A new year always brings with it changes. With the beginning of 1997 comes a new calendar, new pages on the financial ledger, new classes for students, new officials in the government, and of course, new resolves in our personal lives.
The church has great anticipation for the new year as well. However, the course of the church for the new year is not new. It is 2000 years old! But we do need to be reminded of the direction and course for the church as we approach the new year. While there are never carbon copies of any churches, the Word of God does provide some clear models for churches in carrying out our God-given ministry.
We desire to be a New Testament Church in both precept and practice. In precept we seek to follow the apostolic doctrine clearly taught in the Word. In practice we seek to follow the biblical models of the early church.
Our text affords us an opportunity to reflect upon the biblical model for a church. Let's resolve by God's grace to follow the New Testament pattern for the church.
I. Reach
The beginning of our text (11:19) is actually a continuation from Acts 8:4. It presents to us another picture of the "scattered church" going forth into the world with the gospel. While Acts 8 points to the gospel entering into Samaria, this text shows the continuance of the gospel to the Gentiles. The Lord used persecution as an instrument for the spread of the good news.
It is significant that the gospel was carried to Antioch. This city was considered third in terms of importance in the Roman Empire, trailing only Rome and Alexandria. It was quite a cosmopolitan city with a half million population composed of Jews, Orientals, Greeks, and Romans. Antioch was known for its culture, commerce, and its immoral worship of the goddess Daphne. The impact of the gospel in this city exploded with brilliance in contrast to its spiritual darkness. Gradually, the missionary center of the church moved from Jerusalem to this new church in Antioch. It became the launching pad for Paul's missionary journeys and the gospel going to the ends of the earth.
While Philip is specifically named as God's instrument in reaching Samaria with the gospel and Peter is named as God's instrument in carrying the gospel to the Gentile, Cornelius, in Caesarea, the evangelists proclaiming Christ in Antioch are unnamed. These men were part of those who had been "scattered because of the persecution that arose in connection with Stephen" (v. 19). They are identified as being from Cyprus and Cyrene. Cyprus is a large island northwest of Israel and about 170 miles by ship just southwest of Antioch. Barnabas, Paul's missionary companion, was born on this island of Cyprus. Cyrene is part of present-day Libya on the northern coast of Africa. The language of Cyrene is mentioned in Acts 2 as being one of the tongues which the disciples spoke to proclaim the gospel at Pentecost (2:10). Perhaps these disciples had come to faith in Christ while hearing the gospel on the day of Pentecost. These unnamed disciples preached the Lord Jesus and became instruments of reaching a host of Gentiles in Antioch. This laid a foundation for reaching multitudes across the world due to the missionary heart-beat of this church.
It is significant that we see the pattern of these early believers. They did not keep the gospel to themselves. Their religion was not "private" so that they refused to discuss it. Instead, they were so consumed with the saving work of Jesus Christ in their lives that they desired to see others come to know Christ savingly. They had an inner motivation, a divine compulsion, to bear the good news of Jesus Christ to fellow sinners. That is where we must find ourselves!
1. Into pockets of unbelief
The challenge every Christian faces is that of reaching into the many pockets of unbelief in this world and proclaiming the gospel of Christ. By pockets of unbelief I refer to any place, any type of people, any cultural setting in which you find unbelievers. Our challenge is to reach "whosoever will" within these many pockets.
Pockets of unbelief will come in many shapes and sizes. In the case of our text, we find that some of the scattered disciples came to Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch and preached the word to Jews alone (v. 19). The Jews qualified as a pocket of unbelief. But they were not the only pocket of unbelief. The next verse (v. 20) shows the unnamed disciples reaching into the Hellenistic world (Greeks). This is a rather broad term that implies people who spoke Greek or were living under a Greek culture. They might be Jews or Orientals or citizens of the Roman empire who had been influenced by the Greek culture. Their skin color might be the black of Africa, the yellow of the Orient, the olive of the Middle East, or the white of Europe.
