How Disciples Are Made (Acts 15:36-16:10, Jeff Kliewer)

The Idol of Basketball and Being Cut by the Word

Slammed that ball. First time I ever caught an alley-oop off the backboard. Now in my mind it looked like LeBron James and this is remember this is like 20 years ago so the memory has probably morphed in reality.

I probably just caught it and just squeaked it over the front of the rim but that's how I remember it in my brain as my athletic peak. That night we went to the chapel and the speaker was named Adrian Dupree and he began to speak from Matthew chapter 13 and talked about the parable of the soils and as he preached as high as I felt like I was flying he cut me low.

He cut me down to the ground because that night God showed me through the preaching of the word that the idol of my life was basketball and when God showed that to me it cut deeply. I remember that night I went up with all the other students who are coming up to accept Christ.

I went up and laid down on the stage others were laying down and praying to accept the Lord and I laid there for 30 minutes just repenting of my sin because that was the moment in my life when I was cut to the heart and realized that I was living for something before God.

Basketball was a compartment of my life. God was a compartment of my life a compartment see not in and above everything. God was something that I devoted myself to someone I devoted to myself to. On Sunday mornings I would go to church and I would read my Bible and I can even remember being younger than that and making lists of the different areas of my life and I would have a box for each one.

And as I would think about my sports my athletics I would I would rate myself how hard I was working how much I was doing to get better and in academics and different areas of my life. And God was this box over here that I would rate myself from one to five.

It was that day that I realized that God is not to be put in a box. He's not to be compartmentalized in our lives but he needs to be in and above everything that we do. That was a turning point for me that week.

Also the guy who stretched me by throwing an alley-oop off the backboard he stretched me in another way. His name was Marcus Hood. I don't think we ever talked after that week but I remember the implant the imprint he made on my life.

See coming into that week I would pray a little but I saw a young man who was the same age as me who was also counseling a small group of students and he would go off by himself under a tree and pray for those students for hours and weep as he prayed and I had no understanding of what drove him to do that.

But I saw this concern for others in Marcus Hood that inspired me. I hung out with him for that week. And after that week my life was totally different. I began to walk by the Spirit instead of focused on the things of this earth and spiritual things started happening that had never happened to me before this week.

How Disciples Are Made by the Word, Sacrifice, and the Spirit

In the text from Acts 15 36 through 1610 we are going to look at how disciples are made. What happened to me for that week is first of all I was confronted with truth. Adrian Dupree spoke truth. Number two I was encouraged to sacrifice and number three I learned to walk in the Spirit.

That's my testimony. That's how I was transformed that week and still a wicked sinner after that and falling short of the glory of God and yet different I had matured that week. It was a sanctification a leap.

How our disciples made. These are the questions that we need to look at. So Acts chapter 15 verse 36 through 41 will be the first section. Now let's let's take a look at the map of where we are geographically in the book of Acts.

This is the start of Paul's second missionary journey. He's just come back from Jerusalem. He was in Antioch because of a dispute. He went down in Acts chapter 15 to work this out with the Apostles and then returns to Antioch which is where we pick up now in the text.

And after some days Paul said to Barnabas let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaim the word of the Lord and see how they are now. Barnabas wanted to take with them. John called Mark and Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.

And there arose a sharp disagreement so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. But Paul chose Silas and departed having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.

And he went through Syria and Cilicia strengthening churches. Now this of course is a famous disagreement between Paul and Barnabas that leads to them separating from each other. But recognize that Barnabas at this point in his walk with Christ is already a mature believer.

He was on that first missionary journey. He suffered many things for the gospel and yet we'll see that both he and Paul still had room to grow. There's still a disagreement between these godly men. The first way that disciples are made are by the blade of the sword of truth.

Disciples are made at the blade of the sword of truth. It's the Word of God. Look with me in the previous verse verse 35 when Paul and Barnabas remain in Antioch they're not just hanging out. They are teaching and preaching the Word of the Lord.

