Losing My Religion
Notes
Transcript
Again I want to welcome everybody that is joining us online today.
And for those joining us for the first time, I especially want to welcome you and would encourage you to take a moment and fill out an online connect card at mcf.life/online so that we can better connect with you and send you some information about our church.
If you are new to our church, it would be helpful for you to know that at MCF we practice a form of preaching called “Expository Preaching”.
What that means is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible and then studying them from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, in order to better understand what the Bible says and how it applies to our lives.
That being the case, we are currently walking through the book of Acts. A NT book written by a first century disciple named Luke, who wrote it for two primary reasons:
First, to give us a history of the church. How it started. Who was there, the circumstances that surrounded it.
Second, to give us a ministry template of sorts. A template for how to accomplish the mission Jesus has given us to take the gospel to the entire world.
So, if you haven’t been with us, I would encourage you to go online to MCF.life where you can watch or listen to all the messages leading up to today.
Today however, we are picking up in as we continue the first missionary journey of the Apostle Paul and Barnabas.
You may recall we left off last week as Paul and Barnabas led a large number of Gentiles to faith in Jesus in the Greek city of Antioch Pisidia. An event that was met with great opposition from the Jewish population living there.
You might wonder, “Why were the Jews so opposed?” Well, it wasn’t that they were opposed so much to the message of the gospel, but to who was receiving it. Luke puts it like this:
44 The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him.
Acts 13:44-
Luke says the Jews were upset because the Gentiles were receiving the gospel. In fact, it made them jealous. Why jealous? Because in their minds, the Jewish Messiah was meant for the Jews and nobody else.
And so when they saw the Gentiles getting excited about Jesus, they became jealous. Jealous to the point that they even began to reject Paul and Barnabas’s claim concerning Jesus.
Because Luke says as the Gentiles began to put their faith in Jesus, the Jews began to contradict Paul’s teaching.
And as a result, Paul and Barnabas were forced to leave Antioch Pisidia. Luke writes:
50 But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district.
Acts 13:
From what Luke tells us, apparently jealousy won the day as Paul and Barnabas were driven out of the city. But interestingly enough, that’s now how Paul and Barnabas perceived it. Because Luke goes on to say:
Luke says the
51 But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Luke says as they left the city, they were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 13:51
#1, this is exactly what Jesus said would happen. Let me show you what I’m talking about. Jesus puts it like this in the Gospel of Luke:
8 Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
Luke 10:8-
In this passage Jesus gave his disciples instructions on what to do and how to respond when the gospel is recieved and when it is not recieved.
First Jesus says, “When the gospel is recieved, stay in the community and minister to the community”. But then second he says, “If it is not received, then go into its streets and wipe the dust of the city from your shoes.” Why? Because in that moment, you’ve done your job, and their spiritual fate is now in their hands, not yours.
And if you notice, that’s exactly what Paul and Barnabas did. They stayed as long as they were welcome, and when they weren’t welcome, they shook the dust from their feet, and they moved on.
So, that’s the first reason they’re rejoicing. They’ve done exactly what Jesus asked them to do.
Second, I believe they see it as a victory because as they leave, Luke says they left filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
So, why were they filled with joy? They were filled with joy because despite the opposition, the gospel seed was planted and many people came to faith in Jesus. And that is something to rejoice over.
And so, while some might have seen it as a defeat, Paul and Barnabas saw it as a victory.
So, that’s where we left off, which brings us to chapter 14 as Paul and Barnabas arrive at a new city.
And so, in order to set up where this next story is taking us, I want to begin by asking you a few questions that I think will help build some frame work for what’s about to happen next.
Question #1 - Have you ever had an argument with someone concerning a topic, view, or belief that you held?
I would say we probably all have.
For example, maybe you shared a political view with someone, and it turned into an argument. Happens all the time, right?
Or maybe you shared your thoughts on a volatile subject matter like abortion, and it led to an intense debate between you and a friend.
Or maybe you posted an opinion on Facebook, and somebody with an opposing view came at you.
If we think about it, I bet we’ve all experienced something like that.
