TITLE PAGE

Biblical Foundations for Missions (BAH 936, MAH 936)

Rev. Julian Michael Zugg, LLB (Hons) Barrister, M. Div.

Belize Presbyterian Theological Seminary

P.O. Box 145, 12 St Matthew’s Street, Belize City, Belize

CONTACT DETAILS:

Jzugg@mac.comMissionBelize.orgTel Belize 501 628 5404Tel US 281 506 2833

1

OUTLINE

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

LESSON ONE. Trinitarian View of Mission

LESSON TWO. The Fall, Abraham, Israel and the Plan of God

LESSON THREE. The Coming of Christ, the Presence of the Kingdom in the World

LESSON FOUR. The Control of the Holy Spirit in Missions, The New Creation

LESSON FIVE. Paul, the Missionary to the Gentiles

LESSON SIX. Paul’s First Mission Journey and the Jerusalem Council

LESSON SEVEN. Paul’s Mission and the Church

LESSON EIGHT. The New Testament and Cross-Cultural Ministry

BIBLIOGRAPHY

APPENDIX

INSTRUCTOR’S MANUAL

PREFACE

2

This work is dedicated to the students at Belize Presbyterian Theological Seminary. I am grateful to God for His work in them and for the zeal and commitment they show for His cause. I would also like to thank my God for the opportunity to teach about mission while being on the mission field. Special thanks must go to those who preceded me, whose works I have drawn from and who I have interacted with in the process of Gospel mission. The work of Leslie Newbigin and Roland Allen are the bedrock of this course, to God be the glory for their labors.

INTRODUCTIONThis course is written seeks to an expositional, biblical ground and theological basis for mission in order to prepare students for the great task of spreading the message of the Gospel throughout the world. It is my prayer that they might not only be in a church founded by missionaries, but they might themselves go out to found other churches in the this world.

COURSE CONTENTThe course is divided into eight lessons and has two major parts. Part 1 (Lessons 1-4) argues that Mission is a work of the Triune God with each member taking specific roles. Part 2 (Lessons 5-8) stresses man's responsibility in mission. We will focus particularly on the life of the apostle Paul, a Jewish missionary to the Gentiles, and the relationship between the church and mission.

COURSE MATERIALSThe principle course materials are the lecture notes. Additional reading is from Roland Allen’s work, Missionary Methods.

COURSE OBJECTIVESThe course is designed to encourage students to study together, to interact with the professor and each other, to discuss and debate, and to gain a deeper understanding of the material. It is also designed to give students a principle scriptural and detailed understanding of the material and to encourage students to read original material in the field of apologetics. It is hoped that the course will help students develop the apologetic skills needed to defend the faith to unbelievers. Finally, it is my prayer that they will communicate this information and skill sets to their congregations.

STRUCTURE OF THE COURSEThis course has been written in 8 consecutive lessons. The modules should be studied in order. The lessons are of unequal length; therefore, students must take care to allocate sufficient time for each. The principle content is found in the

3

lectures, and this should be supplemented with the required reading. The readings are ordered to follow each part of the course.

COURSE REQUIREMENTSStudents will attend 16 hours of class time.Students will do 16 hours of extra reading outside of class.Students will undertake a special project. There will be a final exam covering lectures and readings.

COURSE EVALUATION1. Student participation (15%): One point may be given for each class hour. 2. Student homework (15%): Two points may be given for each completed homework assignment. If all homework assignments are completed, an extra point is awarded at the end of the course.3. Student readings (20%): Students are required to read Rolland Allen, Missionary Methods, St. Paul’s or Ours. Master Reading will include Appendix 2.4. Student Special Project (25%): See Appendix 3.5. Student Exam (25%): The student will demonstrate his/her understanding of the main concepts and content of the course materials

BENEFITS OF THIS COURSEThe course teaches students the basic principles of defending the faith and of how to expose and exploit the deceptions that the unbeliever is laboring under. It also helps define what our responsibility is in defending the Gospel.

4

Lesson One. Introduction to the Mission of the Church - Overview

1. Introduction The Bible and the Gospel are mission focused. Since the Fall of man (by sin and rebellion against God in the Garden), a gracious God has been working to redeem man, to restore and recover him. The mission of God begins with the great promise of Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.” This promise has been partially fulfilled in the coming of the Son, in His death and victory over Satan; and it continues to be fulfilled in the church’s mission. Paul encouraged the Roman church with these words: “And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly” (Rom. 16:20). The mission of the church and the ongoing warfare will continue until the final victory over Satan is complete. These texts (as well as others) show that mission is principally God’s work. It is God who made the promise; it is God who is fulfilling it. In this great work, the church joins with God in His work of mission. Lesson One lays a foundation for mission; one we will build on over the remainder of the course. This course is divided into three sections. In lessons 2-4 we will argue that the basis of mission is the work of the Triune God. Mission is the work of the Father who plans all things. Mission is the work of the Son, who comes from heaven to earth to save. Mission is the presence of God in Christ meeting the unbelieving world, calling it to repentance and faith. Mission is the work of the Spirit who continues Christ’s work in the church upon earth in Christ’s absence. In section two we focus upon Paul. Paul was uniquely called and chosen by God to be His missionary to the Gentiles. Paul saw himself as the servant of Isaiah 42, part of the Father’s plan and promise that the Gospel would go to all nations. We will look at Paul in three lessons. Lesson 5 stresses Paul’s unique call and vision for mission. Lesson 6 traces Paul’s first mission journey until the Council of Jerusalem. Lesson 7 looks at Paul’s and the missionary’s relationship to the church. It is vitally important to see that Paul’s missionary methods reflected his theology. Paul’s belief that mission was God’s work was reflected in his mission strategy–being sent by a church, relying upon preaching and teaching and the Spirit to spread the word, the founding of churches, not just converting individuals. Paul relied upon the Spirit to strengthen and establish the new church as quickly as possible. Paul’s method flowed directly from his

5

understanding that mission is God’s work in the church. Paul understood this and tailored his methods to be consistent with these principles. It is a great failing that many missionaries do not see mission in this light. It is crucial that we study Paul’s methods and apply them to the best of our ability. The third section, lesson 8, focuses upon cultural ministry in the New Testament. We will include the conversion of Cornelius in Acts 10, the cultural importance of the Jerusalem council in Acts 15, the circumcision of Timothy, and a final discussion of meat offered to idols.

2. Mission: A Work of the Trinity As all of God’s works are Trinitarian, Mission is a work of the Trinity. Each member of the Trinity–Father, Son and Spirit–is immediately and directly involved in this work. Jesus’ baptism, the formal inauguration of his ministry, demonstrates this principle.

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.’ ” Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”   But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased

6

(Matt. 3:1-17).

John was the last and greatest of the prophets to Israel (Matt.11:11). He preached a Gospel of repentance as the kingdom of God was coming, a message fulfilled in Christ (Matt. 1:22, 23). In His baptism, Jesus identified Himself with His people. He formally became the mediator of the New Covenant, the true Servant of God, the true Israel (Isa. 41:8, 9). His water baptism must be read in the light of the whole of His public ministry: it points to the whole of His life and work. His “baptism” was completed upon the cross in His death, burial and resurrection for sin (Luke 12:50; Col. 2:11, 12). By being baptized, Jesus identified Himself as His people’s representative. They are joined to the whole of His life.

In Christ’s baptism we see the Father as Creator, Head, Innovator, and Planner. It is He who elected His own Son to be the firstborn amongst creation, the focus of the Gospel and mission. We see the Son, fully God and fully man, able to secure the forgiveness of sin. In the Son, God entered into human suffering, humbling Himself in order to establish His kingdom in the world and in the church. Mission is the presence of God in Christ in the world, reconciling men to God. The Spirit played a crucial role, descending upon Christ and anointing Him for His task. The Spirit is the Lord Jesus’ source of action and power (Isa. 61:1, Luke 4:16). It was the Spirit who led Christ and equipped Him for ministry. It was the same Spirit who was poured out upon the church at Pentecost, equipping them to continue Christ’s work until He comes. Paul summarized the work of each Person of the Trinity in Ephesians 1:1-14. In Christ’s baptism, the mission of God was manifest.

3. Mission and the New Creation

The mission of God, the Gospel, is closely linked to the coming of the New Covenant.

Christ’s coming introduced the New Covenant, which brought in a completely new order in creation. Paul said: If any man be in Christ he is a new creation, old things have passed away (2 Cor. 5:17).

7

Christ came in the fullness of time (Gal 4:4). In His coming a new creation, a new order (indicated by the vertical line), was revealed. The new creation brought the old creation and the role of Israel to an end. The copies, shadows, and types of Israel were ended (Col. 2:16, 17). In Galatians 6:15, Paul said “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.” The coming of the New Covenant and creation opened the way for missions to break out of Judaism/Israel and go into all the world in a new way. In the New Covenant the Last Days have arrived.

Some implications of the New Covenant are: 1

First, the New Covenant brings a sense of urgency. We are now in the Last Days. The second coming of Christ and the judgment of the world is immanent.

Second, in the New Covenant the old cultural forms of Israel are replaced by the new key concept of the Spirit, Sonship, the New Creation, and the rule of Christ. As Colossians 2:16, 17 and Galatians 6:15 (above) state, the cultural forms, circumcision, and other specific laws to Israel no longer hold. The real issue is, is someone part of the new creation? Are they a son, indwelt by the Spirit and under Christ’s rule? Israel’s Old Testament culture and cultural forms have been superseded, something new has occurred. This was recognized by the elders at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:18-21). The freeing of the Gospel from Israel’s Old Testament forms was crucially important for the spreading of the Gospel into the Gentile world.