The Word of God is what transforms sinful fallen flesh into the image of the Son of God. Sanctification happens by the Word of truth. So in verse 36 Paul has an idea. Paul and Barnabas say. Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaim the Word of the Lord and see how they are.

The concern here that Paul has is not just that people get saved but that they grow in wisdom and knowledge and depth of insight. Making disciples is not the same thing as leading people to Christ. That's the first step.

The new birth is the beginning of the new life in Christ. But a disciple is one who has been made a disciple who grows in the image of Christ. The word disciple of course means follower. One who follows a teacher a student a pupil.

Paul is not just interested in getting the gospel as far as he can that's a high priority. But he's also interested in strengthening the churches. Flip over and look at verse 41. The end of this section comments that he goes through Syria and Cilicia.

Strengthening the churches evangelism is very important. But strengthening the churches strengthening the believers the disciples is an equal concern. Next notice in verse 36 the disagreement is between Paul and Barnabas.

Paul the Apostle and Barnabas also called an apostle. At other places there is no clear delineation between who is the leader. In this circumstance oftentimes conflicts arise in the church because there's not an understanding of who has the authority to finally make a decision who is the ultimate leader within the home.

Now we know that Paul and Barnabas are ontologically meaning in who they are. They're equal to one another. The father is equal to the son and is equal to the spirit. Each member of the Trinity is equally called God.

But there are leadership roles within the family within the Godhead. We're in the economy of the Trinity. The son will submit himself to the father and do the father's will saying not my will but yours be done.

It's the same way in marriage. If there's finally a disagreement that there be not because of sin but because the husband and wife cannot come to a final decision who is the leadership authority in the home.

Ultimately it needs to be the husband according to Ephesians chapter 5. Well in this context part of Barnabas does not recognize Paul as an authority over him or vice versa. Sometimes conflict happens when there's not clear boundaries.

Imagine neighbors and there was no survey done on their houses. Can you imagine the conflicts if one of them decided to put up a fence. Notice when someone buys a house a survey or if the the lines have already been drawn there's a very clear boundary line drawn around properties.

Because it's important to know who has jurisdiction over what territory in your relationships. Recognize the authority structures that God has put in place in the church. God has given elders to lead and guide the church as overseers and bishops in the assembly of the church who are responsible before God to be submissive to God and to be led by the Holy Spirit.

Now notice what happens next is not spirit led. It's of the flesh. Let us return and visit the brothers. That's a godly desire. Now Barnabas wanted to take with him John called Mark. The problem here Paul thinks best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.

There is a disagreement because Paul thinks best he's thinking biblically. And what he's saying is not to take one with them who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.

Of course that refers back to Acts chapter 13 when John Mark left and abandoned the mission. Paul is thinking he Mark is not at a place spiritually where he is called for this mission. But Barnabas is thinking emotionally.

How. So look at verse 37. He wanted to take with him John called Mark. Now John called Mark is very personal. It's a name. In fact this is Barnabas's nephew. This is his nephew. So there's an emotional attachment.

Matthew Henry says we should suspect ourselves of partiality and guard against it in preferring our relations. Barnabas is emotionally attached in this situation and he can't understand Paul's reasoning.

But what causes a quarrel like this. Because we're told in the text here that it's a sharp disagreement. Look at verse 39. This is no small thing. This is a sharp disagreement. What causes the clashing of heads like this in the church.

This is the body of the believers. We love one another. We're willing to sacrifice for one another. I don't doubt that Paul would have laid down his life for Barnabas and Barnabas would have laid down his life for Paul.

Why are they butting heads like this. What causes quarrels. James chapter 4 verses 1 to 3. What causes quarrels among you. Is it not your desires your wants. And so I'm just gonna ask you this. The last time you had a conflict a sharp disagreement with somebody that you love maybe somebody that you would die for.

