Author: missionspaul

Apostle

Acts 14:4

“The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles.”

Nothing much has changed, there is still division. People are still taking sides but from within the Church. You see though we look at this verse and see a city divided, it actually reveals something new and it is the new that causes division today. This is the first time that Paul and his team are called apostles. Apostleship has caused walls of division for generations. By the second century the title Apostle had been replaced by Popes, Archbishops, bishops and other hierarchical titles. Interestingly it was in that century that mission began to wane.

In the early church apostles: had witnessed the resurrection of Christ and were sent by Him into the world.

1. Some say there were only 12 apostles. The only apostle gifting we have today are their writings.
2. Some say that there were more than 12 in fact the Bible would certainly indicate this with names not well known stated as holding the title, Andronicus and Junias in Romans 16 and even Jesus is given the title in Hebrews 3 because he was sent by the Father.
3. Some like my friend in Cote D’Ivoire hold the title apostle within his denomination because he has been a pioneer planting many churches.
4. Some say the apostles today possess exactly the same authority as those of Paul and the like.
5. Some say apostles exist but the Apostle doesn’t, meaning the gift but not the authority of the office.What do I say? I just think people like to take sides. They like to debate and argue. I would much prefer we got on with the mission at hand.
6. What do you say?

• Let us initiate new works to bring people to Jesus.
• Let us keep going to places where there is no church and plant one.
• Let us release the pioneers again, to blaze a trail that all the gifts of the church can then follow.
• Let us continue to raise up new leaders and new gifts within the church.
• Let us see more spiritual fathers building strong relational churches.
• Let us see church structures support callings and not the other way round.

If these things are done then we will continue to benefit from apostleship no matter what side we sit on.

Dig your heels in

Acts 14: 3

So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders

 

Sometimes you just have to stay and dig your heels in.

When most of us would move on to a more welcoming place, Paul and his team stayed to do the task of sharing the gospel. Alongside the opposition came the miraculous works of grace, the Spirit providing the support that they needed. The Jews were poisoning the minds of the Gentiles, the teams work looked like it was being undone, so they stayed. They did not fear man more than they feared their God. They were not here for their own comfort but to rescue people from their lost state. This took enormous boldness and courage.

Courage is not the absence of fear but it is acting despite the presence of fear.

Not many know of the story of the 19^th century itinerant preacher, Peter Cartwright. On one occasion when Cartwright was speaking, someone told him that US President Andrew Jackson would be in attendance and advised Cartwright to keep his remarks inoffensive. Ignoring such counsel, Cartwright preached a bold message and then concluded, “I have been told that Andrew Jackson is in this congregation, and I have been asked to guard my remarks. What I must say is that Andrew Jackson will go to hell if he doesn’t repent of his sin.” Everyone expected that the shocking statement had offended the President. But as soon as the sermon was over, Jackson strode up to Cartwright and said, “Sir, if I had a regiment of men like you, I would whip the world.”

Charles Spurgeon, the great 19^th c. preacher wrote about himself and his colleagues

“Fits of depression come over the most of us … The strong are not always vigorous, the wise not always ready, the brave not always courageous, and the joyous not always happy …Such was my experience when I first became a pastor in London. My success appalled me; and the thought of the career which it seemed to open up, so far from elating me, cast me into the lowest depth … Who was I that I should continue to lead so great a multitude?”

The greatest battle to be won is that of yourself and often it is to remain where you are and to hold your ground for the good of the gospel.

Be bold be strong, for the Lord our God is with me … I remember singing this song like it was yesterday. How I need those words today in my life!

Today, dig your heels in, don’t back down, don’t run away, God will enable you to remain for the victory.

Poison

Acts 14:2

“But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers”

All was going well until the Jews began to infiltrate the Gentiles not with the gospel but with poison.

To poison is to make friends for an ulterior motive.

To poison is to keep others from being opposite to you.

To poison is to hide something bad within something good.

To poison is to change a person’s thinking, behaviour and life.

To poison is to turn the positive into a negative.

To poison is to harm the one taking the poison.

To poison is to harm others connected to the one poisoned.

To poison is to hate.

To poison is using something small for a big lasting effect.

-The warning sign of the skull and bones is a prophetic picture-

Have you been poisoned yesterday?

Beware what you hear today.

Protect your tomorrow.

 

Why go there?

Acts 14:1

At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed.

So why did they go to Iconium? And what are the lessons for mission?