Third, the New Covenant brings in the period of the Spirit who helps Christ rule the nations and enables the church to fulfill its mission.

Fourth, the church is already part of the new creation. While she still exists in the old creation, she experiences the power and the foretaste of the glory that will be revealed. She is already experiencing the age to come. This 1 The New Covenant, as the final covenant, brings all the blessing of Christ to the world. Due to space we have only dealt with a few of these above due to space.

8

power and foretaste of glory is an essential part of her witness to the world. The church in the world is calling the old creation to repentance and faith.

4. Paul as Missionary

Paul is the great New Testament missionary. God called Paul to be an apostle, to take the Gospel from Israel to the nations. In the history of God’s revelation, Paul was a unique figure, the aide to the Servant of the Lord (Isaiah 42).  Paul’s unique position means that we cannot simply use his methods but we are to learn from him.  One important aspect of this course will be to identify his mission principles so that we might use them today. As an aid, I have collected all of the principles and placed them in Appendix 2.  Due to Paul’s unique status, no missionary is called to follow these principles exactly, but the closer we can model our missionary methods upon these principles, the more scripturally effective our position will be. It is a question of degree.

One of the principles we will consider is that Paul’s mission is church based, not para-church based. Paul focused upon preaching and teaching. His aim was to establish churches and to encourage them to operate independently of him while depending upon Christ’s lordship and the work of the Spirit. To this end, Paul appointed elders, equipped the church with its officers and then committed the church to the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul did not try micro managing the church or keeping control over it once he had left. Paul understood that the church was founded by the work of the Spirit and that the ongoing work of the Spirit would keep and sustain it.

5. Mission Texts and Cross-Cultural Ministry

In the final section (Lesson 8) we will look at a number of important texts

9

for cross-cultural mission in the New Testament. The call to mission, the implication of the call, was not immediately understood by the early church. As she began to engage in mission, she was challenged on both a theological and a social/cultural level. We will consider this in lesson 8.

ConclusionSince Genesis 3:15, God has been at work in mission. Mission is the work of

the Triune God with each member playing a particular role. Paul is the great example of mission in the New Testament and we are to follow his example as closely as possible.

SummaryIn Matthew 3:1-17 the Father, Son and the Spirit are involved in the

incarnation–the mission of God to save a people. The Father plans salvation, the Son brings the plan into effect and the Spirit applies salvation to us. Mission is the presence of Christ in the word, drawing men to the Father, through the power of the Spirit. This understanding controlled Paul’s missionary method. Paul sought to establish churches and make them grow through the power of the Spirit. Paul did not take ownership of the church; it was Christ’s church bought with His own blood (Acts 20:28). Paul founded churches and then committed them to Christ.

10

Lesson One Questions1. When does mission begin in the Scriptures? 2. What are the implications of the verse above?3. Explain what we mean by the statement, God’s missionary work is Trinitarian.4. What verse is a good illustration of the Trinitarian mission?5. Briefly describe the role of each person of the Trinity in mission. 6. Explain the importance of the new creation in mission?7. Describe Paul’s attitude to this circumcision and this creation.8. What is the significance of the Spirit being poured out in the nations?9. Explain why Paul is unique and yet still an example to us.10. Explain one of Paul’s missionary principles from the text above.

11

Lesson Two. The Fall, Abraham, Israel and the Father’s Plan

1. Introduction

The Old Testament lays the foundation of New Testament mission. We begin our discussion of mission by looking at this foundation. We will look at the Fall of Man, the Flood and the Tower of Babel. These events set the scene for the election and call of Abraham, and from his election, the election of Israel and the coming of Abraham’s seed–the Christ.

In the Old Testament, one great theme is that God the Father is working out His divine plan. The Old Testament illustrates the Father’s plan. Initially, God narrowed the Gospel message, limiting it to Israel but in the fullness of time God reversed this, sending His Son, the true Israel of God (Isa. 41:8). In the Messiah, Israel’s calling to be a witness to the nations is finally fulfilled. He is the Obedient Messenger, bringing salvation to Israel and from Israel He takes this salvation to the ends of the earth.

2. Sin, Universal Fall, the Flood and the Tower of BabelThis section offers a brief look at God’s response to the Fall in the Old

Testament.

2.1. Genesis 3: The Universal Fall and First Promise

The fall of man in Genesis 3 set the scene for Abraham’s call. Adam fell and sin entered the human race (Rom. 5:12-14; Gen. 3:11). Adam’s position as federal representative meant that his sin had universal scope and so all men are now alienated, hostile to God and cast out of His presence. Sin and death now reign (Gen. 5:5, 8, 11ff; Rom. 5:12-14). God’s answer to sin's entrance is found in Genesis 3:15.

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.

This is the first promise of the Gospel and it lays down a paradigm for God’s mission in the world. Notice the following:

1. In the Fall, men have swapped sides, leaving God’s blessing for Satan's kingdom. Men are alienated from God and God is alienated from them.

2. Mission is the initiative of God. It is God who intervenes and promises Satan

12

that that He will place enmity between Satan and the woman. Mission is the battle between God and Satan. God, through His own initiative, promises to separate the woman from the serpent and her seed from his seed. Without this work of God, Eve and her seed will still be on Satan’s side.

3. Out of the destruction of the Fall, God lays down a promise, a program of deliverance in which He now attacks Satan’s kingdom, electing and separating a line to Himself, a line culminating in the Messiah who at great cost will destroy Satan.

4. The promise sets up a conflict between Eve and her seed and Satan and his seed. In this promise, God divides the world into two lines. The promise creates a threefold structure. Initially the contrast is between the woman and Satan, then it is between the two seeds, and finally it will crystallize in the “HE (first person singular) will crush your head. YOU (singular) will bruise his heel”.

5. The fulfillment of these two lines is found in the singular seed (He) of the woman and Satan (singular). In this battle, the Seed of the woman crushed Satan’s head, a death blow, while Satan still strikes on the heel, a deadly but lesser attack.

6. Although the ultimate battle is found in the two seeds, the fact that each seed is part of a line (the Christ comes from the seed of the woman and all those who follow the Christ are the seed of the woman) means that the whole line joins the battle, both in being bruised and bruising. Paul eluded to both points 4 and 5 in Romans 16:20: And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.

2.2. The Flood, Tower of Babel

Genesis 4-11 traces the two lines. Cain’s line threatened to bring disaster upon the whole earth and threatened the line of the seed (Gen. 6:1, 5, 11). In answer, God brought the flood, destroying the seed of the serpent while

13

keeping Noah and his family alive.

The flood offered a new start but it didn’t deal with the root of man's sin, his corrupted heart. Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Gen. 6:5). Man's heart before the flood is the same as man's heart after the flood. 'And the LORD smelled a soothing aroma. Then the LORD said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (Gen. 8:21).

God slowed sin’s progress a second time by the confusion of languages at the Tower of Babel. The nations of the world, who were to go out subduing the world for God (Gen. 1:26, 27), gathered together to build a tower to reflect their own glory. Rather than seeking the glory of His name, they desired to displace God from heaven, to make a name for themselves. God responded by coming down in judgment. He confused their language and so slowed their progress, forcing them to abandon Babel and scatter over the earth. Babel was eventually reversed at Pentecost (Acts 2). 2

It is in this context that God called Abraham out from amongst the nations. God used Abraham to bring forth the seed.

3. The Election and Call of Abraham

God called Abraham out of the 70 nations. The Fall, the Flood, and the Tower of Babel showed the total corruption of man. At Babel, God divided up the nations, but in Abraham He separated a family from them that He called and blessed; A family that He will make into a nation that will continue the work of bringing the seed. The promise to Eve now found its focus in one man, Abraham, and from this man, the nation of Israel, the seed was born. God separated Israel from the nations to protect her from their wickedness.

3.1. The Election and Call of Abraham

Genesis 11:26-12:3:   Now Terah lived seventy years, and begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran.   This is the genealogy of Terah: Terah begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran begot Lot. And Haran died before his father Terah in his native land, in Ur of the Chaldeans. Then Abram and Nahor took wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and the father of Iscah. But Sarai was 2 The pouring out of the Spirit and the mandate to reach the whole earth means that the languages barrier must be overcome. The gift of the spirit begins the process of uniting mankind.

14

barren; she had no child. And Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and they went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan; and they came to Haran and dwelt there. So the days of Terah were two hundred and five years, and Terah died in Haran. Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

Genesis 12 teaches us that Abraham was called by grace. No merit or special reason is given for his call. It was God who chose Abraham out of the mass of the nations, not Abraham who chose God. The call of God is powerful and effectual, following the promises of Genesis 3:15. Abraham was called out of the land of Haran into the land of Canaan, thus separating and protecting the line of Abraham from the nations. Satan's grip over Abraham was broken; Abraham the idolater was now the friend of God–he followed Him by faith. The promised seed comes through Abraham: “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12: 3). Through Abraham’s seed, God will bless all nations. The blessings of God do not come directly but through His servant, then through Israel, and finally though Abraham's final seed, Christ. It is in Christ that all the nations will be blessed.

The election and calling of Abraham was for two ends. He was called to be blessed and to be a blessing (Gen. 12:2,3). The election of God is not just a privilege, it is also a call to bring that blessing to others. Grace and privilege is not just to be kept, rather it is to be received and given. Initially that promise was to Abraham’s seed, identified by the covenant sign of circumcision and faith (Gen. 17:1-14), with the eventual purpose that in the fullness of time, it would go forth to all the nations. Paul developed this idea in Galatians 3:8: “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the Gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.” By calling Abraham in history, God entered into a plan in which all the nations of the world will be blessed.

