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[Music] welcomed everyone it's good to be in the house of our God on this Lord's Day just two brief announcements first tonight that our evening service at 5:00 we'll have a joint service with the brothers and sisters from the Surry Reformed Baptist Church so God willing we'll enjoy a time of worship together and then a time of fellowship and food upstairs if you're interested in attending please do so it's always good to have more voices to sing the praises of our God and then by way of reminder Hanna Kim and Marisa Porter have applied for membership in Baptism we will God willing have a baptismal service next Sunday morning that'll be at 11 a.m. next Sunday well for our call to worship you can join with me and turning to Psalm 103 Psalm 103 I'll begin reading in verse 1 a psalm of David bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless His Holy Name bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits who forgives all your iniquities who heals all your diseases who redeems your life from destruction who crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercies who satisfies your mouth with good things so that your youth is renewed like the Eagles the Lord executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed he made known as ways to Moses his acts to the children of Israel the Lord is merciful and gracious slow to anger and abounding in mercy he will not always strive with us nor will he keep his anger forever he has not dealt with us according to our sins nor punished us according to our iniquities for as the heavens are high above the earth so great is his mercy toward those who fear Him as far as the east is from the west so far has he removed our transgressions from us as a father pities his children so the Lord pities those who fear him for he knows our frame he remembers that we are dust as for man is days are like grass as a flower of the field so he flourishes for the wind passes over it and it is gone and its place remember remembers that no more but the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him and his righteousness to children's children to such as keep his covenant and to those who remember his Commandments to do that the Lord what the Lord has established his throne in heaven and his kingdom rules over all blessed the Lord you his angels who excel in strength who do his word heeding the voice of his word blessed the Lord all you his hosts you ministers of his who do his pleasure blessed the Lord all his works in all places of his Dominion bless the Lord O my soul amen well let us turn in our hymn books to Psalm 122 a that Psalm 122 alpha when you find that you can stand and we'll sing together [Music] [Applause] [Music] amen let us pray our God and Father it's a joy and a delight to gather in the house of the Lord on the Sabbath day it's a blessing to be able to come to the Father through the mediation of the son in the power of the Holy Spirit and we confess that you are from everlasting to everlasting that you are God Most High Father Son and Holy Spirit worthy to be praised worthy to be glorified worthy to be adored the Prophet asked who would not fear thee o king of the nations for indeed it is thy due as creator as God as governor as the one who is sovereign over all things your creature owes you worship and praise but we know that in Adam all died but in Jesus Christ all shall be made alive and how we praise you that you have dealt so graciously with us how you've called us out of darkness into marvelous light and may it be the case now as we sing and as we pray and as we turn our attention to the holy scripture we would proclaim your praises and your Excellencies for God we acknowledge that you are the one true and living God the God who made the world and all things in it you are the God who governs all his creatures and all their actions and you aren't the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ and as we gather together today may you give us the Grace and the strength to take every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ may we be focused and may we be centered upon the worship of the true and living God may you cause us to reflect only upon those things and help us God to not be distracted or to not look to other things to entertain us in this hour but Almighty God and father we pray that your Holy Spirit would guide us and enable us to worship you in spirit and in truth and to that end father we ask for the forgiveness of our sins as we consider what scripture says concerning your holiness concerning your law and how it is a revelation of who you are we see our own waywardness and our own proneness to wander that proneness to leave the God that we love so we confess our transgression against you we confess our lack of conformity unto that law and we ask for cleansing in the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ as David said a few Lord should mark iniquities O Lord who can stand but there is forgiveness with you that you may be feared and this greatly encourages our hearts that we can come to the high and the holy king of heaven and earth through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and our God I pray that this would encourage us that it would strengthen us that it would cause us to worship you in spirit and truth and for those Father who've come here this morning that are dead in their trespasses and sins we pray that you would awaken them by the power of the Holy Spirit through the preaching of your word we don't trust in man in their wisdom we don't trust in their ability or their so-called goodness we trust only in the power of the sovereign God the scripture says you make men willing in the day of your power and we pray that we would witness that even this morning and this evening as we gather together we pray that other churches in our community would see that as well that you would exercise that that powerful right hand in the salvation of sinners to the uttermost and God we pray that in this you would be glorified and honored the Lord Christ said that when a one Center repents there is rejoicing in heaven and we pray that would be the case today all over this world men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation that would hear your glorious gospel that they would come by the power of the Spirit to the Lord Christ believing in him and receiving that forgiveness of sins receiving that righteousness that does avail with our holy God Lord be gracious and merciful to the young people and the children excuse me in this congregation our hearts desire and earnest plea for them is that they would remember their Creator in their youth that they would be kept by You Father by your power from so many of the sins that we as their parents have engaged in we pray that they would be looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of faith and that they would serve Him all their days we ask as well Lord God that you would look with favor upon this congregation in terms of our spiritual commitment to you increase our faith increase our love for you increase our devotion and our desire to serve you and to serve one another and God for all of us we come here weighed down with various temptations and trials and difficulties so we pray that your spirit would work in the inner man that you would encourage and strengthen our hearts that you would further conform us unto the image of your beloved son and that you would cause us to engage in worship today that would be pleasing in your sight as well our God we pray for those who are physically not well those who are unable to be with us today we do commit them to you and to the word of your grace we pray that you would look with favor upon your suffering saints that you would strengthen them in the inner man while the outer man does decay day by day and that they would know the joy of being found in Jesus Christ God we asked he would be gracious to the to the persecuted church we prayed for so many countries in the last hour so many people do not have what we have and take for granted in terms of Liberty to approach you father we pray for those in other countries that are steep and false religion those countries that are steeped in secularism and opposition to the Living Christ we pray for your people that you would gird them up that you would strengthen them with might and the inner man and that you would cause them to persevere cause them to continue to go forward in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit and we pray for those places that the word of god would be preached that it would run swiftly and be glorified and that more and more people would come out of darkness into marvelous light confessing Christ as Lord and Savior and our God we pray that you would be merciful in this nation as we're on the the brink of a federal election we know that ultimately the heart of the king is in the hand of Yahweh and you turn it wherever you wish and in this we find great comfort and encouragement the fact that Jesus Christ is the ruler over the kings of the earth even now and that yet father we pray that in your wrath you would remember mercy in this land we pray for a time when abortion would be criminalized it would be seen as the attack upon the image of God that it is euthanasia and these other absolute disregard the law of God Almighty we pray father that you would revive your churches and help us to pray help us to be people of your word and God awaken those dead in trespasses and sins that we might see good things that we might see men committed to truth and men committed to law governing in high places David said to the kings in his day the judges and the the rulers that they would kiss this honor they should kiss the