Good News to the Nations

Acts 13:1-4

I.                   World Evangelism is the ministry of the local church! 1

a.      God wants his name taken to the nations

                                                              i.      From the days of Abraham            Genesis 18:18

1.      God used Israel to give us first the Scripture--Word of God

2.      God used Israel to give us our Saviour

3.      God used Israel to start the church

                                                             ii.      King David knew the need to take the word to the nations I Chronicles 16:24

                                                           iii.      David wrote psalms or songs about it Psalm 67:2

b.      The church at Jerusalem had failed to be concerned for other nations unless strongly urged to do so--Cornelius

c.      God speaks to a multinational church 1

                                                              i.      Barnabas and Saul are Jews

                                                             ii.      Simeon is probably a Black African

                                                           iii.      Lucius is from North Africa—maybe like Morocco

                                                          iv.      Manaen was probably a Greek

d.      This church ministered to the Lord 2

                                                              i.      They knew that church wasn’t about them

                                                             ii.      The music is to honor the Lord

                                                           iii.      The prayers are to magnify and please the Lord

II.                 God calls individuals to act upon his commands

a.      Though God speaks to the church it is individuals that have to respond 2

b.      It wasn’t a decision that the church made nor the church leadership but the Holy Spirit 2

c.      There was a work that God had prepared specifically for Barnabas and Saul 2

d.      Realize that it is about His Lordship—

                                                              i.      He is the boss

                                                             ii.      He decides what I do with my life

                                                           iii.      He decides what I do with all that I have

III.              The church sacrificed to obey God’s commands

a.      They gave up their founding pastors

                                                              i.      The church gave the best and most loved that they had

                                                             ii.      Others had to step up and do the work knowing that God would always be moving people out

b.      They fasted and prayed for the work of God

                                                              i.      The church realized that it was God doing the work so they were a praying people

                                                             ii.      They fasted or left off all food and physical, earthly pleasures to seek God’s power, will, and blessings

c.      They sent them away

                                                              i.      Saying goodbye had to hurt

                                                             ii.      They obviously gave them funds to do the work that they were sending them to do—they took a boat--sailed

d.      Barnabas and Saul paid a great price personally to get the gospel to people

                                                              i.      Faced opposition Elymas--BarJesus

                                                             ii.      Faced people who were interested but not committed  Sergius Paulus