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  Sermon of the Week

Look up the passage

  10/4/05  
  Losing to Keep, Dying to Win
  by Michael Prabaharan
Acts 11:19-30

     

  Some Greeks came to Philip and said
  "Sir we wish to see Jesus"
  Philip went to Andrew and they both went to Jesus
   Andrew brought Simon Peter and Philip brought Nathanael in the early chapters of John and they didn't stop there. They just kept bringing people to Jesus.
   Who brought you to Jesus?
   Whenever I read a contemporary Christian book on success or go to a conference or hear about the latest trend my mind wanders to the thousands and millions of Christians out there in the world, through whose faithfulness God's Kingdom is being built about whom nothing will be written and whose names will not be known to us. There are some names in Christian history that all of us know. There are millions of others who have contributed to millions of people coming to know Jesus and growing in maturity in him that will remain unknown to us.
   Persecuted to Evangelism
   The first group mentioned in today's passage fit this category. Unknown, nameless who despite their difficult personal situation talk about Jesus as they flee to safety. And their conversation has an unexpected effect as many turn to Jesus.
   It's worth being reminded again that the Church for a long time was a Jewish group who really struggled with the idea that non Jews could be followers of Jesus. It was a huge cultural and mental barrier for them to realize that God was opening his salvation to non Jews.
   This reminds me of the story of William Carey often called the father of modern mission, cobbler by trade and linguistic for God for decades in India.
   It might surprise some of you that Carey's missionary awareness was awakened by Capt Cook. In his own words he cried, "My attention to missions was first awakened after I was at Moulton, by reading the Last Voyage of Captain Cook." To many, Cook's Journal was a thrilling story of adventure, but to Carey it was a revelation of human need!
   He then began to read every book that had any bearing on the subject. (This, along with his language study -- for at twenty-one years of age Carey had mastered Latin, Greek, Hebrew and Italian, and was turning to Dutch and French).
   To surrender to God was one thing -- to get to the field was quite another problem. There were no missionary societies and there was no real missionary interest. When Carey propounded this subject for discussion at a ministers' meeting, "Whether the command given to the apostles to teach all nations was not obligatory on all succeeding ministers to the end of the world, seeing that the accompanying promise was of equal extent," Dr. Ryland shouted, "Young man, sit down: when God pleases to covert the heathen, He will do it without your aid or mine."
   But coming back to the first Jewish Christians we need to remember they were fleeing religious persecution. Despite which as they traveled they bore witness to their faith in their own expatriate communities and some ventured beyond as well.
   Many Chinese people immigrate to Australia to avoid one form of persecution or other and the Chinese church is thriving here and very evangelistic and mission minded.
   As you drive or walk in Melbourne you can't miss the newly arriving Sudanese just beginning to filter in after decades of persecution. They bring their faith with them. Remember they are not heroes or academics or super spiritual people just persecuted Christians. Makes you wonder whether God is doing a similar work in and through these groups. We have to remember that people who flee persecution have lost much (family, land, history, etc) and probably suffered much trauma. So this should not be construed as a triumphal work of God. Rather that through this human tragedy, God's blessing still provides transforming grace.
   Outward looking Nurture
   Word of the number of new converts reaches HQ in Jerusalem, which remember again, has difficulties of its own. Yet they still send one of their best. Joseph by name Barney by nick name – the giant encourager.
   Leadership is always going to be one of the biggest needs in churches. Not just the Senior vicar/pastor but Sunday School teachers, Youth Leaders, Small group leaders, ministry leaders. There are never enough. Go to the biggest most successful church – and you'll find that they can't afford to let any of their leaders go – they are needed at home. And for any church to release a quality leader for ministry somewhere else is a deliberate sacrifice.
   And that's what the church in Jerusalem did. They valued what was happening in the neighbouring countries to such an extent they were willing to release one of their best leaders to go and minister in that environment.
   Self effacing Leadership
   Now Joseph of Cyprus – nicknamed Barny the Son of Encouragement first makes his appearance as a wealthy guy who sells a plot of his land and donates it to the church.
   He is next mentioned as the one person who trusted Paul after his Damascus experience, while everyone else thought that Paul was scheming. Barnabas took him under his wing and introduced him to the other leaders and enabled him to share his testimony and have some ministry in Jerusalem.
   Barnabas is now the obvious person to send to Antioch to consolidate, encourage and nurture. As a result of his ministry the church grows even further.
   Now it's worth noting what Barnabas did not do. He did not hold on to prominence and position. Instead he travels to Tarsus in search of the man that he knows has just the right gifts for the role. Finds Paul, brings him back and ministers with him in Antioch for a year. As you read through Acts you'll notice that references to the two are initially Barnabas and Paul and somewhere along the way it becomes Paul and Barnabas and then Paul and others.
   Sacrificial Care
   Then prophetic word arrives of a famine to come and this non Jewish group of believers shares such concern for their Christian brethren that each according to their ability makes a commitment to support the church in Judea through this difficult time.
   Right through the Scriptures you can't miss the connection between Faith in God and Loving care for the brothers and sisters in faith. You just can't have the former without the latter. Again it's worth a reality check. Most of us as individuals or as churches are not operating out of huge surpluses. There is always something more that needs to be done at home or at church and to give to someone else is always going to mean putting off that thing even more. In other words to care for others genuinely in their time of need is always going to be a sacrificial step for us as Christians and as a church.
   Every time as a church we spend money on ourselves its worth reflecting whether we are giving to other churches in need according to our ability.
  
   As people began to seek Jesus and the disciples brought word, Jesus said "Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
   We see this exemplified in the early church. In…
   The Evangelism carried out by the persecuted and fleeing believers.
   The outward looking nature of the Church in Jerusalem.
   The self effacing Leadership of Barnabas.
   The sacrificial care of the young church towards its mother churches.
   Points of reflection
   Are there things we are holding on to so tightly that may be restricting our serving of God and what do we need to let go of?
   Security, Identity, Home, Money, Job, Position, Respect, Plans, Relationships
   As a church and as individuals in it, it is also worth reflecting, where is our ministry currently?
   Are we sharing the good news of salvation through Jesus with others?
   Are we consolidating and encouraging the growth of others?
   Are we providing nurturing leadership?
   Are we involved in the care of other believers?

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