SESSION 12 RETURN TO THE TASK. 150 SeSSion LifeWay

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1 SESSION 12 RETURN TO THE TASK 150 SeSSion 12

2 The Point A revitalized church spreads the gospel. The Bible Meets Life Sports teams play best when they play as a unit and not as individual players. What is true in athletics is even truer in the church. God calls our churches to a singular mission: sharing the gospel and working to expand His kingdom in all the world. Churches experience an incredible unity as they focus on Christ and work toward the singular goal of fulfilling the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20). The Passage Acts 13:1-3,44-52 The Setting The spread of the gospel at Pentecost continued its outward push, eventually sweeping over Gentiles in Antioch. At the leading of the Holy Spirit, that church sent out Barnabas and Saul on the first missionary journey to spread the gospel even further. As they took the good news to new places, the duo repeatedly met with rejection, repeatedly returned to the task at hand, and repeatedly found receptive hearers. GET INTO THE STUDY 10 minutes GUIDE: Direct the group to look at the picture (see p. 150; PSG, p. 150). DISCUSS: Question #1 (PSG, p. 150): Where do you like to go to recharge your batteries? GUIDE: Direct attention to The Bible Meets Life (PSG, p. 151). Acknowledge that even retired folks can sometimes feel like there aren t enough hours in the day. Emphasize the importance of taking time to recharge our batteries, both physically and spiritually. GUIDE: Introduce The Point (PSG, p. 151): A revitalized church spreads the gospel. SAY: In this final session in our study about spiritual renewal, we return to the Book of Acts for encouragement as we seek to share the gospel even when others oppose us. SUGGESTED USE WEEK OF AUGUST

3 THE POINT A revitalized church spreads the gospel. STUDY THE BIBLE Acts 13: minutes GUIDE: Before getting into the passage for this session, remind the group of what they have studied so far: Return to God (The Point: God s call to return to Him demands a response.) Return to Your First Love (The Point: Return to a love for Christ that permeates everything you do.) Return to Prayer (The Point: Move forward by retreating into prayer.) Return to God s Word (The Point: God s Word is the fuel for a consistent godly lifestyle.) Return to Unity (The Point: Walking with Christ brings us together in unity and purpose.) (ENHANCEMENT: Point to these titles on Pack Item 6: Awake. ) Acts 13:1-3 1 In the church that was at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen, a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work I have called them to. 3 Then after they had fasted, prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them off. KEY WORDS: Ministering to the Lord (v. 2) This phrase literally means serving the Lord. In the Old Testament it referred to priests and Levites carrying out their duties in the temple. Our word liturgy is derived from this Greek word. Laid hands (v. 3) This was a symbolic and ceremonial act of recognizing a divine call, separating for a designated task, and invoking divine blessing. God will lead a revitalized, united church to send people out with the gospel. 1 The spread of the gospel following Pentecost continued its outward push. A key event in the spread of the gospel is recorded in Acts 11:19. Because of the persecution in Jerusalem, believers scattered as far as Antioch, preaching the gospel as they went. A large number of people in Antioch believed the gospel, and a church was formed. When the Jerusalem church heard about the new congregation in Antioch, they sent Barnabas to check on them (Acts 11:22). Barnabas became a leader in the church there and he brought Saul with him (vv ). This community of faith in Antioch would be instrumental in spreading the gospel all over the world. Notes 152 SeSSion 12

