Step Out and Take a Risk
Pastor Scott McDermott
Are you willing to step out of your comfort zone to reach out to others? Growing comfortable in our faith and life style can lead to complacency. Spiritual indecision nullifies spiritual advancement. What God pours into us, He wants to impart through us.
Up to this point we have witnessed the way in which God has used Barnabas and Paul. For over a year, God had used them to teach a “great multitude” of people. (Those whom God uses, never stop pressing into the potential and promise God holds over them.) Perhaps that is why this diverse group of Christian leaders described in Acts 13:1-3 gathered for a season of worship and fasting in Antioch.
Keeping in touch with God’s direction is vital. There during a season of worship the Spirit spoke: “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” (Acts 13:2). The original language indicates a sense of urgency about this commissioning, “Do it now!”. It was their moment! They knew that complacency brings death, and reinforces resistance to God’s Spirit, but risk fosters life.
If you want to grow and lead an impactful life, you must always be willing to push out of your comfort zone. Barnabas and Saul (Paul) were no strangers to God’s calling, but the season in their life was changing. It was now time to step out. So after they fasted and prayed, Barnabas and Saul were commissioned to begin an historic first missionary journey under the Spirit’s direction (Acts 13:4).
There were 3 things they had:
1. A strategy: What was their strategy? Their strategy was to go to the synagogues first - more likely for two reasons. First of all, Paul believed and taught that the gospel was given for the Jew first and then the Gentiles. But secondly, as Paul traveled through the Mediterranean world, he would most likely find initial hospitality and opportunity among his own religious group. It was there as well, he would be able to speak to the God-fearers, those Greeks who revered Jewish teaching, but failed to comply with all aspects of the law such as circumcision.
2. A sensitivity to the Spirit: From the very beginning this was a sign of Paul’s ministry. At one point in Acts 13, Paul is described as filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:9) indicating the anointing that rested upon his life for the sign that was to follow.
3. A willingness to seize any opportunity to share their faith. In the last half of the chapter, Paul and Barnabas attend a synagogue in Pisidian Antioch (located in present day Turkey and different from the Antioch in Syria where he was commissioned). Attending a synagogue, Paul is asked to share a message of encouragement (Acts 13:15). Paul poignantly addresses his message to the people of Israel and the Gentiles. (Acts 13:16).
Prayer: Lord, I know it is your will to use me and to use all who call upon your name. You have made us light to all who don’t know you. Lord, break us out of our comfort zones. Deepen our commitment to your work in the earth today. Open up the doors for all your people to share your love with others.
