Stay True to the Lord

February 23, 2025 · Acts

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Series · Acts · Week 64 of 120

Scripture referenced 8 passages

The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.

Revelation 22 invitation to worship, 'let anyone who is thirsty come'

1 He showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb,
2 in the middle of its street. On this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
3 There will be no curse any more. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will serve him.
4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
5 There will be no night, and they need no lamp light; for the Lord God will illuminate them. They will reign forever and ever.
6 He said to me, “These words are faithful and true. The Lord God of the spirits of the prophets sent his angel to show to his bondservants the things which must happen soon.”
7 “Behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
8 Now I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. When I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who had shown me these things.
9 He said to me, “See you don’t do it! I am a fellow bondservant with you and with your brothers, the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”
10 He said to me, “Don’t seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.
11 He who acts unjustly, let him act unjustly still. He who is filthy, let him be filthy still. He who is righteous, let him do righteousness still. He who is holy, let him be holy still.”
12 “Behold, I come quickly. My reward is with me, to repay to each man according to his work.
13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
14 Blessed are those who do his commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city.
15 Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
16 I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify these things to you for the assemblies. I am the root and the offspring of David; the Bright and Morning Star.”
17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” He who hears, let him say, “Come!” He who is thirsty, let him come. He who desires, let him take the water of life freely.
18 I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book, if anyone adds to them, may God add to him the plagues which are written in this book.
19 If anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, may God take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book.
20 He who testifies these things says, “Yes, I come quickly.” Amen! Yes, come, Lord Jesus.
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with all the saints. Amen.

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Psalm 150

let everything that has breath praise the Lord

1 Praise Yah! Praise God in his sanctuary! Praise him in his heavens for his acts of power!

2 Praise him for his mighty acts! Praise him according to his excellent greatness!

3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet! Praise him with harp and lyre!

4 Praise him with tambourine and dancing! Praise him with stringed instruments and flute!

5 Praise him with loud cymbals! Praise him with resounding cymbals!

6 Let everything that has breath praise Yah! Praise Yah!

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Hebrews 10:23

let us hold unswervingly to the hope that we profess, for he who promised is faithful

23 let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering; for he who promised is faithful.

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2 Corinthians 9

giving should not be under compulsion but a predetermined matter of the heart

1 It is indeed unnecessary for me to write to you concerning the service to the saints,

2 for I know your readiness, of which I boast on your behalf to them of Macedonia, that Achaia has been prepared for a year past. Your zeal has stirred up very many of them.

3 But I have sent the brothers that our boasting on your behalf may not be in vain in this respect, that, just as I said, you may be prepared,

4 lest by any means, if anyone from Macedonia comes there with me and finds you unprepared, we (to say nothing of you) would be disappointed in this confident boasting.

5 I thought it necessary therefore to entreat the brothers that they would go before to you, and arrange ahead of time the generous gift that you promised before, that the same might be ready as a matter of generosity, and not of greediness.

6 Remember this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. He who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

7 Let each man give according as he has determined in his heart; not grudgingly, or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver.

8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that you, always having all sufficiency in everything, may abound to every good work.

9 As it is written, “He has scattered abroad, he has given to the poor. His righteousness remains forever.”

10 Now may he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;

11 you being enriched in everything to all generosity, which produces through us thanksgiving to God.

12 For this service of giving that you perform not only makes up for lack among the saints, but abounds also through much giving of thanks to God;

13 seeing that through the proof given by this service, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the Good News of Christ, and for the generosity of your contribution to them and to all;

14 while they themselves also, with supplication on your behalf, yearn for you by reason of the exceeding grace of God in you.

15 Now thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift!

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Acts 10

Peter's vision of the sheet, the gospel is for Jews and non-Jews

1 Now there was a certain man in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment,

2 a devout man, and one who feared God with all his house, who gave gifts for the needy generously to the people, and always prayed to God.

3 At about the ninth hour of the day, he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God coming to him, and saying to him, “Cornelius!”

4 He, fastening his eyes on him, and being frightened, said, “What is it, Lord?” He said to him, “Your prayers and your gifts to the needy have gone up for a memorial before God.

5 Now send men to Joppa, and get Simon, who is also called Peter.

6 He lodges with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the seaside.

7 When the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier of those who waited on him continually.

8 Having explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

9 Now on the next day as they were on their journey, and got close to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray at about noon.

