Faithful Obedience

Envision this if you will. The scene is set in a city named Antioch, which is located in Syria. Due to persecution from religious Jews, many believers had been driven there and this is the city where they were first labelled to be Christians. Among the prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch, we find five prominent men who, for some reason, were taking time to fast and to pray together.

We’re not told why they were fasting and praying together. We aren’t told if they were the Wednesday night prayer group. We don’t know if they were holding a Bible study on prayer and fasting. Nothing is given to us which would indicate that they had read the latest book on evangelism and this is part and parcel of the material they were working through together. What we know, is that these five men were worshiping the Lord and fasting. From the appearance of it, it has the feel as if these five men were merely people who loved God and who were actively seeking His will for their lives.

The five men in question are these.
Barnabas – known as a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith (Acts 11:24)

Simeon – affectionately referred to as “the black man”

Lucius – from Cyrene – an ancient Greek city in what we would presently refer to as Libya

Manaen – When he was a kid, he used to hang out with King Herod Antipas

Saul – a man who used to persecute Christians and support their murder

These five men all bring different gifts, contacts and abilities to their roles within the church. As they lived out their roles within the church, we really don’t know exactly what form in which their calling found itself. Did they all lead Bible studies? Did they teach Sunday school? Did they all preach on Sunday morning? Did some of them lead men’s group on Thursday night? Keep in mind; these weren’t the only prophets and teachers at this church. These were simply 5 from, “among the prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch.” Acts 13:1

In their time of worship and fasting together, in some way or another, they heard a clear message from the Holy Spirit saying to, “Dedicate Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.” Acts 13:2

In the circles in which I run, there is much that has been said about the kind of obedience demonstrated by Barnabas and Saul. And why not? Saul’s work in particular comprises much of what we have received as being the New Testament.

At this particular evening, morning or afternoon of worship and fasting, nobody knows exactly what God had in mind for Barnabas and Saul. No one knew exactly where Saul and Barnabas would be going or what they would do when they got there. All that was known, is that they were to be set apart for some special work.

If you happened to be Manaen, what would obedience look like? For whatever reason, God hasn’t seen fit to set him apart for this special work. How do you suppose that would sit with him? Would it be unexpected for him to ask and wrestle with any of these questions?

What is so special about Barnabas and Saul?
Why didn’t God pick me?
Am I not a better speaker than Saul? I used better stories and illustrations. He doesn’t even use powerpoint!
It just makes sense that I should go. I’ve got connections. In fact, I’m old friends with the King.
Doesn’t God speak through me?
What does Paul have that I don’t have?

There is a lot to be said for people like Saul, who go to the places to which God has called them. Little is said however in Christian circles of the men and women who remain where God wants them. I guess that stems out of the thought that there is little which is found to be admirable in staying where you are. Going somewhere to do something for God has the feel of faithfulness, where remaining faithful where you are does not. If you aren’t going anywhere to do anything, you likely won’t get called up on stage and have the elders or the church pray for you. It would be surreal wouldn’t it?

Doesn’t it almost make you smile or chuckle to imagine the scene? “Ok church. Everyone come up to the front and pray for brother John. He isn’t going anywhere to do anything. He’s just going to stay here with us and remain faithful in his calling.”

The faith lived out by people such as Manaen may not have the texture of any form of evangelical faith, but it is not a life of inactivity, even though it may seem that way. Manaen is known as one of the prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch. The odds are, that he actually teaches or speaks for God, at least on occasion.

Foreign missions work isn’t supposed to be the Christian version of a vacation. I guess I don’t sound evangelical do I? We are given very little insight into the particular’s of Manaen’s life. We don’t know if he had a ‘secular’ job, or if he was paid for his work as a teacher within the church. We don’t know for sure if he wanted to stay or not, but are left with the sense that he remained serving faithfully at Antioch. Neither do we know whether or not he left Antioch later at some point in his life.

Remaining where God wants you isn’t always an easy thing to do. You wonder sometimes don’t you? You wonder if other people are looking at you saying, “Too bad about Bob. He just never seemed to do much with his faith. I think he’s one of those lukewarm Christians.” You’re just wasting your life, working at MacDonald’s or smiling at people as they walk through the door at Walmart. Or worse yet. What if you drive truck or, dare I say....work in a factory?

If we have come to know Jesus, the question we are meant to continually evaluate may sound something like this,

Are we actively seeking and living out His will for our lives?

If we are asked to stay, do we harbour feelings of having missed out? Do we hang on to feelings of jealousy for those on stage? On the flip side, if we’re asked to go somewhere to do something, do we go, even if we don’t want to go? Would we go, even if we knew that shipwreck and chains lie in wait for us?

How much time do you actively spend in seeking God’s will for your life’s course? How much time do I spend? Is it worth giving up lunch?

Perhaps you are much more faithful than you, or others give you credit for. Your life from your perspective may not seem to line up with the North American Christian ideal. Changing dirty diapers in the nursery, teaching Sunday school or shaking hands at the door, don’t smell like evangelism, but if these are coming out of a heart that has been indwelt and prompted by the Holy Spirit, it sounds like faithful obedience to me.

Going when we have been told to stay is sin, just as it is to stay when we’ve been told to go. If you’re actively seeking God’s will for your life, whether you stay where you are or are going somewhere to do something, I hope we could get along. If you are going somewhere to do something because you think that’s what Christians should be doing, I’ll probably grate on you. If absolutely nothing is coming out of your life, then you might want to question what manner of spirit resides inside.