Acts 12:24-13:3 First Missionary Journey begins
12:24-25 Missionary Trio: Barnabas, Saul and John Mark
13:01-02 Church at Prayer for Missionary Work
13:03 First Missionary Journey began
Introduction:
Henceforth, we will know the importance of mission work among the Jews and extensively among the Gentiles. The courageous Barnabas and Saul took the missionary journey with the powerful words of Jesus Christ. They are not setting off for a tour but the missionary work. They did evangelism and Church planting. Evangelism always ends with Church planting can not be separated. No one could be simply an evangelist without bringing people to the Conviction of Sin, forgiveness, and the need of a Saviour.
Acts 12:24-25 Missionary Trio: Barnabas, Saul, and John Mark
Word of God continued to increase and spread after the death of the cruel King Herod. In His appointed hour and time, God will eradicate and extinguish the even distinguished persons if they stand in the way of the progressing Church. The emerging of the Missionary Trio looks interesting – Barnabas, Saul, and John Mark. God puts people together for the mission purpose. Though these three were unique in their identities yet they are one in vision and for the mission. There was appreciation amongst them, and they understood one another in Christ. They shared faith in God, and they spent time together.
Acts 13:01-02 Church at Prayer for Missionary Work
The church at Antioch was pictured as a missionary and visionary Church. There were five persons, and they had possessed different talents, prophets, and teachers. Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, Manaen, and Saul. These five had come from various places and had different backgrounds and qualifications. They were unique in their language, brought up, and vocations before joining the Church. But there was oneness in Christ and closeness in fellowship. They all had one thing in common was their faith. Yet, they were united. They were attracted to the lifestyle and sacrifice of Christ. The Church at Antioch was a big congregation. However, the number of people who spent time in prayer was only five. They spent time worshipping and fasting. The Holy Spirit spoke to them and challenged them to set apart two people for missionary work.
Acts 13:03 First Missionary Journey began.
The call of God was highly valued and honored. Immediately the Church obeyed the command of the Holy Spirit. They fasted, prayed about this matter. Three of them placed their hands on the two, and they sent them for the missionary work. Three of them became promotional workers, fundraising teams, supporting prayer teams. Two of them became missionaries and took the Gospel to the gentiles world. They have decided to follow Christ and to take the Gospel to the world. The promise of the Pentecost became their life experience.
Discussion:
1. Do you have a prayer partner, mission partner, study partner?
2. Do we appreciate one another in the Church? How we value the uniqueness of an individual in the Church life?
3. Does our Church fulfill the call of God?
4. Discuss Evangelism and Church Planting.
(For series of studies in Acts, please refer to this website)
