It takes me back almost 2.5 years ago when we planted the church in Manila. We were anxious. We did it because we believed that this was God’s direction. Yet, we didn’t quite know what to expect. It is a big step out of our comfort zone. But, as a Church, we pushed some walls down. The fact that no one has done it, doesn’t mean it cannot be done. The fact that you have not done it does not mean you cannot do it. Say to the person next to you, “I’m glad you tried! ’AS PEOPLE OF FAITH And a PEOPLE WITH A BIG GOD, WE NEED TO ENGAGE OURSELVES AND OUR FAITH INTO A NEW OF THINKING AND BELIEVING AND ACTING. We hear it all the time, “with God, things are possible.” Exactly right, and God will literally pull us closer to Him to get it into our faith system.
Go with me please in Acts 13:1-3, (1) Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) (a ruler who depended on Rome for his power to govern a Roman colony), and Saul. (2) While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for work to which I have called them.” (3) so after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.”
The church in Antioch has prophets and teachers. Prophets and teachers are distinct offices that support the ministry of the church; a very important office in the church/body of Christ. These are people are trusted to hear from God for the people and are given by Christ to the church. These Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) Saul who is a Jew (Paul).
Ephesians 4: 11-13 “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, (12) to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up (13) until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
So What are these people doing? V2) they were worshiping the Lord and fasting. - they gathered together in one place worshiping God and fasting and praying (v3) and so the Holy Spirit instructed them to take a step of faith that no one had ever done before.
THE CHURCH IN ANTIOCH – As a bit of background, let’s quickly talk about the spiritual climate at that time. Chapter 12 indicates that it was a time of severe persecution. In C.11:2, James, the brother of John was put to death with the sword (11:2). He was persecuted and martyred for his faith. In (11:4-18) Peter was arrested and jailed at Herod’s command, but the church was earnestly praying. The Lord answered and Peter miraculously got out of jail by the angel of the Lord. Herod was struck by an angel of the Lord for his blasphemy and arrogance. He was eaten by worms and he died days after (12:23).
And at the same time, a season of evangelization. The Word of God was spreading and flourishing (12:24). THEY WERE HAVING A REVIVAL! God was bringing spiritual fruits in all they do. It seems like God put a birthing unit in heaven where spiritual babies were popping non-stop. And that was during unlikely times. When Christians were getting killed, new believers were entering the door of the church!!! Their Evangelistic efforts were on overdrive and people were getting saved. It was a difficult and exciting time for the church.
Internal Risk - Because the word was spreading within the region, the church in Antioch with its mix of Gentile believers may have felt a great need for God to send the gospel to the Gentiles around the world. A good observation would be that the WORD/GOSPEL had outgrown its area. It might have reached its saturation point and had to rip its borders apart to allow the spread to continue. If not, the word would hit a plateau. It will stop spreading, and the excitement can potentially die over time. It seems that they were praying and fasting how to go about this mission – or at least God’s will for their church.
The character of the church! I look at the character of the church in Antioch. They were resilient during troubled times. They had good reason to retreat, be complacent, to pull the plug out, and shut down because their lives were on the firing line, but, no, they were persistent in prayer and fasting during those times. They took the hard call, pray and fast, fast and pray. We don’t know how long and how they fasted but what was clear was the fact that prayer and fasting were not a big deal to them. An indication that it was a normal part of their lives as an individual and as a church.
WHAT SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLES DO WE GET OUT OF THIS?
1. GOD GOT A PLAN (V2) “Separate for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” GOD GOT A PLAN FOR THESE TWO. HE SURE does, BECAUSE GOD IS A GOD WHO HAVE A PLAN - He is intentional in all HE DOES! Jeremiah 29:11.
Everything that happened at that time was related to the plan of God to reach the ends of the world with the gospel. And He is always the center of His plan.
Even in writing the Bible, it was God’s Plan and it was for a reason. In John 20:31 “But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have eternal life in his name.”
2. Every plan of God is communicated to us in the form of an idea. And a God idea doesn’t just come out of nowhere. (v2)
These guys felt the need for the Gentile community to experience God, so they put in the hard work to know from God. They were intentional in approach! What are these guys doing again? (2) They were worshiping the Lord and fasting. Luke didn’t tell us how long they were doing that before the Spirit break out. What he told us was that as in the middle of praying and fasting, the Spirit did break out and gave them specific instruction. Have you been asking God for a God idea, a God intervention in your difficult position? You might think, yes, money is good, health is good, BUT, my business isn’t. I need a God-idea to get it off the ground. I need a new employer, a new job that suits my passion. Whatever the case may be. ARE YOU INTENTIONAL to getting/receiving it? Proverbs 16:1-4 “We humans make plans, but the Lord has the final word. (v2) We may think we know what is right, but the Lord is the judge of our motives, (3) Share your plans with the Lord and you will succeed. (4) The Lord has a reason for everything he does.” CEV
3. GOD’S ASSIGNMENT IS GOD’S APPOINTMENT.
V2) the Holy Spirit instructed them to set apart Saul and Barnabas for the work I have called them to do.
Don’t you think that Barnabas and Saul probably looked each other in the eye and said, “two of us” oh no, Holy Spirit, was not even thinking of going anywhere? Barnabas who was more senior than Paul in the faith might be saying this to the Holy Spirit, “As you know the church in Jerusalem sent us here for the time being to help the growing work (Acts 11:19–22) of the church here. So, Paul and I would just be here for a year to help in Antioch, and the two men worked in the church for a year, teaching “a large company of … Christians” (Acts 11:26).
Beloved! God already has work for you to do. You would not know that by scratching your head every day thinking that you’ll figure it out one day. Or by passing time because you are waiting. If you are a person who wants to takes care of your future, or that of your family, these realities should be enough reason for you and me to wait on God and get close to Him. The worst thing that could happen is for you to miss the work that God has beautifully crafted and reserve for you. Waiting does not mean doing! On the contrary, active waiting is much harder work.
Psalm 27:14 “Wait for and confidently expect the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for and confidently expect the Lord.” Romans 12:12 “Rejoice in hope, be patient in time of trouble, never stop praying.”
Would you actively wait on the Lord?
4. WHAT YOU THINK INSIGNIFICANT TODAY MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY BE INSIGNIFICANT AT ALL. IN A LOT OF TIMES, WE WON'T SEE THE FRUIT OF WHAT WE DO UNTIL LATER DOWN THE TRACK.
V3) So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
Worship, fasting, laying on of hands – that’s what they do in the church; nothing much comes out of it really, it’s liturgy! Well, we see what God did here does not support that idea. God honors faith in Christ!
Who would think that their laying on of hands to Barnabas and Saul would mean greater things further down the track? Who would think that what they had engaged to do would make a global impact! They probably didn’t think their humble gesture of dependence on God would put their humble church in the map, let alone their names in the pages of the Scriptures.
From all the churches around that time, the church in Antioch was the first to have caught God’s vision of a “foreign mission.” Church, you just don’t know what God is going to do. You watch and see with great expectation! WHAT YOU THINK INSIGNIFICANT TODAY MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY BE INSIGNIFICANT AT ALL. The disciples didn’t see it too. In John 9:1-3, while Jesus was on the road with his disciples, they saw a man who was blind from birth. (2) His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (3) Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in Him.”
GOD’S ASSIGNMENT IS GOD’S APPOINTMENT. From this House, will come prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, apostles. And there are so many other gifts of the Spirit, aside from these; entrepreneurs, bankers, lawyers, missionaries, etc. Pray and fast, tarry with expectation, until you see His hands do His mighty works.
