Just Like Barnabas: Evangelistic

Transcription

1 Just Like Barnabas: Evangelistic Summary and Goal As God continued to work through the believers in Antioch, He recruited Saul and Barnabas to continue His evangelistic commission to other regions. Comparing their commissioning to Jesus commissioning of the disciples reveals the evangelistic core of God s work in the world, which continues today. Main Passages Acts 13:1-4; Matthew 28:16-20 Session Outline 1. Worship Fueled the Commission (Acts 13:1-2a) 2. The Evangelistic Call is Authoritative (Acts 13:2b) 3. Commissioning Leads to Going (Acts 13:3-4) 4. The Call for All Disciples (Matthew 28:16-20) Theological Theme God s people are commissioned to carry His gospel throughout the world. Christ Connection Just as Christ commissioned the Eleven, that commission and its corresponding power continue to work in the world today. Missional Application The mission of God is the call upon the life of a Christ follower to bear witness to Christ on a daily basis. 1 Leader Guide

2 Historical Context of Acts Purpose To give an accurate account of the birth and growth of the Christian church. Author Luke (a Gentile physician) To Whom Written Theophilus and all lovers of God Date Written Between A.D. 63 and 70 Setting Acts is the connecting link between Christ s life and the life of the church, between the Gospels and the Letters. Key Verses But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8 Key People Peter, John, James, Stephen, Philip, Paul, Barnabas, Cornelius, James (Jesus brother), Timothy, Lydia, Silas, Titus, Apollos, Agabus, Ananias, Felix, Festus, Agrippa, Luke Key Places Jerusalem, Samaria, Lydda, Joppa, Antioch, Cyprus, Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, Corinth, Ephesus, Caesarea, Malta, Rome Special Features Acts is a sequel to the Gospel of Luke. Because Acts ends so abruptly, Luke may have planned to write a third book, continuing the story. Date of My Bible Study: 2

3 5 Session Plan Just Like Barnabas: Evangelistic Introduction In this week s session, Barnabas and Saul were chosen by the Holy Spirit to begin the first of many evangelistic journeys throughout their region. Holding their experience up to the pattern of Jesus commissioning, the disciples showed that increased intimacy with God, through prayer and biblical community, ignited the evangelistic flame of the church. What images come to mind when you hear the phrase, living evangelistically? What contributes to your associating these images with evangelism? How does it make you feel to realize that God has called you to live evangelistically, if you are a follower of Christ? What are some practical ways you embrace that calling? For Further Discussion What do you experience in corporate worship that is unique from your personal worship experiences? What would you identify as the greatest benefits for spiritual growth in corporate worship? 1. Worship Fueled the Commission (Acts 13:1-2a) One of the immediate things to be noticed about the commissioning of Barnabas and Saul is that it occurred within the context of corporate worship. Luke very plainly described the sequence of events as moving from a large group to two specific men. As he described the church at Antioch, Luke painted a picture of the leadership of the community of faith, including the specific roles that were most prominent. Among the prophets and teachers were Barnabas and Saul. What impact do you think having teachers in the Antioch congregation that were raised from among the ranks the believers had? How does this make you think about the importance of your own growth in Christ? 2. The Evangelistic Call is Authoritative (Acts 13:2b) As the believers in Antioch were assembled in corporate worship, the Holy Spirit spoke to them. This was a highly significant moment in that it confirmed Jesus description of the Holy Spirit, as recorded in John s Gospel. In Jesus farewell discourse in John 14-17, He described the Holy Spirit four different times. In doing so, Jesus told the disciples that the 3 Leader Guide

