A New Light for the World?
Acts 13:1-12
27 September 2009 (posted 6 Oct 2009)
Audio available online here
Introduction: Marching orders
In ch. 13 the focus shifts to Paul, operating out of the church in Antioch. Chapters 13 and 14 are a unit. The mission, the message, the man. This week, the first ‘M’.
1. God commissions the church’s deliverate mission to the nations (vv1-4)
– divine
– deliberate
V3 – the ‘others’ send them, but v4 – the Holy Spirit sent them.
Acts 13 encourages us to make bold and deliberate plans for the spread of the gospel.
‘gossiping the good news of Jesus’
2. God will prosper the church’s deliberate mission to the nations, despite opposition (vv5-12)
– the word proclaimed
– the word opposed
– the word triumphant
Conclusion: Confidence!
Over 2000 language groups do not have the Bible in their own language. 15k more professional practitioners of the occult in France than gospel workers. The need is great.
Take note of the spread of the gospel in the last century – Nepal, China, Iran, S.Korea