4 Verse 1. The leadership of the church of Antioch was varied and multicultural. The passage lists five leaders in the church designated as prophets and teachers. The gift of prophecy can be foretelling the future, like Agabus in Acts 11:27-28, but more often, prophets spoke inspired words from God to build up His people. Teachers interpreted the Scriptures and explained their implications for the lives of believers. Both of these functions demonstrated an inward focus in the church as people sought to hear a word from God and to understand the Scriptures. Though these functions were as important then as they are now, God was about to focus the church outward toward the Gentiles who needed to hear the gospel. Instrumental in this shift was an impressive group of leaders. Barnabas, a Levite from Cyprus, had sold a field to help the poor in the Jerusalem church (4:36-37). As noted in the previous session, Barnabas was an encourager to others, living up to his name which meant Son of Encouragement (v. 36). He also was the one who believed in Saul when others doubted him (9:27). Also among the leaders in the Antioch church was Simeon who was called Niger [NIGH guhr]. His surname, Niger, meant black, leading most people to suggest he had dark skin and came from African descent. Though some have speculated he was the same person as Simon of Cyrene, who carried Jesus cross to Calvary, the spelling is slightly different in the Greek. However, his ethnicity provided a multicultural leadership team. A third leader, Lucius the Cyrenian [sigh REE nih uhn], came from the city of Cyrenaica in northern Africa. Though some have thought this was a self-reference to Luke, the writer of Acts, this seems doubtful because Luke usually identified himself when present by the use of the we pronoun (16:10-17; 20:5-15; 21:1-18; and 27:1 28:16). Manaen [MAN uh en], a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, was also a leader in the church at Antioch. The Greek word for close friend could refer to him as an adopted brother or close companion of Herod Antipas. Manaen would have had exposure to both Jewish and Gentile culture as the close friend of Herod Antipas. Finally, Saul was the persecutor of the church who met Jesus on the Damascus road. With these multicultural leaders, God was preparing the church for the task of reaching the world for Christ. Verse 2. God revealed this important task in the context of a worship encounter with Him. The subject, they, probably GUIDE: Bring the focus back to today s session. Use the Bible commentary 1 (p. 152) to set the stage for the focal passage. READ: Invite a volunteer to read Acts 13:1-3. SUMMARIZE: Note in verses 2-3 what the church was doing. Clarify the meaning of ministering to the Lord (v. 2; see KEY WORDS, p. 152; PSG, p. 152). State that associating worship with fasting indicates the people were involved in an intense time of devotion with the Lord. The church was developing a heart for evangelism and missions. They were seeking God s will, and the Holy Spirit responded. SAY: God had plans for Barnabas and Saul, and the church recognized this divine calling and released them with their blessing for the work God had called them to do. Notes 153

5 THE POINT A revitalized church spreads the gospel. DISCUSS: Question #2 (PSG, p. 154): What can we do to intentionally seek God s guidance? (Alternate: When is it necessary and/or appropriate to fast as a body of believers?) GUIDE: Stress that the church at Antioch was the first to share the gospel with Gentiles in its own city. Note the Holy Spirit s call to the church to expand the spread of the gospel to all people, Jews and Gentiles, beyond Antioch into the wider Roman world. TRANSITION: God will lead a united church to send people out with the gospel. But we must realize that some people will reject the good news. is referring to the entire congregation of believers in Antioch. The term translated ministering to the Lord is one of the words for worship that literally means serving the Lord. In the Old Testament it referred to the people of God carrying out their duties before Him. In addition to worshiping the Lord, the congregation was fasting. Associating worship with fasting indicated the people were involved in an intense time of devotion with the Lord. They were seeking God s will, and He was about to ask the church to send out two of its leaders. Luke clearly indicated the Holy Spirit spoke to the congregation during this time of worship. He told the church to set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul. The church at Antioch had to be willing to give up two of its key leaders for the benefit of the proclamation of the gospel elsewhere. They were to set them aside for the work He had called them to do. Though they did not yet know the direct nature of the task, they knew they were sending them out to other places. Verse 3. The church prepared the two missionary candidates for service by fasting, praying for them, and laying their hands on them. The laying on of hands likely was meant to commission and set them apart for this task. The church invoked God s favor on the missionary candidates and then sent them off. The laying on of hands and prayer identified the entire church with Barnabas and Saul s ministry, just as when they had laid hands on the seven chosen to serve as the first deacons (6:6). Acts 13: The following Sabbath almost the whole town assembled to hear the message of the Lord. 45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to oppose what Paul was saying by insulting him. Notes 154 SeSSion 12

6 46 Then Paul and Barnabas boldly said: It was necessary that God s message be spoken to you first. But since you reject it and consider yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles! 47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us: I have made you a light for the Gentiles to bring salvation to the ends of the earth. KEY WORDS: Gentiles (v. 46) People who were not Jews by birth. Synonyms of this term include nations and pagans. We will experience rejection as some people reject the gospel. 2 After the church at Antioch prayed for Barnabas and Paul and sent them out to preach the gospel, the two began a mission that took them first to Barnabas s home country of Cyprus (13:4-12). From there they traveled north to the region of Asia Minor, ending up in another city named Antioch (v. 14). Antioch Pisidia, located 100 miles north of the coast, was a Roman colony that served as the governing and military center of the southern region of Galatia. The town was cosmopolitan for its day, containing an extensive aqueduct system. It also contained a strong Jewish population that was instrumental in the events of Acts 13: As God awakened His church to spread the gospel, the church became concerned about those who did not know Jesus. This led to the sending of Barnabas and Paul. As Acts 13 comes to a conclusion, the reader discovers that not everyone welcomed the gospel. In fact, the ones who rejected it in Antioch Pisidia were the ones who should have been closest to it the Jews. The Jewish synagogue invited Paul to come and preach to them (v. 15). Paul preached the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus (vv ). As they started to leave the synagogue, the people begged him to return to preach the following week. Many responded positively to the message, but evidently during the week others were busy sowing seeds of opposition (vv ). The gospel became a dividing line between those who would receive it and those who would not. Notes STUDY THE BIBLE Acts 13:44-47 SUMMARIZE: Help the group understand the background for how opposition developed among some of the Jews by summarizing the events in verses See the Bible commentary. 2 Note the map on PSG page 155 to highlight where Paul and Barnabas traveled. READ: Ask a volunteer to read verses minutes GUIDE: Stress that Satan was active in the opposition Paul and Barnabas faced. Whenever God is working, we can expect Satan to fight against the work. Call attention to Ephesians 6:12 on PSG page 156. Lead the group to read the verse aloud together: For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens (Eph. 6:12). 155

