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MESSAGE SERIES: “CHURCH ON THE MOVE”
Acts 13:1-3

INTRODUCTION: Our message series is called Church on the Move, and we have already seen how the gospel began to move from the Jews to the Gentiles. In today’s passage we see the next step in this movement as the church at Antioch calls and commissions Barnabas and Saul to missionary service. This would be the church’s first official missions trip.

The gospel was about to go out to the Gentiles. This was a turning point in the book of Acts and in the early history of the church. From here on out, the focus in Acts changes from the apostle Peter and the church at Jerusalem to the apostle Paul and the Gentile churches. (Read Acts 13:1-3 and pray.)

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Missions is a vital part of any church. Missions is a vital part of our church. We even have it listed in our church’s three main values: Plantation Community Church is a Christ-centered, Bible-believing, missions-minded church. It’s right there on the front of your worship guide.

Missions was also a vital part of the early church. Like any church, without missions the early church would have grown stagnant and died. They would never have done their part in fulfilling Christ’s commission to bring the gospel to the ends of the earth. And if they hadn’t done their part, we couldn’t do our part, because the gospel would never have reached us to begin with.

Today we want to talk about calling and commission. We see the word “commission” when we talk about Christ’s Great Commission. When you break the word down, you have the parts “co” and “mission.” In other words, when we are commissioned to do something, we join in the mission together with whoever is commissioning us.

When Jesus commissioned us to share the gospel with every nation, he was calling us to join him in his mission to bring salvation to the world. When the church at Antioch commissioned Barnabas and Saul for missionary service, they were all joining in mission together with Christ’s commission to bring the gospel to the ends of the earth.

The local church called and commissioned Barnabas and Saul for ministry, and God continues to work through the local church to call and commission people today. The local church is where we learn and grow together. The local church is where we discover, sharpen and exercise our gifts for ministry. And the local church is where we are called into service for God and his people.

Every believer should have a ministry in the local church. This was something my wife, Rosi, built into our kids when they were still schoolchildren. At the beginning of each school year, she would ask them, “What will be your ministry in the church this year?” They had to pick at least one, whether it was bells or choir or something else. They learned that young and, praise God, they continue to serve God in the church today.

God calls and commissions us for service through the local church. So, let’s see how God does that as we take a closer look at our passage today from the book of Acts.

I. The local church (1)

It all begins with the local church. The local church at Antioch called and commissioned Barnabas and Saul for gospel ministry. Look at verse 1 with me now:

In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. (Acts 13:1)

Luke begins with a focus on the church at Antioch. Antioch was a mostly Gentile city, although it had a large Jewish population as well. You might remember Antioch is where the believers were first called Christians (Acts 11:26).

The church at Antioch was a local expression of the universal church of Jesus Christ, which consists of all believers in all places at all times. It’s wonderful that there is one universal church consisting of all believers everywhere, but it’s impossible to get everyone together in one place to worship and serve. That’s why God designed local churches. It’s in the local church that we work together to fulfill God’s purposes for the universal church. We get together in one place to worship and serve.

We witnessed the birth of the church at Antioch back in Acts 11. The church got its start when some men from Cyprus and Cyrene shared the gospel with the Gentiles, and many came to Christ. When the church at Jerusalem heard what God was doing in Antioch, they sent Barnabas. When Barnabas saw what God was doing, he went to Tarsus and got Saul. They made a great team, teaching and discipling these new believers in Antioch together.

Saul and Barnabas had temporarily left the church at Antioch on a mission of mercy to Jerusalem with a financial gift for the people there. Now they had returned and joined the rhythm of worship, service and fellowship that we enjoy together in the local church.

Luke tells us there were a number of prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch. This is in accord with Ephesians 4:11 where we learn that God gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers for the building of the church.

Prophecy was different in the early church than it is today. It was more of a foundational office along with the apostles (Eph. 2:20). The apostles were men directly commissioned by Christ to bear witness to him as eyewitnesses of his resurrection. The prophets were men who spoke words from the Lord giving the early church guidance and instruction. Just as we no longer have recognized authoritative apostles in the church today, we no longer have recognized authoritative prophets serving as leaders in the church either.

Although we no longer have the office of prophet, there is the question of whether the gift of prophecy still exists in the church today. Some say yes, others no. I tend to be cautious. God can work however he wishes, but I don’t see this as a common way God works today. I see the prophetic gift today more in line with what we read in 1 Corinthians 14 where Paul says: “Everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort” (1 Cor. 14:3). This takes place today primarily through the preaching and teaching of God’s word. When you hear God’s word, God is speaking to you through someone, speaking his word to your heart.