4 Holy Spirit would not speak on His own, but only what He hears (John 16:13). That was exactly what took place in the worship gathering in Antioch. If the call from the Holy Spirit was authoritative for Saul and Barnabas (and it was), what does that imply about God s calling on your own life? 3. Commissioning Leads to Going (Acts 13:3-4) Once they were called by the Holy Spirit through the community of faith in Antioch, Barnabas and Saul obediently left for their missionary endeavor. There was certainly still important gospel work happening in Antioch. However, God had called them to function in a specific way in His redemptive plan. After the calling by the Holy Spirit, the faith community rallied around the two evangelists, prayerfully laying their hands on them to commission them to the work. How has God called you to act in a specific way for the advancement of His kingdom? How do you need to act on this now? 4. The Call for All Disciples (Matthew 28:16-20) As Matthew recorded Jesus commission to the eleven remaining disciples, he identified the role of worship in the commissioning process, just as would be the case with the church in Antioch. The Eleven had obediently traveled to Galilee, as Jesus had instructed them through women. With beautiful transparency Matthew noted that, while some of the disciples worshiped Jesus immediately, there were others among them that doubted. Before the commissioning of the disciples to take the lead in global evangelism, their encounter with Christ led them to worship. The recognition of His deity brought the disciples the proper posture of humble submission before their risen Lord. Would you say that most of the believers you know view the Great Commission as mandatory or optional? Why do you think so? How does that match up with what Scripture teaches about commissioning? Conclusion How does the call to live evangelistically currently find its expression in you? How would you like for that to change in the next month? What can you do about it today? Who in your life knows you well enough that they can offer informed insight as to how God has gifted you to serve Him? For Further Discussion How would you describe your current worship practices? How often do you engage in worship corporately with other believers? How often do you worship personally? What are some specific things that lead you to worship most often? Session 5 4

5 Expanded Session Content 5 Just Like Barnabas: Evangelistic Introduction In his book Subversive Kingdom, pastor and author Ed Stetzer painted a vivid picture of what it looks like to fully embrace being a part of the kingdom of God. Seeking to raise the perspective of many believers as to their understanding of what it means to be on mission with God, Stetzer posed two questions to frame the understanding of full immersion in the kingdom of God. Stetzer asked, What is the King s mission? and, What is my role in the King s mission? In an effort to head off default answers that he referred to as the donation level, Stetzer pointed out that going on an occasional overseas trip every couple of years or throwing a few bucks in the offering plate largely misses out on the adventure of being on mission with God. According to passages like Jesus encounter with Zacchaeus, the King s mission is to seek and save the lost. To illustrate what kingdom immersion looks like, Stetzer told the story of David and Heidi Baniszewski: David and Heidi Baniszewski asked the right questions about the King s mission and came to some radical conclusions as a result. They moved from Indianapolis to Rock Hill, South Carolina, for David to become the principal of a private Christian school. Moving from a big city in the North to a small town in the South, warmer climate and all, seemed like the right thing to do at David and Heidi s station in life. But what they did next was not a natural, reflex reaction. They bought a rundown house on the most dangerous street in Rock Hill and named it the Dream Center. Paul and Barbara Crosby made a similar move from a beautiful condominium on Lake Wylie to a street near David and Heidi. They now do ministry together and lead North Rock Hill Church to do the same.the right questions about the King s mission will lead to radical answers. 1 How would you answer the questions about living in the kingdom of God that were posed by Ed Stetzer? 5 Leader Guide

6 What images come to mind when you hear the phrase, living evangelistically? What contributes to your associating these images with evangelism? How does it make you feel to realize that God has called you to live evangelistically, if you are a follower of Christ? What are some practical ways you embrace that calling? Session Summary In this week s session, Barnabas and Saul were chosen by the Holy Spirit to begin the first of many evangelistic journeys throughout their region. Holding their experience up to the pattern of Jesus commissioning, the disciples showed that increased intimacy with God, through prayer and biblical community, ignited the evangelistic flame of the church. 1. Worship Fueled the Commission (Acts 13:1-2a) One of the immediate things to be noticed about the commissioning of Barnabas and Saul is that it occurred within the context of corporate worship. Luke very plainly described the sequence of events as moving from a large group to two specific men. As he described the church at Antioch, Luke painted a picture of the leadership of the community of faith, including the specific roles that were most prominent. Among the prophets and teachers were Barnabas and Saul. In fact, as we learned from previous study, Barnabas was the first teacher until he became overwhelmed at the gospel harvest and sought out Saul to help him in the teaching task. The fact that Luke listed five teachers indicates not only significant growth in the number of disciples in Antioch, but also that believers were being matured and mentored so as to become leaders themselves. After listing the increased number of teachers, Luke depicted their corporate worship, which included the spiritual discipline of fasting. Since fasting by definition would have required a significant amount of time, it was obviously a prolonged worship experience. During this prayerful worship time, the Holy Spirit spoke to the assembled community. What impact do you think having teachers in the Antioch congregation that were raised from among the ranks the believers had? How does this make you think about the importance of your own growth in Christ? What do you experience in corporate worship that is unique from your personal worship experiences? What would you identify as the greatest benefits for spiritual growth in corporate worship? Session 5 6