7 THE POINT A revitalized church spreads the gospel. DISCUSS: Question #3 (PSG, p. 156): What opposition do churches sometimes face when they set out to obey God? (Alternate: What comes to mind when you hear the phrase spiritual warfare?) SUMMARIZE: Emphasize the traditional barriers between Jews and Gentiles that worked to inflame the jealousy of the Jews (see the Bible commentary 3 ). Invite group members to consider if they have any barriers in their lives that get in the way of sharing Christ with people who are different from themselves. SAY: Paul and Barnabas did not allow opposition and rejection to keep them from sharing Christ. DISCUSS: Question #4 (PSG, p. 157): How have you experienced opposition in your attempts to share the gospel? Verse On the next Sabbath a surprise awaited the Jews who gathered together. Almost the whole town had gathered to hear the preaching of Paul and Barnabas. Though Antioch Pisidia had a significant Jewish population, the Gentiles vastly outnumbered them. As the Jews arrived that day, many Gentiles also crowded the place to hear the message. This did not sit well with the Jews because Paul preached a gospel that taught God wanted to save the Gentiles as well as Jews. The message of the Lord, the gospel of Jesus Christ, was for both Jew and Gentile. Verse 45. When the Jews saw so many Gentiles in the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. The English word zeal comes from this Greek word translated jealousy. Though it can mean passionate commitment in a positive sense, it often described those who opposed the gospel. Paul himself had this same attitude before his conversion (Gal. 1:14). The Jews in Thessalonica expressed the same attitude toward the missionaries, causing them to create a riot in the city (Acts 17:5). They felt threatened that Paul and Barnabas were preaching the gospel to the Gentiles and leading them to faith in Christ. Their zeal for the law and for their own privileged place in God s kingdom caused them to lose focus of the fact that God had called them to use them. The jealousy inside led to opposition outside. The Jews began to oppose Paul s preaching of the gospel by insulting him. The Jews attempted to silence and discredit Paul, but the gospel he preached was stronger than the opposition he faced. Verse 46. In spite of the attempt to discredit Paul and Barnabas, they continued to preach boldly. They stood strongly against the opposition they faced by pointing out the error in the Jews attitude. They noted that God s message, the gospel, had been preached to the Jews first. God did not choose the Jews so they could be exclusive. He gave them the privilege of hearing so they could evangelize their Gentile neighbors. Instead, they decided to reject it. By refusing the gospel of Jesus Christ, they proved that they were unworthy of eternal life. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). To reject Him is to reject eternal life. That explained why Paul decided to turn to the Gentiles. Notes 156 SeSSion 12

8 Verse 47. To provide justification for his ministry to the Gentiles, Paul quoted Isaiah 49:6. This was a scriptural reminder that God originally chose the Jews not to a place of privilege but to a place of responsibility. God made them to be a light for the Gentiles. They never existed for their own benefit but for the benefit of the nations (Gen. 12:1-3). Through a small, seemingly insignificant nation, God would bring salvation to the ends of the earth. An awakened church and revived Christians realize that they are not privileged to have salvation based on something that they have achieved. They exist to glorify the One who saved them. They exist to make Him known to those who do not yet know Him. TRANSITION: Even though we know some people will reject Christ, we can still experience joy when others embrace the gospel. STUDY THE BIBLE Acts 13: minutes Acts 13: When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the message of the Lord, and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed. 49 So the message of the Lord spread through the whole region. 50 But the Jews incited the prominent women, who worshiped God, and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them from their district. 51 But they shook the dust off their feet against them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. We will experience joy as some people embrace the gospel. Verse 48. The people in Antioch Pisidia responded in two ways to the preaching of Paul and Barnabas. The Gentiles heard that the gospel was for them also, and they rejoiced and glorified the message of the Lord. As they Notes READ: Ask a volunteer to read verses GUIDE: Invite volunteers to name some examples of good news that can cause us to rejoice and want to share the news with others. Record responses. (Examples: A new grandchild was born; The house is finally paid off; Retirement starts on Friday.) (OPTION: For a group activity, invite each group member to share with at least one other person something good that has happened in his or her life in the past 12 months.) Call attention to verses Emphasize the joy of the Gentiles when they heard and embraced the gospel. Also note how the joy could not be contained and spread throughout the region. 157