10 He became hungry and desired to eat, but while they were preparing, he fell into a trance.

11 He saw heaven opened and a certain container descending to him, like a great sheet let down by four corners on the earth,

12 in which were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, reptiles, and birds of the sky.

13 A voice came to him, “Rise, Peter, kill and eat!”

14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.”

15 A voice came to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed, you must not call unclean.”

16 This was done three times, and immediately the vessel was received up into heaven.

17 Now while Peter was very perplexed in himself what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon’s house, stood before the gate,

18 and called and asked whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was lodging there.

19 While Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men seek you.

20 But arise, get down, and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.”

21 Peter went down to the men, and said, “Behold, I am he whom you seek. Why have you come?”

22 They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous man and one who fears God, and well spoken of by all the nation of the Jews, was directed by a holy angel to invite you to his house, and to listen to what you say.”

23 So he called them in and provided a place to stay. On the next day Peter arose and went out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.

24 On the next day they entered into Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his relatives and his near friends.

25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell down at his feet, and worshiped him.

26 But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up! I myself am also a man.”

27 As he talked with him, he went in and found many gathered together.

28 He said to them, “You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to join himself or come to one of another nation, but God has shown me that I shouldn’t call any man unholy or unclean.

29 Therefore also I came without complaint when I was sent for. I ask therefore, why did you send for me?”

30 Cornelius said, “Four days ago, I was fasting until this hour, and at the ninth hour, I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,

31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer is heard, and your gifts to the needy are remembered in the sight of God.

32 Send therefore to Joppa, and summon Simon, who is also called Peter. He lodges in the house of a tanner named Simon, by the seaside. When he comes, he will speak to you.’

33 Therefore I sent to you at once, and it was good of you to come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God to hear all things that have been commanded you by God.”

34 Peter opened his mouth and said, “Truly I perceive that God doesn’t show favoritism;

35 but in every nation he who fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.

36 The word which he sent to the children of Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all—

37 you yourselves know what happened, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;

38 even Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

39 We are witnesses of everything he did both in the country of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they also killed, hanging him on a tree.

40 God raised him up the third day, and gave him to be revealed,

41 not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen before by God, to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that this is he who is appointed by God as the Judge of the living and the dead.

43 All the prophets testify about him, that through his name everyone who believes in him will receive remission of sins.”

44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the word.

45 They of the circumcision who believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also poured out on the Gentiles.

46 For they heard them speaking in other languages and magnifying God. Then Peter answered,

47 “Can anyone forbid these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just like us.”

48 He commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay some days.

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Acts 11:19-30

main sermon text, believers scattered to Antioch, Barnabas sent, Christians named

19 They therefore who were scattered abroad by the oppression that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews only.

20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus.

21 The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.

22 The report concerning them came to the ears of the assembly which was in Jerusalem. They sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch,

23 who, when he had come, and had seen the grace of God, was glad. He exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they should remain near to the Lord.

24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and many people were added to the Lord.

25 Barnabas went out to Tarsus to look for Saul.

26 When he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they were gathered together with the assembly, and taught many people. The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

27 Now in these days, prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.

28 One of them named Agabus stood up, and indicated by the Spirit that there should be a great famine all over the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius.

29 As any of the disciples had plenty, each determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea;

30 which they also did, sending it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

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John 3:16

God so loved the world, whoever believes will not perish but have eternal life

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

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Romans 15:13

benediction, may the God of hope fill you with joy and peace

13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit.

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Recap

The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.

This week the pastor walked through Acts 11:19-30, the story of the early church scattering north from Jerusalem and the gospel taking root among Gentiles in Antioch. He traced how God used persecution and ordinary believers to carry the message outward, and drew a straight line from that first-century story to what First B is called to do right here in Jackson and around the world.

What was said

The passage opens with "meanwhile." While Peter was explaining his vision and the gospel's reach to doubting believers back home, scattered believers were already on the move, carrying the good news as far north as Antioch. The pastor paused on that detail: God used something awful, the persecution and death of Stephen, as the engine for his worldwide plan. He didn't waste it. That pattern, God turning tragedy into purpose, was the first thing he wanted the congregation to sit with.

In Antioch, some of those scattered believers made a deliberate choice to share with Gentiles, not only with fellow Jews. The pastor emphasized that the text is plain about what happened next: the power of the Lord was with them, and a large number believed. This was God's work, moving through ordinary people who simply shared what they knew. He pressed on that point, telling the congregation not to underestimate the reach of a personal witness or story.

