Paul Returns
The Acts of the Apostles • Sermon • Submitted
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Previously in Acts…
Previously in Acts…
Last week we spoke of the grace of God and how we should never assume that someone is beyond salvation. But I want to go back even further and talk about this guy- Paul.
A couple of weeks ago we saw the conversion of Paul on the road to Damascus. What we discovered was that Paul had become a problem for the church leadership. Sure he was zealous for the Word of God, but if you recall he was going about it the wrong way. Everywhere he went, riots would erupt. Finally the brothers in Jerusalem had to send Paul away for his peace and safety as well as their own. We find out later that Paul had been sent to Tarsus, and had been placed in the care of Barnabas in order that he might learn a bit about ministry. So Paul was basically shut away for an entire year. Remember I mentioned that he would be coming back? Well, it is only after this exile, and him learning a thing or two about ministry that God appoints them into ministry.
And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry, and they also took with them John whose surname was Mark.
Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.
Paul was over-eager to start his ministry. Many times we believe that the zeal that God gives us is what qualifies us to go out and start a fantastic ministry. Paul was even more convinced of this because he was already a religious leader amongst the Jews. As a Pharisee, he was considered pretty knowledgeable in the things of God, so he just picked up from there. The problem was that his approach was somewhat arrogant, and caused quite a stir. See, Paul was trying to convince the Jews intellectually through logical discourse that Jesus was the Christ. Jesus can be preached logically, and you can probably even out think someone to the point of acknowledging the deity of Jesus, but that’s not how you receive Jesus. How do we receive Him?
But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Right, we receive Him with our heart. So while there is some reasoning that has to be done in the beginning, you will never be able to argue someone into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Paul had to be taught how to teach. He had to understand this Gospel of Grace that we spoke about last week. Peter knew it because he had walked with Jesus for three years. Paul was brought up on the letter of the law, and was still rigid in its application.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
Paul knew the law, it was the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus that he still had to learn. How do we know when we’ve learned it? Well, we don’t sweat the little things. We abound in grace. We walk in humility. This was where Paul had to get. How did he do? Let’s take a look.
In Acts 13:13-41 Paul preaches the Gospel to them- the first time he has engaged in the “foolishness of preaching.” Remember we spoke about that earlier in this series? This is something I’m sure Paul was not comfortable doing once upon a time. See, the proper way for the Pharisees to teach was not by preaching, but by reasoning someone to repentance. Preaching was considered foolishness. You would gather to yourself a few disciples and teach them life lessons, you wouldn’t broadcast your message to the multitudes- that unwashed and unlearned mob had no business hearing these things. But God changed all that. Starting with Peter, God determined that it was the foolishness of putting the word out to EVERYONE, no matter who they were, that He would build the faith needed for people to be saved. So here is Paul engaging in this foolishness. And look what happens we’ll pick it up in verse 42 of Acts 13.
So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul. Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us:
‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles,
That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”
Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region.
What a different approach Paul had. Rather than argue with the Jews, he simply ignored them. He turned to the people that would hear him and didn’t skip a beat. The result: “And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region.”
What made the difference? I believe it was a matter of pride versus humility. You see, before Paul took it personally when the Jews did not believe him. He argued with them. And arguments do not win people to Jesus, because even if you win, you lose.
Jesus Himself led the way in humility, this is why the disciples were already walking in it.
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
“Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. And when you go into a household, greet it. If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.
So then, we see Paul and Barnabas doing this very thing later in the chapter after the wives of some of the notable Jews cause problems for the Christians. Let’s read:
But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and came to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
It appears that Paul had finally learned his lesson. Rather than staying and fighting with the Jews, he simply shakes the dust off of his feet and goes to the next town. If we look into Paul’s writings we get some insight as to why this was.
Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you. But I beg you that when I am present I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
First of all, Paul discovers that the “boldness” he once had was a work of the flesh. The boldness that he was supposed to possess was a boldness that came from humility, because the boldness was not based upon how good or learned Paul was, but rather, it was a spiritual boldness. It was a boldness based upon the calling of God on his life.
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
That calling needs to be walked out “with all lowliness and gentleness” because that is how you keep “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” It comes about as the result of being submitted to God. And since God works through us and in us all, it comes from being submitted to each other.
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
Life as a Pharisee was not unlike the modern work world where it’s all about looking out for old number one. But Paul had learned that he needed to be looking out for the interests of his brothers and sisters as well. But this needs to come as a result of esteeming them higher than yourself because in so doing you avoid false humility.
Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.
When we understand that we are all parts of one body, we see why it is so important that we esteem each other so highly. The whole body is dependent on every other part. And if you don’t believe me, try doing anything at all with a gout flair up, or a hangnail on your toe.
Do we get flair ups in the body of Christ? Of course we do, and that’s why Paul also learned about the value of humility as it relates to forgiveness:
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Paul knew there would be difficulties in the body, so he warned the believers to be humble, meek and patient with one another. It was definitely something that they needed to learn, and Paul was giving them all the right advice. After all, he was the biggest violator of all those principles. In fact, he flat out tells the believers- don’t be like I was.
But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,
Wow! Paul really did call himself out on that one didn’t he? He knew exactly where he had erred in the beginning.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Do you see how waiting for God’s timing made all the difference in the world? When we submit ourselves to God’s process, He creates in us the right character for service. This is especially important because ministering the word of God comes with a lot of one thing in particular- REJECTION!
You will be constantly rejected. People will refuse to hear you, they will ridicule you for your beliefs, and they will even become hostile against you. If you are thin-skinned you will do one of two things.
You’ll become overbearing and argumentative like Paul. Or
You’ll shut down and quit- you’ll lose your witness because of fear.
The bottom line is the same for each reaction- pride. When you’ve humbled yourself, you understand that rejection is part and parcel and believe it or not, humility is the very thing that brings about the Godly boldness and confidence that is needed to persevere in the face of persecution. It is critical that we learn this lesson fast because the truth of the matter is this: more people will reject your ministry than receive it. You will be told no at least 20 times for each yes you hear when preaching the Gospel. It’s sad, but it’s the truth.
As a pastor, my ministry is often rejected by the very people that I’m supposed to be shepherding. Jesus was rejected by the very people He was sent to save, why should we expect any different? I’ll leave you with the following truth from the mouth of Jesus Himself.
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Let us pray.
Benediction
Benediction
“The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.” ’