WEBVTT 00:00:01.562 --> 00:00:06.774 And it's time for the children to be dismissed down to our children's church downstairs. 00:00:06.774 --> 00:00:15.086 If there are any children here who want to go, ages 3 to 6, you're welcome to be dismissed right now, right in the middle of my sermon. 00:00:15.086 --> 00:00:18.221 So go right ahead Now. 00:00:18.221 --> 00:00:21.631 The rest of you not so Okay, you stay right where you are. 00:00:21.631 --> 00:00:26.291 We're going to continue our sermon series in the Acts of the Apostles this morning. 00:00:26.291 --> 00:00:30.091 If you brought a Bible, you may want to turn to Acts, chapter 11. 00:00:30.091 --> 00:00:35.491 If you didn't get a sermon outline and would like one, ushers have them right now. 00:00:35.491 --> 00:00:38.960 Just let them know you need one, happy to give you one. 00:00:53.634 --> 00:01:09.569 Last time we left off in Acts, chapter 10, and this is where God sent Peter to the Roman centurion Cornelius in Caesarea to share the good news of the gospel with him. 00:01:09.569 --> 00:01:15.072 Well, cornelius and his family and others present believed in Jesus and were born again. 00:01:15.072 --> 00:01:30.503 And when Peter then returned to Jerusalem and told the elders and the rest of the apostles what happened, they were just awestruck. 00:01:30.503 --> 00:01:41.265 And most of chapter 11 in Acts Peter is recounting the whole story again to the church in Jerusalem. 00:01:41.265 --> 00:01:50.001 So we're going to kind of skip over that part and we're going to break in where Luke returns to the story. 00:01:50.001 --> 00:01:57.052 This is kind of a parenthesis with Cornelius and Caesarea. 00:01:57.052 --> 00:02:17.671 Now Luke is going to return to the story of how the early church grew northward after the persecution began in Jerusalem, and we're going to connect two passages today Acts 11 and Acts 13, that give us a beautiful picture of what God designed the church to be. 00:02:17.671 --> 00:02:19.687 So here are the two passages. 00:02:19.687 --> 00:02:26.765 We'll look at Acts 11 after Peter recounts his story In verse 19,. 00:02:26.765 --> 00:02:37.870 We'll start there and then we'll jump over, skip over chapter 12 for a while and then look at chapter 13, because it's a continuation of what's happening in Antioch. 00:02:37.870 --> 00:02:41.088 So Acts 11, 19. 00:02:41.300 --> 00:02:53.742 So then, those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews alone. 00:02:53.742 --> 00:03:03.748 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. 00:03:03.748 --> 00:03:09.269 And the hand of the Lord was with them and a large number who believed turned to the Lord. 00:03:09.269 --> 00:03:32.060 The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch, and when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and considerable numbers were brought to the Lord. 00:03:32.060 --> 00:03:53.669 Now, if you jump over to Acts 13, verse 1, now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers Barnabas and Simeon, who was called Niger, lucius of Cyrene and Manion, who had been brought up with Herod, the Tetrarch and Saul. 00:03:53.669 --> 00:04:06.514 These passages describe the expansion of the church of Jesus northward, when Jewish believers were scattered, began leading people to Jesus wherever they were. 00:04:08.920 --> 00:04:10.424 Now Luke is going to zero. 00:04:10.424 --> 00:04:12.627 In the passages we just read. 00:04:12.627 --> 00:04:15.013 He zeroes in on the church in Antioch. 00:04:15.013 --> 00:04:19.586 Something very remarkable and special happened there. 00:04:19.586 --> 00:04:30.072 He's going to describe what happened and then talk about this church which, by the way, let's look at where Antioch is, syrian Antioch. 00:04:30.072 --> 00:04:45.245 So, from Jerusalem, after the persecution started, the disciples started to flee, but along the way going northward through Judea and Samaria and then up to Caesarea. 00:04:45.245 --> 00:05:18.276 Here, all the way up, they're going to keep sharing Christ with everybody, all along the way, tyre and Sidon, and then they end up in Antioch, right up there, and something very special is happening here which we're going to talk about today, going to talk about today, luke shows us, I think, the things it was doing to make it a very dynamic, explosive, beautiful, growing church of the assemblies of believers in Jesus. 