Sermon Tone Analysis

Service Notes

Review Missions Conference

Tonight will be a night of prayer

Renew Ladies Event

Introduction to Bible Reading

Different book but with the same human author; Luke

The book of Acts provides a history of the early church.

The emphasis of the book is the fulfillment of the Great Commission.

Some say it is the Acts of the Apostles - but more specifically it is the acts of the Holy Spirit through the church

God can do amazing things through ordinary people when He empowers them through His Spirit.

The book of Acts shows how God essentially took a group of fisherman and commoners and used them to turn the world upside down Acts 17:6 “6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;”

Context of Passage

When the apostles returned to Antioch they gave to the sending church a full report of all that God had done.

We come to the end the first missionary journey which lasted between one and two years and in which Paul and Barnabas traversed more than 700 miles by land and 500 miles by sea.

Map will show you how they went out and are coming back.

Acts 14:21–28 (KJV 1900)

21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,

22 Confirming 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.

23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.

24 And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.

25 And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia:

26 And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.

27 And 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.

28 And there they abode long time with the disciples.

Sermon Introduction

Acts 14:27 (KJV 1900)

27 And 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.

Today and this week let’s not just talk about mission, missions, missionaries.

Let’s talk about disciple, disciples, and discipling, or disciplers.

When we understand that the work of missions is our work.

We will rejoice together in a special way.

The way that God intended.

A review of the work and characteristics of a disciple maker

Work of discipleship

Acts 14:21 “21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,”

Returned again.

He is about to meet with a group of people who had already come to Christ.

Acts 14:22-23 “22 Confirming 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.

23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.”

Confirm - means to make solid, to fix, to glue down.

He made them solid in the Word.

Exhorting them - Urging a person to the proper course of conduct.

Ordain - Help order their involvement.

Help them get organized.

Commend - Commit them unto the Lord.

Story of Adam.

Standing in front of the church waiting for people.

Disciplers follow up.

They don’t quit after they've led somebody to Christ.

They go back and teach.

They go back and exhort.

They go back and help them to get involved in a church.

They go back, and then they commit that person to the Lord in prayer.

That’s a true discipler.

Last we heard he serves as one of the pastors at Bellview Baptist Church.

I think he figured it out.

The were obediently doing the work that God had called them to do.

Declared the Gospel Acts 14:21 “21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,”

Organized ministry in the church Acts 14:23 “23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.”

God healed through the apostles.

Acts 14:10 “10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet.

And he leaped and walked.”

As they are using the gifts God has given them God is directing them to those they will disciple.

Picture from Katie

They were willing to continue in the work despite opposition.

The faced opposition on every corner.

Acts 14:2 “2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.”

It caused them to flee.

Acts 14:6 “6 They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about:”

So does this prove courage, no but this does Acts 14:21 “21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,”

Their confidence was in God’s power not in themselves and they acted upon it.

They came upon many, many needs that were beyond them Acts 14:8 “8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked:”

Paul told him to get up.

Acts 14:10 “10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet.

And he leaped and walked.”

[this could have been a real issue for Paul if the man didn’t get up.]

There was a man who knew God had promised him power.

He just claimed it and used it.

You know, Christian, you've got the same thing, right?

Not the necessary – necessarily the apostolic gift of miracles and healing but you've got the power of God by the indwelling Holy Spirit to share Christ in his power, right?

They went about their ministry with great humility

Opportunity to be more than celebrities.

Acts 14:12-13 “12 And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.

13 Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people.”

Paul and Barnabas would not stand for this.

Acts 14:14 “14 Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,”

They knew they were just men like them.

Acts 14:15 “15 And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things?

We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:”

They remained persistent in the work

Acts 14:19 “19 And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.”

They did not stop.

Acts 14:20 “20 Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.”

We are also told to endure hardness in the work of making disciples.

2 Tim 2:3 “3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”

Story of Crudens Concordance.

2,370,000 words.

This immense task Cruden completed single-handedly, beginning in 1735.

It has been called the largest task of manual compilation ever undertaken by one man.

So we see them as doing the work of making disciples, persistently, obediently.