3.2. Election of One for the Blessing of Many

In the calling of Abraham, God now mediates His blessing to all nations. In the Old Testament the nations came to Israel to learn of God and to receive His blessing. An example was the coming of the Queen of Sheba to Solomon’s

15

court (1 Kings 10:4). The principle came to its greatest fulfillment in Christ, the Messiah, the true Servant of the Lord, the true Israel. In His coming, Israel is blessed and through the Gospel the Holy Spirit is poured out upon all nations (Acts 2,10,19). In Christ the electing stream finds it ultimate fulfillment and it is from that all nations are blessed (Eph. 1:4.). The steam is narrowed in order that it might later be broadened.

That the election of Abraham was never for his own blessing alone, but was part of God's plan to send the Gospel into all the earth can be seen from the location of Canaan (the center of all commercial routes) and by the relationship between Abraham and Melchizedek. In Genesis 14 we are introduced to Melchizedek, one who was outside of the line of Israel and the line of promise to Abraham. Abraham came to Melchizedek to offer sacrifices to God. This act of worship through Melchizedek’s priesthood showed that he was greater than Abraham and that although the stream of redemptive history in Abraham had narrowed; God’s purposes were wider than merely Israel. The importance of Melchizedek increases for we are told in Psalm 110:4 that the Messiah will be of his order; “The LORD has sworn, and will not relent ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.’”

Here we are told that the Messiah will be of Melchizedek’s line, one who was not a priest for the Jews only but who was priest for the Jews (Abraham) and the Gentile nations. The relationship of Christ and Melchizedek is developed at length in Psalm 110 and Hebrews 7.

3.3. Abraham Is a ParadigmGod’s call to Abraham presents a paradigm for missions.

1. The foundation of mission is based upon God’s gracious election (Gen. 3:15, 12:1-3). In the battle between Satan and God, God reversed Abraham’s side, taking him from serving the devil to serving God.

2. The election of God is for blessing and to be a blessing. God chooses some in order for them to receive His blessing and to be a blessing for others.

3. Election works through a people, Israel in the Old Covenant and the church in the New Covenant. God chooses to mediate His blessings through His elect. In the election and call of Abraham, the blessings of God were narrowed to a single person. Those outside this line can be blessed, but only if they enter into contact with Abraham. Abraham was the ordinary channel through which God sent His Gospel. Through election, the blessings of God are mediated to others. Election and mission and the spread of the Gospel are through men and are relational.

16

4. The election and blessing of Christ (Isa. 42:1, Eph. 1:4). He is the high point of Israel’s history. Christ is the only true mediator of grace to Israel and to the nations.

5. In the Old Testament Abraham and the nation of Israel were the people of God. God set them aside for blessing. Others could receive those blessing by coming to them. They were to be blessed and to be a blessing. The relationship of the call and election of Israel and Israel’s relationship to the Gentiles is dealt with in Galatians 3 and Romans 9-11.

4. The Role of Israel in the World

4.1. Election, the Basis of Israel’s Blessing

Our discussion of Abraham leads us into a discussion of Israel, as we see God’s plan and promises to him unfold in his life. First, the relationship between God and Israel was based upon God's grace to Abraham. God delivered Israel from Egypt because of the promises made to Abraham, not because of any good in her.

Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” Moreover He said, “I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. 'And the LORD said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows” (Ex. 3:5-7).

This same point is made in Deuteronomy 7:6-9.  “For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the LORD loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.  Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments,”

The great lesson that Israel was to know was that she had been set aside, chosen and blessed, not because of any merit in her but solely based

17

upon the grace and mercy of God. She should have been humble and thankful before God. The election of Israel, even as Abraham's, was one of grace. This should have led Israel to thankful and humble obedience.

4.2. Election, Role and Function of Israel in History

What was God’s purpose in choosing Israel from amongst the nations? What was God’s witness in Israel to the nations? What are the nations to learn from her? The role and function of Israel can be summarized in two words, privilege and paradox.

4.2.1. Privilege

God set Israel aside and exalted her as the one through whom His salvation would come. This was the nation through whom He revealed Himself to the world. It was through Israel that the seed of the woman, the seed of Abraham, came. It was through Israel that God revealed Himself to the world. It was only in Israel that the true knowledge of God was known in the world. Through direct prophecy, typology, priesthood, and the temple, God revealed Himself to Israel and so to the nations. The great revelation of God to Israel was that in the future He would send the Messiah to deliver them from their sin and bondage. Moses and the salvation of God in Israel was the great Old Testament salvation that looked forward to the greater salvation of God which was accomplished through Christ. Deuteronomy 18:15:   “The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear.”

4.2.2. Paradox

God’s revelation to Israel was also one of paradox. Since she was the shadow that came before the reality, she did not yet posses the reality (Col. 2:17, Heb. 8:5, Heb. 10:1-4).

Since the Messiah had not yet come; the Spirit had not yet been poured out on Israel. This lack of the Spirit meant that although privileged by the revelation of God, Israel had no means of obedience. Because she did not yet posses the means to obey, the life of Israel was one of failure. God revealed Himself mightily to Israel, yet this just exposed Israel’s sin in a greater manner.

This principle can be illustrated from a number of key events in Israel’s life. At Sinai, the revelation of the holiness of God meant that sinful Israel

18

couldn't come near the mountain, “Lest they die.” No sooner had God revealed Himself to Israel than God had to threaten them with destruction in the incident with the golden calf. The greater revelation of God only led to a greater sense of sin.

The Babylonian exile is another example. God had set Israel aside and covenanted with her to be her God and yet she sinned and disobeyed God. In justice, God threw her out of the Promised Land and sent her to Babylon as a judgment.

The supreme illustration of this principle is Israel’s rejection of Christ, the Messiah. He came to Israel and Israel rejected Him. In Christ, God gave His greatest revelation and this was met with the greatest sin on Israel's part, the crucifixion of the Messiah.

These illustrations could be multiplied; each one illustrates the principle that Israel's privilege in being chosen and set aside by God led to her judgment. When Israel looked to God, she was forced to see her sin and so wait for the coming Messiah who would take away sin. The law is the tutor to drive us to Christ. “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (Gal. 3:24).

It is noteworthy that although Israel was God’s son, yet she was a son without the power of the truth. Israel was without the Spirit, in the flesh, under law, and in the old creation. With Moses, as mediator between God and Israel, there was only a limited outpouring of the Spirit–on the 70 elders, the rest of Israel does not receive the blessing (Num. 11:26-29).

5. Jonah/Israel Amongst the Nations

Israel was called by God to be His witness to the nations. This section takes a broad look at Israel as witness and then focuses specifically at Jonah as a paradigm for Israel's true responsibility amongst men.

5.1. The Witness of Israel to the Nations

The nations were to see God’s revelation to Israel (particularly His signs and wonders in the Exodus from Egypt) and to see the sinfulness of men, as reflected in Israel’s failures and sinfulness. They were to see the Babylonian exile as the reality that they are all exiled from God due to their sin. They were to see that Israel’s history is a replay of man being cast out of the Garden, being denied access to God, and being under the judgment of God. Israel was to wait for the salvation of God that He had promised, to wait for the true Israelite who

19

would obey God and merit His blessing and privilege in the land. In summary, the Law was given to Israel to show them their sin, to be a schoolmaster to bring them to Christ.

5.2. The Challenge of the Gentiles to Jonah/Israel

We turn now to Jonah. Jonah was a prophet sent by God to the nations, specifically Nineveh. In disobedience he fled, taking a ship to the opposite side of the world. In judgment, God sent a storm. Jonah was cast out, and his casting out led to the salvation of the pagan sailors. Jonah was then cast out of the presence of God; he was drowning in the depths of the sea. Jonah then called upon God who sent the great fish. It swallowed him, saving him. Jonah was in the fish for three days. After the fish spit Jonah out, he went to Nineveh and preached to the city. The people are converted through the preaching. In the last chapter, Jonah persisted in disobedience, complaining to God that God showed mercy upon the Gentiles. The book ends with God's challenge to Jonah as to why Jonah did not have more compassion for men.

Jonah played a unique role in the Old Testament. Israel was to bear the light of the Gospel to the nations; the nations were to come to her to receive instruction and knowledge. Rather than Israel going out to the nations, the nations came to her. There are a number of examples of this, Rahab heard of God’s work in delivering Israel from Egypt and came to believe (Joshua 2-6). The Queen of Sheba came to see the glory of Solomon’s court, a prefiguring of the Gentiles coming to Christ (1 Kings 10:4). It is said that Israel’s witness in the Old Testament was centripetal, inward focused, in contrast to the centrifugal, outwards focus of the New Testament. Jonah was unique in that God sent him out from sinful Israel to bear the gracious Gospel tidings to the pagan nation of Nineveh.

The key to Jonah is found in Jonah 4:1-3: “But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. So he prayed to the LORD, and said, ‘Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!”'

Jonah was not worried that God would not bless the Ninevites, nor was he worried that his preaching would fail; instead Jonah was worried that God’s grace, grace that had been withheld from Israel, would be given to the Ninevites. Jonah struggled with the question: Why should the pagans be blessed when my own nation is perishing? Jonah longed for Israel to be saved,

20

but he was not sent to them, rather he was sent to Nineveh and the nations. Jonah struggled with the grace of God and his own nationalism.

