WEBVTT

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 This morning I'm going to talk to you about apostolic church planting.

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!

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 What church is planted in the Bible?

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 That's really the question.

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 Not that I can't respect different opinions and hear different people out or what they

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 have to say, but at the end of the day, what we really want to know is what does the Bible

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 say about how churches are planted?

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 Because that will give us confidence then in the way that we're establishing churches.

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 Okay?

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 So we're obviously trying to establish this church on the right foundations.

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 But if you don't know what the right foundations are, if you don't know what the right way

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 is, then how can you have confidence that what we're doing is the right thing?

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 And if we don't have confidence that what we're doing is the right thing, that opens the door

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 for anxiety, that opens the door for suspicion, that opens the door for us not to be confident

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 in the ways of God.

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 God doesn't just have a will, although most of us are familiar if we profess Christ to

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 say, I believe there are things that are God's will.

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 Not only does God have things that are his will, he has a way that he wants his will to

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 be done.

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 This is what is referred to in the scriptures as his ways.

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 Hebrews chapter 3 says that he was upset with the Israelites because they didn't know his

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 ways.

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 And so, and ultimately, if you really think about it, can you have God's will if you don't

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 do it his way?

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 It is his will to do it his way.

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 You got me on there?

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 Might be circular logic, but hopefully just making sure you're awake.

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 You guys here?

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 Good.

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 Okay.

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 So what I want to do is I want to look briefly at some portions of the book of Acts of just

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 kind of a bigger swath here of how churches were planted.

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 And then I want to look at kind of a real specific implications for us as a church.

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 Okay.

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 So most of you familiar in the book of Acts when Stephen was stoned, right?

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 Up to this point, most church activity is happening around Jerusalem.

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 Stephen is stoned.

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 And after Stephen is stoned, there is this catapulting of disciples into three different

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 areas of the world at that time.

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 Okay.

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 And this is in Acts chapter 11, starting in verse one.

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 This is where we're kind of picking up the story.

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 Okay.

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 It says, now those were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveling

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 as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews.

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 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to

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 the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus.

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 And the hand of the Lord was with them.

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 And a great number who believed turned to the Lord.

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 The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas

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 to Antioch.

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 When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad.

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 And he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose.

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 For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.

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 And a great many people were added to the Lord.

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 So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul.

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 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch.

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 For a whole year, they met with the church and taught a great many people.

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 And in Antioch, the disciples were first called Christians.

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 Okay.

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 So this is kind of the first non-Jerusalem, non-Jewish church expression that we see.

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 Okay.

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 There's persecution happens after Stephen.

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 And three specific cities or areas Christians go to.

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 Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch.

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 Okay.

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 Barnabas.

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 Barnabas goes to Antioch.

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 And basically sees all these believers there.

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 And starts teaching them.

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 Starts encouraging them.

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 Starts exerting them.

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 And it's interesting here, you kind of see where Paul gets it from later on when he takes

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 with him Timothy and Titus.

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 Right.

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 Barnabas goes to Tarsus.

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 Who's from Tarsus?

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 Paul.

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 That's Paul's hometown.

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 Okay.

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 Barnabas goes and grabs Paul and then goes back to Antioch.

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 And they're establishing this church in Antioch.

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 Okay.

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 Great many people are added to the Lord.

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 All right.

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 But there's three places they went to.

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 Cyprus, Phoenicia, and Antioch.

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 Okay.

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 Barnabas is from Cyprus.

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 That's where his hometown is.

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 It's an island.

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 Okay.

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 On the way, which would be right off the coast there of Phoenicia.

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 And so these are the three places where you basically have the church beginning.

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 Okay.

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 And Barnabas is the one who starts this.

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 And then he brings Paul with him.

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 Probably in the same way that Paul brought a Timothy or a Silas with him.

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 Okay.

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 So that's kind of the precursor to what a lot of people refer to as Paul's three missionary journeys.

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 Right.

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 Before that, you have this kind of precursor to that.

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 And you have Antioch.

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 You have Christians in Antioch, in Cyprus, and in Phoenicia.

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 Okay.

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 Then Acts 13, you still have Paul and Barnabas and a bunch of other people, teachers of prophets, in Antioch.

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 And they're doing their thing there.

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 They're doing, just establishing that church there.

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 And what ends up happening is, it says in Acts 13, 1.

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 Now there was in the church at Antioch, prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon, who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,

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 Manan, a lifelong friend of Herod the Tetrarch, and Saul.

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 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,

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 Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.

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 Then after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

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 So being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus.

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 Okay.

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 Shortly after the Bible refers to the book of Acts, it refers to Paul and Barnabas as apostles.

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 This is where they're being sent out as apostles.

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 So we know that it's confirmed that they're apostles.

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 It's not just the 12 disciples that are apostles.

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 You see here in Acts 14, where it's saying that Paul and Barnabas are apostles.

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 All right.

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 And what does that apostolic ministry look like?

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 It says, Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.

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 All right.

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 We're going to see now what that apostolic work looks like.

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 And that's important because the Holy Spirit set apart apostles for a specific work.

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 And I believe he's still setting apart apostles for specific work.

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 Okay.

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 What was that specific work?

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 Well, they left there and they went to Cyprus.

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 Okay.

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 Now remember, Cyprus is where Barnabas is from.

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 And Cyprus is an island there.

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 Okay.

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 Right in the Mediterranean.

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 And this is, there's already Christians here.

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 Some of those after Stephen was persecuted, was killed and persecution broke out.

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 Some Christians went to Cyprus.

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 So they go there first on their missionary journey and they preach in the synagogue.

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 Okay.

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 John Mark is with them.

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 All right.

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 You see them going, preaching the gospel, making disciples, planting churches.

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 This is the work you see.

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 Five churches.

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 And the result of this, the first one is Cyprus.

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 After Cyprus, they go north.

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 Okay.

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 Up into what is modern day Turkey.

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 But in the Bible time, what is referred to as Galatia.

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 Okay.

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 And they go to another Antioch.

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 This one is in Poseidon.

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 Okay.

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 And same thing.

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 They've preached in the synagogue.

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 Here, their persecution drives them out of there in Galatia.

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 It says in Acts 13, 48 to 49.

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 When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord.

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 And as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

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 And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region.

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 Okay.

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 So they began preaching the gospel there in Antioch.

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 And the word of the Lord starts spreading.

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 Okay.

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 Persecution is also happening to them.

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 So they had to leave Antioch there in Galatia.

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 And they go to Iconium.

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 Same thing.

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 They go to the synagogue.

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 They preach.

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 And it's here that they attempt to stone Paul.

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 Okay.

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 And so he had to flee.

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 But he's still preaching the gospel.

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 Souls are saved there in Iconium.

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 That moves him.

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 Excuse me.

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 Then he goes to Lystra.

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 You might remember that name Lystra.

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 Lystra is where Timothy is from.

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 They go to Timothy and they start preaching in Lystra.

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 And they go to Lystra and they start preaching there.

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 This could be the place or the time that Timothy is actually saved.

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 Okay.

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 Because this is the first kind of foray into Lystra where they're preaching the gospel, making disciples.

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 And here in Lystra, Paul actually gets stoned.

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 Okay.

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 They tried to in Iconium.

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 But in Lystra, he gets stoned.

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 And it's so bad that they think he's dead.

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 He's just laying there.

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 And then he gets up and goes into town.

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 And he moves on to the next town.

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 Derby, which is kind of right along the line.

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 And then Derby does the same thing.

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 Preaches the gospel there.

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 He's making disciples.

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 Okay.

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 From there, Acts chapter 14, 21 to 23.

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 It says when they had preached the gospel to that city, speaking of Derby, and had made many disciples.

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 This is the work that's being done.

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 Preaching the gospel, making disciples.

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 Okay.

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 By establishing the churches in each of these cities.

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 They returned to Lystra.

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 Now think about that for a second.

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 Now you remember what just happened in Lystra.

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 He was just stoned and left for dead.

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 So he goes to Derby.

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 And then what did he do?

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 Seems like a good idea to go back to the place I was just stoned.

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 How many of you would say, I'm going to go back to the place I was just stoned.

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 I'm going to go back there.

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 That's what he does.

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 Paul goes back to Lystra.

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 Okay.

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 He returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch.

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 Strengthening the souls of the disciples.

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 Encouraging them to continue in the faith.

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 And saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.

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 I would say you'd probably take Paul seriously when he says through many tribulations we enter the kingdom of God.

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 Seeing as he was just stoned and left for dead.

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 Okay.

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 And when they had appointed elders for them in every church with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

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 Now this span of time of these five cities that they went to.

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 Cyprus, Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, Derby.

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 This is a span of two to three years.

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 Okay.

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 He's going there.

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 He's preaching the gospels.

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 Making disciples.

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 He's strengthening disciples.

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 After he gets to Derby.

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 Then he goes a second visit to all those cities in Galatia there.

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 The three other cities.

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 Second visit to Lystra.

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 Second visit to Iconium.

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 Second visit to Antioch.

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 And what does he do there?

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 He appoints elders.

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 Okay.

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 So before that.

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 That means there weren't elders before that.

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 That means that he went there and he started these churches.

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 And he didn't come in with a team.

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 He didn't come in with existing elders.

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 He didn't come in with existing pastors.

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 He came in with Barnabas, another apostle.

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 And they would preach the gospel.

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 And they're making disciples.

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 If there's believers there, they're teaching them to persevere.

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 Endure persecution for the kingdom.

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 They're establishing churches in all these different cities.

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 Then he would leave.

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 He'd leave.

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 He'd go to the next city.

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 And again, there's no texting Paul.

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 Right?

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 There's no, you know, calling him up on the phone.

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 There's no hopping in a car and saying, hey, Paul, we got a question.

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 I'll just go meet you for lunch.

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 You know?

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 None of that's happening.

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 There's no contact.

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 Not only is he leaving, they don't have the technology we have.

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 He leaves them.

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 He leaves that church.

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 Not only did he not start them with a team.

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 Not only did he not start them with a bunch of pastors or elders.