00:05:18.276 --> 00:05:26.915 So we're going to look at four things today that I think describe this church in Antioch and how it became very strong in the Lord. 00:05:27.420 --> 00:05:32.480 By the way, this church in Antioch became one of the most important churches in early Christianity. 00:05:32.480 --> 00:05:38.432 I mean, they really zeroed in on making sure the gospel right doctrine. 00:05:38.432 --> 00:05:40.781 Everything was going along very good. 00:05:40.781 --> 00:05:42.685 They took up the ministry. 00:05:42.685 --> 00:05:45.994 As we'll see today, they did some amazing things. 00:05:45.994 --> 00:05:52.529 This brand new church in Antioch, the first thing we see is it was a growing church. 00:05:53.141 --> 00:06:00.831 When Christian Jews in Jerusalem were scattered because of the persecution, they started sharing the Gospels. 00:06:00.831 --> 00:06:08.300 They passed through Judea and Samaria and in Acts 8, philip starts leading many people to Christ. 00:06:08.300 --> 00:06:15.624 Then, in Acts 11, luke tells us that some of the disciples went up to Phoenicia, cyprus and Antioch where they preached Jesus. 00:06:15.624 --> 00:06:20.142 In a large number turned to the Lord and the church was planted. 00:06:20.142 --> 00:06:21.264 How did the church grow? 00:06:21.264 --> 00:06:26.213 Through evangelism, speaking to others about the gospel, about Jesus. 00:06:26.213 --> 00:06:28.024 That's the first thing. 00:06:28.024 --> 00:06:30.511 That signifies a growing church. 00:06:31.040 --> 00:06:34.790 People in the church are sharing the gospel with others. 00:06:34.790 --> 00:06:44.230 What's interesting about Antioch is, up until now, jewish believers really, it says. 00:06:44.230 --> 00:06:54.906 They back up in 1119, they started speaking the word to no one except Jews alone because they're Jewish believers. 00:06:54.906 --> 00:06:56.286 So they're talking to other Jews. 00:06:56.286 --> 00:06:58.886 They talked to people. 00:07:00.422 --> 00:07:02.980 We're going to spend a lot of time on this as we continue this series. 00:07:02.980 --> 00:07:12.389 They spoke to people who believed the Bible Jews, samaritans, a few Romans did. 00:07:12.389 --> 00:07:20.148 The Ethiopian eunuch was a Gentile but he believed the Hebrew scriptures, went to Jerusalem to worship in the temple. 00:07:20.148 --> 00:07:26.293 Even the Roman centurion, cornelius, if you remember, believed and worshipped Israel's God. 00:07:26.293 --> 00:07:44.586 So far, they're talking to people who are familiar with the Bible, but now, in Acts 11.20, for the first time in history, luke tells us that some disciples started sharing the gospel with Greeks who were in Antioch. 00:07:44.586 --> 00:07:46.930 Some disciples started sharing the gospel with Greeks who were in Antioch. 00:07:46.930 --> 00:07:50.654 These Hellenists were ancient idol-worshiping pagans. 00:07:50.654 --> 00:07:56.225 They didn't believe the scriptures at all. 00:07:56.225 --> 00:08:00.692 They were given the gospel and many believed in Jesus. 00:08:00.692 --> 00:08:01.574 They turned to the Lord. 00:08:04.081 --> 00:08:14.187 The reason I'm going to talk we'll see this continue in Acts is that they're going to enter these different cultures, but they're still going to share the gospel. 00:08:14.187 --> 00:08:18.649 They're entering a pluralistic society. 00:08:18.649 --> 00:08:22.067 I'm going to have a lot to say about that, because that's exactly where they were. 00:08:22.067 --> 00:08:22.884 That's exactly where we are. 00:08:22.884 --> 00:08:24.050 I talk to people who don't know anything about the Bible. 00:08:24.050 --> 00:08:24.593 They don't believe were. 00:08:24.593 --> 00:08:25.156 That's exactly where we are. 00:08:25.156 --> 00:08:26.963 I talk to people who don't know anything about the Bible. 00:08:26.963 --> 00:08:27.985 They don't believe it. 00:08:27.985 --> 00:08:29.629 How do you reach them? 00:08:29.629 --> 00:08:41.004 Well, listen, so the church in Antioch grew by reaching out to people of other cultures, beliefs, this pluralistic society. 00:08:41.004 --> 00:08:42.373 They didn't care who it was, they'd talk about Jesus. 00:08:42.373 --> 00:08:43.037 This pluralistic society. 00:08:43.037 --> 00:08:49.438 They didn't care who it was, they'd talk about Jesus. 00:08:49.438 --> 00:08:54.860 And the result was a multi-ethnic church. 00:08:54.860 --> 00:08:59.759 Look at who the leaders and prophets and teachers were in Acts 13.1. 00:08:59.861 --> 00:09:00.350 Barnabas was a Cypriot. 00:09:00.350 --> 00:09:00.759 It's from Cyprus. 