Defining The Gospel (part 4)

We have been looking at the definition of the gospel. That definition will bring clarity and understanding which can then result in agreement and growth.

Let me give you an example. What would you call this (S)? A trunk.

But if you were to go to Ireland and tell the bellboy at the hotel to put your bag in the trunk they would look at you like you are crazy.

You see, in Ireland, they call this a boot.

Until we agree on definition, there can be no understanding, and no agreement and we can definitely not accomplish anything.

When definition is not clear, confusion reigns. We live in the midst of confusion. But when we see how God defines the gospel, there is clarity, understanding, agreement, and growth.

What does God accomplish through the definition of the gospel?

In the final verses of this section we learn the result of defining the gospel.

I want to submit to you that this is God’s design and desire. The goal of the Apostles and leaders in Jerusalem is simply to define the gospel and give practical direction. God takes their desire and uses it to accomplish His purpose.

The result that we see here is experienced by us as well.

This is the result that the gospel has in our daily lives. It brings encouragement and edification.

Therefore,

If we want to encourage and edify we must do it through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our goal today is to understand both how to encourage and how to be encouraged.

The result of defining the gospel is two-fold.

Result #1…

1. The Gospel Defined Produces Encouragement vv. 30-33

These Gentile believers need encouragement. Why? Because their faith has been called into question!

They have been told that they are not really saved and cannot really grow because there is a physical action that has not been taken.

Though the Jerusalem leadership has determined that salvation is by grace through faith, these believers would still benefit from encouragement.

Encouragement is what we see here.

These verses teach us two lessons about encouragement. Lesson #1…

Lesson #1…

a. Encouragement is focused vv. 30-31

READ v. 30

Paul, Barnabas, Judas, and Silas are sent from Jerusalem to Antioch with the letter. When they arrive, they gather everyone together before delivering the letter.

Why? Why ensure that the whole church is gathered? Because…

i. Encouragement benefits community v. 30

Encouragement benefits community.

Because Encouragement benefits community.

Why bring everyone together? Because they all needed to be encouraged!

This letter is about all the Gentile believers, the focus is to encourage and strengthen them. That is best accomplished by having everyone present to hear what the apostles and church leaders have to say.

One of the reasons we meet corporately is to minister to one another, to encourage one another in the body of Christ.

This is the point of (p. 1381).

(p. 1381)

Hebrews 10:23–25 NKJV

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

v. 23 expounds our personal responsibility. Hold fast. v. 24 gives the corporate charge. Consider one another. v. 25 explains how to accomplish v. 24. We are to gather in a corporate setting where we can exhort, encourage, and strengthen.

This is what lies behind the gathering in . They are focused on the corporate encouragement of the Antioch church.

How do we know that?

READ v. 31

The purpose of this letter was to encourage!

Encouragement – παράκλησις (paraklēsis) encouragement; comfort. Consolation. The act of giving relief or comfort in affliction.

Encouragement – παράκλησις (paraklēsis)

This is what the Holy Spirit does. He gives relief and comfort in affliction.

This church has been afflicted by false teaching and this letter brings relief and comfort.

I love how this plays out.

Some men go to Antioch and falsely teach the need for circumcision. The leaders of the Antioch church seek clarification. The clarification is sent to the church with the express intention of encouraging them!

ii. Encouragement brings rejoicing v. 31

And the beautiful thing is that…

Encouragement brings rejoicing.

What is in the letter to make them rejoice? At least three main ideas.

They are brethren. When they trusted in Christ alone they became part of the body of Christ!

There is nothing additional required for salvation. Circumcision is not required. There are no physical acts that can make us more or less acceptable to God. We are accepted based on the person and work of Jesus Christ alone!

The love and care expressed by the practical direction and personal contact.

These things caused the Antioch believers to rejoice.

This is how the body of Christ is to function.

We are to encourage one another. That encouragement needs to be focused on the entire body and it will result in rejoicing.

We are only able to do that as we fellowship and are open and honest with one another.

That’s the first lesson about encouragement. It is focused. Lesson #2…

Lesson #2…

b. Encouragement is foundational vv. 32-33

READ v. 32

This is why they were sent. To personally interact with the Antioch believers. To confirm and explain the things written in the letter.