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 He leaves them.

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 But then he goes back.

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 And what does he do?

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 He appoints elders.

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 After what?

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 Well, it depends.

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 If this was a two to three year span of time, some of them, Derby, he might have appointed

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 elders right away.

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 Because he goes there and he doesn't go there a second time.

00:12:16.960 --> 00:12:20.100
 Then he starts visiting the other cities a second time on the way back through.

00:12:20.980 --> 00:12:21.139
 Okay?

00:12:21.139 --> 00:12:23.620
 By the time he gets into Antioch, who knows?

00:12:23.679 --> 00:12:26.299
 It might have been two years since he was first there.

00:12:27.159 --> 00:12:29.899
 So they're there that whole time without Paul.

00:12:30.419 --> 00:12:31.059
 No elders.

00:12:31.699 --> 00:12:32.699
 How could this be?

00:12:33.279 --> 00:12:35.720
 Again, this is what the Bible, this is the Bible.

00:12:36.559 --> 00:12:38.299
 And then he comes back and he appoints elders.

00:12:39.059 --> 00:12:39.220
 Okay?

00:12:39.740 --> 00:12:40.559
 And he appoints elders.

00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:45.139
 After that, they return to Antioch where he was sent out.

00:12:45.419 --> 00:12:47.159
 Acts 14, 26 to 28.

00:12:47.159 --> 00:12:52.019
 They sailed to Antioch where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work

00:12:52.019 --> 00:12:52.899
 that they had fulfilled.

00:12:53.399 --> 00:12:53.699
 Okay?

00:12:53.879 --> 00:12:54.279
 Remember?

00:12:55.079 --> 00:12:56.279
 Remember that terminology?

00:12:56.559 --> 00:12:58.000
 Remember in Acts 13, it says,

00:12:58.179 --> 00:13:01.519
 They set apart for me Barnabas and Paul for the work.

00:13:02.439 --> 00:13:04.600
 And then, so the question was, well, what is that work?

00:13:04.779 --> 00:13:06.360
 Well, in Acts 14, it says,

00:13:06.919 --> 00:13:11.000
 They went back to Antioch where they originally sent out and they were commended to the grace

00:13:11.000 --> 00:13:12.779
 of God for the work that they had fulfilled.

00:13:13.179 --> 00:13:14.000
 They fulfilled it.

00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:17.600
 The work that the Holy Spirit had sent them out for, they fulfilled.

00:13:18.019 --> 00:13:19.580
 What was it that they fulfilled?

00:13:19.679 --> 00:13:20.480
 What did he finish?

00:13:21.320 --> 00:13:22.559
 Five churches were planted.

00:13:23.240 --> 00:13:24.139
 Elders were appointed.

00:13:24.399 --> 00:13:25.399
 Disciples were made.

00:13:25.899 --> 00:13:28.500
 The disciples that were there were congregated into churches.

00:13:29.179 --> 00:13:31.000
 This was the apostolic work.

00:13:31.259 --> 00:13:32.139
 This is what happened.

00:13:32.220 --> 00:13:33.120
 And he fulfilled that.

00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:33.879
 Okay?

00:13:34.299 --> 00:13:36.559
 And that's the way that he did it.

00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:39.779
 Apostles are called by God for the work.

00:13:39.779 --> 00:13:45.259
 That work is church planting through gospel preaching, disciple making, and elder appointing.

00:13:46.360 --> 00:13:48.600
 Also, it's church strengthening and encouraging.

00:13:48.839 --> 00:13:53.559
 Then he went back in and he went to the churches that were started, the disciples that were made.

00:13:54.179 --> 00:13:54.379
 Okay?

00:13:54.819 --> 00:13:58.620
 And he encouraged and strengthened those churches.

00:13:59.039 --> 00:14:00.620
 That is apostolic work.

00:14:00.620 --> 00:14:06.179
 Why we people think we don't need that same work now is beyond me.

00:14:06.360 --> 00:14:13.080
 We still need people to plant churches through the gospel preaching, disciple making, and elder appointing.

00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:17.480
 We still need apostles to strengthen the church and encourage the church.

00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:18.060
 Okay?

00:14:18.419 --> 00:14:20.039
 That was the first missionary journey.

00:14:20.039 --> 00:14:23.980
 After that, then, he wrote a letter.

00:14:24.939 --> 00:14:26.299
 You're familiar with the book of the Bible?

00:14:26.579 --> 00:14:27.319
 Galatians, right?

00:14:27.819 --> 00:14:31.199
 This book of the Bible is the letter to the Galatian churches.

00:14:31.299 --> 00:14:34.539
 He wrote it right after that when he came back into Antioch.

00:14:34.939 --> 00:14:36.240
 Well, what were the Galatian churches?

00:14:36.799 --> 00:14:39.079
 Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch.

00:14:39.159 --> 00:14:42.019
 Those four churches were the Galatian churches.

00:14:42.019 --> 00:14:47.799
 So, he's now following up with those churches and he's writing a letter to them.

00:14:48.159 --> 00:14:49.799
 And it's the book of Galatians.

00:14:50.039 --> 00:14:54.139
 This is helpful when you're looking at the book of Galatians.

00:14:54.299 --> 00:14:55.860
 See, oh, that's who he's writing this to.

00:14:56.339 --> 00:15:00.759
 He's writing this to a people who were being persecuted by the Jews at that time, right?

00:15:01.079 --> 00:15:04.339
 He's writing this to a people that stoned him, right?

00:15:04.779 --> 00:15:09.360
 He's writing this to a people that four churches were planted in that area.

00:15:09.620 --> 00:15:16.459
 And he's encouraging those churches in a way so that they will be established on the right foundations so that they will last.

00:15:17.079 --> 00:15:18.959
 If you read the book of Galatians, you can see that.

00:15:18.960 --> 00:15:21.300
 He says in Galatians 4.19,

00:15:21.300 --> 00:15:27.480
 My little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.

00:15:28.160 --> 00:15:31.900
 It's interesting that when you look at that language and you see who he's writing to,

00:15:32.120 --> 00:15:33.759
 why would he call them his little children?

00:15:33.860 --> 00:15:36.280
 Because these are churches that were planted through him.

00:15:36.620 --> 00:15:41.480
 These are new believers that he led to the Lord, that he was making disciples of,

00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:44.480
 that he spent doing that over the span of two to three years.

00:15:44.480 --> 00:15:52.220
 So for two to three years, he's laboring in these cities to see converts, to see disciples made, and to see churches established.

00:15:52.740 --> 00:15:57.100
 And he's in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in that.

00:15:57.600 --> 00:16:03.000
 He's concerned that these churches would be built on the right foundation so that they last.

00:16:03.820 --> 00:16:08.600
 Oftentimes in church today, we think ministry sometimes is the end-all be-all.

00:16:08.600 --> 00:16:11.920
 As long as ministry is happening, we should be satisfied.

00:16:12.620 --> 00:16:14.040
 People are being ministered to.

00:16:14.600 --> 00:16:15.840
 Lost are being saved.

00:16:16.300 --> 00:16:17.340
 Church life is happening.

00:16:18.220 --> 00:16:21.960
 But if you look at the scriptures, ministry isn't the goal.

00:16:22.480 --> 00:16:25.519
 And ministry isn't something alone that we should be satisfied.

00:16:26.040 --> 00:16:30.980
 We have to make sure that the ministry that's being done is done in a way that is sustainable for the long haul.

00:16:30.980 --> 00:16:38.539
 If Paul was just satisfied with ministry, then he wouldn't be in the pains of childbirth.

00:16:38.659 --> 00:16:44.139
 He's in the pains of childbirth because he knows that there is a way to build churches that last,

00:16:44.500 --> 00:16:47.539
 and there's a way to build churches that don't last.

00:16:48.539 --> 00:16:52.300
 That is the difference between apostolic ministry and just ministry.

00:16:52.980 --> 00:16:56.560
 Apostles are uniquely graced by God to build foundations.

00:16:57.320 --> 00:17:00.740
 If you build anything on a faulty foundation, it's not going to last.

00:17:00.740 --> 00:17:05.019
 If you build something on a faulty foundation, everything built on that is off.

00:17:06.079 --> 00:17:07.579
 You've heard me tell this story before.

00:17:07.660 --> 00:17:11.120
 I have friends who are builders, and their first house they built,

00:17:11.500 --> 00:17:14.359
 the owner of the house that they were building,

00:17:14.799 --> 00:17:20.180
 they talked them into letting a relative do the foundation, which they shouldn't have done.

00:17:20.920 --> 00:17:21.960
 Guess what happened?

00:17:22.380 --> 00:17:23.519
 The foundation was off.

00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:27.880
 Guess what ended up being off on the 7,000 to 8,000 square foot house?

00:17:28.480 --> 00:17:29.400
 Everything else.

00:17:29.400 --> 00:17:30.880
 Everything else.

00:17:30.920 --> 00:17:32.180
 And it was the first house they built.

00:17:32.680 --> 00:17:33.560
 Good learning lesson.

00:17:34.500 --> 00:17:35.240
 Foundations matter.

00:17:36.280 --> 00:17:37.600
 Foundations matter in the church.

00:17:38.200 --> 00:17:41.040
 We would say that on the front end, we would say, well, of course they matter, Josh.

00:17:41.160 --> 00:17:43.840
 I mean, of course they matter.

00:17:44.700 --> 00:17:46.160
 But do we believe it in practice?

00:17:46.160 --> 00:17:50.160
 It rolls right off the tongue to say foundations matter.

00:17:50.380 --> 00:17:54.460
 It rolls right off the tongue to say there is a way to build churches that is the right way,

00:17:54.540 --> 00:17:55.940
 and there's a way to build churches the wrong way.

00:17:55.980 --> 00:18:00.040
 There's a way to build churches that last, and there's a way to build churches that will not last.

00:18:00.039 --> 00:18:03.879
 We can say that, but do we believe it?

00:18:04.119 --> 00:18:05.639
 Do we believe it to the point of action?