Did you stop and ask yourself the question what is it that I want that I'm not getting. What is it that I want that I'm not getting. Sharp disagreements arise from willfulness from a want that's deep seated.

That's emotional. But clearly in the text here the Spirit of God is not giving a harmonious testimony to Paul and the other leaders of the church that Mark is supposed to go with Barnabas. And so look at the language of the text.

What comes next. It says after they had a sharp disagreement they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. It's kind of like taking your ball and going home. He just sailed away.

If you keep reading the context continues to show a differentiation between Paul and Barnabas in this context not to say that Paul was necessarily without fault. Paul might have been at fault as well in how he dealt with things or his own heart.

But Paul chose Silas and departed having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. Now when you see a prepositional phrase like that which modifies what's come before in this case it's modifying the nearer antecedent.

It doesn't mean that both Barnabas and Paul were commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. It means that Paul chose Silas and Paul and Silas were commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.

And to prove that farther in verse 41 it says. And he went through again referring to Paul having been commended now he went. What goes through Syria and Cilicia strengthening the churches. So the bottom line of what I'm saying is that Barnabas disappears from the book of Acts.

At this point we don't hear from him again. And there's something to be said that the narrative now continues to follow Paul and not Barnabas. Barnabas is the one who truly got in the flesh and ran away in this case.

But Paul went through Syria and Cilicia strengthening the churches now. That's pretty sad. Isn't it. Wouldn't that be hard on the church at Antioch to see their two great leaders. Remember chapter 13 verse 1 set apart Barnabas and Saul for the work that I've called him to do the Holy Spirit called these men.

And then for the church these young believers to see the leaders the two pillars of the church clashing. That must have been really hard to see and painful guys in the church. Sometimes the work that we're called to do in the church is messy and it's painful.

But the church is the bride of Christ. He came from heaven and sought her and bought her with his blood. The church is the bride of Christ. And he loves the church. If Christ loves the church so much as to come and die for the church.

Are you brother and sister willing to stick with the bride through thick and thin. Do you love the church the way these did. And here's the good news. God had a purpose even in the pain. This is where the story gets fun.

Because if you flip with me to 2nd Timothy chapter 4 verse 11 the last chapter that Paul will write when he's suffering when he knows he's about to go and die he'll be beheaded within a matter of days.

Probably he's writing a letter and in his anguish he's been deserted by many many faithful friends who up until that point would stand by him. Now he's feeling deserted. He asks Timothy to come to him and he calls for one person to join him.

Wouldn't you know it's John Mark. The story wasn't over. John Mark who in the flesh sailed away is now a faithful and devoted friend and mature in the faith. And here's the point we are sanctified by the truth.

According to Ephesians chapter 4 we grow up into all things. And the way that happens is when people speak the truth in love. What Paul said to Timothy was that wound that cut him. I'm sorry to mark was that wound that cut him and changed his life forever.

He didn't forget that conflict and it caused him to grow. It was just like when Adrian Dupree cut me to the quick mark was changed by this. He heard truth and the truth changed him over time. Don't you know that this is the same man that wrote the book of Mark the first gospel that would be written.

This turns into good news. Moreover when Barnabas takes off for Cyprus that's one mission team. And when Paul goes forward with with Silas that's another mission team. Interestingly Barnabas was from Cyprus.

If we pull up the map Barnabas was from this island where he sails off to and Paul was from Cilicia to the north. So Barnabas takes off here and does mission work across this island and Paul will go up from his hometown which is Tarsus and continue from there.

So God had a plan and sending them out where they'll be most effective. The most important thing I can say to you brother and sister how do you become a disciple. How do you grow. You allow the biting sword of the Spirit to do its work.

Maybe you're not saved here this morning. You need to let the good wound of God's Word cut you to the heart. When the gospel was preached in Acts chapter 2 all of the listeners were told those who became believers they were cut to the heart.