00:09:00.759 --> 00:09:03.889 He was a Cypriot, bicultural Jew. 00:09:03.889 --> 00:09:07.706 Simeon called Niger, he was a black African. 00:09:07.706 --> 00:09:14.946 Lucius of Cyrene he was a North African, not black, more like an Arab. 00:09:14.946 --> 00:09:23.289 Manan we don't know much about him except that he had been brought with Herod, which means he was an upper crust person. 00:09:23.289 --> 00:09:29.273 And then Saul, a converted Jew, who was a learned academic. 00:09:31.643 --> 00:09:41.129 Pretty amazing, for the first time in history in Antioch we have a multi-ethnic, multinational, multi-class church, the first in history. 00:09:41.129 --> 00:09:47.669 That is why the believers in Antioch were first called Christians. 00:09:47.669 --> 00:09:55.207 Up until now, every nationality had their own religion. 00:09:55.207 --> 00:09:59.937 In Israel, they worshiped Yahweh, followed the Mosaic law. 00:09:59.937 --> 00:10:06.312 In Rome, they worshipped Roman gods, followed Roman religions. 00:10:06.312 --> 00:10:11.072 In Greece, they worshipped Greek gods and followed a Greek religion. 00:10:11.072 --> 00:10:18.433 Now, for the first time in history, we have a religion not based on race, culture or country. 00:10:18.433 --> 00:10:21.427 What do we do with these people? 00:10:21.427 --> 00:10:34.190 Well, when that began to happen, people didn't know what to call these people and they had to come up with a new term. 00:10:34.871 --> 00:10:41.586 So far in Acts, believers in Jesus have been called believers, disciples, brothers, saints. 00:10:41.586 --> 00:10:47.115 None of them suggest that they're any different from Jews. 00:10:47.115 --> 00:10:58.932 So when the gospel has spread to other races and cultures, people started calling them Christians, meaning those who follow Christ's way. 00:10:58.932 --> 00:11:04.750 They believed, converted, became part of the church. 00:11:04.750 --> 00:11:16.210 The second way the church grew not only through evangelism, but, as we see here, the church grew by teaching and discipling those believers in the faith. 00:11:16.210 --> 00:11:18.488 They brought people to faith. 00:11:18.488 --> 00:11:20.748 They didn't leave them as spiritual orphans. 00:11:20.748 --> 00:11:26.287 Okay, you're good, you know what happens when that happens. 00:11:26.287 --> 00:11:32.491 People can get all messed up, believe all kinds of strange things. 00:11:32.491 --> 00:11:41.811 These disciples took the time to meet with them, disciple them, teach them so they could be established in the faith. 00:11:41.811 --> 00:11:45.524 That was what's happening in the church at Antioch the Word of God was being taught. 00:11:45.524 --> 00:11:46.389 Believers were being built up in the faith. 00:11:46.389 --> 00:11:48.080 That was what's happening in the church at Antioch the word of God was being taught. 00:11:48.080 --> 00:11:50.284 Believers were being built up in the faith. 00:11:51.227 --> 00:11:52.532 In Acts 11.22,. 00:11:52.532 --> 00:12:02.546 When the church in Jerusalem heard what was going on in Antioch all kinds of Gentiles, pagan people coming to faith in Jesus you know what they did. 00:12:02.546 --> 00:12:11.730 They sent Barnabas Okay, get up there and start teaching these guys to help get them established. 00:12:11.730 --> 00:12:15.985 Now, as people continued to come to faith, barnabas was overwhelmed. 00:12:15.985 --> 00:12:21.731 He left for Tarsus to get Saul to help him. 00:12:21.731 --> 00:12:24.203 Help him, what Teach? 00:12:24.203 --> 00:12:29.527 Let's read it Acts 11, 25 and 26. 00:12:29.527 --> 00:12:48.672 After Barnabas left for Tarsus to look for Saul and when he found him he brought him to Antioch and for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers and there the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. 00:12:50.162 --> 00:12:52.408 The church in Antioch was a growing church. 00:12:52.408 --> 00:12:55.490 It grew by evangelism, discipleship. 00:12:55.490 --> 00:12:57.768 The same applies to the church today. 00:12:57.768 --> 00:13:23.431 If we want to grow, each of us need to talk to others and reach them with the gospel of Jesus, which John so beautifully highlighted in our prayer together today Open doors, open hearts, open mouths. 00:13:23.431 --> 00:13:34.048 But there's another important characteristic of a growing church we see in Antioch it was also a praying church. 00:13:34.048 --> 00:13:36.604 Acts 13,. 