00:18:06.200 --> 00:18:11.420
 Do we believe it to the point where we value the parts of the body that are uniquely gifted to make sure this happens?

00:18:12.099 --> 00:18:14.619
 Or do we just say, we just want ministry to happen?

00:18:14.960 --> 00:18:16.420
 We just want souls to be saved.

00:18:16.420 --> 00:18:21.300
 But we don't care how those souls are acclimated into a group of people called the church,

00:18:21.500 --> 00:18:26.880
 and that they last for the long haul so that disciples are made, disciples are matured, and Christ is formed in them.

00:18:29.640 --> 00:18:31.160
 What is important to us?

00:18:31.759 --> 00:18:34.019
 Do we have a generic adherence to ministry,

00:18:34.539 --> 00:18:38.640
 or do we have an apostolic vision for what the Bible says the church is supposed to be?

00:18:39.480 --> 00:18:41.820
 I'm saying we need to care about what the Bible says.

00:18:42.759 --> 00:18:44.500
 And we can all have our opinions.

00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:47.440
 We can have all kinds of thoughts on how the church should function.

00:18:47.940 --> 00:18:50.619
 But again, let's just, why is the book of Acts here?

00:18:50.960 --> 00:18:54.680
 Anytime, if you're thinking about biblical theology, and you're looking at a book of the Bible,

00:18:54.759 --> 00:18:55.920
 you always have to ask the question,

00:18:56.339 --> 00:19:00.579
 why is this book here, and what would we be missing if this book was not in the Bible?

00:19:02.680 --> 00:19:04.619
 What is the value of the book of Acts?

00:19:06.059 --> 00:19:07.299
 It has a lot of value.

00:19:07.519 --> 00:19:12.460
 But one of the greatest values of it is it shows us how churches were planted.

00:19:12.460 --> 00:19:19.100
 It shows us how Paul's apostolic ministry functioned, along with Barnabas, along with Apollos, along with Titus.

00:19:19.620 --> 00:19:20.579
 I'm sorry, not Titus.

00:19:20.660 --> 00:19:22.100
 Along with Timothy, Silas.

00:19:23.380 --> 00:19:26.819
 And ironically enough, Titus is not in the whole book of Acts, which is interesting.

00:19:26.819 --> 00:19:27.460
 Okay.

00:19:34.259 --> 00:19:41.919
 After this, you have the Jerusalem Council, where they talk about whether or not Gentile believers need to be circumcised.

00:19:42.599 --> 00:19:42.779
 Okay.

00:19:42.779 --> 00:19:46.779
 And then Paul and Barnabas come back in Antioch, and in Acts 15, 35, it says,

00:19:47.000 --> 00:19:51.399
 Paul and Barnabas remain in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord with many others also.

00:19:51.960 --> 00:19:53.480
 And then here comes the second journey.

00:19:53.599 --> 00:19:56.920
 We're just going to go over the, he had three journeys that he did, but we're just going to look at these two.

00:19:57.940 --> 00:20:01.480
 Second journey starts in Acts chapter 15, verse 36.

00:20:01.480 --> 00:20:07.500
 And where Paul and Silas are sent from Antioch, they're eventually joined by Timothy and Luke.

00:20:07.700 --> 00:20:12.000
 Before this happens, Paul and Barnabas have a little bit of a disagreement, right?

00:20:12.900 --> 00:20:16.259
 After some days, this is Acts 15, 36, Paul said to Barnabas,

00:20:16.660 --> 00:20:21.980
 Let's return to visit the brothers in every city where we proclaim the word of the Lord and see how they are.

00:20:22.400 --> 00:20:23.880
 Again, apostolic ministry.

00:20:24.799 --> 00:20:27.579
 Now, Barnabas wanted to take with him John, called Mark.

00:20:27.579 --> 00:20:33.639
 You know, we'll pull an Adam here. Do you know who John Mark was related to?

00:20:34.439 --> 00:20:35.519
 Barnabas, his cousin.

00:20:37.220 --> 00:20:38.519
 That's Barnabas' cousin.

00:20:39.859 --> 00:20:45.659
 But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.

00:20:46.639 --> 00:20:50.159
 So when they had done those five church plants before, remember they went to Cyprus first?

00:20:50.759 --> 00:20:55.000
 And then once they left the island of Cyprus and went up into modern-day Turkey, which is Galatia,

00:20:55.000 --> 00:21:00.119
 right when they got to that area, John Mark abandoned them.

00:21:00.299 --> 00:21:04.599
 And so Paul's saying, I don't think he should come with us to the work because he withdrew from us.

00:21:05.099 --> 00:21:08.019
 There arose such a sharp disagreement so that they separated from each other.

00:21:08.519 --> 00:21:11.259
 Barnabas took Mark with him, which is his cousin.

00:21:11.380 --> 00:21:12.900
 Colossians 4, 10 shows us this.

00:21:12.980 --> 00:21:15.819
 And he sailed away to Cyprus, which is where Barnabas is from.

00:21:16.359 --> 00:21:20.740
 And then Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.

00:21:21.000 --> 00:21:24.200
 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

00:21:24.200 --> 00:21:29.360
 Now that's an interesting phrase right there because we never heard of any churches in Syria and Cilicia.

00:21:30.299 --> 00:21:34.860
 Remember, we got Jerusalem, we got Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch.

00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:38.580
 And then he goes in Galatia and plants the four churches up there.

00:21:39.140 --> 00:21:42.000
 Nowhere does it say anything about Syria and Cilicia.

00:21:42.799 --> 00:21:44.559
 But he went to strike the churches there.

00:21:44.700 --> 00:21:45.980
 How did those churches end up there?

00:21:46.480 --> 00:21:47.000
 I don't know.

00:21:47.580 --> 00:21:48.140
 Doesn't say.

00:21:49.120 --> 00:21:51.420
 Obviously some other disciples made their way up there.

00:21:51.519 --> 00:21:53.340
 Maybe some other apostles made their way up there.

00:21:53.339 --> 00:21:56.039
 But what did Paul and Silas do?

00:21:56.119 --> 00:21:57.539
 They went and strengthened those churches.

00:21:58.319 --> 00:21:58.439
 Okay.

00:21:58.859 --> 00:22:00.559
 One of those might have been Troas.

00:22:01.119 --> 00:22:02.559
 I'm sorry, not Troas.

00:22:03.079 --> 00:22:03.480
 Tarsus.

00:22:03.899 --> 00:22:11.459
 Which there is a possibility that Paul, before Barnabas grabbed him in Acts 11, that he might have actually planted a church in his hometown.

00:22:11.779 --> 00:22:12.839
 Because that is in that area.

00:22:13.439 --> 00:22:13.839
 Possible.

00:22:13.959 --> 00:22:14.679
 We don't know for sure.

00:22:15.579 --> 00:22:16.559
 But where did Paul and...

00:22:16.559 --> 00:22:17.619
 So this is the second trip.

00:22:17.720 --> 00:22:19.159
 Where did Paul and Silas go?

00:22:19.160 --> 00:22:19.240
 No.

00:22:19.860 --> 00:22:21.700
 They go to their second trip to Derby.

00:22:21.779 --> 00:22:22.779
 They go back to Derby.

00:22:22.980 --> 00:22:24.620
 And they take their third trip to Lystra.

00:22:24.940 --> 00:22:26.600
 Again, where Paul was stoned.

00:22:27.300 --> 00:22:28.440
 Talk about a glut for punishment.

00:22:28.680 --> 00:22:28.820
 Right?

00:22:28.940 --> 00:22:30.019
 He went there the first time.

00:22:30.300 --> 00:22:31.180
 Didn't go so hot.

00:22:31.420 --> 00:22:32.680
 He goes back a second time.

00:22:32.940 --> 00:22:34.540
 Now he's going back a third time.

00:22:35.380 --> 00:22:35.860
 Guess what?

00:22:36.200 --> 00:22:36.759
 Spoiler alert.

00:22:37.000 --> 00:22:39.019
 In his next trip, he goes back a fourth time.

00:22:39.540 --> 00:22:39.779
 Okay?

00:22:39.940 --> 00:22:41.140
 He keeps going back.

00:22:41.620 --> 00:22:43.300
 Which is awesome, by the way.

00:22:43.299 --> 00:22:43.379
 Okay?

00:22:44.579 --> 00:22:45.940
 Acts 16.5, it says,

00:22:46.099 --> 00:22:49.980
 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.

00:22:50.379 --> 00:22:54.059
 So Paul's going with Silas, are going into these cities.

00:22:54.180 --> 00:22:55.399
 They're going back to Galatia.

00:22:55.480 --> 00:22:56.159
 He's in Derby.

00:22:56.259 --> 00:22:56.960
 He's in Lystra.

00:22:57.659 --> 00:22:57.839
 Okay?

00:22:57.899 --> 00:23:01.139
 And the churches are strengthened in the faith, and they're increasing in numbers daily.

00:23:01.960 --> 00:23:03.399
 This is apostolic ministry.

00:23:03.980 --> 00:23:06.519
 Then he goes through his third trip to Iconium and Antioch.

00:23:06.599 --> 00:23:09.639
 So all four of the Galatian churches he visits.

00:23:09.640 --> 00:23:11.759
 And the Spirit's leading them.

00:23:11.820 --> 00:23:19.500
 In Acts 16.6-10, it said they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.

00:23:19.640 --> 00:23:25.920
 That would have been the next logical geographical location to go in if they would just continue their trajectory, right?

00:23:25.980 --> 00:23:27.340
 Now they're going to hit Asia.

00:23:27.600 --> 00:23:32.540
 But it says the Holy Spirit forbid them to speak the word in Asia.

00:23:32.960 --> 00:23:33.620
 It's interesting.

00:23:33.619 --> 00:23:41.159
 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.

00:23:41.879 --> 00:23:41.979
 Okay?

00:23:42.319 --> 00:23:44.359
 So the Spirit is directing them where to go.

00:23:45.619 --> 00:23:49.679
 So passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas, and a vision appeared to Paul in the night.

00:23:50.079 --> 00:23:54.919
 A man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, come over to Macedonia and help us.