The sword cuts and it shows us how sinful we are. And it calls us to repent of our sin and believe in the Son of God whom God has sent. The sword cuts us. But we also need to continue to receive those good wounds from the Word if you're not opening the Bible.

If you're not reading the Bible you won't be cut. You'll continue on compartmentalizing God keeping him in a box and not maturing be in the Word of God. That's how disciples are made. The second thing.

Disciples Are Strengthened by Sacrifice and Humility

And let's pull up this map again. The second thing disciples gain usefulness in the kingdom as we die to ourselves as our selflessness gets run out. If you notice after Antioch the Paul is going to take Silas with him and head up into this region called Cilicia and all the way up to Derby Lystrom where he was stoned and left for dead here in what is currently Turkey.

So let's read it Acts 16 1 to 5. Here brothers and sisters is the positive example. Mark was in the flesh and needed the good cut of the Word of God speaking the truth in love of Ephesians 4. But Timothy is the positive example of how discipleship happens.

The willingness to humble himself the willingness to die. 16 1 to 5. Paul came also to Derby and to Lystra again. That's where Paul was stoned and left for dead. On that day the church had a model had a picture of what true discipleship looks like.

Here is a man the Apostle Paul willing to preach Christ being stoned and left for dead and turning right back around and going back into the city. A man who's willing to die for the faith. Timothy is a young man in that town growing up and he saw it with his own eyes.

A disciple was there named Timothy the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer but his father was a Greek. He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places.

For they all knew that his father was a Greek. Interesting. Paul wants Timothy. Earlier we were told he thought it not best to take mark. So he didn't want to take mark. He does want Timothy. There's a connection there in the text and here again we have circumcision.

We thought we were done talking about this last week. You know we finished Acts 15 where that was the question. The leaders some particular leaders were saying you must be circumcised in order to be saved.

And now the question comes up again. But it's a different situation. See if you can follow what it is. He took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places. For they all knew that his father was a Greek.

As they went on their way through the cities they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the Apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in the faith and they increased in numbers daily.

They're explicitly going from church to church delivering what the elders and the Apostles had said. Namely you don't have to be circumcised in order to be saved. You don't have to follow the whole law of Moses including the ceremonial and sacrificial system in order to be a Christian.

It's not part of salvation. Nevertheless we're told Paul circumcises Timothy because of the Jews. This was not an effort to work one's way to salvation. This was rather being willing to suffer for the sake of the kingdom to be useful to the King of Kings.

This is an example of humility and best summarized in 1st Corinthians chapter 9 verses 19 to 23. Paul says. I become all things to all people in order to save some to the Jew. I became like a Jew that I might save the Jews and to the Gentiles like a Gentile to save the Gentiles becoming all things to all men in order that I might save some.

Timothy was willing to suffer to humble himself for the sake of the mission in order that he would be useful in the gospel outreach that he would have access to the Jewish synagogues into which they wanted to go and preach the good news.

So this is not about salvation it's about usefulness. Notice in verse 5 the churches were strengthened. That's the issue here. How are churches strengthened. My brother told me a story about a really strong church that he saw in a really unlikely place.

He went on a mission trip down to the Dominican Republic and there he saw orphans and he stayed at the orphanage with them to paint and to fix things up. But the orphans every morning woke and praised God and they would spend hours singing and reading their Bible before the day even really got started before they went to their schoolwork.

And there was such joy and happiness in their faces. And my brother thought why don't we see this kind of discipleship in our American churches. Why is it that there's orphans in the Dominican Republic who wake up in the morning and they sing with this delight.

Why is this. He figured it out. A couple days later when Pastor Lucian came to the orphanage he was the founder of that orphanage. And he came in with a spiritual force to him with a desire for the word.

And when when he came in the kids were magnetized by him and they listened to him and he preached. And all he does is go about the Dominican Republic planning churches and establishing orphanages and giving himself day after day.