7 Laying on of Hands The laying on of hands was a gesture with multiple purposes in the early church. Sometimes, hands were laid on the sick for healing purposes, converts for baptism, or as a gesture for blessing. In this case, however, the laying on of hands not only signified that the church affirmed the calling on the two men, but it also was a show of complete support for the ministry endeavor to which Saul and Barnabas were called. Doing so underscored the partnership in the gospel that Paul mentions in many places, perhaps most significantly in Philippians The Evangelistic Call is Authoritative (Acts 13:2b) As the believers in Antioch were assembled in corporate worship, the Holy Spirit spoke to them. This was a highly significant moment in that it confirmed Jesus description of the Holy Spirit, as recorded in John s Gospel. In Jesus farewell discourse in John 14-17, He described the Holy Spirit four different times. In doing so, Jesus told the disciples that the Holy Spirit would not speak on His own, but only what He hears (John 16:13). That was exactly what took place in the worship gathering in Antioch. The message from the Holy Spirit was to set aside Barnabas and Saul for the unique work God had called them to. God used the context of the faith community in the commissioning of Saul and Barnabas. There was nothing isolated or individualistic about their calling. Rather, the calling that God had for them was affirmed and confirmed by the faith community with which Saul and Barnabas worshipped. The gathered believers, sharing the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, offered clarity and unity for Saul and Barnabas in taking up their new roles as traveling missionaries. Because the call came from the Holy Spirit, speaking what He heard from the other two Persons of the Trinity, it carried the full authority of the deity of God. What difference do you think someone affirming or confirming what God was doing in your life would make? Describe a time when you were trying to discern what God was leading you to do in a particular situation. How did the affirmation of other believers that knew you well (or the lack thereof) influence your discernment? If the call from the Holy Spirit was authoritative for Saul and Barnabas (and it was), what does that imply about God s calling on your own life? 3. Commissioning Leads to Going (Acts 13:3-4) Once they were called by the Holy Spirit through the community of faith in Antioch, Barnabas and Saul obediently left for their missionary endeavor. There was certainly still important gospel work happening in Antioch. However, God had called them to function in a specific way in His redemptive plan. After the calling by the Holy Spirit, the faith community rallied around the two evangelists, prayerfully laying their hands on them to commission them to the work. How has God called you to act in a specific way for the advancement of His kingdom? How do you need to act on this now? 7 Leader Guide