00:23:55.419 --> 00:23:57.799
 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we...

00:23:57.799 --> 00:23:58.219
 Whoa, whoa.

00:23:58.379 --> 00:23:59.539
 What's all this we talk?

00:24:00.159 --> 00:24:01.859
 There was no we talk before this.

00:24:01.959 --> 00:24:02.899
 Who's that all about?

00:24:02.900 --> 00:24:04.480
 Who wrote the book of Acts?

00:24:06.080 --> 00:24:06.519
 Luke.

00:24:06.960 --> 00:24:07.200
 Right?

00:24:07.640 --> 00:24:12.460
 So apparently Luke must have joined him at this point, because now all of a sudden he starts saying we.

00:24:13.019 --> 00:24:16.860
 So he doesn't say that Luke joined here, but if he's saying we, Luke's there.

00:24:17.060 --> 00:24:17.220
 Okay?

00:24:17.480 --> 00:24:19.600
 So now it's Paul, Silas, and Luke.

00:24:20.720 --> 00:24:21.180
 Okay?

00:24:23.340 --> 00:24:24.900
 But they also picked up...

00:24:25.440 --> 00:24:27.980
 And they also picked up someone in Lystra.

00:24:28.180 --> 00:24:29.420
 They picked up Timothy as well.

00:24:29.420 --> 00:24:32.780
 So Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke.

00:24:33.140 --> 00:24:33.380
 All right?

00:24:34.800 --> 00:24:35.019
 It says,

00:24:35.080 --> 00:24:40.519
 When Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

00:24:40.780 --> 00:24:42.720
 So they sail on over to Macedonia.

00:24:42.720 --> 00:24:42.799
 Yeah?

00:24:43.539 --> 00:24:51.779
 And he had this vision in Troas, which is also called Alexandria, which is where Apollos is from, by the way.

00:24:52.600 --> 00:24:57.200
 And in Titus, it also says in 2 Corinthians 2 that Paul was looking for Titus in Troas.

00:24:57.579 --> 00:25:00.860
 Paul met Titus a long time ago, if you read earlier in the book of Acts.

00:25:01.299 --> 00:25:02.879
 He must have had a really good relationship with him.

00:25:02.919 --> 00:25:08.240
 Because in Corinthians, he's always looking for Titus or really pumped when Titus gets there.

00:25:08.479 --> 00:25:08.659
 Okay?

00:25:09.000 --> 00:25:10.619
 So I think Titus was his guy.

00:25:11.039 --> 00:25:12.979
 Like, he really liked Titus.

00:25:13.339 --> 00:25:13.719
 All right?

00:25:13.759 --> 00:25:14.740
 So he's looking for Titus.

00:25:14.779 --> 00:25:15.519
 He doesn't find him.

00:25:15.679 --> 00:25:17.139
 2 Corinthians 2.12-13 says,

00:25:17.140 --> 00:25:38.800
 So setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samathitras, an island, and the following day to Neapolis in Macedonia.

00:25:39.000 --> 00:25:44.680
 And from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia in a Roman colony.

00:25:45.140 --> 00:25:45.960
 So now we're in Europe.

00:25:45.960 --> 00:25:48.059
 This is the first time the gospel is going to Europe.

00:25:48.240 --> 00:25:48.380
 Okay?

00:25:48.420 --> 00:25:49.140
 They're out of Turkey.

00:25:49.259 --> 00:25:49.980
 They go across.

00:25:50.480 --> 00:25:53.620
 They sail over to Europe, to Greece here, basically.

00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:59.680
 And then Paul and Silas and Timothy and Luke, what do they do?

00:26:00.100 --> 00:26:01.519
 They continue the apostolic work.

00:26:01.700 --> 00:26:02.600
 Five new churches.

00:26:03.460 --> 00:26:04.559
 Another five new churches.

00:26:04.819 --> 00:26:05.000
 Right?

00:26:05.420 --> 00:26:06.539
 First one's in Philippi.

00:26:06.539 --> 00:26:07.500
 That's where they end up.

00:26:07.740 --> 00:26:10.220
 In Philippi in Macedonia in Acts 16.

00:26:10.579 --> 00:26:12.900
 They go to a prayer meeting where Lydia is there.

00:26:13.420 --> 00:26:15.579
 Lead Lydia to the Lord, her whole household to the Lord.

00:26:15.960 --> 00:26:16.319
 Okay?

00:26:16.559 --> 00:26:17.980
 And then they get thrown into prison.

00:26:18.440 --> 00:26:20.360
 When they're in prison, they're preaching the gospel in prison.

00:26:20.480 --> 00:26:22.259
 They're winning people to Christ in the prison.

00:26:22.640 --> 00:26:26.120
 And then they're asked to leave after that.

00:26:26.460 --> 00:26:30.519
 First of all, they were persecuted illegally because they're Roman citizens and they were treated without a trial.

00:26:30.519 --> 00:26:30.920
 Okay?

00:26:30.920 --> 00:26:37.879
 Which Paul was gladly making appeal to that he was a Roman citizen and then they asked him to leave.

00:26:38.980 --> 00:26:45.900
 So, oh, by the way, but before they were thrown into prison, their garments were torn off and they were beaten with rods.

00:26:46.440 --> 00:26:46.599
 Okay?

00:26:46.599 --> 00:26:46.639
 Okay?

00:26:47.039 --> 00:26:47.779
 Garments are torn off.

00:26:47.839 --> 00:26:51.039
 They're beaten with rods and then they're thrown into prison and then they're asked to leave.

00:26:51.439 --> 00:26:51.740
 All right?

00:26:52.139 --> 00:26:53.799
 So then he goes on to Thessalonica.

00:26:54.319 --> 00:26:54.559
 Okay.

00:26:56.159 --> 00:26:57.319
 Thessalonica in Macedonia.

00:26:57.500 --> 00:27:00.919
 He's there for three Sabbaths and he's preaching in the synagogue.

00:27:01.919 --> 00:27:03.519
 First Thessalonians 2 verse 2 says,

00:27:03.519 --> 00:27:17.700
 In Acts 17, 6-7 here in Thessalonica, it says,

00:27:17.700 --> 00:27:21.220
 When they could not find them, they dragged looking for Paul and Silas.

00:27:21.680 --> 00:27:24.819
 These people who were persecuted and were looking for Paul and Silas.

00:27:25.579 --> 00:27:28.859
 And they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities shouting,

00:27:29.160 --> 00:27:32.839
 These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also.

00:27:32.839 --> 00:27:34.619
 And Jason has received them.

00:27:34.699 --> 00:27:39.939
 They are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another King Jesus.

00:27:40.939 --> 00:27:41.119
 Okay?

00:27:41.259 --> 00:27:42.859
 So this is, again, what they were preaching.

00:27:42.980 --> 00:27:44.139
 They're preaching another King.

00:27:44.720 --> 00:27:48.199
 The unbelievers are saying they had turned the world upside down.

00:27:49.199 --> 00:27:50.859
 You might think, they turned the world upside down?

00:27:51.159 --> 00:27:51.939
 What did they do?

00:27:52.359 --> 00:27:54.439
 Did they introduce some kind of new economic system?

00:27:54.579 --> 00:27:56.199
 Did they introduce a new government?

00:27:56.679 --> 00:28:01.559
 Did they have a new political way of reaching Europe at that time?

00:28:02.839 --> 00:28:04.699
 No, it was apostolic ministry.

00:28:04.939 --> 00:28:06.059
 They planted churches.

00:28:06.259 --> 00:28:07.159
 They preached the gospel.

00:28:07.459 --> 00:28:08.379
 They made disciples.

00:28:09.159 --> 00:28:10.799
 And what was said of them from unbelievers?

00:28:11.059 --> 00:28:12.679
 They're turning the world upside down.

00:28:12.959 --> 00:28:13.980
 By doing what?

00:28:15.000 --> 00:28:17.659
 And you think of all the things that we try to do to impact the world.

00:28:17.919 --> 00:28:19.539
 What turned the world upside down then?

00:28:20.259 --> 00:28:21.099
 Apostolic ministry.

00:28:22.059 --> 00:28:27.539
 Gospel preaching, disciple making, church planting, strengthening and encouraging churches.

00:28:27.539 --> 00:28:28.899
 That's what they were doing.

00:28:29.680 --> 00:28:34.159
 Preaching that there is another King.

00:28:34.720 --> 00:28:35.559
 His name is Jesus.

00:28:37.099 --> 00:28:41.440
 And the brothers sent Paul and Silas away because there was an angry mob looking for them.

00:28:41.899 --> 00:28:42.000
 Okay?

00:28:42.180 --> 00:28:43.319
 So they went to Berea.

00:28:43.740 --> 00:28:45.299
 In Berea, they were received much better.

00:28:45.379 --> 00:28:46.200
 They preached in the synagogue.

00:28:46.200 --> 00:28:51.480
 But eventually, the people who were persecuting them in Thessalonica followed them there.

00:28:51.640 --> 00:28:54.200
 And they sent Paul and Silas away to avoid the Thessalonians.

00:28:55.519 --> 00:28:56.980
 And Timothy and Silas stayed there.

00:28:57.480 --> 00:28:57.580
 Okay?

00:28:57.980 --> 00:28:59.019
 Paul goes to...

00:28:59.019 --> 00:29:02.960
 But he preached the gospel in Berea and Thessalonica and Philippi.

00:29:03.559 --> 00:29:06.080
 And disciples are made in all three of those places.

00:29:06.580 --> 00:29:06.779
 Okay?

00:29:07.160 --> 00:29:09.600
 Seems like a church is starting to be established in all those places.

00:29:10.000 --> 00:29:11.299
 Then goes down into Athens.

00:29:11.480 --> 00:29:12.600
 Preaches in the synagogue.

00:29:12.599 --> 00:29:16.899
 He talks to the Areopagus about the Lord.

00:29:17.859 --> 00:29:18.119
 He said,

00:29:18.379 --> 00:29:19.019
 Therefore, when we could...

