Greetings one and all. Once again sorry for not blogging as much lately. No excuses.
Here is another addition to Acts: The Missional Church. In Acts 13 Paul and Barnabus are sent off on a missionary journey. Acts 14 continues that narrative. In verse 8 and following Paul and Barnabus are in Lystra. They heal a man who was lame from birth. All the people who witnessed this heroic act wanted to make them gods. When Paul and Barnabus stopped them, some Jewish men stirred the people up and they went out to kill Paul. What a turn of events. Quite schizophrenic in a major way. But Paul is as tough as nails. When he regained consciousness he was up on his feet. The next day the two men were off to the next city.
In verses 21 through 24 Paul and Barnabus are in Antioch in Syria. They preached the word effectively and made many disciples in that city. They then visit the three cities they had just been to (Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch) to encourage and strengthen the new churches. Paul and Barnabus told them they would have to endure much hardship for Christ in this life. The two of them also appointed elders to lead the churches and prayed for them. Then they left once again for another place.
They preached in the word in a few place in Pisidia.
After this, they sailed back to Antioch and their mission was completed. They gathered all the brethren there who had commissioned them to go on this mission and told them all that God had done through them. It must have been so uplifting for those brethren!
Paul and Barnabus were selected and sent out to do a mission for the Lord. And now that work was completed.
Question: when missionaries are sent out to do a specific work, what all do they need to do to complete that work?
Thank you all for reading my thoughts here. More to come on the answer(s) to this question. I hope there will be lots of comments, further thoughts, and other questions from readers here also. They are always encouraged and welcomed.
God bless you all. Grace and Peace.
