already lost the contest.

So bring this back to making disciples. New believers are done an injustice if the church stops investing in them at salvation. Instead, we need to encourage people who come to know Christ to engage in the daily activities that will strengthen their walk with the Lord.

Again… as they leave the pattern of this world, they are transformed through the renewing of their minds. This is a daily, weekly, monthly, annually, and life-long transformation.

Making disciples means encouraging them, strengthening them, and preparing them to face the hardships to come. It is to help them remain true to the faith.

The Setting up of Structure

Secondly, Acts 14 records Paul and Barnabas doing something else to help ensure the new believers will remain true to the faith. We pick it back up in verse 23, “Paul and Barnabas appointed elders a for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.”

Elders were appointed in each church. Leadership was established. This was far more than simply asking for volunteers or taking a vote, a clear process is laid out here.

The process of selecting and appointing elders involved seeking God’s will through prayer and fasting.

This was not a popularity contest nor was it an opportunity for certain people to flex their muscles. God’s will for the situation was the goal. So the people made a point to seek the Lord regarding who should serve in the capacity.

The process also involved examining the character, spiritual gifts, reputation, and evidence of the Spirit’s fruit in those being considered for leadership.

Look at the last few words of verse 23… it had to be clear that those being considered to lead had placed their trust in the Lord. This does NOT mean they would immediately have the right answer to whatever situation might arise, but it meant that when and if something came up, the appointed elders would trust God for the answer.

So why was it important to place entrusted people in this position? What role did this leadership have in the process of making disciples?

Even in its earliest days, the church had structure. The church was organized and for good reason.

With leadership came the big responsibility of leading people in accordance with the will of God. As a pastor, I am accountable to God to lead this church not according to my will, but in according with His leading. My biblical job description as given in Ephesians 4:12 is to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Leadership was given to ensure discipleship was happening. Elders were appointed to make sure people could be encouraged, strengthened, and equipped for works of service. And this is to continue until we all reach unity in faith, knowledge, maturity, and understanding of the fullness of Christ. No… it is not an endless journey. We are simply to continue the work until Jesus returns.

Elders were tried, tested, and true. They were the right people placed in the right place, by the hand of God. They were purposed with overseeing the works of each local church to make sure disciples were being made.

The lost were found. The found were trained.

The Stories were Shared

Acts 14 gives one more important part of the disciple making process. Verse 26 reads, “26 From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. 27 On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they stayed there a long time with the disciples.”

Now this might seem as a strange point to bring out but I want you to see this. Remember… Paul and Barnabas were sent out by who? The church in Antioch. They were commissioned and sent out to preach the Word to wherever the Spirit would lead them.

When they returned to the church, they gathered the people together and gave a report of what had taken place.

They spoke of all that God had done through them.

They gave the testimony of their experience. Most likely this included the good, the bad, and the ugly. But ultimately… GOD CAME THROUGH IN MIGHTY WAYS!

They spoke of how God opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.

The gospel was not only being heard but also received! People were being transformed by the message of the cross and the church that sent them was now hearing the results of their faith!

They remained in Antioch for a long time with the disciples there.

This would allow for Paul and Barnabas to not only to continue in their testimony but also give them a chance to rest and be refueled. Paul and Barnabas were disciple makers… but they were also disciples. They needed to be pour into as they were pouring out to others.

As the church continues to make disciples, we need to share what God is doing in and through our efforts. Such will encourage others in their efforts and help them understand all that is possible in God!

Remember, these guys were set apart, prayed over, led by the Holy Spirit, and taught only the truth of the gospel. None of their work was about what they could do… it was all about what God was doing through them.

I fear believers often look and compare their ability to minister against what others are doing. I fear people get stuck in “wishing” they could be like the Christian super stars or hoping to have ministries like other folks near them. Here’s the deal… keep your eyes on Christ - our risen Savior, and DO NOT MAKE THIS ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN OR CANNOT DO.

So long as we remain true to the faith - there is NOTHING God cannot do in you or through you.

For instance… I’ve heard reports of thousands upon thousands of people attending church this Easter in mega churches. I’ve heard reports of numerous salvations and rededications and thought, “Wow! That is truly amazing!”

Well, we didn’t see thousands but consider this… this church in the middle of nowhere and addressed in a town of 248 people had right around 200 people in the building this weekend! That’s pretty awesome!

And I would go further to make this argument… it is NOT about boasting big numbers on well-known religious holidays on our calendar, it is about the one on one conversations, the coffee shop talk, the grocery store prayers, and the office setting testimonies that truly make a huge difference!

We need to share what God is doing! Believers both old and new to the faith need to hear the impact the gospel is making.

Conclusion

We are called to make disciples. Our mission is to love God and love people. We are all about connecting people with the truth that will set them free.

But this is NOT a one time event or conversation. Making disciples is a process. making disciples means we work to introduce people to Jesus and help them in their journey as they walk away from the pattern of this world and embrace the renewing of their minds.

I pray we will choose to strengthen believers by encouraging them with the Word and helping them in their spiritual disciplines.

I pray that we will seek the Lord’s will regarding structure and leadership while embracing the call God may be placing on our lives as well.

We need leaders, ministry leaders, board members, pastors, prayer warriors, bus drivers, praise team members and so forth who are seeking and trusting God in all things!

I pray that we will share stories of what God is doing! We open the floor every Wednesday night for praise reports and prayer requests. We here enough of all the bad in this world… share with the church all the good that our God is doing!

In closing, as we consider the account given in Acts 14, none of what we read in this chapter would be possible if Paul and Barnabas were unwilling to make disciples.

Jesus commissioned His disciples to be disciple makers. He has given His church the empowerment of the Holy Spirit so that we would be His witnesses in our neighborhoods, and all over this world.

We have the tools necessary… but we must first have the right heart in answering the command to GO. Reach and teach.

Tonight I want us to respond to that call.

God is setting us up for a dynamic season of ministry in the heartland that will require each of us to be disciple makers. God will use those who are willing to answer His call… to follow His lead. And before we can make disciples, we must first be a disciple, a student of Jesus.

Our prayer focus is two fold. First: Lord, help me BE a disciple. Second, Lord, help me MAKE disciples.