Powerful Purpose - Reaching Out

Reaching Out
POWERFUL PURPOSE

Section I: A Plan
Out Where the Lost Sinners Are
Mission work is like the case of the little orphan boy. He was passed from one orphanage to another until he had been through seven institutions. The board was meeting over his case when they saw him creep by the window, climb a little fence, jump the hedge and pin a note on a sprig of the tree outside the institution grounds. This was against the rules. In fact, this was a violation.

They dispatched one immediately to apprehend the boy and the note. They were going to sharply reprimand him and use this as a reason to move him on, but then one read the note and passed it to another until all their heads were hung low in shame. The note was scribbled with crayon and it simply said, “Whoever finds this, I love you.”

Is this not the story of the Word of God? Does not God say on every page, “Whoever finds this, I love you”? Is not this the story of the cross? Is not Jesus saying through His suffering, “Whoever finds this, I love you”? Is not this the message of the missionary? Does not his life constantly say, “Whoever finds this, I love you”?

There is a widespread misapprehension among some about the responsibility for taking this message of love to the lost. Christians seem to think some people are made for this work, but that the obligation is not universal; that it is a work one may or may not do, as he pleases. In too many areas of religion today, we have professional men to do our work.

But consider this: The key word is “lost.” All have sinned and fallen short – even those who “go to church.” But lost sinners do not usually “go to” church. The church is commissioned to take the Gospel to the lost. Since lost sinners do not usually “go to” church, logically the church must go out where the lost sinners are. However, this is a task for which far too many churches are neither trained nor equipped. Some churches are just religious clubs, segregated within four walls from which the outside world has simply been shut out. Some Christians beat a faithful path from home to the church pew – but never go out of that rut to win lost souls, out where the lost sinners are. We need to remember that every heart without Christ is a mission field, and every heart with Christ is a missionary. This is real missionary work. The real test of our Christianity is preaching Christ – taking the Gospel – out where the lost sinners are.

The early church was born in a blaze of personal missionary work. This is the only thing that can arouse the sleeping giant of the 21st century, the church, and sweep her out f the gallery, down into the arena of life where the real action is, where the real battle is won – out where the lost sinners are.

As together we consider reaching out to the lost, let us pray individually that we may come to understand this great principle and to obey at any cost. God had only one Son, and He was a missionary. Because of Him, may we give out all – out where the lost sinners are.

Sequel of Sequels
“The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen . . .” (Acts 1:1, 2 NKJV). The Book of Acts is the sequel to the story of Christ. In fact, it’s the sequel of sequels – the greatest sequel ever written. In his book, The Acts of the Apostles, William Barclay wrote: “. . . Acts is the most important book in the New Testament” – a bridge between the Gospels and Epistles. Except for a few facts found in Paul’s writings, it’s the only inspired New Testament book offering church history. The Book of Luke is the longest book in the New Testament; Matthew the second; and Acts the third. While Paul wrote more books, Luke wrote more content. 30% of the New Testament is found in Luke and Acts.

One important thing clearly stands out in the book of Acts – salvation. The more we read in this book about the many exciting examples of God’s 1st missionaries, the more we come to know, understand, and appreciate God’s love for us be giving us salvation through His beloved Son, Jesus Christ. All we have to do is follow the easy to understand examples in this wonderful book, written by Luke and inspired by God.

A Perfect Plan
In Acts 1:8 the Bible says: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (NKJV). So, the book of Acts can easily be divided into three main sections:

Part 1: Acts in Jerusalem – which covers chapters 1 through 7 of the book of Acts, and can be applied to the city where you live today.

Part 2: Acts in all Judea and Samaria – which covers chapters 8 through 12 of the book of Acts, and can be applied to the state or nation where you now live.

Part 3: Acts in other lands – which covers chapters 13 through 28 of the book of Acts, and can be applied to the whole world today “unto the uttermost parts of the earth.”

These three main sections show us the main plan of the book of Acts, showing us the Gospel of Jesus Christ spreading farther and farther, like waves going out from a center and growing bigger and bigger until the waves reach the distant shore. The book of Acts is about what it was like to be the first to preach and teach about Jesus Christ in the Roman Empire, which was the most powerful nation in the world at that time.

In chapters 1 through 12 the book of Acts tells us about the church being established in the city of Jerusalem. Then after the death of Stephen the Gospel of Christ spread throughout Judea, Samaria, and nearby regions – reaching its first climax at Antioch of Syria.

In chapters 13 through 14 in the book of Acts we learn about Paul’s 1st Journey and starting the church in the province of Cyprus and Galatia (Pisidia Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe).

Then in chapter 15, verse 36, through chapter 16, verse 40, we learn about Paul’s 2nd Journey and the work of teaching and preaching the Gospel of Christ as it extends to the provinces of Macedonia and Achaia.

In chapter 18, verse 23, through chapter 21, verse 16, we learn about Paul’s 3rd Journey and salvation was taught in the important province of Proconsular Asia. Thus, one by one, the provinces were occupied in the name of Christ, “unto the uttermost parts of the earth.”

A Gospel Railroad
It might be helpful to think of the book of Acts as describing the building of a railway for God – a Gospel railroad that extends from the city of Jerusalem via the various provinces of the Roman Empire, to the great metropolis of Rome itself. The towns and cities occupied for Jesus Christ along the way, are like train stations along this Gospel railroad.

When building a new railroad, wise builders spend a lot of time thinking about its route or where the tracks will go. Two of the most important things railroad builders plan for are population and the amount of traffic expect along the tracks. The Great Builder of the Gospel railroad is God. In the book of Acts we clearly see His wisdom in laying the Gospel railroad tracks through the Roman Empire, because this was where business and commerce flowed from the East to Rome.

Preferred Pathways
The overland route of the Gospel railroad led from Antioch of Syria via Tarsus through the Cilician Gates (a pass of Mt. Taurus) to Pondandus, through Antioch of Cilicia, past Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, Pisidian Antioch, Metropolis, Prymnessus, Philadelphia, Sardis and Pergamos; to Troas; and then by a short sea passage to Neapolis and then along the Roman route called the Egnatian Way, via Philippi and Thessalonica to Dyrrachium. From this port, passengers crossed by ferry to Brindisium, and then took the Appian Way to Rome.

When the Gospel railroad was first laid, the other principal line of travel was the part-sea route. It extended from Antioch of Syria to Pisidian Antioch. This route coincided with the overland route. Beyond that it proceeded via Colosse and Laodicea, direct to Ephesus. In this way passengers sailed to Corinth and, crossing the Isthmus, transshipped either for Bridisium and the Appian Way or for Puteoli via the Straits of Messina.