November 16: Taking the Good News to others

Wiley Richards is a retired professor of theology and philosophy at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.

William L. "Bill" Hinds, retired executive director of missions of the Gulf Stream Baptist Association here in Florida, has unique experience in the matter of church growth. When the association celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1998, about 150 congregations worshiping in 11 different languages comprised its membership. When I asked Bill how to grow a dynamic church, he replied without hesitation, "Start a new congregation." He was correct. Our study today magnifies the concept.

• To take the Good News to others we often must get a fresh start (vv. 1-3). Through Acts 12:24, the Bible highlights Jerusalem as the center of Christian activities with the Holy Spirit working through Peter as the central human leader. Acts 12:25 tips us off to a change in personnel and location as the Good News spread northward to Antioch in Syria. The Holy Spirit was signifying the importance of moving to new leadership, location, and sponsoring church if the Gentiles were to be won to Christ.

He had assembled a first-rate team, including Saul, soon to take the Gentile name of Paul (14:14); Barnabas; an African named Simeon; Lucius of Cyrene; and Manaen, a step-brother of Herod. As the group fasted and prayed the Holy Spirit spoke, probably through one of the prophets, that Saul and Barnabas were to begin an evangelistic tour. The group laid hands on the two as a symbol of support and sent them on their way.

• The Holy Spirit impressed upon Paul and Barnabas the non-negotiable truth that the only hope for society, both Jew and Gentile, can come only through Jesus (vv. 28-32). Paul represents a "second generation" of believers in that he did not personally witness the trial, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus. Yet, in preaching to the "men of Israel" (v. 16) he spoke with respect for them but with complete conviction they had crucified the promised Messiah.

Paul was in a synagogue in Antioch in Pisidia at the time, preaching to Jews. In the twenty-first century, we Christians must hold fast to the central truth of "Jesus only" at a time when the media ridicules that idea in favor of a mushy sentimentality which believes salvation truth can be found in all religions provided one is sincere.

• This leads us to another essential tenet, the necessity of emphasizing the forgiveness of sins (vv. 38-39). Jesus had pointed out the continuing existence of poor people in every society. In His words, "Ye have the poor always with you (Mk. 26:11)."

The first Christians took on a depraved world, but they never wavered in their message. The people of the world needed the forgiveness of sins. Trying to effect permanent changes by other methods would have limited positive results. Only through Jesus could human nature be changed. As changed people infiltrated society, they eventually changed the world.

• This aspect of the Christian Gospel brings us to the last phase of taking the news to others, the commitment to take it to all the world (vv. 45-48). Paul was a bit tardy in fulfilling our Lord’s desire given to Ananias (9:13-15) to make him an ambassador to the Gentiles, but Paul saw the necessary sequence. He would go to the Jews first (v. 46) as a matter of strategy but use the synagogue as a place of outreach. When the Jews at Corinth later became abusive and blasphemed, Paul had endured enough. Once again he announced his intention to move out among the Gentiles (18:6). We join with the Gentiles and add our voices of praise for his courage, because we too are Gentiles. Paul could see they were being turned ("ordained" KJV) to salvation in Christ.