The Work to Which God Has Called Us

Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. which...: Or, Herods foster brother As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister. And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus: Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord. Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem. - Acts 13:1-13

    The revealed purpose of God for his church is that it should be the means by which the gospel of his free and sovereign grace in Christ is preached throughout the world (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:45-48; Acts 1:8). Every local church has, by divine man date, a singular purpose for existence, and that purpose is that it be a lighthouse, a sounding-board for the gospel. The church of Christ is to be a preaching centre, in which the gospel of Christ is preserved from generation to generation and from which it is preached unto all men (1 Tim. 3:15). Every believer is called by God to be a missionary, a witness for him (John 20:21; Isa. 44:8). Our business, our goal and occupation in life, is to seek the Lord's sheep, the salvation of God's elect.

    I can think of no reason for God leaving his people in this world except to use them for the saving of chosen, redeemed sinners. Every believer is completely fit for heaven (Col. 1:12). We are completely forgiven of all sin, perfectly righteous and approved of by God through the sin-atoning blood and imputed righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. And we have been given a righteous nature in regeneration. Righteousness has been imparted to us by the Spirit of God. Why then has God left us in this world to live in this body of flesh? It is because he has chosen to use saved sinners to carry the gospel to other sinners for the saving of his elect!

    In Acts 13 the Holy Spirit has recorded for our learning the beginning of world evangelism. In this chapter God's eternal purpose that the gospel be preached in all the world began to be fulfilled. Prior to this the centre of the church was Jerusalem. From this point forward (in the book of Acts) it is the Gentile city of Antioch. Prior to this the primary spokesman was Peter, the apostle of the circumcision. From this point on it is Paul, the apostle of the uncircumcision. Prior to this the gospel had been preached basically to the Jews only. From this point on it is preached to the Gentiles. Prior to this the church was still bound with many of the fetters of Jewish legal worship. From this point forward the chains of bondage are completely broken.

    Acts 13 marks the point in history when the Lord God began gathering his elect from the four comers of the earth by the preaching of the gospel of his dear Son. In our study of this chapter we shall consider seven things about the work to which God has called us.

    1. God has an elect people whom he has determined to save in every part of the world

    It never was God's intention, desire, will, or purpose that the gospel of his grace be preached only among the Jews. God's church and kingdom are made up of men and women of every nation, kindred, tribe and language upon the earth (Rev. 5:9). There are some among all people to whom God will be gracious, some who must be saved, because God purposed to save them. It has always been the purpose of God to gather his elect from the four comers of the earth. The Israel of God, his church, is made up of those who are 'Elect from every nation, yet one o'er all the earth!' The Word of God plainly asserts that God's elective purpose has never been limited to a singular race, or class of men. His purpose of grace includes people from every race, from all parts of the world, Jews and Gentiles, blacks and whites, rich and poor, male and female, learned and unlearned (Gen. 22:17-18; Exod. 19:46; Isa. 11:10; 49:6; Hosea 1:10; John 3:16; Acts 9:15; Gal. 1:15-16). God will fulfil his covenant. He will accomplish his purpose. All his elect must be saved. Therefore he has sent his church into the world to preach the gospel. What wondrous, condescending grace! Certainly, the sovereign, almighty Lord God could have saved his elect without the use of means. But he has chosen to use saved sinners to carry the gospel to chosen, redeemed sinners who must be saved (Acts 26: 16-18).

    2. The instrument by which God accomplishes his purpose of grace in this world is his church (13:1-5)

    God's purpose of grace is accomplished through his church. The church of Christ is separated and called by God to the work of proclaiming the gospel. Throughout history men have attempted to bypass the church and do the work of evangelism outside and apart from the church. But God's work must be done in God's prescribed way. No organization can replace the church of Christ. No one else can or should do the work God has called us to do. And the work of evangelism cannot be done by any means other than the preaching of the gospel, either publicly or privately. The church of the living God is the pillar of the truth, the preserver of the truth and the proclaimer of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15). We are the stewards of the mysteries of God (1 Cor.4:1-2; 1Peter 4:10). God has entrusted his church with the gospel. It is our responsibility to proclaim it faithfully.

    3. The Lord God always raises up preachers within his church sufficient to accomplish his purpose of grace (13:1-5)

    We sometimes think there is a deficiency, but there is not. When God has a work to do, he always raises up the men needed to do it, and gifts them with whatever is needed to do the work. These verses show us five things that are true of all true gospel preachers.

    1. They are called by God.

    2. They are recognized by the church of God as men gifted and called to the work of the ministry.

    3. They are separated unto the work of the gospel.

    4. They are filled with and led by the Spirit of God.

    5. They preach the Word of God faithfully.

    4. The preaching of the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit is always effectual (13:6-12)

    None of God's servants labours in vain (Isa. 55:11). Some believe and some do not believe (Acts 28:24). Either way, when the gospel is preached God is honoured and his purpose is accomplished (2 Cor. 2:14-17).

    5. God’s ordained means for the saving of his elect is the preaching of the gospel

    This is God's method of grace. He has chosen to save those who believe by the foolishness of preaching (Rom. 1:16; 10:14-17; 1Cor. 1:21-23; Heb. 4:12; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23-25). The faithful proclamation of God's holy, sovereign character, man's lost and ruined condition and Christ's effectual, substitutionary atonement is the message by which the Word of God is preached unto men.

    6. Faithful witnesses will meet with much opposition and suffer painful disappointments in this world (13:6-8,13).

    Like Paul and Barnabas, we shall be opposed by false prophets and false religion. And we shall sometimes be disappointed by our brethren. Men of sinful flesh will disappoint one another, even believers, like John Mark (13:13; 15:36-39; 2 Tim. 4:11). But we must not be discouraged. We must persevere in the work to which God has called us.

    7. The purpose of our God and the cause of Christ will be triumphant at last

    God will have his elect (John 6:37-40). Christ will have his ransomed people (Isa. 53:10-11). The Spirit will have those whom he has called (Eph. 1:13-14). Our labour is not in vain in the Lord!