this morning to Acts chapter 12. Acts chapter 12. Hope that everybody was able to get a copy of the handouts. And this morning we're going to be touching on a subject that is very near and dear to my heart. I love the local New Testament church. I've been a part of several different types of churches, if you will, philosophically. And there is just something very special about when you see and experience a church that is really endeavoring to align itself with New Testament Christianity as prescribed by the Book of Acts. That's really my heart. Are we perfect at it? No. Are we striving towards it, that everything within us? Yes, that is our desire. Everybody wants to be a part of a healthy church, right? Anyone here want to be a part of an unhealthy church? Anybody? Okay. So we're in good company. We want to be associated and a part of a church that's healthy, that's strong, that's purposeful, that's intentional, that's loving, that's gracious. Perfect? No. But striving together? Yes. For the what? The faith of the gospel? Absolutely. So we desire to be a part of a healthy church, we desire to be engaged, but here's the thing is, so oftentimes what we do is we stay on the peripheral, we stay on the perimeter, and we like, yeah, I wanna be a part of that, I just don't want to really be too involved. It doesn't work like that, folks. It just doesn't work like that. We have to make an intentional decision if we are going to be a healthy church that is not just an institution, but that is a living organism of Jesus Christ, that is alive, it's vibrant. Can I tell you, it actually is going to take from all of us to say, you know what, maybe there's some things that I need to step back, reevaluate, and be more intentional in my walk with Jesus Christ, in my life for Jesus Christ. And might that start to really, from that point, might it organically start to blossom out and really to where I start to experience healthy church culture like God intended it. See, God intended for his church to be healthy, to be life-giving, all of that. And yet, you know, you want to know who puts the governor on that process is us. Who gets in the way of God wanting to have a healthy church at Solid Rock Baptist Church is the pastor and the members and the people of Solid Rock Baptist Church. That's just being really honest and transparent. But yet we can, we have the opportunity folks today to be able to study the scriptures and say, Lord, I want, I want to see what the, what is a model of a healthy church? And then might we start to take our place in our position in exercising our opportunity to be a healthy church. Amen? Do you want to be a healthy church this morning? Do you want to? I mean really, honestly, do you want it? Alright? Or would you rather have unhealth, abounding, and schisms, and divisions, and everybody throwing mud at everybody? Doesn't that sound like so fun, right? Let's intentionally come with a heart to say, Lord, speak for your servant here this morning, okay? So let's look at Acts chapter 12, verse 24. Now we'll catch a little bit of the context in the message and so I won't belabor it this morning. Let's look at verse 24. It says, Now, there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers as Barnabas and Simeon, that was called Niger and Lucius of Cyrene and Menaean, which had been brought up with Herod the Tetrarch and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me, Barnabas and Saul, for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them And so this morning, the Lord's help, I'd like to preach a message entitled, The Model of a Healthy Church. The Model of a Healthy Church. Let's pray. Father, we love you. Thank you, Lord, for Jesus. Thank you for the gospel. Thank you for the privilege that we can be your servants. And Lord, I pray this morning. Lord, would you take the distractions and set them aside this morning. Lord, even in my own life, it is so, Lord, it's so easy to just become overwhelmed with outside circumstances, not to really be able to be fixed and focused on what you have for us. Lord, we trust you. We love you. We're thankful for your gospel. Thank you for transforming our lives. And Lord, I just would pray this morning that there would be just a refresh, a refreshing of your purposes, your model, your way. And Lord, I just, when I look at the church at Antioch, I just see such a beautiful thing. Lord, might we strive together for the faith of the gospel and truly see what a model church looks like, and then endeavor to be that in your eyes. We love you, in Jesus' name we pray, amen. Oh, worship the King, all glorious above, and gratefully sing his power and his love. Our shield and defender, the ancient of days, pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise. O tell of his might, O sing of his grace, whose robe is the light, whose canopy space. His chariots of wrath, the deep thunderclouds form, and dark is the path on the wings of the storm. Thy bountiful care, what tongues can recite? It breathes in the air, it shines in the light. It streams from the hills, it descends to the plain, and sweetly distills in the dew and the rain. Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail, in thee do we trust, nor find thee to fail. Thy mercies, how tender, how firm to the end, maker, defender, redeemer, and friend. Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend. Thank you, Miss Torrey and Brother Rich. Really appreciate that. And so, let's go ahead and we'll jump right into our study this morning. For those of you that have been, that were part of our study of Acts chapter 12, what we recognized is there was a great fallout in regards to persecution from the government as Herod started to come against the church. And so oftentimes when we come to these situations and circumstances in life, we start to emphasize so much of the pressure of what is affecting our lives that we forget about the God who superintends it all. And God has allowed for some of these difficult, unforeseen circumstances to invade the life of the church, where they were very much under attack. Persecution was on the rise. And where, you know, even he was looking to, he was, not only did he martyr James, but then he arrested Peter. And so there is this natural tendency when these turbulent times enter our lives, the tendency is for our hearts to begin to doubt that which the province of God is doing. And so where it seems like in the text, in verse 12, where it just seems like Herod is not being held accountable for his blatant attack against the innocent. And where we begin to question, Lord, what are you doing? Why are all these bad things happening to good people? the wisdom of God considers the end from the beginning. The wisdom of God considers the end from the beginning. And in the beginning of the chapter it does. It seems like, you know, Herod is in full control and the church is losing the battle, yet, can I tell you folks, Jesus has other plans. Jesus has other plans. And where we see at the end of the chapter as it concludes, really with what we read, We all of a sudden see this whole different landscape and where there's this prevailing sentiment of where the Word of God is not only growing, it's multiplying. And so at the conclusion of the chapter, so we begin where we began with Herod. He's having his day. He's in control. All this bad is prevailing. Boy, I tell you what the end of a chapter brings, because all of a sudden Herod is dead. And the church is very much alive and well and growing. Isn't it just amazing how poetic justice so oftentimes God uses that in His narrative. and where God just shows us time and again. Much like He said in Matthew chapter 16, there in your notes, verse 18, He said, and He said unto them, He said, Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and what? The gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And so we often and easily we forget that the purposes of our God are unstoppable. The purposes of our God are unstoppable. And so the Lord proves to us in this text that we should never wait for comfort or for convenience as it pertains to gospel ministry. We should never come to this conclusion that, well, you know what, I'm going to wait for easier times. It's too inconvenient to serve God at this moment. Can I tell you folks, if you're waiting for comfort and convenience to be the metrics for when you should serve God, it will never happen. It will never happen. You have to choose to serve God amidst everything else that is around you, and even the fears that are within you. And so rather than letting our trials or our busyness or the circumstances of life to cripple us, can I tell you the grace of God wants to harness all of these things for our good. The grace of God wants to harness even what's happening in Acts chapter 12 with Herod. God is endeavoring to harness all of this, these trials for the good of his church. And he does the same thing for you and I today. And so even when it seemed like God was absent, when God was silent in the midst of Herod's resistance, God was sovereignly still in control. And can I tell you, He is unveiling to us at the end of Acts chapter 12, this great surge in growing and multiplying His word as a result of His temporal silence. So yes, God had a temporal time. It wasn't that He was out of control, there was just, He was allowing things to play out, but God knew from the beginning how it would work out in the end. And sometimes we just have to remind ourselves of these principles. Thus, we might fight the temptation to sideline ourselves in these seasons. I know I sure do. Because God, what God is going to do in amidst those trials and temptation is God is going to take our pain. He's going to take our pain and He's going to use it for a greater purpose. God is going to use your pain in those different situations. He's going to take, only God can. take pain and use it for a greater purpose. And where the trials in life are going to be a leverage point for a greater gospel opportunity. You know my dad, I've referenced it before that my dad right now he has cancer. The Lord has blessed my dad with cancer. And I say that and you're just like, that's an oxymoron. No it's not. Because my dad right now will tell you by his own testimony You know what son, one of the greatest things God ever did for me was give me cancer. Why? Because of what it did in his life in bringing him in relationship with his Savior. Now it all just depends on how you look at it. So what did God do? God took something that has been very uncomfortable for my dad, very painful. He's had surgeries and he's had different things that he's had to work through. But the fact of the matter is, it's not about a vitamin or medication. It's about a God that is doing a great work in and through this particular... He ordained this for my dad's life and what has it done? It's done marvelous, miraculous things where you know what? It's given him a peace that passes all understanding and that is the type of God that we serve. Where he harnesses our pain and uses it for a greater purpose. So the trials in life Folks, depending on how you look at them, all they are is they're just a leverage point. They're just a leverage point for gospel opportunity. God wants to use your testimony, the most difficult situations that you've ever experienced, and He wants to leverage those for eternal purposes and gospel opportunities. Romans 8, verse 35 through 37 says, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword, as it is written, for thy sake are we killed all the day long? We are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. So with everything that this world can throw at us, with everything