The important distinction we must see is that these disciples were not just trying to find "our kind of folks," that is, people who were culturally, racially, and religiously just like themselves. They crossed the lines and barriers to gospel proclamation and saw the face of sinners all equally needing the saving work of Jesus Christ.
We must give thought to the lostness of man. Apart from the work of Jesus Christ by the grace of God, everyone on the earth faces an eternal judgment of the wrath of God. Human beings are still sinners, in spite of all the attempt governments have made at improving society. Sinners are still lost in spiritual darkness and are at enmity with God. As enemies of God, sinners are still under a sentence of divine judgment that culminates in eternal hell. Unless sinners repent of their sins and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ they will still face an eternity in hell.
It seems that many Christians think that if we can just get an unbeliever to go to church he will be okay. But most unbelievers are not interested in suddenly deciding to attend church. This is where we must seek to reach into pockets of unbelief with the radiance of the love of Christ on our faces and the message of the gospel on our lips. These pockets of unbelief are in our neighborhoods, in our schools, at the job, in our business relationships. Brethren, we must pray that God will burn in our consciences the lostness of people around us and our need to reach into pockets of unbelief to 'snatch some brands from the burning' (Zech. 3:2).
In the next couple of years we face the biggest challenge ever confronting us. Right across our street will be one of the largest apartment complexes in the metropolitan area, reportedly 1500 units. Before we know it there will be three to five thousand people right out our front door. One researcher has stated that only 5% of apart-dwellers attend church. If we are going to reach them with the gospel we will have to do more than hang a sign out front saying, "Y'all come!" We will have to all work together and use every means God has given us to reach into that pocket of unbelief with the gospel. But let's not wait for these apartments! Let's reach into the pockets of unbelief scattered among us even now!
2. With Gospel proclamation
Notice that with the reaching came the preaching! "But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus." I'm so thankful that the text is quite clear about what they were doing. Let's first see what they were not doing.
They were not trying to get the people of Antioch to make decisions. We see no evidence that they manipulated or cajoled these people into making a religious decision. Nor did they try to get these people to join the church. More people substitute church membership for the new birth than anything else. Nor did they try to change the morality of the city of Antioch apart from the new birth. Antioch was known for its gross immorality, but we do not see the disciples on a crusade to change their morals without their first having a new nature in Christ.
So what did they do? They were "preaching the Lord Jesus." This is good, biblical short-hand for the "whole message of the gospel." To preach the Lord Jesus is to deal clearly with the person and work of Jesus Christ. What does this involve? The venerable John Gill, Spurgeon's predecessor by many years, stated that "preaching the Lord Jesus" involves,
...the dignity of his person, as the Son of God; what he did and suffered to obtain salvation for lost sinners; his resurrection from the dead, ascension to heaven, and intercession: the virtue of his blood for peace and pardon, of his sacrifice for atonement of sin, and of his righteousness for justification. [Gill's Commentary, vol. V, 887]
That is a great summary of what we are to be about in gospel proclamation. It may be that you gradually begin to deal with various aspects of our Lord's deity and humanity, of His work for sinners, of the blood atonement, as you reach into pockets of unbelief. Use tracts, booklets, books, tapes, conversations, whatever the Lord gives you to communicate the gospel to unbelievers. But proclaim the whole gospel! Never short-cut the gospel in an effort to get a decision. That is prostituting Christianity. Remember that "the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes" (Rom. 1:16). It is not your ability to coerce a decision. It is the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ and His atoning work for sinners, that needs to be proclaimed. I'm afraid that we've had built into our minds that unless we can "produce results" we need not witness. That's the Holy Spirit's work! Our job is to faithfully proclaim Jesus Christ and His power to save sinners.
3. By the Lord's power
Luke is careful to point out that the power to convert was not found in these unnamed disciples nor in their winsome speech. "And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord." These disciples did their part: they reached into pockets of unbelief and proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ. They called on sinners to repent of their sin and believe savingly in Jesus Christ the Lord. But they knew that the Lord alone could do the saving, so they depended upon the power of the Lord.