Jonah was challenged as to his and Israel's role in the world. Jonah and Israel were forced to consider how they thought about the surrounding nations--Did they see them as Gentile dogs or did they see them as those in need of the same grace that had been given to Israel. The Jewish paradigm and mindset were challenged, exposing Israel’s sin and challenging her to her responsibility to the nations. This reaffirms the principle that Israel was elected, not only to be blessed, but to be a blessing to others. In the book of Jonah, God worked with Jonah to teach him and Israel that lesson. Graciously, God did not abandon Jonah to his fate. God worked with Jonah to challenge him concerning His grace. The book ends with the following question: Will Israel be like God, full of grace to those outside, or will Israel be like Jonah, desiring to keep the grace of God to himself?

5.3. The Sign of Jonah

The sign of Jonah is likewise important. Jesus refers to this sign in Matthew 12:39 and Luke 11:39. Jonah was not merely an Old Testament prophet; Jonah was a type, one whose life pointed to Jesus.

“But He answered and said to them, ‘An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here’” (Matt. 12:39ff).   

In this text, Jesus made reference to the sign of Jonah, relating it to the three days and the three nights in the belly of the great fish. While this is the principle use of the sign, the whole of the life of Jonah was a sign. Chapter one of Jonah is repeated in Mark 4. Mark used the events of Jonah–the sailors are in a storm, Jonah was asleep, they called upon Jonah, Jonah awoke and calmed the storm, the pagans were left in fear of God and in His power–to show that Jonah’s God is Christ. In Mark we see Jesus asleep in the boat, the sailors/disciples/fishermen call upon Him, Jesus calm the storm, and the disciples left in fear of Christ and His works. The point made by Mark is that Christ is Jonah's God.

Chapter two deals with the separation of Jonah from God. When Jonah was thrown overboard, he experienced what he desired in chapter 1– to

21

flee from the presence of the Lord. Jonah sought to flee from God's presence and he then experienced the reality of it. He stated in Jonah 2:4: Then I said, “I have been cast out of Your sight, Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.”

Chapters two and three, in which Jonah was cast out into judgment, then buried in the fish for three days, and finally resurrected, clearly points to the judgment and death of Christ, His burial for three days, and His subsequent resurrection. This is the sign most immediately associated with Christ.

Chapter four adds another important element to the sign of Jonah. The resurrected Jonah preached to Nineveh, a Gentile nation. Likewise, Christ once raised now preaches the Gospel to the nations. In Christ, the blessing of the Jews was not limited to them; rather they flow out to the entire world.

Jesus fulfilled all the signs of Jonah. Jesus, the true God of Israel, through His death, burial, and resurrection, preaches the Gospel to the Gentiles and many hear. In Jesus, Israel's mission is now also to the Gentiles–the Gospel’s center is no longer just in Israel. In Christ, the Gospel is now to go out into the entire world.

Finally we are to see that the sign of Jonah was a sign of judgment upon the Jews. When the Jews asked Jesus for a sign, Jesus said that the only sign they would receive was the sign of Jonah. It is ironic that Jesus pointed to His own death as a sign to the Jews as they themselves would bring it to pass. The sign was the reality that they would put to death the Messiah; they would reject Him, but God will raise Him up on the third day. Their own act of putting Christ to death, and God’s subsequent act of raising Him from the dead, thus vindicating Him, was the sign of their own judgment before God. The Ninevites who believed God’s message and messenger will stand and judge them on that day.

6. The Sin of Israel

Israel never fulfilled her potential because she sinned. Israel’s two main sins were idolatry and self-righteousness. From the time of the Exodus to the Babylonian Exile, Israel’s principle sin was idolatry. This changed at the time of the Babylonian Exile. The exile seemed to cure Israel of her idolatry. Thereafter, Israel’s principle sin changed to one of works righteousness. Instead of remembering that she was not elected because she was great or good, but by God’s grace, she started to rely upon herself, rather than looking to the grace of God. Because Israel assumed she was righteous, she sought a savoir who would vindicate her, a mighty judge, who would deliver her and judge the

22

unrighteous Gentile nations. She was exclusive and proud; instead of having compassion upon the nations, she looked down upon them in judgment.

7. The Fulfillment of Israel in the Christ

As we close this section on Israel, we are to note that “Israel” is not just the nation, but Israel the Son, the Servant of God, a type, finding her full manifestation (the antitype) in the Messiah. The nation is represented and fulfilled in one person, its King and Messiah. Just as the promise of Genesis 3:15 finds its fulfillment in one person, even so God's dealing with Israel finds its fulfillment in the one root of Jesse, the true Israel of God, the Christ. It is only in Jesus Christ that Israel reached her promised potential. In His coming, Israel’s failure becomes success in the representative action of the Messiah (Isa 41:8). He brings and mediates the blessing of Abraham/Israel to all the nations. Jesus Christ from the Jews, from Israel, obeys the Father's laws, merits life and by His obedience brings life and righteousness to many, both Jew and Gentile.

8. The Father's Election Seen in the New Testament

Both the importance of election and the Father’s particular role continue into the New Testament. In Ephesians 1 Paul states that the Son Himself is elect, and that the church is chosen in Him (Eph. 1:4). The church is predestined according to God’s own will (Eph. 1:11). Paul bases his own call upon the electing hand of God (Gal. 1:15,16; Eph. 3:1-13).

The New Testament church is elected to be blessed and to be a blessing and the New Covenant church is to remember the same lessons as Israel under the Old Covenant.

Conclusion

God brings salvation through the person and work of His Messiah. He chooses Abraham and Israel from amongst the nations to bring Him forth. Israel is both elect and chosen and yet still waiting for the coming of the true Israel of God, the seed, the Messiah, who will crush the head of the serpent. Israel is told that His coming will bring blessings, not only to her, but also to all the nations.

Summary

In the Fall, all men fell under the judgment of God in Adam. God promises to reverse this in Genesis 3:15 creating the line of the woman and the

23

line of the serpent. In order to slow the effect of sin, God calls and separates to Himself Abraham from amongst the nations. His election is by grace alone, he is called to be blessed and to be a blessing to many. It is now only through Israel and this line that grace is mediated to the nations. The promises to Abraham come true in Israel and finally in the Messiah, the true seed of the woman. In Him the Gospel is brought first to Israel but also through Him to all the nations.

Lesson Two Questions 1. Describe the promise of Genesis 3:15.2. What two acts of judgment did God bring upon the old world and why?3. What were God's promises to Abraham?4. Why was Israel called by God?5. In what way does the election of one nation, Israel, mediate blessing to the nations?6. Describe the privilege of Israel and paradox of Israel.7. What lesson does Jonah teach Israel?8. What is the sign of Jonah?9. What are Israel’s two principle sins?10. How does Christ relate to Israel?

24

Lesson Three. The Coming of Christ, the Paradoxical Presence of the Kingdom

1. Introduction

We will now focus upon the role of Christ in mission. Jesus’ coming to earth brought God’s kingdom. In Jesus Christ, the mission of God and the Kingdom are actually present, they are a reality in this world. After His death and resurrection, the presence of Christ and the kingdom continues in the world but now through the church by the power of His Holy Spirit in her. This means today that mission is still the presence of Christ in the midst of the church, now mediated through the Spirit. The Gospel/mission is that the kingdom has come in Christ and since He dwells in His church, the King and kingdom are still upon the earth. Since the church is indwelt by Christ’s Spirit, she takes the nature He had when He was upon the earth.

We will also look at the nature of the kingdom, namely that the kingdom comes in an unexpected manner. The kingdom of God did not come in the way that the Jews demanded or the Gentiles expected. It did not come in worldly power and wisdom; rather the kingdom came in weakness, in hiddenness, in brokenness, and in the power of forgiving grace, not in the power of judgment. The strange nature of the kingdom makes it difficult for both the world and the church to recognize. To the world, the revelation of the kingdom’s call for repentance, not glory, made it an offence to self-righteous men who sought the kingdom to be one that vindicated them and came in power. As we will see, even Christ and the church wrestled with the nature of the kingdom. The present nature of the kingdom means that it must be seen and understood through faith. The fullness, the glory, and the power of the kingdom will only be revealed in His Second Coming,

In our analysis of Christ’s work in mission I will be drawing heavily upon the Old Testament. The prophets in general and the “Servant Songs of Isaiah” in particular are helpful in explaining the principles of the Son's mission. The Old Testament through prophecy explains the Son’s work. In the Gospels in the New Testament we see the fulfillment of those prophecies.

2. The Kingdom Is Present in Christ

In chapter 2 we saw how the Old Testament prepared for the coming of the kingdom. It was a copy, a shadow, of things to come. Christ is the fulfillment and the reality. Christ's coming did away with the shadows and brought in the

25

kingdom–Jesus not only preached about the kingdom, but in Him the kingdom was present. The distinction between preaching about Christ and the kingdom and the actual coming, the presence of the kingdom in Christ, is important. In Christ, the kingdom of God currently exists in our midst. It is a kingdom that can be seen, felt and touched, its power being manifest in the church through the Spirit. In Christ, the mission and the kingdom of God are actually present in this world. As John said: “the word became flesh and dwelt amongst us” (John 1:14).

Mark linked the presence of Christ with the kingdom. Mark stated, “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel’” (Mark 1:14).

Jesus also pointed to the presence of the Spirit in His ministry as evidence of the kingdom; “But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Matt.12: 28).

