1. Circling disciples v. 20
After healing the lame man, you would have thought that Paul and Barnabas would have had a successful time preaching the Gospel; but Jews from Iconium turned up and created trouble so bad that Paul was dragged out of town and stoned, (the Jewish form of execution, which involved a kind of lynch mob throwing sizeable pieces of rock at the victim). When the attackers thought he was dead and went away, the “Disciples gathered around him.” Literally, they formed a circle around him... I believe that is a beautiful and important image for what discipleship is often meant to look like.
As Paul experienced it, Discipleship was far from easy: here he is, after a potentially significant time of ministry, lying on the ground in a bloodstained heap, covered in bruises and open sores, possibly with a broken bone or two; almost certainly suffering from concussion. He has been through the wars and is still in danger. I don't believe he died – he refers to having been stoned (2 Cor 11. 25 ) but doesn't suggest that he actually died – but being left for dead in an out of the way place in the heat of the day could quickly have finished him off.
Some of us face huge challenges; we are under attack; we are in pain physically or emotionally; we face persecution, physical and moral dangers... One of the activities of Disciples is that at times we circle one another... to express compassion, protection and prayer. You cannot have discipleship in isolation. Discipleship involves a circle, and making a circle involves more than one person.
Let's make sure that in the times of pain, fear, and danger our brothers and sister go through, they are genuinely encircled by their Church: circled by people who know and love Jesus, and are prepared to
care. How encouraging this moment must have been for Paul as these new disciples showed the depth of their spiritual life by gathering around him in that situation.
protect: to protect: that may bean speaking out for someone who can't speak out for themselves; it may mean standing with someone who is under attack; it may mean pointing out the dangers so that they can avoid making silly mistakes. “Love always protects”is a good translation of 1 Cor 13. 7. We are able to “watch one another's backs, in the challenges of spiritual warfare.
It's kind of like circling the wagons in the old Western moves. But beware: there is a false “circling” - when we are set upon protecting the institution, or simply our own self-interest. A group of people can sometimes close ranks, to protect itself from the scary possibility of being outside our comfort zone: it's not so much “watching each other's backs, as the instinct of the beehive, to fight off the intruder.
Pray. Although Luke probably didn't mean to suggest that Paul was miraculously raised from the dead, he does seem to be implying that he was miraculously healed: the man left for dead rose up and entered the city.
2. Making disciples v. 21
Then with amazing courage, Paul and Barnabas headed for the next city, Derbe, preached there and “Made a large number of disciples”. The result of that minsitry of of encouragement was that the mission continued. We are not called to circle each other so that disciples can get on with their lives. The result of circling one another and caring for one another, is that we are able to get on with mission.
And the Mission is making Disciples. Not just decisions. Every believer is a disciple. If you have trusted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you are today a disciple. Discipleship is not an optional extra for super-Christians. All the stuff we are talking about today, is part of the ordinary, every-day bread-and-butter life of Christians. You are part of Church. You are called to mission; you are called to circle one another, to walk together. You cannot have discipleship in isolation
As Church, our vision remains “Learning to show the Father’s love.” We are committed to life-long learning. We are committed to the truth that every Christian is a Disciple, called to continue growing in radically following Jesus.
3. Strengthening disciples v. 22
Paul shows us that his call in life is not just about getting more and more people to sign up that they want to trust in Jesus. It is about making and shaping Disciples. So when he has finished at Derbe on the eastern end of the province of Galatia, he retraces his steps through Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples. If they were going to survive in the difficult world they lived in, then they would need strengthening. The Greek word conveys the idea of being firmly established, like a stone set in the ground; or supported or nourished. Paul wanted these Disciples' souls to become strong, so he draws alongside to encourage and comfort them. (The word exhort is from the same root as “Paraclete” - a name for the Holy Spirit). In particular he needed to point out that the way of the Kingdom is the way of being different from the rest, of being misunderstood, the way of suffering.
And as part of that shaping, Paul has things to say about Church. You cannot have discipleship in isolation. The life of Disciples is inextricably tied up with the life of the Church. So Paul shapes the life of the Church as well as the life of individuals.... He appoints “Elders” in every one of these Churches. Note three things about that:
1. What they were. The word used is “Elders”. Now, that has become a kind of technical word: in Scotland it makes us think of the office-bearers in the Kirk. Brethren, Pentecostal-type churches and some Baptist Churches such as Charlotte Chapel have Elders. It's become a “Churchy” word but what were “Elders”? In Paul's day, the word had a simple, clear meaning within society: every Synagogue, every city, and the empire itself had its “Elders.” But from the start Christian “Elders” were different – they were not just office-holders; not about governance but about care as well. I believe that in our approach to leadership it's OK to use language that the world will understand (instead of “churchy” language) and vital that, whatever titles we have for our leaders we have the values of Jesus.
2. Paul takes the initiative in this. In Baptist churches we are used to the idea of “Congregational government”. It's an idea that was radical when it was first developed before Britain was a democracy – but it needs to be held in a radical balance with the need for leaders to lead. Paul led by appointing Elders and when he left someone like Timothy or Titus in charge he expected them to appoint Elders too.
3. As the Church-planter he identifies those he sees as gifted – just enough – to keep the group moving in the right direction. What is remarkable in this situation is that these “Elders” can only have been Disciples a matter of months at the most, maybe even weeks. We do have a variety of different gifts – but God's anointing can overcome our lack of knowledge and experience.
And with these people in place, Paul leaves the area. Strengthened by Paul's teaching and example, filled with the Holy Spirit, and with a tiny and inadequate feeling team to lead them, these wee Churches had to get on with living discipleship in their hostile world. That's a challenge for us in our hostile world!
4. v. 28 Time with the disciples.
Eventually, Paul and Barnabas returned to the Church that had sent them out: the wonderful, boundary pushing fellowship at Syrian Antioch. There they reported back all that had happened. What a wonderful thing to give God the praise for what he had done. Accountability is important in the Church; but it shouldn't be an ugly, legalistic thing; it should be a joyful thing that grows out of relationship... And having told their story, Paul and Barnabas remained no little time with the disciples.
Discipleship is about relationship. Time with the disciples. Sometimes “Circling” one another in compassion, protection and prayer; sometimes comforting and strengthening one another; sometimes exercising a particular ministry; but always taking time with each other.
We need to take that time, not just to “do a job”, not even to pray or study th Bible – but to be with each other. Relationships are an important part of discipleship. You cannot have discipleship in isolation.
So what are our action points from today?
Circling disciples: caring for one another and being cared for in the Body of Christ.
Making disciples: picking up the challenge that we are all called to discipleship and we are all called to make disciples.
Strengthening disciples: growing through the word, the Spirit, and the influence of leaders God has appointed.
Time with disciples: simply building relationships that go beyond getting things done.
© Gilmour Lilly February 2014
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