Perhaps these 7 lessons may help us …

1. The city is approximately 90-100 miles from Antioch where they had been treated badly and expelled.  Lesson: They put distance between themselves and the event. In other words ‘they moved on’ and so should we.
2. The city was still within a Roman province, of Galatia. Paul was a Roman citizen which gave him privileges of always having a fair legal trial, never having a death penalty and he could never be whipped. He also could appeal directly to Caesar.  Lesson: Use the privileges and the status that you may have, draw on favours, use your contacts. See everything as God-given to be used in mission.
3. The same Phrygian dialect was spoken as that in Antioch which Paul and his team were familiar with. Lesson: Language was not a barrier to their mission.
4. Iconium was on a major trade route called the ‘Emperor’s Road’. It connected the city with Antioch. Even today there is still an existing Roman bridge. Paul and his team walked this road and crossed the bridge at least twice on this their first missionary journey.  Lesson: Go where there are people. Go where you can be seen. Some churches act like they are an underground church in China.
5. The city was prosperous, agriculture was a growing business and there was plenty of water. Lesson: The salvation message isn’t only well received by those who are desperate, poor and the needy. It can also be received and is needed by people who have a sense of hope and well-being who carry a positive approach to their future.
6. The city worshipped the mother goddess Cybele. Cybele was the mistress of wild nature symbolised by the lion that accompanied her in every statue. She was the goddess of protection in time of war and of fertility. Lesson: Generally speaking people want to live peacefully and be productive. We carry the gospel of peace and purpose from the God of gods.
7. There was a Jewish synagogue in the city. Paul had been a Jewish student under Gamaliel. He belonged in the synagogue. Wherever he went he would head to the synagogue and start there, there was an open door always to him, at least to begin with! He was often invited to teach in the synagogue perhaps because they had previously heard about him. Lesson: Go where there is an open door already. Go to where you belong and work out from there. Go where you are familiar with the culture. Begin here.

Acts 13:52

“And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit”.

Some people say you can have joy without being happy, but it usually those who are not smiling. Some people say their joy is deep down inside, but what good is a light that doesn’t shine?

In John 15:10-11 Jesus says these words, “If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” He spoke those words shortly before his dark Gethsemane and then the week of accusation, slander and torture of Calvary. He spoke of ‘my joy’. He has joy remaining with Him at the time of his greatest trial and testing and Jesus wants you, whatever your trial or circumstance to have His joy in your life. It is not temporary, it is permanent based on His relationship with you. The greatest sign of God’s presence is joy.

The disciples were filled with joy. That means Paul and his team who were expelled from the region and also the church of Antioch who remained behind. All had experienced the persecution from the Jews but all were filled with joy!

Nothing satisfies, renews and re-energises like the joy of the Lord!

How can we fight the battles of the Lord if we are downbeat?

How can we be a light to the world if we do not shine?

How can we set the world on fire if we are cold and dry?

We need joy in our hearts.

We cannot have a relationship with God without Him giving us joy. In Psalm 16 we are told that in Gods presence there is fullness of joy.

A joyless life is an un-revived life.

Am I heartless to talk about joy when the world suffers? No, I have found the church with the most joy is the church that is suffering. I have wept with Christians in many despicable places of the world only to see their smile return because God is with them. I always come away being moved by their joy more than their suffering. Joy conquers suffering.

We have a resurrection that conquers death and we have a joy in God that conquers the darkness of this world.

 

Get over it
Acts 13: 51
“So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.”

Jesus had already told the disciples (Luke 9 and 10) that if they are not welcomed on mission to shake the dust of that town off their feet and to move on.
The Jews had a similar practice for when they had walked through Gentile regions. They would shake off the impure dust from their feet.
So reading that Paul and his team having received persecution and being expelled from the region acted in a similar way is not surprising.
This is an important lesson for all who engage with the challenges and opposition of mission. Let me sum it up in these 3 words:
Get over it.
Stuff happens. It’s not easy. You don’t get the results you deserve and at times it’s painful. Being a disciple of Christ can leave you hurting, discouraged and rejected.
You may feel that way today.
Get over it.
You can’t change what has happened so don’t take it with you into a new day. Make sure even the dust of that event is removed.
Don’t keep talking about it, thinking it through, going over the events in your mind. It has gone. Get over it.
Move on. There are new opportunities before you. New people. New results. Don’t scatter yesterday’s dust in today’s blessings.
Get over it.

Acts 13:50

“But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.”

 They were expelled from the region.

From day one the church has known persecution, today more than ever. 65.3 million people are displaced from their homes around the world and are sheltering in unfamiliar and sometimes dangerous regions. They face added enemies of natural disasters, starvation and disease. Many of these are children making up to 51% of the world’s refugees, they travel alone with no protection from parents. During each minute of 2015, 24 people were forced to flee. On December 23^rd there was the 5,000^th recorded drowning in the Mediterranean sea of migrants in 2016 alone.

The world is a shifting river of hopelessness mainly brought about by persecution from those who are deeply evil but deeply religious themselves. Every religion is being persecuted. It is part of everyone’s faith.