that the devil wants to do to strike us down, Yet, because of God, we are more than conquerors. We are more than conquerors. We are kept in this life by God's appointment, and while being under his authority and training for this time. God, why don't you just take me out of this life? Because you are here by divine design for such a time as this, and thus, while you're here on this rock, take your medicine, take your training, and can I tell you, it has been ordained of God for your benefit and for His glory. And so we are kept in this life by God's appointment while being under His authority and training for this time. And so, as the Church of Jesus Christ, as we move past Herod, and as we see what God was doing, and His sovereignty prevailing, and everything, and poetically how God is capitalizing and multiplying His Word, and growing His Word, in spite of everything that Herod endeavored to stamp out, we see that God is greater, and so that The greatest way that his church can be on the offensive, because as Jesus expressed to his disciples, the gates of hell will not prevail against his church. It was legitimately where he was standing, there was a place called the gates of hell where they would offer child sacrifice and idol worship and there were these big massive stone walls and they were carved out inside and everything about his disciples were trembling at the fact that they were even in the presence of the gates of hell there was a literal gates of hell but can I tell you on a whole spiritual side folks forget about those little cliff walls, there are the gates of hell. But can I tell you, we are on the offensive. We are not on the defensive. We press into the gates of hell. We rescue the perishing. We we care for the dying. We we help those. And we are God's ambassadors in this life for this time. And, you know, the greatest way that the church can kick Satan in the teeth is when we intentionally choose to give the gospel to more people in spite of what he does against us. That's the greatest way that the church can rise up and actually take the initiative and, you know what, take the offensive and not just be on roller skates and trying to, you know, somehow just hang on until Jesus comes. Church, this morning, can I just encourage you that there is an opportunity that we all have to be a healthy church. But there is a mentality that we have to realize this spiritual warfare is real. It goes beyond your workplace. It goes beyond your home. It goes beyond your personal, your personal life. And there's some areas in our lives where we've got to start to start to take seriously the very battle that we are up against. And so where we do have an enemy and he is out for our destruction and whether it's from within or without he wants to do all that he can to destroy what God's heritage and what God wants to do through his people. So Satan's resistance is nothing compared to our Savior's omnipotence. So the Word of God can do nothing but grow and multiply when the church chooses to focus our priority in having a gospel ministry identity. That is what is at large. That when we choose to focus our priority on having a gospel ministry identity, we grow, God's Word grows, God's Word multiplies. I want to see God in 2025 do that which is exceedingly abundantly above all I can ever ask or think. And you know what else I can do as a pastor is I can just extend the hand of fellowship to all of you and say, will you go with me? I want to see, can we go together? Can we go ahead? And you know what? Maybe we need to set some things aside that is distracting us and that we would go together in seeing God afresh and anew and the gospel do greater things than we've ever imagined. And so, Philippians 1 verse 12 says, but I would, you should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel. The intent of Jesus Christ is that he will strengthen his church and multiply his word through the trials we face. That is God's intention. The intent of Jesus Christ is that he would strengthen his church and multiply his word through the trials which we face. And so all of these trials lead to a critical moment in church history. It's through, how do we get there? How does a church all of a sudden say, you know what, we truly are engaged? How does a church actually start to take the initiative of taking the offensive? It is through making a decision for discipleship. See, when you build a house, the foundation is absolutely critical, right? I mean, those of us that have absolutely no building experience whatsoever, we still not understand and know that this idea of a foundation is pretty important. I mean, what else? I mean, you're building your house upon something, upon a superstructure that really we don't even appreciate. I mean, how many of us actually look at our foundation and say, man, I just love that foundation. We don't even really appreciate it. And yet, that's the whole thing that keeps the house upright. And can I tell you, for the house of God, the very thing that keeps us going forward, keeps us upright, keeps forward motion, folks, is this idea that we never say quit when it comes to discipleship. It is through discipleship that God has established a great diversity of health in the church at Antioch. And Jesus is activating them to fulfill their call to global gospel ministry through this idea of sending. And so where the church is now taking up the mantle of, you know what we're going to do? We are going to launch out some of our own. See, it's always been about global gospel ministry for Jesus Christ and His church. But there has been a process that has been taking place where we've just seen the organic development. of the church and just the messiness of it all, the prejudice, the bias, some of the schisms, division. God gave us a very beautiful picture of the fact that even in His