When Jerusalem heard what was happening, they sent Barnabas, a Jewish man from a Gentile background who knew the culture. The pastor loved this detail. Barnabas arrived, saw the evidence of God's blessing, and his response was joy, not correction. He didn't tell them how Jerusalem did it. He encouraged them to stay true to the Lord, which the pastor called a simple but profound word for any believer going through a hard season.

Barnabas then traveled to Tarsus to find Saul and brought him back. Together they spent a full year in Antioch, teaching large crowds. The pastor noted that this kind of consistent, ongoing teaching, in homes and gatherings and along the way, is what he believes "the word does the work" looks like in practice. It was also in Antioch, he pointed out, that followers of Jesus were first called Christians, meaning "Christ ones," people who were visibly seeking to be like Jesus.

A prophet named Agabus then predicted a coming famine across the Roman world, a prediction the pastor said is corroborated by the ancient historians Josephus and Tacitus. The believers in Antioch responded by collecting relief and sending it back to Jerusalem with Barnabas and Saul. The pastor found that movement striking: the gospel had traveled from Jerusalem north to Antioch, and now the fruit of that gospel, love and generosity, traveled right back south to Jerusalem in a time of need.

The acronym he built from the passage, TROLP, was his way of holding together the application without letting it float free from the text. Take the gospel wherever you go. Remember it is for everyone, whoever believes. Rely on the Holy Spirit, because God is the one doing the work and we are only messengers. Encourage one another the way Barnabas did, asking who around you needs a word right now. Look for other believers to join you, because no one person carries all the gifts. And Participate, recognizing where God is already moving and asking him how you fit in.

He closed with a personal story about an Eagle's Wings Children's Village in Uganda, a missionary organization connected through his mother's friendship circle that had just suffered a violent break-in. He mentioned it at the missions meeting almost in passing, and the congregation moved immediately, praying, preparing a financial gift, and with Ray and Tanya already headed to Africa, adding the organization to their itinerary. The pastor held that up as exactly what the text describes, ordinary people seeing what God is doing and deciding to be part of it.

Doing a Bible study?

Here is a guide we have prepared for you: the passages in order, questions for the group, and room to write.

The pastor pointed out that God used the persecution and scattering of believers after Stephen's death to spread the gospel further than it might otherwise have gone. Can you think of a time in your own life when God used a painful or difficult situation to accomplish something good you could not have foreseen?
The text says the power of the Lord was with the believers who shared their faith in Antioch, and a large number of people came to believe. The pastor said not to underestimate the power of your own witness and your own story. What holds you back from sharing what God has done in your life, and what might help you take that step?

and 3 more questions in the guide

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Speaker 2Yeah.

Speaker 1Yeah. Yeah. Is that a pretty is that a pretty high touch job? Like, somebody comes in in there for a while.

Speaker 2And if you wanna hang up my coat if there's not enough room over there.

Speaker 1Hey. Good morning, everybody. How are doing? Great to see you. Hey.

While folks are coming in, would you stand with me, and we'll join, join together in song. Here's an invitation. This is from, Revelation 22 to lead us in the worship. It's let anyone who is thirsty, come on in. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.

Would you join us in singing God So Loved?

Speaker 2Here's the dock song. Praise God. Praise God. From whom all blessings flow. Praise

Speaker 1Invitation to bring them.

Speaker 2Bring all your failures. Bring your addictions.

Speaker 1Amen. You can have a seat here for a moment. Announcements. I got a confession here. Sharing announcements is just not one of my strengths, so I'm going to say this, firstbjackson.org.

Everything that you need to know is on the website. Nick does a great job of keeping us informed. I will add that this coming Wednesday at 6PM, is a community worship night, and that's at Gateway Church, 6PM. Gateway Church, Raptor j. If you love to worship in song, please join us.

We'd love to have you. Area churches together, combining combining the the bands, and it's just a worship night. So please, six o'clock, Wednesday. What else do we have? Oh, a missions moment.

Is Steve Landis here? Alright. Steve is not here, but the mission team put this in front of us, where they want to show a picture of one of our missionaries each week so that we are informed, so that we can see their faces, that we can pray for them. In fact, can I just take a moment right now and pray for Dave and Kim Hatfield? Lord, we pray for Dave and Kim Hatfield.

We know, God, the work that they are doing in Kenya is a very good work, but it's also very, very difficult. They, have, some extreme opposition. But along with that, God, there are also some tremendous breakthroughs that are happening as they care, for women and children, for orphans. Lord, as they are literally rescuing kids from the dump and giving them an education. God, would you bless them and their efforts.

