"Glimpse" June 16, 2019

Overview

Four Pictures of a Healthy Church: A Glimpse from Antioch

The book of Acts traces the gospel's expansion from Jerusalem, into Judea and Samaria, and out to the ends of the earth Acts 1:8. By the time we reach Acts 13, that third movement is in full bloom, and the church at Antioch becomes a model worth emulating. From Acts 13:1-12, four pictures emerge that paint a portrait of what God's people are called to be.

Saturated with the Word. Antioch was rich in prophets and teachers—proclaimers and explainers—who drenched the congregation in Scripture. Barnabas had earlier sought out Saul precisely because the work of teaching needed reinforcement; together they taught for an entire year Acts 11:25-26. This echoes the early believers who "devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching" Acts 2:42 and Paul's reminder that Timothy was shaped from childhood by the sacred writings that make one wise for salvation 2 Timothy 3:14-15. Ignorance is not bliss in the church; the alternative to saturation is a hollow vessel that speaks societal platitudes when people need the gravitas of God's Word.

Sent as servants. While the church worshiped and fasted, the Holy Spirit set apart Barnabas and Saul, and the congregation laid hands on them and sent them out Acts 13:2-3. Notably, they sailed first to Cyprus—Barnabas's hometown. The mission field begins with the people we already know: family, neighbors, coworkers, the names in our phones. Yet Paul, chosen to carry Christ's name "before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel" Acts 9:15, also went to those far away. A faithful church holds both together—the near and the far—pushing back from the banquet table of the Word in order to feed others.

Not surprised by the struggle for the soul. On Cyprus, the missionaries encountered Bar-Jesus (Elymas), a magician who tried to turn the proconsul from the faith Acts 13:6-8. Opposition is to be expected, for "we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against… the spiritual forces of evil" Ephesians 6:12. When you share the gospel and meet apathy or resistance, you have stepped onto a battleground for that person's soul. Paul loved Elymas enough to confront him directly with his sin and call him to repentance—a mark of mature love that names sin while pointing to a Savior, always tempered with the gentleness Paul commends in Galatians 6:1.

Secure in the Word. When the proconsul saw Elymas struck blind, he believed—but Luke is careful to note he was "astonished at the teaching of the Lord" Acts 13:12. It was the Word, not the spectacle, that transformed his heart. Our calling is to plant the seed; God brings the growth in His timing. So when results don't come, don't despair or assume something is wrong with you. You carry the greatest news any human being could hear: that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have redeemed humanity through the cross of Christ. Saturated, sent, unsurprised, and secure—may that picture continue to develop into the portrait of God's people today.

Transcript

You'll recall that the book of Acts is the second volume. 0s

The first volume was written by the gospel writer Luke and then Luke writes the second volume, 6s

which is the book of Acts. 11s

In the first volume, Luke is explaining that which Jesus did. 14s

In the second volume, he's explaining what Jesus continued to do through his people, the church. 20s

And just to remind ourselves of the outline of the book of Acts, it's stated very early in the book, 30s

where Jesus says, you'll be my disciples in Jerusalem. 37s

That's the first circle in Judea and Samaria. 42s

That's the second circle. 45s

And then into the ends of the earth. 46s

That's the third circle. 49s

Ever since we entered into the 10th chapter in our study together, 51s

we're in the third phase here of the book of Acts, this witness to the ends of the earth. 55s

When we started the study together, my prayer in the very first sermon, 66s

as we started our walk through the book of Acts, 72s

was that we might be a people that by God's grace exemplify more and more the positive characteristics 75s

of the early church. 84s

That that might be lived out among us in greater and greater ways. 89s

That we will connect the dots in the book of Acts between what we see in the early church. 96s

And what it is that we do as living word Lutheran Church today, 104s

that we will see the purpose of the early church and have it then reflected in our purpose. 111s

Because if we don't have the biblical purpose behind what it is, 119s

we are about as a church, then we're just simply doing activities, aren't we? 124s

But when it's rooted in the word, then we know that we're not just doing activities, 131s

but we're doing the very will of God. 138s

Today, I'd like to look with you at the church in Antioch. 144s

It gives us four different pictures from our text this morning of what was going on in the church, 151s

a mindset of the church. 158s

And may that picture develop in greater and greater ways into the portrait of what is manifest here. 162s

Four different pictures. Here's the first. 175s

In the church of Antioch, the people were first saturated with the word. 178s

They were saturated with the word. 187s

Look when they pleased that verse 1 of chapter 13. 190s

Now when the church at Antioch, there were prophets and teachers, Barnabas, 196s

Simeon, who was called Niagara, Lucius of Syreme, 200s

Manian, a member of the Court of Herod the Ruler, and soul. 205s

Look back pleased to chapter 11, verse 25. 212s

There the Scripture tells us, 217s

then Barnabas went to Tarsis to look for soul, 220s

and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. 224s

So it was that for an entire year, they met with the church and taught a great many people. 227s