00:13:36.604 --> 00:13:38.087 Let me finish reading it. 00:13:38.087 --> 00:13:39.051 1 to 3. 00:13:39.921 --> 00:13:48.625 Now there were in Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers, barnabas and Simeon, who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene and Menaen. 00:13:48.625 --> 00:14:07.844 And while they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said for me, barnabas and Saul, for the work which I have called them. 00:14:07.844 --> 00:14:10.509 And then, when they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them away. 00:14:10.509 --> 00:14:16.625 Prayer in the early church permeates the whole book of Acts. 00:14:16.625 --> 00:14:24.994 From the very beginning the church did not do anything without prayer. 00:14:24.994 --> 00:14:35.711 Antioch was the very first church that strategically sent out missionaries, first in history, to do this strategically. 00:14:35.711 --> 00:14:38.263 You know how. 00:14:38.263 --> 00:14:41.167 They got the idea when they were praying. 00:14:41.167 --> 00:14:53.908 And after they got the idea from the Holy Spirit, they sent out missionaries, and they did that by fasting and praying. 00:14:56.101 --> 00:14:59.731 An important lesson to see here is that the church grows. 00:14:59.731 --> 00:15:04.905 It moves on its knees, which we all know. 00:15:04.905 --> 00:15:06.168 We all know. 00:15:06.168 --> 00:15:07.897 Then why aren't we praying more? 00:15:07.897 --> 00:15:31.758 One reason the church in Antioch was so dynamic, I think you can see here they weren't just praying individually, they were praying together as a church, god's people together, praying about the same things. 00:15:31.758 --> 00:15:41.140 Now, this past year, as John mentioned earlier, we've been praying together as a church body. 00:15:41.140 --> 00:15:49.279 We want to continue that because as we go through the book of Acts, you'll see how important, how significant it is and becomes. 00:15:49.279 --> 00:15:57.001 You'll see how important, how significant it is and becomes and we invite you to join us on Wednesday nights at 7, right here we pray. 00:15:57.001 --> 00:16:11.809 A little group gets together to pray Pray about the needs of the body, needs of the world, needs of the gospel. 00:16:11.809 --> 00:16:18.892 It's so important to be inextricably linked to a growing church. 00:16:18.892 --> 00:16:29.066 So so far we've seen the early church grew through evangelism, through discipleship and teaching believers, and the early church thrived because it was a praying church. 00:16:29.066 --> 00:16:33.714 But that leads us to this third characteristic of a growing church. 00:16:33.714 --> 00:16:34.855 In Antioch, it was a praying church. 00:16:34.855 --> 00:16:36.759 But that leads us to this third characteristic of a growing church. 00:16:36.778 --> 00:16:38.442 In Antioch it was a sending church, sending. 00:16:38.442 --> 00:16:39.043 I just read it. 00:16:39.043 --> 00:16:45.503 In response to their prayer, the Holy Spirit directed them to send out missionaries to continue to spread the gospel. 00:16:45.503 --> 00:17:02.316 Most likely the Holy Spirit is speaking to them through one of the prophets who was there praying with them, telling them to send two of their best, two of their best. 00:17:02.316 --> 00:17:05.398 Send Barnabas and Saul. 00:17:05.398 --> 00:17:10.318 Imagine the church kind of stepped back. 00:17:10.318 --> 00:17:12.597 Whoa, we kind of need them. 00:17:12.597 --> 00:17:17.513 Lord has need of it, though. 00:17:17.513 --> 00:17:18.415 Need of them. 00:17:18.415 --> 00:17:34.580 Right After more prayer, church laid their hands on them, commissioned Barnabas and Saul to go out as missionaries, as an extension of the church in Antioch. 00:17:34.580 --> 00:17:42.220 In the same way, the missionaries we send out in support are an extension of us West Sub. 00:17:42.220 --> 00:17:51.713 We pray for them, we give to them, we encourage them, we have them come and visit to hear what God's doing. 00:17:54.766 --> 00:18:05.017 Barnabas and Saul first went to the port city of Seleucia, and they were accompanied by their helper, john Mark, and sailed to the island of Cyprus. 00:18:05.017 --> 00:18:09.192 They probably went there first because that's where Barnabas was from. 00:18:09.192 --> 00:18:12.039 He's going back home. 00:18:12.039 --> 00:18:13.482 Let's start there. 00:18:13.482 --> 00:18:18.881 So let's pick up the story now in Acts, chapter 13, beginning in verse 4. 