The Work of God is Our Mission

The Work of the Lord is Our Mission

Text: 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.

Five times in the New Testament, Jesus gave the church the command to go into all the world and preach the gospel. (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8) That command has never been rescinded. We find the work of the Lord being given to the leadership of the church in Antioch and two of the five leaders were set apart for a special missions endeavor.

The men chosen:?

Five men rose to positions of leadership in the church at Antioch – Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius, Manaen, and Saul. All were busy. All were needed in the church. Barnabas was the senior leader or senior pastor. He sought out Saul to help him, and I expect that Saul was certainly a principal teacher. When they were set apart, they were the “cream of the crop.” Just as the Jews were to offer their best animals for the offerings in the temple, the church offered their best leaders to the work of the ministry. The work of the Lord is worldwide, and now the ministry of the local church is also worldwide.

The ministry was to the Lord:

Notice the ministry is not to a people group, or specific people, but to the Lord. Often, missionaries go where they believe there is a great need. This is a good reason to go, but not good enough perhaps to stay on the field. The people may reject the gospel initially, or seem indifferent. It is easy to get discouraged and leave. But when our ministry is primarily to the Lord, then we can focus on what He wants.??Thus, a need does not necessarily equal a call to that location from the Lord. His will must be preeminent. It was the Lord himself that sent away Barnabas and Saul.?Acts 13:3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. 4. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Selucia: and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

The mission of the church:?

God has always had a world-wide view. God’s dealing with mankind from creation through the dispersion at the tower of Babel was worldwide. Then God chose a man, Abraham, and a people, the Jews, to focus upon, but his focus remained worldwide. Notice his promise to Abraham in?Genesis 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee, and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.??Later in the time of Moses at Mount Sinai, the task was given to the entire Jewish nation.?Exodus 19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine.?Another 700 years later, Isaiah wrote:?Isaiah 49:6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light unto the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my o

After the resurrection and completion of the work of salvation from sin, Jesus announced to His followers:?Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; 20.??Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.?Forty days after his death and resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven. He said:?Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

The book of Acts follows that verse, and when we reach Acts 13, we find the church reaching out to the ends of the earth with the missionary trips of the Apostle Paul. That work continues until today. The work of the Lord is a world-wide work. Our mission in the church is a world-wide work.