Acts 14. 1-7: “Guidelines for a Missional Movement”

After preaching the Gospel and planting new Church in Pisidian Antioch, Paul sets off towards Lystra, another Roman Colony, but makes a detour to Iconium, where as usual he goes to the synagogue and preaches the Good News of Jesus.  And there,  a great number of Jews and Greeks believed.  Cross-cultural, Crowds of converts.  Isn't that exciting and encouraging.  People believed: they were clearly convinced and converted. It's good when people believe; we all have individuals whom we want to see coming to that point in their lives. And those who did were Jews and Greeks – both sides of the biggest divide that the Church at that time had to work with.  This was  Cross cultural thing.  How exciting to see the message of Jesus touching diverse people.  Men and women, old and young, different races and colours, rich and poor; people who are “like us” and people who are totally different. And there were crowds: loads of people.  The Greek says a “many crowd”. 

Isn't that what we want?      What prevents it from happening?  Being Missional doesn't guarantee that “Revival” will happen.  But if we choose to run church our own way – we are on our own.   We need to “prepare the way of the Lord” removing the boulders and making the path straight for him.  What might that involve?

Motivation...   When Paul and Barnabas arrived in Iconium, they were eager to preach the Good news of Jesus.  When they left, they didn't go off into hiding.  They went straight to the next town and began to preach the Gospel.  Sometimes our motivation is a bit mixed up.  Sometimes – especially in smaller churches, we wish we could see people becoming Christians, to “bring them into the Church”.  Now I love the Church, as Paul did.  But his motive for preaching the Good news wasn't about bringing people into the Church.  It was about the reputation of Jesus.; and it was about the needs of the lost.  It's not about being proved right, validated by having people “admit” they were wrong and we were right.  It's not about recruiting for the church.  It's about a burning desire that lost people will be saved.  It's about longing for Jesus to be honoured.  The Gospel has to be something we are able to give away without receiving anything in return.

It seems like we need to have the kind of desire that Barnabas and Paul had for the Lost.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes on him should not perish but have everlasting life”.  We need to love like God did.

Preparation... God had actually done something already in the city: the converts were bot Jews and Greeks.  How could it be that Greeks used to worshipping many gods,  were hanging around at the synagogue  where the message was “Hear O Israel: the Lord your god is one God”?   Maybe when Paul and Barnabas arrived, they already had  a reputation, and loads of people crowded into and around the doors of the synagogue to hear.  Maybe when they arrived before the Sabbath, they said what they were there for.  Maybe they had already healed a few people. Surely,  the Holy Spirit was at work, breaking down barriers, creating openness to the Gospel.    That's Holy Spirit preparation, and I guess the only way we can do that sort of preparation is by our prayers.

Communication... They spoke in such a way that many believed. Not that they spoke “so effectively” (NIV): that suggests that the conversions somehow resulted from the clever words of the preachers.  Paul never made any claim to clever words.  But he spoke in such a way that people were saved.  That makes it a possibility for us: we can talk about Jesus in such a way that people are able to put their trust in him.  We need to present the Gospel in ways that are relevant, simple, clear, friendly and credible. 

It seems like taking candy from a kid.  Have you ever tried to take candy from a kid?  As a parent I can testify that it's not as easy as it looks!  You are likely to encounter some protest!  And despite the amazing success, this “revival” wasn't all plain sailing!  (v. 2f) As soon as it became clear that revival was happening, opposition started happening too.  Unbelieving Jews were turning gentiles against the  brothers (Luke’s' way of talking about the Church?)  

Incarnation    Paul and Barnabas respond – by staying put.  For A considerable/sufficient time they spoke boldly about the Lord...   they ignored the persecution and got on with the job they were called to do.  We need to avoid being put off by the problems, the misunderstandings, the hostility or the indifference we meet.  It is always a good idea to find out why people are indifferent, hostile, or suspicious.  We can do that through the gentle art of presence and conversation. 

Lengthy, persevering  ministry, staying  a long time.  Just being there.  We need to hang in there.  The trouble with many of our ideas of revival, is that they are based on our terrible desire for a quick fix or an easy life. 

Much of the work of a “Missional Movement” is the long, slow, painstaking work of “incarnation: it is being there, alongside people; sticking with them; partying with them; struggling with them.  Lesley has done some of her outreach work as a hospital inpatient, where she has had amazing opportunities to talk with fellow patients about Jesus.  Andy Scarcliffe when he was in Barnton, used to go the Leisure centre where the Church met.  He would take his laptop and prepare sermons in the café; he would work out in the gym.  He became recognised – part of the furniture of the place – and found opportunities to talk about Jesus.  Chris Duffett, last year's President of the BU of Great Britain, exercises an outreach ministry within old settee that he takes into shopping malls, and sits down with a sign that says “I will listen.”   That's why I try to visit the Helping Hands club as regularly as I can on a Thursday evening.  People have asked my why I chose to do a University Counselling course instead of a Christian one.  Part of the answer is that one word: Incarnation.

Demonstration:   The Lord was bearing witness to the word of grace by giving signs and wonders to happen through their hands. One specific aspect of this “incarnational" ministry, was that the Lord himself was through the evidence of the supernatural: “Signs and wonders”.  The phrase is used about 13 times in the OT and 16 times in the NT.  9 of these are in Acts.  “Signs and wonders” were very much part of what the early church understood to have been in the ministry of Jesus, and very much part of their ministry too. Note that God was doing this through their hands. 

1.  “God giving testimony” through the miraculous.  “Signs and wonders”  are God's work... God graciously gives this stuff away, because he loves men and women.
2.  It is testimony.  It's in the Mission context for a mission purpose – to confirm the word; not just to excite, impress, or comfort the in-group of he Church.
3.  it is through their hands.  Not just their prayers; and certainly not their skill or power.  Just their hands, as they allowed themselves to be channel;s of his power.
 The city as a result, is divided. (v. 4f) Some are with the Jews (in opposition to the Gospel, not in adopting Judaism; others are with the apostles.

Opposition    Apostolic ministry brought division.  It began with a subtle, underhand “smear” campaign (v. 2); grew into a division within the whole city (v. 4); until the Jewish leaders were plotting violence against Paul and Barnabas (v. 5) 

A Missional church, or one that is experiencing revival, is not going to be universally popular. It isn't guaranteed an easy ride.  However motivated we are, that motivation will be challenged.  However the Lord prepared the way, the enemy will try to block it; we can be the best we can in terms of good communication and loving presence, and still be  misunderstood and hated.  Even “Signs and wonders”, the power of God visibly at work, doesn't prevent us from having a hard time.  As a mission movement we need motivation, to preparation, communication, incarnation and demonstration.

© Gilmour Lilly February  2014