Just as we read in Acts today, Lord, help us to know how we can participate. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. New member. New member ceremony.

Can I please invite up Steve Baldock? I'd like to invite up John and Christy Hammond and Ruth. Ruth and her family, Usiel and Lucas. These folks have said that they want to make First Be their church home, and we are delighted to have them. So in this little covenant ceremony that we do, it's not like a membership to Costco.

Alright? We don't give you a card with special deals on food and clothing and electronics. It's not that. What it is what it is is a verbal agreement between them and us saying that we're gonna open our hearts to them and them to us as we grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus. So I'm gonna let Steve, would you take it would you take it from here?

Speaker 3I will. And now I can get rid of my notes because you just did a fabulous job there. I can just read the script now, and it'll be fine. It's great to have you guys here. I didn't realize I've been coming here since since 1967.

And then one day, Diane Geek said, you know, you really ought to become a member. And I thought, well, I thought I was grandfathered in. But it doesn't work that way. So if you wanna become a member, I wanna see you upstage here one day. So with that, our covenant as members, and this includes you guys and all of you, this is what we're thinking about.

Basic to any growth in the things of the Lord is a commitment to Jesus Christ. First as savior and then as Lord. When we receive Christ as savior by faith, he forgives our sins and he gives us eternal life. When we acknowledge him as Lord, setting him as the master of our lives, we're presenting ourselves to him as an expression of our desire to grow in grace and to live in a way that reflects his heart. Our covenant with each other is a declaration that we have trusted in Christ as our savior and that we desire to live a Christ like life as we grow in our family relationship with him, and so did that end.

We believe we number one, we have a purse we have personally trusted in Jesus Christ as savior, believing that he died for our sins, was buried, and rose again from the dead. We believe that God has led us to join First Baptist Church as an evidence of our desire to grow in the grace of Christ and in our love and service for his glory. Number three, we recognize the authority of scripture in our lives and endeavor to live by its teachings that express God's purpose for our lives in worship, fellowship, Christ likeness, service, and outreach to others. As members together in the body of Christ, we will endeavor to open our hearts to ministry, both serving others as well as receiving ministry from them. And number five, we will endeavor to grow in faithfulness to one another as we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ.

So that all being said, here's the test. That being said, John, Christie, Ruth, will you endeavor to open your hearts to ministry here, both serving others as well as receiving ministry from them? Will you? And congregation, will you? Good.

Thank you. John, Christy, and Ruth, will you endeavor to grow in faithfulness to one another as we grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus? Will you? Very good. And the congregation?

Yes. Very good. You all passed the test. John, Christie, and Ruth, welcome. We are thrilled to have you as members of the body of Christ and as members of First Baptist Church.

Speaker 1Alright. You ready? Now for the introvert's worst nightmare. Would you stand and just say hello to the people around you, and we'll bring you back in song. God, thanks for the privilege just being here together and lifting our voices to you.

I say in Psalm one fifty, let everything that has breath praise the Lord. And that's what we desire to do here in worship together. Amen. Good word here from, Hebrews ten twenty three, and it's, let us hold unswervingly to the hope that we profess. And and hope here means sure and certain, the expectation of what is sure and certain for he who promised his faithful.

God, thank you for your faithfulness to us, and thank you that we get to sing the gospel here before we receive the word, to sing these songs of scripture and just get them in our in our hearts and minds. Amen.

Speaker 2That lay between us. I'll hide a mountain I could not climb. In desperation, Jesus Christ,

Speaker 1Amen. You can have a seat here for a minute. Man, I love to hear your voices and and worship together. I love it. This is the worship through giving part of the service, and I'll invite our ushers to come on forward.

I don't say this enough, but if you are new to First Be, please don't feel obligated to give. Get to know the heart of our church. Let us get to know you. I was reminded of a verse in, second Corinthians nine that says that giving shouldn't be under compulsion, but rather it's a predetermined matter of the heart, something that we've decided in advance. So if you're new, please don't feel obligated.

That's not who we are. Get to know us. Let us get to know you. And, we want to introduce a new song called Made for More. Before we sing, Steve, may I ask you to pray?

Yeah. He's got, mustard there. Mustard microphone.