I do not believe this means that we are to neglect proclaiming the gospel with all of the passion and fervor of which we are capable. We are to proclaim Jesus Christ with urgency but with the clear recognition that only the Lord can save. If our gospel witness is an effort in talking a person into making a decision, then someone shrewder than you can talk them out of the same decision later on. But if it is a matter of being regenerated by the Holy Spirit, born again by the Spirit of God, being given a new nature created in righteousness and holiness of the truth, you need not worry about someone being talked out of that! The unbeliever is not to be talked into anything: he is to be born again into a living relationship by faith in Jesus Christ. You proclaim the gospel, calling upon sinners to trust in Christ; let the Lord extend the grace to be saved.
This saving work of Christ is a mysterious thing, is it not? To think that we proclaim the words of life but sinners cannot hear it until the Spirit of God attends that Word in power and opens the deaf ears and blinded eyes of the sinner to see the glorious light of the gospel is an incredible thing. What a marvelous privilege it is to join with our great Sovereign in the work of the gospel! Spurgeon's words on this text are helpful.
Courage, minister of God: you are nothing, but Almighty God is with you. When you lift your hand to build the house of the Lord, omnipotence works with you, and makes your labour a success. Every revolution of those awful wheels, so ponderous that even the prophet said, "O wheel!" is working to accomplish the object which is near your heart. The stars in their course fight for you. The stones of the field are in league with you. Eternal wisdom plans for you, infinite power works with you, boundless patience perseveres with you, and almighty love will conquer by you. "The hand of the Lord was with them." What more do we want? Sow, brother, for God has ploughed. Go up and build, for God has prepared the stones and made ready the foundation. [MTP, vol. 22, 138]
Let us depend upon divine power as we reach into pockets of unbelief with the good news of the Redeemer. Let us pray for God's power in our gospel witness. Let us depend upon His power and utterance as we proclaim the life-giving message of the gospel. And let us expect sinners to come to the Lord Jesus who alone can save.
II. Build
Luke gives us a bit of the technical look at what was happening as the gospel was proclaimed in Antioch. "A large number who believed turned to the Lord." Evidently there were many who heard the preaching gladly and even thought highly of its message. Out of this group quite a large number believed. Luke uses a present participle to indicate that they were in the process of believing. But he narrows the focus even more when he points to a group within the group of those believing who actually "turned" or converted to the Lord. The word implies that there was an actual change in a spiritual and moral sense that occurred in these people, so that they now had a change in their relationship and standing with God. No longer were they at enmity with God. Now they were His children, born of His Spirit, and brought into an eternal relationship as heirs of God.
The next responsibility of the church is found in building up these young believers in the faith. Here we see Barnabas sent as an official representative of the Jerusalem church to check out what had happened and to build up those who were saved (v. 22). The work he did was essential to the well-being of these young believers and the new church at Antioch. It is important for all of us to see our part in this work of building up those whom the Lord adds to His family through the ministry of this church, whether they are added locally or in other parts of the world.
1. Through involvement
Building up takes personal involvement. Barnabas made the 325-350 mile journey from Jerusalem to Antioch, a grueling journey in those days, in order to try to encourage these young believers. It took him probably over a week to make this journey. There was much personal sacrifice involved in leaving his home, traveling, and investing himself in the lives of others. But that is part of being in the body of Christ.
There is a grave danger which all of us face, especially with the trends of our culture. This is the danger of being pre-occupied with ourselves, our own family, our small circle of friends to the neglect of the body of Christ and those the Lord adds to us. Yes, we must give attention to ourselves and to our families and friends; that is part of life. But part of church-life is to also give attention to others.
The more I am exposed to other cultures around the world, the more I see that we are wrapped up in ourselves in American society. The trouble is that this spirit bleeds into the church so that individually we can become self-centered, with eyes only for what concerns us personally. We can view church from a consumer mentality, seeing what I can get out of it, without any concern for others.
