THE WORK OF THE CHURCH
Acts 17:1-15 Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And according to Paul's custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ." 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women. 5 But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people. 6 When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, "These men who have upset the world have come here also; 7 and Jason has welcomed them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus." 8 They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things. 9 And when they had received a pledge from Jason and the others, they released them. 10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. 12 Therefore many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men. 13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea also, they came there as well, agitating and stirring up the crowds. 14 Then immediately the brethren sent Paul out to go as far as the sea; and Silas and Timothy remained there. 15 Now those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left.
INTRODUCTION: IN ORDER TO CORRECTLY DISCERN THE WORK OF THE CHURCH, WE MUST FIRST DISCERN THE COMPOSITION OF THE CHURCH; WHAT THE CHURCH IS.
FIRST, THE CHURCH IS NOT A BUILDING. SOME TIMES WE FALL PRAY TO THIS KIND OF THINKING WHEN WE WAKE UP AND SAY SOMETHING LIKE, “LET’S GO TO CHURCH”. THE SUBTLE THOUGHT HERE IS THAT CHURCH IS SOMETHING WE GO TO. IN OTHER WORDS WE ARE “IN” CHURCH” AND “OUT” OF CHURCH. NOTHING COULD BE FARTHER FROM THE TRUTH, SIMPLY BECAUSE THE SCRIPTURE HAS DECLARED THAT THE CHURCH IS THE BODY OF CHRIST. SO, TO BE OUT OF CHURCH IS TO HAVE AN OUT OF BODY EXPERIENCE. NOW, PAUL DOES WRITE THAT TO BE ABSENT FROM THE BODY IS TO BE PRESENT WITH THE LORD. THE BODY HE WAS TALKING ABOUT WAS HIS, NOT THE LORD’S!
SECOND, THE CHURCH IS NOT A RELIGION. ONE CANNOT HELP BUT FALL INTO THIS TYPE OF THINKING WHEN WE PASS CHURCH AFTER CHURCH. BAPTIST, METHODIST, LUTHERAN, EPISCOPAL, CATHOLIC, BIBLE. FUNDAMENTAL AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON. PERHAPS YOU HAVE BEEN ASKED, “WHAT RELIGION ARE YOU?”, AS IF THAT WAS THE DETERMINING FACTOR. YET, ONCE AGAIN SCRIPTURE DOES NOT SPEAK OF CHURCH AS A RELIGION, BUT A STATE OF BEING. PAUL WRITES IN THE BOOK OF GALATIANS, THAT IF WE WALK IN THE SPIRIT, WE WILL NOT FULFILL THE LUSTS OF THE FLESH. THE ENTIRE BOOK OF FIRST JOHN IS WRITTEN TO DISCUSS THE RELATIONSHIP OF BEING “IN CHRIST”. IN FACT, IF WE REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT IT, THE CHURCH WAS CALLED OUT TO BE SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
WHAT THE CHURCH IS, IS THE GOD CHOSEN MECHANISM TO CHANGE THE WORLD. WITH THAT SAID, THE PASSAGE BEFORE US TODAY, LOOKS AT THE WORLD CHANGING PROPERTIES OF THE CHURCH AND HOW THE APOSTLE PAUL SET ABOUT DRAMATICALLY AFFECTING THE WORLD FOR CHRIST.
PROPOSITION: WITH THE RIGHT MINDSET, KNOWLEDGE AND PASSION WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD!
I. THE GOALS OF THE CHURCH
a. GOALS DEFINED
i. PREACH IN A CITY
ii. PLANT A CHURCH
iii. USE THE CHURCH FOR FURTHER OUTREACH
b. PAUL HAD A PLAN FOR MINISTRY – HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO, AND DID NOT DEVIATE FROM IT.
c. PLANNING IS IMPORTANT IN MINISTRY. WE CANNOT, NOR SHOULD WE ALLOW OURSELVES TO GO OFF UNPLANNED.
d. BIBLICAL PLANNING
i. PRAYER
1. TO DISCERN AND SEE THE NEED
2. TO HAVE PASSION FOR SERVICE
3. TO DETERMINE OUR PLACE IN SERVING
ii. ACTION
1. PREPARATION
2. COMMITMENT
3. INVOLVEMENT
iii. EVALUATION
1. ADJUSTMENTS
2. ENCOURAGEMENT
II. THE METHODS FOR THE CHURCH
a. ESTABLISH A POINT OF CONTACT
i. FOR PAUL THIS WAS THE SYNAGOGUE
1. THE PEOPLE WERE THERE
2. THE NEED WAS THERE
3. FOR THE CHURCH TODAY, ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEED THE HELP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WITH IS DISCERNING WHERE THE NEEDS ARE.