In this verse we see why encouragement is so foundational.

i. Brings strength v. 32

Encouragement brings strength.

That is what Judas and Silas are doing. They are strengthening the believers.

Prophets - Fore-teller vs. Forth-teller. Biblically speaking a prophet is someone who proclaims the God’s truth. Sometimes this means proclaiming truth about future evens, other times it means proclaiming the truth of God’s Word and the gospel message.

They are called prophets here. Prophets - Fore-teller vs. Forth-teller. Biblically speaking a prophet is someone who proclaims God’s truth. Sometimes this means proclaiming truth about future evens, other times it means proclaiming the truth of God’s Word and the gospel message.

As prophets, they do two things. Exhort and strengthen.

Exhorted – παρακαλέω (parakaleō) urge; implore; exhort. To earnestly support or encourage a response or action.

Exhorted – παρακαλέω (parakaleō)

Again in these verses we find the root word used as a description of the Holy Spirit.

They are bringing support and encouragement to these believers to help them walk with Christ! They don’t just challenge them, the also strengthen.

Strengthened – ἐπιστηρίζω (epistērizō) strengthen. To confirm. To make more marked by firm determination or resolution.

Strengthened – ἐπιστηρίζω (epistērizō)

They are helping these believers stand firm. They are giving them determination and resolution. Why? Because they are going to be attacked!

So they exhort and strengthen them. How?

With many words.

Words here is the Greek word logos. They proclaimed a message that exhorted and strengthened. That message is the gospel.

It is the gospel that encourages. It is the gospel that brings strength. How?

The gospel encourages because it reminds us that we are fighting for something more! Our light momentary affliction works a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory!

The gospel strengths because it tells us we do not fight alone. Christ is on our side! Our fellow believers fight with us!

ii. Brings solidarity v. 33

That brings us to a second reason why encouragement is so foundational.

READ v. 33

Encouragement brings solidarity.

Now that’s a little bit of an obscure word. Let me define it.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary Solidarity

unity or agreement of feeling or action, especially among individuals with a common interest.

When we encourage one another it builds unity and agreement.

We see that expressed here as the believers in Antioch send greetings back to the apostles and other believers in Jerusalem.

I would guess that before this letter arrived, friendly greetings were not what the believers in Antioch felt for those in Jerusalem.

What changed that?

The communication of God’s truth and personal interaction.

When writing his second letter to Timothy, Paul says… (S).

2 Timothy 4:2 NKJV

Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

The Word of God clearly proclaimed, brings exhortation and encouragement.

However, this must be coupled with personal interaction.

says this… (S).

Hebrews 3:12–13 NKJV

Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Hebrews 3:12–13 NKJV

We are to exhort one another to help us avoid sin and doubt!

When the gospel is properly defined it brings focused and foundational encouragement.

That is the first result of defining the gospel. Result #2…

2. The Gospel Defined Produces Edification vv. 34-35

Edification is the idea of building up. It happens when believers work to promote growth in one another.

What we have already seen in these verses and what we are about to see is edification.

The believers from Jerusalem are building up those in Antioch.

These are relatively new believers who have already experienced difficulty and trial.

Their brothers in Christ are coming alongside them and showing them the way to growth and strength in Christ.

These verses present us with two realities about edification. Reality #1…

a. Edification is personal v. 34

READ v. 34

Depending on your translation this morning you may not have this verse, or it may be footnoted as not in the oldest or more reliable manuscripts. I respectfully disagree.

These statements are made because they assume that v. 33 includes Silas. But v. 40 makes it clear that Silas was still in Antioch. The statement is made that v. 34 was added to harmonize this. I see no addition. Rather, I see a necessary explanation that Luke gives.

Regardless, when we take v. 40 into account, it is clear that Silas stays behind.

Why?

Silas remains because “it seemed good to” him. Why? From the context we have to conclude that it was because he saw how he was able to challenge and strengthen these believers and he wanted to continue.

To help us understand this I want to learn a little bit about Silas.

We already saw that he is a leading man in the Jerusalem church. He was trusted with the letter for the church in Antioch. In the end of this chapter he will go with Paul on a missionary journey.