Question #2 - When you’ve experienced an argument like that, did it ever lead to a relational divide between you and that person?
For example, Did your political differences put a distance between you and your friend?
Did your differing views on abortion create an awkwardness between you and that friend?
Did your opinion on Facebook cause your friend to unfriend you on Facebook? Which would be devastating, right?
If we think about it, we’ve probably all been there.
Again, I bet we’ve all experienced something like that.
Have you ever experienced a heated argument at a group level that created a divide?
For example, maybe somebody posted something controversial on Facebook that led to an intense debate between several people.
One more question:
Question #3 - Have you ever had a disagreement with someone to the point that you felt threatened?
Or maybe you and a group of friends were together, and a political topic came up. A topic that resulted in a disagreement, which led to an argument, which led to a division in your group.
Again, if we think about it, I bet we’ve all experienced something like that.
In other words, what you said, or what you said you believed so bothered them, that you felt like they might come after you or do harm to you?
Probably more rare, but I bet its happened to some. In fact, we tend to see more and more of that kind of behavior in our culture today as people become inflamed over certain topics or beliefs.
Final Question - Have you ever experienced a personal or group argument that led to not only a division, but what appeared to be irreconcilable differences.
For example, maybe the argument between you and your spouse led to a divorce.
Or maybe the argument between you and your friend ended the friendship.
I ask you to consider those scenarios, because as we come back to , Paul and Barnabas are facing such a situation.
You might be wondering, “So, what was the topic that created the disagreement?”
Again, I think we’ve all experienced something like that.
Because as they move to a new city, and share the gospel, once again they face opposition. Opposition this time though that will lead to threats and eventually an attempt to kill Paul.
Because as they move to a new city, they once again face opposition. Opposition this time though that will lead to threats and eventually an attempt to kill Paul.
Now, you might be thinking, “Wow Pastor, Paul must have said something to really tick them off for them to want to kill him.”
For example, maybe somebody posted something controversial on Facebook that led to an intense debate between several people.
So, what did he say? Did he make fun of somebody’s mother? Did he use a racial slur? Did he say something that wasn’t PC friendly? What did Paul say that would make people want to kill him?
Believe it or not, all he did was share the gospel with them.
He told them that Jesus was the only way to Salvation.
He told them the only way to be right with God was by putting their faith in Jesus.
All he did was tell them the gospel.
And they wanted to kill him for that? Yes.
In fact, Jesus warned his disciples that this would happen. Listen to what Jesus tells his disciples to expect when sharing the gospel:
2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3 And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.
“I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you.
Jesus says, “Listen, you need to understand there are going to be people that will want to kill you because of me. People who will be so offended by the message of the gospel that they will be willing to take you out.”
Now, you might be wondering, “Pastor, what makes the gospel so offensive that somebody would want to kill you over it?”
It’s really simple. It’s offensive for a three key reasons:
#1 - The gospel is offensive because it declares you are a sinner.
In other words, regardless of what you think about yourself, the gospel says you are not a good person, and you’re unworthy of a relationship with God.
The Apostle Paul puts it like this:
10 as it is written:
“None is righteous, no, not one;
And then he adds in verse 23:
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
.
And so you can see how that would bother some people, right? For you to tell them that their not a good person and that their life is full of sinful behaviors, habits, and ideas. And that if they died today, they would die outside of the presence of God. Kind of offensive, especially in our culture today.
#2- The gospel is offensive because it says Jesus is the only way to be right with God.
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
The Apostle Paul says it like this:
15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.
Paul says not only are we sinners, but we need somebody to save us from our sin so we can be right with God. And Paul says that somebody is Jesus. Jesus Himself puts it like this:
16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Jesus says if you want to be right with God, you have to come through Me.
And for some people, that’s narrow minded, and it’s offensive to them. Because what you’re basically saying is, “You’re way is the only way, and their way is the wrong way.”
#3 - The gospel is offensive because it says faith in Jesus is the only way to be saved.