son lest he be angry and they perish in his way when his wrath is kindled but a little that is our earnest desire and our earnest pleas that you would humble them under your mighty hand caused them to confess faith in the Lord Jesus Christ caused them to govern in a manner that is consistent with your law and God blessed this time as we gather together increase our desire to come into the presence of the Living God both privately and corporately and may we rejoice in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ and we pray in his most blessed name Amen well you can turn with me in your Trinity hymnal to 242 hymn number 242 will stand as we sing together [Music] all the long people [Music] [Music] amen we can turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Acts for our scripture reading this morning we're in Acts chapter 7 Stephen was disputing with some Helenus according to Acts chapter 6 and when they were not able to bet best him in argument they accused him of particular sins crimes really speaking blasphemy against the temple of God and against the holy law of Moses and so what Stephen does he's brought before the Sanhedrin the highest religious court in Israel at this particular time at any time so 71 persons were made up that particular council and Stephen stands and essentially rehearses their history and now their history the Old Testament the prophetic word pointed forward to the Lord Jesus that Jesus is the reason for the law of Moses and for the temple so essentially Stephen says it is them that are blaspheming the holy place and the law of Moses because they have rejected the Lord Jesus Christ he brings this to a conclusion in verse 44 where we'll pick up reading he says our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness as he appointed instructing Moses to make it according to the pattern that he had seen which our fathers having received it in turn also brought with Joshua into the land possessed by the Gentiles whom God drove out before the face of our fathers until the days of David who found favor before God and asked to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob but Solomon built him a house however the most high does not dwell in temples made with hands as the Prophet says heaven is my throne and earth is my footstool what house will you build for me says the Lord or what is the place of my rest has my hand not made all these things you stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears you always resist the Holy Spirit as your father's did so do you which of the prophets did your father's not persecute and they killed those who foretold the coming of the just one of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it when they heard these things they were caught to the heart and they gnashed at him with their teeth but he being full of the holy spirit gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God and said look I see the heavens open and the Son of God or son of man rather standing at the right hand of God then they cried out with a loud voice stopped their ears and ran at him with one Accord and they cast him out of the city and stoned him and the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul and they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice Lord do not charge them with this sin and when he had said this he fell asleep 'no Saul was consenting to his death at that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria except the apostles and devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him as for Saul he made havoc of the church entering every house and dragging off men and women committing them to prison amen the Stephens defense is concluded and of course the audience the Sanhedrin these religious leaders rejected they despised Stephen they despised Stephens master and so they treat Stephen the way that they treated the master with one exception they knew and recognized that they did not have lawful authority to execute the Lord Jesus that's why it was imperative that they go to Pontius Pilate Pilate had to give the kill order in the Roman Empire here they dispense with that they immediately prevail upon Stephen they drive him out of the city and they stoned him to death as he's calling upon Jesus to receive his spirit this is the antipathy that exists between the world and the believer this is the enmity that God imposes according to genesis 3:15 this is the the mark of rebel sinners when it cons to the rejection of the Lord Christ they can't get to Jesus so they kill his representatives that's why we read in the last hour several reports from several places in the world where the people of God are being executed for their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ it's not a new thing we see it here in the book of Acts early on in the history of the church and yet one thing we ought to observe before we leave this not only does the world persecute but God vindicates God aids God defends God comes to his people when they most desperately need it and when we look at this particular passage we ought to appreciate the true and living God the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit you see Steven is filled with the Holy Spirit he gazes up and sees the glory of God and he sees Jesus standing at the right hand this is the Trinity this is the God with whom we have to do and this is the God who comes to the aid and the defence and the rescue of all those who by grace believe in him and we ought to be encouraged about that sometimes we think would I be able to to survive in a in a little Egyptian village where you know persons might kill me because I'm a Christian would I be able to survive in Nigeria where would I be able to survive in these various places China for instance where there's such enmity from the world against the people of God we need to remember that God always gives grace doesn't Jesus say in this world you will have tribulation but be of good cheer I've overcome the world Christ never leaves us Christ never forsakes us and even if we are called upon to die a martyr's death may it be the case that we filled with the Holy Spirit would be able to see the glory of God and Jesus standing at his right hand well let us pray our Father we thank you that your people died well because their God is great and glorious and wondrous and as we see this account in Stephens defense we see the enmity that the the the the God haters against him we see your comfort we see your security we see your blessing and your presence with your Saint and our Father may this encourage our brothers and sisters elsewhere that do undergo great persecution may it encourage us as we see an increasing secular state posing Christianity openly promoting those things that are contrary to your law we pray father in heaven that you would cause us to be of good cheer to realize that Christ has in fact overcome the world and we pray this in his most blessed name Amen well for our final him before the preaching of God's Word will sing two hundred and seventy-one hymn number 271 will stand as we sing together [Music] well you can turn back to the book of Acts to Acts chapter 11 we're reading through it consecutively in our morning worship we're preaching through it consecutively in our morning worship and this morning we're going to look at Acts chapter 11 verses 19 to 30 remember the last two chapters are chapter and a half the conversion of Cornelius and his household we see Gentile inclusion in the covenant promises of God Gentiles do not need to be circumcised and believe they simply need to believe by God's grace the truth as it is in Jesus and they are included they are baptized added to the church course word gets out to Judea and the people in Jerusalem asked Peter to give an account for what had occurred and that's what Peter does in verses 1 to 18 and now the scene shifts to a church in Antioch so I want to read beginning in chapter 11 at verse 19 now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia Cyprus and Antioch preaching the word to no one but the Jews only but some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene who when they had come to Antioch spoke to the Helenus preaching the Lord Jesus and the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and turned to the Lord then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem and they sent out barnabas to go as far as antioch when he came and had seen the grace of God he was glad and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord for he was a good man full of the Holy Spirit into faith and a great many people were added to the Lord then barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch so it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch and in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch then one of them named Agabus stood up and showed by the spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world which also happened in the day of Claudius Caesar then the disciples each according to his ability determined to send relief to the Brethren dwelling in Judea this they also did and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul Amen will let us pray father thank you for the written word thank you that it's given by inspiration of God that it's profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction and for instruction in righteousness and we pray she would thoroughly furnished us unto every good work she would cause us to reflect upon the early church to see the the strengths exhibited in a passage like this and may we by grace seek to emulate and imitate such things in our own church do forgive us again for our sins and our unrighteousness as we come now to the Word of God and may the Holy Spirit guide us and lead us and