5 Smooth Stones

leaders) sent them forth and verse 4 says the Holy Spirit sent them forth. When the people act in concert with the Lord it is proper to say they were sent of the Lord, but also proper to say they were sent by the church. There have been many who have been sent by a church, but not by the Lord, and there are many who say they have been sent by the Lord, but not recognized by the church. Only when we have the coordination with heaven and earth can we expect the fullest of blessings of the Lord. This is signi fi cant for several reasons. This marks the fi rst time recorded in the book of Acts where apostles were commissioned after the day of Pentecost, and beyond the original twelve Apostles of the Lamb. There was no doubt that Jesus came and ful fi lled all the Law and the Prophets, but in the New Testament the combining of the prophets and the teachers brought about a dynamic which the Holy Spirit used to commission a new generation of apostles. In this combination one can see the fellowship of the wri tt en word and the spoken word represented by the teachers and the prophets. There must be balance within the functioning of the ministries, as well as balance between the Word of God which is wri tt en and that which is given prophetically. Much confusion of prophecy given could be avoided with a clear and proper biblical foundation given by fi vefold teachers. And much legalism brought about by too much evidence based on the le tt er and not the spirit could be avoided if the prophetic gift was allowed to compliment the teaching gift. In Antioch the fi vefold ministries that were present came together under the covering of the Lord and through this action birthed the next generation of apostles. It is possible that the gift was already identi fi ed in these men. Barnabas was sent down to Antioch by the apostles to accomplish apostolic work under their oversight, and Paul was recognized for his training under the Law and certainly the church was relieved that he no longer was persecuting them (Acts 9:31). He had met with some of the apostles in Jerusalem after his conversion (Acts 9:37, Galatians 1:18, 19) and was working with Barnabas to strengthen the church in Antioch. These apostles were sent out from Antioch to take the gospel of the Kingdom to the Synagogues, rulers, God-fearers (proselytes) and Gentiles living in cities wherever they went. ENDNOTES: 42 The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®). ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

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