00:29:19.019 --> 00:29:20.539
 In 1 Thessalonians 3, 1-2,

00:29:20.619 --> 00:29:23.740
 When we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind in Athens alone.

00:29:24.279 --> 00:29:27.379
 We sent Timothy, our brother and God's co-worker in the gospel of Christ,

00:29:27.619 --> 00:29:30.699
 to establish and exhort you in your faith.

00:29:31.219 --> 00:29:31.439
 Okay?

00:29:31.679 --> 00:29:36.159
 So Paul is sent back to Thessalonica to establish them and exhort them in their faith.

00:29:36.500 --> 00:29:37.579
 Again, apostolic ministry.

00:29:38.039 --> 00:29:39.039
 Churches are trying...

00:29:39.039 --> 00:29:42.299
 They're trying to establish churches where the faith would be strong

00:29:42.299 --> 00:29:43.720
 and that these churches would last.

00:29:44.539 --> 00:29:45.159
 He then leaves...

00:29:45.159 --> 00:29:47.180
 We don't know if the church was actually planted in Athens.

00:29:47.319 --> 00:29:48.759
 It doesn't necessarily say.

00:29:49.359 --> 00:29:51.359
 But then he ended up going to Corinth after that.

00:29:51.779 --> 00:29:51.960
 Okay?

00:29:52.519 --> 00:29:55.700
 So he's at Corinth and Achaia in Greece.

00:29:56.539 --> 00:29:58.139
 Preaches in the synagogue every Sabbath.

00:29:58.819 --> 00:30:00.859
 Needs fellow tent makers Tressila and Aquila.

00:30:00.859 --> 00:30:03.939
 And Acts 18, 9-11 says,

00:30:04.039 --> 00:30:05.659
 The Lord said to Paul one night in a vision.

00:30:05.740 --> 00:30:10.199
 Remember, all before this, he's got his clothes ripped off, beaten with rods.

00:30:10.539 --> 00:30:12.679
 An angry mob threatens him in Thessalonica.

00:30:13.139 --> 00:30:14.219
 Follows him to Berea.

00:30:14.799 --> 00:30:15.039
 Okay?

00:30:15.099 --> 00:30:15.959
 He makes it to Athens.

00:30:16.099 --> 00:30:16.719
 Gets to Corinthians.

00:30:16.899 --> 00:30:17.619
 He's probably thinking,

00:30:18.879 --> 00:30:19.139
 Okay.

00:30:19.359 --> 00:30:19.779
 Am I going to...

00:30:19.779 --> 00:30:20.539
 I mean...

00:30:20.539 --> 00:30:22.659
 Remember, back in Galatia, he got stoned.

00:30:23.639 --> 00:30:24.779
 So now he's in Corinth.

00:30:24.879 --> 00:30:25.519
 He's probably thinking,

00:30:25.599 --> 00:30:27.819
 Am I going to be able to make it through here with my life?

00:30:27.819 --> 00:30:30.819
 And God very kindly says to him in Acts 18...

00:30:30.819 --> 00:30:35.879
 Sorry, where am I?

00:30:36.079 --> 00:30:37.319
 Yeah, Acts 18, 9-11.

00:30:37.439 --> 00:30:39.899
 The Lord said to Paul one night in a vision,

00:30:40.099 --> 00:30:43.240
 Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent.

00:30:43.740 --> 00:30:45.980
 For I am with you and no one will attack you to harm you.

00:30:46.259 --> 00:30:48.039
 For I have many in the city who are my people.

00:30:48.379 --> 00:30:51.700
 And he stayed a year and six months teaching the word of God among them.

00:30:52.200 --> 00:30:52.379
 Okay?

00:30:52.740 --> 00:30:53.899
 A year and six months.

00:30:54.339 --> 00:30:56.799
 Remember, Thessalonica, he was there for three Sabbaths.

00:30:56.799 --> 00:30:57.720
 He's there three weeks.

00:30:58.759 --> 00:31:01.240
 Then Corinth, he's there for a year and six months.

00:31:01.819 --> 00:31:01.980
 Okay?

00:31:02.480 --> 00:31:06.220
 So each church, there's no set pattern of how long he's staying in these churches.

00:31:06.619 --> 00:31:07.559
 It's all different.

00:31:08.240 --> 00:31:09.839
 Corinth, he's there for a year and six months.

00:31:09.899 --> 00:31:11.319
 And he's teaching the word of God to them.

00:31:11.379 --> 00:31:13.519
 He's trying to establish the church there.

00:31:14.019 --> 00:31:16.939
 Not only won people to Christ and preached the gospel and made disciples,

00:31:17.039 --> 00:31:18.000
 but then he's teaching them.

00:31:18.240 --> 00:31:19.639
 He's establishing a church.

00:31:20.279 --> 00:31:20.539
 Okay?

00:31:21.939 --> 00:31:25.539
 In that place at Corinth, he ends up writing a letter to the Thessalonians.

00:31:26.099 --> 00:31:27.099
 You know, you've read this, right?

00:31:27.220 --> 00:31:28.779
 First Thessalonians, second Thessalonians.

00:31:28.819 --> 00:31:31.740
 He's writing a letter to the Thessalonians and he's encouraging them.

00:31:31.799 --> 00:31:32.579
 He says things.

00:31:33.059 --> 00:31:35.019
 This is what he says in First Thessalonians 1.1.

00:31:35.559 --> 00:31:39.059
 Paul, Silvanus, which is the other name for Silas, and Timothy.

00:31:39.059 --> 00:31:39.500
 Okay?

00:31:40.940 --> 00:31:45.700
 And in verse 6, he says we, remember this letter is being written by Paul, Silas, and Timothy.

00:31:45.700 --> 00:31:49.099
 And he says we could have made demands as apostles of Christ.

00:31:49.440 --> 00:31:53.919
 So in his letter to the Thessalonians, he says that him, Silas, and Timothy are all apostles.

00:31:54.799 --> 00:31:55.039
 Okay?

00:31:55.099 --> 00:31:56.859
 So if you're wondering about that, now we know.

00:31:57.359 --> 00:32:01.200
 He just wrote two, kind of seemed obvious because they were functioning like apostles.

00:32:01.200 --> 00:32:01.680
 Apostles.

00:32:01.920 --> 00:32:05.660
 But in the letter that he's written, while he's in Corinth to the Thessalonians, he says,

00:32:06.080 --> 00:32:06.880
 we apostles.

00:32:07.039 --> 00:32:09.080
 We could have made demands as apostles of Christ.

00:32:09.960 --> 00:32:12.920
 And then in chapter 2, 7 to 8 of Thessalonians, he says,

00:32:13.480 --> 00:32:17.120
 but we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children.

00:32:17.660 --> 00:32:21.440
 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel,

00:32:21.880 --> 00:32:26.460
 but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.

00:32:26.460 --> 00:32:29.160
 He then says in chapter 2, 11 to 12,

00:32:29.279 --> 00:32:31.360
 for you know how like a father with his children,

00:32:31.799 --> 00:32:36.480
 we exhorted each of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God,

00:32:36.759 --> 00:32:38.860
 who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

00:32:39.460 --> 00:32:45.279
 This is the way he did apostolic ministry, as a father, even with the heart of a mother.

00:32:46.660 --> 00:32:47.660
 That's different, right?

00:32:47.759 --> 00:32:48.480
 But that's what he's saying.

00:32:48.519 --> 00:32:49.799
 He said, I was like a nursing mother.

00:32:49.840 --> 00:32:52.700
 In other words, these churches were in their infant stages.

00:32:52.700 --> 00:32:57.240
 My job is to care for them so that they can stand on their own,

00:32:57.620 --> 00:32:59.160
 so they can be churches that can last.

00:32:59.779 --> 00:33:03.080
 And I did this with affection, affectionist desire for you.

00:33:03.360 --> 00:33:05.640
 It wasn't just some professional thing he was doing.

00:33:06.100 --> 00:33:08.000
 You know it's not a professional thing.

00:33:08.259 --> 00:33:11.220
 He endured much persecution and he kept doing it.

00:33:11.600 --> 00:33:13.779
 He said, I wasn't just interested in sharing the gospel to you.

00:33:13.819 --> 00:33:16.200
 This isn't just, I'm not just some ministry machine,

00:33:16.480 --> 00:33:19.660
 but I actually shared our very lives.

00:33:19.660 --> 00:33:23.060
 We shared our very lives, Paul, Silas, and Timothy.

00:33:23.740 --> 00:33:27.100
 And he said, for you know how like a father with his children, we exhorted you each day.

00:33:27.779 --> 00:33:29.460
 Paul's ministry was one of a father.

00:33:30.019 --> 00:33:32.300
 Paul looked at these churches as his children,

00:33:32.460 --> 00:33:36.240
 and he wanted to see them grow into maturity and be churches that would last.

00:33:37.060 --> 00:33:41.560
 Next, he went across the sea, out of Corinth, and went to Ephesus.

00:33:41.559 --> 00:33:42.039
 Okay?

00:33:43.299 --> 00:33:48.720
 We see in Ephesus, when he goes back again to Ephesus later in Acts chapter 19,

00:33:49.240 --> 00:33:50.879
 that there was already disciples there.

00:33:51.399 --> 00:33:53.720
 So again, we don't know how those disciples got there.

00:33:53.799 --> 00:33:56.859
 We don't know if Priscilla and Aquila had led those people to Christ.

00:33:56.980 --> 00:33:58.440
 We don't know if other people have.

00:33:58.960 --> 00:34:00.200
 There's disciples there.

00:34:02.220 --> 00:34:06.819
 All this to say that both in Cyprus and Antioch and in Ephesus,

00:34:07.319 --> 00:34:09.460
 he's not going into a place where there was no Christians.

00:34:09.460 --> 00:34:11.139
 There was actually Christians there.

00:34:11.659 --> 00:34:15.480
 And so that also gives you precedent that not all church plants have to be this team of people

00:34:15.480 --> 00:34:16.920
 going and just winning new people.

00:34:17.199 --> 00:34:21.780
 They can gather the Christians that are in that particular area and establish them as a church.