direct us and may he encourage us at this snapshot of what happened in the Apostolic preaching in the church and we pray this through Jesus Christ our Lord amen essentially as we've seen the emphasis has been primarily on Peter it will return to Peter again in Acts chapter 12 there's some persecution that breaks out in the church in Jerusalem and then in acts 13 the scene shifts a bit and Paul the Apostle will ultimately dominate the spotlight for the latter half of the book it follows the outline in Acts chapter 1 verse 8 Jesus said you will be my witnesses first in Jerusalem and then Judea Samaria and then to the ends of the earth and that is exactly what is happening there going according to plan and in this particular section we see first the church at Antioch in verses 19 to 26 and then secondly this relief or famine relief in Judea in verses 27 to 30 that's essentially what we're going to look at this morning and with reference to the church at Antioch I want to consider three particulars first the preaching of the church in verses 19 to 21 secondly the investigation of the church in other words the Jerusalem Apostles hear what's happening in Antioch so they dispatch Barnabas to go and verify and confirm and check this out so that's the investigation of the church and then finally the Ministry of teaching in the church in verses 25 and 26 we see Saul and Barnabus continue there for a year teaching them Christian doctrine but with reference to the preaching of the church noticed the origin verse 19 tells us now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen if you go back for just a moment that's why I read that bit in chapter 8 verse 1 it says at that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem at this point they had pretty much stuck to their guns there in Jerusalem this persecution comes and now the disciples are scattered they are dispersed and when they are dispersed they go preaching the gospel this was a means under God to get these people out of Jerusalem into first Samaria that's where Philip goes according to Acts chapter 8 as I said we see the saw a conversion of Saul of Tarsus in chapter 9 and then we see the conversion of these Gentiles Cornelius and his household in chapter 10 and now the narrative picks back up and links to this scattering it links to this time when there was this persecution against the church and then it records for us in chapter 11 at verse 19 the north were a northward expansion of the church it tells us that they went as far as Phoenicia Cyprus and Antioch now Phoenicia was the Mediterranean Sea coast area of Syria and tyre and sidon were its primary cities Cyprus was an island to the south of Asia Minor it was about a hundred miles west of northwestern Syria that's where Barnabas originally came from there was a large Jewish population on that island of Cyprus but the emphasis is here in Antioch now Antioch was a very important city at this particular time it was third in size only to Rome and Alexandria it was an important place for commerce for trade it was a bustling hub within the Roman Empire as well it was the home of many idols and there and also there was a great moral laxity in fact it was a very wicked city it's not the case that only our cities today are wicked when we look at the cities in the in the Old Testament Old Testament time they were wicked to see any sin we may hear about it more we may engage see people engage in it more but Sid has always been there and the church has had to function in that capacity the church has had to be faithful in the midst of faith less people the church has had to do what she's supposed to do even when all around her is opposed to God most high it's one of the beauties of church history one of the beauties of the book of Acts we see real people living in real situations functioning as real believers in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation they were able to do that because God is sovereign we are able to do that because God is sovereign we are able to persevere in a faithless generation because God is with us and God has given us all the resources necessary visa vie his word and his spirit to protect us to guard us to watch over us and to keep us from compromised with that wicked world and so this city of Antioch was a was a great location for a church now notice the particular preaching of that in verse 20 or 19 at the end it says preaching the word to no one but the Jews only so as they expand into Phoenicia Cyprus and Antioch they initially only preached to the Jews but according to verse 20 they now preach to the Greeks look at verse 20 it says but some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene who when they had come to Antioch spoke to the Helenus preaching the Lord Jesus Helenus there is better translated as Greeks Grecians as the old King James has it the distinctiveness is not or the distinction is not they preach to some Jews and then they preach to more Jews but it's they preach to Jews and Gentiles they preach to Jews and Greeks so again Cornelius was sort of that the the open ceremonious sort of inclusion of Gentiles into the Covenant promises of God but we see these Gentiles now coming in we see the preaching of the gospel targeting that so initially they preach only the Jews and now they are preaching to Gentiles and they are preaching the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ that message needs to go to every tribe tongue people in Asia that message is absolutely crucial to the salvation of sinners persons do not hear this they will be dead in their sin they will be cut off from God they will end up in hell that's why you see the emphasis in the early church on preaching going therefore making disciples baptizing those disciples and teaching those disciples everything that Christ had commanded because they understood all too well that not all roads lead to heaven God is not a pluralistic being it's not the case that if you just try hard and you happen to be a Jew you just try hard you happening to a Muslim and you just try hard you happen to be a pagan well then everything's going to be okay no Romans 1 tells us that men have enough light through general revelation to be damned but they do not have enough light in general revelation to be saved that's why Paul says in Romans 1:16 I'm not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes to the Jew first and also to the Greek why he says for in it for in that gospel the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith that as it is written the just shall live by faith I would submit brethren that this early church understood the the the life-and-death dynamics involved in preaching and in teaching they weren't about entertainment they weren't about therapy they weren't about group hugs they were about the proclamation of Jesus Christ and him crucified that's what the church needs to be about when we when we come to this book of Acts and we're in the 11th chapter isn't this the constant refrain I probably sound like a one-note Johnny every Sunday morning that we meet here because I keep emphasizing that reality it's Paul's last corporate command to the church preach the word be ready in season and out of season convinced rebuke exhort with all longsuffering and teaching again that's the one job that has been given to the church and so often we abandon it so often we are occupied with entertainment we are occupied with just sort of this horizontal dimension but we need to be occupied with Christ and and crucified and that is precisely what we see in the passage some of them were men from cyprus and cyrene who when they had come to antioch spoke to the great preaching the Lord Jesus not preaching a better life preaching a happier existence preaching principles on how to be a better you but preaching the Lord Jesus the second person of the Trinity the the Son of God who is incarnate for us who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven he assumed our humanity with all the essential properties and the common infirmities thereof and yet without sin they preached the Lord Jesus in his offices as prophet priest and King they preached the Lord Jesus in his great sacrifice as both priest and victim the one who died to save his people from their sins that's what occupied the early church that's what led to this northward expansion it wasn't the sorts of things that we often try to use to get people in preach the word of the Living God and God will do the rest that's what scripture tells us were not to be innovative or not to be creative or to be obedient and follow the Apostolic example of preaching the Lord Jesus that's where they grew that's why God adds in both instances concerning God's sovereignty he adds a great number a great many people notice there's this progress report in verse 21 Luke does this all throughout the book of Acts there's all these sorts of reports at various places of the progress concerning the word concerning the church concerning additions to the believers and here in verse 21 it says in the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and turned to the Lord the emphasis here is not on their ingenuity not even on their preaching per se but on the power of God working through their preaching it was the hand of the Lord that was with them it was that mighty arm of God Most High it was his power it was effectual grace it was what we call irresistible grace it was what David celebrates in the Psalter that God makes men willing in the day of his power it was the hand of Yahweh with that that brought this success and in verse 21 that's the emphasis the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and turned to the Lord the word was preached but sinners ultimately believed why because sinners are