8 Just as Barnabas and Saul were called to function in a specific way, every believer is equipped and gifted differently to serve in specific ways for the purpose of gospel advancement. Yet, regardless of this specific call, all followers of Christ are called to live as messengers of the good news of the gospel on a broad level. Jesus issued this universal call to all believers following His resurrection. Jesus commissioning of His followers introduced the characteristics displayed in the commissioning at Antioch of action that flowed out of worship and obedience to the authority of Christ. 4. The Call for All Disciples (Matthew 28:16-20) As Matthew recorded Jesus commission to the eleven remaining disciples, he identified the role of worship in the commissioning process, just as would be the case with the church in Antioch. The Eleven had obediently traveled to Galilee, as Jesus had instructed them through women. With beautiful transparency Matthew noted that, while some of the disciples worshiped Jesus immediately, there were others among them that doubted. Before the commissioning of the disciples to take the lead in global evangelism, their encounter with Christ led them to worship. The recognition of His deity brought the disciples the proper posture of humble submission before their risen Lord. When Jesus commissioned the eleven disciples in Galilee, He did so by prefacing the commission with a brief reminder of why He was able to do so. Specifically, all authority had been given to Him. This verse marked a distinction between God the Father and God the Son, as well as unified the Trinity along one divine purpose. The fact that Jesus authority existed in all of creation in heaven and earth underscored that whatever came next was absolutely binding and non-negotiable. Scholar Craig Blomberg explained, Because of this authority, Jesus has the right to issue His followers their marching orders, but He also has the ability to help them carry out those orders. 2 Shocked by the Risen Jesus The phrase but some doubted can be difficult to understand. It is helpful to realize that the word for doubted (distazo) referred to being slow to believe, rather than refusing to believe at all. The most likely idea is that some of the disciples were still confused as to exactly what was happening. This could have been because the difference in Christ s appearance postresurrection was different enough that they did not immediately recognize Him. Still, it may have been because they simply did not know what to do in the presence of the risen Messiah due to their shock and attempt to process what that moment meant for their future. Having established His authority, Jesus immediately commissioned His disciples to go everywhere. Wherever they might travel, they were to make disciples of all nations. Much scholarly ink has been spilled categorizing each part of the Great Commission. The matter, however, was extremely forthright in its presentation. Jesus told His disciples to go make disciples. How would they know if they were making disciples? There would be baptism as a result of salvation, growth in spiritual maturity, shepherding from one believer to another, and, in general, the disciples doing exactly what Jesus did for them. Session 5 8

9 The one thing that was absolutely not on the list was inactivity. There was no option of not making disciples as followers of Christ, because that is what He did. There was no idea, additionally, of simply making converts. The thrust of Jesus commission was that those who the believers came into contact with were to be engaged, shepherded, and developed into mature followers of Christ that were also sent to make disciples themselves. Blomberg, again, noted, The verb make disciples also commands a kind of evangelism that does not stop after someone makes a profession of faith. 3 How do you view your role in the Great Commission? Where are the places you go that are ripe with opportunities for sharing the gospel, even over prolonged periods of time? Would you say that most of the believers you know view the Great Commission as mandatory or optional? Why do you think so? How does that match up with what Scripture teaches about commissioning? Conclusion When the conversation among believers turns to evangelism, many different connotations and experiences are called to memory. Some of those are healthy and joyful; many of them are not. Some discussions of evangelism depict rote memorization of rhymes and systems that are communicated dutifully, but with little engagement with the one being witnessed to. Others go immediately to foreign missions and the ways in which a group of believers has seen God at work in the lives of others overseas. In this conversation of evangelism, however, the most important aspect is that every single believer is called to it. In light of that, here are some important realities to bear in mind. First, worship is a critical component to the fervency of evangelism. Evangelism involves a tremendous amount of gospel-centeredness, which means a great diminishing of self-centeredness. Every force in our culture amplifies the self, its comfort, its fleshly health, its pleasure, and so on. Evangelism is the opposite of that. It elevates Christ, not self. Doing so demands that the believer be a passionate worshiper. That is not to say the believer must be a demonstrative worshiper or an expressive worshiper that is a different issue. It is to say, though, that the believer must engage regularly in personal and corporate worship, learning to love God more, and, as a result, being conformed to His image. As that occurs, the desires of the heart of the believer will more readily reflect the desires of God s heart. That includes the motivation and the derivative joy from evangelism. Second, the call to be an evangelist is not open for discussion. The commission is command-oriented, not a dialogue. While each believer will faithfully pursue that calling differently, according to the gifts and personalities God has given him or her, pursuing the evangelistic calling must be a part of every 9 Leader Guide

