Text: Acts 11:19-30, Title: NT Church Planting, Date/Place: NRBC, 3/9/08, AM
A. Opening illustration: India--So I wrote in my journal, describing the aftermath of the October 1999 cyclone whose 200 mph winds and 30-foot tidal surge devastated the coastal areas of Orissa , India . Originating in the Bay of Bengal , the storm killed an estimated 100,000 people and domestic livestock, mostly by drowning. Government officials called it the costliest cyclone in Orissa’s history.
On January 26, 2001, an earthquake measuring 9.7 on the Richter scale jolted the state of Gujarat , India . In my journal, I described the epicenter at Bhuj: "The massive rubble of collapsed buildings looked like a bombed-out war zone." When an Indian Christian leader and I surveyed the area for a follow-up ministry of compassion, the people told us that more than 100,000 had died.
The tragedy of these consecutive disasters in India, like the horror after 9/11, leads us to a deeper contemplation of God’s purpose. Did God use these disasters to awaken people to their deeper spiritual needs? Can He use tragic events to create opportunities for local believers and missionaries to witness?
For decades we have prayed for an opportunity to enter the world’s second most populated nation. India ’s cyclone and earthquake have opened a door for ABWE to begin ministries of compassion to hurting people, allowing us to partner with dedicated Indian Christians in evangelism and church planting. In the three years since we began partnering with national believers in Orissa, 700 churches have been formed!
B. Background to passage: The church in Jerusalem is growing like wildfire. Persecution has arisen beginning in Acts 4, but going full scale in Acts 7 with the death of Stephen. Philip took the gospel to Samaria, and sent it to Ethiopia, then too it up the Mediterranean coast. Paul got saved, then run out of Damascus and Jerusalem, and is now in hiding in Tarsus. Peter has just led the first gentile family to Christ under the direct leading of the Spirit, and has convinced the apostles and elders in Jerusalem that it is of God. And Luke begins this text with a statement, like, “meanwhile not back at the ranch.” And what we begin to see is the church planting and missionary efforts of the church begin, as the first intentionally Gentile church is planted in Antioch (the third largest city in the empire), and begins to function as a church.
C. Main thought: In the text we will see the planting, growth, and goeth of the first gentile church ever.
A. The Church is Born (v. 19-21)
1. We need to notice several things about the birth of this church. It was formed under the duress of persecution. Secondly, it was carried out by “average Christians.” You won’t find any apostles there, or famous disciples, or deacons (although one of the deacons was from the city). In fact, you don’t find any names at all! These disciples came and proclaimed the gospel to the Gentiles. The word used is euangellion, which means to tell good news, not to formally preach. And the result was that the Spirit moved through the proclamation of the gospel, and people repented and believed.
2. Rom 8:36, 5:3, James 1:2, 2 Cor 1:8-10, Heb 11:35-40,
3. Illustration: tell about the Korean refugees that were displaced to N. Korea and USSR in the 1930’s after the invasion of the Japanese (story in Piper’s sermon), speak about the Christian leader from the third world nation talking about the fact that those countries have been sending missionaries for years, just nobody writes books about them, tell about my convicting experience watching Way of the Master on Monday night with the question about $1000 per person that you witnessed to, Church Planting Prompts Evangelism Dr. Greg Fell, Rocky Mountain District Superintendent of the Evangelical Free Churches of America reports “Churches in their infancy have a 1 to 3 ratio of commitments to Christ per church member. By the time a church is 10 years old, the ratio drops to 1 to 75.”
4. God does not withhold, in fact, He designs suffering for the advancement of the kingdom and for our good. View sufferings ultimate cause as God, or at least His permission, for the advancement of the kingdom. Tell about the black pastor who concluded that slavery in the US was used by God to bring Him more glory in its destruction and racial reconciliation, than if He had never allowed this injustice in the first place. Embrace suffering for the cause of the gospel. Do not look for recognition, but for ways to get Christ recognition. Look for ways as “average Christians” to share Christ. Talk about my discussion with Matt about the pattern that we see in Acts. Our role as the sponsor church, and some of yours as the core group that will leave NRBC and go with the new church plant is to do the work of evangelism now and when that church starts. So be trained, take the gospel to those around you.
B. The Church Grows (v. 22-26)
1. We need to notice a couple of things about church growth in the first century. The doctrinally sound mother church monitored growth of mission churches. So they send Barnabas to check out what is happening in Antioch. When he gets there he lives up to his name. He sees evidence of God’s grace in surely an imperfect church, and encourages them. The word used is parakaleo, which means to come alongside. The Spirit is sometimes called the Paraclete. And what is says is crucial too. He says for them to persevere with a devoted heart. He says, “sell out to Jesus for the long haul!” And more people were saved, I think. And part of evangelism is discipleship, so their efforts were focused over the next year at making disciples. But things got too big, and so he had to go to Tarsus (over 100 miles away) to get Paul to help him disciple these young believers. He was not afraid of losing prominence, he wanted to make disciples, and he couldn’t disciple them all! But when they did disciple them, the whole city began to call them “Christian,” or Christ’s people.