smart no because sinners are wise no because sinners always make great decisions absolutely positively not they believed and turned to the Lord because the hand of God was with them you have to see the connection it does not depend upon him of wills or upon him who runs but upon God who shows mercy Paul says I wipe Lantana Paulo swatter but but who gives the increase it's God and the sovereignty of God is conspicuous here at verse 21 and then again at verse 24 1st Corinthians 3:6 I planted a Polish water but God gave the increase it's a beautiful statement concerning God's purpose and the church again before we move on this is what we should be doing preaching the word praying that God will bless it asking God to come at these times of public worship such that when persons come in that are not saved they would be saved not because of them not because of the preacher but because of the hand of God is with us they're not to be the the primary thought in our prayer lives on Sunday morning and Sunday afternoon we don't want to witness just a nice worship service we don't want to just get sort of our religious fix we don't want to just get our our batteries sort of topped off we're not iPods we're not iPhones we need the hand of Yahweh to be amongst us that's what matters remember Moses complained to the Living God if you don't go with us into the promise that I don't want to go though it's what makes the Promised Land good it's the presence of God what makes the journey good it's the presence of God what makes heaven heaven brethren it's not the goal it's not the pearls it's not the beautiful the beautiful gems and and all that it's the darling of heaven even Jesus Christ that's why we saying the lamb is all the glory of Emmanuelle's land you see we want God to come to worship we want God to be in this place and we have precedents here in the in Antioch now notice secondly in terms of the investigation of the church verse 22 then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch remember the Apostles in Jerusalem were pretty much overseeing all of the church planting that's going on when Philip goes to Samaria and Philip preaches the gospel there and sinners get saved the Apostles do the same thing they send Peter not because Philip was second-rate not because Philip didn't earn his wings yet but because the Apostles went to confirm and verify that this was in fact of God and the same thing obtains here they hear what's going on in Antioch and so they send Barnabas on this journey Barnabas we meet knacks chapter 4 verses 36 and 37 he's a good man he's full of the Spirit he's full of faith he's a man that that that took his own property he sold it and he takes the proceeds and drops it at the feet of the Apostles so they can disperse it he's also the man that vouchers for Saul of Tarsus in the church in Jerusalem excuse me according to Acts chapter 9 remember when Saul wants to go to a worship service and they're all say wait a minute I I'm not sure that he's okay to be here with us Barnabas grease that wheel he says no he is good he's been converted he met Christ on the road to Damascus so Barnabas not an apostle he's called an apostle in chapter 14 but not the Apostle like a 12 there might be a little eight use of apostle in some context and Barnabas is one of them so he's an apostle of the church but not an apostle in the same way that the twelve were that were picked by Jesus so that's what's happening they're not suspicious that wow we can't believe anybody else they want to send Barnabas to not only investigate but as well to encourage them and to teach them further now the typical pattern is that they would send men out in twos so when Barnabas goes to get Saul probably that was at the behest of the Jerusalem apostles oh and by the way go get Saul at Tarsus and bring him there to Antioch and then Barnabas and Saul take up that one year preaching ministry there in the church in Antioch so they are in control not in some dictatorial way they're not tyrannical men but they are the overseers of the church at this particular time they hear about this work in Antioch and so they send Barnabas now notice what happens when Barnabas gets there verse 23 when bara when he came and had seen the grace of God he was glad and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord for those of you who saw me take my watch off that was not to tip my hand that we're gonna go for hours just was kind of bugging me so I took it off so if you saw oh he dropped his watch I have a clock right there and it yells at me you know every time I start to get close to 12:30 not so much when I get close to 12:45 no I'm just kidding but notice what it says concerning Barnabas's visit he saw the grace of God now the grace of God isn't a vapor it's not a chemical it's not a fluid it isn't something tangible that you can you know see or touch or feel or taste you cannot empirically verify the grace of God so when it says he saw the grace of God I think it means he saw the effects of the grace of God whenever you have a group of people that have believed on the Lord and turned from their sins to the Lord you can be sure that grace is there because persons don't do that unaided by or given the ability by the grace of God so Barnabas comes to Antioch he sees these persons Jews and Gentiles together worshiping the father through the son in the power of the Holy Spirit and he concludes and sees that the grace of God is in this place remember Jacob makes that reference he says and I knew that the fear of God was was in that place there is evident manifestation of God's grace wherever there are persons that at one time were dead in their trespasses and sins and are now alive together with him you can conclude that God's grace has been there now notice as well what happens with Barnabas he sees God's grace and what happens he's glad he's not upset he's not jealous he's not you know reproving them it is gladness to the heart of the Redeem when they see other indeed it is gladness in the heart of the people of God when they see each other that's why we sang this morning why we quote Psalm 122 I was glad when they said unto me let us go to the house of the Lord either that section of Psalms there in the Psalter that described as songs of ascent they are ascending to the temple of God they're going to corporate worship on Sabbath and together these pilgrims are marching they're chanting and they're singing these songs of ascent and when they sing 122 they say I was glad when they said unto me let us go to the house of the Lord and I get that there's times where their sluggishness I get that there's times where there's a coldness of heart I get that there are times when we have all of the spiritual vitality of a cold fish but the overarching concern of the people of God ought to be joy when they go to the house of God you're not to be joy when there's public worship there ought to be joy when we get to see each other who had been conquered by that grace especially when we see new believers when we see people getting baptized when we see people added to the church by the strong hand of the Lord we should be a happy people when we see God's grace we should be a rejoicing people when we see God's grace and that's what Barnabas is but notice as well he encourages the church he functions in accordance with his name in 436 it tells us that Barnabas is translated son of encouragement and note the particular encouragement he gives them in verse 23 when he came and had seen the grace of God he was glad and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord now this is a relatively new church at the time and what Barnabas does here is genius what Barnabas does here ought to be done hopefully every Sunday in every church that names the name of Christ what Barnabas does here ought to find its way in the preaching of God's Word we need to be exhorted that with purpose of heart we continue with the Lord why is that because there are a multitude of end you've got the world that is in opposition I mean brethren we have been praying and our prayer meetings with reference to the federal election it ought to grieve us that what Paul writes in Romans 1 is so blatant and so conspicuous we're witnessing persons who worship and serve the creature rather than the Creator they're more concerned about the climate than with image bearers in the womb they're more concerned with hugging trees and eating berries than they are with the true and living God the one who's whose throne is marked by justice and righteousness we have seen just a animosity and an enmity Express increasingly so here in the Western world against Christianity we are being marginalized we see an increasingly secularized state well they had all that you think the Roman Empire was favorable toward Christ you think the Roman Empire was all about Jesus no the Roman Empire was profligate it was wicked it was vile and wretched one of the most quoted the most quoted or alluded to songs and all of the the New Testament is he the Lord said to my lord sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool I've always thought that to be a very intriguing sort of motto tax for the early church but it's true isn't it where's the Roman Empire today it's no longer the ascendant one where are those who have risen up against the Lord and against his Christ they are ultimately put down but anyways this is a great encouragement for the people of God because we've got the world against us we've got the devil against us I don't think we should give the devil as much credit as they do in some other sects or religious expressions of Christianity but he is a real adversary he roams about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour but we don't need to have any can't Asians