EIGHT STEPS IN UNITING THE EARLY
CHURCH IN GOD’S MISSION TO THE NATIONS (Part 1)
KEY VERSE – It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Gal. 5:1) SECONDARY THEME VERSES: “A man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ” (Gal. 2:16); “If righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing” (Gal. 2:21).
THEME: Salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone releases us from the yoke of the law, freeing us to live a life of love through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Legal (Imputed) Righteousness: We are justified by faith in Christ (Gal. 2:16). Imparted Righteousness: Immediate Moral Change at conversion (Gal. 6:15); Gradual Moral Change through the fruit-growing work of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22) which requires our cooperation (Gal 5:16-17, 25, 6:8). We cooperate by using CCRC (Concentration, Choice, Reflection, Confession/Thanksgiving. Foundational verse, “By one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” (Heb. 10:14)
Good Teachers: (1) Constantly re-evaluate what they are doing; (2) Set large goals; (3) Ask – Does everything I do contribute to learning?; (4) Prepare well; (5) Check for understanding; (6) Like teaching; (7) Get results from their teaching; (8) Have perseverance. Don’t give up.
TEACHING GOAL: How to maintain unity in the church while focusing on God’s worldwide ministry of the Gospel.
REVIEW
The problem Paul is facing is “How can I prove to the Galatians the essentially supernatural source of the gospel preach?”
Paul’s thesis: My Gospel was received by divine revelation. (Galatians 1:11-12)
From 1:13-4:31 Paul defends his position as an apostle and the divine authenticity of the Gospel he preaches. Paul shows his independence from: (1) Human Teaching (1:13-17); (2) Judean churches (1:18-24); (3) Jerusalem “pillars” (2:1-10); (4) Apostle Peter (2:11-21).
TEXT FOR THE DAY:
1Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. 2I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did this privately to those who seemed to be leaders, for fear that I was running or had run my race in vain. 3Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. 4This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. 5We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you.
6As for those who seemed to be important—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearance—those men added nothing to my message. 7On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews. 8For God, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in my ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles. 9James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews. 10All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.
STEPS IN UNITING THE CHURCH
IN GOD’S MISSION TO ALL NATIONS
1. Paul Attended the Conference with a Team
2. Paul Went to the Conference in Response to a Revelation
3. Paul Went to the Conference to Have His Gospel Evaluated
4. Paul Resisted Those Who Challenged the Essentials of the Gospel
5. Paul Built the Unity of the Church on God’s Impartiality
6. Paul & the Pillars Agreed on Different Spheres of Responsibility
7. Paul & the Pillars Agreed on the Need of Practical Service – in This Case Care for the Poor
8. Paul & the Pillars Kept Their Focus on What God was Doing
INTRODUCTION:
“How do the details of Paul’s spiritual autobiography in Galatians match up with the historical account Luke gives in the book of Acts? The outstanding New Testament scholar C.K. Barrett calls this ‘the most celebrated and complicated historical problem in the whole epistle (of Galatians) – perhaps in the whole of the New Testament.’” (Ryken, 40)
I believe the visit described in Galatians 2:1-10 is the same as “The Famine Relief Visit” of Acts 11:27-30 and Acts 12:25:
During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul. (Acts 11:27-30)
When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark. (Acts 12:25)
If we put Gal. 2:1-10 with the Famine Relief Visit of Acts, it means that Galatians is the earliest of Paul’s NT letters.
We need to remember the conflict: The Judaizers kept arguing that Paul was not a Jerusalem apostle and he was not preaching a Jerusalem Gospel. It is essential that the conference conclude that there was but one Gospel.
Even today it is fashionable for theologians to talk about the Pauline Gospel, the Petrine Gospel, the Johannine Gospel and of “Paulinism” as a distinctive brand of Christianity. The differences in these “Gospels” is just stressing different aspects of the Gospel due to different audiences. The core message is always the same.
Biographies always have angles and so does Paul’s short biography. Via his biography Paul is trying to prove that the Gospel he received independently was endorsed as the foundational Gospel of Christ by the Jerusalem apostles?
In Galatians 1 Paul says the theme is that there is no “alternatives” to the Gospel; in Galatians 2 the Gospel accepts no “additives.”
As we have seen in previous weeks, if Paul had lost this argument the church would be locked into, imprisoned by, first century Jewish cultural practices.
The apostles were able to avoid a major rift within early Christianity which would have divided the church into a Jewish branch centered in Jerusalem and a Gentile branch centered in Antioch.
Church history is littered with church splits, some of them unavoidable, others avoidable. This one was avoided because of the wisdom of the apostles. G. Walter Hansen in his commentary sets forth eight steps used by the early Christian leaders to get everyone on the same page in taking the Gospel to the nations and thus keep the early church unified.