Maybe today we can think of those who have no home because they have been expelled for no reason other than their belief and worship.

How should we respond to these people? What can we do?

 

Spreading the gospel

Acts 13: 49

“The word of the Lord spread through the whole region.”

It was not only in Antioch that a new exciting church was being planted but across the region including the districts of Phrygia, Lycaonia, and Galatia, many were coming to Christ, turning away from their gods to worship the One true God and to follow Jesus.

In a book devoted to the Acts of the Spirit, this verse becomes even more important to us who believe, desire and pray for such moves of God in our generation.

Here is what we have discovered so far on our journey verse by verse through Acts:

• Following the first persecution, they “spoke the word of God boldly” (4:31).
• Following the second persecution and flogging, “day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ” (5:42).
• After the selection of deacons, “the word of God spread” (6:7).
• Resulting from Saul’s persecution of the church, “those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went” (8:4).
• Samaria “accepted the word of God” (8:14).
• The Gentiles of Cornelius’ household “received the word of God” (11:1).
• And here today, on Paul’s first missionary journey, “the word of the Lord spread through the whole region”.

The Bible, the Gospel, the Word of God is high on the agenda on every move of the Spirit. Disciples disciple and churches plant churches because of the expansion of the word of the Lord.

It is the way that people come to know God and it is the sign that what is happening is actually God.

The ministry of Paul and Barnabas did not spread throughout the whole region. Miracles or any other of the gifts of the Spirit were not the primary agent that was impacting this area. The exciting power of the gospel was the fire of Jeremiah (20:9) “But if I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot”.

Some members believe that if their Pastor had a better ministry then the church would take the town for Jesus.

Some Pastors believe if they find that one truly anointed travelling evangelist, healer or deliverer then the whole region would sit up and take note.

Some believe if they pray hard and long enough then the divine visitation of revival will come.

Some long for the public display of the gifts of the Spirit to be used on the streets to beat hands down the efforts of David Blaine, Dynamo, Derren Brown and other magicians, to bring true hope to the crowds.

I could go on. All these things are understandable and some have noble desires. But we must remember that the main character in this amazing book is not a personality like Paul or Peter but the gospel.
So how does the word of the Lord spread today? The answer is simple isn’t it?! Too simple in fact. Now that’s a good new years resolution!

 

Predestined to be able to choose.

Acts 13: 48

“When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honoured the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.”

Happy New Year!!

And what a great start to our year reading of the Gentiles coming to faith in Antioch!

This verse for the last 4 centuries has been used to support the argument of predestination. “Appointed” or “ordained” has been used in its English translation to support the teaching that people are chosen to believe and some are not. I can see how it reads like this. Many have argued over the meaning of the Greek text and I am not going to enlighten today with anything new. I do believe that its meaning shows that the Gentiles were actually coming into the faith which God had pre-ordained everyone to come into which the Jews had just rejected. But this coming into the faith was an action of God. He moved them into the faith. However, he did not pick Tom and Harry but decide not to move upon Sally. All the time they could have rejected this move of God but they did what the Jews refused to do, they accepted the message of Jesus. God was not flipping a coin to see who He would be saving. God was moving there and then at that moment (not from some prescriptive eternal text book) and bringing souls into the kingdom. At the end of the day does He know who will accept Him? YES! Rather confusing perhaps but it does show the immense love God has for people that He is prepared to move upon them even though He knows their free-will is going to reject Him.

This year masses will come to Christ across the world. In your Church you will see people receive the joy of God because of salvation. You can be used to lead people to Christ. You can do this over the next 12 months.

In every salvation lies a miracle of grace. I am thankful that God in His ordained plan for the world, appointed man to be saved. It may not be that you were appointed and your neighbour wasn’t appointed. But you are both appointed, however, at the moment, you are the one to have responded. What does that tell you? It is not the lucky throw of a dice bur rather:

1. The emphasis is not on your decision for Christ but the gracious opportunity that was given you because of God’s plan of salvation.
2. You can be very thankful for the person who told you about Jesus clearly.
3. You can bathe in the beauty of being chosen because that is what you are.

 

What will it take to GO? When will we look outside the synagogues of worship?

Acts 13: 47

“For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’

Gentiles have crowded the Synagogue in Pisidian Antioch. The Jews longed for such days and yet they now through jealousy become antagonistic towards Paul and his team. The main problem was that their message was providing easy access to God for the Gentiles.

In this pivotal moment, Paul could have used his own testimony from the Damascus Road where Christ appointed him as a witness to the Gentiles. He could have said ‘I was commanded to do this work.” He could have used the Great Commission of Jesus commanding the disciples to ‘go into all the world’. But he chooses carefully and he uses their Scriptures. He uses Isaiah 49:6 and says the Servant that they have all been waiting for commanded them to have a ministry and a Salvation message for the Gentiles and this Servant is Jesus. An Old Testament commandment that the Jewish listeners had not been following and were now opposing!