9 THE POINT A revitalized church spreads the gospel. SAY: Even in the midst of continued opposition, the gospel continued to spread. GUIDE: Note verse 52. Emphasize the fruit of joy in the believers lives because they were full of the Holy Spirit. Note that senior Christians can probably remember times over the years when God moved in churches in powerful ways. DISCUSS: Question #5 (PSG, p. 159): What steps can we take to experience revival in our church and community? (Alternate: When have you felt the joy of listening to and following God?) GUIDE: Lead the group to consider what the church in Antioch was doing when the Holy Spirit started this work of advancing the gospel: prayer and fasting. (Write this on a board or large sheet of paper.) heard the preaching about Jesus death and resurrection, the people who had been appointed to eternal life believed. Verse 49. The gospel message spread through the whole region. Cities surrounding Antioch Pisidia began to hear the good news of Jesus, and many became curious about this teaching. The whole region was primarily made up of Gentiles, though Jewish communities existed in those cities as well. This created tension in the cities of Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. Many Gentiles would express faith in Jesus, while some Jews would oppose the preaching of the gospel. Verse 50. While the Gentiles openly embraced the gospel, the Jews incited the prominent women and leading men of the city to stir up opposition against Paul and Barnabas. They could not prevent the Gentiles from trusting in Christ, but they could force the missionaries to leave. The plan worked and they began to stir up persecution against Paul and Barnabas. The disciples were expelled from Antioch Pisidia. Such persecution would await them in cities all across Asia Minor. Verse 51. How did Paul and Barnabas respond to the persecution? They shook the dust off their feet. They obeyed Jesus words, who encouraged the disciples to leave an unreceptive town and shake the dust off their feet (Matt. 10:14; Luke 10:11). It was customary for Jews to shake the dust off of their feet as they left a pagan place and returned to their homeland. When a Jew did this to fellow Jews, it meant he regarded them as pagan Gentiles. The irony of this was that for the Jews to reject the gospel that was available even to the Gentiles, the Jews were placing themselves in the spiritual position of the Gentiles lost people who needed a Savior. By shaking the dust from their feet, the disciples were enacting a sign of judgment on those who had rejected the gospel. Rather than continuing to serve in Antioch Pisidia, the disciples left for Iconium. The journey involved a walk of 90 miles southeast. As believers we are commanded to reach Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). However, we are not to do that consecutively but simultaneously. Those in the ends of the earth cannot wait until Jerusalem is reached for Christians to go. Christians must penetrate all regions of lostness in their generation. Notes 158 SeSSion 12

10 Verse 52. The new converts were filled with joy. They might have been discouraged when the Jews persecuted and expelled the two missionaries who had preached Jesus to them, but they were not. These new believers were not followers of Paul and Barnabas. They were disciples of Jesus Christ. Their joy was not dependent on their circumstances. They had a new source of joy inside of them. That source of joy was the Holy Spirit. Even though Paul and Barnabas experienced persecution, they knew God was working and bringing people to faith. As long as the major story of God s salvation was on center stage, their part in the play was secondary. SAY: I wonder what God would do among us if we would get serious about prayer and fasting? DO: Invite volunteers to share their responses to the activity, There s Still Room for One (PSG, p. 159). ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO/TERRY EDDINGER Wheat field in Jordan. The following excerpt is from Fasting in the First Century (Win ). Fasting as a formal spiritual discipline developed over the first four centuries in the early church. During the days of the first-century church, fasting remained a matter of Christian liberty and individual conscience. By the early second century A.D., among at least some groups of Christians, the practice of fasting had developed into a formal practice. The Didache, an early Christian manual from that period, encouraged fasting twice a week (8.1) and advised that all involved in a baptism should fast beforehand (7.4). Fasting also frequently occurred before ordination ceremonies and other special events. Previous articles, Barnabas and Paul s Missionary Journey (Fall 2000), The Church at Antioch of Syria (Spr. 1995), and The Laying on of Hands (Spr. 1989), relate to this session and can be purchased, along with other articles for this quarter, at biblicalillustrator. Look for Bundles: Bible Studies for Life. Subscribe to Biblical Illustrator at or call SHARING THE GOOD NEWS God doesn t just save us from something; He saves us to something. Rejoice in your salvation, and let the gospel propel you into the world on mission for Christ. Each week, make yourself available either before or after the session to speak privately with anyone in your group who wants to know more about becoming a Christian. See the article, Leading Someone to the Greatest Decision of All, on page 2 for guidance in leading a person to Christ. Remind group members that page 2 in the PSG offers guidance in how to become a Christian. Encourage believers to consider using this article as they have opportunities to lead others to Christ. 159