And he commanded their respect. And he modeled sacrifice. And they rose to the challenge. Paul modeled sacrifice. He was willing to die for the gospel and Timothy simply grew up in that context. Sadly the American Church doesn't often model sacrifice for the gospel.

We're too comfortable. We have God on Sunday mornings we have our Bible apps and we have things that we do to check the box. But do we really know what it looks like to lay down our lives for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Paul says about Timothy. I have no one else like him who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. For everyone is concerned for his own interest. But Timothy is different. For like a son to a father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.

Philippians 2 19 to 23. Paul modeled it. Timothy followed that example. And then Timothy becomes an example for us as well. If we're to be disciples who grow we need to be encouraging one another to step out.

So I'm gonna do that to you right now. I'm gonna encourage every one of you to take the time to come. If you don't have any really pressing commitment on September 29th learn how to witness from guys that go out and do street preaching come and learn the teaching and then go out with us and practice.

You say whoa that's pushing me a little out of my comfort zone. Yeah that's the point. I want to push you out of your comfort zone. That's what Paul modeled for Timothy. Timothy was humble enough to let himself be circumcised simply to gain access with the Jews.

Walking in Step with the Holy Spirit

Last thing. Verses 6 to 10. Disciples make disciples by keeping in step with the Spirit. This is exciting stuff right here if you don't know what it feels like to walk in the Spirit and keep in step with the Spirit and see how he opens doors and closes doors.

This is exciting stuff. Verse 6 to 10. They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia they attempted to go into Bithynia but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.

Interesting isn't that the Spirit of God is communicating with them telling them no you can't go here on the map again. Pull that up for us one more time to kind of track the progress here. We're told from from Derby and Lystra in this area they come up here and they desire to go into Asia now.

Notice by the way there's a lot of people teach. Well if God had not stopped him then the gospel would have gone east instead of West and Europe wouldn't have become the first major Christian continent it would have gone.

No listen Asia is actually to the west of where they were. This is the province of Asia that's being spoken of and by the way on the way back he will go into Asia. So this this only means that temporarily the Spirit said no.

He directed them not to go into Asia but to go up this way. And as they go through Mysia they want to go here. They want to go to the north and preach the gospel. There's nothing wrong with that desire to go up here into Bithynia and preach the gospel.

In fact I had the great privilege back in 2006 I got to fly into right here this is Istanbul and then go to Ankara and preach the gospel. We went about an hour on a train out to here. There was a town called Palatla Beledisi.

There was no known believers there. And then we went down to Kayseri here and there were many believers and there were underground churches. The gospel has penetrated that that area and the church here is amazing.

I wish I could show you what it looks like the baptismal in this little underground church to see people being baptized in Turkey. The gospel will go to these places according to God's timing in his way.

But the Spirit is saying no not. Now don't go there go down to Troas where the city of Troy is. And notice in the text when they came to Mysia they attempted to go the Spirit did not allow them. Verse 8.

So passing by Mysia they went down to Troas and a vision appeared to Paul in the night a man of Macedonia was standing there urging him and saying come over to Macedonia and help us. And when Paul had seen the vision immediately we sought to go into Macedonia concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

We all know Galatians chapter 5 is the fruit of the Spirit right. And if you if you don't have the fruit of the Spirit if you have the fruit of the flesh then you don't belong to the Spirit of God. But in Galatians chapter 5 verse 25 we're told to keep in step with the Spirit as believers.

There's a such thing as walking in the Spirit continuing in the Spirit where he speaks to us and leads us. Wayne Grudem puts it this way. The work of the Holy Spirit is to manifest the active presence of God in the world and especially in the church.

On the back of your notes I printed up a little section from Wayne Grudem's systematic theology. I want you to read that later just a little take-home homework to read what he said about that because he shows that God often leads us by the Holy Spirit and we need to be willing to hear his Spirit to listen.