It was pivotal because this huge rejection would form in Pauls mind in particular the now moment. This is the moment he goes to the Gentile world.

Rejection often confirms mission.

I have seen many men and women who having gone through a season of rejection then realise that God was opening a door of mission to them, a quite beautiful moment.

Is the Church today any better than the Antioch Jews in that synagogue?

I believe that is a huge question.

Though unusual for me I want to include some statistics to help provoke your thinking. Each statistic has been chosen for that reason (I could have given ten times the amount). But ponder on each one and ask how far have we really come? Unfortunately these figures are largely from the US, they lead the way in their statistical research. But if you are in a western country then these figures apply to you.

1) There are 7.3 billion people in the world. (Joshua Project)

Of the 7.3 billion people in the world, 3 billion live among unreached people groups of the world and 1.6 billion are completely unevangelised. (Joshua Project; Barrett and Johnson 2001, 427)

2) In AD 100 there were 360 people for every believer. Now there are 7.3 people for every believer. In AD 100 there were 12 unreached people groups for every congregation of believers. Now there is 1 unreached people group for every 1000 congregations. (Winter et al., 3)

There are 16,562 people groups in the world. Of these people groups, 9,715 have been reached with the Gospel message. 6,847 people groups are still unreached with the Gospel. To be unreached means less than 2% Evangelical Christian, the sizable proportion thought to be needed to reach their own people. (Joshua Project).

90% of foreign missionaries work among already reached people groups. 10% work among unreached people groups. (Winter and Koch, 543)

3) In the last 40 years, over 1 billion people have died who have never heard of Jesus, and around 30 million people this year will perish without hearing the message of salvation. 70,000+ people die everyday in the unreached world without Jesus. (Baxter 2007, 12)

4) Of foreign mission funding: 87% goes for work among those already Christian. 12% for work among already evangelized, but Non-Christian. 1% for work among the unevangelized and unreached people. (Baxter 2007, 12)

Christians make up 33% of the world’s population, but receive 53% of the world’s annual income and spend 98% of it on themselves. (Barrett and Johnson 2001, 656)

5) 60% of unreached people groups live in countries closed to missionaries from North America. (The Traveling Team)

22 million internationals visit the US each year. Of these, some 630,000 are university students from 220 countries, 25% of which prohibit Christian missionaries. 80% of those students will return to their countries having never been invited to an American home. (The Traveling Team) 60% of international students come from the 10/40 window. (The Traveling Team)

There are 430,000 missionaries from all branches of Christendom. Only between 2 and 3% of these missionaries work among unreached peoples. (The Traveling Team)

6) US mission agencies have an annual budget of over $5.2 billion. (Weber and Welliver 2007, 13)

Indigenous missionaries do 90% of pioneer mission work, but only receive 10% of mission funding. Meanwhile foreign missionaries do 10% of pioneer mission work, but receive 90% of mission funding. (Finley 2004, 178 & 244)

And yet …..! There is good news happening …. Recently one Elim UK Church Pastor texted me to say that they will be giving just under £20,000 to missions this month! In the Islamic, Buddhist and Hindu world I am seeing hundreds of people come to Christ each year and many churches being planted in the strangest of places. So there is hope! Also …

7) One indigenous ministry surveyed the believers in the churches they planted and found that 80% had come to faith in Christ because they had seen a miraculous act of God or experienced an answer to prayer. That same indigenous ministry holds that their average missionary will plant 3 churches within the first 5 years on the field. (Chacko 2008, 138)

The New Testament is translated into the languages of 94% of the world’s population. (Johnstone and Mandryk 2005, 7)

Two of the largest Gospel radio broadcasters, Far East Broadcasting Company and Gospel for Asia, both receive around 1,000,000 listener responses each year. (Far East Broadcasting Company, 15; Gospel for Asia)

There have been 4.1 billion viewings of the Jesus Film, representing about 3 billion individuals. More than 99% of the world’s population could view the film in a language they know. (Johnstone and Mandryk 2005, 7)

In one year alone, Global Media Outreach, the internet outreach branch of Campus Crusade for Christ, reported over 10 million internet users came to faith in Christ through their websites. They also received close to 4 million emails. (Global Media Outreach)

In one month alone, Trans World Radio saw over 500,000 downloads in China of their online broadcasts. (Libby, 2)

I include point 7 just in case you think I am being too sombre! But the statistics are uncomfortable for the church in the West, maybe not just in the West either.

“For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’

What would Paul say to us today? What would Jesus say? What would Isaiah say?

Are we like the Jews of Antioch?

Do we need some rejection, some persecution for missions to be truly birthed in our lives and churches? Is that what it will take?