Speaker 3Alright. Let's pray. Lord Jesus, we come to you. We come with lots of needs, lots of reasons we came today, but right now we quiet our hearts and our minds, and we wanna give something to you. You've given us life and a purpose and a meaning behind living it.

We give you these gifts and offerings and ask that you'd use them however you want to. We value you more than anything this worth this earth has, and we just wanted to praise your name by doing so today. Amen.

Speaker 2Doesn't know who you are. The cross on salvation was only the start. Now I am chosen, free and forgiven. I have a future, Alright.

Speaker 1Children's church. Time for children's church. And I would love to pray while these guys head downstairs. God, thank you for every child in this congregation. God, would you bless?

So I'm catching you up to speed here. Birth Growth Christian Church, it is fast paced. It's exciting. It's chronological. And and what's been grabbing hold of me lately is just how applicable it is for today.

The gospel was and is still going out. And so today, we begin with meanwhile. Meaning, meanwhile. While Peter was in Joppa, and he had the vision of pigs in a blanket. You get it?

Pigs in a blanket because of the vision vision of the sheet and the you didn't know how funny I was. You can read all about it in chapter 10. So while that was happening and Peter explains to doubting believers, hey. This gospel is for everyone, Jews and non Jews. He gives this message.

There's peace with God through Jesus Christ who is Lord over all. He doesn't show favoritism. While this is happening, the believers who have been scattered during the persecution after Stephen's death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch Of Syria. Wouldn't you know it? Ray even made us a map.

Thank you, Ray. So there it is. The good news, it is going north. God uses I wanna mention this, that God uses something awful. Right?

Stephen's persecution and death as a means to carry out his worldwide plan of salvation to all who would believe. The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. What was meant for evil, God uses for good. And I just I just wanna pause there for a moment to say, I think that's an important takeaway for today. God can use an awful situation and use it for good.

He's he's not wasteful. We wouldn't choose it. We wouldn't wish it on anyone. And yet, God uses the very, very difficult things, even tragic things, to accomplish his purposes. So as the church scatters, they're bringing the good news with them.

And that good news is Jesus, the my Messiah, he's sent from God. He came. He lived. He ministered. He shared the good news.

He died, a sacrificial death on our behalf for our sins. He was sinless, but he took on our sins by going to that cross. That's the gospel. And then he rose again, and then he ascended to heaven, and then he sent us the Holy Spirit. And there's peace with God through Jesus.

He offers his love and forgiveness to everyone who believes. They're taking that message from Jerusalem North. But look at this. It says they preach the word of God, but only to the Jews. You say, why is that?

So as this holy nation, this chosen people, the gospel was first revealed to the Jews. But God's plan all along was that they would be a light to the Nations. Nations. That it would be for everyone. And some of them some of them were doing just that.

Look at this. Verse 20. Some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene, they began preaching to the Gentiles. Gentiles meaning everybody else, non Jews, about the Lord Jesus. They made no distinction between Jew and Gentile, and they just shared with whomever would listen.

And look at this, 21. The power of the Lord was with them. And a large number of these Gentiles, they came to believe and turn to the Lord. So keywords there, I think. The power of the Lord was with them.

That this was an act of God. This is the work of God, working through ordinary men and women who simply shared their faith and trust in Christ, their gospel witnesses. Gospel witnesses. Side note, I wanna say this. Don't underestimate the power of your witness.

Don't underestimate your story. We know, we don't always know what God has been doing and preparing in someone's life. And the power of God, your witness, your story about how God has changed your life may connect the dots in that person's life for them to come to know the Lord as well. We're just asked to share what we know, witnesses, as Ray often says, not not judges, not lawyers, we're witnesses. 22.

When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. Barnabas. Remember meeting him earlier? They nicknamed him the son of encouragement. So Barnabas was a Jewish man, but he was from a Gentile area, which means he knew the culture.

And I think that was such a wise strategy on the part of the church to send Barnabas because he knew the people. He knew how to interact with them. He knew their background. He knew their history. So they say, go on up to Antioch.

Tell us what's going on there in this big cosmopolitan city with Jews and Greeks and Romans and all these other nations and business and wealth and power and all these different religions. I mean, this is this is a big city with a lot going a lot lot going on, a lot of diversity, a lot of people. A place where the gospel can really shine. Go on up there. And '23, when he arrived, he saw the evidence of God's blessing, and he was filled with joy.

I love this because the spirit of Christ in Barnabas was bearing witness to the spirit of Christ in these Gentile believers. And Barnabas found himself saying, this is a marvelous thing that God is doing among us. I can tell you what he didn't do. He didn't tell them, hey, this isn't this isn't how we do it in Jerusalem, You know? Or what to do or how to run their church.