The Apostle Paul says it like this:
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
The key word here is “faith”. Meaning, salvation isn’t something you earn or deserve. Instead, it’s something that is given to you by the grace of God. And the only way you receive it, is by putting your faith in Jesus and making Him Lord of your life.
So, why is that offensive? It’s offensive because it takes any attempt would make be right with God out of the equation.
And for people who think
Meaning it strips you of anything outside of Jesus that you think makes you right with God.
And for some people, that’s offensive because they either believe or have been taught to believe that their works, rituals, religious associations, and goodness play a part in their salvation. But they don’t. Not one bit.
The bottom line is this. The Gospel is offensive because it forces you to acknowledge your sin, proclaim that is is only by faith in Jesus a person can be save, thereby removing your ability to save yourself.
Now, you might be thinking, “Ok pastor, I get why that might make some people mad. But why would they want to kill you over it?”
That’s what were going to discover over the next two weeks as we look at this passage. Because the fact is, if you’re serious about living your life for Jesus and leading people to faith in Jesus, at some point you’re going to face this type of opposition. And at some point, not only are you going to make somebody mad, but they may even want to harm you.
And when I say harm, I’m not just talking about physical harm. I’m also talking about emotional harm, and financial harm, and even reputational harm as people will work to destroy your influence and image because of your faith in Jesus.
Why would they do that? That’s what we’re going to discover.
And so, in order to do that, we are going to break this next secton into two parts, and in doing so we are going to look at two different groups of people that Paul has offended with the gospel and why they are trying to kill him.
The first group we are going to look at today is what you might call the “Religious Group”. This is the group that is strongly devoted to their religious association, heritage, traditions, and rituals . A group that believes part of their salvation is based on what they do for God.
Acts 14:1-7
And the second group we’re going to look at next week is what you might call the “Pagan Group”. This is the worldly group. This is the ungodly culture we are living in today.
1 Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 4 But the people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles. 5 When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them, 6 they learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country, 7 and there they continued to preach the gospel.
And what we’re going to discover over the next two weeks, is that the Gospel offends both equally, but in different ways. The Apostle Paul puts it like this in 1 Corinthians 1:
23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,
What Paul is saying here is that the Gospel is no respecter of persons in that it offends all, but for different reasons.
So, to get us started, let’s pick up in chapter 14 as Luke introduces us to this next story and the lethal opposition that Paul and Barnabas now face.
Beginning in verse 1, Luke writes:
1 Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed.
What I want you to notice first is that Luke begins by giving us a couple key pieces of information.
First, he tells us what city Paul and Barnabas have arrived in, and it’s a city called Iconium. Which in the 1st century was a Greek/Gentile city located in a region called Galatia.
You might wonder, “Why is that detail important?” It’s important because not only does it give us a location, but down the road a group of churches will be established in this region, and Paul will later write a letter to the churches located in this region. A NT letter called Galatians.
Which means, as we try to understand what’s going on in this passage and some passages to come, the book of Galatians will be an ongoing source for us to pull from.
The second important detail Paul gives us is where Paul and Barnabas first go when they arrive in Iconium. And what I want you to notice is Luke says the first place they went was the Jewish Synagogue.
2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.
So, a great question would be, “Why did they go there first?”
Well, as we’ve discussed over the past couple of weeks, while Paul is an apostle to the Gentiles, he always begins with the Jew first and for two reasons:
First, they are direct descendents of the promised Messiah. And so it only makes sense that Paul starts with his Jewish brothers first.
It would be like if you heard about an amazing deal on Amazon, you’d probably let your family members know first before you told somebody else. Same thing here.
Second, because Paul’s a Jew, he has common ground with the Jews when it comes to their faith. Which means, if he can convince them that Jesus is the Messiah, then he stands a better chance of establishing a strong church in that city.
And so this will always be the first place Paul starts.
So, how did Paul’s visit to the Jewish synagogue go? Well, from what Luke tells us, initially it went pretty well. Because Luke says that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed.
1 Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed.
Which is an interesting detail, because it begs to question, “What were Greeks doing in the Jewish Synagogue?”