Luke lists the names of five men who served as prophets and teachers at the church in Antioch: Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, Manaen and Saul. We’ve already met Barnabas, so let’s look at some of these other men.

First, we have Simeon, who was also called Niger. Niger means “black,” and so Simeon was probably from Africa. This may even be the same person as Simon of Cyrene, the man who carried Jesus’ cross. Cyrene was in Africa, and the names Simon and Simeon are related to each other. Luke is the one who tells us about Simon carrying Jesus’ cross in the gospel of Luke (23:26), and Luke is the one writing these words in the book of Acts as well.

Next, we have Lucius of Cyrene, who was most definitely from Africa. Simeon and Lucius are listed together, so it’s possible they came from Africa together. Some church traditions maintain that Lucius eventually returned to Cyrene and became one of the leaders of the early church there, but this may simply be conjecture based on his name appearing here in Acts (see Dictionary of African Christian Biography; https://dacb.org/stories/libya/lucius/).

Next, we have Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch. Once again, there are several Herods in the New Testament. This is the Herod known as Herod Antipas, the one who joined forces with Pontius Pilate when Jesus was crucified. This is the only time he is mentioned in the book of Acts. The word translated “brought up with” here can mean a childhood friend or even a foster brother. Manaen may have been Luke’s source of information about Herod Antipas in the gospel of Luke and here in Acts.

And then finally we have Saul, soon to be called Paul—but that doesn’t happen until later in the chapter (13:13).

We should understand these five men as the designated leaders of the church, similar to elders or pastors today. What especially stands out about these men is their diversity. These leaders of the church at Antioch were an ethnically and socially diverse group. They were representative of the population in the city of Antioch, which we learned earlier was a very diverse city. It is a good thing when a church reflects the diversity of its community. It means we are doing a good job of reaching out into the community with the gospel of Christ.

God calls and commissions us for service through the local church. And so, it should be no surprise that God called and commissioned Barnabas and Saul for missionary service through the local church at Antioch.

II. God’s call (2)

We have looked at the local church setting. Next, we come to God’s call. It was in the context of the local church that Barnabas and Saul received their call to missionary service. Look at verse 2 with me next:

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” (Acts 13:2)

Notice the church was worshiping and fasting. We are familiar with churches worshiping together. We do that every Sunday. We are not as familiar with fasting. This may have been a regular, periodic practice of the church, or it may have been a special season of fasting for a specific purpose. We don’t know, because we’re not told. However, anytime we add fasting to our worship, it shows an additional level of intensity and seriousness before the Lord. We don’t voluntarily give up food unless we are serious about what we are doing.

It was while the church was worshiping and fasting that the Holy Spirit spoke into their situation. This was a specific instruction from the Holy Spirit, most likely spoken through one of the prophets at the church. The specific instruction here was to set apart Barnabas and Saul for the work to which the Spirit had called them.

The phrase “set apart” comes from a word meaning to appoint or separate. We sometimes think of that in terms of ordination, but this was not an ordination service as Barnabas and Saul were already serving as pastors and teachers. Rather, this was a case of them being set apart for a specific task.

Notice the Holy Spirit gave specific instructions. The church was not to send just anyone on this trip. God specifically called Barnabas and Saul to this work. Notice also it wasn’t just any work to which God called them. They couldn’t just go anywhere or do anything. There was a specific task set before them. God called specific people, and he called them to a specific work.

So, what was this work to which God had called them? In the following verses, we will see them head to Cyprus and other cities. They’re on a mission trip. They are going to Gentile areas with the gospel. Perhaps they were given these directions in the original prophecy. Perhaps the directions came later. It’s even possible that this specific instruction was given earlier, and it was now being confirmed through fasting, prayer and prophecy.

Notice the church at Antioch had to make a sacrifice here. They gave up two of their best pastor-teachers to go and minister to others. As a church, we must also be unselfish in giving up our people to serve wherever the Lord has called them. It’s not an easy thing to do. We do it through tears, and we do it with prayer, but we send people off knowing that God has called them, and so that’s where they need to serve.

III. Confirmation and commission (3)

God called Barnabas and Saul into service, and then the church commissioned them for service. Look at verse 3 with me next:

So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. (Acts 13:3)

Notice the commissioning took place after they fasted and prayed—again. The church had already been worshiping and fasting when God called Barnabas and Saul. Now there was an additional period of fasting and prayer where the church tested and confirmed God’s call upon these two men. Remember, the Bible says to test every prophecy.

The church didn’t rush into things. They took their time to pray and make sure this was really from the Lord. I am sure this was also a time of praying for Barnabas and Saul, interceding for them and for the mission to which God had called them.

