Orchard Ridge Church

God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. – Acts 15:8-9In Acts chapter 15 an “issue” arises in the church in Antioch (Syria). Acts 15 of course is written by Luke. But a parallel account of Acts 15 appears in Galatians chapter 2. This telling, of the same event, is from the Apostle Paul’s perspective. At issue? Some “converted” Jews (Pharisees), called the Judaizers, have infiltrated the church and are now adding aspects of the Old Testament Law to the finished work of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. They say to be saved means to believe by faith in Jesus as Messiah and ALSO to be circumcised and observe the Law of Moses. This, my friends, amounts to spiritual slavery and Paul and Barnabas aren’t having it!

Strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. – Acts 14:22How can you identify a “good church?” Is it the friendliness of the people? Good coffee and refreshments? Fantastic music and worship team? (good luck getting consensus on what defines “fantastic music!”) The pastor and his preaching? The beauty of the building? I could go on and on…. But how does God define a “good church?” Well, you could read Jesus’ assessment of 7 specific churches in Revelation chapters 2-3. Luke’s description of the first century church in Acts 2:42-47 is another way to measure qualities that God intended for His Body of believers. There are two words that appear in both Acts 14:22 and Acts 15:32 that I believe are essential for a healthy church! The words are “strengthening” and “encouraging.” We gather to build one another up – around sound Biblical teaching. Jesus came full of Grace and Truth. And so should we!

There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. – Acts 14:1

Implied in the above verse is that the opposite might be true. We can speak ineffectively to the point that people do not believe. It’s the gap between encouragement and discouragement. Words matter – don’t kid yourself. Not only what we say but how we say it. Fear of getting it wrong might push some into not speaking on matters of faith at all. The Devil would love that scenario. The best option is to know what makes speech effective! The LORD Jesus said, “Don't worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time, you will be given the words to speak." (Matthew 10:19) We must depend on Him to speak through us.Acts 14 is loaded with “good God” things that leap off the page and into our minds and hearts.

The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. But the Jewish leaders… stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.” - Acts 13:49-50 If the Spirit of the LORD is moving, and eternal good things are happening, you can be sure the spirit of darkness isn’t far behind. The Enemy is the Great Imitator! He attempts to copy God. After the Gospel reached people on the Island of Cypress and the Roman Proconsul Sergius Paulus was won to faith in Jesus, Paul and Barnabas moved on to the mainland of Asia Minor, and ultimately ended up in a town called Pisidian Antioch. Again, just as they had done on Cypress, they went first to the local Synagogue to tell the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ. With great power God gave them favor with the people – both Jews and Gentiles – and many became believers in Jesus. But in both situations we can’t help but notice Satan was moving too -- through a man named Bar-Jesus on Cypress and through jealous, unbelieving Jews in Pisidian Antioch. So what’s the take away for believers today? Several things, but for the purposes of this sermon teaser I’ll just say we should expect spiritual resistance when we act in the power of the Holy Spirit to advance His Kingdom. But we should also expect to prevail! ONWARD!!!

We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors – Acts 13:32The Good News! The Gospel. Bought, paid in full by Jesus on Good Friday. Work completed on Resurrection Sunday! What is the Good News? It is this: That sinners who have lived as an offense to a Holy God (all of us) can be cleansed of our past transgressions. All of them. We can begin again (and again, and again). Jesus is the One who makes all things new. (Revelation 21:5). Ultimately the Good News is that death is defeated and just as Jesus rose again to live eternally – so will all who place their lives in His nail-pierced hands.But understand this, just because we – His Church – have been entrusted to tell the Good News to the world, doesn’t mean that everything in our lives or in the lives of those in the church is always good. We are still “under construction.” Every believer is at different levels of maturity. Conflict within the church – from time to time – is inevitable. Unresolved conflict within the church, however, is unacceptable. This morning at Orchard Ridge we will read about John Mark leaving Paul and Barnabas during their first missionary journey. You heard that right… In the middle of a 3 year mission he just “up and left.” Hmmmm… You haven’t lived long if you haven’t had someone who said they were committed with you and your shared cause just “up and leave” you! How do you navigate that?

