Revision as of 19:21, 9 June 2025

Theological Proposition/Focus: The local church plays a vital role in the Great Commission by sending out missionaries, while those sent have a duty to report back, fostering a cycle of encouragement and collaboration in fulfilling God's plan.

Christ Focus: Christ, in His Great Commission, emphasizes the importance of sending and supporting those who carry forth the gospel message, exemplified in the lives of Paul and Barnabas.

Homiletical Proposition/Application: We need to recognize our part in the larger mission of the church—both as senders and goers. We must actively engage in mission work, support those who are sent, and appreciate the importance of sharing what God is doing in the world.

Introduction

Image: A story from the missions trip

Need: The local church must understand its vital role in supporting missions and recognizing the work of God through those who are sent out.

Subject: The significance of the local church in the mission of God.

Preview: Today, we will explore the responsibility of local churches to send missionaries and the importance of reporting back on God's work.

Text: Acts 14:26-15:4; Acts 15:30-36. We will read both passages at the beginning.

Setting the Stage:

This morning, I want to take us back to the book of Acts and Paul's missionary journeys. The Apostle Paul, once a persecutor of the church, had been radically transformed by the grace of Jesus Christ. From that moment on, his life was all in—devoted to spreading the good news to anyone who would listen.

In the book of Acts, we find a record of three great missionary journeys that Paul undertook. Today we will focus on the aftermath of one of those journeys. On his first journey, recorded in Acts chapters 13 and 14, Paul and Barnabas traveled through Cyprus and into the heart of what we now call modern-day Turkey. They preached in synagogues, healed the sick, faced down sorcerers, endured persecution, and even watched as crowds in Lystra tried to worship them as gods—only to eventually turn on them and stone Paul when he wouldn't accept the praise. Through it all, they planted churches, appointed elders, and saw the Spirit of God move in power.

But here's the moment I want us to sit with today: after all the miles traveled, after all the hardships and victories, Paul and Barnabas returned to the church that had sent them—the church in Antioch. Acts 14:26-28 tells us they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. What a moment that must have been! Stories of miracles, salvations, opposition, and the unstoppable spread of the gospel—shared with the very people who had fasted, prayed, and laid hands on them before they ever set out.

This wasn't just a travel update—it was a celebration of God's faithfulness. It was a reminder that mission is not a solo act. It is the work of the whole church, sending and supporting, praying and rejoicing together. Today, as we look back at Paul's report to the church in Antioch, I want us to consider: how is God calling us to be part of His mission? Where is He opening doors of faith in our world today—and how will we respond?

Body

Responsible — Local churches have a responsibility to send, the sent have a responsibility to report (14:26-27).

The Antioch church sent Paul and Barnabas back into the mission field, and the local church has an active role as a supportive community in missions. We need to understand our church's responsibility in nurturing and sending missionaries, as well as the importance of celebrating God's work witnessed by these missionaries. This reflects Christ's commissioning of His followers to make disciples, underscoring the church's participation in this divine task.

The support and commission of the local church should not be forgotten (26).

The local church should be made aware of how God has worked (27a).

The local church should be made aware of brothers and sisters from far away (27b).

Image: Some pictures of those with whom we worked.

MTR: Pick someone you learned about today, write down their name, and pray for them this week.

transition

Encouraged — Investment, growth, and edification are needed even for those who have already been sent (14:28; 15:30-35).

The local church should be a place where encouragement can happen (30-32).

The local church should be a place where growth occurs naturally (35).

Image: Being a church where missionaries are encouraged: prayer, discipleship, genuine care.

MTR: Make a plan; what would it look like for you to be part of encouraging a missionary?

transition

Repeat — Those who have been sent should always be ready and willing to go out again (15:1-15:4; 36).

The end of one journey was, in fact, the beginning of another (1-2).

It is never the wrong time to talk about what God is doing (3-4).

God may send you back out, so you better be ready (36).

Image: What if we go back to Costa Rica? What if we go somewhere else?

MTR: Start praying now and asking, "God, would you have me go on the next trip?"

We have this family, and our family reunion is the Lord's Supper.