church it just doesn't work out seamlessly. That there was things that God had to work through to get His church on point and on mission to where He really needed them to be. And now we are finally crossing that threshold where The church is, yes, not only Jerusalem, it is Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and now we're really seeing a great thrust in the uttermost part of the world. And so, Jesus is activating them, this church at Antioch, to really be the tip of the spear to fulfilling the call to global gospel ministry through what avenue? Sending. Sending. Where the church is now taking up the mantle of not just local ministry, but global ministry. Where they are endeavoring to work together, simultaneously, to not only reach souls here, but places we'll never go. And so Matthew chapter 28, 19 through 20, the Great Commission, there again, it expresses, A church's success is seen in how we centralize on the gospel personally, while supporting the gospel globally through sending others. If we could just get a hold of that, why do we even have missions conference? Why is it this year that we are going to? endeavor to even try to go about missions emphasis and giving a different in a different fashion is because God has put at all of our feet a very massive responsibility as a church and as a Christian is that we would endeavor to reach souls across this globe but that we are personally also responsible for reaching souls right where we live in our own backyard and so If we are truly going to talk about what is how do you measure the church's success? If I could just boil it all down to how is it that we are we centralizing on the gospel personally? What is my personal ownership of it? But then also, how am I supporting the gospel globally through sending others? Both of those responsibility work in tandem, and there's not one that we say, well, I'll do this, but not that. No, it doesn't work like that. It's yes and amen to both. And so let's look at a model of a healthy church. So there again, do you want a healthy church? Do you desire to be engaged and see and be a part of something that's truly functioning the way biblical Christianity was intended to? And so if that is true, so let's look at number one. We need to be healthy, so number one, health begins with discipleship. Health begins with discipleship. Verse 24, but the word of God grew and multiplied. What does that mean? What does that even mean? I've been asking myself the question, what does that mean? Well, does it mean, well, that means that more Bibles were printed. Well, not exactly would that work in this framework. It means life upon life There was a deposit being made, and then that deposit that was made was then taken to someone else, and a deposit was made, and a deposit was made, and a deposit was made. It was this progressive action that is happening where lives are being touched and moved by the gospel of Jesus Christ. How does the Bible, how does the word of God grow and multiply? It's through your life and mine. through your life and mine. And so, verse 25, the word of God grew and multiplied. And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry and took with them John, whose surname was Mark. Health begins with discipleship. Well, I want to try to, best I can, I want to look at the discipleship format of how the Bible sees discipleship, because it was obviously happening in Antioch and it was happening here with John Mark. And so, here's what we know about discipleship. The only way that the church grows in health is when the Word of God grows and multiplies in the hearts and lives of the hearers. How do we have more health in a church is where God's Word is growing and multiplying in your heart, in your family, in your marriage, Every day. It has to be growing. It can't just say, well, that was really sweet. That was really nice. No, there has to be something inside of each of us where we are making a determination of, you know what? I don't want to be content with where I am. Rather, I want to press into the gospel of Jesus Christ. I want to press into the word of God growing and multiplying in my life. That is how the church grows by just at a baseline context. That's how the church grows in health. And so the greatest indicator that maturity is taking place within the church is when our hearts are growing in our desire to reach and teach others. Do you just look at church as a resource? When you come here, is this just a building, and this is just a community, and it's just a resource that you can try to, well, you know, I like this music, or I like this program, or I like this opportunity. Or is it actually, no, this is a family, this is a body that I invested in, and that, you know what, that I want to be involved with, where we are maturing as a congregation, as a family. And the greatest indicator of that is when our desire is multiplied across the board and where, you know what, at the baseline we want to reach others and we want to teach others. Reach and teach. That is, can I tell you, the essence of the Great Commission of what we just read in Matthew 28. Go into all the world and teach. So make disciples, evangelize. And then further, it says, teach them again. It means to disciple them. And so the emphasis and the essence of the Great Commission is reach and teach. And that ought to be the very core of what we desire. Barnabas and Saul understood that disciples are not manufactured wholesale. You know what? As churches, we want to take a corporate mentality to where we're like, okay, you know what discipleship is? It's Sunday morning, it's Wednesday, and where we can mass produce disciples wholesale. That's not how it works. Never has. You have to have personal investment for discipleship to even take place. They understood this, Paul and Barnabas, they took with them this