WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.780 Well, good morning, everyone. Great to be in the building with you, but also to connect with you 00:00:07.780 --> 00:00:18.100 online here at St. Paul's Chatswood. This church, its first ministry to this area began almost 119 00:00:18.100 --> 00:00:25.839 years ago. In fact, just over 119 years ago, with a Sunday school scheduled for the 1st of September 00:00:25.839 --> 00:00:34.439 1901, no one turned up because it was probably a day like today. It was bad weather and no one 00:00:34.439 --> 00:00:41.420 arrived. But three children turned up the very next week, and the first official church service 00:00:41.420 --> 00:00:49.480 was a couple of months later on the 8th of December 1901. The official opening of St. Paul's was 00:00:49.480 --> 00:00:55.100 conducted the following Sunday from that by the Archdeacon of the Cumberland, the Venerable John 00:00:55.100 --> 00:01:00.640 Langley. I mentioned his name because my wife Natalie is related to him. So, you know, the 00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:07.340 Jeffrey family goes way back to the very beginning of St. Paul's. There was, in starting this church 00:01:07.340 --> 00:01:15.200 here, in this place, there was a whole heap of different motives behind it. There was those who 00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:20.859 lacked any sort of a gospel vision for what it might be. There were those who were frankly 00:01:20.859 --> 00:01:25.920 dissatisfied with the ministry of St. Stephen's Willoughby, and so they came across here to 00:01:25.920 --> 00:01:30.060 start a new church. There were those who felt that the church was a great place for social activities. 00:01:30.939 --> 00:01:35.079 For others, it was a place of mutual support and friendship and family interactions and cultural 00:01:35.079 --> 00:01:42.260 pursuits. For others, it was a healthy place. The local church is a healthy place for young people of 00:01:42.260 --> 00:01:49.260 marriageable age to gather together. So St. Paul's dating service, that's dropped off as an official 00:01:49.260 --> 00:01:56.080 program for the church. Others, on the other hand, had a gospel vision for what might happen here. 00:01:56.640 --> 00:02:04.980 There's evangelism, things like evangelism on steam trains and boys riding horseback to break the news 00:02:04.980 --> 00:02:12.500 at the Sunday school. And there was the four men who gathered in the summer of 1901, 1902, 00:02:12.500 --> 00:02:22.379 met weekly for prayer before dawn, and were seeking out a place to plant a brand new church in amongst the 00:02:22.379 --> 00:02:28.759 bush of Chatswood in those days, walking around potential sites and finally landing on the site 00:02:28.759 --> 00:02:37.379 that we're in right now. So my question for us as we close up this series on Acts, on the first half of 00:02:37.379 --> 00:02:46.859 Acts, is what is it about our beginning that will define our future as a church of St. Paul's Chatswood? 00:02:47.299 --> 00:02:53.759 What is it about our beginning that will define our future? It's an important question because 00:02:53.759 --> 00:02:58.539 we are looking to the future. We're drawing a close to this part of the Acts. That's one thing, 00:02:58.579 --> 00:03:07.359 and we're moving on to something next week. But next term, all of term four, we're in fact drawing 00:03:07.360 --> 00:03:18.280 a close to Vision 2020, our ministry plan which was launched back in 2009. So what's next for us? 00:03:18.540 --> 00:03:29.300 What does our future look like? Now, compounding that question is the complexity that we're in at the moment. 00:03:29.300 --> 00:03:39.160 is that the Christian church in the West is dramatically changing. Once we existed in an era called Christendom, 00:03:39.219 --> 00:03:47.400 and Christendom is where basically the state and the church kind of agree with one another and at 00:03:47.400 --> 00:03:55.040 least walk together with a sense of harmony. With the rise of secularism, materialism, 00:03:55.039 --> 00:04:01.659 those days of Christendom are long gone for Australia, and this is a new era for us that 00:04:01.659 --> 00:04:05.979 we have never experienced before in this country as the Christian church. 00:04:05.979 --> 00:04:15.739 In this country, there is a rising opposition to religion generally and Christianity in particular. 00:04:17.079 --> 00:04:25.980 And COVID-19 has changed the way that we do mission and discipleship. Churches used to have a very heavy 00:04:25.980 --> 00:04:33.740 reliance upon the gathering of people to programs in order to advance the mission of the church. 00:04:33.740 --> 00:04:39.800 And with restrictions, as you are fully aware, sitting in this room and at home right now with 00:04:39.800 --> 00:04:48.100 restrictions, that's not easily achieved. The longer the restrictions are in place, the more our 00:04:48.100 --> 00:04:56.040 psyche change, the more our habits change. And there will be those who will slip off into a, 00:04:56.980 --> 00:05:02.879 just because the attraction of just not meeting, they'll get comfortable with the new norm. 00:05:02.879 --> 00:05:16.800 So what does our future look like? What does it look like for us? Can the church change the world? 