Empowered: The G.O.A.T. Church of the 1st Century

Key Bible Verses

• Acts 11:19-30
• Acts 13:1-3

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Sermon Quotes

From Pastor Josh Laxton

“The faithfulness of the unknown to make their faith known is the key ingredient to make a church great.”

“Regardless of what we go through in life, it should never detract, thwart, or obstruct us from continuing doing Gospel work and participating in the mission of God.”

“What is the power move of the church and of a Christian? Prayer and fasting!”

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DIGGING DEEPER

In New Testament times, Antioch was the third-largest city in the Roman empire.  The Gospel made its way to Antioch when there was a great persecution in Jerusalem, causing many of the disciples to be scattered. Acts 11 shares that first the Gospel was preached to the Jews in Antioch, but then men from Cyprus and Cyrene went to Antioch and preached to the Gentiles, also. The Lord caused a great many people to be saved in Antioch.

When the leadership in Jerusalem heard about all that was going on in Antioch, they sent Barnabas to check out the situation. Barnabas encouraged the church at Antioch. “When Barnabas arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.”  (Acts 11:23-34)  

In the first century, Antioch was considered a cosmopolitan and morally corrupt city. Acts teaches that even though Antioch was pagan and its people worshiped idols and other gods, sinners were converted to become Christians based on the movement of the Holy Spirit, the faithfulness of men to share the Gospel, and the faithful preaching and teaching of Barnabas and Saul.  

The Gospel has the same power today as it did back in the city of Antioch. Whatever culture or place where we are called to share the Gospel, we are to go faithfully and boldly engage in God’s mission. We know that the Holy Spirit will bless the message we are bringing to those who are lost. We, like Barnabas, are to be encouragers and help others grow stronger in their faith. As we are faithful to share the Gospel, Northland Church, just like the church in Antioch, will continue to grow and have ongoing worldwide impact. God will be glorified and more people will be brought to faith in King Jesus.  

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WHAT NOT TO MISS

What constitutes a G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time) church?

       A G.O.A.T. Church = God’s People Participating in His Mission.

Who participates in God’s mission?

Them

• Faithful followers. (Acts 11:19,20,21,22)
• Ordinary Christians faithfully participated in the extraordinary commission of making disciples of all nations.
• Seed of the Gospel gave way to a community of believers who became a church.

Church in Jerusalem

• Mature and vested congregation. (Acts 11:22)
• They sent someone to Antioch to check in with believers there to give encouragement and direction.

Barnabas

• Mature believer, teacher and leader. (Acts 11:22,23,26)
• Took Saul under his wing when Saul first came to Jerusalem and introduced him into the Christian community. 
• Traveled to get Saul to come to Antioch to work in ministry.
• Gave Saul a platform to exercise Saul’s gifts.

Saul

• Newer believer with a vocational calling from the Lord. (Acts 11:26)
• Initiated the scattering through persecution and later instructed the church through preaching. 
• Transformed from persecuting believers to being an agent of heaven and fuel for God’s mission.

What did the Antioch Church do to participate in God’s mission?

First and foremost, they don’t lose heart. (Acts 11:19)

Commission (Acts 11:19-21, 24; 13:3)

• Reached extremely pagan people with the Gospel.
• They intentionally sent out others as missionaries to share the Gospel.
• The energy of commission determines the capacity for mission. 

Connect (Acts 11:26; 13:1-2)

• They are saved and converted.
• They meet with one another and are called the church, and they become a community.
• They participate in corporate worship, prayer and fasting. 

Cultivate (Acts 11:22-23, 26)

• Barnabus encouraged them to remain in the Lord.
• First-time disciples were called Christians and they were united even though they were a diverse group of believers. 
• Their actions lined up with who they proclaimed their God to be.
• At Northland we want to be known as the party of Jesus which includes people from every nation, tribe, tongue and people group being cultivated into the likeness of Jesus our King. 

Care (Acts 11: 27-30)

• Barnabus and Saul served and encouraged the church through their ministry.
• Antioch church took up an offering to care for another church.
• Gave of their time, talents and treasures as their capacity and ability allowed.

How did they effectively participate in God’s mission? 

• The Lord was with them. (Acts 11:21)
• They were filled with the Holy Spirit and faith. (Acts 11:24)
• They fasted and prayed. (Acts 13:3)

What makes a church a part of the G.O.A.T. list?

It is the ability to accomplish or execute above and beyond those who are average or above average. The church does these fundamentals in a superior way based on what we learned from the Church at Antioch.

• Common believers engaging in God’s mission.
• Commitment to the 4 C’s (Commission, Connect, Cultivate, Care).
• Complete dependency on the Holy Spirit.

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Life Application

In Acts 11, unnamed men from Cyprus and Cyrene spread the Gospel in Antioch. The Bible doesn’t even tell us their names, but we know that they were faithful to accomplish God’s mission. The Lord’s hand was with them, and blessed their efforts with a great number of people becoming believers.

This week, think about this question. Where is your “Antioch?” Where is God calling you to faithfully share the good news with your neighbors and nations, in a relational way, like these men from Cyprus and Cyrene did? If you need tips on sharing your faith with others, see the Additional Resources section below.  

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Small Group Discussion Questions

• Who do you think of when you think of the greatest person of all time? Why did you choose this person? 
• How have you seen God bring good out of a bad situation?
• Why was Barnabas sent to Antioch and what did he do as a result of his trip?
• What are some signs that the Holy Spirit was at work at the Church at Antioch?
• How is the Church at Antioch a model for Northland Church?

Daily Devotional Bible Passages

• Monday- The Church Spreads the Good News-Mark 13:10; Romans 2:8; 2 Thessalonians 3:1
• Tuesday - The Church Endures Persecution-2 Timothy 3:10-12; John 15:18-20;Matthew 5:10-12
• Wednesday-The Church Is Encouraged-1 Thessalonians 3:2; 1 Peter 5:6-7;Revelation 21:4
• Thursday -The Church Is Taught-Colossians 3:16l Hebrews 13:7; Acts 20:20
• Friday - The Church Is Generous-Hebrews 13:16; 2 Corinthians 9:10-15; Proverbs 11:25

Prayer

Lord, we ask you to help us be your people who are on mission for you. Let us boldly share the good news of the Gospel with others. We know that people all around us are living in darkness and we are called, as followers of King Jesus, to be light in our world. Let us not hide our faith, but let us realize that you want to use us, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to reach others who so desperately need a Savior. Place people in our path this week who need to know your love and compassion. Give us the words to say so that lost people will commit their lives to Jesus as their Savior and King.  

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Additional Resources

–Sign up for the Northland Newsletter.

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-Join Thursday Evening Prayer

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–GodTools App for Sharing Your Faith with Anyone

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–Seven Simple Ways to Share Your Faith with Your Neighbors ‍