2. Acts 4:36, John 17:8, 1 Pet 2:2, 2 Pet 1:5-7, 3:17-18, Eph 4:14-16,
3. Illustration: The story about the guy watching the soccer game that became a massacre, and yet the father of the goalie encouraged him, and he went back out there and gave it his all until the end, "Although Douglas MacArthur graduated from West Point at the top of his class, he continued to prepare himself for service to his country. He studied every military textbook he could get his hands on. He visited battlefields and personally reviewed the tactics which the victors and the losers used. While other young officers were playing cards or practicing their golf swing, MacArthur ignored the social whirl to make himself better prepared as a future leader. He even insisted on having his appendix removed just in case it would ever cause him to be incapacitated with an attack of appendicitis at a crucial time later in his career. Douglas MacArthur’s preparedness proved wise. As the key military leader in the Pacific theatre of operations during World War II, he had personally responded to his country’s call to duty years before the actual crisis of war by preparing himself to be a top general. Discussion with Hindus and Buddhists about Christianity allowing for rampant sin because of justification by faith, then giving the argument that transformation comes from within as they grow in holiness, so then they inspect…
4. The principle is that churches plant churches. Associations don’t plant churches, Conventions don’t plant churches, mission boards don’t plant churches, and churches do. This doesn’t mean we don’t secure help from the association, convention, or the mission boards, but only that we take the lead role in assuring that the church planted is sound and healthy. Local church involvement is key in the NT. And they don’t just plant any ol’ kind of church, they plant healthy, doctrinally sound, practically faithfully, Christ-honoring churches. Are you an encourager? In life can come a string of hard knocks in certain lives, and you can be used to get them through it. In fact maybe to help them triumph and go on past it. Do you use your maturity and experience to upbuild young believers in the faith? Can you see past imperfections and view God’s grace at work in the lives of others? Some of us just don’t take the time to encourage others. Try it today. Maybe your wife or husband, maybe a SS class member or visitor, maybe a neighbor or friend. Is teaching of the word prominent, or music? Do you put into practice what you hear? Do you seek solid bible teaching other than this ministry? Are we truly making disciples? In 130 years, has NRBC put out a host of radically committed disciples that have multiplied themselves? Would you be accused of being a Christian by your behavior alone?
C. The Church Goes (v. 27-30)
1. This last little segment shows the truly transforming power of the gospel in the lives of unbelievers. After a prophecy from Agabus, this brand new church has a soft heart, and is moved to help their new found brethren in Jerusalem. They listened to the mouths of the prophets, and they heard the voice of God. Best I can tell, this is the first voluntary mission trip of any church in Acts. All the rest were out of necessity and persecution. By the way, this famine is documented in several extra biblical sources. Dates these events at 46 AD. And so they sent a delegation of leaders with some money to the elders. By the way, this is the first mention of the elders in Jerusalem.
2. John 20:21, Mar 16:15,
3. Illustration: “Don’t wait until your 62 and on social security to live life radically sold out and on mission with Jesus,” Tell about the church planting movements over in Central Asia where discipleship and church planting training takes place simultaneously and within months they are sent out, this account reminds me so much of the mission church in Canada that developed the partnership to reach the Yanamarca Valley, while being a 40 member, two year old church plant, I heard about a church in our association that when they heard Joseph Kamau preach, and heard he did not have any transportation, one of the SS classes, decided to purchase a vehicle for Joseph, and they were taking it to him this week, "Every heart with Christ is a missionary, and every heart without Christ is a mission field." In Henry Blackaby’s book Experiencing God he makes a point that is so true and yet makes us so uncomfortable. I was reminded of that when I received the January 17, 2005 e-mail devotional based on that book. The call to relationship is also a call to be on mission with God. That call to mission disrupts your entire life. As you listen for God’s invitation, know its destiny is always: Point Unknown. Are you willing to go? The point that the devotional emphasizes is that as we experience God and seek to do His will, it requires us to make adjustments in our lives and with our lives.
4. This goes to show you that as new believers, or new members, you can serve on mission with God. There is no waiting period. In fact it is during this season that Christian growth happens the fastest. Young believers, and members, don’t take your cue from the examples that you have seen of those uncommitted to service and missions, take your cue from the bible, that as soon as you believe and commit to Jesus, begin ministering, meeting needs, and going on mission with Jesus. The mission trips are open to all! And older, long time members must guard against jealousy and suspicion toward young believers and new members. Church, examine your heart about needs that are presented to us. Sometimes we get calloused because of the constant exposure. Ask God to soften our hearts that we might become a ministering force in the community. So proud of the excitement that you have exhibited about the vision that God has given for us, and for this summer’s mission opportunities. Some of you may not be able to go this year, but get your passports ready for the next year, and the year after that. We need to plant five new churches in the Yanamarca Valley in the next five years, so they can plant 20 new churches in the five years after that. So that this valley can be reached for the glory of Christ! New River is putting the kingdom of darkness on notice that we will continue to be a mission going church. And the reason that we do it is not because of pride, or even of human value and worth, but of God’s value and worth. He is worthy of our every effort to be on mission, even to the point where we sacrifice everything, even our very lives to honor Him.
A. Closing illustration: Michael S. Hamilton, Assistant Professor of History at Seattle Pacific University wrote, "In the 1930’s, most missionary agencies emphasized evangelism, church-planting, and discipleship. In 1998, however, four of the five largest overseas ministries specialized in relief, development, and education work. For many of these agencies, evangelism is a secondary concern." Church Planting In NYC: While New York’s 5 boroughs claim 8.1 million residents, an estimated 22 million people live within 50 miles of Times Square. The city is home to millions of immigrants representing hundreds of languages and countries. A 16 denomination alliance has committed to planting 700 new churches in the area over the next decade. (ReligionJournal.com 5/26/05)
B. Recap
C. Invitation to commitment