00:05:19.000 --> 00:05:22.920 So I want to pick up Acts chapter 11. Get your Bibles, open it up, get the St. Paul's app, 00:05:23.019 --> 00:05:30.719 open that up as well. Acts chapter 11, get a glimpse of the church that changed the world. 00:05:30.720 --> 00:05:39.940 How it did it and how it shapes our future at St. Paul's. Now, so thinking about our future, 00:05:40.260 --> 00:05:46.360 I want to take us all the way back. I want to take us back to the past to understand our future. And I 00:05:46.360 --> 00:05:52.360 want to take us back past 119 years ago in Chatswood, back past the Anglican church starting 00:05:52.360 --> 00:05:58.620 in Australia, back past the act of supremacy in November 1534, that saw the Church of England 00:05:58.620 --> 00:06:07.759 established. I want to go all the way back to Antioch, our mother church. And the first half of 00:06:07.759 --> 00:06:14.699 chapter 11, the bit that wasn't read out to us, Peter is up front of the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, 00:06:14.699 --> 00:06:21.459 explaining why he, a Jew, had gone to the house of a Gentile and eaten with them. 00:06:23.099 --> 00:06:29.439 And he went on to explain how a Gentile, in fact, a Roman soldier, Cornelius, and his entire family 00:06:29.439 --> 00:06:36.659 received the Holy Spirit and came to put their trust in Jesus Christ. And in chapter 11, verse 18, 00:06:36.659 --> 00:06:39.959 you have the response of the leaders of Jerusalem. It says, 00:06:39.959 --> 00:07:03.060 And then from that moment, in verses 19 to 21, the scene shifts immediately to Antioch, 00:07:03.419 --> 00:07:08.719 where a great work of God has been happening amongst the Gentiles, 00:07:08.720 --> 00:07:17.580 and the first church in the Gentile world has been established. And news of this has spread. 00:07:19.060 --> 00:07:26.740 This is the first recorded Gentile church. This is our mother church, if you like. And this is the 00:07:26.740 --> 00:07:31.100 church that changed the world. Now, there are a number of characteristics here, and I just want to 00:07:31.100 --> 00:07:36.240 just cherry pick them really quickly as I go through. A number of characteristics about this mother church 00:07:36.240 --> 00:07:42.100 that we must commit to, seek to emulate as we look forward to our future here as a church. 00:07:42.600 --> 00:07:52.680 First of all, chapter 11, verse 19, this church's commitment to bearing witness to the gospel of 00:07:52.680 --> 00:07:59.620 the Lord Jesus Christ wherever they were. Now, those who have been scattered by the persecution in 00:07:59.620 --> 00:08:06.540 connection with Stephen, traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. 00:08:07.980 --> 00:08:15.639 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Gentiles also, 00:08:16.680 --> 00:08:21.740 telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. And the Lord's hand was with them, 00:08:21.740 --> 00:08:26.400 and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. 00:08:28.699 --> 00:08:36.820 Chapter 11, verse 19, takes us back to chapter 8, verse 1, and the scattering of the believers from 00:08:36.820 --> 00:08:43.200 Jerusalem because of the persecution and martyrdom of Stephen. Now, some of these persecuted believers 00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:51.320 went as far as Antioch, the capital, the Roman province of Syria, and the third largest city. 00:08:51.740 --> 00:09:02.220 In the Roman Empire. And as they went, they simply talked about Jesus and the gospel and the hope that 00:09:02.220 --> 00:09:08.600 they had in him. That is, what had shaped their hearts just simply came out of their mouth. 00:09:10.039 --> 00:09:16.980 These unnamed Jews, and they are unnamed Jews from the island of Cyprus and Cyrene, no official direction. 00:09:16.980 --> 00:09:24.680 There's no human instruction. There's no precedent to follow. There's no manual to pull off the shelf 00:09:24.680 --> 00:09:32.279 about what do we do now. Nothing but a burning passion for Jesus Christ 00:09:32.279 --> 00:09:41.039 took the good news of the Lord Jesus to Antioch. And they were probably even unaware 00:09:41.039 --> 00:09:45.860 that they were doing anything radical at all. 00:09:47.500 --> 00:09:51.179 No clue about the revolutionary greatness 00:09:51.179 --> 00:09:55.740 of their act as they simply gossiped the gospel 00:09:55.740 --> 00:09:59.039 and the global impact that will happen from Antioch. 00:09:59.039 --> 00:10:08.799 Antioch. They were the first believers to bring the explosive light of the gospel into the pitch black 00:10:08.799 --> 00:10:20.339 darkness of paganism. Antioch was evangelized, not by the apostles, but by average members of Christ's body 00:10:20.339 --> 00:10:27.259 who simply bore witness to Jesus in their daily lives, unaware of the amplification of that work 00:10:27.259 --> 00:10:30.779 to the ends of the earth, even 20 centuries later. 