Then, after confirming the call, the church commissioned them for service. They did this by the laying on of hands. We still do this today. The laying on of hands is such an important symbol. Beyond the physical assurance it provides in prayer, it is also a symbol of identification and transference—in this case, a transfer of authority for the mission and an act of blessing upon their mission.

Finally, after confirming the call and commissioning them for service, the church sent them out on the mission to which God had called them. The Great Commission says, “Go”, and they went, because that’s what you do. As believers obeying the Great Commission, we either go ourselves or we are involved in the sending through financial assistance and prayer. At our church, when we send missionaries out, we also lay hands on them and pray over them before they leave. It is wise, it is necessary, and it is biblical.

CONCLUSION: Let me share with you three applications from our passage in closing.

1) God calls people into ministry. Notice how God took the initiative here in Acts. The Holy Spirit said to set apart Barnabas and Saul. Have you asked God how he would have you serve in the church this year? If not, it’s never too late to start. God called Barnabas and Saul into ministry, and he continues to call people today. God calls people into ministry. So ask him, “What do you want me to do?”

2) The church affirms God’s call. The church in Antioch tested the call of Barnabas and Saul in prayer before sending them off. The church affirms God’s call and is a vital part of discerning God’s call.

There are four parts to a genuine call to ministry. This applies whether you are looking at serving God as a layperson in the church, or whether you are wondering if God is calling you to be a pastor or a missionary.

First, there is what we might call the objective call. This is where God has given you various gifts for ministry—whether teaching, speaking, helping, encouraging, leadership, administration or so on. There are whole lists of gifts you can look at in the Bible. The objective call to ministry is found in those objective gifts God has given you for ministry.

Next, there is the subjective call. This is where the Holy Spirit speaks to your heart concerning ministry in general or a specific ministry. We call it subjective because no one else can discern this part of the call except you. Others can affirm your objective gifts for ministry, but only you can discern this subjective call, because it is God speaking to your heart through the Holy Spirit.

Then, there is what we might call the collective call. This is where the church comes in. God gives you gifts for ministry—that’s objective. The Holy Spirit speaks to your heart—that’s subjective. And then the church affirms your calling, whether through the leadership of the church or the general body—that’s collective Once again, God calls and commissions us for service through the local church.

Finally, there is the effective call to ministry. This is where God places you in a specific ministry assignment. You may have objective gifts for ministry. God may have spoken subjectively to your heart through the Holy Spirit. The church may have collectively affirmed your gifts and calling. But it doesn’t all come together until God effectively places you in your new ministry assignment and you begin to serve where he has called you. That’s the call to ministry.

Four-part call to ministry:
• Objective call > God gives you gifts for ministry
• Subjective call > The Holy Spirit speaks to your heart
• Collective call > The church affirms your calling
• Effective call > God places you in a specific assignment

So, 1) God calls people into ministry. 2) The church affirms God’s call. And then back to missions:

3) Missions is fueled by prayer. The first missionary journey grew out of a prayer meeting, and all effective mission for God begins with prayer. This means we need to be a church that prays. We need to be a church that prays for our missionaries, that prays for the lost, that prays for the nations, that prays for our community. We should also consider fasting at various seasons as a means of hearing God’s direction more clearly, whether as individuals or as a church.

Missions begins with worship and prayer, and its aim is to bring new people into a saving relationship with God though Christ, leading to more worship and prayer. Missions both begins and ends with worship. I love the way author John Piper puts this. He writes:

Missions is not the ultimate goal of the Church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever. (Piper; Let the Nations Be Glad, p.1)

In Summary, God calls and commissions us for service through the local church. Therefore, we need to be committed to the local church. We need to commit ourselves to the local church in worship, fellowship, service and giving. We should not seek to serve God as a “lone ranger” Christian, just out there doing it on our own. Rather, we should seek the accountability and confirmation of the church and its leadership as we seek to grow in our faith and service for the Lord.

Has God called you to ministry? That’s an easy question to answer. Yes, of course he’s called you to ministry. If you’re a Christian, then God has given you spiritual gifts, and he calls you to serve and minister in the body of Christ.

What ministry has God called you to? That one’s a little harder to answer. That’s where you need to look objectively at your gifts: “How has God gifted me?” You need to be asking, “God, where would you have me to serve?” and let God’s Spirit speak to you in your heart. Then you need to go to your church or talk to your pastor and tell them where you believe God is calling you to serve. You want that collective affirmation of your call. Then finally, God puts all the pieces together, and you’re doing it. You are effectively ministering to others in the body of Christ.

God is calling. Your job is to ask God, “What’s your call for me? Where do you want me to serve?” And then follow through.

© Ray Fowler

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