00:18:18.881 --> 00:18:23.941 So, beginning, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia. 00:18:23.941 --> 00:18:25.451 From there they sailed to Cyprus. 00:18:26.473 --> 00:18:54.961 When they reached Salamis, which was really a city-state on the island, they began to proclaim the word of God in synagogues of the Jews, and they also had John as their helper when they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet, whose name was Bar-Jesus, who was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. 00:18:54.961 --> 00:18:59.622 This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 00:18:59.622 --> 00:19:08.460 But Elimus, the magician for so his name is translated was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 00:19:08.460 --> 00:19:16.838 But Saul, who was also known as Paul filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him and said you are full of all deceit and fraud. 00:19:16.838 --> 00:19:23.262 You, son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord? 00:19:23.262 --> 00:19:29.823 Now behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time. 00:19:29.823 --> 00:19:35.400 And immediately a mist of darkness fell upon him and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand. 00:19:35.400 --> 00:19:51.638 Then the proconsul believed when he saw what happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord On Cyprus, they went to the synagogue in that Greek state of Salamis where they preached the word to the Jews there. 00:19:51.638 --> 00:20:00.121 And they kept going around the whole island and, as the passage said, they ran into this Jewish false prophet. 00:20:00.121 --> 00:20:14.962 But who was with this proconsul, sergius Paulus, who we know in other literature of the time in the administration, know in other literature of the time in the administration and in Rome. 00:20:14.962 --> 00:20:28.816 A proconsul, you see, had judicial and military authority over the Roman provinces under Caesar Augustus. 00:20:28.816 --> 00:20:31.159 They were responsible for administering civil and military matters in their province. 00:20:31.159 --> 00:20:54.223 It's significant that he caught the attention of what Paul and Barnabas were preaching about and then, while the magician tried to steer them away, proconsul saw what happened and believed Very significant person, believed very significant person who I'm sure, would go on to lead others to Christ. 00:21:01.124 --> 00:21:02.549 The church in Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas out. 00:21:02.549 --> 00:21:10.359 And that brings us to the fourth characteristic of a growing church they were a giving church. 00:21:10.359 --> 00:21:21.625 They not only gave themselves to take the gospel to others, they gave their time, their energy, their money for the gospel and those in need. 00:21:21.625 --> 00:21:28.835 I want you to jump back to Acts 11, where we continue that part 11, verse 27,. 00:21:28.835 --> 00:21:35.401 We'll pick it up there Now. 00:21:35.401 --> 00:22:04.398 At this time, some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch and one of them, named Agabus, stood up and began to indicate by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine over all the world, and this took place in the reign of Claudius, and in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Judea. 00:22:04.398 --> 00:22:10.336 And this they did, sending it, in the charge of Barnabas and Saul, to the elders. 00:22:12.780 --> 00:22:17.999 A growing church is characterized by the believer's willingness to serve and to give. 00:22:17.999 --> 00:22:27.002 Jesus told us that our giving and serving is a function of our hearts Matthew 6, 20, 21,. 00:22:27.002 --> 00:22:35.361 He says to his disciples store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys, where thieves don't break in or steal. 00:22:35.361 --> 00:22:39.633 For where your treasure is there your heart will be also. 00:22:39.633 --> 00:22:50.561 And from the very beginning of the church in the book of Acts, serving others giving generously were what it meant to be part of a growing church. 00:22:50.561 --> 00:22:54.953 Others giving generously were what it meant to be part of a growing church. 00:22:54.973 --> 00:22:56.537 Listen again to where the church began in Acts, chapter 2, 41. 