Notice, Paul says, while visiting the Jewish Synagogue, both Jews and Greeks believed.
Here’s the answer. While the Jews looked down on the Gentiles, if a Gentile wanted to convert to Judaism, it was actually allowed.
Great question. Here’s why. While the Jews looked down on the Gentiles, if a Gentile wanted to convert to Judaism, it was allowed.
Acts 14:2
And so when Luke says that both Jews and Greeks believed, he’s referring to Greeks that had converted to Judaism.
And so apparently, as Paul shares the gospel, these converted Greeks, along with some of the Jews, are putting their faith in Jesus.
So, this is a good thing, right? For sure.
But it’s going to lead to opposition. Because as the Jews and Greeks within the Synagogue begin to accept the gospel, there is a group within the Jewish Synagogue who does not accept it. Luke tells us who they are in verse 2:
Because as the Jews and Greeks within the Synagogue begin to accept the gospel, there is a group within the Synagogue who does not accept it. Look at what Luke tells us next:
2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.
Luke says within the synagogue there was a group of “unbelieving Jews” So, who are they?
This is our religious group. And they apparently don’t like or agree with what Paul is teaching.
And it has them so bothered, that Luke says in response they begin a smear campaign against Paul and Barnabas in an attempt to turn the people against them. Luke says:
2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.
Reason #1 - The Gospel messes with people’s religious beliefs.
The word “poisoned” here is translated from the Greek word “kakoo” and it literally means ‘to cause someone to have hostile feelings of dislike toward someone.’
Because Luke says as some began to put their faith in Jesus, the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds.
Which means, their goal is to turn people against Paul and Barnabas.
So, the question then is, what about the gospel message has gotten this group so upset? Why are they going to great lengths to destroy the reputation and bring harm to Paul and Barnabas? What are they so worried about?
Based on the text and the context of this passage, what I’d like to suggest to you, is that there are two primary reasons this religious group is upset, to the point they want to bring harm to Paul and Barnabas:
Reason #1 - The Gospel message messes with people’s religious beliefs.
This goes back to what we talked about a few moments ago. That when it comes to the gospel, the gospel is very clear when it comes to Salvation. To put it simply, the gospel is Jesus + nothing.
In other words, according to the gospel, in order for a person to be saved and be right with God, all they have to do is put their faith in Jesus and make Him Lord of their life, that’s it.
And that idea would have flown in the face of the religious Jew. Why?
Because for them, salvation was found in the OT Law. Salvation was found in keeping the rituals. Salvation was about what you had to do in order to be acceptable to God. Salvation was based on a religious association, of which they were very proud of.
19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.
But here’s the problem with that. The Law and rituals were never given to save anyone. How do I know that? I know because that’s what the Bible teaches us.
And so, what I want to do to explain this, is take you to the book of Galatians, because in the book of Galatians Paul gives us great insight into what the purpose of the law actually is and why faith in Jesus is actually what saves a person. Listen to what Paul says in Galatians 3 as he later writes to these churches:
“Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made...” (ESV)
In this passage, Paul asks a rhetorical question and then he answers it, and the question is, “What’s the purpose of the OT law?” In other words, why did God give the law to us?
So,
So, what’s the answer?
Two reasons:
So, why is that? Why did sin require the need for God’s law? There are two reasons.
Paul says the law was given for two purposes:
Purpose #1 - The law was given to prevent and protect us from sin.
Paul writes, “It was added because of transgressions...” (ESV)
Paul writes, “It was added because of transgressions...” (ESV)
The key phrase here is “because of transgressions”, and it carries a couple of implications.
The first implication is that the law was given because of sin. That’s what he means by “transgressions”. The same sin that came into the world because of Adam and Eve’s disobedience. The same sin that affects us today. It’s sin in general.
The second implication, based on the Greek Grammar that Paul uses, is that the law was added to provide a preventative and protective function. So, what does that mean?
Let’s start with the preventative function.
From a preventative measure it was meant to hold sin back and keep it at bay.
You could think of it like a boundary line of sorts when it comes to sin. Meaning the law is what keeps us from offending God even more.