we don't need to have spells we don't need to go to conferences on how to cast out the devil you know what James and Peter tell us with reference of the devil resist him and he will flee from you isn't that sublimely excellent you don't have to buy the DVD set you don't have to subscribe to the news you just have to resist him but then there's the flash that perennial problem you're swimming through that river Jordan just about to land in the celestial city the world may leave you alone at that point the devil may have other things he's got going on but guess what you still have we still have us we still have that proneness to wander that proneness to leave the God that we love so Barnabas exhortation for the church and Antioch is particularly appropriate for them as a new church it's appropriate up for us as a not so new Church with purpose of heart single-minded focus devotion to giving yourself allegiance that principle in Matthew 6 seek first the kingdom of God in His righteousness and then these things will be added to us we need to have this purpose of heart and then specifically they should continue with the Lord what's the alternative what's the contrary apostasy defection from the faith of course we want to continue with the Lord but in order to do that we need the Lord we need His grace we need to be able to resist the devil we need to be able to resist this world we need to be able to resist that remaining corruption and when we do fall or when we do sin it's still the Lord that we need we say with David if you should mark iniquities who could stand but there is forgiveness with you that you may be feared we always stand in need of God we always stand in need of our of our blessed Savior the Lord Jesus Christ so this is a most excellent and a most necessary exhortation Poole puts it this way firm and fixed resolution that come what can come tribulation or distress life or death they would keep close to the profession of the truth of Christ so ultimately brethren that's what we have we have the holy spirit to be sure we have the Word of God if we stray from those god-ordained means we are vulnerable we are opening ourselves up to a whole host of temptations and problems and difficulties we need to make sure that that church attendance is high on our priority list we need to make sure that private bible reading is high on our pride we need to do this not because pastor Butler is going to come and ask you did you go to church did you read your Bible but because Jesus says sanctify them by thy truth thy Word is truth in the context where he's praying to God to have us protect it I don't ask that you take them out of the world but keep them while they are in the world what's one of the means it is familiarity with the word of the Living God we need to keep close to this truth this is what / - provides protection now notice with reference to Barnabas why at the end doesn't tell us at verse 22 they sent Barnabas because he's a great guy no it tells us that Barnabas saw Grace Barnabas was glad at that grace and Barnabas exhorted them and encouraged them and then it tells us about the suitability of Barnabas in verse 24 tells us something of his character he was a good man he was full of the Holy Spirit and a faith we already know his conduct because he gave he sold his property he gave the proceeds to the Apostles he vouched for the Apostle Paul he was a good man but notice what we find at the end of verse 24 and a great many people were added to the Lord here's what I think the close connection is God is absolutely sovereign nobody will ever deny that that has a Bible I mean our minions and Pelagians might get close to saying that but yeah I guess they do I shouldn't say nobody there are weirdos out there that will deny anything in the Bible so so strike that remark but anybody that has eyes and can do any bit of you know exegesis at the textual level cannot deny what the Psalter so clearly affirms our God is in the heavens he does whatever he pleases right that's not up for debate but one of the things that I think we miss is that God uses means remember that statement 1st Corinthians 1:21 for since in the wisdom of God the world through wisdom did not know God Socrates didn't blink bring them to Yahweh play toad and bring them to Yahweh neither did Aristotle bring them to Yahweh for since in the wisdom of God the world through wisdom did not know God it pleased God through what through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe so we see in this first expression the hand of God was with them that God saved a great many of them it's in conjunction with the preaching of the word here it's in conjunction with the preaching of the word through a good man named Barnabas in other words we ought to pray that God will raise up Barnabas like men we ought to pray that God will raise up Saul of Tarsus like men we ought to pray that God will raise up a paulus like man that God will raise men up who will cry aloud who will spare not and who will prosecute his truth all over this earth brethren Barnabas was faithful God blessed him and God used him and worked through his ministry to the saving of a great number of people that's the connection Barnabas was a good man full of the Holy Spirit in the faith and a great many people were added to the Lord just to make sure that we don't think it's because of the persuasive powers of Barnabas just because he was a good man that's why all these people have now flocked to the Lord no it was the Lord working in and through him but nevertheless he doesn't minimize the reality we're going to see that later in Acts chapter 13 and then in Acts chapter 16 their statements concerning the absolute comprehensive sovereignty of God acts 13:48 everyone appointed by God believe acts 16 the Lord opened up the heart of Lydia to heed the things spoken by Paul but in acts 14 one they apostles so spake that a great multitude believed what almost sounds like it was their power it was their persuasion persuasion it was their oratorio it was their giftedness no God works through means God works through the proclamation of truth God works through preaching and in this instance he worked through Barnabas to continue to add to the church now notice finally in terms of the church at Antioch the Ministry of teaching in the church verses 25 to 26 then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul turn back for just a moment to chapter 9 just so we can see how Saul ended up at Tarsus remember after Saul gets converted he starts to preach the gospel he starts to preach the word and ax9 at verse 26 it says when saul had come to jerusalem he tried to join the disciples but they were all afraid of him and did not believe that he was a disciple you know him standing there holding the cloaks of those whose stone Stephen to death might have you know might have scared them and rightly so he was the guy that they gave their cloaks to as they were executing Christ martyr but Barnabas verse 27 took him and brought him to the Apostles and he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road and that he had spoken to him and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus so he was with them at Jerusalem coming in and going out and he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Helenus but they attempted to kill him it's an intriguing turn of events very ironic isn't it Saul of Tarsus begins the chapter with marching orders to go to Damascus and find men and women Christians drag them out of their places of worship take them back to Jerusalem and either have them imprisoned or executed and now it's him preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ who is being threatened with death by these how honest s-- then verse 30 tells us when the Brethren found out they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus so that's why Saul is in Tarsus at this particular time and remember that this is Saul's original City this is where he else hails from this is where Saul comes from and so now Barnabas shows wisdom for sure in other words if you're Barnabas and you need to teach the people in Antioch for a year you want to have somebody by your side that is very capable and very competent so there is wisdom expressed by Barnabas in fetching Saul but as well it shows us his humility Barnabas doesn't say well I want to be the big cheese here in Antioch I want them to have t-shirts with my picture on it I want them to have Barnabas cups I want them to see me as celebrity no Saul is a polished gifted man so all the appalled the Apostle knows the Old Testament he knows now how it all terminates in our Lord Jesus he knows that Christ is the the DNA men of all the promises of God he's already shown himself as a faithful that's a excellent preacher but that doesn't matter with reference to Barnabas Barnabas says I need help instructing people here so he goes and he fetches saw the two men already knew each other as Barnabas had vouched for Saul at the church in Jerusalem and then we ought to see and appreciate with reference to verse 26 and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch so it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people you see that again preaching of the word in order to the salvation of sinners it's the first leg of the Great Commission go therefore and make disciples of all the nations how do you do that not by telling them to put on suits and ties but by preaching to them Christ and him crucified that is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes but the Great Commission doesn't stop there there's this drivel that has been sensationalized by some preachers out there well you get saved here but if you want to grow and learn and mature and your doctor and you're gonna have to go