But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. - Acts 13:8If you’re a follower of Jesus (aka a Christian), I can say with near certainty that God used someone in those early days of your new faith to act as a Spiritual mid-wife of sorts. This is the one who came along side of you to encourage you and to answer your questions. The new birth is God’s work alone. We don’t save anyone. The power is in His Gospel to capture hearts. But we are called and sent to make Christ known and to make disciples of Jesus. Barnabas was this person for a man named Saul/Paul. Barnabas mentored Paul. The LORD had big plans for these two men. In Acts 13 we read that they were SENT by the Holy Spirit and the Church in Antioch to take the Gospel to “the uttermost parts of the world.” The first stop was Cyprus, an island in the Mediterranean Sea under Roman control. There, the LORD orchestrates an audience for Paul to share the Gospel with the most powerful and influential man on the island – Sergius Paulus. Only one person stands in the way of Paulus becoming a new believer in Jesus… a false prophet by the name of Bar-Jesus. (Spoiler alert! It doesn’t go well for this man).Friends, God is gonna do what God is gonna do! We call this Sovereignty. But we get to choose whether we will (or will not) participate and support God’s work. We call this free will. Choose Jesus and be blessed or rebel and resist Him, His plans and His purposes and we find ourselves fighting God. Barnabas or Bar-Jesus? Which will you be?

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. – Acts 13:2-3We read in the beginning of Acts 13 that while they were worshiping and fasting, the leaders of the church in Antioch (a multiethnic group of men) heard from the Holy Spirit that two men – Barnabas and Saul (Paul) – were to be “set apart” for a specific work God had prepared for them. This is what God does! He has work for ALL of His children that He has prepared in advance (before we were even born) for us to do! (Ephesians 2:10). For Barnabas and Saul this was a long Missions trip taking the Gospel to large cities in the Roman Empire that had synagogues. The Good News message of salvation went first to the Jews, then to the Gentiles. Jerusalem had been over-evangelized and saturated with the Gospel (Acts 5:28). So it was now time to go elsewhere. Much more to come in the message tomorrow morning.I’ll leave us, however, with this question: to what has the LORD called you to do? If you don’t know, the practice of prayer, worship and fasting can help us today as it did the Church in Antioch in Acts 13. We are all sent. “Sent” can mean many things. But in every case it is the antonym of idleness. The word “sanctify” means to be set apart for a specific purpose(s). This means that we’ve been chosen! It means that He is for us and with us. It means that our lives have purpose and meaning! LET’S GOOOO!!!

So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. – Acts 12:5In Acts chapter 12 we read about the death of James by execution at the hands of Herod Agrippa I. Herod Agrippa I was the Grandson of Herod the Great (who was not so great at all)! Herod the Great was the one who killed all the little boys in Bethlehem age 2 and younger at the time of Jesus’ infancy because he was terribly insecure that one might take his place as King of the Jews. The James who was killed “by the sword” in Acts 12 was one of the Twelve Apostles. Peter, James and John – Fishermen – YES, that James! The son of Zebedee. The brother of John.A few verses later, we read about Peter also being arrested by Herod Agrippa I and set for execution the following day. BUT (and that is a big BUT), “the church was earnestly praying to God for him.” We go on to read about Peter’s miraculous deliverance from prison, execution and the “clutches” of Herod Agrippa I.So we are left with a huge real life dilemma here. Why does God save Peter but let James die? Did God love Peter more? Was it because the church prayed for Peter and not for James? If God is Sovereign, why should we pray? Won’t God’s will be done anyway? Life is full of these type questions… We will ask them tomorrow – and explore answers where they may be found.

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I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. - Isaiah 49:6In church world, if a person says ‘Chosen People’ you’d automatically think of Israel. And you’d be correct. They were ‘Chosen’ – for a specific purpose: To be a Light to the Gentiles and make God known throughout the world. The word Chosen was never meant to exist in isolation. It’s not an end but a means to an end. When you are Chosen what naturally follows must be – Chosen for what purpose? Ephesians 2:10 says we are ALL Chosen! “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” When Jesus died on the cross to save fallen humanity from their lost and broken condition, it was inclusive – no limits on the atonement! “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Joel 2:32) There’s good news my friends. Everyone actually means everyone! Have you called on His Name? If so, He has chosen YOU for special purposes.