By Apostle Aje Pelser

Harvester Reformational Church, Cape Town

Scripture:

Act 14:19 Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.

Act 14:20 However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.

Act 14:21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,

Act 14:22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”

Act 14:23 So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

Paul and Barnabas Return to Antioch in Syria

Act 14:24 And after they had passed through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.

Act 14:25 Now when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.

Act 14:26 From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed.

Act 14:27 Now when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.

Act 14:28 So they stayed there a long time with the disciples.

Apostolic ways to make disciples:

1. Firstly you have to be sent. This past of the mission is part of a sequence of events leading up to the desired outcome of discipleship. Saul and Barnabas were sent out and this is the conclusion and full circle of their journey. The orbit of disciple making is worth consideration

2. Preach the Gospel. Preaching the Gospel is declaring the Good News of Jesus Christ. The work that HE has done on the cross for us and that He lives to make intercession for us so that He can come and fetch His pure and spotless bride to be with Him forever.

When speaking to people preach the Gospel according to something they can relate to like their favourite sport for instance.

Two men in white apparel guard the grave entrance at the tomb – the umpires! Peter stood up with the eleven – cricket has eleven players in a team. The twelfth man acts as a substitute – Matthias replaces Judas.

Cricket is a timeless game – through faith and patience you will inherit the promises!

The accuser of the brethren is like the fielding team trying to break down the confidence of the batsmen.

But two are better than one, and partnerships build big innings for the team. Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for a friend – you put your team’s interest first and if a batsman is in and batting well and there is a run out you can sacrifice your wicket for the good of the team.

The bowler tries to intimidate you when you bat and bounce the ball at your head – you learn to drive out the enemy in all directions like AB De Villers when he hits the ball 360 degrees around the field!

There are so many good cricketing parallels to kingdom thinking that I can explain the entire Gospel story to someone who is interested.

But also take elements of the Old Testament and tell a Jew the Gospel according to Passover:

God told Moses to slaughter a lamb and use its blood to paint on the lintels of the Israelite home so that the angel of death might Passover it.

Exo_12:22 And you shall take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. And none of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning.

They used hyssop as a brush – David says: “purge me with Hyssop”.

Psa_51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Jesus on the cross also received a sponge with sour wine on hyssop in his mouth.

Joh_19:29 Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it