Initially, the presence and mission of the kingdom was found in Christ’s work in Israel. But in the death, resurrection, and the ascension of Christ and the outpouring of His Spirit, His presence is now found in the church throughout the world. The church is sealed and indwelt by the Spirit. Berkhoff in speaking about the role of the church and the kingdom states: “As a church they are called to be God’s instrument in preparing the way for and introducing the ideal order of things: as a kingdom they represent the realization of the initial order amongst themselves” (569). The church is the manifestation of the kingdom of God and the church is to bring in the kingdom. The church continues Christ’s role as being the presence and mission of God in Christ. Just as Christ was the mission and the kingdom of God in the midst of this world, the church through the ongoing communion with the risen Christ through the power of the Spirit continues His life, mission, and kingdom on the earth.

3. The Two Stages of the Kingdom

The Old Testament looked forward to the Day of the Lord, but was not specific in dividing it into the First and Second Coming. Due to the split in the manifestation of the kingdom, the way the kingdom came was different from that which many expected. The two stages of the kingdom and its surprising nature are seen in Luke 4 and Matthew 11.

Jesus began His public ministry in Luke 4:16ff by quoting Isaiah 61:1,2. Jesus used Isaiah to define the purpose and nature of His kingdom. The key to understanding the nature of the kingdom is to note what Jesus quoted from Isaiah and what he omitted. Isaiah 61:1ff deals with the Day of the Lord. Jesus

26

read from this section, stressing the gracious coming of the kingdom, but leaving off the part about the coming judgment and vengeance of God.

“The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me because He has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captive and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.

In Isaiah the next verse is “And the day of vengeance of our God.” Jesus did not quote this section of the verse. By dividing the text in this manner, Jesus split His first coming from His second coming. He stressed the kingdom had already come and yet it had not yet come fully. The first coming was one of grace and mercy, one of meekness, lowliness, and grace with the full power and public judgment of God being delayed until the Day of the Lord has fully come. The greater demonstration of the coming of the kingdom in power–judgment and wrath–will occur at His second coming.

The dual nature of Christ’s coming frames the nature of Mission and the kingdom. As Christ’s mission was one of grace, mercy and humility–a powerful and yet hidden kingdom–even so the Gospel mission of the church has the same nature. The church’s mission is to bring the grace, mercy and hope of the Gospel to men.

The same point was made in Jesus’ conversation with John the Baptist. John was surprised at the nature of the kingdom and for a time he does not understand it. “Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.  And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, ‘Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the Gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me’” (Matt. 11:1-6).

John recognized Jesus as the Messiah. He baptized Him. In Christ the mission and kingdom of God was present and yet John was confused, he struggled. He expected God’s judgment to fall upon the wicked, but it did not. To help John understand, Jesus told him that the kingdom had come but in mercy grace and kindness, not in judgment and power.

4. The Nature of the Kingdom

The kingdom came in two stages, something that Israel was not expecting,

27

and in an unusual and unexpected manner. The unexpected nature is illustrated in the ”Servant Songs” of Isaiah, particularly Isaiah 52:14 and Isaiah 53:1-3, in which the servant is told that his ministry will be one of suffering and pain, not of victory and blessing.

“Just as many were astonished at you, so His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men” (Isa. 52:14).

“Who has believed what they heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces; he was despised, and we esteemed him not” (Isa. 53:1-3).  

The early manifestation of the kingdom seemed to be one of weakness and even failure. There was nothing spectacular or successful about the kingdom. The king would be rejected and his own life and mission would be filled with sorrow and suffering. It is not what Israel expected. The extreme weakens of the kingdom represented a test for the servant himself. In Isaiah 42 the servant states “I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity, yet surely my right is with the LORD and my recompense with my God.” This prophecy was fulfilled in the Gospels. At the end of Jesus' earthly ministry, only a few women accompanied Him, even His disciples abandoned Him. By any earthly account, His ministry was a failure. He Himself, the King, lived by faith, looking to His Father who vindicated Him in the resurrection. Since Jesus struggled with the nature of the kingdom, it is to be expected that the church and the world will also struggle with the nature of the kingdom.

The weakness of the kingdom hides divine power. Instead of the power of God being manifest in glory and success, God has chosen to manifest his power in our weakness, humility, frustration and failure. Isaiah says: “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street” (Isa. 42:1,1,2).

God placed His Spirit and power upon the Servant, not to do obvious works of power, but in order that His servant would not be crushed in His suffering, so He would not cry out. As the servant struggled to obey His Father, the power of God though the Spirit upheld Him, strengthened Him and sustained Him in the work. He was to rest in faith that God will put forth His power and vindicate Him after His death. He was crucified in weakness, but raised by the power of God.

After His resurrection, He now reigns in hidden power. The Father

28

promised Christ that He would reap the fruit of His victory after the resurrection. Isaiah 53:11 states: “He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities.” In Matthew 28:19, 20 we are told that all power in heaven and earth has been given Him. Just has Christ had to rest upon a future victory by faith while upon the earth, even so the church must also wrestle with that victory.

Such ministry is not attractive or understood by the world. The hiddeness of the kingdom explains the Jews seeking after a sign and the Greeks seeking after wisdom. God in His wisdom provided neither; rather He demands that His people, like their King, live by faith. We will look at the Jews and Greeks in turn.

4.1. To the Jews - a Gospel of Weakness

The Gospels tell us that the Jews expected a powerful sign. Due to Israel's self-righteous blindness, she was waiting for a Messiah who would come in power and through signs and wonders to deliver her and judge her enemies.

In contrast, the Gospel/mission/kingdom came to offer them deliverance from sin and salvation. It was offered to Israel and to her Gentile oppressors. Christ came in weakness and meekness–a suffering, humble, bleeding, dying Messiah. The humble nature of the Messiah led the Jews to reject Him. This can be seen in the whole of Jesus’ ministry and specifically in John 6.

In John 6, Christ fed the 5000 in power and glory. The Jews responded to this manifestation of the kingdom by wanting to take Him by force to make Him king. The earthly logic was that if one could feed that many, surely He could deliver Israel from the Romans. Jesus rejected and challenged them. He stated that to be a part of His kingdom they are to eat His flesh and drink His blood. Faced with a kingdom that they found repulsive and did not understand, the Jews turned away. In contrast, the disciples, called and faithful to God, remained. As Peter says, “Where else shall we go, you have the word of eternal life.” Peter and the church continued to follow the words of Christ even though they were confused and did understand.

When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with

29

Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve (John 6:61-71).

Paul summarized the Jewish position on righteousness, the law and the kingdom in Romans 9:32, 33. Paul stated: “Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. As it is written ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.’”

4.2. The Gentiles– the Folly of the Gospel

The nature of the kingdom was also a stumbling block to the Greeks. While the Jews sought a sign of power from God, the Greeks sought after knowledge. To the Greeks, the idea that one man could die for the sins of many and would rise to return and judge the dead was the height of foolishness, not wisdom. In contrast, the cross, the kingdom and the church offered no worldly knowledge other than the knowledge that is received by simple childlike faith and trust. As Paul said in 1Corinthians 2:1-5, “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.”

4.3. Mission, the Kingdom and the Church

It is important that we understand the nature of Christ’s mission, since Christ’s coming is a model for His church and Christ continues to dwell in His church upon earth. As such, the church is called to preach and to manifest the kingdom. Just as Israel was a paradox and paradigm, so Christ and the church are also a paradigm and a paradox The mission and presence of the kingdom in the church reflect the ongoing presence and kingdom of Christ in this world, not in its fullness nor in imposing judgment upon men, but in meekness, humility and lowliness. While the power of the resurrected Christ dwells in this church, the full measure of that power, as well as its full nature, has not yet been seen. As such, the kingdom exists within a fallen world, and is itself still affected by

30

weakness, corruption and folly. The church continues to exist in both grace and corruption, in the power of the Spirit, and in the fallenness of sin and the weakness of the flesh. She remains a group of forgiven sinners, joined together in weakness– not in power and judgment– around their Lord, having fellowship, the fellowship of the cross, of sin and forgiveness. The kingdom is one of patience and tribulation in this world.

The nature of the present kingdom is seen most clearly upon the cross. In it the king is present upon the earth in a work of suffering, humiliation and death. The very high point of the kingdom is also the lowest point, the point of Christ 's great humiliation. This paradoxical nature of the King and the kingdom is also the paradox of the present position of the church.

The church must understand this if it is to understand her call to mission. To those outside, the mission and kingdom of God is not attractive: it has nothing to commend itself, it offers no world position of success, power or privilege. It only offers a placed of humiliation and brokenness. The visible representation of Jesus upon the earth is not one of power and glory; rather, it is one of humiliation and suffering. This is the great stumbling block for the mission of the church. To the Jews, it was not the sign they were looking for, to the Gentiles, it was foolishness. As Christ’s position changed at the resurrection, from one of humility to glory, even so the position of the church will also change from humility to one of glory.

4.4. Sin, the Church and the Kingdom

We see the weakness and foolishness of the church being manifested within her own life in the area of sin. We can see this from God’s inclusion of Judas within the church and the confession and rebuke of Peter. In John 6 we saw that only the 12 disciples continued to follow Jesus. In God’s wisdom this included Judas, the one who eventually betrayed Jesus. Judas’ inclusion shows that God ordained that sin would be in the midst of His church from the outset.

Peter is the second illustration of sin and weakness in the Church. In Matthew 16: 15-28, Peter stated:  “He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’  Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’ Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the

31

Christ. From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ‘Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!’ But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.’ Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.’”

