Antioch: Lay Ministry, Multiethnic Unity, and Mission

The great work of God begins from great worship of God. The most challenging part of their worship and fasting comes from their timing. The time when they worshiped and fasted was not when they were troubled, but church was thriving. They were thriving with a glorious nickname and great number of new believers and even teachers. You know, I do fast occasionally, but mostly in the bad times. How many of us fast and pray when we are in good times and in success? [00:26:59] (34 seconds)  #WorshipInSuccess

So what do you see in this picture? Here we see potentially racial, social, economical, every possible human disparity and tension was totally melted by the Holy Spirit who gelled us together. There was a liberal Jew like Barnabas, an orthodox Jew like Saul, black African slave, and the Romans, and the aristocrats. Antioch church was a truly melting pot, and this melting church where the cross cultural and socio economical transclass fellowship and partnership launched a global mission. Hallelujah. [00:18:42] (40 seconds)  #AntiochMeltingPot

As I said earlier, resurrection means mission. Resurrection is more than private comfort. It is a public information that we ought to share with everyone. While many figures appear throughout the book of Act, a central human instrument is apostle Paul, who undertook the four missionary journeys in his life, three of which are recorded in the Acts. So our short series will be on his first missionary journey, and I summarize it a journey sent by the spirit. Journey sent by the spirit. [00:00:23] (39 seconds)  #ResurrectionIsMission

Antioch church was established without any apostles. That means the first, you know, many days, the church probably made some innocent or perhaps some bad mistakes as a church without official pastor and professionally trained, you know, clergy. They were born and grew wildly without a seminary educated minister. Antioch church might not have been a sophisticated and mature church, yet it was a live and active and immature church of a vigor and vitality and vision of a gospel for everyone. Amen? [00:08:08] (40 seconds)  #LayLedRevival

Their continued commitment to the great commission to preach the good news of Jesus Christ was truly remarkable if we really look at their context. So question that I have for all of us, what would stop you serving God? What would discourage you to declare your faith in Jesus Christ? Loss of job? Financial loss? Social discrimination? So challenge number one. Can you work despite a discouragement and loss? [00:06:25] (31 seconds)  #ServeDespiteLoss

When Antiochians met these Christians, they could not identify them with their own cultural, spiritual, religious experiences, and they have to invent a term to identify them. And their name is Christian. Because Jesus was so much in their heart and lives. How much is Jesus in our heart, in our church, in our house churches? You know, modern church is once again movement of lay ministers and lay Christians. [00:10:30] (39 seconds)  #CalledChristians

These people were persecuted before they came to Antioch. They came to Antioch because of their persecution, and they could be persecuted in Antioch again. Do you get the picture? So if you have lost your job or your business or your long established career because of your faith and the subsequent, you know, persecution and you have to start it all over in new places, would you continue to do the very same religious activities that cause a great deal of discomfort and misery in your life and your family? [00:05:45] (40 seconds)  #FaithUnderPersecution

You know, in contrast to Antioch church, many churches today are sophisticated but very slow. Not sounding gospel along to our neighbors and friends, but silent under the postmodern ethos of religious pluralism, respecting everybody's opinion, forgetting the greatest truth of God. Once again, please remember the order that Barnabas came after this church was established. [00:08:48] (29 seconds)  #NoSilentChurch