somewhere else that is to neglect resist and reject the Great Commission as Jesus gave it you make disciples and then what you baptize those disciples those men those women those boys and girls that profess saving faith in Jesus Christ they get immersed they identified publicly with the triune God but it doesn't stop there and then teach them not just teach them but teach them to observe all things that I have commanded you and Jesus assures us of his presence and lo I am with you always even to the end of the age isn't it beautiful to see the church take that seriously and the church do that they're making disciples through the preaching of the gospel they're baptizing those made disciples and then they teach that well what is it that they're teaching them they're teaching them Christian doctrine they're teaching them the law of God they're teaching them the prophets they're teaching on the writings they're teaching them expositionally what god's word has to say brethren again this is absolutely crucial for our maturation in the Lord Jesus turn to ephesians floor for just a moment we have the Great Commission and then we have the Apostles statement in a chapter four notice at verse 11 Ephesians 4:11 and he himself gave some to be apostles some prophets some evangelists and some pastors and teachers there's a three-fold reason for this according to verse 12 for the equipping of the Saints for the work of ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ now notice when he goes on to say in verse 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God see for the Apostle no man left behind he wants everybody to learn he wants everybody to grow he wants everybody to be mature Paul simply would not approve of you saying well you know that doctrine of the Trinity that's for those guys that like to get up early on Saturday morning or that doctrine of justification by faith alone that that's for those people that that have a keen interest in the Protestant Reformation it's for each and every one of us that's why hopefully your beloved pastor nagged you as often as he does again it's not for attendance it's not for getting a star next to your name there's no perfect attendance sort of a prize I remember when I worked at Northrop Grumman they had perfect attendance if you were there every day out of there you're supposed to be there why would you give somebody an award for doing what they're supposed to do so there's no perfect attendance award you don't get an f GBC hat you don't get the t-shirt the cop whatever you get doctrine you get training you get taught you get to actually comply with second Peter 3:18 grow in the Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ there is simply no excuse for you to continue to perpetuate immaturity you're supposed to grow there's that bit in Romans chapter 14 where Paul is dealing with Christian Liberty he talks about weaker brethren and stronger brethren they both have responsibilities but if you were to ask the Apostle Paul should the weaker brother try to get stronger I think he'd say yes absolutely and in this emphasis or in this particular passage we see the same emphasis verse 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ now notice in verse 14 that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine pulse not anti-child Paul is anti adult acting like child like if I were to say to somebody - man you're acting like a five year old little girl that should not reflect poorly on five year old little girls I really don't have an axe to grind against five-year-old little girls I have ax to grinds with fifty year old men acting like five year old girls so when Paul talks about children here he's not mocking he's not speaking ill he's just saying in terms of our Christian life it is not the right way to constantly be immature it is not the right way to constantly be weak to constantly be childish you have to grow God has supplied the resources for your growth but we can't physically open your mouth and shove it down there part of it is your responsibility to pick up your Bibles to show up a church to come to the supper and to do the things that God is sanctioned in his word that are legitimate means for Christian growth now my nagging is almost over so just hang on with me verse 14 that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting no I'm not suggesting that in Ephesus this wasn't a real problem I'm not suggesting that an ephesus there was just you know everybody toed the line doctor life but i am suggesting that with social media with computers with and this isn't an anti computer social media tirade it's an encouragement to be careful do you realize that every YouTube video that claims to be the biblical doctrine of whatever isn't necessarily right I know it's strange but there are some wackos out there and it's prevalent and it's available all and we as a church would frown greatly upon any man or woman who was caught looking at internet pornography but internet heresy is bad - internet heresy is terrible one of the blessed things that we have in the context of our church is a confession of faith again it's not a straitjacket it's not to bind us in its to protect its parameters it's a hedge of protection because we are prone to wander we are prone to leave the god that we love and there are crafty men out there there are tricksters out there there are charlatans out there some of them are blatant and obvious Joel Osteen Benny Han but others aren't others are a little bit more difficult to detect so brethren tests the spirits is what John tells us and we are to pay close attention to what Scripture teaches and what our confession of faith teaches so that we don't go off the track it is a blessed thing not a bad thing to have these things notice in verse 15 but speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things into him who is the head Christ from whom the whole body jointed joined and knit together by what every joint supplies according to the effective working by which every part does it share causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love see that's the reason why he gave some to be apostles some to be prophets song to be evangelists some to be pastors and teachers not to entertain you not to make you they're appearing well but to preach to you and teach and that is precisely what they do in Antioch for that year and then that beautiful statement in eleven twenty six and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch I've always thought that be a great great jeopardy question city where the believers were first called Christians what is Antioch this is where we got the title it's only used two other times the New Testament so we're not sure if they used it of themselves or it was used derisively of them that happens Puritan we like that particular word but when at first was used against our brethren it wasn't meant in a nice way it wasn't meant as as a commendation of their their chosen lifestyle no it was derisive we don't know if it's being utilized here or how the word basically and it's in the famous dictionary basically means one who is associated with Christ Christ partisan Christian perhaps have heard it said little Christ were not little Christ's sorry we're just not Christ is Christ and we are his disciples and his followers we are associated with them we are partisans toward em we are Christians that's what we are and then I just want to quickly look and you'll see why this section in 27 to 30 is important famine relief in Judea the famine relief in Judea I almost don't want to rush through this because I think it's important that we focus on oh let's just try I'm looking at the clock I'm being mindful here we've got some time but notice this famine relief in Judea verses 27 to 30 this is likely the visit that Paul took in Galatians 2 1 and 1 to 10 there's some question among commentators about Acts 11 and this trip that Paul and Barnabas make to Jerusalem at this time and then acts 15 with reference to the Jerusalem Council so when we get to Jack's 15 Jerusalem Council will do a little bit more in terms of trying to substantiate what I'm just going to suggest here that Galatians 2 1 to 10 is Paul's second post conversion visit to Jerusalem in this famine relief so do with that what you will but right now notice these prophets in the church verse 27 and in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch now Christ said just prior to the Olivet discourse that he would send prophets he would send wise men he would send scribes would send these people and they would be ultimately cast off by the religious leadership we see these prophets mentioned excuse me in acts here acts 13 again in acts 15 and then in acts 21 you see prophets referred to in 1st Corinthians and then we just saw it there in Ephesians 4 he gave some to be apostles and prophets now I take the overwhelming evidence of the New Testament to suggest this that the prophets in the New Testament functioned in a manner similar to the prophets of the Old Testament but they exercised their prophetic ministry under the direction and the guidance and the supervision of the Apostles that's why I think it says apostles before prophets it's pretty conspicuous in each of these passages that the apostles were the main men again not some oligarchy not tyrants not dictators that they are foundational with reference to the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ so there was this prophetic ministry in the New Testament church if we ask the question why because they didn't have the written records yet they didn't have the the New Testament documents so you had tongue speakers who weren't speaking in gibberish gibberish it wasn't Babel it wasn't some made-up phrase to make themselves feel