Diversity in the Ministry
Lessons from the 1st Century Church | A Study through the Book of Acts • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 5 viewsPaul and Barnabas make a return trip to encourage, strengthen, and prod the church to remain strong, faithful, and steady in the Lord.
Notes
Transcript
Introduction |
Ministry is diverse. Ministry is hard. However, God has given us the tools and principles to do it. Let us get busy doing just that, ministry.
Focus Passage | Acts 14:21-28
21 And after they had preached the gospel to that city and had made a good number of disciples, they returned to Lystra, to Iconium, and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “It is through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of God.” 23 When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had believed. 24 They passed through Pisidia and came into Pamphylia. 25 When they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. 26 From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been entrusted to the grace of God for the work that they had accomplished. 27 When they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to report all the things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they spent a long time with the disciples.
Outline |
Diversity Within the Ministry | Acts 14:21-22
21 And after they had preached the gospel to that city and had made a good number of disciples, they returned to Lystra, to Iconium, and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “It is through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of God.”
1. Preaching the gospel and making disciples is part of the ministry
Paul and Barnabas, after Paul’s stoning outside of Lystra, left for Derbe. As we read last week, The next day, he left with Barnabas for Derbe (Ac 14:20). One would think that he might take time to heal, maybe he did, but the emphasis was not on healing but ministry. We are called to minister regardless of health and safety. As we find within our text, ministry will take differing directions and looks. We see here that ministry involves preaching the gospel and making disciples, And after they had preached the gospel to that city and had made a good number of disciples (Ac 14:21a). However, this is just the tip of the ice berg when it comes to ministry. Many would look at this text and say, “Preaching and training/equipping is ministry. That’s the preacher’s job, so I do not have to do anything.” That could not be further from the truth. The Great Commission was given to all of us. It found in some form in all four gospels and the book of Acts. There is emphasis on the Great Commission. What is that Great Commission?
19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
If all we do is lead one to Christ and get them baptized, we have fallen short. As Warren Wiersbe states, Merely winning people to Christ is but fulfilling one-third of the commission. We are called to share the gospel and make disciples. That is we are train, equip, teach, and send. This is the responsibility of the local church not just the pastor. It is the responsibility of us all.
Preaching the gospel and making disciples is just the beginning. We are also fulfilling ministry when we learn that...
2. Strengthening and encouraging the believers is part of the ministry
Luke writes that after they preach the gospel and made a good number of disciples that Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium, and to Antioch (Ac 14:21b). Paul and Barnabas did what most of us would not do. They returned to cities that they had been ran out of. They knew that danger awaited them. They knew that persecution awaited them. They knew that it would not be easy, but they knew that the believers that were in those cities needed more than just the gospel. They were saved. The gospel is only good at saving someone, but after accepting Christ, the disciples needs more. The disciple needs strengthening and encouragement. That is exactly what Paul and Barnabas went to do.
We find that the return of Paul and Barnabas was two fold:
They went back to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch to strengthen the inner man of the believers at the local congregations, strengthening the souls of the disciples (Ac 14:22a).
They went back to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch to encourage the believers to remain faithful the Lord, His Word, and the mission to which He had called them to, encouraging them to continue in the faith (Ac 14:22b).
The ministry is not for the faint at heart. The Christian life is not for the faint at heart. As Paul states to the believers on his return to the previous cities, It is through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of God (Ac 14:22). We will face trials and tribulations. This is not a question. However, as I asked last week, How do you respond? Christ told His to continue forward. How were they able to continue? They were able to continue due to the Word of God. It is only through continuing in the Word of God that we reveal that we are truly His. It is through this Word that we find freedom to move forward. As we find recorded in John’s gospel…
31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
As we have previously seen within our study, continuing in a devotion to the word, fellowship, and prayer gave the 1st Century church strength. It is the true source of strength given to us today.
42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
This need is a daily need. We are called to pick up our cross and follows the Lord daily. Without doing so, we are not disciples but pretenders.
38 And the one who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 The one who has found his life will lose it, and the one who has lost his life on My account will find it.
Ministry is about preaching the gospel and discipling. Ministry is about strengthening and encouraging, but then there is another attribute to ministry, organization.
3. Organization is part of the ministry
Administration and organization within household of faith is often overlooked. However, while she is living organism, she also needs organization. As Paul and Barnabas went back through the previous areas in Galatia, they did more than just strength and encourage. They also addressed organizational needs within the churches.
23 When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
As we look at this text, it speaks of appointing pastors. The word elder is interchangeable for pastor, bishop. The idea is that of a shepherd. He was appointing pastors to lead the churches in the the spiritual realms, they had appointed elders for them in every church. Part of this process was the ordaining process. These men were called out and set aside to the lead the church, they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
Ministry is about lead men and women to Christ. It is about discipling, it is about encouraging and strengthening, and organization. However, it does not stop there. There is also the need for another area of ministry.
4. Accountability is part of the ministry
As we go back to the Great Commission of Matthew 28, we see a few details that come to light about ministry.
19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Accountability involves teaching - ‘…make disciples…teaching them to follow all that I command you…’
Accountability involves the church - ‘…baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…’
Baptism is not an individual thing, it is a church ordinance of the local assembly. It takes the entire assembly to lead people to Christ, to have them identify with the Lord, and finally to continue in the authority, power, and strength of the Word of God. Accountability is a corporate issue not an individual issue.
As diverse as ministry is, it also has certain principles that are just a viable today as they were in the 1st Century.
Principles for Ministry
1. Start where you are and move out
Paul and Barnabas would always find a big city and begin to share the gospel and spread that gospel throughout the rural areas. Within the work of Christ today, it seems that the church will address rural areas but resist going into the cities. However, the gospel is needed in both. The best principal is to begin where you are and move outward.
8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth.”
Not only do we start where we are move out from there, realize that we find that there are…
2. Different starting points with the same end
Paul used the OT while sharing the gospel with the Jews and Jewish proselytes
Paul spoke of the religious minds and hearts of the Greek but not with the Scripture itself. He made it personal.
3. Promote and grow the local church
27 When they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to report all the things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they spent a long time with the disciples.
4. Ground yourself in the Word of God
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
16 holding firmly the word of life, so that on the day of Christ I can take pride because I did not run in vain nor labor in vain.
Conclusion |
In the end, we fin a truth that should resinate with us here today, He (God) had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. That door is still open today. As He, Jesus, stand and knocks at the door, will you open the door and invite Him into your heart.
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.