And whereas God's Spirit was moving in Antioch, the mother church there in Jerusalem, 237s

dispatches Barnabas, Barnabas to lights here in what is occurring in Antioch, 243s

the expansion of the gospel to the Gentiles. 249s

Barnabas says, I need help. He knows exactly who he wants. 253s

And so he goes to get soul, a poll, to a system. 257s

And what is it that they do? They teach, and they teach, and they teach. 262s

So that the people there in the church would be saturated with the Word of God, 272s

that they would literally be drenched by the Word of God. 279s

There are five teachers or prophets that are mentioned, 284s

just in verse one in the church at Antioch. 288s

So what we know is you've got now an expansion of the teaching rank that is going on in the church. 292s

And we can likely assume here that there's more than just these five that are listed. 300s

And notice in verse one again, they were prophets and teachers, prophets and teachers. 306s

Prophets were the proclaimers and the teachers were the explainers. 316s

The prophets were the proclaimers and the teachers were the explainers. 324s

Prophets also, at this point, were receiving direct revelation by God. 332s

We see in Holy Scripture that that gift to the early church, that goes away 337s

when the Scriptures became codified. 342s

So they were proclaimers and there were teachers in the church. 346s

And what were they doing? They were saturating the people with the Word of God. 349s

Don't make too much of a distinction, however, between the prophet and the teacher here. 357s

Because turn if you would, a chapter 15, verse 35. 362s

Chapter 15, verse 35. 365s

And there in chapter 15, verse 35 it says, but Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch and there with many others. 373s

They taught and proclaimed the Word of the Lord. 383s

See, there's some then that are gifted with both. 390s

The ability to proclaim and the ability to teach. 392s

And the end result is the saturation of the people of God with the Word. 397s

Acts 2 chapters says this, they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and fellowship to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 404s

Paul writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3, he says, from childhood, 416s

you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 420s

When in critical gift that was given to Timothy that from his childhood he was saturated with the Word of God. 435s

He was saturated with it. 445s

That's exactly what they were doing in Antioch. 447s

The first of the pictures here as we look at the church and we say, what were they doing in the early church? 452s

Well, they were saturated with the Word. 459s

So then what does that tell us for the church of today? 463s

We're going to do the same thing, right? 469s

The same thing? 472s

Several months ago I shared with you that in the fall we're going to begin an academy here at Living Word. 475s

It's really a mini-mini seminary is what it is. 484s

It's going to be ten different classes. 489s

There's going to be biblical overviews, there's going to be doctrinal overviews, 491s

there's going to be caring and evangelism classes. 496s

And the purpose of it all is to have an apologetic heart to it. 501s

In other words, how do we defend the faith? 505s

It's going to be a three-year program. 509s

Pastor Maloneck is going to teach some classes. 510s

The birch is going to teach some classes. 513s

I'm going to teach some classes. 514s

We're going to have a certificate at the end when you complete that. 516s

You can jump in at any time. 520s

It's just one more way for the congregation to get doused, right? 522s

To literally get drenched in the Word. 531s

So that we are drenched and drip the Word of God. 536s

We connect the dot then between what were they doing in Antioch? 542s

And what are they doing at living Word? 545s

And we see first picture. 550s

They were saturated, saturated with the Word. 553s

Here's the second picture. 560s

They were sent as servants. 563s

They were sent as servants. 567s

Look at verse two with me please. 570s

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 574s

Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. 580s

Then after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them and sent them off. 587s

So being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Silicia. 593s

And from there they sailed to Cyprus. 597s

So what does the church do? 605s

But they responded to the call of God and they send forth the servants. 607s

They send forth the missionaries. 614s

Notice here where they go. 617s

They sailed to Cyprus. 619s

Cyprus was Barnabas's hometown. 622s

That's where they go first. 626s

They go to his hometown to the people he knew that knew him. 629s

That is so instructive, beloved, for our walk in the faith. 636s

For who is it that we know right around us in our families, our neighborhoods, our workplaces, 643s

that doesn't know Jesus Christ. 651s

Who is it? 653s

There's your immediate mission field, isn't it? 655s

One person, one speaker at the LCMC National Convention put wonderfully. 660s

When he said, take a look at your cell phone, see who is in your cell phone, there's your mission field. 666s