00:10:33.039 --> 00:10:39.460 Sharing Christ to them was as natural as tears are to sorrow, or a smile is to happiness. 00:10:39.759 --> 00:10:47.819 Everyday believers, empowered by the Holy Spirit, blew away the hold of paganism on needy souls. 00:10:47.820 --> 00:10:51.480 And the result is a great harvest. 00:10:51.480 --> 00:10:57.840 In Antioch, verse 21, the Lord's hand was with them and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. 00:10:57.920 --> 00:11:02.220 We see it again in verse 24, a great number of people were brought to the Lord. 00:11:04.480 --> 00:11:11.540 Luke is really careful here in writing this to stress the sovereign providence of God 00:11:11.540 --> 00:11:14.260 behind the growth of the church here. 00:11:14.259 --> 00:11:21.419 It was the Lord's hand that was primarily responsible for the success. 00:11:22.200 --> 00:11:24.019 There's no apostles in this. 00:11:24.620 --> 00:11:26.360 There's no parish council. 00:11:27.120 --> 00:11:29.559 There's no ecclesiastical structure. 00:11:31.639 --> 00:11:35.460 Just the Lord's hand and a great number of believers. 00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:40.059 Of course, it doesn't negate the personal witness of the disciples. 00:11:40.059 --> 00:11:44.479 He chose to use them to accomplish his sovereign purposes. 00:11:45.319 --> 00:11:46.939 This is his appointed means. 00:11:48.159 --> 00:11:52.699 Ordinary Christians bearing witness to Jesus where he has put them. 00:11:54.479 --> 00:11:56.879 Even in the most difficult of circumstances. 00:11:56.879 --> 00:12:07.340 And this commitment to local mission for this church at Antioch did in fact flow over to the rest of the world. 00:12:08.700 --> 00:12:10.740 It started here and it went to the... 00:12:10.740 --> 00:12:17.000 Chapter 13, Barnabas and Paul are sent from Antioch to the rest of the world. 00:12:17.000 --> 00:12:21.700 I love it that these people sent their best people. 00:12:24.639 --> 00:12:27.220 They were concerned for God's global kingdom. 00:12:28.460 --> 00:12:31.320 Not their own kingdom building, God's global kingdom. 00:12:32.820 --> 00:12:40.559 Antioch in fact became the launching pad for global mission as it was the base for Paul's missionary journeys from here on in. 00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:50.739 Which ultimately would cause for 20 centuries later for the gospel to land in places like Chatswood. 00:12:54.079 --> 00:13:01.799 So I want to ask you first of all, how are you emulating at your mother church in your own personal life? 00:13:01.859 --> 00:13:03.939 Are you bearing witness to Jesus where you are? 00:13:04.500 --> 00:13:05.799 Let me go a little bit deeper. 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:08.179 Do you even know how to do that? 00:13:08.179 --> 00:13:11.519 Do you even know what it is that you believe? 00:13:13.459 --> 00:13:15.879 And how to articulate and communicate that? 00:13:18.120 --> 00:13:20.739 If you don't, please speak to Adrian. 00:13:21.459 --> 00:13:23.679 He would love to work with you. 00:13:24.259 --> 00:13:25.359 He's right here. 00:13:25.979 --> 00:13:27.239 I knew he's in the building somewhere. 00:13:27.339 --> 00:13:27.959 He's right there. 00:13:28.439 --> 00:13:29.099 Right there. 00:13:29.579 --> 00:13:31.239 Speak to Adrian straight after the service. 00:13:31.319 --> 00:13:34.139 He would love to work with you on that. 00:13:34.139 --> 00:13:43.580 Also, last week my challenge was to deal with the Klintos shortfall, financial shortfall. 00:13:46.100 --> 00:13:52.480 I am pleased to say that there is now enough money there for the September transfer. 00:13:53.740 --> 00:13:55.120 That is fantastic. 00:13:55.120 --> 00:13:58.700 But then there is October, November, December to come. 00:14:00.539 --> 00:14:02.299 Keep giving to global mission. 00:14:03.379 --> 00:14:10.820 Secondly, we see our mother church's commitment to growing together in Jesus, of discipling, if you like. 00:14:11.480 --> 00:14:17.860 Growing each other as mature followers of Jesus must be a core focus of our future. 00:14:17.860 --> 00:14:21.180 Now, this one's crucial. 00:14:22.820 --> 00:14:24.519 This one is crucial. 00:14:25.460 --> 00:14:38.840 Because many global church leaders are saying that discipleship, discipling, intentional discipling, has become a matter of urgency for the church. 00:14:38.919 --> 00:14:41.860 It is something that the church has lost sight of in the West. 00:14:43.560 --> 00:14:45.019 I'll come back to that in a moment. 00:14:45.019 --> 00:14:51.039 In verse 22, we see the church in Jerusalem gets wind of all that's happening in Antioch. 00:14:51.139 --> 00:14:54.259 And so they send one of its main men to check it out. 00:14:54.579 --> 00:14:56.840 Barnabas likes what he sees. 00:14:56.980 --> 00:15:00.919 In verse 23, when he arrived, he saw the evidence of the grace of God. 00:15:01.000 --> 00:15:06.639 And he was glad and he was encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all of their hearts. 00:15:09.399 --> 00:15:12.699 And then he went back to Jerusalem. 