11 THE POINT A revitalized church spreads the gospel. LIVE IT OUT 5 minutes DO: Emphasize The Point: A revitalized church spreads the gospel. GUIDE: Review Live It Out (PSG, p. 160; see text to the right). Invite group members to consider what God may be saying to them about their place in spreading the gospel. Wrap It Up GUIDE: Emphasize that senior believers have an important role in leading your church to focus on the task of making disciples, which begins with sharing the gospel with all people. Encourage your group to commit to pray together regularly, seeking God to move in your church in a powerful way to share the gospel in your community and around the world. LIVE IT OUT How has God spoken to you as you have studied this call to fulfill the Great Commission? Perhaps God is leading you to a renewed sense of calling to share the gospel with others as others have shared it with you. Consider which of these applications He may be drawing you to complete. > > Pray. Today, prayerfully list names of people God brings to mind you will pray for specifically each day of the week. Or divide the names by days of the week so you pray for specific people on different days. Either way, pray for each person to be open to the Spirit s working in their lives to see their need for Christ and to receive him joyfully. > > Share. As you pray for the people on your list (see above), ask God to lead you to an opportunity to share your faith with at least one person on your list. Ask God to make you sensitive to the opportunities He will provide. > > Unite. Enlist several members of your Bible study group to fast and pray together for your church, community, and nation. Invite each member to develop his or her own list (see above). Meet at least once a month to talk about successes and challenges as you each commit to sharing Christ. PRAY: Thank the Lord for His saving grace found only through faith in Jesus. Pray for the desire and the will to share Christ with all who will listen. 160 SeSSion 12

12 My Thoughts My Group's Prayer Requests Additional suggestions for specific groups (women, men, boomers, and singles) are available at BibleStudiesForLife.com/blog. And for free online training on how to lead a group visit MinistryGrid.com/web/BibleStudiesForLife. Broken Pieces, Beads, and Bling One of the teen girls who was supposed to attend the trip was killed in an auto accident prior to their departure. At the last minute, the youth minister invited the wife of a doctor going with the team as a sponsor to take her place. Her name is Phyllis Morris, and being a nurse, she found herself deeply impacted by the small children suffering from malaria. At one point, the team ran out of medicine; it was a heart-wrenching experience. To continue reading Broken Pieces, Beads, and Bling from Mature Living magazine, visit BibleStudiesforLife.com/articles, and enter the article title in the search bar. Or use your smartphone to access the article directly by scanning the QR code. 161

13 Looking Back: Awake: The Call to a Renewed Life We want revival, but spiritual renewal begins with you. Listen to the call of God a call to return to Him and experience His forgiveness, grace, and power as He works through you. Christ God pursues us and calls us back to Himself. He made it possible for us to have a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. Christ loves us fully and completely, and we respond to His love by loving Him in return. We passionately seek Christ through the disciplines of prayer and study of God s Word. 162 Session 12

14 Community As we respond to God in our lives, we can and should call our fellow believers to join us in wholehearted devotion to Christ. Our love for Christ is reflected in our love for His body, the church. Unity is never forced or superficial when Christ is the center of the church. Culture God will use us to point others to the call of God in their lives. A renewed walk with Christ compels us to share the gospel with a lost world. We lovingly engage the culture with the truth and call God gives for all of us to return to Him. Helping you move from where you are to where God wants you to be. This is your passion for your class or group. Yet helping different individuals each take their next step to grow as disciples is challenging. The Transformational Discipleship Assessment (TDA) is a quick and easy tool to help you discover how you and the members of your group are doing in eight essential areas of discipleship. The TDA provides next steps to help your group move from where you are to where God wants you to be. The assessment is online which allows each group participant to complete it in the comfort and privacy of their homes, offices, or even on their mobile devices. Discover more at TDA.LifeWay.com. 163