Acts 12 24-13 3

The Job of the Church

Acts 12:24-13:3

OBJECTIVE:  It is my objective to see from God’s word how to disciple and mentor others. 

1.  What made the people flock to the Lord during the new church age?

2.  Did they flock during Paul’s missionary journeys?

3.  Is there a difference today?

I.  Where in Acts are the words used?

A.  Increased  Acts 12:24—Word of God increased and multiplied

      B.  Multiplied

            Acts 6:7

            Acts 9:31

            Acts 12:24

      C.  Added

            Acts 2:14

            Acts 2:47

            Acts 5:15

            Acts 11:24

      D.  Grew--to cause to grow or increase‑‑

Acts 6:7, Acts 12:24 , Acts 19:20

      E.  Why did the church multiply, grow, increase?

• If you want to grow something that will last for as season, plant flowers.
• If you want to grow something that will last for a lifetime, plant trees.
• If you want to grow something that will last for eternity, plant churches.

II. How are people being discipled

      A.   Barnabas and Saul—Acts 12:25

      B.  What did Barnabas do?

            1.  Went to get Saul

            2.  Brought him to the Apostles

            3.  Spent time teaching

            4.  Took him to Jerusalem from Antioch—400 Miles

            5. One of the ways to disciple is time

      C.  Are all cut out to disciple other?

1.  Not all are as effective—that is why we need the church

            2.  Brought John Mark

III.  How does God send people into ministry?

      A.  Several ways—

            1.  Desire—1 Tim 3:1—Desire the office of Overseer

1 Timothy 3:1 ESV 1 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.

            2.  Others see God at work in you

            3.  Willingness to do what God wants

2 Corinthians 8:3-5 ESV 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— 5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.

      B.  What is ministry?

            1.  Doing your job as to the Lord

            2.  Serving one another

            3.  Divine Human Cooperative

God will never do what I can do, He will only do what I cannot do.

      C.  What is the Job of the Church in sending?

1.  Ephesians 4:11-16.

a.  God gave leaders

b.  Leaders were to equip the saints

c.  Saints were to do the work of ministry

d.  The body is built up in the faith

e.  This brings about a unity on the faith and fulfilling of knowledge

f.  Maturity results—Measure of the stature of  the fullness of Christ

g.  No more trickery and deception of the enemy

h.  Speaking the truth in love—Grow up into obedience to the head

D.  This pattern has been set in Acts  (Form and function)

1.  Acts 2—Day of Pentecost

2.  People began to teach in the temple and house to house

3.  Acts 6—Deacons appointed

4.  Persecution and scattering

5.  Saul is converted

6.  Barnabas gets Saul and disciples him

7.  Acts 11:19-30

E.  Acts 13:1-3

·         5 leaders of the church

·         They were ministering to the Lord and fasting

·         God separated them to Go

o        They were the best

o        They were the leaders

o        They would be missed greatly

o        They had trained others

F.  Example in Acts 13

1. Had watched their lives for years

2. Those who were active in the ministry

3. Teachers and Prophets were in Antioch

4.  Spent time in Prayer and fasting

How does God move People--This outline is from Chuck Swindoll

Any move, no matter how satisfying, includes times of trauma and uncertainty.

I.  Behind the scenes—

A.  The Plan

Acts 1:8 ESV But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

1.  Received the Holy Spirit--chapter 1-2

2.  Jerusalem--Movement 1  Acts 1-7

3.  Judea and Samaria   Acts 8-12

4.  Utter most part of the Earth  13--->

B.  Whenever God moves individuals, it is always geographically

--May have forgotten the words of the Great commission

--May have forgotten to command to witness

C.  Whenever God moves individuals, it is always circumstantial.

--Stephen in Acts 8--Persecution

--Saul got saved and circumstances changed

D.  Whenever God moves individuals, it is always personal.

--God is person orientated

--People-Our Priority

II  Making the Move:  A need:  Acts 13:1-4a

A. Current situation in Antioch

B.  Divine interruption v. 2

1.  When?

2.  How?

3. What?

C.  Ideal Transition  3-4a

1.  Horizontal encouragement

2.  Vertical encouragement

III. Application

A.  Do not remove any possibility of how God works.

B.  Do not allow activity to dull your senses

C.  God's moves are always selective

D.  When God says, "go",   OBEY HIM

E.  Is God calling you into His service?

F.  Are you willing to move when and Where God stated?