better but it was actually revelation from God given to the church prophets functioned in the same way now there are some persons out there that try to read redefine prophesy in the New Testament to fit in a charismatic interpretation we don't have time to deal with that but suffice to say I think they're wrong AGGA bus here functions the way that Isaiah function he functions here the way that Jeremiah and Ezekiel function the Prophet engaged in two specifics with reference to God they foretold and they forth told foretold the future the predictive prophecy element is there in the Old Testament prophets it's here in Agra bas with reference to this ferment and it will also be evidenced in chapter 21 when he takes Paul's belt binds his own hands and says the Holy Spirit has shown me that the man who owns this belt is going to be bound in Jerusalem so AG Abbas foretold he predicted but the prophets also forth told they told the Word of God as it had already been given and that's how agamous is functioning in this particular instance now notice the particular prophecy that he makes verse 28 says then one of them named Agabus stood up excuse me and showed by the spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar now again the type of prophecy is predictive and the reality of this prophecy it's intriguing tells us specifically Claudius Caesar Claudius Caesar reigned from 41 to 54 by all accounts he was a good administrator by all accounts he was you know pretty decent man that way but by all accounts he got bad Providence in terms of water in terms of rain in terms of things necessary to keep everybody fed and water in fact one man says that famine hit in the first second fourth ninth and eleventh years of Claudius his reign so that just bad I mean bad for Claudius but Agra busts tells them this he tells them he predicts this he tell foretells what's going to happen but he doesn't by the spirit notice again in verse 20 verse 28 hang about stood up and showed by the spirit this wasn't according to the Stars it wasn't according to his own ingenuity it wasn't just because he saw that you know with Claudius there might not be as much rain Calvin says Luke doth plainly expressed that the Spirit of God was the author of this prophecy that we may know that it was not a conjecture taken by the stars or some other natural causes again that Agra bus did not play the philosopher after the manner of men but he uttered that which God had appointed by the secret inspiration of the spirit so AG Abbas prophesies that this is going to happen the church in Antioch recognizes that it's going to happen to the churches of Judea and so the people in Antioch each according to their ability set money aside to provide for famine relief it shows us something of this church they put their money where their mouth was it shows us something a little different from what we see in acts 2 and 4 in acts 2 and for all the people sort of sold their stuff and put that money into a common fund that's not what's operative here in Antioch each according to his own ability Paul uses this same language in 2nd Corinthians 9 6 and 7 and you can understand why I can't give you a million dollars it's not according to my ability but I do have something and I should be coughing up and that's precisely what we find in the church in Antioch they know there's a need they have compassion about that need and then they express tangible charity toward that knee in fact at another instance the Apostle Paul highlighting the the kindness of Gentile churches in providing to the Jews says in Romans 15 27 for if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things their duty is also to minister to them in material things so you'll see this as we move through out acts you'll see this in the pages of the New Testament after Paul mentions his meeting with these apostles in Galatians chapter 2 he tells us in verse 10 that they extended to him the right hand of fellowship they understood that he was the apostle to the Gentiles and then they said only remember the poor and Paul says the very thing I was eager to do well the poor were poor because a famine the poor were poor because of a lack of rain and it affected Judea it affected the church in Jerusalem in acts 21 the Apostle Paul visits Jerusalem and he's got loads of money to present to the to the elders and the Apostles there why is that because they were paying tribute to Mother Church no because they were feeding starving brethren there was this solidarity amongst the people of God there was this kindness amongst the people of God there was this love amongst the people of God if we knew that someone was hurting we would give our money to try to alleviate the downtrodden and the poor so that's what Luke tells us here in verses 27 to 30 so they take the money they take what they have the resources they're able to spare and then in verse 29 the disciples each according to his ability determined to send relief to the Brethren dwelling in Judea this they also did and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul now this was about a 310 mile journey for sorry Barnabas and Saul but it's intriguing this the first time elders are mentioned in the book of Acts why is that because they knew the Apostles wouldn't live forever they knew these men were going to die and so there was this transition there was this office put into place we see deacons in Acts chapter 6 we see elders referred to here the elders worked alongside of the Apostles until such time that the Apostles are dead it's the elders who have oversight of the local churches under their charge it's a beautiful thing that scripture details for us it's very simple and very sublime but it shows us God's concern for his churches so why we pray for Vernon they you can be a church you can have being as a church without a pastor but you need pastors for well-being within the context of the church that's why we pray for Vernon that God will send a man that is you know work hard in the warden and doctrine and so the elders here are responsible to take this money and to distribute it among those in their midst well I just want to close there's no watch there just want to close with a couple of thoughts in the first place I want to see the characteristics of this particular church in other words if we boil all this down about Antioch what do we see with reference to this church what do we see with reference to this church in Antioch how churches in Chilliwack should function how free grace Baptist Church should be do we see any parallels do we see things that we need to work on do we see things that that we ought to improve upon well let's just look at the characteristics that Luke sets out for us concerning the church in Antioch first it was evangelistic it was evangelistic verses 19 to 21 they preach the gospel they preached the Lord Jesus see we need to be in churches to grow in the Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we need the teaching ministry of a Barnabas and Saul among us for a year we need to be shown the law the prophets the writings we need to be shown exposition and accurate application of that word we always the gospel Gospels not just for the unconverted I I know you guys I know my brothers and sisters here I have never heard thankfully oh you only ever preached the gospel I don't know how anybody could say that without fear of you know imploding or dying or burning up or something well you mean you only preach the gospel I mean come on that's what it's supposed to be about I determined to know nothing among you except Christ and him crucified the Apostle Paul says now I get that there can be a myopic approach there can be an imbalanced approach there can be that approach of the man that I mentioned earlier well you're just going to get saved here if you want to grow in doctrine you're gonna have to go anywhere else can't we do both can we teach the Bible and preach the gospel in one sermon can't we instruct and doctrine and bring to the forefront the glory and the beauty and the supremacy of Jesus I like to think so in fact I think that's mandated for the church preach the word all of it the Apostle Paul will later say I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God well he doesn't always preach the guy he always preaches the gospel and he always preaches the truth there's no ink congruent either' there's no disparity a church that is faithfully and accurately preaching through the Word of God should be preaching the gospel a lot so it was evangelistic secondly it was a converted membership it was a converted membership what does Barnabas see when he arrives he sees the grace of God he sees sheep he sees those who have believed and who have turned to the Lord he sees the grace of God evident and manifested in the fact that these people in the church at Antioch were converted thirdly it was doctrinal it was doctrinal verses 25 to 26 you had Barnabas and Paul teaching you the Bible for a year you know would you have said well you know I don't want to go I'm gonna watch this so I'm gonna do that I'd like to think we'd all be there I'd like to think that if Paul the Apostle was hosting a Bible study on a Wednesday night you'd show up I'd like to think that I mean they were doctrinal they wanted to know the Word of God brethren that's not something that is only consolidated to a few of the people in the context of a church but I fear that that's what we've been told I fear at times you know Wayman you might say well you know I'm never gonna be a preacher or a teacher in a church you've got kids to keep preach and teach them about justification by faith you need to bone up you need study you need to read that's the emphasis in Scripture it's not just a handful of God's people that