I believe that Barnabas is a shocking reminder to all of us of what it means to be part of the body of Christ. He did not know these people in Antioch. They were from two different worlds. Yet because they were part of the body of Christ, Barnabas saw it as his duty to be involved with them. It became more than a duty! It was a delight! "Then when he had come and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced...." He did what he could do to encourage them, then recognized that he needed help, so he took off to Tarsus to find Saul (Paul) who would be helpful in teaching them (v. 25).
Are you involved with others in this body? I don't just mean your good friends that perhaps you have known for several years. Do you seek to be involved as an encourager in those whom God brings to us? I realize that many people who attend church in our city do not want to be involved in anything or with anyone. I've talked with people who have actually told me that they go to certain churches so that they can hide. But that is not the spirit of New Testament Christianity! Just take a look at all of the "one another" passages throughout the New Testament and see how we are to be involved with each other: love one another, build up one another, encourage one another, forgive each other, be hospitable to one another, etc. I want to challenge each of you to be involved as an encourager to someone in this body whom you do not presently know. That's part of New Testament Christianity and a complement to the work of reaching. It demands your personal involvement. You do have something to offer others in the body.
2. With discernment
Notice that Barnabas did not come into Antioch and see how many 'decision-cards' he could find. Instead, he "witnessed the grace of God," i.e., he looked for evidence of the saving grace of God in the lives of those who professed to be Christians. Anybody can make a decision, but only those born of God can give evidence of the grace of God. It shows up in a person's character, in their demeanor, in their desires, in their attitude, in their lifestyles. When he didn't find evidence of saving grace, he proclaimed the gospel. When he did find evidence of saving grace, he rejoiced and exhorted. That is to be our pattern.
The Church as a whole greatly lacks discernment in our day. Discernment is the ability to distinguish between truth and error, true life and spurious faith, genuine conversion and mere decisionism. There are two necessary components to discernment: know the doctrines of the Word and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit.
Why is this so important for us? There will inevitably be those who come our way who have merely joined a church somewhere along the way but have never been born again. As you discern this, you can begin to teach them the gospel of Christ instead of just presuming that church membership is equivalent to the new birth. "But," you say, "what if I am wrong? What if they are saved and here I am teaching them the gospel?" Does that hurt a true believer to be reminded of the glorious truths by which he was saved? Of course not! A genuine believer will rejoice with you, while an unbeliever may come under conviction and trust in Christ.
3. By exhortation
Barnabas got involved with these new believers in Antioch, he discerned the reality of their faith, then he "began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord." He knew that the Adversary would be working in their midst, trying to discourage them, trying to turn them away from Christ. So Barnabas would labor to encourage them to persevere in the faith, to remain firm, to abide in Christ, to live in dependence upon the Lord. He truly lived up to his name, 'son of encouragement'.
Many of the exhortations in the epistles fall in the category of doing the very same thing which Barnabas did. The whole epistle to the Hebrews is a strong, doctrinal exhortation for the believers to remain true to the faith, to stand firm in the Lord and not bow to a ceremonial religion. Both the epistles to the Thessalonians fall into this same vein of exhorting believers to stand firm. "So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us" (II Thes. 2:15). "Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing" (I Thes. 5:11).
Barnabas gives us a good example for exhorting and encouraging others in the body, especially those who are new in the faith. (1) Encourage by your countenance: "he rejoiced." As others see the joy of the Lord as your strength and life, they will be strengthened to press on in the faith. (2) Encourage by doctrine and truth: he "began to encourage them all." Encouragement involves our words and what better words can we offer than the Word of God! (3) Encourage by your seriousness in the things of God: he "began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord." His resolute heart was a determined or purposeful heart. He was serious about the Christian life. The person who is always flippant and joking is not an encouragement: he lacks the burden of the Lord which in itself is contagious. (4) Encourage by your walk with Christ: "for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith." There is no substitute for consistent, holy living to encourage young believers to go on with God.
III. Develop
Just as the Great Commission exhorts us, "teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you," Barnabas sought to do just that. And we must as well! Barnabas saw the need for a team approach to the ministry in Antioch. He recognized that others' gifts were necessary to develop this church spiritually, so he traveled to Tarsus to find Paul. He knew that Paul was a gifted teacher and preacher of the Word, so he engaged him in the work as his partner. He was not trying to protect his turf and maintain his high profile in Antioch. He was more concerned for the work of God's kingdom and the building up of this body, so he brought on an effective teacher. "And it came about that for an entire year they met with the church, and taught considerable numbers."