00:15:15.019 --> 00:15:16.100 No, he didn't. 00:15:17.220 --> 00:15:19.139 He saw the work of God. 00:15:19.139 --> 00:15:20.879 He liked what he saw. 00:15:21.079 --> 00:15:31.199 But he was concerned that this young church, this multi-ethnic church, be discipled, be grown up in the faith. 00:15:31.480 --> 00:15:36.360 Verse 25, we see that he brings in extra help to make it happen effectively. 00:15:36.799 --> 00:15:37.259 Have a look. 00:15:37.340 --> 00:15:37.939 Verse 25. 00:15:37.940 --> 00:15:42.060 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul. 00:15:42.880 --> 00:15:46.860 That's 160 kilometers on foot or on a donkey. 00:15:48.280 --> 00:15:51.520 And he found him and he brought him to Antioch. 00:15:52.320 --> 00:16:00.580 So for a whole year, Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. 00:16:01.420 --> 00:16:03.000 Great numbers of people taught. 00:16:03.160 --> 00:16:03.980 What were they taught? 00:16:03.980 --> 00:16:10.279 Acts chapter 20 verse 27 leads me to believe they were taught the whole will of God. 00:16:13.180 --> 00:16:19.379 The emphasis on establishment is seen again in chapter 14 verses 21 to 23. 00:16:20.139 --> 00:16:29.139 When the missionaries return, it says they were strengthening the disciples and encouraging them and appointing elders to do the work of teaching and training. 00:16:29.139 --> 00:16:45.220 Everything this church is and does comes back to God's grace and the fact that they are well established in the truth and growing in maturity in Jesus together. 00:16:45.220 --> 00:16:55.420 That is, there's a direct link between growth in faith and living out the Christian life. 00:16:56.139 --> 00:16:58.720 A direct link between those two things. 00:17:00.800 --> 00:17:05.440 You see, no one gives birth to a child and assumes the job's done at childbirth. 00:17:05.440 --> 00:17:10.380 No one assumes that's the job. 00:17:10.500 --> 00:17:10.759 Done. 00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:11.539 Completed. 00:17:12.039 --> 00:17:12.480 Finished. 00:17:13.400 --> 00:17:18.600 The goal for that child is that it may grow into full maturity and frankly not be a delinquent. 00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:20.480 That's the job. 00:17:20.480 --> 00:17:34.460 And on one level, and take this very lightly, being a male, giving birth is the easy part. 00:17:35.599 --> 00:17:37.299 And don't hold me to that. 00:17:38.980 --> 00:17:48.720 The years and years of growing that child continues on and it is hard labour. 00:17:50.480 --> 00:18:03.000 We must labour hard, sacrifice, love, teach, equip, disciple, discipline to see people standing firm and secure and mature and content in Jesus. 00:18:04.140 --> 00:18:08.400 Jesus' command to his disciples is to take up your cross and follow me. 00:18:08.519 --> 00:18:10.599 It is to follow him fully. 00:18:11.880 --> 00:18:14.120 To surrender to him completely. 00:18:15.440 --> 00:18:18.980 And to discover wonderful liberation. 00:18:18.980 --> 00:18:20.940 When we do. 00:18:24.539 --> 00:18:34.960 The Christians who are playing with superficial commitment, superficial discipleship, are wasting their lives and missing out. 00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:41.059 Missing out on the great adventure that following Jesus actually is. 00:18:41.360 --> 00:18:43.380 Following him wholeheartedly actually is. 00:18:43.380 --> 00:18:47.480 Now there's going to be more for this coming in the coming months. 00:18:47.660 --> 00:18:48.900 So stay tuned. 00:18:49.420 --> 00:18:54.160 This is a precursor message to an upcoming vision series. 00:18:56.380 --> 00:18:57.760 But what's your next step? 00:18:59.760 --> 00:19:01.480 Can I ask you, who are you discipling? 00:19:01.520 --> 00:19:05.100 If you're a mature follower of disease, who are you actually intentionally discipling right now? 00:19:05.420 --> 00:19:07.620 I mean, I'm not asking you what program you're running. 00:19:07.619 --> 00:19:10.939 I'm asking you, who are you intentionally discipling? 00:19:11.219 --> 00:19:14.559 And if you're someone who needs to be discipled, look for someone. 00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:16.619 Are you actually intentionally being discipled? 00:19:17.819 --> 00:19:21.799 Maybe your first step today is to get out there and join a community group. 00:19:22.299 --> 00:19:24.239 Maybe that's your first step you need to take. 00:19:24.459 --> 00:19:25.659 To intentionally grow. 00:19:26.059 --> 00:19:27.839 What is your next step? 00:19:27.839 --> 00:19:31.759 Next step to following Jesus. 00:19:33.740 --> 00:19:37.099 Thirdly, we see a commitment to humble service like Jesus. 00:19:38.299 --> 00:19:42.839 Barnabas is not an apostle, but he is one of the main men of the church in Jerusalem. 00:19:44.240 --> 00:19:49.619 And Barnabas' goodness is expressed earlier in his generosity to the church in chapter 4. 00:19:49.619 --> 00:19:58.939 Also, in him sticking his neck out to commend Paul as an apostle to the apostles in Jerusalem in chapter 9. 00:20:00.099 --> 00:20:03.979 But here we find something even more beautiful about Barnabas. 