one John Mark. And so they have been, apparently as they were in Jerusalem taking the offering to the saints, Barnabas is the nephew, or I'm sorry, is the uncle of John Mark. And so what is happening is there was intentional cultivation happening as they were depositing truth into his heart. But can I tell you, it's like, well, why would you come to that assumption? Well, we would go back to Acts chapter 11 and realize this is their manner. Barnabas and Saul, when they went to Antioch, this is what they did. This was the thrust of their ministry. And they didn't change how they did things when they went to Jerusalem and they saw a young man that had put his faith in Jesus Christ and they started to pour into him so that he could gain understanding. And so they have been intentionally cultivating truth into the hearts of not only the believers at Antioch, but now in the life of John Mark. And Barnabas and Saul knew the value there was in taking the time, now get it folks, what is discipleship need? What is absolutely needed in discipleship? It's time. You have to invest time. You have to take the time to what? Invest. to instruct and to carefully involve those who desire to grow in their understanding of the truth. Invest, involve, instruct. Barnabas and Saul understood the value of this. It says that they took with them, there in your text in verse 25, it says they took with them. That word that is translated as a phrase, it means to take with one as a companion. You know, this wasn't just a superficial relationship. This was a companionship that was being fostered. They took him along with them. Discipleship is a unique ministry opportunity of building companionship through the avenue of spiritual mentorship. Okay, it's building companionship. It starts with the greatest context for a ministry is within the bounds of a relationship. That's where ministry happens the most effectively. And so, as you're having companionship and relationship, well, what is it? There's also a core of what is this all about? It's for spiritual mentorship. And so, where a seasoned disciple pours their life into a young believer who will, and here's the intention, who will eventually go and do likewise. Go and do likewise. See, discipleship is a wonderful opportunity when it's just, so Matt, I'm gonna use you, come here. Discipleship was a wonderful opportunity. We had the opportunity to go through to discipleship together, right? Okay? And then all of a sudden, now what has happened? Discipleship was 50% once we finished. But then, go ahead Austin, stand up. Here's where it became full circle. Is now this guy is pouring into this guy. That is discipleship. Okay? Amen. Amen. Thank you guys. And the intended purpose of this, folks, is life upon life. One life pouring into another life. Not superficially, but rather this is an opportunity to where we are building together for an intentional purpose of spiritual mentorship. A seasoned disciple pours their life into a young believer who will eventually go and do likewise. So you may be like, oh yeah, I went through discipleship once. No, you don't understand. That's the problem. It doesn't end. It only continues. It must continue. And so, they took with them, Mark 2 Timothy 2, verse 1 through 2 says, Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus and the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses. The same commit thou, get it, to faithful men. Why? Who shall be able to teach others Also. Also. And so people stay close to Christ and feel connected to church when they have responsibility and relationship. Why is it, Pastor, that we should be involved and engaged? Because, folks, if you're not intentionally engaged and you don't have some kind of ownership, some kind of responsibility, and you don't have a relationship, can I tell you? You have set yourself up to wear your easy pickings for Satan. And if you have gone through discipleship and you have not then taken the next step of moving forward in the next arena of discipleship, you, my friend, have also done the same thing. You're putting yourself at a great disadvantage. It never stops. It never stops. So this coming January 24th, Friday night, 6 o'clock, not only will we feed you, But we are going to unveil and help you to understand that this is what discipleship is. It's not just a course. No, we have multiple tiers, multiple opportunities, multiple people that are saying, yes, I will pour into you. I will take the time to cultivate this in your life. But you can I tell you also, we're asking is that would you show up first? Just show up, make make it a priority. And and this is how we become a healthy church health. begins at discipleship. Since John Mark is a relative of Barnabas and he had spent quality time with Barnabas and Saul, thus it seems that he has come to appreciate the gospel ministry and is willing to now travel to see a church that is very serious. I don't know what the true prerogative and motive of John Mark is, but can I just maybe make some assumptions, assessments, that maybe he's like, you know, I want to see a church that is very diverse in its leadership, that really the gospel at its core, discipleship is happening very effectively on a very high level, and where people, there's a great unity of heart, and where they're striving together for the faith of the gospel. Can I tell you, maybe it could be that he just really desired to see a church that was serious about the Great Commission. And there's a lot of folks in this room, can I tell you, that I appreciate you and I love you and I know that you have come here from maybe another, you've chosen to transfer and come here, but can I tell you, you can't just come here and sit. If that is your only intention, This is not going to be a very comfortable, you're always gonna feel like, pastor's always hitting me with