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The Person of Peace

The Person of Peace

Acts 13:7

“ who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God.”

The Sergius Paulus would be one of a team of managers who looked after the welfare of the city of Paphos. As soon as they arrive into the city he is sending for the missionaries as he wants to hear the gospel message.

Recently I was able to host a Church Planting Forum, the speakers of which were 3 of our most prolific Church planters in the Islamic, Hindu and Buddhist world. We discussed many things including the man of peace (Luke 10:6).

Sergius Paulus was perhaps the man of peace for Barnabas and Paul. Here is what we discovered at the recent forum and of course there has to be cultural awareness and application for each nation we are in:

  • The Person of Peace is the one God has prepared to receive the gospel for the first time into a community. This can be a man or woman who has an influence in the community for example, elder, employer or police officer. They will welcome to you, listen to the evangelist’s message, help with the evangelist’s livelihood and offer hospitality in their home.
  • The Person of Peace is found through prayer, good discernment and ministry. The evangelist/missionary will equip this person to be the church planter for their community.
  • The Person of Peace who hears the gospel and accepts Jesus Christ as their Saviour will become the focus of attention. The evangelist will focus on this household and will not move around. The person of peace will often make disciples of this household/ family and will often take on the responsibility of reaching their community for Christ. The evangelist will teach the person of peace and their family how to study the word of God.
  • The Person of Peace will then look to reach their community and invite people to their home to share the gospel with them. A bible study is then formed, usually with a group of up to 10 people. Emerging leaders are identified and then trained to lead the bible study group and form a ‘house church’

Sergius Paulus was an intelligent, important person in the community. Barnabas and Saul had struck gold.

Who is the influential person in your community? Who is God trying to show you? Are you praying for such an opening? Is this part of the strategy of your discipleship?

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The value of mission

The value of mission

Acts 12:25

“When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark.”
We now move back to Barnabas and Saul who had been sent on mission to Jerusalem with a financial gift to help the poor.
They had done what they had set out to do and were now returning accompanied with John Mark who was keen to come with them.
I always tell people who go on mission that they will return with more than they gave.
John Mark would become valuable to them in the work as a strategic missionary himself.
Mission is a two way path. It is not only about what you will give. You return having met people who change your perspectives on life. They show you what is of true value. Being with those who have less than you puts things into perspective for you.
Mission changes the missionary and sometimes it feels like that is more than the change the missionary brings.
This is why God today is calling you into a life of mission.
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Some days nothing much happens

Some days nothing much happens

Acts 13:6

“They travelled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus,”

Some days nothing much happens.

They travelled for approximately 100 miles to get to Paphos. They no doubt went through several cities, towns and villages to get there. Maybe they did some gospel work or maybe they just travelled. Whatever happened, it wasn’t that significant that Luke felt he should record it.

Some days nothing much happens.

Today you may do the same thing that you always do on this day. Not every day has to be an awesome day. Even if it is a church service day, it doesn’t have to be miracle day. You cannot force God to do something that is jaw-dropping. There are days of mission when it is just about sitting on a plane, on a bus, in a car, or walking and you are just happy to be going somewhere, you are happy to be alive. You may be going to work today and you will do exactly what you did yesterday.

Some days nothing much happens.

And that is okay.

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The Bible lasts

The Bible lasts.

 

Acts 12:24

“But the word of God continued to increase and spread.”

 

Isaiah says nature fades but the word of God stands forever, 40:8

Peter using Isaiah says that people will wither but the word of the Lord will endure, 1:24-25

The gospel writers record Jesus saying the heaven and the earth will pass away but not His word, Matt 24:35

Some things are meant to die. Nature, people, the universe are all in the list! But the word of God will continue.

Friends what you are holding this morning, the Bible, is eternal!

Today as you go to Church to worship and hear the preaching of Gods word, know this, it is more powerful than nature, people and even the universe. It is timeless!

Let the eternal Bible go through your life today.

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Praise

Praise

 

Acts 12:23

“Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.”

 

Herod did not die because he murdered the apostle James or because of his attempt to finish off apostle Peter. He did not die because he persecuted God’s people.

Herod died because he took the praise that should have been given to God.

Why did Herod not give praise to God when the people were shouting such amazing things like, “you have the voice of a god!”?

The simple reason is because he believed the accolade was true. He believed he was in their eyes a god. He believed the headlines.

Praise is a drug.

If not careful we can all become drug dependent.

How would we ever get like Herod?

Some may be reading this thinking ‘a little bit of praise would be just what I need right now!’ Well you may be far from the sin of Herod today. Others may be a person who even if a compliment is paid on their hairstyle or anything, immediately says ‘it’s not me all the glory goes to Him’. By going to the furthest extreme there are other complications, but you will never be accused of the sin of Herod.

My advice when someone praises you is to learn to simply say ‘thank you’. But the sin of Herod is so much more than that of handling praise.