00:34:22.559 --> 00:34:23.900
 And that's exactly what Paul did.

00:34:24.320 --> 00:34:25.260
 Ephesus is no different.

00:34:25.480 --> 00:34:26.519
 Cyprus is no different.

00:34:26.760 --> 00:34:28.780
 Antioch in Syria is certainly no different.

00:34:29.679 --> 00:34:31.000
 So Priscilla and Aquila are there.

00:34:31.480 --> 00:34:32.280
 Disciples are there.

00:34:32.440 --> 00:34:33.500
 He preaches in the synagogue.

00:34:33.860 --> 00:34:37.000
 And then he returns to Antioch after his second missionary journey.

00:34:39.460 --> 00:34:45.220
 And Apollos then ends up going, in Acts chapter 18, ends up going to Ephesus and Corinth.

00:34:45.800 --> 00:34:49.460
 And it says of Apollos in 1 Corinthians 3, 4 to 10, it says,

00:34:49.579 --> 00:34:54.220
 For when one says, I follow Paul, another, I follow Apollos, are you not being nearly human?

00:34:54.760 --> 00:34:55.840
 What then is Apollos?

00:34:55.960 --> 00:34:56.699
 What is Paul?

00:34:57.340 --> 00:35:00.599
 Servants to whom you believed as the Lord assigned to each.

00:35:01.139 --> 00:35:04.019
 Paul's saying, I planted Apollos water.

00:35:04.019 --> 00:35:09.960
 Okay, so Paul planted the church in Corinth, planted the church in Ephesus, but then Apollos

00:35:09.960 --> 00:35:12.239
 went to Corinth in Ephesus in Acts 18.

00:35:13.139 --> 00:35:17.500
 And he's saying, I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.

00:35:17.780 --> 00:35:22.699
 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

00:35:23.440 --> 00:35:27.800
 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to

00:35:27.800 --> 00:35:28.239
 his labor.

00:35:28.780 --> 00:35:30.179
 For we are God's fellow workers.

00:35:30.739 --> 00:35:32.440
 You are God's field, God's building.

00:35:32.440 --> 00:35:34.800
 According to the grace of God given to me.

00:35:35.079 --> 00:35:41.240
 So according to the gift of God given to me, grace, the word grace is where we get the

00:35:41.240 --> 00:35:42.320
 word charity, charis.

00:35:42.900 --> 00:35:48.240
 Okay, so according to the grace of God given to me or the gift given to me, like a skilled

00:35:48.240 --> 00:35:52.340
 master builder, I laid a foundation and someone else is building upon it.

00:35:52.599 --> 00:35:55.340
 Let each one take care how he builds upon it.

00:35:55.579 --> 00:35:58.280
 Okay, this is apostolic ministry to lay these foundations.

00:35:58.800 --> 00:36:01.679
 The church is built on the foundation of apostles and prophets.

00:36:01.679 --> 00:36:03.759
 The apostle is the expert builder.

00:36:04.000 --> 00:36:07.399
 The prophet is like the building inspector that's looking and seeing at things being

00:36:07.399 --> 00:36:09.039
 built according to the ways of God.

00:36:09.480 --> 00:36:11.779
 And like a skilled master builder, he's building on it.

00:36:11.859 --> 00:36:14.000
 And then Apollos is building upon that.

00:36:14.480 --> 00:36:15.480
 What was Apollos?

00:36:16.019 --> 00:36:21.940
 Well, in 1 Corinthians chapter 4, the next chapter, it says in verse 6, I have applied all these

00:36:21.940 --> 00:36:27.779
 things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us.

00:36:27.780 --> 00:36:30.240
 Okay, who is he speaking of?

00:36:30.760 --> 00:36:35.800
 And it says in verse 9, for I think God has exhibited us apostles as last of all.

00:36:35.880 --> 00:36:37.040
 He's speaking of Apollos.

00:36:37.340 --> 00:36:40.240
 He calls Apollos an apostle as well.

00:36:40.920 --> 00:36:43.720
 So again, Apollos is going to Ephesus in Corinth.

00:36:43.880 --> 00:36:44.460
 What is he doing?

00:36:44.840 --> 00:36:48.740
 He's also doing apostolic ministry because he was an apostle.

00:36:48.739 --> 00:36:51.879
 So why am I reading all this?

00:36:51.979 --> 00:36:53.439
 Why am I, why are we going through this?

00:36:53.639 --> 00:36:54.659
 Well, first of all, it's the Bible.

00:36:55.479 --> 00:37:00.759
 Second of all, it's like these, this is the way God plant, God was planting churches in

00:37:00.759 --> 00:37:00.959
 here.

00:37:01.319 --> 00:37:03.099
 You see apostles being sent out.

00:37:03.379 --> 00:37:08.719
 You see mobilizing people together to establish churches.

00:37:08.859 --> 00:37:09.659
 The gospels preach.

00:37:09.759 --> 00:37:10.599
 Disciples are made.

00:37:10.939 --> 00:37:11.979
 Those disciples are taught.

00:37:12.099 --> 00:37:13.539
 Those disciples are encouraged.

00:37:13.539 --> 00:37:19.980
 Those disciples are built together into a house of living stones where the, where the

00:37:19.980 --> 00:37:20.539
 spirit dwells.

00:37:21.440 --> 00:37:21.599
 Okay.

00:37:21.759 --> 00:37:24.099
 That is the apostolic ministry that happens.

00:37:24.279 --> 00:37:26.159
 The way that is, the things are being built.

00:37:26.219 --> 00:37:27.739
 He says, be careful how you build.

00:37:28.239 --> 00:37:30.679
 So sometimes you're, you're building those foundations.

00:37:30.679 --> 00:37:32.539
 Sometimes someone's building on that foundation.

00:37:32.800 --> 00:37:34.119
 Sometimes someone's planting.

00:37:34.320 --> 00:37:35.480
 Sometimes someone's watering.

00:37:36.000 --> 00:37:37.759
 Sometimes it's three weeks in a city.

00:37:37.980 --> 00:37:39.360
 Sometimes it's a year and a half.

00:37:39.679 --> 00:37:40.880
 You know how long he spent in Ephesus?

00:37:41.699 --> 00:37:42.500
 Three years.

00:37:42.500 --> 00:37:43.659
 Two years.

00:37:43.719 --> 00:37:47.760
 He spoke in the hall of Tyrannus, but before that he was spending other time in Ephesus.

00:37:47.880 --> 00:37:49.659
 So he was in Ephesus for three years.

00:37:50.219 --> 00:37:53.900
 Eventually there was elders in Ephesus because we see in Acts 20 that he calls the elders

00:37:53.900 --> 00:37:56.699
 of Ephesus to come, but they weren't there originally.

00:37:57.079 --> 00:38:01.079
 So you have all these different churches are started and they don't start with elders.

00:38:01.400 --> 00:38:04.599
 They start with apostles and then elders are eventually appointed.

00:38:05.260 --> 00:38:07.980
 Elders could also be referred to as overseers or pastors.

00:38:08.400 --> 00:38:12.000
 So these are pastorless churches for a while, but once they get established,

00:38:12.000 --> 00:38:17.179
 pastors are appointed, overseers, elders, they're appointed and then they're shepherded and then

00:38:17.179 --> 00:38:21.719
 they have a church that hopefully is built on the right foundation for the last the way

00:38:21.719 --> 00:38:23.260
 that it's supposed to do to be.

00:38:24.099 --> 00:38:29.900
 So the question is, as we seek to see this church establishes, are we building the right

00:38:29.900 --> 00:38:30.099
 way?

00:38:30.519 --> 00:38:35.019
 Are we building according to the pattern and the way that we see in the scriptures?

00:38:35.480 --> 00:38:36.340
 That's the question.

00:38:36.480 --> 00:38:37.280
 It's a good question.

00:38:37.280 --> 00:38:39.120
 It's a question we should ask often.

00:38:39.660 --> 00:38:44.680
 It's a question that we should ask and compare to our opinions and make sure, hey, is my opinion

00:38:44.680 --> 00:38:46.860
 in consistency to the word of God?

00:38:47.580 --> 00:38:47.760
 Okay.

00:38:48.260 --> 00:38:53.760
 In that sense, there's five things that I've been challenging us to do as a church from

00:38:53.760 --> 00:38:54.160
 the beginning.

00:38:54.660 --> 00:38:59.700
 Five things that for the last almost 15 years at the church that sent us out to plant this

00:38:59.700 --> 00:39:03.000
 church that we've tried to do that I want to exhort us to do.

00:39:03.000 --> 00:39:07.960
 And part of those, the reason those five things exist is because of what we see here when

00:39:07.960 --> 00:39:10.219
 the churches were planted here in the book of Acts.

00:39:10.500 --> 00:39:10.659
 Okay.

00:39:11.239 --> 00:39:15.639
 These are things that are missional communities, which our church, if you're not familiar,

00:39:16.139 --> 00:39:19.840
 we organize our church into what we call missional communities, which are just small families

00:39:19.840 --> 00:39:24.500
 of believers on mission to specific people and places.

00:39:24.920 --> 00:39:29.380
 When I say families, not natural families, but like spiritual families of people together

00:39:29.380 --> 00:39:33.000
 or on mission to specific people and places.

00:39:33.619 --> 00:39:33.780
 Okay.

00:39:34.160 --> 00:39:36.640
 And those missional communities should be doing five things.

00:39:36.760 --> 00:39:41.780
 One, number one, and I think two of these five things, I think we're doing a pretty good

00:39:41.780 --> 00:39:42.300
 job on.

00:39:42.539 --> 00:39:44.579
 The other three, I think we could use more work on.

00:39:45.220 --> 00:39:45.400
 Okay.

00:39:46.240 --> 00:39:48.720
 Verse two, build relationships.

00:39:49.079 --> 00:39:49.240
 Okay.

00:39:49.340 --> 00:39:54.360
 Building new and existing relationships, targeting unbelievers and unchurched professing believers.

00:39:55.079 --> 00:39:55.220
 Okay.