10 believer s life. Both when Jesus commissioned the disciples and when the Holy Spirit called Saul and Barnabas, there was no sense that the men were not going to obediently follow Christ. So it is with us today. The calling to go, in whichever way God leads us to do so, is the commission for every person that has ever claimed Jesus as Lord. Third, making disciples is the work of the Christ follower. Consider what you know of Jesus from reading the Gospels. From the moment Jesus began His earthly ministry, He called disciples to come with Him, to be a part of His life, to watch Him closely, and to engage Him in conversation. The group was relatively small, but their impact was earth-changing. The process required time, intentionality, and a premium priority placed on their development. That is exactly what Jesus chose to do. Fourth, biblical community is a tremendous benefit in discerning how God wants to use each believer to make disciples. In order for that to happen, there must be insight and transparency among believers. Biblical community happens when believers take the risk of being truly known by other believers. It s hard and it can be messy, but it also allows the community of believers to speak words of truth and affirmation with regard to how they perceive God s choosing to use one with whom they share that communal bond. How does the call to live evangelistically currently find its expression in you? How would you like for that to change in the next month? What can you do about it today? Who in your life knows you well enough that they can offer informed insight as to how God has gifted you to serve Him? How would you describe your current worship practices? How often do you engage in worship corporately with other believers? How often do you worship personally? What are some specific things that lead you to worship most often? Prayer of Response Pray for the group to respond to the gospel in worship and with a desire to tell others the truth about Jesus. Pray for the willingness to go or stay as the Lord calls, in full submission to His authority. Additional Resources Subversive Kingdom by Ed Stetzer Unbelievable Gospel by Jonathan Dodson Let the Nations Be Glad! by John Piper Session 5 10

11 For Next Week Session Title --Just Like Barnabas: Defending Main Passages --Acts15:36-41 Session Outline 1. The Cause of Tension (Acts 15:36-37) 2. The Reason for Disagreement Over John Mark (Acts 15:38) 3. Barnabas s Defense Leads to Dissolution (Acts 15:39-41) Memorize 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age. -Matthew 28: Daily Readings --Monday - Acts 15: Tuesday - James 2: Wednesday - Colossians 3: Thursday - Luke 6: Friday - Romans 12: Saturday - John 13: Leader Guide

12 Extended Commentary Acts 13:1-4 13:1. Luke begins by telling us about the leadership resources of the Antioch congregation. Five men are named, and two spiritual gifts come into focus prophecy and teaching. We should not be surprised to see Barnabas named first, since he was apparently serving as senior pastor in the Antioch congregation. We know nothing of Simon Niger except that his first name was Jewish and his other name Latin rather than Greek. Since Niger means darkcomplexioned (or black), some have speculated that he may have come from African descent. Some believe he may have been the Simon of Cyrene (Luke 23:26) who carried Jesus cross and whose sons Alexandria and Rufus were Christians in the church at Rome (Mark 15:21; cf. Rom. 16:13). Much speculation surrounds Lucius of Cyrene, but the point is that we have no further information than what appears here. Luke tells us that Manaen had been brought up with Herod and uses the word syntrophos (indicating a foster brother or intimate friend) referring to Herod Antipas. Saul we know as a regenerated persecutor, now the chief teacher of the Antioch church. Today we would call these men missionary candidates. Is there a distinction in this group between prophets and teachers? Some suggest that the Greek text allows for this, but the more simple reading of the verse seems to indicate in general that all five possessed and used these gifts. It is not impossible, and perhaps even probable, that they all had the opportunity to at least see and hear Jesus in his earthly ministry. Perhaps none of them were believers until after the resurrection, but the Son of God, whose message they would now proclaim, would have been known to them as eyewitnesses. 13:2. Pronouns are crucial throughout these early verses of our chapter. Does the word they refer to the five candidates or to the entire congregation? There is no way to fix that conclusion grammatically, but we certainly understand the Holy Spirit speaks to the entire congregation when he calls for two of the five candidates to be selected for the mission. The word called, transliterated proskaleo, clearly indicates a divine call. Notice the climate in the congregation worship and fasting. Not frantic activity with programs burning out everybody in the congregation. In an attitude of worship and fasting they understood the Spirit to select Session 5 12