I. PAUL ATTENDED THE CONFERENCE WITH A TEAM
Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. (Galatians 2:1)
QUESTION: Who comprised the delegation from Antioch?
QUESTION: Why Barnabas? Why Titus?
BARNABAS
QUESTION: What do we know about Barnabas? (Write information gathered from class on the Flip Chart.
Barnabas, originally named Joseph, was a prosperous Levite (priestly class) that grew up in Cyprus. Because of his servant heart he was nicknamed in Aramaic, “Son of Encouragement” (Acts 4:36). He was the cousin of John Mark (Col. 4:10)
Barnabas was generous (Acts 4:36-37 – sold a field and gave the money to the Lord’s work) and a reconciler (Acts 9:26-30 – introduced Paul to the apostles).
The Jerusalem church sent Barnabas to Antioch to supervise the mission to the Gentiles. He was deeply trusted by the Jerusalem church. Barnabas with big enough to accept the radically new practice of including Gentile converts in the church, because his focus was the grace of God. Note that Luke, though a close co-worker of Paul, has nothing but praise for Barnabas. (Acts 11:22-25) Both Barnabas and Paul earned their own living while spreading the Gospel (II Cor. 9:6)
As a leader of the ministry in Antioch Barnabas went to Tarsus (Acts 11:25-26) to encourage Paul to come and work with him.
He had a prominent ministry alongside Paul and even seems that at the start he was the dominant leader in the missionary team. Note Luke’s order – “Barnabas and Paul” (Acts 13:3; 14:14; 15:12; 15:25). The leadership eventually was surrendered to Paul due to Paul’s unique apostolic gifts. Note in Acts 13:13 you have Luke referring to “Paul and his companions.”
Paul had two known disagreements with Barnabas: The matter of asking John Mark to join them on the second journey (Acts 15:39-40) and over Peter drawing back from eating with the Gentiles at Antioch (Gal. 2:11-21)
Paul certainly ranks Barnabas as an equal apostle with himself (I Cor. 9:6)
“Barnabas accompanied Paul to Jerusalem in Galatians 2:1 because he was a significant and respected person with the Jerusalem churches. His track record of healing discord and arbitrating between factions made him a suitable companion.” (SM, 82)
“Barnabas was an outstanding Jewish Christian leader in the early church who was noted for his ability to be a bridge builder between diverse factions of the church.” (Hansen, 53)
QUESTION: Based on our short discussion how would you list Barnabas’ strengths?
SO WHAT? – We hear so much about Paul but forget how much a church is blessed when they have members like Barnabas.
TITUS
QUESTION: What do we know about Titus?
Titus is never mentioned in Acts but is one of Paul’s converts (Titus 1:4) who became Paul’s close associate and in certain situations his personal delegate as to the Corinthian church (II Cor. 2:12f; 7:5-16). He also participated in another Jerusalem relief fund (II Cor. 8:6-9:5; 12:18)
Later Titus becomes responsible for an almost totally Gentile church in Crete
But Titus in Corinth and Titus in Crete is much later than this trip to Jerusalem.
Paul “took” Titus with him to Jerusalem. Obviously Paul felt it essential to have a non-circumcised Gentile convert with him. Since Titus became a “test case” he would have had unimpeachable Christian character.
Paul’s argument would be clear: If God had chosen and was using this uncircumcised Gentile, then certainly circumcision was not required to join the people of God.” (SM, 83)
So Paul had Barnabas to verify his testimony when he related their missionary journey to Galatia. He had Titus as proof that God can justify and sanctify the Gentiles without circumcision and focusing on Jewish religious law.
SO WHAT: When seeking to make your case for a certain ministry it is always best not to be a ‘lone ranger’ but speak as a team.
II. PAUL WENT TO THE CONFERENCE IN RESPONSE TO A REVELATION
I went in response to a revelation …. (Galatians 2:2)
When Paul says that he went “in response to a revelation” what does he mean by ‘revelation’?
GUIDANCE THROUGH PROPHETS
Acts 11:28, 21:10-11
One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) (Acts 11:28)
GUIDANCE BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
Acts 13:2, 16:6-7, 20:22-23, 21:4
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” (Acts 13:2)
This was not individual guidance. Paul and Barnabas were praying with the leadership of the Gentile church in Antioch.
GUIDANCE THROUGH DREAMS AND VISIONS
Acts 16:9, 18:9-10, 23:11, 27:23-24
During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” (Acts 16:9)
During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. (Acts 16:9-10)
It appears that Paul did not make his decision alone based on this vision. He shared it with his team and Luke writes, “We … concluded that God had called us to preach to them.”