00:39:55.220 --> 00:39:58.980
 Luke 19, 10 said, for the son of man came to seek and save those who are lost.

00:39:59.380 --> 00:40:03.119
 And you see Paul and Barnabas and they're going to these cities or Silas or Timothy,

00:40:03.700 --> 00:40:05.880
 what they're immediately going to where people are.

00:40:06.260 --> 00:40:10.160
 And in those cases, they went to where they knew people were going to be there and they

00:40:10.160 --> 00:40:10.760
 were going to be seeking.

00:40:10.880 --> 00:40:11.619
 They went into the synagogue.

00:40:12.160 --> 00:40:14.380
 That was the specific place they were on mission to.

00:40:14.820 --> 00:40:15.180
 Okay.

00:40:15.640 --> 00:40:20.660
 When, uh, you know, um, Paul went where Lydia was, right?

00:40:20.680 --> 00:40:21.680
 He knew there was a prayer meeting there.

00:40:21.740 --> 00:40:22.360
 I'm going to go there.

00:40:22.380 --> 00:40:23.099
 I'm going to reach there.

00:40:23.300 --> 00:40:27.680
 And he leads Lydia to the Lord when he's in prison, he leads people to the Lord in prison,

00:40:27.679 --> 00:40:32.940
 wherever they were going, they were building relationships, believers or unchurched Christians.

00:40:32.940 --> 00:40:37.019
 And they were seeking to build them into the church, right?

00:40:37.539 --> 00:40:39.739
 Son of man came to seek and to save those who are lost.

00:40:39.919 --> 00:40:43.719
 I think for the most part, our missional communities are doing a good job thinking,

00:40:43.879 --> 00:40:45.019
 how can we reach new people?

00:40:45.299 --> 00:40:48.799
 How can we get out there and build new relationships with other people?

00:40:48.919 --> 00:40:49.480
 And that's awesome.

00:40:49.599 --> 00:40:50.659
 We need to keep doing that.

00:40:50.859 --> 00:40:51.059
 Okay.

00:40:51.579 --> 00:40:55.000
 Number two, preach the gospel, preaching the gospel to strangers.

00:40:55.000 --> 00:40:57.500
 And those we're building relationships with.

00:40:58.059 --> 00:41:02.199
 And we preach the gospel with words and we back it up with our, with our conduct.

00:41:04.000 --> 00:41:10.119
 Romans 10 says, verse 14, how then will they call on him in whom they have not believed?

00:41:10.179 --> 00:41:13.039
 And how are they to believe in him of whom they have not heard?

00:41:13.139 --> 00:41:15.139
 And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

00:41:15.500 --> 00:41:17.519
 How are they to preach unless they are sent?

00:41:17.980 --> 00:41:21.659
 As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news.

00:41:21.820 --> 00:41:24.039
 Again, I think we're doing a decent job of this as well.

00:41:24.039 --> 00:41:25.800
 We have to preach the gospel.

00:41:26.219 --> 00:41:28.400
 How will they hear unless someone preaches the gospel?

00:41:28.599 --> 00:41:30.539
 We can't have intentions to preach the gospel.

00:41:30.820 --> 00:41:34.199
 We can't think that the gospel is great and then not preach it.

00:41:34.239 --> 00:41:35.219
 We have to preach it.

00:41:35.719 --> 00:41:35.860
 Okay.

00:41:35.920 --> 00:41:38.380
 A church that's not preaching the gospel is a church that's dying.

00:41:38.920 --> 00:41:42.679
 A church that's only preaching the gospel when it's convenient is a church that's dying.

00:41:43.420 --> 00:41:43.820
 Okay.

00:41:44.159 --> 00:41:47.300
 A church that is going to thrive, a church that is going to last,

00:41:47.539 --> 00:41:50.820
 is one that is intentional to preach the gospel on a regular basis,

00:41:51.320 --> 00:41:53.420
 isn't just waiting for opportunities to happen.

00:41:53.420 --> 00:41:55.360
 They're making opportunities happen.

00:41:56.019 --> 00:41:56.180
 Okay.

00:41:56.599 --> 00:41:58.460
 A lot of times I've heard over the years in Christianity,

00:41:58.599 --> 00:42:00.220
 people are like, well, I'm just waiting for an opportunity.

00:42:00.700 --> 00:42:02.420
 No, you make the most of every opportunity.

00:42:02.500 --> 00:42:03.700
 That's what it says in Ephesians.

00:42:04.180 --> 00:42:05.180
 You make opportunities.

00:42:05.680 --> 00:42:07.940
 You look for people who are lost.

00:42:08.039 --> 00:42:09.840
 You look at the existing relationships you already have.

00:42:09.860 --> 00:42:11.680
 You don't have to add a bunch of new things to your life.

00:42:11.679 --> 00:42:16.199
 What do you already have in your life that you can just do with more gospel intentionality?

00:42:16.319 --> 00:42:19.899
 And you look for areas, people, where you can preach the gospel.

00:42:20.339 --> 00:42:21.639
 And it must be preached.

00:42:22.039 --> 00:42:24.019
 It can't just be shown with our lives.

00:42:24.539 --> 00:42:26.899
 That whole phrase that is attributed to St.

00:42:26.900 --> 00:42:27.900
 St.

00:42:27.900 --> 00:42:29.599
 Um, what is his name?

00:42:30.240 --> 00:42:30.599
 Francis?

00:42:31.500 --> 00:42:35.280
 Uh, which a lot of people say he didn't really say it, but it's a bogus phrase.

00:42:35.420 --> 00:42:38.119
 Preach the gospel always, and when necessary, use words.

00:42:39.599 --> 00:42:39.960
 No.

00:42:40.240 --> 00:42:43.460
 It's always necessary to use words, because if they don't hear, how can they believe?

00:42:44.139 --> 00:42:44.360
 Okay?

00:42:44.680 --> 00:42:47.099
 Now, that doesn't mean you don't have to have gospel conduct as well,

00:42:47.320 --> 00:42:49.019
 but you always have to have the words.

00:42:49.019 --> 00:42:53.460
 And so if you're afraid to preach the gospel, uh, I got good news for you.

00:42:54.019 --> 00:42:57.340
 God sent his spirit to give you boldness to preach the gospel.

00:42:58.380 --> 00:43:00.259
 And everyone can be filled with his spirit.

00:43:00.739 --> 00:43:04.500
 And when you're filled with the spirit, you go from being afraid of the gospel

00:43:04.500 --> 00:43:09.139
 and ashamed of the gospel, like Peter, and go to being someone who's bold about the gospel.

00:43:09.480 --> 00:43:12.780
 And if that's you, you can be filled with the spirit and be bold about the gospel.

00:43:13.259 --> 00:43:14.400
 You just need to be filled.

00:43:14.940 --> 00:43:17.619
 And when you're filled with his spirit, you will be bold for the gospel.

00:43:17.619 --> 00:43:22.659
 If you're not bold with the gospel, and your doctrine gets in the way of it

00:43:22.659 --> 00:43:24.139
 because you don't believe in the filling of the spirit,

00:43:24.679 --> 00:43:27.739
 you got to ask the question why you're so afraid and ashamed to preach the gospel.

00:43:28.239 --> 00:43:29.400
 Maybe your doctrine's off.

00:43:30.159 --> 00:43:32.079
 Maybe you need to believe in the filling of the spirit,

00:43:32.400 --> 00:43:35.239
 because it's not optional to not be bold about the gospel.

00:43:35.679 --> 00:43:37.099
 We must be bold about the gospel.

00:43:38.599 --> 00:43:40.519
 Third, we have to pray.

00:43:41.279 --> 00:43:41.460
 Okay?

00:43:41.799 --> 00:43:44.859
 We have to be praying for the people that we're on mission to.

00:43:44.860 --> 00:43:48.640
 We have to be praying for the laborers who are going out and being on mission.

00:43:49.220 --> 00:43:49.300
 Right?

00:43:49.420 --> 00:43:50.280
 Luke 10, 2 says,

00:43:50.400 --> 00:43:52.780
 The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

00:43:53.280 --> 00:43:56.599
 Therefore, pray earnestly for the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers.

00:43:56.920 --> 00:44:01.140
 So we need to be praying for the laborers to go out.

00:44:01.680 --> 00:44:03.000
 Ephesians 6, 19 says,

00:44:03.120 --> 00:44:06.579
 Pray also for me that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth

00:44:06.579 --> 00:44:08.620
 to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel.

00:44:08.619 --> 00:44:12.059
 2 Thessalonians 3, 1 says,

00:44:12.159 --> 00:44:17.039
 Finally, brothers, pray for us that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored as happened among you.

00:44:17.480 --> 00:44:20.299
 Now, we might have find that in a missional community,

00:44:20.380 --> 00:44:24.319
 not the whole missional community goes out on mission on a particular day or night.

00:44:24.880 --> 00:44:28.039
 Maybe just a few people go out and are doing cold call evangelism.

00:44:28.119 --> 00:44:31.539
 Or maybe a few people are on mission to a specific place or people.

00:44:31.539 --> 00:44:37.639
 The important thing is that the other people who aren't on that particular tip of the arrow for the mission,

00:44:38.159 --> 00:44:39.900
 they need to be praying for those other people.

00:44:40.259 --> 00:44:41.340
 How are we doing on that?

00:44:41.440 --> 00:44:43.079
 Are we making sure we're letting people know,

00:44:43.199 --> 00:44:44.659
 Hey, I'm going to do this.

00:44:44.759 --> 00:44:47.380
 Maybe a few ladies are going to the library to reach out to some people.

00:44:47.779 --> 00:44:48.719
 Please pray for us.

00:44:49.019 --> 00:44:51.940
 Maybe some guys are going to UMKC and preaching the gospel.

00:44:52.340 --> 00:44:53.219
 Hey, pray for us.

00:44:53.500 --> 00:44:56.480
 And then you go back to your missional community and report back how it went.

00:44:56.480 --> 00:45:03.199
 And then you pray about the specific people that there was fruit with or that seemed like there was some stirring there.