00:20:05.379 --> 00:20:10.819 Because Barnabas would very soon yield his preeminence to Paul. 00:20:13.379 --> 00:20:14.719 Barnabas was older. 00:20:16.500 --> 00:20:17.699 More respected. 00:20:17.700 --> 00:20:22.059 And in many ways more experienced than Paul. 00:20:23.620 --> 00:20:27.660 But when he asked Paul to come to help in Antioch in verse 25. 00:20:28.620 --> 00:20:34.259 And when they later commenced a missionary journey together in chapter 13. 00:20:35.319 --> 00:20:38.559 Paul began at that point to play a greater role. 00:20:40.360 --> 00:20:45.140 Chapter 11 here begins with Barnabas and Saul. 00:20:45.140 --> 00:20:45.259 Paul. 00:20:46.060 --> 00:20:49.700 But then it very quickly became Paul and Barnabas. 00:20:50.340 --> 00:20:52.720 And it stayed that way to the end. 00:20:53.060 --> 00:20:54.740 Paul and Barnabas. 00:20:56.780 --> 00:21:00.300 Barnabas to Paul was like John the Baptist to Christ. 00:21:00.420 --> 00:21:02.580 He must become greater that I might become less. 00:21:03.380 --> 00:21:06.060 It wasn't because Barnabas had his turn. 00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:07.800 It's not because, well, Barnabas, I'm now old. 00:21:07.840 --> 00:21:08.800 I'm looking for retirement. 00:21:08.799 --> 00:21:10.339 I've contributed my bit. 00:21:10.399 --> 00:21:12.419 I need to step aside and let the younger generation. 00:21:12.659 --> 00:21:13.619 It's not that at all. 00:21:15.619 --> 00:21:19.680 What I see here is strategy and humility. 00:21:19.680 --> 00:21:26.600 In Acts 9 we read of the miraculous conversion of the apostle Paul. 00:21:27.240 --> 00:21:27.539 Saul. 00:21:28.560 --> 00:21:32.640 God then says this about Paul in verse 15. 00:21:32.640 --> 00:21:39.660 This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings. 00:21:39.660 --> 00:21:54.120 At the end of chapter 9, Barnabas is the one who takes Paul to the apostles so that he can tell them all that God has done for him and what he has been doing for God. 00:21:57.720 --> 00:22:04.259 Barnabas must have known that Paul's calling is to be an apostle of the Gentiles. 00:22:04.259 --> 00:22:08.480 And so here's Barnabas in Antioch. 00:22:09.980 --> 00:22:15.539 Seven to eight years later, after Paul's conversion, seven to eight. 00:22:15.619 --> 00:22:18.299 So we read chapter 9 and we jump to chapter 11. 00:22:18.379 --> 00:22:20.319 We just think it's, well, it's the following week. 00:22:21.039 --> 00:22:24.799 Now there's seven to eight years of discipleship that's happened to Paul here. 00:22:26.900 --> 00:22:32.460 With all these Gentile conversions in Antioch and he must have thought, Paul, this is Paul's job. 00:22:34.259 --> 00:22:41.240 Barnabas could have thought, well, this is my opportunity to get out from under the wings of the church in Jerusalem. 00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:44.059 Be my main man at Antioch. 00:22:44.900 --> 00:22:46.220 He says this is Paul's domain. 00:22:46.480 --> 00:22:48.379 This is what Paul's been commissioned to do. 00:22:48.379 --> 00:22:59.940 It would appear that Barnabas puts his ego to one side, allows Paul to rise over him for the sake of the word of God increasing and spreading. 00:23:00.900 --> 00:23:04.099 Aren't we glad as we sit here today in this Gentile church? 00:23:04.259 --> 00:23:09.119 For the humility of the man like Barnabas. 00:23:12.119 --> 00:23:18.779 It's a glimpse of real partnership, of sacrificial leadership and of godly character. 00:23:18.779 --> 00:23:27.299 When Paul traveled with Barnabas to heathen Antioch, they were the dynamic duo, sort of like Batman and Robin kind of thing. 00:23:28.200 --> 00:23:30.000 They complemented one another beautifully. 00:23:30.139 --> 00:23:35.180 Not that I'm sure how Robert compliments Batman, but they complemented one another beautifully. 00:23:35.180 --> 00:23:40.900 Thanks to the expert orchestration of the Holy Spirit. 00:23:42.039 --> 00:23:47.840 Barnabas was sensitive, empathetic, gracious. 00:23:49.060 --> 00:23:56.140 Paul had the brilliant, honed, razor sharp lawyer's instinct and intellect. 00:23:56.140 --> 00:24:02.500 And together with the Spirit's power working through them, they were unconquerable. 00:24:02.500 --> 00:24:10.200 But what stands out here in this moment is character. 00:24:10.200 --> 00:24:18.240 The character, the humble servant attitude of Barnabas saw this church grow. 00:24:18.240 --> 00:24:24.380 Our society values power, the church values humility. 00:24:24.380 --> 00:24:42.440 The advance of the kingdom of God will continue to be severely compromised in our era if the church attempts to wield institutional, positional power rather than taking a posture of humility and service of all people. 00:24:42.440 --> 00:24:51.600 Our core value here at St. Paul's of humble authenticity must define the character of this church into the future. 00:24:53.140 --> 00:24:55.759 From senior leadership all the way through. 00:24:57.220 --> 00:25:06.840 So friends, is there pride, positional power, influence that you are confident of that needs to be confessed? 00:25:07.500 --> 00:25:09.820 Is there a sinner pride that needs to be confessed? 