Isn't it wonderful that we get to have all these different expressions of worship and preaching of the word in our community, in our churches? It's awesome. So Barnabas encourages. He says, this is a great work. He saw the evidence of God's blessing, and it filled him with joy.

He recognized the grace of God in these Gentile believers. And you know something? I just wanna make a side note here. What I love about First Bee is that we're not a territorial church. Meaning, we see God at work in our community and around the world, we celebrate it, and we wanna be a part of it.

And, Lord, help us to continue to do that. Look at this. This is my favorite part of the verse right here, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. This is such a simple but profound word for the people of God. Stay true to the Lord.

Keep following after him. Remember the good news of gospel. Remember, he brought you out of darkness and into the glorious light because of Jesus. Remember that. Stay true to him.

And you could imagine, they're going through it. They're a scattered church. They're persecuted. They've been, moved from their home and and uprooted. And and he gives this word of encouragement to them.

Stay true. I know it's hard right now. I get it. I get it. Stay true.

24. Barnabas, he was a good man. He was full of the Holy Spirit, and he was strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord. Just consider this for a minute, that his Christian witness was a catalyst in bringing people to faith.

That they saw Christ in him, and then it drew them to the Lord. And I wanna say that God can do that in us too. God can do that in us too. Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. I think this was an another great strategic move on the part of the church.

They had an encourager already, right, who knew the culture, but they needed a Paul, a teacher, a vandal an evangelist, a prophet, another part of the body of Christ. And when he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Here's a map again. Map lovers, I I I know that some of you are. And and consider, just what it have been like to travel 80 miles in that day.

You know, it's not like hopping on a plane or taking a road trip. There was danger. There was toil in traveling and obviously worth it that they would do that. And both of them stayed there with the church for a full year. So one year together teaching large crowds of people.

The consistent teaching of the word of God over time. I I found this interesting that that word teach is often associated with Jesus' ministry where he taught the crowds, he taught the disciples, he taught individuals about the kingdom of God. It's not just speaking in front of, like, what I'm doing right now, but along the way. Right? Probably in homes and and different things like that, teaching about the kingdom of God, the fulfillment of scriptures, consistent teaching along the way.

The word does the work. That we do believe that here, that the word of God does the work. It is living. It is active. There's no doubt about it.

But it also has to be taught. It also has to be proclaimed, presented. And it was at Antioch these believers were first called Christians. They were called a lot of things before this, disciples, saints, believers, brothers, witnesses, and now they called them Christians, Christ ones, those who sought to be like Jesus. And during this some, during this time, some prophets traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch.

Here's a map again. This is about 300 miles north of Jerusalem. That's a hall. You know? So if even if a person averaged about 20 miles a day, it would still take about fifteen days of actual walking to get there.

You know what? You you come to know somebody pretty well, you know, in that. Right? And look at this. One of them named Agabus, he stood up in one of the meetings, and he predicted by the spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world.

And this was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius. And I just just because I I I I like to dig a little deeper, I thought, was this recorded in other are these are there extra biblical readings or or or records of this? And sure enough, there there is. Josephus and Tacitus, they record a famine too. This really did happen.

Luke presents an accurate account. But Agabas Agabas, a prophet, he predicted this this would happen by the spirit. And I know that makes some of us maybe some of us uncomfortable. I I would describe myself as a charismatic with a seat belt. But I I would imagine I would imagine it it looks something like I would imagine it looks something like this right here.

Don't stifle the Holy Spirit and don't scoff at prophecies. Test everything that is said and hold on to what's good. Stay away from every kind of evil. I would imagine that as they heard this prophet that they were considering that right there. Let's not stifle the Holy Spirit here.

If there's something that we need to hear, let's hear it. And look at this. The believers in Antioch, they responded. They decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea and everyone giving as much as they could. As followers of Christ, they're asking themselves, okay, as little Christs here, followers of Jesus.

What would Jesus do in this situation? What should we do? And what did they do? They responded with love and with generosity. And this they did, entrusting their gifts to Barnabas and to Saul to take to the elders of the church at Jerusalem.

I think it is so awesome that the good news came from Jerusalem. It went north to Antioch, and then the evidence of their faith in Jesus went right back to Jerusalem in the form of relief during that famine. That's the scripture. I've just presented it to you. And I'm gonna stop there for now.