That’s why Paul goes on to say in :
Galatians 3:24-
24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
If you’re a parent, it’s the same thing you do with your kids. When your kids do something they shouldn’t, you assign boundaries and set rules to prevent them from doing it again or doing something worse.
It’s what we see the CDC doing with this virus outbreak. That’s what the shelter in place and stay at home orders are all about. They are guidelines and boundaries that have been set to prevent the further spread of the virus. The goal is to keep a bad situation from becoming worse.
It’s the same with sin. Sin is a spiritual virus that spreads like wildfire, and one of the purposes of God’s law is to prevent the spread.
Coupled with that though is the protective measure of the law. Because preventing provides protection.
Galatians 3:24-
Think of it like this. As a parent, when you tell your child not to touch a hot stove, you are not only preventing them from harm, you are protecting them from harm. Because the last thing you want is for your child to burn their hand, right?
40 Forward Week 6
40 Forward Week 6
It’s the same with God’s law. God gave us His law to not only prevent the spread, but to protect us from the consequences of sin. Because the last thing God wants is for you or I to suffer the consequences of sin.
And so like a loving parent, God gives us His law and says, “Whatever you do, don’t touch the stove of sexual immorality! Don’t touch the stove of greed! Don’t touch the stove of drunkenness! Don’t touch the stove of adultery!” And the list goes on.
40 Forward Week 6
So, why doesn’t God want us to touch the stove? Is it because He’s a kill joy? Is it because He doesn't’ want us to have fun? No! It’s because He wants to protect us from the consequences of sin, consequences we aren’t always aware of.
Brad Wicks / General
40 Forward
Paul puts it like this in :
24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.
Ezekiel 36:26
Paul says the law was a guardian. Something that not only prevents, but protects us.
Not only that,
This leads to the second purpose. The law was given:
Purpose #2 - To sustain us not save us from sin.
Purpose #2 - To sustain us not save us from sin.
Romans 8:2-
Paul writes:
24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
What Paul is saying here is, that the written law served a temporary purpose until Jesus came, in order that we might be justified by faith.
What Paul is saying here is that the law was never given to save us, but to keep sin at bay in our lives as we awaited Christ to come, who would then provide salvation to us. And notice how Paul says that salvation will come. Not from works. Not from keeping rituals. But through faith. That’s why Paul goes on to writes:
25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Paul says until Jesus came, we needed the law to prevent and protect us from sin. We needed the rituals to remind us of our sin and our need for God. We needed what he calls a “guardian”.
But now he says because of faith in Jesus, we no longer need the guardian.
Which leads to the question, “Why don’t we need the law or rituals to guard us anymore?”
We don’t need it because God has given us His Son. Because according to , Jesus has accomplished what the law couldn’t. Paul writes in Romans 8:
2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Paul says that Jesus did what the law or any ritual couldn’t do. He set us free from sin and death by paying the price for our sin. The writer of Hebrews says it like this:
4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,
“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
but a body have you prepared for me;
So, does that mean we no longer need to follow God’s law? Of course not. Because God’s law is still valid. But how God’s law works in our lives is now different. Because Paul says we no longer walk by the flesh, but by the Spirit.
So, does that mean we no longer need to follow God’s law? Of course not. Because God’s law is still valid. But how God’s law works in our lives is different. Because Paul says we no longer walk by the flesh, but by the Spirit.
So, what does that mean? It means because of your faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit is now living on the inside of you, and He’s changing you. It’s what the OT prophet Ezekiel was talking about when he prophesied about what Jesus would do. In he writes:
26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. 28 You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.
Paul says, because of our faith in Jesus, we now walk according to the Spirit, not the flesh. Why? Because God’s law is not written on our hearts.
What Ezekiel is referring to is the work that the Holy Spirit produces in us when we put our faith in Jesus. Because the second you put your faith in Jesus, and the Holy Spirit enters you, He begins to create a new you, and not only that, but He puts God’s law on your heart.
