Striving to Complete the Great Commission（3） — Immerse into the Vision of the Antioch Gospel Mission (Act 11: 19/26, 13:1/4)
Dear brothers and sisters: On the eve of the soon coming of Christ, we the disciples of Christ must have vision from heaven above with clear and deep understanding of God’s will in order to complete the great and urgent gospel mission. We must actively plunge ourselves into the” vision at Antioch”. To follow His will, we need to turn God’s church into the center for the gospel mission. We need to continue expanding the training of His disciples, pioneering the preaching of His words, spreading in full measure the gospel and building up His body.
First, from Apostle Paul, we saw how God purified and refined him from the” sinner among the sinners” to a Gentile apostle. Throughout his life, he never defied the vision from heaven, first in Damascus, then in Jerusalem, all of Judea, and the land of Gentiles to declare the truth and encourage the believers (Acts 26:19/23). As he waited in seclusion in his home town Tarsus, God led him to Antioch through Barnabas, thus began the gospel mission center in Antioch. Therefore, from the trail of his footsteps, we see the vision for the gospel mission in Antioch. It is the vision of our era as well as the vision for every disciple of Jesus’ today (Acts 11:19/26)!
1. The Birth of the Gentile Church in Antioch:
“So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch….. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.” (Acts 11:19/21).
According to the Scripture above, the birth of the gentile church in Antioch was the direct result of the sacrificial death of Stephen for the gospel. Faithful servant Stephen who died for the truth is like a grain of wheat that falls into the ground and dies. Because it dies, it bears many fruits (John 12:24). As a result of his death, many disciples who were persecuted and scattered about brought with them the gospel to Antioch, thus began the gentile church in Antioch.
2. The Characteristics of Antioch:
Antioch is a church of the gentiles. But as the need of the gospel mission expanded, it became the center for the gospel preaching and mission. Every worker at Antioch carried the vision and burden to spread and expand the gospel. The development of the ministry in Antioch can be examined from the following seven aspects:
1) The center for discipleship training:
When Barnabas brought Paul to Antioch, the ministry to spread the gospel did not start immediately. They spent a year’s time to make all the necessary initial preparation. They gathered with the church and preaching to many for the purpose of training disciples. They edified local workers so that they would be deep-rooted in the truth. Each was to be equipped and sanctified to be the disciple of Jesus. Through the Holy Spirit and the word of God, the gospel workers of Antioch groomed and raised disciples incessantly. They also expanded the vision of the Antioch’s mission. They exerted every effort and gave all they had in order to complete the great commission “to make all men the disciples of our Lord”! Therefore, “The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” (Acts 11:26).
2) The Center for International Gospel Mission:
“Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there prophets and teachers: Banabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with Gerod the tetrarch, and Saul. And while they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” (Act 13:1/2). Base on the above Scriptures, we noticed that the workers gathered at Antioch, regardless of nationalities, had only one mind, heart and goal, and that was to lead all men to the Lord, and to strive to make all men His disciples. They gave all of themselves, fasted and prayed, served and waited, until Paul and Barnabas were called and sent as the first team by the Holy Spirit to Cyprus and other cities to spread the gospel and build His churches. Once they completed their first journey for the gospel mission, they returned to Antioch, and met with their co-workers. Again,, they waited to serve until God called and sent them for an
other mission. (Acts 14:21/28, 15:40/41). During the second mission journey, they stopped at all the places that they visited during their first tour, to strengthen and encourage each of the churches; they pioneering new work for the churches according to the leading of the Holy. Following God’s will, they spread the gospel to Europe in the provinces of Macedonia and Achaia. They further built the churches in Philippi, Thessalonica and Corinth. (Acts 16-18).
3) The Center for Workers’ Retreat:
We see Antioch as the center to serve the disciples so that they can be equipped for their missionary work. It is also the center for their retreat as they return from their missionary journeys. (Gather—March—return—gather again— march again). After lengthy exhaustive labor and work, they urgently need to be have quiet times, temporarily unload all their work, concentrate on eating the Scripture, meditating on His words. Only after self examination and purification can they can enter through the veil of the temple. There they can listen to the voice of the Lord, see His glorious face, renew their strength and await to be sent again. As the Scriptures said: “Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.” (Isaiah 40:31).
