Fellowship Baptist Church
CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH
- A. Rapport for the timeThe power of Christ’s church… Do you think we realize the power that God has entrusted with us in His Church?Definitely Christ’s Church
Ephesians 5:25–26 ESV 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,Colossians 1:18 ESV 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.Colossians 3:15 ESV 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.Ephesians 4:11–16 ESV 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.B. Reading of the textActs 13:1–3 ESV 1 Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 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.” 3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.C. Review of the textClose of first 12 chapter brings to a close the ministry of Peter and now we will be focused more on the Ministry of Paul. The first 3 verses of Acts 13 set up that very thing before us.D. Relevance of the textSpirit empowered people seeking God with prayer and fasting find more of God and he uses the people in ways they could have never imagined.I. Intro to Chapter 13Chapter 13 brings about the beginning of the life ministry of Paul and 3 missionary journeys.1st JourneyPaul and Barnabas will travel some 600 miles2nd Journey3rd JourneyII. Leaders of the ChurchActs 13:1 ESV 1 Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.Back in Acts 11 the church at Antioch was a thriving church.Acts 11:21–22 ESV 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.Acts 11:25–26 ESV 25 So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.We asked ourselves what is a Christian. What responsibilities come with that word?Church at Antioch is the first gentile church community. Paul and Barnabas have invested time and teaching into the people of God that they might grow and mature in the faith. The church is established and doing well.Saul—tarsus— a Jew grew up a PhariseeSimeon—Niger—Gentile foreignerLucius—Cyrenion Gentile ForeignerManaen—Gentile…Grew up in the palace somehowBarnabas—Cyprus—Jew Hellenized Jew—GreekGod developed leaders of all kinds—joined them together for a purpose and that is to spread the fame of Christ.T.S.III. Activity of the ChurchActs 13:2–3 ESV 2 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.” 3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.The people of God will worship--God’s people will Fast and Pray—seeking the LordIsaiah 55:6–7 ESV 6 “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; 7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.Amos 5:4–6 ESV 4 For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel: “Seek me and live; 5 but do not seek Bethel, and do not enter into Gilgal or cross over to Beersheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into exile, and Bethel shall come to nothing.” 6 Seek the Lord and live, lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and it devour, with none to quench it for Bethel,Psalm 69:32 ESV 32 When the humble see it they will be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive.1 Chronicles 16:11 ESV 11 Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!Psalm 105:3–4 ESV 3 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! 4 Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!John 6:34–35 ESV 34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” 35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.Psalm 27:4–5 ESV 4 One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. 5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.Paul the man from Tarsus—who wanted nothing to do with Christ and Barnabas—the Hellenized Jew are now being used by the Church to go establish and grow other churches.Paul was called by the LordActs 9:15 ESV 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.Paul was preordained by GodActs 22:13–14 ESV 13 came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. 14 And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth;Spirit will now direct to send him outActs 13:4 ESV 4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.Saul was set apart by God to spread the fame of Christ amongst the GentilesActs 9:15 ESV 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.Acts 22:10 ESV 10 And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’Acts 26:16–18 ESV 16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you 18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’God’s people will be led by the SpiritThey will lay hands on Barnabas and Paul to commission them to leadershipNot just one way to do this in scriptureActs 6:6 ESV 6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.1 Timothy 4:14 ESV 14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.1 Timothy 5:22 ESV 22 Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.Numbers 27:18 ESV 18 So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.John–Acts 13:1–3. Paul and Barnabas’s Missionary Journey: Antioch Launches the MissionThe laying on of hands is a symbolic, public declaration that someone has been recognized as worthy of some task and has the blessing of God and whoever is involved
Communion with God leads to more communion with God. What does this mean for Christ’s church. It means we are driven by the same purpose.I love games nightsI love communing with believers in the church in functions with the church.And we are called to have fellowship with one another and to live life together. But their is more to the church than just these things according to Acts 13 and forward...9 marks of a healthy church1.Expositional Preaching2.Sound Doctrine - He Keeps Me Singing
- Wonderful Grace of Jesus
- How Deep The Fathers Love For Us
Ephesians 5:25–26ESV
Colossians 1:18ESV
Colossians 3:15ESV
Ephesians 4:11–16ESV
Acts 13:1–3ESV
Acts 13:1ESV
Acts 11:21–22ESV
Acts 11:25–26ESV
Acts 13:2–3ESV
Isaiah 55:6–7ESV
Amos 5:4–6ESV
Psalm 69:32ESV
1 Chronicles 16:11ESV
Psalm 105:3–4ESV
John 6:34–35ESV
Psalm 27:4–5ESV
Acts 9:15ESV
Acts 22:13–14ESV
Acts 13:4ESV
Acts 9:15ESV
Acts 22:10ESV
Acts 26:16–18ESV
Acts 6:6ESV
1 Timothy 4:14ESV
1 Timothy 5:22ESV
Numbers 27:18ESV
Fellowship Baptist Church
901-331-3074
17 members • 3 followers