Which means, you don’t need a written law to prevent and protect you. Why? Because now you have God’s Spirit living inside of you. Which means, God’s desires are now your desires. God’s way of thinking is now your way of thinking. That’s why Paul says we no longer walk according to the flesh, but by the Spirit.
Think of it like this. And I hope this helps make some sense of it. Let’s say as a parent you make a list of 10 rules and put them on the refrigerator. And the goal of putting them on the refrigerator is so that when your kids see them, they will be reminded of what the rules are.
But wouldn’t it be wonderful if instead of putting those rules on the refrigerator, you could somehow put those rules directly into your kids heart. So that inherently they would know what the right thing to do is and exactly what you expect of them. Wouldn’t that be amazing.
That’s exactly what happens when you put your faith in Jesus. In that moment the HS writes God’s law on your heart, and you begin to inherently understand and know what God expects. Pretty amazing, right?
This is exactly what it means to be born again and what Paul was talking about when he said:
#2 - The law was given to expose the
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
But unfortunately, this is where the issue comes into play for the religious person. Because when you put your faith in Jesus, and Jesus transforms you, the work of salvation is done.
51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.
51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. 52 For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
54 He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.’ And so it happens.
In fact, not long ago, I was at the theatre
Acts 14:3-7
Think of it like this. In football game there are rules. Rules that are meant to protect players from unruly conduct. Rules that set boundaries and protect players from being harmed by another player.
In a way, that’s how God’s law functions. It sets boundaries to protect us from sin.
12 And they were seeking to arrest him but feared the people, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them. So they left him and went away.
42 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue;
18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
At that point, there’s nothing more you can do or add to it. At this point there’s no need for the ritual, the sacrament, or religious association. Why? Paul tells us in :
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Paul says it’s because Jesus is the one who did the work for your salvation and deserves the credit, not you.
And for a lot of religious people, this messes with their religion.
This messes with everything they’ve been taught about a works based salvation.
This brings into question why they perform certain rituals and sacraments.
This unravels family tradition and heritage.
For many religious people, this is a highly offensive subject matter.
And please hear me, I’m not saying rituals, religious heritage, and traditions are bad. What I’m saying though is, they don’t save you. Not one bit. The only one that can save you is Jesus.
And so when you tell somebody who is religious that their religion won’t save them, its offensive. And it’s going to bring a divide, and in a number of ways:
First, in your family. Second, among close friends. And then eventually in a community. In fact, Jesus promised this would happen. In Jesus puts it like this:
51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. 52 For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
Jesus says, “Listen, the message of the gospel is so offensive, that it will divide and create division between families and communities.” Jesus says that’s how divisive it can be.
And here’s what I’ve learned, the more religious the family or community is, the greater the divide.
And you can be sure, when that happens, opposition to your new faith in Jesus will rise as some work to discredit it, discourage you, and throw water on the flame that God has ignited in you.
Why? Because it’s messing with their religion. It’s messing with everything they have put their hope in.
To be honest, I’ve seen this kind of division happen to several families in our church. As some have been ridiculed and sidelined by their family because they put their faith in Jesus and now attend this church.
I’ve seen it in our community, as our church has grown over the past several years, and those who are opposed to our growth have worked to discredit, discourage, and tarnish our reputation. Why? Because we are messing with their religion.
It’s exactly what Jesus said would happen, and it’s what happened to Paul and Barnabas as they presented the gospel to a group of religious people, some of who were willing listen, and some who were not. And so in response they worked to poison the minds of others.
Which leads us to a second reason they responded this way. Because not only does it mess with their religion:
Reason #2 - The Gospel message threatens religous power and influence.
Notice what Luke tells us happened next as the religious Jews sought to discredit Paul:
3 So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 4 But the people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles. 5 When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them, 6 they learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country, 7 and there they continued to preach the gospel.
Luke says despite the initial opposition, that Paul and Barnabas continued to speak the word of God with boldness. They even performed signs and wonders as lives were transformed and people were healed. But even that didn’t change the minds of those who opposed them. Why not?
