The Spirit Of The First Missionaries In Acts 13:2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." So, Barnabas and Paul went out on their first mission trip. They were the earliest recorded missionaries. It is interesting to read their missions adventures. Equally interesting however, is to note the spirit of these two missionaries. There are much to be learnt from them and this is what we want to take a look at this morning. 1. Identification We note that Luke the author of Acts recorded the Holy Spirit as saying in Acts 13:2 to set apart Barnabas and Saul for the work to which He has called them. As we continue to read, in verse 9 we read these words "9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said," We note that Saul is now called Paul. The converted Jew who was then proud to carry the name of their first king, felt that he had to identify with the Greek speaking gentiles as he went through their towns on this first mission trip. He took on the equivalent Greek name. He had a reason for doing so - not like people nowadays who pick up names more as a show than anything else - oh, Peter is too common, why not call ourselves Pierre - oh, John is too common, why not call ourselves Sean and so on. With these fanciful sounding names, we would perhaps shine a bit more - for self not for Jesus. Paul on the other hand felt that he needed to identify with the people whom he was trying to reach. In 1 Corinthians 9: 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. Paul was so passionate about bringing the gospel to the lost that he was prepared to do anything so that some might be saved. Are we prepared to do the same? I think Ps Joe effectively brought across to those of us who were at the camp what the Church today is like. Some churches are so self centred that their programmes is just for the promotion of continual in breeding within the church. There is no compassion for the lost. Like the Spanish monarchy such churches eventually die. In other churches Christians become artificial and superficial with their Christianity. There is an air of holier than thou attitude. We therefore impose what we as Christians can do and we cannot. For a long time, the Assemblies of God did not allow their members to go to cinema, use jewellery, put on make-up and so on. Trouble is that we put such expectations on non Christians as well. Then we adopt an attitude that we are better than them. The apostle Paul knew that if he did not identify with the people, his chance of reaching them would be much slimmer. Jesus spent time with sinners - had meals with them and perhaps sessions at the then Starbucks and Coffee Bean. He loved the sinners not their sins. However he did not condemn outright. He did not look at them with a funny look when they smoke, use vulgar language and so on. He was still with them sharing with them about the Kingdom of God. He knew that discipleship follows conversion and not the other way round. He knew that people would take time to grow as well. He did not push them to do so. He just loved them into the Kingdom. The Apostle Paul certainly learnt well from the Master Missionary and Evangelist, Jesus. He was a missionary to this earth and through Him, the groundwork for evangelism was laid. In his autobiography, Mahatma Gandhi wrote that during his student days he read the Gospels seriously and considered converting to Christianity. He believed that in the teachings of Jesus he could find the solution to the caste system that was dividing the people of India. So one Sunday he decided to attend services at a nearby church and talk to the minister about becoming a Christian. When he entered the sanctuary, however, the usher refused to give him a seat and suggested that he go worship with his own people. Gandhi left the church and never returned. "If Christians have caste differences also," he said, "I might as well remain a Hindu." That usher's prejudice not only betrayed Jesus but also turned a person away from trusting Him as Savior. How sad. Let us indeed learn from Jesus and from these early missionaries like Paul. Let us identify with people. let us not impose ourselves upon them. Let us show grace. Let us love them into the Kingdom. Not only did Barnabas and Paul identify with the people they also know their identity in Christ. They knew themselves. They knew who they were. Up to verse 9 whenever Barnabas and Paul were mentioned, it was always Barnabas first and Paul second. But by the time we reach verse 42, we read AC 13:42 As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath. Paul had become first and Barnabas had become second. So, when we enter the text of Acts 14 we read AC 14:1 At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed. From this point, it stayed as Paul and Barnabas. What had happened? Well, what had happened was that both Paul and Barnabas had good image of themselves.. They saw themselves with the eyes of God and not from the eyes of the world. When Paul was converted, nobody seemed to care. Barnabas however knew what spiritual parenting meant. He knew that a new convert needs a spiritual parent to nurture him in the ways of God. We are not animals. Some animals after giving birth would leave their young to fend for themselves. God has created us for relationship. This includes the young whom he has placed in our midst. Like any