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- Preaching the Living WORD through
the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4;:2 - |
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“EMPOWERED BY THE SPIRIT TO BE HIS WITNESSES” (2013 GBC THEME REVIEW) (The Church’s
Mission) (Acts 1:8) (2/24/13) Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I. THE CHURCH’S EMPOWERMENT II. THE CHURCH’S INDWELLING III. THE CHURCH’S WITNESS IV. THE CHURCH’S MISSION A. The Early Church’s Demographics 1. Jerusalem a) The Holy Spirit came to indwell the early
church on the day of Pentecost. They were empowered by Him to be witnesses of
the death and resurrection of Christ. Where were they to accomplish this
task? They were to accomplish this in “Jerusalem,
and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Ac
1:8). b) It stands to reason that they were already
in Jerusalem, being the “holy city” (Ne 11:1; Da 9:24; Mt 4:5). (1) It was the city where the ark of the
covenant resided (2Sa 15:29; 1Ki 3:15). It was the city where Solomon built
the Temple of the Lord (1Ki 8:1, 29). It was the city they rebuilt after
being exiled (Ezr 1:2-3, 5-11). (2) It was the city that Jesus wept over (Lk
13:34-35; 19:41) and in which He was later crucified (Ac 10:39-40; Jn 19 17;
He 13:12). It was where the Temple was destroyed in A.D. 70 and it is the
city that will be made new in the kingdom (Re 21:2). c) It also stands to reason that they were
in Jerusalem because that was where Christ commanded them to wait for the
Holy Spirit’s coming (Ac 1:4). d) So the early church’s mission obviously
began in Jerusalem. (1) The first evangelism took place in
Jerusalem by the apostles on the day of Pentecost (Ac 2:14ff) with the
message centered on the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ (Ac 2:22-24).
The effects of that message brought the church’s first three thousand
converts (Ac 2:37-41). (2) As a result, the first church was
established and congregated in Jerusalem (Ac 2:42-47), as well as experienced
its first persecution (Ac 7:54, 58). 2. Judea and Samaria a) Missions by nature, cannot stay in one
locality. Its purpose is to reach as many as possible with the gospel in the
shortest time as possible. They were commissioned to move beyond Jerusalem to
the areas of Judea and Samaria. b) Though Judea (southeast of Jerusalem) and
Samaria (northeast of Jerusalem) were two separate regions, it appears that
Jesus was speaking in general and incorporated these two regions together. In
the Greek, both cities shared the same article (tê Ioudaia kai Samareia)
showing that Jesus was referring to one geographical area as the next step
beyond Jerusalem. c) Their mission expanded to Judea (Ac 11:1,
29; 12:19; 26:20) and Samaria (Ac 8:5, 14; 15:3), and in one sense,
persecution became the impetus to scatter their evangelistic efforts (Ac
8:1). 3. The Remotest part of the Earth a) After Judea and Samaria, Jesus included,
“even to the remotest part of the earth.” Literally it reads, “even to the
last part of the earth.” While this certainly is to be taken literally, there
is a sense in which it was referred to the civilized world with which they
had knowledge. This would have implied the Roman Empire. (1) Luke, the writer of Acts, had this idea in
mind. There is a three-fold commission by Jesus and a three-fold fulfillment
by the apostles in Acts. Luke outlined the apostles’ mission in Acts
beginning with Jerusalem recorded in Ac 2:1-8:3, Judea and Samaria in Ac
8:4-12:24, and the Roman Empire in Ac 12:25-28:31). (2) Paul spoke in such terms when he used the
word “world” to refer to the “civilized world” of the Roman Empire (Ro 1:8;
Col 1:6). b) This is not to say that Jesus only meant
to witness as far as the Roman Empire. But this would have reflected their
limited knowledge of the civilized world. B. The Believer’s Demographics 1. Local Demographics a) How does this relate to believers today?
They are to begin to witness to whatever area is local to them. In other
words, the believer is to carry out the Great Commission wherever he resides. b) Look down, see where your feet are
standing, and that is the believer’s locale, the place where he is to
witness. c) Believers are missionaries wherever they
are, not just those who go to foreign lands. 2. Surrounding Demographics a) However, the believer should not be
content with just his locale. He should seek to spread the gospel as far as
he can. b) The believer is to seek to advance his
personal witness as far as God allows. 3. World Demographics a) It would appear that Jesus’ commission to
the last part of the earth applies particularly to the church today. It
continues to be the task of the church today to reach the world for Christ. b) In essence, the preaching of the gospel
echoes the heart of God. It is clearly revealed in Mk 16:15, “Go into all the
world and preach the gospel to all creation (or “every creature).” c) It is also here, from Jesus’ own lips
that we have the sanction and responsibility of missions. C. The Believer’s Practical View of Witnessing 1. Why should the believer witness? We are
to witness because we have been commanded and commissioned to carry out God’s
ministry of reconciliation (2Co 5:18-20). 2. God’s heart desire and will is for
everyone to hear the gospel (Mk 16:15). It also ought to be the believer’s
passion and burden to personally share the gospel as far as God allows. 3. Every believer can take part in foreign
missions either by participating in part-time missions, full-time missions,
and/or in support of missionaries who have answered the call. According to Ac
1:8, world missions is the church’s responsibility. It is the task of every
believer to do his part in winning the world for Christ. 4. No matter what employment the believer
has, or no matter what hobbies and passions he may have, his ultimate passion
and purpose is to be “fishers of men” (Mt 4:19; Mk 1:17). 5. Empowerment by the Holy Spirit to be His
witnesses was not only given to the early church, but to the entire church,
and to every believer in every age, including Grace Bible Church, and
including you and me. |
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