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Mission To Spread
The Gospel
Text: Acts 13:1-12 IBCSS
August 2, 2009
Preacher: Pastor Jose B. Cabajar
Spreading the Gospel of Christ is not an
easy task for believers. We extremely need the help and power of the Holy Ghost
to do the work. No doubt that soul winning is a God-entrusted ministry of all
believers, but without the Lord working with us, the result will be fruitless.
Certainly, we cannot do anything without the Lord and it takes God’s miracle to
win one soul for Christ.
The early disciples of Christ were
undeniably reliant on the power of God in their evangelization and the Bible
tells us that the Lord was with them and working with them. In Mark 16:20, it is
written, And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with
them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen. (KJV) What an
encouraging assurance of the Lord’s presence to every missionary labouring in
the mission field.
As we see the needs of the lost and dying
world, true believers should be faithful to the Lord, mindful of the things of
God and be more supportive to the ministry at all cost. This sin-darkened world
truly needs Spirit-controlled believers to shine and lead lost souls to the
saving knowledge of Christ. The devil is using all kinds of tricks and
manipulations to hinder Christians from getting involved in mission program, and
knowing such truth should stir our conscience and realize that if we neglect the
Great Commission, many souls will go to hell. Bear in mind that we have a debt
to pay.
Paul said in Romans 1:14-16, 14 I am debtor
both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.
15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at
Rome also. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power
of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to
the Greek. (KJV) We really need a mindset like Paul so we may have the boldness
to tell others the simple plan of salvation, for truly, the Gospel is the
extreme need of the world and we should not be ashamed to proclaim it.
A prayerful study of the Book of Acts will
show us a glimpse on how God used Spirit-filled believers in spreading the Good
News in every place during the early Christian era and it will also touch our
hearts to be more serious in our soul winning activities and more sensitive to
leading of the Holy Ghost.
(I)
Essential Things To Be
Considered Concerning
Mission-related Task
Acts 13:1-12
Truly equipped missionaries were not
produced overnight in Bible Schools, but they have gone through rigid trainings
and testings. Some Christians say “we prefer availability rather than ability”
and that is partly true. Christian workers must be available for training and
equipping so they may gain the needed wisdom to be used in their God-entrusted
ministry.
-The needed preparation of
workers
· Involvement
in Christian service
New believers should get involved in the work
of the Lord so they may grow and become contributors of strength to their Local
Church. Bible students should have their own Christian Service. We must be
warned that keeping what we have learned as mere knowledge without application
will make us stagnant and selfish.
In Acts 13:1-2, it is written, 1 Now there
were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as
Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen,
which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they
ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas
and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. (KJV) The believers in these
verses were not easy-going Christians, but were dedicated, faithful and were
involved in Christian service. They were the kinds of servants who had the
desire to follow the will of the Lord for their lives and fulfil it at any cost.
Get involved in Christian service and be a blessing to others.
· Deep
communion with the Lord
We strongly believe that deep communion with
the Lord produces deep spirituality. Spiritual Christians are the fitted people
to go the mission field because their strong faith in the Lord will pave their
way to successful evangelization. Every Christian must establish a consistent
fellowship with the Lord and be sensitive to the calling of God.
· Chosen
by the Holy Ghost
Christians who are being called by the Lord to
His harvest field are those that are pleasing to Him, obedient and possess a
servant’s heart. Paul and Barnabas were chosen by the Holy Ghost because they
had these attitudes which were exceptional and commendable.
In Acts 13:2, it says, As they ministered
to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for
the work whereunto I have called them. (KJV) We count it a great privilege and
honour to be called by the Holy Ghost to serve our Almighty God through
spreading of the Gospel.
· Prayer
and fasting
Prayerful believers are powerful bearer of
Good News in the mission field. Their inspiring attitude of self-denial and
fasting led them to a Christ-like character which is much needed in the work of
the Lord. Behind a great ministry are people who are prayerful and who practice
self-denial for the sake of Truth.