parent, we are to nurture and guide them to the extent where they are able to cope for themselves when they are adults. Many of us hope that our children would do better than us in life. This is the same spiritually. We are called to reach the lost, nurture, disciple and equip them so that they may do what we do or even better. So, Barnabas became Paul's spiritual parent. So, should we. Trouble is that many in the church wants to hold on to their ministries. They have such a deep sense of insecurity that they refuse to let go of things or even people. I have been doing church consultancy and helping pastors and church leaders not only in Singapore but all over the place - Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia. Whenever I discover that empowering leadership is a problem within the church, I tell these leaders not to be afraid of empowering people. When we can release our present ministry to someone else, God will give to us an even more significant ministry. Both Barnabas and Paul knew who they were in the Lord. Barnabas knew that he should disciple Paul to the extent where he could be independent and go on with the ministry. When the time came, Barnabas stood back and let Paul take the lead. Let us do the same. Do not be afraid of empowering people. Disciple them. When the time comes, let them take the lead. For many years Sir Walter Scott was the leading literary figure in the British Empire. No one could write as well as he. Then the works of Lord Byron began to appear, and his greatness was immediately evident. Soon an anonymous critic praised his poems in a London paper. He declared that in the presence of these brilliant works of poetic genius, Scott could no longer be considered the leading poet of England. It was later discovered that the unnamed reviewer had been none other than Sir Walter Scott himself He was able to take second stage when the time came. Yesterday KR had their art and craft session. They made among other things rocking chair. I would truly enjoy the time when I am able to just sit back on one of these chairs and just watch you and many others who are to come carry on the ministry for the glory of God. 2. Righteousness A righteous man is one who would pursue after God and His ways despite what the world may offer. They no longer see themselves as merely residents and citizens of this world. They see themselves as citizens of the Kingdom of God and temporary residents of this world. They see the world from His perspective and not that of man. AC 14:8 In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10 and called out, "Stand up on your feet!" At that, the man jumped up and began to walk. AC 14:11 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!" 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them. AC 14:14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: 15 "Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. Being honoured as gods is something rather tempting. They were given practically anything that they could ever want. They could live better than kings. However, Paul and Barnabas were men of righteousness. They knew that they were merely vessels of God and that it was the Lord who had healed the crippled man and not they themselves. They knew their purpose. They were merely bringing the gospel to the people. When success comes, you will often be honoured like gods. In the secular world, people will come at your bidding. Trouble is that in the church world, you are treated in the same way - not by your own church because as Jesus has said a prophet will never be honoured in his own home town. However when you go and minister in other churches especially in other countries, you will indeed receive VVIP treatment. People will lay out the red carpet for you. At that time, if you allow the idea of success to come into your head, you will head for a fall. Many pastors and ministers have fallen as a result. They began to feel like gods when they were treated as ones. The only way for us to remain sane and be able to handle success is to develop righteousness in our lives. This comes from us maintaining a dynamic relationship with God. All the time, we know that He is God and we are just His servants. This is the only way to see ourselves. It was John Riskin who said, "I believe the first test of a truly great man is his humility. I do not mean by humility, doubt of his own power, or hesitation in speaking his opinion. But really great men have a ... feeling that the greatness is not in them but through them; that they could not do or be anything else than God made them." Andrew Murray said, "The humble man feels no jealousy or envy. He can praise God when others are preferred and blessed before him. He can bear to hear others praised while he is forgotten because ... he has received the spirit of Jesus, who pleased not Himself, and who sought not His own honor. Therefore, in putting on the Lord Jesus Christ he has put on the heart of compassion, kindness, meekness, longsuffering, and humility." M. R. De Haan used to say, "Humility is something we should constantly pray for, yet never thank God that we have." 3. Conclusion Let us therefore be IR people - ones who are able to identify with others and see ourselves in the truest light - ones who would pursue after righteousness.

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