It could come in an impression of a strong feeling. Most importantly it comes by obeying the Word of God what God has already spoken through the scriptures. But he does guide and direct us as we go. The Holy Spirit gives stronger or weaker evidence of the presence and blessing of God according to our response to him as disciples of Christ all of us are either born again or we're not.

We're either in the Spirit having the Spirit or we were no part of his. We don't have the adoption according to Romans 8. But there is more or less obedience to the Holy Spirit in our life which will be manifested in more or less power in our lives.

As we go about the Christian life it is possible to be filled with the Spirit so controlled by the Spirit that it's comparable to being drunk on wine. Be filled with the Holy Spirit do not be drunk on wine.

But the analogy stands. It's also possible to grieve the Holy Spirit and not walk in the Spirit even as Christians. What made this discipleship so amazing is that Paul and Paul and Silas at this point are walking in the Spirit.

They're going from place to place as the Spirit leads them. We need that filling in our lives. If we're to grow as Christians to be made disciples not just believers but disciples. We need the filling of the Holy Spirit.

We need to be guided and led by the Spirit of God. Lastly in the text verse 10 an interesting thing happens. It says. When Paul had seen the vision immediately we sought to go into Macedonia. Look back a couple verses ahead before they reached Troas.

What is the preposition used to describe this traveling party. Verse 7 when they had come up to Mysiah they attempted to go into Bithynia. Verse 8 they went down to Troas. So at that point it's they after Troas.

Luke the author of this book begins to use we. That tells us that Luke was picked up at this point in the story. And Luke will travel with Paul and write down what he sees and eventually write the book of Luke and then the book of Acts.

Luke is a physician. He's a behind-the-scenes kind of guy but he's every bit as important as Paul and Silas in the recording of this. So that here we sit today almost 2 ,000 years later and we are reading the very Word of God.

You might be more of a behind-the-scenes person. Maybe you're not going to be the witness on the street that's leading a bunch of people to Christ. But you can still have the filling of the Holy Spirit.

You can still be used of God even behind the scenes. God wants all of us as disciples contributing to this work. And so let me summarize this way this way application dispel any notion of your own competency for the Christian life and mission.

Your competency does not come from you. You are like a statue that comes from a block. And the way you're formed to look beautiful and to be in the image of Christ is he has to chip away at you and remove unwanted pieces.

He does that by the sword of the Spirit and as he does it hurts because we're generally selfish people right. As he cuts away the unwanted parts we become useful more and more useful to him. And then we come alive in the Spirit and only the Spirit can give life.

All of this comes from God. You cannot do this Christian life on your own. You can't get saved on your own. And as a Christian you need the continuing work of the Holy Spirit in your life. You're not competent to do it.

Neither am I. None of us are expect the immaturity of us Christians to destabilize the walls of the church. I don't know about you but when I read this in Acts chapter 15 at the end of that chapter and there's disagreement between two towering figures like Paul and Barnabas.

I'm encouraged because God had a purpose then. And he'll have a purpose now no matter what happens in the church still is bride. And no matter how shaky we make the walls he's gonna hold up his church.

And the gates of hell will not prevail against the church because Christ is building it. It's his church. So be encouraged. This is all part of God's plan. Now if you're like Mark it's time to grow up.

If you're like Timothy stay strong and keep the course. If you're like Luke keep serving behind the scenes. This is how disciples are made by the Word by sacrifice and by the Spirit. The passionate disagreement that we saw in chapter 15 was based on passion for the mission.

It's because Paul and Barnabas cared so much that they clashed they loved so deeply. Be committed to the church. Pour yourself in to the church. I want to close in a word of prayer and I'm asked the worship team to come on up.

But here's what I want to do as we pray. I just ask you to think about your own life. I wish I could just call Adrian Dupree to come on in and preach what he said to me. That's what I was hoping to do tonight or this morning.

If you've never accepted Christ as your Savior you need him right now. If you're not born again what are you waiting for. Today could be the last day. Believe in him. Repent of your sin. Receive what this word is saying.