- Acts 14:1-21
- what does it mean to be a missionary?
- it is the call of every believer, to be a disciple-making disciple
- entire chapter is summarized in Acts 14:22; but we believe it is the responsibility of the church to make disciples, rather than us
- Mt 28; one of your responsibilities as believer is to make disciples!
- doesn’t matter WHERE you go, you must GO
If I’m going to make disciples I must…
- Exhibit spiritual courage (v1-3)
- Paul and Barnabas went to the synagogues 1st
- v1: sees great success, but with great success comes v2, instant opposition
- will always have varied responses BUT have no fear about man!
- Winston Churchill, “You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime…”
- spirit-filled, spirit-controlled when you have submitted and humbled self
- v3: “so” can alternately be translated to “therefore” and “because”
- the Gospel moves forward despite persecution
- persecution can help create the environment which builds your boldness
- the commitment to the Gospel will cost you
- it is grace to tell people the Gospel; we need courage!
- Exercise spiritual wisdom (v4-7)
- just because you don’t fear the opposition doesn’t mean you can’t flee from it
- courage and wisdom combined is essential
- martyrdom is NOT what we must seek
- sensible self-preservation so you can move the Gospel somewhere else
- Enlist spiritual power (v8-10)
- preaching came 1st then the miracle
- v8; Paul may have been speaking for some time already
- recap from Acts 1-12: god sometimes uses miracles and signs to validate the message and speaker
- comes after preaching to show what is most important; the greater reality of the Gospel
- Paul had incredible confidence in the power of God
- we need faith that God’s power is enough through us
- we put too much emphasis on our power and the apologetic approach, as opposed to taking on His power and following the evangelistic approach
- Acts 1:8; you will be given supernatural power; with the Spirit, you have the power
- Hudson Taylor, “God work done in God’s ways will never lack supply”
- don’t share the Gospel and NOT expect change to happen; you ned to expect God’s power will be displayed
- Elevate spiritual humility (v11-18)
- God gives grace to the humble; your ministry doesn’t depend on your adequacy and status
- acknowledge who you really are, a mere mortal in need of the Gospel
- deflect the praise back to what/who matters the most: the Living God
- v14: Paul started preaching with natural revelation, spoke about God at a relevant point where the audience understood THEN talked about OT stuff
- Embrace spiritual persistence (v19-21)
- Antioch was Paul’s starting ground of ministry, approximately 120 miles away
- YET opposition was persistent in hunting and stopping the Lord’s work
- we agonize to be like Christ, we must alo agonize over spreading the Gospel
- persistence of God’s message/power; Paul rises back up and re-entered the city, then moved on
- did not waste any other opportunities; will you do the same?
- we give our lives to spread the Gospel because He gave His life for us
- Antioch was Paul’s starting ground of ministry, approximately 120 miles away