That's a really good word, isn't it? 673s

It's the people right around us. 676s

Barnabas goes to Cyprus to the people he knows. 678s

It reminds us that who is close to us that needs to hear the word. 684s

It also reminds us, look at verse 5. 692s

When they arrived at Selamus, that's an Eastern port in Cyprus. 696s

When they arrived at Selamus, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the 701s

Jews and they had John also to assist him. 706s

You see, Paul's primary call was to proclaim to the Gentiles, the non-Jew. 714s

But he never forgot the call to also proclaim to the Jew. 720s

Look with me, please, at chapter 9 of Acts verse 15, chapter 9 verse 15. 726s

Here is the Lord addressing an Anayahs and he's speaking about Paul. 738s

And he says this verse 15 of chapter 9, but the Lord said to him, go, for he is an instrument 744s

whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings. 752s

And before the people of Israel. 760s

Paul's primary ministry was to the Gentile, but he never forgot the Jew. 766s

In fact, when they would go into a town, they would do exactly what is indicated here. 771s

Watch it in Holy Scripture. 776s

They'd go right into the synagogue to proclaim. 777s

What is that remind us? 781s

We are to be a people that are concerned with people that are near and also far. 783s

Both, near and far. 790s

To be concerned with the people right around us, right in our cell phone, and also the people far away. 793s

Think of the missionary deployment in this congregation. 803s

The move of the Spirit that is occurring in the life of this church. 806s

I think, for example, of the kids' beach club ministry at Dove Elementary. 811s

It's a mile and a half away. 816s

Where there are some kids who are asking our team, who's Jesus? 819s

Who's Jesus? 825s

Who's Jesus? 825s

They're hearing about Jesus for the first time. 825s

Lord willing, we want to expand that into silver lake Elementary. 831s

By in 2020. 835s

We want to keep expanding that means that is a local ministry. 838s

The youth are about ready to embark now on two mission trips. 843s

There's the upcoming family, international mission trip to Costa Rica. 847s

There's a mission trip to minister to the Navajo people that is coming several months away from now. 852s

There's another team from our congregation that is preparing to go into Chicago to minister. 858s

You see, what happened at Antioch? 864s

They sent servants. 868s

What happens in living Word? 870s

What we do the same thing, right? 874s

We do the same thing. 876s

We send out the servants near in our own homes and far. 878s

We support missionaries in this congregation that when they're state side, they come and share of the ministries. 890s

Touching people that we will never touch, but we are touching them with the Word of God through the missionaries we support. 899s

What was occurring in Antioch? 909s

They were saturated with the Word and then saturated with the Word. 912s

They sent out servants. 919s

You see, we are not called to be a people that gather and receive the feast of the Word every Sunday morning and simply keep it to ourselves. 924s

We are to push back from the banquet table of his Word and be sent forth to feed others with the Word. 938s

They were saturated with the Word and they sent out the servants. 948s

Third picture. 958s

They were not surprised at the struggle for the soul. 961s

They were not surprised at the struggle for the soul. 969s

Pick up plays with me in verse 6. 977s

When they had gone through the whole island as far as pathos, they met a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar Jesus. 981s

We so often think of a magician as doing the card trick. 994s

It's not what it's been talked about here. 998s

The Word here means one who is immersed in the occult in the demonic. 1000s

And interestingly, his name Bar Jesus means Son of Jesus. 1006s

And how sad is that? 1014s

To bear the name, Son of Jesus and you are immersed in the occult. 1015s

You are a false prophet. 1023s

We go on verse 7. 1026s

He was with the Pro-Council, Sergius Polus, an intelligent man, who summoned Barnesians and Saul and wanted to hear the Word of God. 1028s

But the magician, elamus, for that is the translation of his name. 1040s

It's a Greek transliteration of the Arabic Word from magician. 1046s

Opposed them and tried to turn the Pro-Council away from the faith. 1052s

Why did he do that? 1060s

He was an influencer, wasn't he? 1062s

Of the governor. 1065s

So he knew that if the governor is converted, he's going to lose his position. 1067s

And he's going to lose his influence. 1076s

Verse 8 again, but the magician elamus, for that is the translation of his name, opposed them and tried to turn the Pro-Council from the faith. 1080s

They were saturated in the Word. 1096s

They were sent forth the servants. 1100s

They weren't surprised at the struggle for the soul. 1103s

Polarites in Ephesians 6, our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the head. 1112s

He's going to be a heavenly place. 1132s

As you share to your family member, your work associate, whoever it is you are sharing the gospel with, there can be the struggle for the soul that can be expressed in apathy or resistance. 1135s

When that happens, beloved, don't be surprised by it. 1159s

Don't be surprised with the struggle for the soul that is going on because you have entered into the battleground. 1166s