In much the same way, I believe that's what the local church should attempt to do through its elders, deacons, staff, and teachers. All of us have different gifts and strengths, all of which are necessary in the body. Part of the challenge in church leadership is discovering the gifts and abilities of those who are in the body and putting them to work for greater usefulness in the ministry of the church. It is not a matter of seeing who can get the most attention, rather, how each of us can be best utilized for the glory of our Redeemer.
Two simple truths are evident and necessary for developing the body of Christ.
1. By gathering with the Body
"For an entire year they met with the church." The church must be gathered together, which is the meaning of the word "met" in this text. For a church to develop and for you to develop as you should in the Christian faith, it demands a regular, consistent, and faithful gathering together with the body of believers. Too many people in our day view their attendance to the various services of the church as an option to choose as long as they don't have anything better to do. But that is never what we see in the New Testament church!
I saw more of this New Testament spirit of the church while in France than perhaps any place I've been. The same people who were present on Sunday morning were back on Sunday night and Wednesday night. As a matter of fact, I saw most of them during the other days of the week as well! I hope that no one from the US tells them that church attendance is an optional thing! Because it is not. The Word of God speaks with great clarity on this matter of faithfulness to the gathering together of the church: "And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near" (Heb. 10:24-25).
Are you serious about your faith in Christ? Are you serious about growing in the Lord? Are you serious about being an instrument that God can use? Then obey this clear command to be faithful to church. We can try to candy-coat or dress it up or modernize it to make all of us feel better. But that's not what the Word declares. We see the example in our text and hear the command in Hebrews 10:25. Let's encourage one another by faithfulness at church.
2. Through teaching of the Body
The church is not to just meet to be meeting. We are to have a distinct purpose for our meeting together. Here, it is clear that the matter of teaching is the central reason for our gathering together. "And it came about that for an entire year they met with the church, and taught considerable numbers." John MacArthur has noted, "Teaching the Word of God is at the heart of the church's ministry" [NT Commentary, 315]. I couldn't agree more!
While all of us need to cultivate personal habits of reading and studying the Word of God, it is imperative that when we gather together as a church that we are taught the Word of God. The teaching of the Word should complement your own reading and studying, which I trust you are committed to doing through 1997! Teachers have a great responsibility for which they must give an account (James 3:1). They are to unfold with clarity the great truths and doctrines of the Word of God, while challenging you with obedience to these truths and doctrines.
Our responsibility in teaching is to expose you to the whole counsel of God, to help you think through and understand the broad range of biblical teaching (Acts 20:27). That is why we go through books of the Bible, so that we can deal with those subjects which we might otherwise neglect and which are necessary to our understanding God's Word. This helps to lay a foundation in your life on which you can build by your own study and reading. It helps to give you balance in your walk so that you will develop in every area of life to the glory of God. Such study of the Word exposes you to a greater understanding of the Lord and therefore affects your worship and prayer life. The teaching of the Word of God is food for the hungry soul. You will find yourself nourished and satisfied with the richness of the Word if you are truly a child of God. Knowing the Word will assist in helping you to discern error and the deceitfulness of the devil that assaults you and your family.
Conclusion
This is a good model for us to see as we begin a new year of expectancy. Let's reach into our community and our world with the gospel of Christ. Let's proclaim the whole gospel in dependence upon the power of the Lord.
Let's build up those who are new believers and those whom God brings our way. Let's be involved in their lives, exhorting them to faithfulness and perseverance in the faith.
Let's develop this church by first being faithful ourselves whenever the church gathers together and being attentive to the teaching of the Word of God.
We are a New Testament church only as we stand upon the apostolic doctrines and exercise that New Testament spirit of church life. My brethren, by God's grace, let's renew our commitment to be a New Testament church in precept and practice.
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