this. Just jump in the pool, the water's fine. Jump in the pool, the water's fine. Try it. Just try it. Like, don't come here with the intention to just sit. Come here with the intention to say, you know what? I want to re-engage. I want to be intentional. Because why? My decision affects the health of the whole. Your decision affects the health of the whole. So thus, we must intentionally be involved and engage in growing. So a seriousness for discipleship has often plagued the church, where God's people are failing to realize the potential that we are truly capable of. That's really the core of the heart of what I'm just trying to get across. Do you realize what we are truly capable of? We are the heritage of Jesus Christ. We have a Savior. We have a God. We are not, He is not on our side. We are on His side. We are His family. We have yet to see what we are truly capable of. And so sadly, the church by and large is not living to see God's Word growing and multiplying itself in our daily lives. And so a thriving, healthy church is often a rarity because it can only grow out of a healthy church culture. Why is there so many institutions and yet there's just very little progress being made is because the church has been lulled to sleep and are content with that. So a healthy church culture requires an intentionality from us, from us, from this pastor, from me personally, to allow God's Word, the freedom to transform us That is really what is lacking. Have we put a ceiling? Have we choked off in our own lives? Have we choked off the potential that God wants to do because we're just like, you know what, it's enough. and where we've checked our box and we're satisfied with it. Can I just tell you Romans chapter 12, verse one and two still says, I beseech you, therefore brethren, by the mercies of God. Hey, go back to the mercy of God, of what the God's mercy has done for you, and present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. When you evaluate the cross and all that Jesus has done for you, is there anything that you wouldn't do for him? If there is, there's something wrong with that. As you would really evaluate your life and the great sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the mercy of God that has been extended to you, it is but our reasonable service to say, God, here am I. And be not conformed unto this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. See, discipleship teaches us to let the gospel shape our lives and then organically transforms the culture of Jesus' church. The more that we let this be a reality, that's what discipleship will teach you. I just want to, I want to take the hands off my, you know, I want to let God have His own way. I want to let the gospel shape my life. And then, you know what it'll do? It will organically, you don't have to manufacture it. It will transform the culture of the church, where there will be a healthy church culture. So a gospel identity will only happen through intentional instruction that shapes our hearts doctrinally through the avenue of discipleship. So what's the whole point? It's shaping your heart to helping you to know what you believe, why you believe it. Know what you believe, why you believe it. The fact is one must first understand biblical principles if they are going to practically exercise them for life, right? How do you possibly exercise biblical principles if you don't even understand really what you even believe about it? See, we can do a lot of things on the exterior and we can change some things on the outside. But folks, if there's not an inward transformation and really an understanding of why God would have me to live this way, then really we're missing the whole point. And so discipleship is an equipping of believers to think through the application of biblical principles. And then for these new believers to seek a proper biblical response for themselves. 1 Peter 3, verse 15 in this last point, But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. If somebody was to challenge what you believe, what would you say? Do you have the equipping and the ability to be able to exercise a really an accurate answer according to biblical principles and scripture? Can you go and can you be able to say, yes, this, I may not be the best at it, but here, let me give it my best try. And so there is a great opportunity and God challenges us to know what you believe and why you believe it. Discipleship seeks to provide people with the process of right thinking. That is the point. It's not to indoctrinate you in being a Baptist. It's about to help you to understand if you're going to have an effective walk with Jesus Christ, there has to be biblical principles that are absolutely flowing from inside to outside that is naturally what you have adopted and really galvanized in your own heart. And so number two, health will develop leadership. So health begins with discipleship. How does this church at Antioch, this is an amazing church. I mean, God entrusted them with being the tip of the spear, the beachhead, where he was going to launch into. Really, they are the reason why we have the Gospel. That's where it all started. And so, how is it that we can speak and think so highly of such an amazing body, and yet, you know, it's like, well, how did they get there? They started with discipleship. You know what? Discipleship produces something. It produces leadership. It develops leadership. Verse 13, verse 1, it gives us some insight. Now there was in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers as Barnabas and Simeon that was called Niger and Lucius and Cyrene and Menaean which have been brought up with Herod the tetrarch and Saul. You know what I just love about that verse is the diversity. There was rich people and there was poor people. There was black people, there were Caucasian people. The