Three Statements:
• I propose that effective immediately, Grace Community Church stop supporting missionaries.
• I am completely serious.
• By the end of this message, I believe you will agree with me.
Got your attention? Follow along this morning as we read Acts 13:1-4:
Now there were in the church at Antioch two men named Barnabas and Saul. And the Holy Spirit said to them, “I have chosen you to be missionaries.” So Barnabas and Saul enrolled in Antioch Bible College and received Bible degrees. And after praying, Barnabas and Saul felt led to go to Cyprus. And so they did contact the Cyprus Mission Society, and underwent psychological testing and aptitude testing and found the perfect mission fit for themselves. And after many years of preparation in this manner, Barnabas said to Saul, “Come, let us go to the church, that we may receive support.” And they did. Thus did the church support Barnabas and Saul as they went on their mission to Cyprus.
What, that’s not what your translation says? Hmmm…back to that…
The beginning of Chapter 13 marks a hinge point in the book of Acts. If we wanted to trace the beginning of the worldwide missionary movement to one text of Scripture, it might be this one, for this details The Beginning of the First Missionary Journey. Recall Acts 1:8; Jesus had said, "you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem--Ground Zero, as it were--Judaea, the surrounding territory; and Samaria, a call which represented the crossing of all sorts of cultural and religious barriers. Now, "the uttermost parts" of the earth are in view. Not that the way hadn't been paved in notable ways:
• Stephen, the martyr, had boldly proclaimed the truth and paid for it with his life
• Philip had evangelized Samaritans and a man from Ethiopia
• Saul--soon to be Paul--had been converted and commissioned as apostle to the Gentiles
• Cornelius, a Gentile centurion, had been converted after Peter received a vision from God
• The Gospel had been preached to Hellenists as well
These events had paved the way, but still had taken place basically on home turf, limited to Syrian and Palestinian mainlands. Now, it was time for the Gospel to go aggressively to the ends of the earth. But before we get to Chapter 13 today, let’s look at the immediate context (12:24-25):
But the word of God increased and multiplied. And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had completed their service, bringing with them John, whose other name was Mark. (Acts 12:24-25 ESV)
John Mark is the cousin of Barnabas; his mother Mary was a very prominent woman in the early church and it was likely Mary's home where the church had gathered to pray for Peter's release. John Mark's character and commitment to Christ had apparently made quite the impression on Saul and Barnabas, and so they not only took money to the saints in Jerusalem, but they received from those saints this young man Mark, an able, educated teacher.
So we find Saul, Barnabas, and John Mark in Antioch, as we look at this major turning point in the book of Acts. Let’s try Acts 13 again…
Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. (Acts 13:1-4 ESV) Note first
I. The Impetus for Mission: The Holy Spirit
We will speak more in a few moments about the context of the work of the Holy Spirit in this narrative, but notice that the initiative, the impetus, for mission is taken by God the Holy Spirit.
• The Holy Spirit "said"
In some way that was quite clear, the Spirit of God spoke to these men.
• "Set apart"
Separate these men from the rest of the leaders, for a special appointment:
• "The work...called them"
What's the work? Whatever it is, it isn't very specific right here, right? This is reminiscent of God's call to Abram, "Go to the land I will show you." Here, "set them apart for the work to which I've called them." Short on specifics, certainly, but the work was assuredly that which our Lord tasks us with: "as you are going, make disciples."
• "Sent out by the Holy Spirit" - :4
It is the Spirit Who is the impetus of mission; He is the One Who sends missionaries, who takes the lead. Notice next, though
II. The Instrument of Mission: The Church
The work of world missions is the work of the church as it is led by the Spirit of God.
• Represented by the elder leadership
"Prophets and teachers" - Two critical offices in the founding of the early church. Prophecy involved the forthtelling of a message from God and sometimes, the foretelling of events yet future, also prompted by God. Prior to the establishment of the canon of Scripture, the word of God came through the mouths of inspired prophets in response to a very direct word from the Spirit. Teaching might be seen as the more "mundane" of the two tasks, but it had the most lasting effect, as the Scriptures--what we call the "Old Testament"--were connected with the prophecies given, and the young church would be nourished thereby. Five men are listed:
"Barnabas" - real name Joseph, but he was nicknamed Barnabas, "Son of Encouragement", a real tribute due to the gift he had for uplifting and encouraging others.
"Simeon" may well have been Simon of Cyrene, compelled to carry the cross of the Lord. He was called "Niger", meaning "the black guy", which let's face it, sounds a little awkward to us, but I'm pretty sure this wasn't some first-century racism going on, right?
"Lucius and Manaen" - we know nothing of them for certain save this verse, but interestingly, Manaen, the lifelong friend of Herod, may well have been his "foster brother". Herod was instrumental in the death of John Baptist and the trial of our Lord. Luke in his gospel shows much interest in the family of Herod; Manaen was very likely his source.
Finally Saul, of whom we know much. This was what we'd call a "multi-cultural" church from the beginning, ready now to launch a world church.