00:45:03.320 --> 00:45:04.340
 And you pray into that.

00:45:04.420 --> 00:45:06.579
 And you pray that God would save people.

00:45:06.880 --> 00:45:08.980
 You pray that doors would be open before they go.

00:45:09.099 --> 00:45:10.920
 When they come back, there's a report.

00:45:11.340 --> 00:45:13.360
 And your whole missional community is doing that together.

00:45:13.900 --> 00:45:20.059
 If we're just going out here and there discriminately, not connected to our missional community,

00:45:20.119 --> 00:45:23.579
 we're aborting one of the most powerful forces that we have on mission.

00:45:23.659 --> 00:45:24.280
 And that's prayer.

00:45:24.280 --> 00:45:32.340
 We have to be praying for each other and rallying together as a missional community to pray for the specific people we're on mission to

00:45:32.340 --> 00:45:34.160
 and to pray for lost people.

00:45:35.060 --> 00:45:37.500
 Number four, we have to do this together.

00:45:38.180 --> 00:45:38.360
 Okay?

00:45:38.440 --> 00:45:39.240
 Everyone together.

00:45:39.840 --> 00:45:42.580
 We need to expose the people we're on mission to, the family of believers.

00:45:42.740 --> 00:45:46.220
 We need to say, hey, as we're on mission to people, we're reaching people with the gospel,

00:45:46.440 --> 00:45:49.220
 trying to, we want to introduce them to people in our church.

00:45:49.620 --> 00:45:53.620
 You want to bring them in to, if you're out going to UMKC and preaching the gospel,

00:45:53.619 --> 00:46:00.799
 and your wife's at home with the kids, well, maybe look for an opportunity to bring, invite someone over to your house.

00:46:01.239 --> 00:46:02.400
 Have the wife and kids meet.

00:46:02.619 --> 00:46:02.859
 You know?

00:46:03.299 --> 00:46:06.839
 You're looking, you're meeting people, you're getting to know people, and this, Abner, this.

00:46:06.900 --> 00:46:09.579
 You're going to the library, you're reaching some ladies there.

00:46:10.519 --> 00:46:11.900
 Expose them to the family of believers.

00:46:12.159 --> 00:46:14.940
 Have to see, how can we connect them to other believers in the church?

00:46:15.679 --> 00:46:15.840
 Right?

00:46:16.639 --> 00:46:18.240
 Matthew 5 says, you're the light of the world.

00:46:18.559 --> 00:46:19.800
 City on a hill cannot be hidden.

00:46:19.920 --> 00:46:22.340
 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.

00:46:22.480 --> 00:46:25.240
 But they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

00:46:25.679 --> 00:46:31.119
 In the same way, let your light shine before men so that they can see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

00:46:31.119 --> 00:46:35.659
 When you expose people to family of believers, they see your good deeds, and they glorify God.

00:46:36.720 --> 00:46:36.840
 Right?

00:46:36.840 --> 00:46:42.420
 John 13, 35 says, this is how we know that they are Christians, by their love for one another.

00:46:43.200 --> 00:46:45.500
 Our message of the gospel is powerful.

00:46:46.100 --> 00:46:51.760
 Then when we bring those people into the family of God and show them how the family loves one another, that's a game changer.

00:46:52.480 --> 00:46:53.440
 That's a game changer.

00:46:54.019 --> 00:46:54.160
 Okay?

00:46:54.740 --> 00:46:59.660
 Just hearing a story the other day of someone preaching the gospel to their mother, talking to their mother,

00:46:59.660 --> 00:47:05.140
 and then a whole bunch of Christians ended up helping the daughter move.

00:47:05.139 --> 00:47:07.699
 And that just blew things wide open.

00:47:08.139 --> 00:47:09.639
 I can't believe how well people loved you.

00:47:09.739 --> 00:47:11.719
 I can't believe how all these people helped you.

00:47:12.179 --> 00:47:13.239
 Who are all these people?

00:47:14.139 --> 00:47:18.279
 That opens the door, again, to glorify God, who sees your good deeds.

00:47:18.679 --> 00:47:20.980
 They see your good deeds, and they praise your Father who is in heaven.

00:47:22.179 --> 00:47:27.119
 That's something we could do a little bit better, bringing the mission that we're doing together with the rest of the church,

00:47:27.519 --> 00:47:31.379
 the rest of our missional communities, and saying, hey, how can I incorporate the rest of my missional community?

00:47:31.779 --> 00:47:33.099
 How can I bring them in on this?

00:47:33.139 --> 00:47:34.219
 How can we do this together?

00:47:34.219 --> 00:47:39.139
 How can we not just have people going out here and people going out there, but let's do this together?

00:47:39.980 --> 00:47:41.379
 And then lastly, we make disciples.

00:47:42.139 --> 00:47:42.279
 Okay?

00:47:42.379 --> 00:47:45.119
 After people get saved, we've got to teach them to obey everything Jesus commanded.

00:47:45.719 --> 00:47:46.719
 We've got to make disciples.

00:47:46.959 --> 00:47:48.699
 We've got to teach them the ways of God.

00:47:48.779 --> 00:47:49.519
 We've got to train them.

00:47:49.599 --> 00:47:50.619
 We've got to encourage them.

00:47:50.679 --> 00:47:52.939
 We've got to say, hey, this is how you walk out this.

00:47:53.019 --> 00:47:54.059
 This is how you do parenting.

00:47:54.399 --> 00:47:56.259
 This is how you teach your children how to sit.

00:47:56.539 --> 00:47:58.339
 This is how you be a godly man at work.

00:47:58.480 --> 00:48:00.000
 This is how you stop looking at porn.

00:48:00.359 --> 00:48:01.599
 This is how you have a good marriage.

00:48:01.599 --> 00:48:03.420
 This is how you be a godly single person.

00:48:03.799 --> 00:48:05.339
 This is how you do these things.

00:48:05.900 --> 00:48:06.779
 We have to teach.

00:48:07.059 --> 00:48:07.739
 We have to train.

00:48:08.279 --> 00:48:09.519
 We have to get in each other's life.

00:48:09.960 --> 00:48:13.880
 Some of us maybe do a better job of this than others, but I think we have to have it on our radar.

00:48:14.460 --> 00:48:16.519
 Again, we just don't want to do indiscriminate ministry.

00:48:16.639 --> 00:48:24.480
 We want to say, hey, once we're bringing people in, we have to make sure that we're teaching people how to be His.

00:48:24.480 --> 00:48:26.099
 How to follow Jesus.

00:48:26.260 --> 00:48:27.320
 How to obey His commands.

00:48:28.800 --> 00:48:38.019
 So He says in Matthew 2, 19, go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I've commanded.

00:48:39.139 --> 00:48:40.659
 So these are the things we want to do.

00:48:41.240 --> 00:48:41.480
 Okay?

00:48:42.079 --> 00:48:44.079
 And we want to keep doing this over and over again.

00:48:44.679 --> 00:48:48.240
 We're going and we're targeting specific people in specific places.

00:48:48.239 --> 00:48:51.639
 If you would ask your missional community, this should always be this way.

00:48:51.939 --> 00:48:52.779
 Who are you on mission to?

00:48:52.839 --> 00:48:55.659
 You should be able to say, these are the people and these are the places we're on mission to.

00:48:56.259 --> 00:48:56.599
 Okay?

00:48:56.599 --> 00:48:57.219
 This is what we're doing.

00:48:57.639 --> 00:49:02.819
 We're not just a consumeristic, it's all about me, little club of people.

00:49:03.079 --> 00:49:03.299
 No.

00:49:03.839 --> 00:49:06.059
 That's a great way to build a church that won't last.

00:49:06.559 --> 00:49:09.339
 That's a great way to build a church that doesn't reflect the heart of Jesus.

00:49:09.819 --> 00:49:14.399
 That's a great way to build a church that fosters selfishness and independence.

00:49:14.400 --> 00:49:18.760
 That is not the kind of churches you see built in the New Testament.

00:49:19.539 --> 00:49:22.680
 We have to be building relationships with unbelievers and unchurched believers.

00:49:23.099 --> 00:49:24.680
 We have to be preaching the gospel.

00:49:25.139 --> 00:49:27.119
 We have to open our mouth and speak it.

00:49:27.360 --> 00:49:28.420
 We've got to make opportunities.

00:49:29.000 --> 00:49:30.880
 We've got to be praying for the laborers going out.

00:49:31.160 --> 00:49:32.860
 We've got to be praying for them when they come back.

00:49:32.920 --> 00:49:35.619
 We've got to be praying for the report of the people that we're reaching out to.

00:49:36.000 --> 00:49:37.700
 Pray that God will move in them and save them.

00:49:38.099 --> 00:49:41.680
 We've got to do it together and incorporate the whole missional community, young, old.

00:49:42.260 --> 00:49:42.660
 Okay?

00:49:42.659 --> 00:49:44.659
 The men and women.

00:49:45.079 --> 00:49:46.299
 It's not just the guys.

00:49:46.420 --> 00:49:47.339
 It's not just the ladies.

00:49:47.500 --> 00:49:48.359
 It's not just the young.

00:49:48.440 --> 00:49:49.440
 It's not just the old.

00:49:49.739 --> 00:49:51.239
 It's not just the mature Christians.

00:49:51.359 --> 00:49:52.279
 It's not just the immature.

00:49:52.420 --> 00:49:53.239
 It's all together.

00:49:54.179 --> 00:49:55.379
 How do we do this together?

00:49:55.719 --> 00:49:56.539
 How do we do this together?

00:49:56.879 --> 00:49:59.619
 And then we together make disciples of those that are brought in.

00:50:00.279 --> 00:50:00.920
 Rinse and repeat.

00:50:01.319 --> 00:50:02.679
 This is what we've got to do to the end.

00:50:03.259 --> 00:50:05.759
 And you see this done all throughout the New Testament.

00:50:06.920 --> 00:50:07.119
 Amen?

00:50:08.319 --> 00:50:08.679
 Amen.

00:50:08.839 --> 00:50:09.199
 Let's stand.