MINISTRY IN ICONIUM

“Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands” (Acts 14:3 NKJV).

This verse is a summary of the ministry of the apostle Paul and Barnabas in Iconium. Here the consecration, courage, and confirmation of their ministry is described.

Consecration – “They stayed there a long time.” Staying “a long time” in Iconium indicated that the apostle Paul and Barnabas had a lot of consecration or dedication to their ministry. They were not quitters even though they had experienced much difficulties prior to their coming to Iconium and even after coming to Iconium. They were steadfast regardless of the circumstances. So few people can be depended on to serve faithfully. We could use a lot more of this kind of consecration to ministry in our churches today.

Courage – “Speaking boldly.” It takes courage to serve the Lord, especially in hostile situations such as the one that the apostle Paul and Barnabas were in at Iconium. Yet they did not give in to the opposition but boldly proclaimed the Lord Jesus Christ. The enemy loves to intimidate believers with fear and timidity. In so doing, it makes the message of the Gospel look weak and worthless. But we must not surrender to the intimidation of the world. We must boldly preach, teach, and live the message of Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ at all times.

Confirmation – “The Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.” God wants His work to evidence much validity. In the case of the apostle Paul and Barnabas, He gave signs and wonders to be done by them as proof of their message. This confirming of the ministry of the apostle Paul and Barnabas gives us an encouraging principle: God always validates His work. When we are called of God, He will give ample proof of our calling that it will be evident to others. Decisions we make regarding the will of God will also be confirmed in noticeable ways. The confirmation may not necessarily include miracles, as in the case of the apostle Paul’s ministry; but instead, may be God’s enabling skills for our ministry.

(Adapted from Butler’s Daily Bible Reading 3)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“The spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions. The nearer we get to Him, the more intensely missionary we become!”

Henry Martyn (1781 - 1812)

Anglican Priest and Missionary

Word Study

Field

In Matt. 13:44 we read, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field” (NKJV).

“Field” is the Greek word agrós (ἀγρός = ag-ros'). It refers to a field, and to the country as opposed to city or village. In the plural, it refers to farms and hamlets. We get our English words acre, agriculture, and agronomy from this word. In classical Greek agrós denotes a field and is mostly used in the plural as in fields or lands. It can also be used for farms or country places. The Septuagint also uses agrós for a field, the country, or a piece of ground. In the New Testament, agrós is used of a field or an area of ground that is cultivated and used mainly for agriculture.

Did You Know…

Both Abraham (Gen. 12:10-20; 20:1-18) and Isaac (Gen. 26:1-16), are two Jewish Patriarchs who lied about their wives being their sisters.

Bible Quiz

What was the initial reaction of the church in Jerusalem to Peter’s visit to the house of Cornelius?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz

According to Leviticus 27, which kind of animals should not be given in sacrifice? Any unclean animal (Lev. 27:11).

Prophecies Fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ

Suffering Outside the Camp – Prefigures the Lord Jesus Dying Outside the City of Jerusalem (Lev. 16:27; Matt. 27:33; cf. Heb. 13:11-12)

"The bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the Holy Place, shall be carried outside the camp. And they shall burn in the fire their skins, their flesh, and their offal” (Lev. 16:27 NJKV).

In context, on the Day of Atonement, the bodies of the animals which had been sacrificed were not eaten nor taken into the innermost sanctuary. They were taken outside of the Israelites’ camp and burned. It was the blood that was taken into the sanctuary and sprinkled on the lid of the Ark of the Covenant. It was blood, not flesh that provided ceremonial cleansing under the Old Covenant, albeit temporary. This is a picture of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus on the cross. The death of the Lord Jesus Christ occurred outside the walls of Jerusalem. So, in perfect fulfillment of the type given in the Old Testament through the sacrifices on the Day of Atonement, the Lord Jesus also suffered without the gate, that is, Calvary which was outside the city of Jerusalem. And while the priests performed many sacrifices, they were not final as they could never fully cleanse sin. It is the shedding of the blood of the Lord Jesus which fully cleanses sin. His sacrifice makes people holy; His sacrifice is final, once and for all.

Did You Know – Christian History

Mary Mitchell Slessor was born December 2, 1848 in Gilcomston, Aberdeen, Scotland. She was a Scottish Presbyterian missionary to Nigeria.

Slessor was from a poor working-class family who lived in the slums of Dundee. This meant that they could not afford proper education for her. Slessor therefore snatched whatever schooling she could get. At age eleven, she began work as a “half-timer” in the Baxter Brothers’ Mill. This meant that she spent half of her day at a school provided by the mill owners and the other half working for the company. After she became a Christian, Slessor held Bible classes for children whose lives were as bleak as her own. She taught them that they could have friendship with Christ. She took groups into the countryside for picnics and raced with them. Such behavior raised the eyebrows of the uptight and strait-laced people in the pews who wanted things done “properly.”

It seem like a harsh childhood prepared Mary for Africa. At eleven she prepared jute and flax for weavers. On early winter nights, she dodged drunks and thieves as she walked home in the dark to do her chores and face her drunken father. Often her mother pushed her out into the street so that her dad couldn’t beat her. She even stood up to a gang of thugs and would later have them attend her meeting. On August 5, 1876 Slessor sailed for Africa. There she saw cruel gods carved of wood and stone. The Nigerians sacrificed humans to these idols. Slessor put her life on the line to rescue slaves and women from death. She fought against judgment by ordeal. A person suspected of doing wrong might be forced to eat poison beans; or boiling oil might be poured over him. Every one tested by these methods proved to be “guilty.” Although experiencing a harsh childhood herself, such cruelty infuriated Slessor. When a man poured boiling oil on the hands of an eleven year old boy, Slessor grabbed a scoop of the extremely hot liquid, and chased the man to pour the oil on him and “prove” that he was not innocent either.

By her bold actions, Mary made a major contribution in bringing an end to the worst abuses. Gradually she helped Nigerians recognize that lives are worth saving. She succeeded because she trusted God. “God and one are always a majority,” she declared.

In 1914, Slessor, world-famous missionary to Nigeria, fell so ill that she had to be taken by canoe to hospital. A few weeks later she collapsed again. As she lay semi-conscious, she whispered “O God, release me.” She died on this day, January 13, 1915, mourned by thousands of Nigerians. The Scotswoman had worked among them for thirty-nine years.

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A Little Humor

At the pearly gates, Saint Peter asked the old man, “Why should we let you in?” He replied, “I read the church bulletin every week. That should count for something.”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“Too hot to go to church? What about hell?”