Because here’s what we need to understand. One of the major concerns for the Religious Jews wasn’t so much the message of the gospel, but the affect it might have on their religious power and influence. Because while they were the minority in a Gentile city, Jewish populations often had great religous influence among the Greeks, especially if some of the more prominent Greeks had converted to Judaism.
So, how do we know that was true for this particular group of religious Jews?
And as Paul preaches, and more and more people come to faith in Jesus, the religous Jews are getting concerned, because if too many come to faith, they could lose their power and influence.
We know this because in order to get rid of Paul and Barnabas, Luke says they went to the rulers of the city and encouraged them to stone Paul and Barnabas.
Why would they do that? They did it because Luke says there was a growing divide in the city as more and more people came to faith in Jesus. And the concern for the religious Jews would have been, “What happens to us if this city is converted to Christianity? What happens to our power. What happens to our influence?”
And so to guarantee they retained it, they went to the rulers of the city, and they poisoned their minds as well, which resulted in a plot to kill Paul and Barnabas.
Which shouldn’t surprise us, because the same thing happened to Jesus during his ministry on earth. Because as more and more people followed Jesus, the more the religious leaders of Jesus’s day felt threatened. Threatened that they’d lose their power. Threatened that they’d lose their influence. The Apostle John confirms this. Listen to what he says about how Jesus’s influence was affecting people:
42 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue;
John says some really influential people had started to put their hope in Jesus, and while they didn’t confess it, you can bet the Pharisees were aware of it.
I mean, why do you think they plotted to kill Jesus? Key word being “Plot”.
Why do you think they held His trial in the dead of night?
Why do you think they paid people to make false claims against Him?
They did it because they knew they were losing their religious power and influence over the people. Jesus had way to many people following Him for them to control, and they were becoming unnecessary and obsolete. So something has to be done.
So, they went to Pilate, and they used their religious power and influence to have Him killed.
12 From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.”
This was a threat. And the threat as, “Pilate, if you don’t kill him, we’re going to tell Caesar you though He was king”. Which would have been a capital offense.
And what happened to Jesus, is now happening to Paul and Barnabas. And I hate to say, it will happen to any individual or church that preaches a Biblical gospel.
So, how does this apply to us?
It applies on both an individual and corporate level:
Let’s start with the corporate level:
Because the fact is, when the gospel moves into a religious area or community, not too many give it much thought, until, people start putting their hope in it. Until, the movement starts to grow. Until, some of the more prominent leaders of the community begin to give an ear to it.
And then, attention is given. Why? Because if this thing keeps growing, the religous flow of this community may start to lose ground. If this keeps growing, our tradition, spiritual heritage, religous association, and ritualistic thinking may be threatened. Because all it would take, is for one or two really prominent people to believe, and that could be the end.
Think of it like this. When it comes to Hollywood actors, I’ve often heard Christians say something like, “Can you imagine what would happen if so and so got saved?” Somebody like Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt, or some other A-List actor.
Let me ask you something, “Why do Christians say things like that?” Well, you’d hope it’s because they truly want that person to know Jesus. But the reality is, what their really saying is, “Wouldn’t it be great if somebody with as much influence and power as so and so got saved. Can you imagine that impact it could have on all those that look up to them.”
And the truth is, it probably would. But have you ever noticed how Hollywood responds to an actor that puts their faith in Jesus and makes a public profession?
For some, it’s the end of their career. Why? Because Hollywood knows the kind of influence and power they have. And the last thing they want, is for this new influence of Christianity too spread. And so they black ball the actor, hoping their influence will soon come to an end.
That’s exactly what is happening to Paul and Barnabas, and it’s exactly what happens to a lot of Gospel based churches who begin to have an impact in a highly religious community.
The same thing happens on an individual level.
The fact is, if you grew up in a religous family or in a religious way of thinking, but then you come to faith in Jesus, in that moment you become a threat. Why? Because you have influence in the family. Influence over brothers and sisters. Influence over Niece and Nephews. Influence over kids and grandkids.
So, does that mean your family is going to try and take you out? Well, I hope not.