grow in the Grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus it's all of them fourthly it was Christ centered were they called according verse 26 social justice warriors revolutionaries tax evaders zealots they're called Christians Associates of the Lord Jesus partisans to Christ that title that that that identifier is most blessed and most expressive it's unfortunate now you've got a you know Christian can mean just a whole host of things so we have to say we're reformed and we're Baptist and that goes back to the particular Baptists and we have the 1689 conversion so we have to give this you know long sort of definition and that's not always bad brethren it hopefully will weed out you know some of those things that were not we ought to be able to affirm what we're not we're not charismatic we're not Pentecostals we're not our minions we are not Pelagians that's okay there's an aspect where we need to be able to do that but the title Christian is so sublime it's so glorious and it's so wonderful and it's so identifying of what they were about they were associates of Christ that's what they ought to be able to say about us a fifth characteristic is that it was charitable charitable they heard about this famine relief or they heard about this famine that was going to come in the days of Claudius Caesar and they didn't just get to their prayer meeting he said God I hope everything works out for that I hope they're okay I hope they survive I hope they've stockpiled I hope they've got oats I hope they've got beans I hope they got big pantries I hope they've got you know water stores and all know they gave from their own resources as according to their ability they put their money where their mouth was they weren't deadbeats they weren't those sorts of people that were you know in Ebenezer Scrooge sitting huddled over there for their funds they gave it freely to alleviate the problems facing the church in Judea they were charitable see that always goes into the people of we love Jesus we love God we are supposed to love one another and be kind to one another we saw that last Sunday night we know that we have passed from death to life if we have left of the Brethren and at times that might be the only thing that keeps you go and I know I love the Brethren therefore I must conclude the grace of God is there I hope it's not that miserable yeah at the point right there's a charity kindness and if you don't have it according your ability you don't have money can't do that are you praying do you care about what's happening outside of our church a brother this morning we read through many prayer her letters prayer requests concerning the persecuted church he made the observation that it's like we get to tour the world in that hour we get to tour the world we're so bent on our own thing we're so stuck in our own right we're so little minded with reference to everything else we need to hear Jesus say lift up your eyes look at the fields they're white unto harvest think about these poor people that are suffering I mean we have issues and I see that we have increasing problems and when we have a government that is opposed to Christianity we better be on our guard and we better be watchful the Brethren we prayed this morning for somebody that we've been praying for for 20 years who's been functioning laboring in the Far East that has to make some serious decisions now about leaving because it's increasing the oppression is severe it is it is harsh I mean the thought of the Chinese government taking little children out of their homes putting them in government schools to indoctrinate them in communism I mean praise God we're not there but pray to God for those who are there because what a horrific and ridiculous and terrible thing to be taught from your youth to worship the state to give honor to the creature rather than the Creator this is happening so you may not have the money you may not have the ability the means to set but you can pray each and every day you can pray for the world you can pray for those who suffer you can pray for those who are being you know tortured to death for the cause of God they were charitable and then finally it was established by God Almighty this wasn't the work of men this was not the work of men God is at work 21 and 24 it's the hand of Yahweh that's with them and it's because of God's presence that a great number believed and turn to the Lord so we need to think through these things now there's obviously other things we can mention in terms of the New Testament on what a church should look like but it should certainly look like this we ought to be evangelistic we ought to have a converted membership it ought to be doctrinal it ought to be Christ centered it ought to be charitable and it ought to be appreciated that we're here because of the grace of God we're not here because of us we're not here because of our wisdom we're here because of what we see in verses 21 and 24 the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and turned to the Lord verse 24 and a great many people were added to the Lord notice in both instances a great number many this wasn't just a couple here and there now I'm not saying God always works this way God is sovereign he does according to what he purposes and plans and pleases but it ought not to shock us if God does save a great multitude you know not to shock us if there really is a great multitude that is in heaven that no man can number you know at times within the Reformed community we just think there's going to be this handful well brethren there are passages that emphasize that broad is the way that leads to destruction and narrow is the way that leads to life but I'm not convinced those passages on their own are teaching how many people are going to be in heaven there's an ethical impression that Christ is making in those passages Christ is exhorting people to consider where they're at relative to the kingdom he's not telling us there's going to be a handful of people in heaven the book of Revelation tells us it's a great multitude that no man can number later on in the book of Matthew that the Lord Jesus says this is my blood which is shed for the remission of the sin of many brethren I'm not suggesting that if we don't have 500 people in the first year we ought to close down shop but I am suggesting that if God in His grace power and sovereignty is pleased to save a great many we ought to rejoice in him we ought to praise him and we ought to thank him for those blessed additions well I want to end on this note if you're not a believer here this morning the way of salvation is through the Christ that was preached notice in 10:43 we saw this passage when we were considering Cornelius and his household 10:43 Peter ends his sermon by saying to him all the prophets witness that through his name whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins and then here specifically in chapter 11 at verse 20 it says they preached the Lord Jesus and then in verse 21 and the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number notice believed and turned to the Lord it's justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ Jesus alone you're not going to get to heaven based on your good works because you don't have any you're not gonna get to heaven based on your perfect keeping of God's law because you ain't got it the only way to get to heaven is through the mediator through the Lord Jesus through that priest who is both priest and victim who offered himself for the sins of his people so that we could have forgiveness and so that we could have a righteousness that will ultimately avail with the father and he will say to us by virtue of the fact that we're in union with Christ well done good and faithful servant never let it creep into your head that you're going to hear that pronouncement for the from the father apart from your union with Jesus Christ it ain't going to happen it is by virtue of union with him and the way to him is to believe to believe on him and you will have everlasting life well let us close in a word of Prayer our Father we thank you for this glimpse of the church in Antioch and we thank you Father for the the characteristics so evidently displayed in these pages of Scripture god help us as a church to take these things to heart to prayerfully consider them and Lord God to grow to increase to be conformed to what you call us unto both as individuals and as a local church we pray that Christ would be proclaimed here we pray that we would be taught here we pray father that we would express charity love for brethren a desire to do good to the not only the hearts of men but to the bodies of men as well and we ask that you would go with us now and watch over us in this day again we pray for our joint service tonight with the Brethren from Surrey that you would be in this that you would bless it and that you would increase the bonds of fellowship that we have with that local church and we pray these things through Christ our Lord amen well you can turn in your hymn book to number 564 564 we can stand as we sing [Music] [Music] baby the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all amen our Blessed triune glorious God the one who is living and true we pray that you would watch over us I pray that you would keep us and protect us and that father you would be glorified in our lives that we would know you that we would love you that we would serve in the door and honor your great and awesome name bless your people here today with a good day a good Sabbath rest and may we come back tonight to be refreshed again by the presence of our great God and by your people and we pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord amen you may be seated for a brief time of meditation