Here, There and Everywhere

Missions Sunday

Acts 1: 8But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Mein Jerusalem, and in all Judea (Area of Judah) and Samaria (The capitol of Israel), and to the end of the earth." NKJV

· Israel was a powerful nation, made up of 12 tribes and dominated the region.

· In 796 BC, The northern ten tribes secede the union and create a new Nation named “Israel”.

· In 722 BC, Assyrians captured the 10 northern tribes and assimilated them into the earth.

· In 586 BC, Babylonians captured to two southern tribes, known as Judah. Seventy years later, they are returned to their homeland.

· When Jesus walks the earth, we have two small tribes that make up the nation of Israel. They are under Roman occupation.

· Jesus ascends after His resurrection in Acts 1:9

· In Acts Chapter 2, the Holy Spirit is poured out on the earth. The Church is born! In the crowd are people from 15 or 16 different nations. Some of them return home and local churches begin to pop up.

Acts 8: 1Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.NKJV

Acts 13: 1-4Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.2As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."3Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.4So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.NKJV

1. Start where you live!

· Everyone is to walk in power and be a witness

· Everyone should have a message to speak whether here or there

· God uses people that speak their language

· God told Ezekiel that if he had been sent to a people of a unfamiliar speech and a hard, they would have listened.

· If you won’t witness here, you won’t witness there. Going to a foreign country doesn’t make you a missionary anymore than standing in the garage makes you a car!

2. Go short. Go Long. But, Go. (Book of Acts covers 33 years, from about 30 BC to 63 BC)

· Acts 1 – The Disciples are told to go to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the uttermost parts of the earth. (Covers 8 years)

· Acts 8 – The disciples are persecuted and go from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria. This begins the spread of the gospel to all of the region of Israel. (Covers 4 years)

· Acts 13 – Paul shows up in Antioch, a church probably started from Acts 2. He goes from there on at least three missionary journeys that change the world. This starts the spread of the gospel to all of the known world. (Covers 21 years)

3. Send ordinary disciples and send your best.

· In Acts 8, the disciples went and the Apostles stayed.

· In Acts 13, the prophets and teachers left, but the disciples stayed.

· Acts 13 –The Holy Spirit sends Paul and Barnabas with the agreement of the prophets and teachers.

· Paul was sent with support. He didn’t go by himself. Too many people go without being sent.

· Paul returned and gave accountability for his trip.

· Trouble happened on the first missionary journey. It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t fun. But, the ministry ended up doubling! Paul took Silas. Barnabas took John Mark.

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