13 missionaries for God s work. An interesting little word, so common in the Greek language and in English as well, yet in this case designating the missionary effort as a whole. It appears in the same context again in 14:26 at the conclusion of this first journey. During this process of selection no one in the Antioch church, including the candidates, knew what lay ahead. We read these verses in the light of the entire chapter, and we know exactly where God s will intends to take them. They offered themselves to the Lord for whatever he wished and wherever he wished to send them. This verse strongly emphasizes call at two points the Holy Spirit sets the candidates apart and announces that God has called them for a special work. 13:3. The congregation continued fasting. Here Luke introduces praying (though surely they had been doing this all along). They commissioned the chosen two with the laying on of hands and sent them off, an interesting word (apelysan) which means to release them from their duties at Antioch. What a joyous passage. Willing workers released by a worshiping congregation through a wise procedure. No apostles were present the sending of the first missionaries was a people project. In verse 3 we have less problem with the antecedent of they. Clearly by now Luke is talking about the entire congregation (a strong likelihood throughout both verses 2 and 3), for the candidates would hardly lay hands on themselves. This missionary commissioning service demonstrates a planned and orderly congregational project and shows that, to a large extent, early missions was a lay movement. Luke makes it plain throughout the rest of Acts that Barnabas and Saul always felt themselves under the authority of the congregation at Antioch which had commissioned (not ordained) them for this specific missionary project. One can hardly overemphasize the significance of lay leaders, congregational involvement, and ministry teams throughout Acts. The church is not, and never has been, buildings, programs, and property. God s church consists of people, and the emphasis always falls on them in Luke s record. 13:4. Seleucia lies north and a bit west of Antioch, a sixteen-mile journey on foot. There the new missionaries boarded a boat and sailed for Cyprus, Barnabas home island. Though Luke does not tell us, we can safely assume that the Antioch congregation continued to pray for the missionaries and to thank God for selecting them, even though they had lost the two most prominent members of their pastoral staff. As we leave the Antioch church along with Barnabas and Saul, let s take a quick glance ahead 350 years. After the fall of Jerusalem in a.d. 70, Antioch 13 Leader Guide

14 became the world center of Christianity. By a.d. 400, one hundred thousand Christians lived in that city. We may also assume that the church provided whatever they needed to at least begin this project. Cyprus was not untouched with the gospel (11:19), and Barnabas certainly had appropriate connection there to get the ministry started. The island was a senatorial, not an imperial, province since it remained under the leadership of a proconsul (v. 7) rather than a governor like Pilate. 4 Matthew 28: :17. The lingering confusion among them about Jesus resurrection undermines the skeptical theory that the disciples shared a hallucination of Jesus resurrection because they all expected Him to arise. 28:18. Before the resurrection, Jesus had authority (7:29; 9:6,8; 11:27; 21:23). However, through the resurrection, the Father granted Him all authority over heaven and... earth, an authority far greater than that which Satan had vainly promised Him. 28:19. The command to extend their mission worldwide brings to a climax Matthew s repeated theme of Gentile participation in God s salvation. The inclusion of four Gentile women in Jesus genealogy and the summons of the magi to worship the infant Christ foreshadowed the disciples mission of making disciples of all nations. Baptism marked a person s entrance into the faith community. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is a reference to the Trinity. Matthew s language shows that a clear understanding of Jesus nature and identity as God was required before baptism. 28:20. The Great Commission (vv ) is preceded by a reference to Jesus authority and followed by the promise of Jesus spiritual presence among us. Both are necessary if we are to fulfill our God-given mission. 5 References 1. Stetzer, Ed. Subversive Kingdom: Living as Agents of Global Transformation. Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, Blomberg, Craig L. Matthew. New American Commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, Ibid. 4. Gangel, Kenneth O., and Max Anders. Acts. Holman New Testament Commentary. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, HCSB Study Bible: Holman Christian Standard Bible. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, Session 5 14