This Sunday, we will finish the final leg of Paul and Barnabas’ first missionary journey. Acts 14:21-28 shows us their route home and describes the missions activities they did along the way. Through chapter 13 - 14 we have seen them preach the gospel in the synagogues and the cities, to Jews and to Gentiles, and even to pagans with no knowledge of the Jewish Messiah or promises. They had been run out of several cities, caused quite a division in the cities, and had almost been worshiped as pagan gods. They had been persecuted and reviled. They had been chased by their opponents from city to city, and Paul had been stoned so severely that he was thought to have died. As we pick up in the city of Derbe (v.21) they continue to preach and make disciples because that is what Great Commission disciples do - they evangelize. But then they turn back to head home to their own church in Syrian Antioch. And on their way home, they retrace their steps to all the cities they had just visited. Not only was this dangerous because by now they were well known and hated by a great number of people in each city, but this was also the long way around to reach their home church in Antioch. Why would they risk it? Why would they backtrack out of their way to these dangerous places. They did so because their mission was to make disciples, not just converts. They returned to strengthen the disciples who were converted on their first trip through the area. They went back to encourage them to continue in the faith despite all the persecution and tribulation they would experience. They went back because they were following Jesus’ Great Commission, not only baptizing all nations, but teaching them to observe everything Jesus had commanded. They went back to organize the local churches there because that is God’s ordained instrument for disciples to grow and to make other disciples.
And when Paul and Barnabas finally get back home to Antioch, we see that even these great men of God knew the importance of being involved with their local home church. They stayed with there a long time and reported on their mission because it was also the church’s mission. The church in Antioch had sent them, ordained them, recognized the call of the Holy Spirit on them for the mission.
The passage demonstrates to us the importance of not only evangelizing but also investing in the growth of disciples. It shows us the importance of the local church for growing disciples to make disciples. Jesus’ call to us today is the same. Make disciples - evangelize the lost - baptize them - and come along side them to teach them TO OBSERVE everything Jesus has commanded. Simply, to help one another follow Jesus. I hope we will be a church who’s heart beats for Christ in the commission He has given.
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