But what it will mean is you might become known as Crazy Aunt Sally. Or Nutty Uncle Joe. You’ll become the wayward son or daughter who has lost their way. The one who drank the kool-aid. The one who has abandoned the family tradition and religious heritage. Somehow and in someway you’ll be labeled in an attempt to limit your influence. I’ve seen it happen to a lot of people.
Now, some of you might be thinking, “Wow Pastor, that’s kind of depressing”. You know, I guess you could see it that way. But it’s the reality of following Jesus. In , Jesus said there is a cost to following Him. He puts it like this:
33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:
In , Jesus said this is the way it would be.
Jesus says putting your faith in Him will cost you. In fact, it may cost you everything.
Paul and Barnabas understood this. Because I can promise you, they weren’t one bit surprised when the Religious Jews worked to discredit and even kill them.
but they didn’t let it get them down. Instead, they continued to do what Jesus told them to do. They kept moving forward in order to lead more and more people to Jesus. Because as this story ends, Luke writes:
5 When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them, 6 they learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country, 7 and there they continued to preach the gospel.
Acts 14:
Luke says after things went South, they moved onto a new set of cities, and continued to preach the Gospel.
And that’s exactly what we have to be willing to do as well.
To be honest, I’ve struggled with this over the past week. Because just in the last few days there have been some attacks that have come from outside of our church.
Attacks that were meant to discourage. Attacks that were meant to divide. Attacks that are a result of what God is doing in and through our church.
And I’ve had to remind myself this week, that this is what happens when you preach the gospel. This is what happens when you open up the Bible and begin to shine the light of Christ into peoples lives.
In that moment, there will be opposition. And in that moment, it will feel be easy to get discouraged. And that’s exactly what the enemy wants.
But what we have to realize in those moments, is the reason the attacks are coming, is because we are making progress. The reason the attacks are coming is because we are gaining influence. The reason the attacks are coming, is because more and more people are coming to faith in Jesus.
So, while the attacks can be discouraging, they are actually a sign of victory. And a sign that we need to keep moving forward as well. A sign that we can’t give up.
As we close this morning, the truth is, a message like this could be seen to some as divisive. In fact, some of you watching right now might even be thinking I’m talking about your church or your religous association, and now your upset.
So, as I close at this message, I’d like to close by asking you a couple of questions concerning your response to this message:
Question #1 - Why are you upset?
In other words, “What about what I’ve said bothers you?” I think that’s an important question for you to consider. Because the only way to resolve it or get to the truth of why your upset, isn’t to react, but to give thought to what has angered you, and why.
Question #2 - Is what I’ve shared with you Biblical? In other words, does the Bible back up the idea that Salvation isn’t about what you do or what church you go to, but about a relationship with Jesus?
You know I think it does, but what I’d like to challenge you to do, is to pick up your Bible and look at it for yourself. To look at the Bible it actually says about Salvation. Not what your pastor or priest says. But what does God’s Word say? Maybe it’s time to stop letting religious heritage, rituals, and tradition govern your beliefs, and start letting the Bible define that for you. To let God’s Word be the foundation for your faith.
Question #3 - Do you follow a religion or do you have a relationship with Jesus?
I think that’s a critical question for you to ask yourself, especially if you’re serious about a relationship with God. Because according to Jesus, He’s looking for a relationship. He wants you to put your faith in Him, and Him alone. And I’m sorry to say, but religous thinking won’t let you do that. And at the end of the day, you have to choose one or the other.
My prayer for you today, is that you will choose the latter. That you will choose to put your faith in Jesus and make Him Lord of your life. And that you will experience the new life Jesus promises us. Jesus puts it like this in :
:
3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Let’s Pray
Also, by way of letting us know you are with us, if you wouldn’t mind making a comment in the comment box. That way we know you’re with us and allows us to interact with you.
I also want to say for those of you joining us for the first time, welcome, and please take a moment and fill out an online connect card so we can better connect with you and send you
1 Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 4 But the people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles. 5 When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them, 6 they learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country, 7 and there they continued to preach the gospel.
Acts 14:1-