But is the "they" in verse two to be restricted to these five? It is difficult to say for certain one way or the other, but John Stott makes the case that likely this was a worship gathering of the church as a whole.
• Worshiping/fasting
Do you see the parallel between this day and the Day of Pentecost? The church gathered together to pray, to worship, and in this case, to fast, and the Holy Spirit shows up.
It's a shame that the evangelical church today has largely equated "worshiping" with what happens when somebody has a guitar in their hands--not that I have a problem with guitars! The word for “worshiping” in the Greek comes from a Greek root word that I can't pronounce and you won't remember, but it entailed working in service to God, as well as prayer. The first sense in Luke’s mind was likely the “breaking of bread and prayers”, mentioned in Acts 2 as very important elements of the church in Jerusalem. Worship of God is bound up, not only in ascribing worth to God in a verbal way (such as singing or otherwise praising God), but in work done in the name of Jesus, and for the sake of Him. It can’t be so neatly confined to what we do when a praise team is present!
“Fasting” – Gives evidence of what Harrison called an “atmosphere of urgent desire”. Only one fast, the day of Atonement, was called for in the Old Testament, but pious Jews had adopted the practice of abstaining from food twice a week, and it seems like this was something that the new Christian community carried over into Christian faith, not as a rule, but as a discipline. Fasting is, as Stott describes it, “a negative action (abstention from food and other distractions) for the sake of a positive one (worshipping or praying).” And as the church was doing these things,
• Spoken to by the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit speaks. Note that the Spirit has personality; He is more than merely a "force" a la Star Wars or something. We are not told exacty how the Spirit spoke. It's quite possible that it was via the agency of one of the prophets mentioned in verse 1; it’s not outside the realm of possibility that His was an audible voice heard by all. And the Spirit said to the church, either leaders or whole body, “separate Barnabas & Saul.”
The work of world missions is the work of the church as it is led by the Spirit of God. Right now, John and Andrew and Courtney and Kerry and Charlotte and Candace and Garrett and Sarah and Doug and Heather are halfway around the world doing the work of the Lord. God has called us, the church, to take the gospel to the nations, and these choice servants are supporting us in what God has called us to do. Which segues us nicely to our third point this morning:
The church is God’s instrument of mission, supported by
III. The Individuals on Mission: Saul & Barnabas
Notice some things about these men who support the church:
• Proven in effective ministry
The picture painted in I Timothy 3 of those who would serve in elder leadership is of men with an established track record. “Newbies” to the faith are excluded, and the idea of having an established reputation of effectiveness in ministry is clear. Barney and Saul had been charged by the church with the specific task of representing the church with a financial gift from the Antioch church to the brothers living in Judea who were suffering from a great famine. They were trustworthy; they had established credentials, a track record of effective service. The emblem of the Christian worker is not the scepter nor the gavel, but rather the towel and the basin, the equipment of one who'd stoop to wash the feet of his fellow believers. It is clear from the witness of Scripture that these men had attitudes of willing service to Christ for the sake of the gospel.
• Yielded to do...whatever
We don't notice hesitation on the part of Saul and Barnabas. We only read that they "went down to Seleucia, sailed to Cyprus, and arrived at Salamis". But there is no hesitation on the part of the church; here were a couple of Antioch's "best and brightest", sent out by the Spirit to who knows where, and the church was cool with that. The church at Antioch didn't spend time questioning why they should send out two choice servants to who-knows-where, to many who'd not welcome the gospel, not return them any favors, and might even martyr these intrepid missionaries. Instead of dwelling on the possibility of adversity, the church at Antioch focused on the opportunity to follow the will of God, and willingly sent Barnabas and Saul out. And when the day comes, God willing in the not-too-distant future, when Grace sends out a group of people to pioneer a new work somewhere in this area, let us not fear that God will not raise up others to take their places! As God leads, let us move in faith!
What did the church then do? "Laid hands on them/sent them off"
What was the church doing in sending these two off? They were publicly identifying with these men, indicating that these men’s mission was their mission. World missions--making disciples of Jesus wherever people are found--is the work of the church from beginning to end. Raise your hand if you are part of the church, if you are a follower of Jesus. Great...thanks for volunteering, because the instrument of God's work in the world is the local church, which sent them out. But wait...look at verse 4: "being sent out by the Holy Spirit". Who sends out missionaries, the Holy Spirit or the church? Yes.
Stott suggests that this balance is a corrective to unhealthy extremes. The importance of the church’s involvement cannot be overstressed in our culture particularly, because we have this individualistic, do-my-thing-with-Jesus mindset that almost views the church as a nice add-on, but ultimately secondary to my own experience of God. It can even infect the way we do something as God-ordained as the work of world missions! The Christian who effectively says, “it’s my call to make, me and the Holy Spirit”, who doesn’t take the church into account in the making of decisions that involve the Lord’s work, is out-of-bounds Scripturally. On the other hand, the church that operates like a business, relegating the Holy Spirit to a ceremonial role, almost, is surely wrong as well. The church sends representatives to support it in its work as the instrument of mission as it is led by the Spirit. I want to finish with
IV. The Implications for Us
This message isn’t merely missions theory; buckle up, Grace! 7 thoughts:
• We need to be done with this idea that missions is a "program" of the church, that missionaries are "doing their thing". No...the work of mission--here, there, everywhere--is the work of the church.
