Gospel Barriers

Introduction: Two weeks ago we considered the tone of the gospel message. The conclusion of that message was essentially that we should strive to match the gentle and lowly tone of Jesus in our gospel work. This was exemplified by Paul.

Monetary Barriers

Reality - the vehicles that we use to spread the gospel cost money.

The gospel is without question the free gift of God. So what monetary barriers could there possibly be?

Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Simply ask a missionary on deputation if they ever feel like there is a monetary barrier to the gospel.

The great commission commands us to “Go into all the world...” the plain and simple truth is that it costs money to “go”.

For Paul his chief concern was that their support of his ministry would become a barrier to the gospel.

Paul calls them to “remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day that we would not be a burden to you.”

1 Thessalonians 2:8 “So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.”

Paul’s hard work and financial independence was at least part of the means by which Paul shared “himself” with them.

Perhaps it was his concern that they would grow to resent him and that would undermine the gospel.

Or he wanted to remove and shadow of doubt that he was only in it for the money.

Solution - whatever it takes.

Thus, Paul’s solution to this barrier was to engage in a bi-vocational ministry.

He labored, toiled and worked night and day.

I suppose it is worth mentioning here that Paul did not have a wife and children.

It is well known that Paul was also a tent-maker. This enabled him to have no financial dependency on the people he was ministering to.

Acts 18:1–3 “After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade.”

2 Thessalonians 3:3–10 “But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.”

While it was never Paul’s intention to present this as a blueprint for all missions work it is a valid option. Many churches have been planted by bi-vocational pastors.

For us the solution should be, spend the money!

It costs money to keep this building functioning.

Kid’s Camp cost money.

Even Sunday School costs money.

Now, I don’t want to overstate my case. It is absolutely free to walk over to your neighbors house and share the gospel with them.

I suppose the main point here is that when we have the opportunity to support gospel work monetarily, we should. That is essentially what Paul was doing by making tents.

It is one of my great hopes that when each of you put money in the offering plate you have confidence that it is being used for the work of the gospel both in evangelism and edification.

Unworthy Barriers

Reality - our own sin is the greatest barrier to the gospel we will ever face. The barriers within us will always be greater than the barriers without us.

Paul was confident that if the Thessalonians were honest they would say that Paul and his companions walked in a manner worthy of God in holiness, righteousness and blamelessness.

This points back to 1 Thessalonians 2:5–8 “For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.”

“You are witnesses, as you know, etc” 10x (Becomes a theme in 1 Thessalonians)

Without fail the greatest barrier to successfully sharing the gospel will always be continual, unrepentant sin.

The shear number of people who have rejected Jesus because of the sinful hypocrisy of so called believers is staggering.

Sometimes it is just an excuse

Other times they see testimony after testimony of Christians who live no differently than the world.

Still other times the example they see is that of legalism where behavioral guard rails are put up around the grace of God.

Allow me to remind you that if your are more concerned with changing behavior than you are reaching hearts you have fallen into the trap of legalism.

It is time for an introspective question: Have I ever been a barrier to the gospel?

Solution - walk in a manner worthy of God.

Paul’s solution was to the best of his ability to be holy, righteous and blameless.

He did everything he could so that his behavior would never become a barrier to the gospel.

Paul also exhorted the Thessalonians to live in the same manner.

Like a father exhorting his children to good behavior Paul charges them to “walk in a manner worthy of God...”

Paul presents a contrast in 2 Thessalonians 3:6 “Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.”

Can this even be done?

No, but that doesn’t stop us from trying.

The truth is that you will absolutely never live up to the gift that you have been given in Christ, but that must not stop us from trying.

Intellectual Barriers

Reality - often we are our own worst enemy when it comes to the gospel.

There are many highly intelligent people who reject Jesus because they cannot understand Jesus. For them, faith is a hill to far or a mountain too tall.

The arrogance of their position is lost on them most of the time.

There have been so many people that read one book, took one class or saw a youtube video that makes them the most confident agnostic you will ever talk to.

For us we should consider that we can allow our own perceived intellect become a barrier to the gospel.

Saying the words “I don’t know” can be so hard at times.

Humility is an absolute necessity to sharing the gospel effectively.

Solution - accept the Word of God rather than the word of men.

The solution is essentially faith.

Human beings are the messengers of the gospel. People share the word of God.

It is therefor a step of faith to listen to a person speaking and recognize it as God’s words and not men’s.

Faith is not something drummed up by the power of the will. Faith is produced in the heart by the Holy Spirit through the conviction of sin.

Oppressive Barriers

Reality - historically, oppression has been a great barrier to the gospel.

The church has always and will always be persecuted somewhere.

From a human perspective this is the great barrier to the gospel.

Practically however persecution often becomes the crucible in which the church flourishes.

Solution - trust God

Those who oppress gospel work will be and are being judged.

They will be judged by Christ and cast forever into hell.

Specifically here Paul says that “wrath has come upon them at last!” Which likely refers to the spiritual blindness that the people of Israel has been enduring for so long in the church age.

When oppression arrives keep preaching, teaching and sharing.

The church does not take up arms.

We keep preaching.