You're going, wow. That was a short sermon. But I actually have more to share. But first, I wanna say this. Ray's gonna pick up from there when he comes back in a few weeks.

Brad Yates is gonna be teaching for a couple of weeks, then one of our missionaries, Andrew Zolson, will be sharing. But I wanna say the application the application from this particular text this week leapt off the page for me, and I'm just amazed at how timely it is. You know, we've just sent Ray and Tanya off to Africa for a missionary encouragement tour. And it's applicable for that and for us right here, right now in Jackson. It's not just missions to the world, it's mission to our community.

And so I want to share a neat little acronym of application points. You ready? Here it is, TROLP. I know that's not actually a word at all. But I'll say this, these do come right from scripture.

Okay? So t, t for take. Take the gospel. Okay? This is from the text.

Take the gospel with you wherever you go in word and deed. As the believers were scattered, they brought with them something. They brought with them the spirit of Christ wherever they went. They let their light shine. Let's be doing that, church.

It's not just for this time right here in this worship gathering. We bring the spirit of Christ with us wherever we go. Let's be doing that. Let that light shine. R for remember.

Remember, the gospel is for everyone. We all have barriers that make us less inclined to share with one person or another. We do. We just do. We're human that way.

But let's remind ourselves, God so loved the World. God so loved the world. Can we see let me ask you this question. Can we see every person as a precious soul created in the image of God? And that God gave his only son that whoever, and whoever means whoever, would not perish but have eternal life.

Whoever believes in him would not perish but have eternal life. That's the good news of the gospel. R for rely, relying on the spirit's lead. God is doing the work. We're just the messengers.

That should take a load off. It really should. God's the one doing the work. We're just the messenger. The Holy Spirit is doing the good work of convicting and convincing.

We're not going to arm wrestle anyone in faith. What we're asked to do is to rely on his power and just share what we know. Share the message. Just the messengers. E is for encourage.

Encourage one another and build each other up. Let's ask ourselves, how can I be a Barnabas today? Who needs to hear a word of encouragement? Answer, we all do. We really do.

And maybe you're not just a, you know, a natural encourager, you know, but you can still say, hey, good work. Keep on doing a good job. You I mean, we all can say those things. Stay true to the Lord. Keep following after him.

Hey. This is a tough season that you're going through right now. God really is good. I'm gonna walk through this with you. I'm gonna pray for you.

How can I help you? How can I serve you? What can I do for you today? Whatever it is, how can you encourage someone this week? In fact, can I just take a moment to pause and pray for that?

God, we know that that everybody needs a word of encouragement. And so, just right here, right now, in this moment, we have some time. Would you, impress on us someone that might need a word of encouragement for us to reach out, say hello, check-in, whatever it is. Would you impress that on us so that this week we would carry that with us and do those things. And we want to be your church, your people, doing about your business.

And so thank you, God, that you have allowed us to participate in doing that. Amen. Alright. Here's another one. And look for others look for other believers in the body of Christ to join you on the on the journey.

Look for other believers. Just like Barnabas needed a Paul, we really do need one another. I can't emphasize I can't emphasize that enough. Let me just say something. I need you.

Body of believers. I need you. I can't do this all by myself. Not one person has all the gifts because God didn't design us that way. He designed us with different gifts so that we would use those gifts together to advance the kingdom.

We are one body with many parts, and we need one another. And if you're going, I don't I don't know what my gifts are. Try something. Seriously. Are you a natural encourager?

Maybe that's your gift. Are are you a merciful person where someone is sharing something and, man, you're just engaged. You want to listen. You you want to know. You feel for them and you feel with them.

Maybe you're a mercy person. Are you administrative where you just you can get stuff done. My wife is like that. She can get stuff done. That's awesome.

Sorry, honey. But but you know what I'm saying. Are you a teacher? Do you love to teach? It comes naturally for you.

When you teach, others are engaged. Maybe that's your gifts. I don't know. I don't know what your gifts are, but I do know this. I need you.

We need one another. We really do. To be a functioning, healthy body of Christ. And so, please, if you're you're you're you're hearing this today and and and you're going, I I I don't know. I just go here.

May I encourage you to to maybe look through some new lenses today and go, I'm I'm needed here. I'm needed here at first b. This is how our church will function in a healthy, healthy way as if I jump on board. So there's that. And then participate.