Peter's great profession and Christ’s blessing upon him was followed immediately by his rebuke. Even as Peter reached a high point in confessing his Master, he then immediately fell into sin. He failed to understand Christ’s mission and he confused the things of God and the things of men. He sought Christ’s and his own earthly good, rather than the Father’s will. Peter did not understand the nature of Christ’s mission and His kingdom. The enormity of the sin was seen in Jesus' rebuke, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men”. Peter illustrated that even believers are weak, fallen, sinful and lacking in understanding as to the nature of Christ’s mission.

Jesus then went on to explain that if anyone would follow Him, he must walk in the same way. They too must deny themselves and be prepared to lose their lives. According to the power and wisdom of the Father’s plan, the church is not to be perfect in this world. She is His church, on His mission, and yet she is sinful, fallen, and broken, with sin in her midst. This is the way that God has ordained that His presence in history, in the world, and in the church is manifested. In all these things, the Gospel is open to His church and yet hidden to the world.

When the church goes forth, she must look like her Master. Far too often, the church’s mission has been done in worldly power–a way that stresses its worldly success, power and privilege–in order to make herself more attractive to the world. Health, wealth and prosperity are not the way of the church upon the earth, and they should not be offered in the kingdom.

4.5. Is This a Complete Representation of the Kingdom?

32

It might be asked if this is a complete or fair representation of the kingdom. Was not Jesus raised in power, so giving the sign to the Jews and confounding the wisdom of the Greeks? In the light of Christ’s resurrection is it right to talk only of the kingdom of God coming in humility, lowliness and weakness? Should we not also speak of the kingdom of God coming in power in the resurrection? Although Jesus was crucified in weakness, He was raised by the power of God in the Spirit and declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection of the dead.

The basis of mission is not just the death of Christ; it is the death, resurrection and session of Christ. It is in the resurrection, ascension and session of Christ that that the power of God is manifested (Rom. 1:4, Eph. 1:19-21). The great demonstration of power is already here. And yet, even here we see that the power of God is still muted and concealed. Christ’s public death was only witnessed by a few and His rule is not open but it is currently hidden in heaven (Col. 3:1-5). These facts mean that Christ’s current resurrection power also takes on a hidden aspect. He has chosen that it is the disciples, the apostles and the church who take the news of the resurrected Christ to the world. It is still a kingdom to be received by faith. Christ kingdom is still a hidden kingdom. As long as the church is in this world, she will reflect the pattern of her Master when He was in this world.

5. The Ongoing Presence of Christ in the Church

We have already alluded to the ongoing presence of Christ in His church, and that mission is the presence of Christ in His church coming into contact with the world. The church is a spiritual unity; it is united in Christ, her Divine Husband and Head through His Spirit. The very Spirit of Christ gives her life, maintains her, keeps her and equips her for the hidden life of the present kingdom in this world. In and through the Spirit, the lordship is effective in the church. The closeness of the identification is seen from a number of passages.

Acts 9:4: Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

Ephesians 1:19-22: and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and domin-ion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church

33

2 Cor. 4:10: always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

We must stress that Christ, through His spirit is still in His church through the Spirit. In the church, the presence and the kingdom of God are manifested in the world.

5.1. Communion, a Visible Expression of Unity

Leslie Newbigin, arguing from John 14-16, makes the point that communion is a particular place in which we see the ongoing life of Christ in the church. He writes: “The bread they break will be His body given for them. The cup they share will be His blood shed for them. The repeated sharing of this common meal will be a continually renewed participation of His dying, and therefore of His victorious life. – the Gospel of His life and death will be lived by them. In this way as they keep fellowship in worship with Him, they will always be carrying in their body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifest in our bodies.”

“This is an exposition of the meaning of the supper, and it is upon the institution of the supper itself that we can most surely ground our certainty about Jesus’ intention for the future of His cause. Put briefly, it shows clearly that He entrusted the future of His cause to the group of disciples, gave Himself completely to them, admitted them into the intimacy of His union with the Father, bound them to Himself in the sharing of a meal that, having been part of His shared life, they would continue after His death, and sent them out, not only to be teachers of His truth but bearers of the glory that He had from the Father. In them, the reign of God would not only be proclaimed, it would be present” (47).

God first reveled Himself to Israel, then in Christ, and now through Christ to the church. In Christ the church, as the mission of God, moves out into the world. In communion with Christ, she bears the sufferings of Christ to the world. In Christ's coming, the kingdom of God arrived. In the church, the very life of the King and the kingdom continues to be manifest to the world. Due to the intimacy of union, in her life the ongoing presence of Christ is continued in the world. The King and kingdom are an ever-present reality. Mission is the present reality of the kingdom witnessing to the world.

The Lord’s Supper is a powerful illustration of the church in fellowship with her risen Lord. She sits in communion with Him and draws heavenly life from Him. This is a witness to the world that she is His bride. She is a community based upon Him and His work, and drawing life from Him alone.

34

6. The Kingdom: To the Jews First, then to the Gentiles

Jesus’ ministry was to Israel. From the beginning He preached to the Jews and sent the disciples to them. His focus upon Israel was put expressly in Matthew 10:5, “These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: ‘Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel’” (Matt.10:5,6). At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus’ clear focus was to Israel.

To be balanced, we need to understand that this focus was never absolute. Early in His ministry there were instances in which the Gentiles responded to the Gospel message and came to Him. Over the course of the Gospels it is clear that Israel was beginning to reject His ministry and so He prophesied that the unbelief of Israel was so great that the blessing and privileges that they had would be taken from them and given to the Gentiles. “The centurion answered and said, ‘Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, “Go” and he goes; and to another, “Come” and he comes; and to my servant, “Do this”, and he does it.’  When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ Then Jesus said to the centurion, ‘Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.’ And his servant was healed that same hour” (Matt. 8:8-10).

The story of the wicked vinedressers is of the same nature. “Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers? They said to Him, ‘He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.’  Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the Scriptures: “The stone which the builders rejected Has become

35

the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD’S doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes?” ‘Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it’” (Matt.23: 33-43).

In Christ’s death the nation of Israel rejected her King. In Christ’s resurrection He is raised not only as the King of the Jews, but also as the King over the nations. Since He is King over the nations, the power of His kingdom is extended (Matt. 28:18-20). Bavink in dealing with this theme in Matthew’s Gospel states: “the Gospel of Matthew bases the command of mission strongly upon the power and authority given to Jesus because of His finished mediatorial work. The redemptive power must be proclaimed and people must bow before it: “go ye therefore and make disciples of all the nations.” The Gospel contains something of the glory of the King’s commission. It must therefore end with a summons to proclaim the kingship of Christ over the whole world” (35).

7. The Timing and Delay of the Kingdom

Our final point is the idea that the kingdom is here; it is fully prepared, but the church must still wait for the kingdom. In the Parable of the Talents, Matthew 25:14-30, the master gave his servants talents and then went on a journey. The journey delayed the master’s return. The servants were to wait, wait until the master returned. The implication of the parable is that there is a time in which the kingdom is ready but we are to wait for it.

Conclusion

Mission is the earthly presence of Christ going out to the world. This was first manifested in His own life upon earth. Christ’s life is currently in the church by the power of the Spirit. At present the kingdom has come in weakness and humility. It will disclose power on the last day.

Summary

The Old Testament prophecies of the servant point to the nature of Christ’s kingdom. Christ’s kingdom came in weakness and humility. The nature of the coming of the kingdom is difficult for both the church and the world to understand. The nature of Gospel mission and the kingdom are a stumbling block to the Gentiles. Because of the nature of the relationship between Christ and the church, the presence of Christ continues in His church. Mission then is the presence of Christ in the church meeting the world. It is not something that the church does; it is something that the church is.

36

Lesson Three Questions1. In what way is the mission and kingdom of God present in this world?2.Did the kingdom come to the Jews in an expected or welcome manner?3.Which Old Testament passage did we examine to demonstrate the nature of the kingdom?4.What Scriptures in the Gospels show that the kingdom of God is here?5.What Scriptures would you use to show the surprising nature of the kingdom in the New Testament?6.Explain the two stages of the Kingdom. How did Jesus indicate the two stages in His ministry?7. Using Isaiah 42 and 53 explain the nature of the kingdom.8.Why is the kingdom offensive to the Jews and the Gentiles?9.What two verses point to the ongoing sin in the church?10.Explain the importance of the vineyard being given to another in Matthew 2:33-43.

37

Lesson Four. The Holy Spirit’s Control over Mission

1. Introduction

Mission is the proclaiming of the kingdom over all of human history. It is accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit (Newbegin 56). The Lord Jesus Christ, in ruling according to His Father's plan, does so through the power of the Spirit. In the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, the Spirit took up residence within the church. Through the Spirit, the church is the temple of God. It is He who leads, guides, gifts and controls the church. The Spirit is in the church but the church does not control the Spirit; rather, the Spirit controls the church and drives it ever onwards in the path of mission.

The Spirit's work in the Old Testament was to equip men for their office and tasks. It was the Spirit that fell upon the 70 elders who were to rule Israel (Num. 11:16). The Spirit fell upon the prophets Elijah and Elisha equipping them for office. The Spirit came upon the Anointed, the Lord Jesus Christ, to enable Him to do His work; and through Christ’s work, the Spirit was poured out upon the church to give her grace to fulfill her calling.

The power, leadership and authority of the Spirit in mission and of the Church are seen throughout the book of Acts. Acts 2:1-4: “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

Acts 8:29: “Then the Spirit said to Phillip, ‘Go near and overtake this chariot.’”

Acts 8:39: “Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Phillip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.”

Acts 10:19:  “While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, ‘Behold, three men are seeking you.'”

