Title: Are You In? Date: 12.14.14 Series: The Acts Series Text: Acts 13: 1-12 Synopsis: The serious nature of a mission can often be seen in the preparations that are taken prior to it. A soldier, for instance, will endure months of preparation and training before engaging the enemy. A fireman will routinely perform maintenance on equipment and vehicles to ensure that they function properly when an emergency comes. A law enforcement officer will regularly review protocols and procedures to ensure her safety and the safety of the community. In each example, if training, equipment maintenance, or protocols are not routinely practiced, it could mean the life of the soldier, fireman, or police officer. They have a dangerous mission and serious preparations must be taken. The same was true for the first century church. Armed with Jesus’ mandate to make disciples of the nations, church leaders are worshipping and fasting in preparation to send Barnabas and Saul to the island of Cyprus. They travel throughout the whole island preaching the gospel in the Jewish synagogues until they come to Paphos, a coastal city on the far western seaboard. There a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Elymas who was an attendant to the Roman proconsul Sergius Paulus confronts them. Sergius Paulus sends for Barnabas and Saul to hear the word of God but Elymas tries to turn the proconsul from his faith. Saul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looks intently at the sorcerer and says, “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?” And with that, Elymas is struck blind. In our western 21st century mindset, when we think of evangelism, we don’t necessarily see it as something that is confrontational or dangerous. We tend to think of it as helping people experience the love of Jesus so that their lives will be happier. It usually involves inviting them to a special event or function wherein the gospel is preached. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s also not dangerous. But when the gospel of Jesus is preached in the darkest places, it is confrontational, it is dangerous and it will be met with resistance. When that happens, the church needs to be diligent in prayer and fasting. Maybe there’s a reason we don’t fast and pray much these days. Maybe our mission has become too safe. Maybe it’s barely a mission at all. Maybe we worry too much about the status quo like keeping Christ in Christmas when the presence of Jesus was never meant to be “kept” anywhere but was to be taken to the world. To maintain the status quo requires little divine intervention. But to fulfill the mission of Jesus… that’s going require fasting and prayer. Jesus was sent to us so that we can be sent to the world. That’s a serious mission. It will require serious preparation. Are you in? https://youtube/watch?v=fCka_DsOFtk
Posted on: Wed, 17 Dec 2014 18:11:53 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015