Introduction
Within the environmental movement, there is a commonly used slogan that goes Think Globally; Act Locally. What lies behind this slogan is a very important idea. The idea is that we can do something in our own community that will make a difference worldwide. If enough people do what they need to do to make a difference at home, it will change the world.
The kingdom of God is very much like that.
We saw last week how a few random events in the life of Peter came together to open the door of the preaching the gospel to the gentiles.
Describing the Biblical Text
Today, we will see the gospel assigned and the apostles sent out to the work.
In our text, we have a very intriguing account first, Luke
Goes to the trouble to name the disciples who are in Antioch and it is very possible that some of them we have seen before.
Simeon called Niger may well be the same Simon of Cyrene who carried the cross of Jesus down the Via Dolorosa.
In this text we see the calling and the setting apart of Saul and Barnabas to the work of the gospel.
Narrate the Contextual application
Here we see the church at Antioch planning to be a missional church.
Missional is the new churchy word that describes a church or a ministry that places an emphasis on missions.
But then, shouldn’t all churches and all followers of Jesus be missional in their approach to the gospel.
I have even heard a teacher lately say all scripture should be understood through missional principles of interpretation.
But, that makes sense also if Christianity is a Missional faith then missions has to be the principle by which we will understand our scriptures.
The church at Antioch was certainly taking their place alongside the church at Jerusalem in terms of being a church that would try to reach the world.
Life Application (thesis)
So often, when we seek to be missional, we sort of relegate the idea of missions to denominational agencies and boards and we often do not think that we are missionaries where we are and where we serve right here in High Point, NC.
But, the great commission makes us missionaries and makes our tasks at church missional activity.
But, the question then has to be asked, “What is the missional purpose in what we do?”
Hopefully we will have a better handle on answering that question as we look at this thesis.
We must be prepared to win the world for Christ by taking action in our church.
SO WHAT!! (Outline)
Since we are talking about acting locally, let’s look at a couple of actions that we are to take when it comes to missionally understanding our purpose and doing our job to win the globe.
We must be serving the Lord openly and without shame.
Onomatopoeia is a really cool thing.
Just what is onomatopoeia? It is a word that sounds like what it is. Buzz, zoom, Ho Ho Ho, squeal.
Look at what the church at Antioch had, Prophets and teachers.
What do you think they were doing?
They were prophesying and teaching.
They were doing the Lord’s work and they were doing it unapologetically and without shame.
The prophet was the NT proclaimer of truth in regards to what the Lord was doing and what he would do.
He was more of a forthteller that he was a foreteller.
And, in the formative years of the NT Church, the prophet would be a main source of truth.
It will not surprise me to learn in glory one day that much of the truth that we find in the scriptures; particularly in Paul’s letters was a direct result of the prophets in Antioch.
So we see here that the church at Antioch was openly teaching and preaching Christ.
They were organized for ministry as the presence of officers like prophets and teachers would indicate.
The church at Antioch was also a church that was seeking in all things to do the Lords work.
In verse 2 we see that the church was worshiping the Lord or ministering to the Lord.
The word worship here is the word from which we get the word liturgical but its biblical meaning is really cool when you look at it.
It literally means a public service and it comes from combining two words, people and work.
So literally worship was seen as the public serving of Christ as the work of His people.
Worship is one of the essentials that we see as we think about what the church is supposed to do in terms of serving Christ.
Throughout the process of visioning for the church, there are a lot of questions that have to be considered and it all starts with who we are then where we are but then we get to the all important what question based on who we are and where we are, what must we do?
Worship is one of those non-negotiables when you ask the what question concerning the church.
We have to worship; it is a part of who we are as followers of Christ.
Worship is in the DNA of the church.
The Antioch gang was also engaged in the practice of fasting as they considered what the Lord would do through them.
Fasting is simply an act of self denial as one seeks the Lord’s instruction.
It can be practiced in a number of ways.
The most common is to go for a period of time without eating.
1 Corinthians describes a form of fasting in which married couples would avoid intimacy for a time as they prayed together for things.
In the process of their worship and fasting, the Holy Spirit spoke and they took the second action.
We must be obedient to the Lord’s commands.
That is something that we ought to know and something that we ought to do.
But I fear that our focus is less on obedience than on our appearance and our participation.
I know that the we now have the Bible and the need for the Biblical prophet has passed.
That being said, the Biblical gifts can still be employed by the Lord as He needs them but at this moment, we really don’t need the prophet as we have the bible to convey the truth of God.
What we really need to figure is this, “Do we obey what we know we are to do?”
All too often, we are like the person who is looking for the excuse not to obey.
There is the person who can’t share his faith because he flunked math in high school.
There is the person who cannot come to church because he is out of mayonnaise.
But obedience is never really that hard.
Jesus called those who were weak and heavy laden because his burden would be light.
So obedience is only as difficult as our surrender to Christ makes it.
If we are sold out surrendered to Christ, then obedience is never a question.
But, if our faith is not as mature, then obedience is something with which we struggle and until we commit ourselves to growing in the grace and the knowledge of Christ, we will always struggle with it.
We see an obedient church in Antioch because they were a worshiping, serving, spirit led church.
But something else they did was to also leave God in control.
They did not presume upon God but rather they trusted Him with the results of their obedience.
There are churches that will try to look at everything in terms of numerical statistics rather than to simply trust God for the results of their obedience.
This text simply says that the church sent Paul and Barnabas off.
The church just did what the Lord commanded they left everything else in His hands.
If we believe that conversion is the Lord’s work then we have to leave it in his hands.
That is how we will win the world to Christ.
We will worship, pray, fast, obey and then leave the results to God.
This means we will tell others about the saving power of God through Christ or else we will not be obeying.
We will disciple believers in his word or else we will not be obeying.
We have a whole wide world to influence.
As we walk out that door this morning, let’s ddo our part in our little corner of it.
That local action could change the world forever.
It did in Antioch.
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