On that journey he will endure trial, hardship, suffering, and persecution. Yet through all that, he remains faithful.

Silas, like many other NT figures, had another name he was known by; Silvanus.

Under this name we see him with Paul when he writes the second letter to the Corinthians and when he writes both letters to the Thessalonians. Interestingly enough Peter used him as a scribe for his second epistle. In the letter, Silas is called a faithful brother.

That is the story of Silas’ life. Faithfulness.

Here he is, hundreds of miles from home, choosing to remain so that he can build up these brothers and sisters in Christ.

To strengthen the body, be faithful.

Silas strengthened the body of Christ in Antioch by faithfully preaching the Word. He took a personal interest in the edification of the Antioch church.

This is how we edify or build one another up. Who have I taken a personal interest in? Who am I helping to grow?

Not only do we find that edification is personal. Reality #2…

b. Edification is proclaimed v. 35

READ v. 35

As already mentioned, edification is the building up or strengthening of the body of Christ. This is achieved through the proclamation of God’s Word.

That is what Paul and Barnabas do.

Paul and Barnabas stay in Antioch to teach and preach.

There is a very interesting distinction here between teaching and preaching.

Teaching – διδάσκω (didaskō) teach; instruct. To impart skills or knowledge to.

Teaching – διδάσκω (didaskō)

I would argue that teaching is for believers.

You don’t impart spiritual skills or knowledge to someone who is not a believer.

Preaching – εὐαγγελίζω (euangelizō) proclaim good news. To convey the Gospel, to bring the good news concerning Jesus’ divine dominion and way of salvation by His death and resurrection.

Preaching – εὐαγγελίζω (euangelizō)

This is where we get the term evangelize.

Preaching is evangelistic and it is for unbelievers. It is the proclamation of the gospel.

However, their teaching and preaching has the same theme. Different audiences, but the same theme. What is that theme? The logos or message of the Lord.

Their teaching and preaching has the same theme

What is that message? That depends on the audience.

The message for believers it is to grow in grace and the knowledge of Jesus Christ. It is proclaiming the whole council of God. Teaching from Genesis to Revelation about who God is and what He has done.

The message for unbelievers it is to trust in the death of Christ for your sin, believe in His burial and resurrection.

GOSPEL

No matter the context, the theme of our teaching and preaching is God’s message.

We do not proclaim ourselves!

I love that Luke uses Kyrios here. We teach and preach the message of the master.

Beloved, we have a master. He chooses what message is proclaimed. It is not our place to do so.

We don’t get to choose the message! We only get to choose if we will be obedient in teaching it to believers and preaching it to the lost.

To strengthen the body, preach Christ.

Proclaiming Jesus Christ is the only way for sinners to be saved and for saints to be strengthened.

Paul makes this very clear in (p. 1311).

(p. 1311)

1 Corinthians 2:1–5 NKJV

And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

It is not about how we talk. It is not about our persuasion or wisdom. It is about the presence of the Holy Spirit, it is about Him working in us and through us. It is about the power of God using weak instruments to proclaim the crucified, risen, and coming Lord!

When we proclaim Him, the body of Christ is edified. It is strengthened, built up, and made to stand.

We preach Christ.

Conclusion

My brothers and sisters. The definition of the gospel matters.

It matters because the eternal souls of men and women depend on it.

Because it matters, the definition of the gospel is under attack. Some subtle attacks and some more open.

The existence of false teaching and unbiblical tradition demands the we define the gospel.

Our unity, God’s activity, and God’s sovereignty help decide how the gospel should be defined.

God defines the gospel in His Word. We must agree with Him.

When the gospel is defined it brings encouragement and growth to the body of Christ.

Do we know the gospel?

Will we share the gospel?

How will you and I live out the gospel this week?

May we encourage and edify the body of Christ.

#624 Doxology

Acts 15:30–35 NKJV

So when they were sent off, they came to Antioch; and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter. When they had read it, they rejoiced over its encouragement. Now Judas and Silas, themselves being prophets also, exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words. And after they had stayed there for a time, they were sent back with greetings from the brethren to the apostles. However, it seemed good to Silas to remain there. Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

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