· Obedience
to the Holy Ghost
Disobedient and murmurers are not usable in
the ministry because they seek their own and not the things of God. On the other
hand, obedient Christians are being used of God because they willingly follow
the leading of the Holy Ghost without grieving and quenching Him. Be obedient to
God and be used for spreading of the Gospel throughout the whole world.
-The needed co-workers
We noted that the early disciples were not
sent alone, but with companion and help in the mission field. We really need
helps from other brethren while we serve the Lord. It is Biblical to have
co-workers and truly they are of great help especially when the demand of the
growing ministry becomes greater. The Apostle Paul had companions in his
ministry (Philippians 2:25) and even our Lord Jesus Christ was surrounded by His
disciples during His earthly ministry. Co-workers are great blessings in the
vast harvest field.
-The involvement of spiritual
warfare
Going to the mission field is going the battle
field. The presence of spiritual warfare is inevitable in the ministry.
Christian workers should be prepared and equipped for such spiritual battle.
Prayerfulness and watchfulness are must haves when engaging in a battle against
the power of darkness.
As illustrated in Acts 13:6-8, 6 And when
they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a
false prophet, a Jew, whose name
was Barjesus: 7 Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus,
a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of
God. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood
them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. (KJV) These verses remind
us that devil-prepared resistance is always present every time we spread the
Word of God. The devil does not want anybody to hear the Gospel and that exactly
what happened when Sergius Paulus desired to hear the Word of God.
-The advantage of being
Spirit- controlled
The advantage of being filled with the Holy
Ghost was undeniable when Paul and Barnabas went to Paphos to preach the Word.
In Acts 13:9-11, 9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the
Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, 10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all
mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all
righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? 11 And
now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind,
not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a
darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. (KJV)
Christians are on the winning side because they are on the Lord’s side; but they
should be Spirit-filled before they could claim such victory in Jesus.
-The blessing of soul winning
Soul winning is exciting and rewarding. Seeing
people getting saved and being transformed to Christ-likeness brings joy to the
soul winners. It is a great honour to win lost souls to Christ and we count it a
wonderful opportunity to disciple new believers and be a part of their spiritual
growth.
Even heaven rejoices when sinners repent from their sin and keep right with God.
In Luke 15:7, it is written, I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in
heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just
persons, which need no repentance. (KJV)
· Salvation
of souls
Souls being saved give great joy to the Lord
because it is the fulfilment of His will to give salvation to the fallen human
race. In I Timothy 2:4, it is written, Who will have all men to be saved, and to
come unto the knowledge of the truth. (KJV) What a blessing also to know that
behind His long-suffering toward human kind is His intense desire to see lost
sinners come to repentance as written In II Peter 3:9, The Lord is not slack
concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to
us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance. (KJV) We really thank God for His loving-kindness by sending us His
Son our Lord Jesus Christ, to die at the Cross for all sinners. In spite of our
unworthiness, God still loves us so much. What a caring and forgiving God we
have.
Acts 13:12 says, Then the deputy, when he
saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord. (KJV)
What a wonderful result of preaching the Word of God. Undoubtedly, there was
great rejoicing over Sergius Paulus’ historic salvation.
· The
joy of winning souls for Christ
The joy of salvation is truly incomparable.
Every saved person is undeniably experiencing the unspeakable joy of salvation
and we praise and thank God for such salvation so great and free. We must
realize that Jesus left the splendour of Heaven for the sake of sinful people
like us and His death at the Cross was the proof of His boundless love for us.
Many of us are hesitant to go the harvest field because of fears, but where is
the evidence of our well-spoken love for the lost? True love for the Lord and
for the lost has no fear, rather rejoicing in Truth.
Certainly, we will not live long in this sin-messed world; but the best thing we
could do is to proclaim the Gospel of Christ and lead souls to Christ. Keep on
telling people that Jesus saves.
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THE
POWER OF TRUTH