Acts 15:28: “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:”

Acts 18:5:  “When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was

38

compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.”

Each of these texts points to the fact that Christ through the Spirit is in control of the church as she spreads the Gospel throughout the world. Christ is leading the church.

2. The Spirit in Equipping Christ for Ministry

The Messiah, the Anointed, is the called of the Lord. As the anointed, the Spirit anointed, led and equipped Him for ministry. The Spirit's work began at Jesus' birth when He prepared Jesus with a suitable body for the work and at His baptism when the Spirit equipped Him for His task as mediator.

And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible”' (Luke 1:35-37).  

In the baptism, the formal inauguration of His representative ministry, it was the Spirit who descended upon in Jesus in the form of a dove, formally and powerfully equipping him for his task, “When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, ’You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased’” (Luke 3:21-22).  

The powerful control that the Spirit exercised in Christ’s life was evidenced by Jesus' own words in Luke 4:17. Jesus fulfilled His own ministry by stating that the Spirit of the Lord is upon Him. In fulfillment of this promise, the Spirit led Him to the wilderness to be tested. Luke 4:1, “Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.” At the end of the temptation the power of the Spirit defined His ministry. Luke 4:14, “Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee.” In Luke 4:16-18, Jesus defined His own ministry from Isaiah 62:1,2 in terms of being filled with the Spirit for the task that He was to do.

The Spirit is also powerfully at work in Christ’s resurrection, Romans 1:4 states: “and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” It is through this resurrection that the new creation, Sonship, and the reign of the Spirit are introduced, followed shortly by the pouring out of the Spirit upon the church.

39

The risen Christ also pours out the gift of the Holy Spirit from the Father upon the church, “But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore He says: ‘When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men’” (Acts 2, Eph. 4:7).

This gift of the Spirit upon the church fulfilled the same role in the church as it did upon Christ Himself, preparing and equipping her for ministry. The texts all point to the simple fact, it is through the work of the Spirit that both Christ and the church are set apart, equipped and directed in Mission.

3. The Spirit’s Work in the Early Church

We turn now to the book of Acts for a more detailed look at the work of the Spirit.

3.1. The Promise of Acts 1:4-18Acts 1:4-8 sets the scene for the book of Acts, the work of the Spirit and

the extension of Christ’s kingdom.

“And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, ‘which,’ He said, ‘you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’ Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’ And He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’”

Jesus told the disciples to wait for the Promise of the Father, namely the Spirit. He contrasted the outpouring of the Spirit with the baptism of John and promised the disciples that through the Spirit's work they would bear witness of Christ in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria.

First, the disciples were to wait upon the Spirit. They were not able (witness their lack of understanding and courage) and must not go forward without the same anointing that Christ Himself had. Even as the mission of Christ was dependant upon the work of the Spirit even so the mission of the church is also dependant upon the power of the Spirit (Newbegin 57-65).

Second. The water baptism of John contrasted with that of the Spirit. John came baptizing with water in anticipation of the coming of the kingdom.

40

The baptism was of water alone. When Jesus came, He baptized with the Spirit. In the baptism of Christ, the sign and the reality met–the Spirit was linked to John's water baptism and the two baptisms were now one (Luke 3:21). In John 3:5 we are told  “Jesus answered, ’Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.’”

The reason for the initial water baptism of John and the full baptism by the Spirit into Christ was that until the cross, Jesus’ baptism was not complete (Luke 12:50). Once Jesus’ ministry was complete, the Spirit was poured out upon His Church. In the coming of the baptism of the Spirit, the disciples/church now shared Christ's baptism and His kingdom. This is not yet poured out in its fullness but rather in the anticipatory power of the Spirit that goes out to the entire world (Acts 1:8)

We see this explained in Acts 19:1-7: “It happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ So they said to him, ‘We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.’ And he said to them, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’ So they said, ‘Into John’s baptism.’ Then Paul said, ‘John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.’ When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Now the men were about twelve in all.”

The baptism of the Spirit is not yet complete. The church has been given the down payment, the initial payment, the foretaste, but not the full amount (2 Cor. 1:22, Eph 1:14).

Third, it is in and through the power of the Spirit that the church will go out to all the nations. When speaking on Acts 1:8 Newbegin states that this verse is not a command, it is a promise to the church. Through the powerful work of the Spirit, the witness of Christ through His church will go to all nations (58). The indwelling of the power of Christ's own life will lead to kingdom life, kingdom community, unity and a witness from the church to the world.

3.2. The Fulfillment of the Promise on Pentecost

The promise of Acts 1:8 finds its initial fulfillment at Pentecost. In Acts 2 we see the baptism or outpouring of the Spirit purchased by Christ now poured out upon His church. In the giving of the gift of tongues to the church, the Spirit equipped the church to go to all nations, a reversal of the separation of the

41

Tower of Babel. It is important to see the shift in emphasis. In the Old Testament the nations were divided as to their languages, the spread of sin was slowed and Israel was protected from her ungodly neighbors. In the New Testament, the Spirit was poured out on the church and the church had the capacity to take the Gospel to all nations. Through the gift of the Spirit, the church is now on the offensive.

The Spirit begins the work of the church, the Spirit maintains the work, and the Spirit controls the work of the church in going to the entire world. The powerful controlling work of the Spirit is also illustrated two other places. In Acts 5 we see that powerful indwelling of the Spirit in the church. When Ananias and Sapphira lied to Peter and the church, Peter stated that they had lied not to men but to the Holy Spirit who is God.

Acts 5:3,4, “But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.’”

A second powerful illustration of the control of the Spirit is in the opening up of church to the Gentiles, the evangelism of the church. We see this in Acts 8:26-40, particularly verses 29 and 39. Verse 29 states: “Then the Spirit said to Phillip, ‘Go near and overtake this chariot.’” Phillip is directed by the Spirit in order to speaking to the Eunuch. We see the same control by the Spirit in verse 39, “Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Phillip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.” The Spirit is in control throughout the discourse.

In Acts 10 the Spirit is again in control in bringing in the Gospel to the Gentiles. In Acts 10, Peter was given a vision. The Spirit commanded Peter to go with the men to Cornelius’s house. It is the Spirit who fell upon the household and through His power they speak in tongues, magnifying God (10:44). Peter later defended his breach of Jewish law by presenting the operation of the Spirit and asking, “Who was I that could withstand God” (Acts 11:17)?

The Spirit is in charge of mission. The church is subject to the leading of the Spirit in mission. The Spirit has authority in the church. In the words of John, “It is the Spirit who will convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8).

The powerful work of the Spirit continued in the book of Acts. It was the Spirit who set Paul aside (Acts 13:1,2). It was the Spirit who led him and directed him in that mission (Acts 16:7).

42

The Spirit enables the church to do its work and the work of the church cannot and should not be attempted without the aid of the Spirit. Without the aid of the Spirit, there is nothing we can do that will matter in God’s kingdom. A great deal of time, effort and energy are often involved in teaching programs and mission that are not commanded by the Spirit and therefore are ultimately useless.

4. The Spirit Indwells the Church

Not only is the Spirit in control of mission, but we must also understand that the Spirit actually dwells within His church. The Spirit is the sign that the new age, the last age, the age to come, has arrived (Acts 2:14-21). Through the arrival of the Spirit, the church is powerfully separated from the Old Creation, she is sealed (Eph 1:13, 4:30), protecting her in this world and enabling her to witness. Through the Spirit the new relationship of Sonship is created and maintained (Gal. 4:4-6, Rom. 8:13-15). Just as the resurrection of Jesus opened up the unexpected world of God's new creation, so the Spirit comes to us from that new world, the world waiting to be born, the world in which, according to the old prophets, peace and justice will flourish, and the wolf and the lamb will lie down side by side. One key element of living as a Christian is learning to live by the rules of God's future world, even as we are continuing to live within the present one, in what Paul calls 'the present evil age' and Jesus 'this corrupt and sinful generation'. 3

Through the coming of the Spirit the church is the temple of God. In the Old Testament the tabernacle and the temple were the places in which God dwelt and the places in which God met man. This concept is developed and fulfilled in the New Testament. Jesus Christ stated that He is the temple of God, the dwelling place of God upon the earth and the place where God and man meet. In Acts 15 the Jerusalem council described the church as the fulfillment of the tabernacle of David being rebuilt (Acts 15:12-16). In letters to the Corinthians and Ephesians, and in Romans 15 above, Paul stated that the church indwelt by the Spirit is the temple of God.

1 Cor. 3:16,17 “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”

1Cor. 6:19 “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?”

3 Rev Thomas Wright http://www.fulcrumanglican.org.uk/events/2005/inthechurch.cfm

43

2 Cor. 6:16 “And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’”

Eph. 2:21 “in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord”

The reality is that the church is the dwelling place of God, the place where God and man meet. This is still true even when there is great sin in the church. Paul wrote many of these verses about the indwelling of God’s Spirit to the church in Corinth, a church riddled with sin. Paul knew the church was full of weakness and failure and yet he still stated that the church is God’s temple.

“You corporately”, he said to the whole church, “are God's Temple, and God's Spirit dwells within you” (3.16). That's why the unity of the church matters so much. “Your bodies”, he said to them one by one, “are temples of the Holy Spirit within you” (6.19). That is why bodily holiness, not least sexual holiness, matters so much. Unity and holiness have been two great problems for the church in the last generation. Could it be that we need to recapture Paul's bracing teaching about our vocation to be Temples of the Holy Spirit” (Tom Wright Supra)?