00:25:09.819 --> 00:25:17.439 Fourthly, this church has a commitment to emulate the radical generosity of Jesus. 00:25:17.659 --> 00:25:18.700 Have a look, verse 27. 00:25:19.139 --> 00:25:21.960 During this time, some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 00:25:22.039 --> 00:25:30.299 One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. 00:25:31.460 --> 00:25:33.519 That means Antioch as well. 00:25:35.419 --> 00:25:37.539 This happened during the reign of Claudius. 00:25:37.539 --> 00:25:45.879 The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. 00:25:46.659 --> 00:25:51.299 This they did, sending them a gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul. 00:25:54.139 --> 00:25:57.480 The severe famine would impact Antioch as well. 00:25:57.480 --> 00:26:06.880 In the same way that a depression, recession impacts the church is the way it impacts the society. 00:26:07.079 --> 00:26:08.460 We're all in the same boat. 00:26:09.880 --> 00:26:13.960 But this church at Antioch saw a need and decided to help. 00:26:14.099 --> 00:26:17.339 They gave to the need, each according to his ability, it says. 00:26:17.339 --> 00:26:22.220 Generosity is a plain biblical principle. 00:26:22.619 --> 00:26:39.259 All of life generosity is so basic to the Christian life because God's generosity to us in the Lord Jesus Christ in sacrificing himself for our life is central to the Christian life. 00:26:39.259 --> 00:26:42.500 2 Corinthians 8 puts it like this. 00:26:42.500 --> 00:26:54.160 You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, though he was rich, yet for your sake, for our sake, he became poor so that you, us, through his poverty might become rich. 00:26:54.160 --> 00:26:58.900 That's the gospel in economic terms. 00:26:59.120 --> 00:27:05.840 And what flows out from that is a life of radical generosity, even as we feel the pinch. 00:27:08.240 --> 00:27:11.600 Jesus took our sin and he gave us his righteousness. 00:27:12.140 --> 00:27:17.940 From the very beginning of this church in Acts chapter 2, we see a life of radical generosity. 00:27:17.940 --> 00:27:25.120 When the gospel hits town, generosity is what flows over as an instinctive response to the grace of the Lord Jesus. 00:27:26.680 --> 00:27:37.100 And so we need to see the opportunity that God has given us in the wealthy West to meet needs and to demonstrate the character of a radically generous God. 00:27:37.099 --> 00:27:51.579 Even as we face economic uncertainty in the future as a society and as a church, we get to show our world that we do not live for what they live for. 00:27:52.639 --> 00:27:54.099 We've got a greater hope. 00:27:55.619 --> 00:27:57.699 Something more important to worth treasuring. 00:27:57.700 --> 00:28:02.740 So this church proclaimed the good news of Jesus. 00:28:03.080 --> 00:28:11.480 It grew together in Jesus, was transformed in character by Jesus and was radically generous like Jesus. 00:28:13.559 --> 00:28:21.680 This simply means that they were wholehearted disciples of Jesus and they changed the world. 00:28:22.960 --> 00:28:23.980 How do I know that? 00:28:24.019 --> 00:28:25.220 How do I know they changed the world? 00:28:25.220 --> 00:28:42.620 One of the most wonderful and heartwarming and almost throwaway statements in this passage serves, if you like, as an overarching statement that describes the impact of the church of Antioch. 00:28:45.480 --> 00:28:47.500 It's found at the end of verse 26. 00:28:47.500 --> 00:28:55.819 In the first century, the disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. 00:28:58.900 --> 00:29:09.140 In the first century, Antioch was a melting pot of, at the very least, five different cultures. 00:29:09.140 --> 00:29:19.320 People came from as far as way as China to live in what was known as the Las Vegas of the Roman Empire. 00:29:20.600 --> 00:29:21.600 That's Antioch. 00:29:21.940 --> 00:29:29.800 It was known for its chariot races, betting on chariot races, its deliberate pursuit of pleasure. 00:29:30.320 --> 00:29:35.140 Antioch was most famous for its worship of the Greek god Daphne. 00:29:35.140 --> 00:29:49.140 Apollo's famous pursuit of Daphne was reenacted every night in Antioch by the men of the city pursuing the temple prostitutes. 00:29:49.140 --> 00:30:05.640 Throughout the whole world, the whole Roman Empire at that time, the term, the morals of Daphne was a euphemism for depravity. 00:30:07.960 --> 00:30:13.020 Antioch was a city of sensuality and depravity. 00:30:13.019 --> 00:30:25.859 And pagans in Antioch discovered that Jesus was better, more satisfying, more fulfilling. 00:30:27.839 --> 00:30:30.319 He offered life and salvation. 00:30:30.879 --> 00:30:36.440 And so this church at Antioch was like a flower growing in a putrid bog. 00:30:36.440 --> 00:30:43.420 A patch of grass growing in a wasteland. 00:30:45.420 --> 00:30:57.160 A gospel vitality had burned in the sensual, depraved, materialistic, spiritual darkness of Antioch. 00:30:57.200 --> 00:30:59.019 It had burnt its way in there. 00:30:59.019 --> 00:31:09.599 This was so foreign, so foreign to this bleak environment that it altered the vocabulary of the city. 00:31:09.599 --> 00:31:16.279 And from there, the entire world. 