Participate as you recognize what God is doing. One quick story. My sweet, sweet mom, her name is Sandy, and Sandy has a best friend named Lisa. And they pray together, and they share verses almost every day. And Lisa has a son named Jonathan.

He's a missionary at an organization called Eagle's Wings Children's Village in Uganda. What they do is share Jesus and meet the needs of orphaned and impoverished, children. Here's just a a snapshot from their website. So last week, a group of people, several people, broke into the organization. Bad, bad situation.

Long story short, one of the guards was severely beaten. Many valuables and things were were stolen, important things. That guard, thankfully, was brought to the hospital, is now recovering. He's still in pretty rough shape. But last Sunday, after hearing the story, it happened on a Saturday night.

Sunday morning, I just in passing, when I went to the we went down to the missions meeting. And I I I just shared that story. I said, hey. Would you would you just would you pray for this situation? You know, these are missionaries.

Know, they nobody knows them except for for for me. And I don't even know them because I know them through my mom. You know what I mean? Well, not only did they pray, they said, I think we need to do more here. Let let's send a financial gift.

And then Ray and Tanya said, well, we're going to be in Africa. I think we're going to just add that on one of our stops, being Ray and Tanya. Right? And these are folks that we have never met. But we recognize the work that God is doing.

We recognize that that's an organization that could use some relief and some encouragement. And we wanna be a part of it too, whether it's relief or encouragement or whatever the need. That's something that I love about this church. You are a loving and generous and spirit led church. I love it.

May I be a Barnabas today? And encourage you to continue to participate as you recognize what God is doing. Pray on it first. Pray on it. God, should I do this?

Because there's a lot of things out there. Right? There's so many things. You go, oh, man. This is overwhelming.

Well, let's start with prayer. God, what would you have me do today? How can I participate today? I see you working here. Should I go there?

I'm I'm telling you, God will give you the answer. God will give you the answer. Participate. Recognize what God is doing starting right here. You know, this isn't just about worldwide missions, really.

It's like Judea Samaria ends of the earth, like here and then going out. And I love how first b cares so much. Like, that benevolent's fun. You just filled it right out. And every you filled it up.

And then every single day, we've got folks coming and going, I have a need. I have a need. I have a need. And we can say more than just, well, we'll pray for that. We can say, how can how can we help?

How can we get you on your feet again? And I just I I just wanna thank you. I wanna thank you for caring so much, for being loving and generous and kind. This is truly a a really sweet body of of Christ to be a part of. So I'm Barnabas ing here.

In our homes, in our churches, in our neighborhoods, our workplaces, our town, our nation, around the globe, wherever God is moving, let's ride that wave. Consider how to participate. So that's the good word from Acts eleven nineteen through 19 through 30 today. And I'll invite our our worship team come on back up. And while they're coming up, can we pray together?

God, I I'm just amazed at how timely and how applicable your word is. That we get to be we get to be carriers of the gospel in word and deed wherever we go. And God, we we know we blow it, but that's the whole purpose of the gospel is that we we fall short, you didn't. You stepped in our place, you lived a perfect life, you died a sacrificial death. All you asked us to do is to believe in you and then carry that message.

God, we were only remember the good news of your love and forgiveness. It is truly for everyone. If there are barriers, God, in our life where we are hesitant, thinking, can't, I shouldn't, I won't, I don't want to. God, would you help tear some of those barriers down? We could have some breakthroughs with folks that we know.

Just love and bite. And would you help us to rely on your Holy Spirit? You're the one who moves in power. You just asked us to be the messengers, to encourage one another, and look for one another in the body of Christ to carry out this great commission. We cannot do this thing alone.

We are a church family. We are a body with many parts. Would you use each part? Would you stir each heart? Thank you for inviting us to participate in what you're doing.

Amen. Hey, would you stand with me again? I would love to sing that song again that we, just learned during the offering. If you would sing that with us, would you?

Speaker 2I know who I am because I know who you are. The cross of salvation was only the start. And now I've been chosen, free and forgiven. I have a future. I know who I am because I know who you are.

The cross of foundation was only the start now I can choose it free

Speaker 1And God, you have. It says in scripture that you have planned these good works for us, in advance. Not works not good works so that we'd be saved, good works that come from a result of being saved. And, God, would you send us out, really, with something, something from the scripture, something that you've communicated to us, that would, we can put into action this week. We pray in Jesus' name.

And from Romans fifteen thirteen, I wanna leave you this. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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Encouragement Generosity Missions Sharing Your Faith Spiritual Gifts

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