Paul the Missionary

(Part 1)

 

Introduction

What is a missionary?  The term is not found in the Bible.  It’s like the word “trinity”.  We see the church fulfilling this role or mission and so we the term is used.  Is there a difference between…

§         A missionary and an evangelist?

§         A missionary and an apostle?

§         A missionary and a preacher?

 

Lesson

What made Paul such a great missionary?  Acts 11:22-30

A.     Are there certain members of the church who are qualified to be missionaries for the Lord?

1.        2 Cor. 5:18   All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:  that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.  We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.  (The message)

2.        Matt. 28:19   Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. – self perpetuating command

B.     What training did Paul receive?  (Preparation)

1.        Is it possible to teach others the gospel without being trained ourselves?  What makes you say that?

2.        How did Paul learn the gospel?  Gal. 1:11-17

a.       How did Paul receive it?  (direct revelation from Jesus Christ)

b.      How do we receive our understanding of the gospel today?  (we are taught it)

3.        Did Paul have someone to help him get started?  Acts 9:27

a.       Barnabas was the one that got Paul involved

b.      Acts 11:24-26

4.        Is it important that we are trained to preach the gospel to other?

a.       We have always been taught to obey the “great commission.”

b.      How have we been trained to present the gospel of Jesus Christ?

5.        Did Paul preach and teach before he was sent out on his first mission?

a.       Right after his conversion – Acts 9:20 - At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.

b.      Paul taught a whole year in Antioch – Acts 11:20

6.        Did brothers at Antioch have confidence in Paul and Barnabas?  Acts 11:27-30

a.       They trusted them to take the contribution to Jerusalem

b.      Is being a good preacher/teacher alone enough to instill the trust of the church?

c.       2 Cor. 13:5   Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.

d.      John 6:5  When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?"  He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

e.       2 Cor. 2:9  The reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything.

Conclusion:  We are all ambassadors for Christ.  Paul received the gospel, practiced teaching and preaching, and was mentored by Barnabas.  These brothers were trustworthy

C.     Is being “filled with the Holy Spirit” a requirement for being a missionary?

1.        What does it mean that Barnabas and Paul were filled with the Holy Spirit? 

Acts 11:24; Acts 13:9

2.        …be filled with the Spirit…” – Eph. 5:18-20; “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly…” Col. 3:16-17

3.        A “Spirit-filled” person is someone who walks, lives, talks, thinks, and acts under the guidance of the Spirit of God because their hearts are given over to the saturation of the Word of God. That is the kind of person, that kind of church that affects the world.

4.        What does a person do who is filled with the Holy Spirit?  (usually say something from God)

Conclusion:  Good missionaries are filled with the Holy Spirit/Word dwelling richly within

D.     Jesus said go and Paul was willing to be sent.  Acts 13:1-3

1.        From all these prophets and teachers, who was chosen by the Holy Spirit to be set apart?

2.        Do we need to go to the lost to teach them where they are or try to get them to come to our Bible classes and worship services?

3.        Is one way of reaching them better than the other?

4.        Is one way more Biblical than the other?

Conclusion:  When serving lost people we should go to their world instead of expecting them to come to ours

E.      What missionary tactics can we learn from the way Paul handled resistance?  Acts 13:5-12

1.        What is the situation in Paphos?

a.       What is a proconsul?  (Equivalent in Cyprus to Pilate’s position in Palestine)

b.      Who was Elymas and what was he doing? (Bar-Jesus Son of Jehovah-Saves) Acts 13:6-8

2.        What do you suppose was the reason Paul confronted Elymas instead of just continuing with on with Sergius Paulus and ignoring him? 

a.       What was it Paul was contending with here?  Was it Elymas or something else?  Eph. 6:12

You are in a battle and you're wrestling "not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers..."

b.      What is really going on when the gospel meets resistance?  2 Cor. 4:3-4

c.       Was this only occurring back then?  1 Timothy 4:1 - "...in the latter times, some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of demons."

d.      Are we commanded to ignore the Satan so he will go away?  (Resist the devil and he will…)

3.        How did Paul deal with Elymas?  Acts 13:9-11

a.       Is the way Paul looked at him significant? V. 9 

b.      What is the effect of looking someone straight in the eye?

c.       How did Paul identify Elymas?  V. 10  (Bar-Jesus-Son of Salvation/Child of the Devil)

§         Paul said, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ”

§         Would Jesus have said something like this?  John 8:44

d.      How was Elymas defeated?  V. 11

e.       Was it important that Elymas be removed as an influence on Sergius Paulus?  Why?

4.        What was the result for Sergius Paulus?  V. 12

Conclusion:  Resistance to the gospel must be confronted

F.      What can we learn from Paul about being a missionary to people with a religious background?

1.        Did Paul prefer to teach people with or without a religious background?  Rom. 15:20-21

a.       What would make it better for Paul to preach to those who had never heard of Christ?

b.      How is our situation different here in the so called “Bible Belt?”

2.        Where did Paul meet his prospects?  Acts 13:14

a.       Was the Synagogue a good place for Paul to teach the Jews?

b.      Would denominational church buildings be a good place for us to teach the gospel?

3.        Was it important that Paul start with the Old Testament?  Why?

a.       He started with what they already knew and connected the prophecies to Christ.

b.      Should we start teaching people from their religious background?

4.        What are some key elements from Paul’s sermon?  Acts 13:14-43

a.       The Jewish history

b.      What do you think is the purpose of mentioning John the baptizer?  V. 25

c.       The gospel – v. 29-37

d.      The prophecies surrounding the gospel – v. 33-36  (Use of scripture)

e.       The response that is required – v. 39  (believe)

f.        An admonition – v. 40-41 

5.        What was the result?

a.       Interest – v. 42-44

b.      Opposition – v. 45

c.       Faith – v. 48

Conclusion:  People with religious backgrounds can be reached when we help them by using the scripture to reveal Christ more fully