— using the church at Antioch as a model — Andrew Fountain: Mar 3, 2019
Goal:
To summarize the values of Newlife Church using the church of Antioch as a model and learn how we can respond
Outline
The need for a plan when you are building
Seven values from the church in Antioch
Our response
Its important to have values If you don’t, then you could end up with anything:
No Values (Upside Down Church)
I once heard a preacher ask the question: “What is God’s job description”
Of course God can do whatever he wants, but if you ask what he loves to do...
He loves to undo all the evil that Satan has done
and to turn it into something even more wonderful that it was originally
But his main tool for accomplishing this is the church
We are the body of Christ—the hands and feet
Jesus didn’t stop working 2,000 years ago, he carries on through us
Not just as individuals, but through a harmoniously working body—the church
For some people, their vision of a church is something like this:
Notre-Dame Basilica, Montreal
Will we ever own a building—I don’t know
I would rather rent the Skydome than own something like this:
So did Jesus give us any plans for how to build a church?
He actually gave us a whole book as a blueprint, plus a lot of letters to churches
The book of Acts was intended to be taken as a pattern for us (always?)
except in the places where it was clearly an unrepeatable event
Many people have noticed that Luke very often gives us pairs of stories
A good rule of thumb is that if Luke gives us two examples, and they are both positive and repeatable
then Luke is intending to show us a pattern
Two accounts of Paul preaching to pagans
Two accounts of the Spirit being poured out while the church was in prayer
Two accounts of Paul giving his testimony
Two accounts of people being raised from the dead
More than two missionary journeys where the main goal was to plant churches
The first church that was planted in Antioch, just up the coast from Palestine
The city of Antioch today
We are going to look at Acts 11:19–30 and 13:1–3
1. Evangelism and Growth by God’s grace
Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews.
But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus.
And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.
Have you had an event in your life when you can say “I know that God’s hand was with me”
Can there be anything more powerful or more encouraging?
Evangelism without God’s hand is impossible—like making stones come alive
But our prayer as a church is for his hand
There were some times in 2018 where I saw God’s hand with me in an amazing way
We are going to pray at the end that God’s hand is with you, especially that you can talk about Jesus.
1. Evangelism and Growth by God’s grace cont’d
And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.
The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he encouraged them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose,
for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.
First and formost we are about making followers of Jesus (that’s what he told us to do!)
Any way we can, we want to reach Toronto
Valley of dry bones (that is why we are called NewLife Churcy)
NewLife grass image
Let’s continue through the passage, and these seven things are not going to be in order of importance, but in the order they come in the story.
2. A high value on developing people and bringing them to maturity
So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
Barnabas fetched Paul (Saul was his Hebrew name) because he knew he was the very best teacher
He knew that if this was going to be the sending base for the Gentile world, it had to have a very strong foundation.
They needed to be, because this was going to be the sending base for all the churches around the Mediterranean, including Rome.
Can you imagine a whole year of Bible training from the Apostle Paul!
Paul didn’t just teach with his words, but his whole life preached to them, and he invested in people by taking them on his team
Timothy was one of the people Paul invested in
People invested in me—student group. 18 years old, about to speak
Locked myself in the bathroom, almost feeling like throwing up, but I survived,
and people kept on pushing me out of my comfort zone, and then supporting me.
3. Strong in all the spiritual gifts
Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius).
One of the five-fold giftings
Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers
we see them all here (pastors not explicit, but Barnabus was an encourager)
I preached two weeks ago on the gifts. If you didn’t get a sheet…
You’ll hear soon what we will be doing that you can be involved in
Very interesting here: the purpose of prophecy (as with all the gifts) is to build one another up, and we will see now how this happened.
4. Love one another sacrificially and respond to social needs
Sacrificial love to those in need, demonstrated in practical ways
A church that loves one another sacrificially and responds to social needs
So the disciples determined, everyone according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.
And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
The Kingdom of God must be demonstrated as well as taught
Of course not just physical needs
But that is a picture of what the kingdom does spiritually
Yet if we ignore physical needs James condemns us!
We are very interested in this as a church.
We began a program called “Christians against Poverty”, which is very good, but not exactly the best fit for us
It this city of so many social needs, we must respond
I am currently in discussion with YSM who work with homeless youth —I hope something can come out of it that you can be involved with
But this does not always have to be organized—lots of personal needs
Interlude in ch 12 where Herod persecutes the church
follow Barnabas and Paul down the coast to Jerusalem, then the camera follows them back
focus at this point shifts to Antioch
(finally Rome)
Acts ends, not with Paul dying, but with in an upward and outward direction
Outline
The need for a plan when you are building
Seven values from the church in Antioch
New Life—Evangelism and Growth by God’s grace and favour
A high value on developing people and bringing them to maturity
Strong in all the spiritual gifts
Love one another sacrificially and respond to social needs
Our response
5. Diversity
A church whose members are diverse in culture and social position
Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers,
Barnabas,
Simeon who was called Niger,
Lucius of Cyrene,
Manaen a member of the court of Herod the tetrarch,
and Saul.
Different ethnic backgrounds
and different strata of society
Ethnic:
From Cyrene
Niger means dark-skinned
social:
nobleman
Discipes of Jesus were similarly very varied
no accident that Luke mentions this
Wonderful ethnic diversity in Newlife Church
Evidence that it is from God—not something natural
You respond by not just speaking with your own “tribe”
This is really important
6. Seeking God in Prayer
A valuing of prayer and God’s presence as our source of their strength
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting,…
They depended on God totally
They didn’t just read the lasted books on church growth strategies
We had a great prayer meeting on Thursday, but let’s grow in this!
You can respond by joining us at the prayer meeting on March 28!
7. Missions
A church that has missions at it’s heart and is a strong sending and resourcing base
(cont’d) …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.
I want to see this
We have all the nations gathered here in Toronto
We can do cross-cultural missions in Toronto without even leaving the GTA!
In Canada we have two very large groups that I long to see the Kingdom break into:
French Canada —Quebec and some other regions
The First Nations people, where so many social programs have failed
Refugees from Muslim countries,
We cannot rest as Canadians when there is such darkness, so close to us
Values of Newlife Church
New Life—Evangelism and Growth by God’s grace and favour
A high value on developing people and bringing them to maturity
Strong in all the spiritual gifts
Love one another sacrificially and respond to social needs
Diversity
Seeking God in prayer as our source of strength
Missions in our heart and a strong sending/resourcing base
Summary
God’s kingdom come in Toronto, demonstrating
the love of the Father,
the truth of Jesus Christ,
and the power of the Holy Spirit
Do you know God’s love for you?
Do you know the truth that Jesus can set you free, give you complete forgiveness and a hope for eternity?
Do you know God’s power in your life? Ask, it’s free!