In too many churches, there’s the music ministry, and the children's program, and the youth work, and the men's ministry, and the women's ministry, and somewhere in an ecclesiological backwater, there are these people who come once every four years, dressed funny and quoting John 3:16 in Setswana, whose names, faces, stories, and slideshows we forget about the week after they are gone. No! I believe at Grace we understand, but it bears repeating, that the work of mission is the work of the church, and that includes very centrally the work of God in parts of the world where the light of the Gospel is so very dim.
• The Scriptural paradigm is this: it is missionaries who support the work that the Holy Spirit has given the church!
This is why I say that we need to stop supporting missionaries, folks. If the church is the instrument of God's mission in the world--and it is--then when we speak of "support", our first, default position should be that those who are on the front lines of mission are supporting the church in the work God has called it to do! Sure, we pray for them; we financially partner with them; we encourage them; we direct them and hold them accountable; we provide for their needs in a variety of ways, and if you want to use the word “support” in those senses, I’m OK with that. But somehow there are altogether too many people who view the work of evangelizing the world as some kind of remote thing that is done by a few people, and we shuffle them some money and prayer as they do their thing, and that's just reversed. Or individuals almost forget about the church as they "sense the call of God" on their lives, select a mission field, make all sorts of plans, and then toward the end, come to the church to support them in the thing they believe God would have them do. What a better, more Scripturally-faithful paradigm for the church to be in on things from the beginning rather than near the tail end!
• Every person who is part of the body, the church, has a part to play in the mission of the church.
Time prevents going into great detail here, but you pray--knowledgeably. You give. You encourage. You are part of the church that holds accountable. You consider going--short- or long-term. God didn't give the work of world evangelization to a few people; He gave it to us. Next,
• Church leaders, I challenge you to a proactive stance that defies contemporary evangelical expectations but hues to Acts 13.
American individualism and simple passivity have governed the approach of far too many churches for far too long; the church has been reactive rather than proactive, and the stakes are high. We too often are content to wait until we are approached by some young person or married couple who believe God has laid something on their hearts. Great for them—but are we seeking God's face that He might raise up people in our congregation, and are we willing to act with holy boldness in issuing the challenge and the call? Dare I suggest that maybe we seek God and take the initiative? As I have today encouraged our young people, some of our brightest and best, to prayerfully consider vocational ministry, I pray that our leadership will courageously challenge and guide some into God's work in this way.
• Individuals/couples/young people, are you willing to submit to leadership of God thru His church?
What if it is you? What if the leadership of this church, seizing upon the responsibility of world missions and following the leading of the Spirit, comes to you and says, "we believe God would have you serve Him in vocational ministry, cross-cultural ministry"?
• Going further, there is something to be said for urging some toward vocational ministry.
I have been part of movements in the past that diminished the importance of non-vocational ministry—“laypeople”—and seemed to place inordinate focus on urging young people to vocational ministry. As a counterbalance to that, I preached regularly about the critical, missional role that the "average Christian" can/must play in the advance of the gospel; funny, it never occurred to me that I might actually be one of those, but I've been minister of chicken now for nearly six years. I wonder now if the pendulum might not have swung too far, to the point where we hardly ever say to our young people, "you should prayerfully and strongly consider giving your life to vocational Christian ministry. You should prayerfully consider pastoral ministry, or vocational world missions involvement. You should be open to the leadership of this church to that end." Young men, you sure don't have to be a preacher boy--but you might want to prayerfully consider it! No, you don’t have to be a full-time, cross-cultural missionary to serve God, but what a privilege, and if the Holy Spirit comes calling through this church, will you be open to that call?
• Parents, are you willing to bless your children as they follow Christ--wherever He leads?
Etched in my mind are memories of missions conferences of my youth, when some of the most amazing servants of God would come to our church and tell God-stories of the advance of the Gospel. One particular memory is crystal clear. At a certain point during a time of commitment, this question was asked: parents, if God chooses to use your children on some foreign mission field, will you yield to His will and give to them your full support? And I will never forget dozens of moms and dads rising in answer to that question, saying, "God, my hands are off; use my children as You see fit." And there among those standing were my own dear Mom and Dad, unreservedly saying, "take my children for Your eternal use, Lord, wherever and however you see fit". For Karen and myself, that has meant moving away from home and living in different parts of this country for over 30 years in service to the Lord; right now, my only sibling, my younger sister Connie, is on a three-year billet with her Navy chaplain husband in Naples, Italy. Never once have either of us doubted where Mom and Dad have stood all this time. Parents, is your desire for your children that they first/foremost serve God with their lives—wherever that call may take them?
Through the instrument of the church, the Holy Spirit sent out Barnabas and Saul on the first of what has now become who knows how many countless missionary expeditions. The question for today is, who among you will be the next to support the work that God has called Grace to do?