You've entered into the battleground for the soul of that person. 1178s

And so let not the struggle surprise you in the least. 1184s

In fact, expected. 1190s

What is so beautiful here is that Paul loves this man enough. 1196s

To confront him with his sin. 1206s

He loves him enough to confront him with his sin. 1211s

Look at verse 9, please. 1219s

But Saul also known as Paul filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, 1222s

You son of the devil. 1228s

You enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy. 1231s

Will you not stop making crooked, the straight paths of the Lord? 1236s

That's a call for repentance. 1244s

That's the maturity of the body of Christ, where we are a people that are not afraid to confront 1248s

where there is sin. 1257s

We do so not as the sinless because we are far from it. 1261s

We do it as Paul writes in Galatians with gentleness. 1265s

But as a church, part of maturity that we see in Antioch is to say, 1270s

I love that person enough to begin the discussion 1277s

with them about their sin and their need for a Savior. 1285s

I love them that much. 1295s

They were saturated by the Word. 1303s

Soaked in it. 1308s

They were sent forth as servants. 1310s

And they weren't surprised at the struggle for the soul. 1313s

Here's the fourth picture. 1323s

They were secure in the Word. 1326s

They were secure in the Word. 1331s

Look at verse 11, please. 1336s

And now listen to the hand of the Lord is against you. 1338s

And you will be blind for a while unable to see the Son immediately. 1343s

Mr. Darkness came over him and he went about groping for someone to lead him by the hand. 1348s

Says this happened for a while. 1358s

This is a temporary judgment then on God. 1360s

This one who was deep into the demonic deep into the occult who was leading people into darkness is now physically made blind. 1363s

It is a manifestation here of the judgment of God addressing exactly what he was doing, 1374s

leading people into darkness. 1383s

Now he will have physical blindness as a reminder to him of that which he was doing. 1385s

Look at the next verse. 1394s

When the pro-Councils saw what had happened he believed for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord. 1397s

When the pro-Councils saw what had happened he believed and noticed the placement of the preposition there. 1411s

Here comes the reason for his belief. 1417s

For he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord. 1420s

It wasn't seeing the manifestation of God's judgment falling down of which he became a believer. 1430s

Why did he become a believer? 1438s

Because of the teaching, that's what transformed the heart. 1440s

They were saturated with the word they were sent forth as servants. 1451s

They were not surprised at the struggle and they were secure in the word that they were called to bring. 1456s

And so then beloved as you go forth and you do the same thing. 1464s

And if you don't see results, don't be discouraged. 1472s

How big is courage? 1477s

As you go forth and you do the same thing. 1481s

As you manifest anti-Occ in your own life. 1484s

As you go forth and you do the same thing. 1488s

If you don't see results, don't say to yourself. 1492s

Well, I must have really messed up there. 1497s

As you go forth and if you don't see results, 1501s

don't say, what's the matter with me? 1505s

What's the matter with me? 1510s

No. 1512s

Your call and my call is to plant. 1515s

God's job is to grow. 1522s

We make nothing grow. 1528s

But we cast seed, don't we? 1532s

Saturated with the word sent forth, 1539s

not surprised at the struggle and secure in the word. 1542s

What's the temptation? 1548s

The temptation for us instead of being saturated in the word is to be void in the word. 1551s

To be void of it. 1556s

Beloved when it comes to the church, ignorance is not bliss. 1561s

Ignorance is not bliss. 1565s

But our temptation is to be void of the word of God. 1568s

So we are an empty vessel that doesn't have the authority of God's word behind what it is that we speak. 1572s

And we wind up then simply speaking near societal platitudes when what people need is the depth and the gravitas of the word of God. 1581s

Instead of being sent out, we're tempted to stay. 1594s

Faced with a struggle, we're tempted to be surprised. 1599s

And when we don't see results, instead of being secure in the word and God's timing, we can be solan. 1603s

And think what's the matter with me? 1611s

Beloved of God, you have been redeemed through the cross of Christ. 1615s

The Lord Jesus Christ has bore all of your sin. 1618s

You have the best news that anyone could ever, ever hear that a God has redeemed humankind. 1621s

The Father's Son and Holy Spirit, the only God has redeemed humanity. 1630s

There is no greater word than you have that can ever be said to anyone than that. 1636s

And we live in that forgiveness and grace as he raises his up each and every day to live in the grace and to proclaim the grace, 1645s

to plant the seed and trust in a God who brings growth where and when it cleanses him. 1657s

The church in Antioch saturated, sent, not surprised and secure. 1663s

My prayer is that those pictures will continue to develop into the portrait that just encompasses us. 1678s

That's my prayer. 1704s

Yours too. 1708s

Yours too. 1711s