word Niger literally means black. He's a black man. And there was diversity, economically, ethnically, relationally, environmentally, all across the board. Just beautiful. And so, health will develop leadership. In spite of the opposition and the hardships, Barnabas and Saul fulfilled their ministry to the Jerusalem saints. But get this, here's one of the things that, I don't know, the Lord just like, caught me here and He wouldn't let me go. Alright? So, here we go. It says in verse 25 that they had fulfilled their ministry. Now, no doubt they had fulfilled their ministry in taking the offering to the saints in Jerusalem. But can I tell you just, you know, really? They had fulfilled their ministry in Antioch as well. Well, what do you mean? The church pressed forward in their absence. The Bible really doesn't tell us how long Saul and Barnabas were in Jerusalem. Doesn't tell us. I think it was for an extended period of time, not to mention just the travel in and of itself. But here's what the church did. The church didn't flounder, flop around, and just become like, you know, this ooey gooey goop on the floor that God's like, what happened to you guys? They pressed forward, even in the midst of their absence. That's pretty awesome. Early on, these men, Barnabas and Saul, they stewarded their opportunity. That's what it is. Leadership is an opportunity to grow the believers in the body of Christ through galvanizing the church's understanding and unity, where? In the gospel. What did they do for them? When they went to, and we'll look at it there in your notes, in Acts chapter 11, here's what it says that Paul and Barnabas did. It said, then departed Barnabas to Tarsus. For why? To seek Saul. When he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and get it, taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. They went beyond believers and they became disciples. And so we have these men who had galvanized the church's understanding and unity. They had this assembly. They taught them. They poured into them. Discipleship, discipleship, discipleship. Life upon life, life upon life. And what did it all of a sudden raise up? Leadership. Leadership. And so healthy church leaders are called by God's grace to, here's what they should do. They should magnetize people to Jesus Christ, not ourselves. You know what I should be endeavoring to do is point you to your magnificent Savior. Because why? If you put too much stock in me, I will fail you. And you will be utterly disappointed. And can I say that if a godly leader always, always, the whole point and purpose of their existence is to try to take that opportunity and just help that heart so fall in love with their Savior that it just like magnetizes. It just sucks them in and they're just so enthralled and so invigorated and so just provoked by the love of their Savior, by who He is. I think sometimes we get caught up in our arrogance and we start to think that we are the Savior. And we lose sight of that. And it's so tempting, it's so easy to do, just in our humanity. And so Barnabas and Saul had intentionally set the priority and the example for what? What was their priority? What was their example in chapter 11, verse 25 and 26 was to teach the word. How did the word, how was it growing and multiplying in Antioch is because they taught the word. And so these men, they understood their priority. And in their absence, the church continued to stay on mission because they had taken on the outlook and the attitude of their leaders. You know what happened is, yeah, Barnabas and Saul, they're now gone, but you know what? They have implanted us with really an understanding and an attitude of how we are to continue to move forward is, well, what do we do now? Let's teach the word. Let's teach the Word. Let's continue with discipleship. And let's have their outlook and their attitude on reaching others, reaching and teaching, reaching and teaching. And so, there's an honest reality, I think, in this text that every pastor in the world should understand. And this is what really got me. Okay? Now, you listen so well when I learn lessons and rebuke myself. Okay? The fact is, folks, if the church, if Solid Rock Baptist Church needs me to move forward, I have done, I have not done right by the church. If this body, you are not mine, you are the Lord's heritage. This is His church, not my church. Therefore, if you need me to be able to exist, then I have not done right. I have not done right. And so, there is such a wonderful, beautiful picture here that they had fulfilled their ministry. You know how we know that in Antioch? It's because the church stayed on point. The church moved forward in mission. A church leader has the privilege, and I do count it a privilege, to graciously lead God's people to just having a greater love for Jesus Christ. You want to know what my really, my calling, my purpose is? Is that you might have a bigger heart for Jesus and for others. And so Colossians 2 verse 8 through 10 says, Beware, lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of this world, not after Christ. For in him dwelleth, in him, dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power." It's all in Him. A healthy church does not define itself through programs or polarizing personalities. A biblical ministry seeks to center itself on Jesus Christ. And so when gospel ministry is done effectively, the Holy Spirit does something. The Holy Spirit produces more godly leadership within the church, because you know why folks? This is really going to be deep, very profound. You got it? Ready? Healthy things grow. It's true. Healthy things grow. Why is it that when we saw the church at Antioch in chapter 11, it's Paul and Barnabas, Saul and Barnabas. And what is it that we see then in Acts 13? We see this whole group of leadership that has all of a sudden