00:31:20.579 --> 00:31:24.619 When God's people live for Christ in such depth and such power, 00:31:25.579 --> 00:31:31.759 that those around them have to come up with a new name to describe what it is that they're witnessing. 00:31:32.759 --> 00:31:34.019 What do you call that? 00:31:34.019 --> 00:31:34.039 What do you call that? 00:31:38.259 --> 00:31:38.779 Awesome. 00:31:39.599 --> 00:31:44.799 Now perhaps there was a jesting to it. 00:31:44.879 --> 00:31:47.659 Perhaps there's a mocking edge to the nickname. 00:31:47.779 --> 00:31:51.439 Perhaps even a little bit of rage associated with it and disappointment. 00:31:51.779 --> 00:31:57.039 Because these people were such a contradiction to the ethos of Antioch. 00:31:58.519 --> 00:31:59.740 The new term. 00:32:00.819 --> 00:32:01.639 It's part Greek. 00:32:02.339 --> 00:32:03.159 It's part Latin. 00:32:03.579 --> 00:32:06.480 It was a mongrel name. 00:32:06.480 --> 00:32:07.039 Christian. 00:32:07.039 --> 00:32:07.480 Christian. 00:32:07.480 --> 00:32:08.480 Christian. 00:32:08.480 --> 00:32:09.480 Christian. 00:32:09.480 --> 00:32:10.480 Christian. 00:32:10.480 --> 00:32:10.960 Christian. 00:32:13.759 --> 00:32:15.559 Followers of Christ. 00:32:18.660 --> 00:32:24.200 Christ was so much on the lips of these believers. 00:32:24.640 --> 00:32:27.579 They lived so much as Christ lived. 00:32:27.799 --> 00:32:30.160 They identified so much with his character. 00:32:30.160 --> 00:32:31.840 What else do you call them? 00:32:31.840 --> 00:32:49.400 Alexander the Great once learned that in his army was another Alexander who was a notorious coward. 00:32:49.400 --> 00:32:55.580 Alexander who you would probably know conquered the world at 23. 00:32:55.579 --> 00:33:03.599 called this soldier before him and said of him, asked of him, is your name Alexander? 00:33:03.939 --> 00:33:06.119 And are you named after me? 00:33:06.119 --> 00:33:11.219 And the trembling coward in front of him said, yes, sir, my name is Alexander. 00:33:11.339 --> 00:33:13.979 And yes, I am named after you. 00:33:15.079 --> 00:33:21.919 And the great general then said, well, either be brave or change your name. 00:33:21.920 --> 00:33:33.060 As we launch into the future, my deep commitment is for us to emulate the Mother's Church's vision. 00:33:34.060 --> 00:33:34.640 It's passion. 00:33:34.800 --> 00:33:44.000 It's commitment to display the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ as we hold out the Christian gospel through lives which are captivated and transformed by Jesus. 00:33:44.000 --> 00:33:56.359 That is, that we would become an intentional discipling church that builds disciples for the glory of Jesus Christ. 00:33:56.559 --> 00:33:59.640 People who follow Christ. 00:34:03.519 --> 00:34:05.619 So let me get realistic for a moment here. 00:34:06.700 --> 00:34:08.539 Where's the power to make this change? 00:34:10.420 --> 00:34:13.980 Really briefly, right now many churches and Christians are feeling quite powerful. 00:34:14.000 --> 00:34:15.159 While it's in this age. 00:34:15.760 --> 00:34:18.500 Many Christians are struggling to see any change in themselves. 00:34:19.139 --> 00:34:23.940 Some of us are dealing with sin that we just got comfortable with for the last 30 or 40 years. 00:34:24.380 --> 00:34:29.099 Struggling with even to be with the discipline to even read the Bible and to pray. 00:34:29.219 --> 00:34:29.960 To get to church. 00:34:30.039 --> 00:34:34.880 To even deal with relational problems and conflict and all sorts of stuff. 00:34:34.960 --> 00:34:36.360 We just feel defeated. 00:34:36.360 --> 00:34:42.360 So how on earth will a church like St. Paul's ever change the world 00:34:42.360 --> 00:34:46.140 when it appears that we're losing so much ground on so many different fronts? 00:34:47.940 --> 00:35:02.620 Well, first of all, many global leaders, as I mentioned, are suggesting it's because there has been such a massive lack of emphasis in the Western church on intentional discipleship. 00:35:02.619 --> 00:35:06.619 People have become Christians through whatever means. 00:35:06.619 --> 00:35:25.779 People have slipped into the church, become part of the furniture, never been taught to read the Bible, never been taught how to confess sin, never been taught how to pray, never been taught the fundamentals of the gospel, theology or correction in terms of life issues. 00:35:25.780 --> 00:35:27.380 Never been taught how to pass the Bible, never been taught how to confess the Bible, never quit just a few days. 00:35:27.400 --> 00:35:29.140 Never been equipped to serve. 00:35:29.519 --> 00:35:31.620 They've just slipped in and become part of the furniture. 00:35:32.480 --> 00:35:34.880 Intentional discipling has dropped off. 00:35:41.460 --> 00:35:46.880 Now, regardless of whatever the issue might be, Acts 12 is helpful for us. 00:35:47.860 --> 00:35:48.980 Now, this is not Antioch. 00:35:49.039 --> 00:35:51.300 We're not in Antioch anymore, but it's the same world. 00:35:51.420 --> 00:35:52.340 It's the same empire. 