00:22:56.537 --> 00:23:19.696 So then those who had received his word were baptized, and that day there were added 3,000 souls and they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayer, and all those who had believed were together and had all things in common, and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as one might have need. 00:23:19.696 --> 00:23:31.560 Day by day, continuing with one mind in the temple, breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness, sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. 00:23:31.560 --> 00:23:43.159 And they were growing and the Lord was adding to their number, day by day, those who were being saved. 00:23:43.159 --> 00:23:51.499 Here's the interesting thing no one had to tell them to do this. 00:23:51.499 --> 00:23:56.960 It was the result of being filled with the Spirit. 00:23:56.960 --> 00:24:15.979 They were devoted to Jesus Christ and their devotion was being expressed in how they gave their lives and, as a result, the church kept growing. 00:24:18.430 --> 00:24:38.038 Now, of all the vital ministries we see in the church in Antioch, there is one ministry that stands out above all the rest, the most important one, and we'll look at that next time. 00:24:38.038 --> 00:24:48.039 So I don't have time today, but you'll want to hear it it's the most significant ministry we see in that church. 00:24:48.039 --> 00:24:54.134 The church in Antioch stands out really as an example for any church of Jesus. 00:24:54.134 --> 00:24:57.219 It was how he designed it to be. 00:24:57.219 --> 00:25:06.902 The church of Jesus is really just the sum product of what each believer in the church is dedicated to for Jesus' sake. 00:25:06.902 --> 00:25:09.071 We see in the church in Antioch. 00:25:09.313 --> 00:25:19.124 These five things the believers were committed to Evangelism, sharing the gospel with other people, some who've never heard of the Bible or anything. 00:25:19.124 --> 00:25:27.171 Then, for those who did believe, there was emphasis on teaching them and discipling them to grow in their faith. 00:25:27.171 --> 00:25:33.183 Third, they prayed about everything, didn't do anything without praying. 00:25:33.183 --> 00:25:37.395 They sought the Lord what he would have them do. 00:25:37.395 --> 00:25:44.396 Next Four they sent out missionaries to continue to spread the gospel. 00:25:44.396 --> 00:25:52.041 And finally, they gave their time, talents and treasure to serve the King of Kings and help others find Jesus. 00:25:53.351 --> 00:25:57.781 Of course, the most important thing I would argue that we can give others is the gospel. 00:25:57.781 --> 00:26:13.901 The gospel says that we are so sinful that nothing but the death of the Son of God himself could save us from the eternal separation from God and eternal death. 00:26:13.901 --> 00:26:15.163 Only that. 00:26:15.163 --> 00:26:33.357 And the gospel also says that we are so loved that God gave his only Son to save us, who took our place to take the judgment for our sins so we could have eternal life and be with him forever. 00:26:33.357 --> 00:26:35.061 That's love. 00:26:35.061 --> 00:26:42.416 So I leave you with this thought in our minds as we continue the service today. 00:26:42.498 --> 00:26:43.520 John 3, 16,. 00:26:43.670 --> 00:26:55.519 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 00:26:56.509 --> 00:27:02.321 Salvation is a free gift of grace to those who believe in Jesus. 00:27:02.321 --> 00:27:09.162 Today, god would love to receive you as the newest member of Christ's church. 00:27:09.162 --> 00:27:15.550 Just open your heart, pray, believe in Jesus, welcome him as your Savior. 00:27:15.550 --> 00:27:18.116 Let's pray together, father. 00:27:18.116 --> 00:27:31.203 Thank you for those in the early church who, by your spirit, made it possible for the gospel to reach the Gentiles leading to the present time, our time. 00:27:31.203 --> 00:27:36.740 Reach the Gentiles leading to the present time, our time, when we believed in Jesus as Gentiles and received the gift of eternal life. 00:27:36.740 --> 00:27:44.560 Thank you that they crossed that barrier so all nations' cultures could be included in your universal church. 00:27:44.560 --> 00:27:55.845 Thank you for the church in Antioch, who demonstrated what a growing, dynamic church looks like when believers reach out, serve, give, with one mind to serve Jesus. 00:27:55.845 --> 00:28:06.698 We ask that you would help us to be a reflection of Jesus in our church, that we might carry the gospel beyond our borders to reach future generations. 00:28:06.698 --> 00:28:09.896 For Christ, I pray in Jesus' name, amen.