4) Center for Watch and Prayers:
In Act 13:1/4 we see the prayers and services of the Antioch’s disciples. They were of one-heart and one-mind. It became the prayer center to mobilize the gospel mission ministry. Wherever there are prayers in one-heart, wherever there will be the work of the Holy Spirit. Whenever there are prayers without ceasing, there will be ministries urged by the Holy Spirit. At the same time prayers that are united as one by the Antioch’s workers were the staunch backline support of the missionary work at the battlefield front. The intercession prayers were the backing for the front end spiritual warfare. Prayers are the greatest pivotal force for the gospel mission ministry. It is the source and roots for the presence and power manifestation of the Holy Spirit. Without prayers, all will fail. Only prayers will bring out the work of the living water of the Holy Spirit. When Moses raised his cane (hand) and prayed on the mountain, the warriors led by Joshua at the foot of the mountain continue to be victorious. They totally defeated the invasion from the Amalek (Exodus 17: 8/16).
5) Center for the Protection and Preservation of the Truth:
According to Act 15:1/2 and Galatians 2:11/14, time and again, the workers at Antioch who were represented by Paul courageously defended and preserved the gospel truth, despite of the stubborn uproar from those who believed in the absolute necessity of circumcision. In order to defend the truth, Paul at one time stood against and confronted Peter, because Peter failed to act according to the gospel truth. During the first missionary tour with Barnabas, he challenged and claimed God’s given authority over a magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus (Act 13:8/12). In this fearless and courageous manner he defended the truth thus built firm foundation for the faith of the mission center in Antioch.
6) The Care Providing and Support Center:
Representing the Gentile church in Antioch and the center for gospel mission, Paul twice delivered the loving contributions of the Antioch church in person to the Jewish churches that were hungry and needy. He therefore united the Gentile and Jewish church through love and enabled them to love and support one another during hours of trials and tribulations. Antioch workers such as Timothy and Titus were sent many times by Paul to travel to different churches to strengthen, advice and encourage their disciples. Similarly, they led churches and workers to be united in love and thereby achieve the goal to be sanctified and be united as one in the Lord. (Hebrew 12:14). Paul, in his letters, continued to reveal his love and concern for the churches and his co-corkers in the Lord. His frequent cautionary notes and reminders are too numerous to count. To be the workers of Antioch, one must emulate the spirit of the apostles that are overflowed with the riches of the broad and great spirit of our Lord Jesus that is beyond description. No matter in love or in ministry, we must try our utmost to show evidence of truth and sincerity.
7) Center for the Promotion of unification:
The workers at Antioch came from different nations, denominations and churches. However, they have the same goal, mission and vision under the leading of the Holy Spirit. Together, they served, prayed and waited, and sent out for their missionary duties, and ministered in partnership. Without tangibles in evidence, all the “walls” were torn down. This promoted the true unification among workers and churches. This is the will of God and is absolutely essential in order to accomplish the “great commission”. Without doubts, when the gospel is advanced in one heart and one mind, it will greatly pick up in speed in our mission to save lost souls.
3. Qualifications Possessed by the Antioch workers:
First of all, the character of the Antioch workers are, imitating Jesus Christ thoroughly, following Jesus Christ unconditionally and put the old-self to death daily. From Paul’s letters, we also see that the disciples of Christ, the workers of Antioch, must go through stringent training. One must humble oneself, repent greatly and endure through the trials, sufferings and changes in life. One must be equipped with the truth, filled with Holy Spirit, endure the brokenness of one’s life, left with no attachments to the world or for the worldly. One also must have the heart and willingness to endure suffering, only want to please Him, boldly defend the truth and have the love for God and men…..As Paul urged patiently in the Philippians 4: 8/9: ” Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, what ever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. The things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you.”
4. Antioch’s vision of great commission is the need of this age:
The day of our Lord’s coming is getting nearer each day, and the number of saved Gentiles, and the great commission that was our Lord’s command is far from being fulfilled! How urgent and anxious is God’s heart! Disciples of Christ should not hesitate and hold back any longer! First and foremost, we must work hard to eat the scripture, strive to equip ourselves, seek to be holy, seek to be godly, understand God’s heart, and focus on the heart and will of our Lord. May all His churches and workers be united in the Lord and promote gospel with heart and mind in one accord. Together we carry the Antioch’s vision of the gospel mission and march forward to the entire world as pioneers to peach, built up churches, train disciples with the truth, and equip disciples. We not only want to be the Lord’s disciples ourselves, but also all men on this earth to be His disciples. We want to complete the great commission and welcome the coming of the glorious kingdom of Christ Our Lord!
More than two hundred years ago, God sent numerous missionaries from all over the world to bring us the gospel. Today, the time has come for us to bring the gospel back to their children so that they also can join us in the vision of the Antioch’s gospel mission. Our God is eagerly awaiting us to respond to Him:” Lord! Here I am, send me!” “Lord! Here I am, send me!”
Home of Grace
12/20/2007