00:35:52.820 --> 00:35:57.200 And it's been a pattern for the church as the gospel has continued to spread. 00:35:58.000 --> 00:36:01.099 The church has faced consistently setbacks. 00:36:01.460 --> 00:36:02.800 It has felt weak. 00:36:03.000 --> 00:36:04.200 It has become weak. 00:36:04.200 --> 00:36:07.460 And chapter 12 is just another one of those moments. 00:36:09.280 --> 00:36:15.680 James, one of the closest disciples of Jesus, the leader of the church in Jerusalem, is executed. 00:36:15.840 --> 00:36:16.619 He's now dead. 00:36:17.880 --> 00:36:20.079 The apostle Peter is in prison. 00:36:20.900 --> 00:36:23.860 He is waiting for his execution as well. 00:36:24.440 --> 00:36:27.800 And in verse 5, we read the church was earnestly praying for Peter. 00:36:29.000 --> 00:36:38.240 And chapter 12 is a contrast between Herod's political authority, the power of the state, and God's sovereign control over all things. 00:36:39.740 --> 00:36:41.099 James was powerless. 00:36:41.599 --> 00:36:42.700 Peter was powerless. 00:36:42.860 --> 00:36:44.039 The church felt powerless. 00:36:44.039 --> 00:36:47.920 But Herod felt very powerful and in control. 00:36:47.920 --> 00:36:54.139 And the end of it, we see Peter is miraculously released from prison. 00:36:55.039 --> 00:36:57.099 Herod is struck down dead. 00:36:57.460 --> 00:36:58.760 It's a wonderful word of play. 00:36:58.840 --> 00:37:00.000 I'd love to go into this a little bit further. 00:37:00.000 --> 00:37:02.880 wordplay happening in chapter 12. 00:37:02.880 --> 00:37:06.119 The angel came to Peter in the prison and struck him. 00:37:07.320 --> 00:37:11.019 Woke him up and led him out to freedom. 00:37:11.019 --> 00:37:15.259 The angel came to Herod and struck him. 00:37:15.340 --> 00:37:17.619 And he died. 00:37:17.619 --> 00:37:29.619 Peter is miraculously released from prison on the back of the church's prayer. 00:37:29.619 --> 00:37:33.880 And he turns up to their front door. 00:37:33.880 --> 00:37:34.739 They're praying. 00:37:34.739 --> 00:37:36.380 And they're like, well, that can't be right. 00:37:37.679 --> 00:37:41.019 It's not a glorious scene of victory here. 00:37:41.019 --> 00:37:47.500 They're surprised that he's been released, even though they're praying. 00:37:48.139 --> 00:37:51.300 Apparently, God has mercifully answered unbelieving prayer. 00:37:52.840 --> 00:38:00.199 God is not bound by our imperfection and our weakness in advancing his kingdom. 00:38:00.199 --> 00:38:30.179 God is not bound by our imperfection and our weakness in the world. 00:38:30.199 --> 00:38:30.719 God will win. 00:38:31.980 --> 00:38:35.299 Lives will always be changed. 00:38:36.079 --> 00:38:39.639 And God will always be glorified. 00:38:40.139 --> 00:38:41.939 And you might be sitting here now. 00:38:42.159 --> 00:38:44.279 And you might have gone through this series of acts. 00:38:44.339 --> 00:38:46.819 And you might be watching on screen through this series of acts. 00:38:46.859 --> 00:38:51.659 And I want to continue to echo the words we've heard consistently throughout this message. 00:38:52.119 --> 00:38:55.299 You cannot kick against the goads. 00:38:55.619 --> 00:38:58.139 You must surrender to the Lordship of Jesus. 00:38:58.139 --> 00:39:00.559 He will always win. 00:39:01.799 --> 00:39:06.779 The gospel will win either in your life or in your death. 00:39:06.960 --> 00:39:08.239 The gospel will win. 00:39:09.559 --> 00:39:13.019 So come to Jesus and surrender completely to him. 00:39:13.019 --> 00:39:24.099 Some of us, I think, as we look to the future, need to be reacquainted with our position and our power in the Lord Jesus. 00:39:24.099 --> 00:39:31.559 Maybe for some of us, once dearly held realities as we first came to Christ have faded. 00:39:31.880 --> 00:39:48.219 Maybe the false values of the dreams of our society that have caused us to ease our grasp of spiritual realities and the hope and the passion and the commitment that we once had of Jesus and in Jesus. 00:39:48.219 --> 00:39:50.359 We need to go back. 00:39:50.359 --> 00:39:59.899 We need to rediscover our starting point in Jesus and make deliberate steps to grow as Christians. 00:40:01.519 --> 00:40:04.199 Followers of Christ. 00:40:05.379 --> 00:40:06.619 Let's pray. 00:40:06.619 --> 00:40:21.980 Our gracious Father, help us to be loyal, brave, committed followers of Christ who refuse, refuse to turn back. 00:40:23.319 --> 00:40:28.059 Who dare to stand firm and to make Christ's name known to all around us. 00:40:28.059 --> 00:40:37.179 Who desire with your divine enabling to shine the light of the glory of Christ in a dark world. 00:40:38.400 --> 00:40:54.239 Empower us with your spirit that we might have such confidence and joy in Christ that it will overflow into a growing commitment to live out our purpose as your children. 00:40:55.259 --> 00:40:56.619 Followers of Christ. 00:40:58.059 --> 00:41:08.019 So we ask you now to open up to us as your church, St. Paul's, new horizons of your expansive purposes in this world. 00:41:09.380 --> 00:41:12.320 Save people and build your church. 00:41:12.920 --> 00:41:13.920 In Jesus' name. 00:41:14.739 --> 00:41:15.079 Amen.