To the ends of the Earth
Under the Lordship of Christ
Saturday 28 September
With Ronaldo Lidório
It is such a blessing to be here at this special time. Learning from the Lord, from His word and from each other. Over the past five days, we’ve been studying the book of Acts. Today we will turn our attention to the last chapter of this book. But first, let us look back and what has happened.
A wave of spiritual power
During Pentecost, the church received power form the Holy Spiti to make Jesus known. Peter preached that Jesus who died for sinners is alive.
A wave of suffering (Acts 8)
The persecution of the church caused suffering but it was also used by the Lord to send the gospel to Samaria and other places. We see physical, emotion and spiritual suffering. The Greek expression for persecution here means “physical suffering”. There was emotional suffering at Stephen’s death and then Saul’s persecution of the church was “spiritual” persecution. And they preached the gospel wherever they went.
A wave of sending workers (Acts 13)
The local church in Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas to the Gentiles. They were serving the Lord when they were called by the Lord. They were serving the Lord by serving their brothers and sisters in the local church when they were called for mission. Don’t send far away those who are not already serving. Church leaders, mission leaders, mobilisers… don’t send those who are not first a blessing where you are.
A wave of Church Multiplication (acts 16-21)
We see churches springing up in all the towns and cities that Paul and his companions visit and churches are established with local leaders.
A Wave of Reaching the Ends of the Earth (Acts 27-28)
Paul was going to Rome, hoping to go to Spain and beyond. We know that others went to India, Ethiopia and Greece. They sent the gospel to many different nationas, people groups and languages. Today God continues to move His church to the very ends of the earth.
As we read the last verses of this book, we learn vital lessons>
The Gospel will face Opposition
Paul was in prison and under house arrest. Today the gospel will face pressure, oppression, opposition and persecution. Let us prepare our hearts to embrace three very important, essential convictions which will help to keep us strong under pressure.
Theological conviction – knowing in the scripture who God is and how He responds in times of suffering. A spiritual and practical foundation for the church.
Missiological conviction – His calling is not transferable. We cannot outsource what God has called us to do. Making disciples of all nations. His calling comes with His promise – I am with you always.
Personal conviction – know that God has a plan and purpose for His people in every single circumstance of life. Maybe you are here but your heart is full of pain. You are smiling at others but you are going through a terrible time. If that is the case, trust that God has a plan for you and rest in the plan of God.
Let us remember that throughout the book of acts
The Gospel relates to Culture
The gospel is supra cultural – it contains the complete truth about people and their society.
The gospel is multicultural – bringing all nations together
The gospel is Intercultural –
The gospel is cross cultural – sent from one cultural to another
The gospel is cultural – it is about Jesus himself. God who lived among us.
The gospel is counter cultural - it confronts people in their own culture producing real personal transformation. It confronts evil and injustice. We are not persecuted for a Christlike actions but we are persecuted for our convictions when we say there is only one Lord Jesus Christ.
The Gospel will reach All Nations
The salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles. The gospel must be proclaimed to all nations. Those near and those far away. Those who will accept it. If God gives grace, as His church in collaboration, one of our goals should be to reach all unreached people groups in our generations.
The gospel must be proclaimed by the whole church.
Gisberrus Voetius talks of Vocatio et Missio - to be called and sent.
The whole church is called by the Lord Jesus for salvation and sent by the Lord Jesus for proclamation. We are sent together. In 2008, we had the first meeting of Indigenous peoples in the Amazon. In that meeting, we received two tribes. Previously they could not meet without a fight. Then the gospel came to them and they found in Jesus the power of forgiveness. They were shocked that they were in the same boat travelling for four days to our meeting. During the worship time, when different tribes had the opportunity to bring a testimony or a song they came together to sing and dance “because of Jesus.” That is His church. We sing and dance because of Jesus.
The Gospel is proclaimed freely and with courage.
In the last two verses of Acts, we find that Paul remained in the house for two years and the gospel is proclaimed with all boldness and without hindrance. We have faith. We believe in Jesus and we know him. We have spiritual power through the Holy Spirit. We have the scripture – God’s word guiding us. We have the church – God’s people encouraging us. We have the Gospel transforming us.
We have everything we need but there is something that we must search for. Something that without it, it is impossible to accomplish the task and that element is “courage” or boldness. In Ephesians 6:18-20, Paul asks the church to pray for him and he has one prayer request - that he will have courage. Why did Paul the most brave preacher that we know ask the church to pray for him? It is because boldness to testify is not something that we have naturally, it comes from God.
I am convinced that we don’t preach enough because we don’t pray enough. Pray for courage.
Brothers and Sisters in Jesus,
If you are under pressure, have courage
If you are facing opposition, have courage
If you lost your motivation, have courage
If suffering has come to your family, have courage
If the barriers are greater, have courage
If demons and darkness are fighting you, have courage
Jesus your king is all you need so to the end of your days, have courage.
The final verse says the gospel spread with courage and without hindrance, freely, with no barriers. How is that possible? Paul was in prison with a soldier beside him. How can a person in prison live with no hindrance no barriers? I believe that Paul saw what others didn’t see. He observed life, realities, ministry with the eyes of faith. Knowing that God makes a way where there seems no way. Paul was a prisoner of the Roman empire but free to say that “Jesus is Lord”.
The Gospel is about Jesus
Paul used all opportunities and intentionally presented Jesus to all who came to him. The Gospel is about Jesus. We need to guard well this statement. One of the main challenges in missions today is our own hearts. We value our strategies, and leaders and achievements too much. We need to speak more about Jesus and less about ourselves. We need to speak more about Jesus and less about our own projects. We need to raise higher the banner of Jesus the king.
I would like to end by raising a question. How do we proclaim the Gospel in the world today that Jesus reigns?
By being people of faith – guided by the direction of the Holy Spirit. The lord uses research and we need to be deeply thankful for that but we need to be guided by the spirit, even when they are not logical but God says go.
By being people of prayer – we are called to have a life of prayer. If you are involved in this challenge of making people know among the nations, you personally need a life of prayer.
By being a people of unity – not just working together but loving to work together. Caring for each other.
By being people of courage who share and live out the gospel. Testifying to Jesus with boldness, trusting the power of God.
We worked in Ghana west Africa for five years with Bible translation and church planting. After a few years learning the language and culture, we shared the gospel in our village and the surrounding areas. One day we were meeting under a tree for a worship time and I notice a crippled woman coming in my direction. When she was a child, she had polio and she used her arms to drag herself around.
Since she heard the gospel a phrase kept repeating in her head, “I need Jesus.” That morning she decided to come from her village (which was a long distance away) but no one would help to bring her. So she came by herself, crawling through the bush for many hours. When she arrived, her hands were bleeding. She was covered with mud. She was lying on the ground exhausted. The women of the church helped clean her up. She covered her face with her hands, crying and giving her life to Jesus.
What kind of power can make a woman crawl for hours through the bush to give her life to Jesus? It is not the power of any preacher or organisation, it is the power of God that can set free any person, in any situation.
Ronaldo Lidório is a Brazilian presbyterian pastor who is currently serving in evangelism and leadership development efforts in the Amazon region.