4. OFTEN THE CHURCH IS GUILTY OF ASKING GOD TO BLESS WHAT WE HAVE NOT DETERMINED IS HIS WILL FOR US!
5. WE NEED TO DETERMINE WHAT THESE POINTS ARE IN PEMBERTON IF WE SEEK TO BE EFFECTIVE AS A CHURCH.
ii. PAUL STAYED THERE “THREE SABBATHS”
1. IN REALITY IT WAS A MUCH LONGER TIME.
2. WE ARE TOLD THAT WHILE HE WAS IN THESSALONICA HE RECEIVED FINANCIAL GIFTS FROM THE CHURCH IN PHILIPPI MORE THAN ONCE.
3. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE FOUNDATIONS FOR EFFECTIVE MINISTRY TAKE TIME! WE CANNOT RUSH THE THINGS OF GOD!
b. TEACH FROM THE SCRIPTURES
i. THE REASON -- Isaiah 55:11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
1. THE PROMISE OF GOD REGARDING HIS WORD
2. THE PERSONALITY OF THE WORD – THE WORD IS JESUS
3. THE POWER OF THE WORD – BRINGS SALVATION TO ALL WHO BELIEVE
ii. REASON FROM THE WORD
1. QUESTION AND ANSWER
2. USING THE WORD OF GOD TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS PEOPLE HAVE IN A WAY THAT THE WORD OF GOD IS APPLICABLE TO THEIR LIVES
iii. EXPLAIN THE WORD
1. PARTICULARLY THE GOSPEL
2. A CLOSER LOOK
a. PAUL DID NOT TRY TO COERCE OR HIT THEM OVER THE HEAD WITH THE SCRIPTURES
b. THE ANSWER IS NOT ALWAYS TO SPEAK LOUDER, BUT TO SPEAK CLEARER!
i. THE ISSUE IS REASONING
c. PAUL DID NOT ENTERTAIN THEM INTO THE GOSPEL
i. WE HAVE GOTTEN CAUGHT UP WITH THE “MISTAKE OF MINISTRY”
ii. WE HAVE STARTED TO REFER TO MINISTRIES, INSTEAD OF REMEMBERING THAT WE ARE MINISTERS
iii. WHEN WE FORGET WE ARE MINISTERS AND AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST WE ALSO BEGIN TO LOSE THE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE GREAT COMMISSION AND SWITCH TO SUPPORTING THE GOSPEL RATHER THAN PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL!
iv. PROCLAIM THE WORD
1. THIS MEANS TO PREACH OR DECLARE OPENLY
2. WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL THAT WE DO NOT HIDE THE GOSPEL FROM OTHERS
3. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SPIRITUAL THINGS WE NEED TO BE OPEN ABOUT THEM
a. OPENNESS INVOLVES SPIRITUAL INTEGRITY
b. OPENNESS INVOLVES PREPARATION
c. OPENNESS INVOLVES PRACTICE!
III. THE RESULTS OF THE CHURCH
a. PEOPLE COME TO KNOW THE LORD
b. BARRIERS ARE BROKEN – WE HAVE JEWS AND GREEKS NOW TOGETHER
c. PERSECUTION COMES
i. SOME OF IT IS VALID – JEWS WERE FULL OF JEALOUSY AND ENVY BECAUSE THEY DID NOT BELIEVE
ii. SOME IS NOT VALID – THERE WAS NO DEFYING OF CAESAR, BUT THIS WAS A GOOD LIE IN ORDER TO GET PEOPLE ON YOUR SIDE
iii. SOME IS PERSONAL – THE GROUP WENT AFTER JASON
1. Romans 16:21 Timothy, my fellow worker, sends his greetings to you, as do Lucius, Jason and Sosipater, my relatives.
d. WHAT I REALLY WANT YOU TO SEE IS THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL AND OUR PERSISTENCE
i. PAUL WOULD LATER WRITE A LETTER TO THIS CHURCH AND HEAR IS WHAT THAT LETTER TELLS US ABOUT THE RESULT OF THE WORK
1. WHAT WAS PREACHED WAS BLESSED BY GOD!
1 Thessalonians 1:5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.
2. PEOPLE RECEIVED THE WORD OF GOD EAGERLY
1 Thessalonians 2:13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.
3. BELIEVERS MODELED THEMSELVES AFTER PAUL – THAT WOULD BE DISCIPLESHIP AND MENTORING
1 Thessalonians 1:6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.
4. THE BELIEVERS THEMSELVES BECAME MODELS
1 Thessalonians 1:7 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.
5. THE CHURCH BECAME A MISSIONARY CHURCH
1 Thessalonians 1:8 The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia--your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it,
AS WE CAN SEE FROM THE MINISTRY OF PAUL, SERVICE FOR CHRIST IS NOT A FLASH IN THE PAN EVENT, RATHER IT IS A PERSISTENT ACTIVITY OF THOSE COMMITTED TO THE PERSON OF CHRIST!
WILL YOU BE COMMITTED TODAY?