GUIDANCE THROUGH ECSTATIC TRANCES
Acts 22:17-21; II Cor. 12:2-4
When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance and saw the Lord speaking. ‘Quick!’ he said to me. ‘Leave Jerusalem immediately, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ (Acts 22:17)
SO WHAT? – We need to get back to really asking God’s direction in making a move, entering a new ministry, starting a new job. Do we believe that God can guide us in these things?
ILLUSTRATION: At the beginning of each year I list some key prayer requests that I pray for every day for that year. This year one of the prayer requests was how to develop Good Neighbor’s group insurance. We are now three quarters of the way through the year and God has given us some new accounts but more important we have been able to hire a very good marketing guy who has really pushed and guided us in developing a much more robust approach to providing international group insurance to the community we serve.
QUESTION: Why does Paul specifically say that he went in response to a revelation? Why mention revelation in his letter to the Galatians?
Why does Paul state by “revelation”? He wants to make it clear to the Galatians that he was not “summoned” to Jerusalem. He went because God guided him to go.
SO WHAT? Do we look to the Lord for guidance? Do we obey Him when it is obvious that He is guiding us?
III. PAUL WENT TO THE CONFERENCE TO HAVE HIS GOSPEL EVALUATED
I …. set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did this privately to those who seemed to be leaders, for fear that I was running or had run my race in vain (Galatians 2:2)
Some people feel that once they have heard from God they do not have to answer to anyone. They consider discussion no longer necessary. How often I have seen this in missions and/or read about it.
The Greek term for “set before them” is a term used for “full disclosure.”
“. . . for fear that I was running or had run my race in vain.” This was a grand concession on Paul’s part (this willingness to have his Gospel evaluated). However confident he was in the revelation that he thought was from Jesus Christ, he was still willing to submit his revelation to the evaluation of the leaders of Jerusalem.” (SM, 83)
QUESTION: What was Paul afraid of?
Paul was not anxious about the content of the Gospel he preached. He had received it from Christ and had been preaching it for at least 14 years. Paul was not fearful of his own commission. That had been made very clear to him.
(1) Was Paul anxious that the Jerusalem leadership would take a negative stance on the circumcision-free ministry to the Gentiles?
Timothy Keller said that Paul was in fear that the Jerusalem leadership would chicken out and cave in to the Judaizers.
Paul was fearful that the Jerusalem leaders might compromise with the teaching of the Judaizers concerning the purity of the Gospel.
(2) Was he concerned that the Jerusalem church would not perceive that God’s new work was to bring the Gentiles into the Kingdom of God?
The Jews of the first century did proselytize. In fact Jesus scorched the Pharisees for how they handled the outcome of their proselytizing:
(3) Was he anxious that he might have to make an official break from the Jerusalem church in order to maintain his mission to the Gentiles? Did the possibility of a permanent division in the church worry him?
“A cleavage between his Gentile mission and the mother-church would be disastrous: Christ would be divided, and all the energy which Paul had devoted, and hoped to devote to the evangelizing of the Gentile world would be frustrated.” (Ryken, 49)
Paul’s willingness to share openly with the Jerusalem leadership the ministry to the Gentiles avoided a split in the early church.
ILLUSTRATION: We had a missionary in Indonesia that continued to go his own direction throughout his whole time in Indonesia. He moved from OMF to WEC, to YPPII, to STITE in Sumatra, to Bengkulu, to Frontiers and finally, even with Frontiers, he couldn’t work in a team. He ended up in jail in Sumatra. To my knowledge, the best work he did was when we forced him to work on establishing a small church in Surabaya.
This guy was always right. The mission leadership was always wrong. When I returned to Indonesia to take over field leadership the outgoing leader, who was returning to Canada, said told me, “I am so glad you are here. Now you have to try to lead this guy.”
If God has really called us, if He is really directing us cannot we trust Him to work out the details or our move, or ministry? Or do we have to engineer everything to make sure it works out right?
SO WHAT? When there is a conflict in the church, in a ministry we need to learn to share patiently with all concerned. When a ministry we are interested in is challenged, we need to carefully consider what others have to say.
SO WHAT????
1) We hear so much about Paul but forget how much a church is blessed when they have members like Barnabas.
2) When seeking to make your case for a certain ministry it is always best not to be a ‘lone ranger’ but speak as a team.
3) We need to get back to really asking God’s direction in making a move, entering a new ministry, starting a new job. Do we believe that God can guide us in these things?
4) Do we obey Him when it is obvious that He is guiding us?
5) We must be willing to let our guidance (and message) be evaluated by others who are spiritual men and women. If our ministry and message is of God there will be confirmation from the body.