Sunday, December 28, 1997 In Your Absence:
In this week's lesson, which came from Acts 26:15-19, Galatians 2:7-10, Acts 13:1-3, and Acts 14:26-27, the focus was on how to respond properly to God's missionary call. The lesson asked the question, "Who is a missionary?" and then answered it by saying that a missionary is someone who is called to go to the mission field, someone who is commissioned by the church to go, and someone who is connected with the church while they are involved in the work. In the Book of Acts, each of these three characteristics of a missionary is seen in the missionary endeavors of Paul and Barnabas.
First, towards the end of his ministry, in Acts 26:15-19, Paul shares with King Agrippa how Jesus had called him to be a missionary to the Gentiles. During Paul's conversion experience on the road to Damascus, the Lord had told him that he would be the person to do the job. After sharing this part of his testimony, Paul then encouraged the king to turn to the Lord and follow Christ, something which all of us who name Christ as Savior should be trying to do. Second, in Acts 13:1-3, some years after his conversion but still well before his meeting with King Agrippa, the Bible records Paul and Barnabas being called out of the church assembly at Antioch and commissioned to go on their first missionary journey. And third, in Acts 14:26-27, their words are recorded as they report back concerning their progress to show that they had remained connected to the church which had initially sent them.
A couple of important points can be made from these accounts. The first is that Paul did not immediately go to the mission field after his conversion experience. He spent a lengthy amount of time in preparation. Second, he had placed himself in an assembly which was missions-minded. The church at Antioch had a heart for missions, so it was very natural for the Holy Spirit to call Barnabas and him out. Churches should strive to be the right kind of atmosphere for growing missionaries. Churches and individual Christians should be missions-minded. Therefore, as you go through the coming week, ask the Lord to show you how you can be involved in missions and in reaching others for Christ. Perhaps, He would have you relocate and serve Him in a faraway land. Perhaps, He would have you serve right where you are. Either way, try to be faithful to the calling which He has given you and tell others about the Christ Who died for them.
Tom of Spotswood"He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (I John 5:12)
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)
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