So let me leave you with this question that may help and for you to meditate upon today. Ask yourself this several times over very slowly:

Does my life publicly declare a total dependence upon God?

 

 

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Who I am.

Who I am.

Acts 12: 22

“They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.”

Carrying the message from God makes you only a messenger.

Having the crowd shout and cheer you on only makes you popular.

Sounding like a god only makes you look more than you are.

Don’t believe the headlines.

Noise cannot be trusted.

Perspective is paramount.

Knowing who I am not is as important as knowing who I am.

 

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Man is not God

Man is not God

Acts 12: 21

“On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people.”
Those who are the communicators in our world, who stand behind pulpits of power to speak words in to people’s lives, need to understand that no matter how great they become that they are not God.
They may have a great name. But they are not God.
They may have a seat of great authority. But they are not God.
They may have robes of great heritage. But they are not God.
They may have a great title. But they are not God.
Preachers, teachers and whoever communicates are not God.
They may try to look like Him.
But they are only a man/woman with a title.
Titles don’t make you God.
Large gatherings of people don’t make you God.
Man is not God.
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BLASTUS

Acts 12:20

“He had been quarrelling with the people of Tyre and Sidon; they now joined together and sought an audience with him. Having secured the support of Blastus, a trusted personal servant of the king, they asked for peace, because they depended on the king’s country for their food supply.”
In this unusual digress from the story of the church, we have the context for the death of this terrible leader.
The people of Tyre and Sidon were suffering from food shortage and under threat of the violence of Herod asked Blastus to mediate for them. Blastus worked for Herod and was trusted and so an ideal person to arrange a meeting (which was really a complaint) without anyone losing their life.
I don’t think Luke is writing this story for any other reason but to give the context to what was going to happen to Herod.
I want to qualify something before I write further my thoughts today. There are many times when a Church leader/pastor makes changes, leads, challenges etc and the correct response of that Church should be ‘Yes please lead us as you see God leading you.’ So in that context it is wrong for grumbling to happen within the membership of that church. A Church leader is never going to please everyone, that’s a fact and that is my introduction to what I am about to write.
However, I do know that church members who are disgruntled at times do not find it easy to express their concerns in a correct setting, because the isn’t any. The members may have given years of service to the Church, generationally even and are now facing changes and leadership decisions that they are struggling to follow, for example, they may wish to receive pastoral visitation that just isn’t happening or they may wish their Pastor could preach more regularly.
Where do they go with their frustration?
Does the Church have a complaint/comments box like in other organisations of society, like hotels for example? No, in fact what the Church has is its annual ‘No Grumbling series’, after all no one wants to die in the desert through the act of grumbling.
The members retreat, but inside their four walls they die anyway, spiritually stunted by frustration and all along they were not divisive, they were like the people of Tyre and Sidon seeking for peace and the prosperity of the church.
Meanwhile the Church devoid of criticism because it is rebellion (and you might as well be committing witchcraft if you are going to criticise) becomes weaker, less effective and frankly boring and tired because provocation to become greater is taken away.
Why does this happen? It is because we are short of people called Blastus.
Blastus-people may or may not be in leadership but they are trusted, faithful, dependable people of the Church. They serve with sleeves rolled up. They want the best for their Pastor and they want the best for the Church. They are approachable and do not roll their eyes if members even suggest what may be deemed as criticism.
May our churches have more people called Blastus!
Will you be Blastus today? Your Pastor needs you and so does the members of the Church.
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This is how it works: the devil attacks, God saves, the devil loses.

This is how it works: the devil attacks, God saves, the devil loses.

Acts 12:19

“After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed. Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there a while.”
Some people if they do not get their own way, they will throw their toys out of the pram and either move into destruction mode and then run away or do both.
It is exactly what the devil does.
Herod was outwitted by a move of God. Every thing God does demonstrated that the enemy is not as clever or as powerful as he makes himself out to be. God embarrasses the devil every time. We serve an intimidating God. The devil has to destroy, he is a destroyer and even if it means destroying his own workers he will do so.
God is capable of freeing you but He is more interested in destroying the work of that enemy in your life. Let the enemy implode holding onto the chains that once held you!
Once he implodes he will run from you, he is confused by you. For he once had you in his grip, he was going to destroy you, but you escaped from his clutches and your freedom placed a death sentence on him. Let him run.
And can you see what it says at the end of this verse? “…for awhile.”
He will come back at some point and he will strike again. That is the walk of faith we signed up for.
But again we will win and the devil will lose.
That is the full time score!
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A new day

A new day

Acts 2:18

“In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter.”
In the evening the enemy could have captured you. During the night you could be trapped.
But in the morning ….!
God is the God of the next day. They laid him in the tomb and the next day the tomb was secured even more but then … as the dawn was rising so was Jesus! God has the last word. His next day always comes after the enemies next day.
So friends whatever you are facing today just wait, for there is a new morning and the enemy will wake up in its camp and realise that God has given the victory to you!