"…... the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.  And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.  So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus." Acts 13:2-4

Some might think ministers are sent forth by the Church. This passage will not support that erroneous thinking. The Church, without the revelation of God, couldn't discern whom they were to separate unto that work; much less presume the authority to send them forth whereunto the work that God called his chosen. They waited on the Lord for that revelation. Granted, the Scripture says that the church "sent Saul and Barnabas away". They were sent away being obedient to the call of God to their appointed work. Sadly, many men have been sent away by the Church. Brethren, unless the Lord separates one to the work of His calling, the last place a member of the Lord's Church should want to find themselves is sent away from the Church. I don't believe that Saul and Barnabas would have any desire to have left the fellowship of the saints unless they were called and were obedient to that calling, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost.

What does man send forth? Scriptures say, "God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Who sent forth this wickedness in the earth? It was of man. "And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord."  Some insist that our Lord's Church must emulate God by continuing to endure with all longsuffering members doing evil and wickedness. Those might have forgotten the fact that "the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah".  Sometimes longsuffering is not the final solution. Sometime the only answer is to purge the evil and the wickedness.  God's longsuffering to us-ward, is because He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Sadly, there are some that will say we will not walk in the good way where ye find rest for your soul.  Our Lord did not endlessly bear with evil and wickedness but executed judgment and saved a remnant by his good graciousness.  Noah was delivered by the goodness of God in the gracious ark of God's love and purpose. Has natural man changed, or gleaned any benefit from this his heinous history?  To the contrary "evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived."

 In the book of Genesis the 8th chapter verse 7 the phrase "sent forth" is first found in Scripture. That is where Noah sent forth a raven that went to and fro until the waters dried up upon the earth.  Noah likewise sent forth a dove from him, with the purpose to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground.  The dove found no rest for the sole of her foot. Those blessed with a home in the Old Church must know exactly how that dove felt. She had no home in the world. Outside and away from the ark was only death and destruction. She returned unto Noah into the ark. Scripture say "Noah put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark."  Brethren, aren't you glad that likewise our Lord puts forth His hand and takes those strangers to the world of death and destruction and draws them to the entrance of His Church?   Seven days later Noah sent forth the dove the second time and "lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf plucked off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth." Scripture doesn't say that Noah comprehended the mystery of how that that olive tree had survived the deluge of God's judgment. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.  That olive tree is a picture of the Church which God purposed before the world began. It shall always be preserved as the fruitful planting of God in this world.   May God be praised! Elder Marty Hoogasian 1/30/2004