Acts 14:20-28: What are we supposed to be doing?

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1)     v. 20-21 – Preach the gospel to new people

A)   This is what Christians do.

B)    5:42; 8:4-5, 35; 14:7

2)     v. 21 – Make disciples

A)   Preaching the Gospel and making disciples are different things.

1)     Preaching the Gospel, even when people are converted, is one thing (evangelism). This is the message of salvation.

2)     Making disciples (or discipling) is a different thing. This is teaching people what it means to live like a Christian.

B)    cf.

1)     Matt. 28:19 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…”

2)     Matt. 15:52 – “Every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven…”

C)    POINT: We don’t just teach people how to BECOME a Christian. We also teach on an ongoing basis what it means to LIVE as a Christian.

3)     v. 21b – Don’t forget old disciples

A)   Also vv. 24-25

1)     Map. They took the long way home.

B)    v. 22 – Strengthening and encouraging

1)     Strengthening

(a)   L/N - to cause someone to become stronger in the sense of more firm and unchanging in attitude or belief

2)     Encouraging

(a)   “Encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God”

(b)   parakaleō – to call to one’s side

(c)   BDAG

(i)    to ask to come and be present where the speaker is, call to one’s side

(ii)  to instill someone with courage or cheer

3)     1 Thess. 5:14 – “admonish the idle [L/N – to advise someone concerning the dangerous consequences of some happening or action], encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all”

(a)   Each one of these requires something different.

(b)   This is a part of our work as Christians.

4)     e.g.

(a)   11:22-23 – Barnabas in Syrian Antioch

(b)   13:43 – in Pisidian Antioch

(c)   15:30-32 – strengthening and encouraging

(d)   15:36, 41 – beginning of 2nd trip

(e)   16:40 - Philippi

(f)    18:23 – beginning of 3rd trip

(g)   NOTE: Paul also wrote Galatians to this group.

(h)   20:1

(i)    Rom. 1:11; 1 Thess. 3:2; 2 Thess. 2:16-17

4)     v. 23 – Building a self-sustaining church

A)   They appointed elders.

1)     (See word study notes in my Elders file under Selection. This word seems to indicate raising hands, or voting.)

2)     POINT: The goal is to establish a church that can do the work and be functional and thrive after Paul and Barnabas are gone. POINT: Prepare for when you’re gone. Prepare the next generation.

3)     I’m sure you’ve seen a church that is dependent upon a preacher (or maybe an individual, or family). When the preacher leaves for whatever reason, and the church falls apart, that means that this part of the work was not done successfully.

(a)   Occasionally, I’ll hear a preacher say something like, “If I leave this church, then everything will just fall apart.” First, probably not (none of us is important as we think we are.) Second, this just means that you’re not doing your job to set up something self-sustaining after you’re gone.

B)    “With prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed”

1)     BDAG – to place something before someone

2)     L/N – to entrust to the care of someone

3)     It’s really hard to go to camp and leave my dog. You might think, “He’s just a dog,” but he’s a part of our family and it is my job to care for him. I don’t want to just leave him and hope for the best. So, I entrust him to someone to take care of him for me while I can’t do it myself.

4)     POINT: Here you go Lord. I have done what I can. They are yours, and they are in your care now.

5)     vv. 26-28 – Take care of your own soul

A)   The first missionary journey:

1)     500-600 miles by ship

2)     700-800 miles by foot through the Taurus mountains

3)     Problems

(a)   They had to deal with Elymas on Cyprus

(b)   Mark left at Paphos

(c)   They got run out of several towns

(d)   Paul was stoned and left for dead in Lystra

B)    vv. 27-28 – Now, they needed to just be with their church for a while.

C)    Even Jesus rested and settled down with his disciples at times; and we need that too.

1)     Our work is to strengthen and encourage others.

2)     Sometimes WE need to be strengthened and encouraged ourselves.

6)     Action items

A)   Generalize. Look at this list and see where you are weak, and try to get better at that spot.

B)    Specialize. God has given the body different members with different functions and talents. Look at this list and see where you are strong, and maximize.