come to the forefront. That is really casting the vision and seeing it move forward. Because why? Healthy things grow. The question is, where did all these spiritually gifted servants come from? One might say they were all homegrown. There's a greenhouse effect in the church that ought to be happening. So that which we see in verse 1 is really just a short list of products from church discipleship who are now using their spiritual gifts. you might say spiritual gifts. See the Holy Spirit provides every child of God with at least one spiritual gift that they are to exercise to the glory of God. So every person, under the sound of my voice, you have been gifted, you have a divine gift from God, personally hand-picked for you. At least one, maybe more. And can I tell you, it is because of that, you are placed then into a body and that you would have function and you would have purpose and you bring a greater completeness to the body because you're exercising that spiritual gift. See, these diversity of gifts are divine enablements given to every one of us at the moment of our salvation for the express purpose that we would serve God through his local church. Bible says in Romans 12 verse 5 through 8, So we being many are one body in Christ, and every one member is one of another, having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us. Whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith. Or ministry, let us wait in our ministering. Or he that teacheth on teaching, or he that exhorteth on exhortation. He that giveth, let him do it with simplicity. He that ruleth with diligence. He that showeth mercy with cheerfulness. Providence, folks, providence has placed us into this body for the purpose of building and blessing God's people, God's way. And so a commitment to the purposes of God in the gospel has woven together this beautiful model where in Antioch, where there's this multicultural, multi-generational, multi-ethnic church. And so God shows us there is a healthy function happening in the Church of Antioch through gospel-shaped leadership. So discipleship builds leadership. And where God has assembled a diverse compilation of people who are giving, what are they doing? They're giving their lives to serve others. That is what we are as a church. We are to be giving our lives to serve others, serve others here, serve others out there, but we are to give our lives to serve others. These individuals being highlighted have been especially equipped of God for the edifying of the body of Christ for what? For the work of the ministry. Ephesians chapter 4 verse 11 and 12 speaks of leadership within the church and talks about how God ordained some and He gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers. Why? For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, for the building up the body of Christ. So God builds his church evangelistically through spiritual leaders who are diverse economically and ethnically and even, can I say, environmentally. He uses all types. He uses all types. And so the only way that so much diversity can work in harmony is through having a common bond of unity. What should be the common bond of unity? It's really our Savior and His message, His gospel. And so the only thing that is powerful enough to overshadow all of our prejudices and all of our bias and really that could dismantle the cohesiveness of what God wants to do is the gospel of Jesus Christ. A healthy church will choose to champion that we all have the same Savior. And so Philippians chapter 1 verse 27, only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ that whether I come and see you or else I be absent that I may hear of your affairs and that you stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel. Healthy leadership should set the tone for the body of Christ to have a growing confidence in the gospel. That's what leadership does. Healthy leadership ought to set the tone for the body of Christ to have a growing confidence in the gospel. So, I'm out of time. I'm going to stop there because otherwise I'm gonna have to go so fast and it's not even worth it. The fact is, here's the church This is a model of a healthy church. I desire more than anything to be, I am not the church, I'm a part of the church. And we all are the church. We meet in a building, praise God we have a resource that we can use, called a building. But can I tell you, there's a greater opportunity that we have that we need each other. And we need, we enjoy coming and we enjoy having a healthy atmosphere, but You play an integral part in all of that. All of us do. And if we pull back and we say, you know, I'll give you a little bit. If you just want to tip God with your spiritual gifts, that's not going to cut it for a healthy church. We have seen a model of a healthy church. Discipleship, leadership. And next week we'll start on partnership. But can I tell you, there's got to be a reckoning in all of our hearts. You know what? I want to be all in with what God's given me. He's worth it. I have a savior. And so this morning, I want to just ask that we would maybe just consider this and just allow God to have his way. Let's all stand together and let's pray. Lord, we love you. We thank you for your grace and your kindness. Thank you for the privilege that we can even know the gospel, but that we can be a part of the gospel. Lord, I would pray that if there's one here today that has never even entered into the family of God, because they've never heard a clear presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, that they would just give me a moment of their time after the service. Lord, we love you. And I just pray that this would be an opportunity where we would take serious account in doing our part in being a healthy church. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. As the piano plays,