It is important for the life of the church and for mission that the church recognizes her role and status in the world. She is a body controlled and indwelt by the power of the Spirit. Without the Spirit’s aid, she can neither work nor function in this world. If she is filled with the Spirit, she becomes the dwelling place of God and the place where God meets men in the fallen world.

Conclusion

The above shows that the person of the Holy Spirit is vital to missions. He was vital in the life of Christ, equipping, leading and guiding Him and He is vital in the ongoing life of the church. Through the Spirit, the church is the dwelling place of God, Christ in us.

Summary

The Spirit's work is to affect the work of the Father. Christ is the Messiah, the Anointed One, and the Spirit prepared Him for that task. In addition to preparing a body for Christ; He came in power in Christ’s baptism and led His ministry while Christ was upon the earth. He effected Christ's resurrection from the dead and He was poured out at Pentecost so the church could continue Christ’s work and extend it to the uttermost parts of the earth. The Spirit now

44

dwells within the sinful, fallen church–the dwelling place of God upon the earth and the meeting place between God and the world.

Lesson Four Questions1. From Luke 4:17, how was Christ equipped for His earthly ministry?2. What point does Newbegin make about the Spirit being poured out upon the disciples during Christ’s earthly ministry?3. Discuss the significance of Acts 1:4-84. What point does Newbegin make on Acts 1:8?5. What is the baptism of John and the baptism of the Spirit? Use Acts 2 and Acts 19 in your answer6. What does Acts 5 tell us about the personal presence of the Spirit in the church?7. If the resurrection of Christ brings in the new creation, the Spirits outpouring does what?8. Explain the significance of Acts 8:26-40.9. Explain the significance of 2 Cor. 6:19.10. Why does Tom Wright say the church’s understanding of its indwelling is important?

45

Lesson 5. Paul- A Missionary Model

1. IntroductionIn this section we turn to examine Paul’s missionary methods. Paul’s

methods flow from and are constant with his Trinitarian understanding of mission.

Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, is a unique individual. He is God’s unique instrument in taking the Gospel from Israel to the nations at a unique time, and so he is uniquely called, equipped, and given authority as an apostle, (which missionaries do not have). This means that missionaries can and should model themselves upon Paul as far as they are able, but Paul is unique and any attempt to follow Paul exactly will fail. It is a question of degree.

Over the next few chapters I have isolated a number of Pauline missionary principles. 4 I hope missionaries will try to apply as many of these principles to mission as that they can. The principles are introduced within each chapter and I have also grouped them all together in Appendix 2.

2. The Gentile World in Paul’s Time

We begin by looking at the world in Paul’s day. Paul preached, led and

founded churches throughout the Roman world. The culture at that time was a mixture of Greek, Roman and Jewish.

There were many positive conditions. Roman rule provided stable government, justice, peace and good transport. There was only one national border and due to good roads and the Pax Romana, the Peace of Rome that lasted for 200 years from circa 27 BC to 180 AD under General Pompeii, it was safer in Europe than it would be for another 1800 years.

Greek was a common language throughout the world. In 200-300 BC the Septuagint translated the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek, making them universally available. Greek also meant that there was no language barrier to cross. (Paul’s preaching at Lystra was the exception that proves the rule, Acts 14). Greek thought and philosophy were highly developed. The world was cosmopolitan and there was a wide range of class structures. There was also a general dissatisfaction with the Greek mystery religions.

The Jews had settled throughout the Greek/Roman world and under the exile

4 I have also included a number of other non-Pauline biblical principles.

46

many remained and lived outside Israel. Synagogues were common, providing a base for mission throughout the empire. (Paul customarily used the synagogue as a basis for mission, Acts 14:1; 17:2) Furthermore, the Jews were given special privileges; they maintained the right to be fully religiously Jewish, exempt from emperor worship.

There were many obstacles. The church was small. It had no central organization and faced opposition from the Jews and problems caused by moral corruption within (see Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5). False teaching rose quickly within the church.

Road travel was still hazardous. Paul referred to the dangers in 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 and other places. Society was violent and riddled by class structures. Slavery was rampant. In Rome over half of the population was slaves. Although there were centers of great learning, there was also great ignorance and moral corruption. There was rampant idolatry and devil worship as evidenced in many temples. Paul freed a slave girl in Acts 16:16 who was possessed and used by her master for profit. Guilds and trades were also infected with idolatry and one needed to partake of these rituals in order to be in business. Throughout the culture fear, superstition, devil worship and idolatry were common. 5 Idolatry was linked to sexual and moral perversion; temple prostitution cults were common. One of the greatest disadvantages was the fact that at the period when Paul was ministering, he did not have the whole Scriptures. He was limited to only having the Old Testament.

The condition of the Gentile world from a theological perspective is summarized in Ephesians 2:1-3 and 4:17.

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others (Eph. 2:1-3).

This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness (Eph. 4:17-19).   

Principle 1. Paul faced all the cultural challenges (save language) that missionaries face today. In many ways the world then was far more depraved than many present day mission fields. It should encourage and motivate us that the Gospel is

5 For a more detailed understanding of death in the pagan world, see N.T. Wright, the Resurrection and the Son of God, pgs 32-81.

47

powerful enough to go forward in whatever circumstance we find ourselves.

3. Paul’s Call/Missionary Background

Paul was perfectly suited to be a missionary. While God’s call is of free grace, God’s choice and call of missionaries is also perfectly suited to the task to which they will be called. Paul was a Jew, born in Tarsus (Acts 21:29), a center of Greek culture, of the Diaspora (the Jews spread abroad) with Roman citizenship (Acts 22:28). He was fully trained in both Greek and Jewish thought, being a Pharisee, trained by Gamaliel, the grandson of Hilleil (Phil. 3:4-5). God perfectly prepared Paul with the necessary cross-cultural and educational background for the work for which he would be called.

Principle 2. It is important to see that God perfectly equips His missionaries with education, background and culture to fulfill their tasks. If someone has not been equipped through education or background in a particular way, they should carefully consider whether God is really leading them into mission.

3.1. Paul’s Call – Galatians1:13-15, Ephesians 3:1-136

We turn now to Paul’s call, conversion and appointment as a minister and apostle of the Gospel. This is important. Paul’s conversion and call powerfully illustrate the Gospel he preached. Paul stated this in Galatians 1 and Ephesians 3.

“But I make known to you, brethren that the Gospel that was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers, but when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles” (Gal. 1:11-15). 

Galatians teaches the following:

1. The Gospel came to Paul by revelation, “Through the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (11,12). It did not come through his own human effort or understanding, or through the instruction of others. The revelation was both by Jesus and concerned Je-sus. Jesus was revealed to Paul and so Jesus was the center of Paul’s preaching.

2. Paul had been an enemy of the Gospel; he was on his way to Damascus to persecute the church (13,14) and therefore Christ Himself (Acts 9:5). While all sin-6 Paul’s calling is mentioned three times in Acts.

48

ners are enemies of God (Rom. 5:9,10), Paul’s conduct as a persecutor powerfully illus-trates this point.

3. Paul was saved only by God’s gracious activity. He was a persecutor and yet God separated him and called him from his mother’s womb. In Galatians, Paul used the Old Testament language of Isaiah 49:1, 5 and Jeremiah 1:5 to speak of his calling. The Father chose him before time and the actual calling was made on the Damascus road.

4. The word calling seems to refer to both to his conversion and call into apostleship.

Christ revealed Himself to Paul or was revealed to Paul by the Spirit so that Paul could preach Him amongst the Gentiles. Romans 1:5, “Through Him we have re-ceived grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name.” Rom. 15:15,16, “Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you, because of the grace given to me by God, that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the Gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.”

5. Paul said that God’s calling was to “Reveal His Son in Paul”. On the Dam-ascus road, God’s Son was revealed to Paul and was revealed in Paul. This seems to be the beginning of the Pauline phrase “in Christ”.

Each of these events showed that Paul’s personal conversion was a perfect illustration of the very Gospel he taught. This was another evidence of God’s particular care in preparing Paul for this ministry.

3.2. Paul Fulfills a Unique Role between the Old and New Testaments

Paul saw himself as a bridge between the Gospel being for and to Israel and going out to all the world. In God’s history of revelation Paul had a unique position. In Galatians 1:15, 16 Paul linked himself with Isaiah 49:1-5, the Servant of the Lord. The servant is called, equipped, and sent as a light to the Gentiles. While it is clear that the principle identification of the servant is Christ, Paul also identified himself as the servant as he took the Gospel to the nations.

In Galatians 3, Paul continued to develop his own ministry in light of the promise to Abraham. “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the Gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed’” (Gal. 3:8). Paul identified himself as the fulfillment of those Old Testament prophecies that the promise of Abraham would go to the nations.

49

Principle 3. Paul was a unique individual in the history of redemption; Paul was called to take the Gospel message from Israel to the nations. Since Paul was unique, we cannot apply the principles that Paul used in exactly the way he did, but these principles are important guides in developing a missionary model.

In Romans 15:14-21, Paul linked his ministry in spreading the Gospel with the Old Testament priestly ministry.

“Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you, because of the grace given to me by God, that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the Gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus in the things which pertain to God. For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient— in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the Gospel of Christ. And so I have made it my aim to preach the Gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man’s foundation, but as it is written: ‘To whom He was not announced, they shall see;’”

This passage makes a number of claims.

1. Paul reasserted that by grace he was an apostle to the Gentiles (16).

2. He stated that he had been used to bring in the “offering of the Gentiles” (Rom. 15:6). Paul described his apostolic ministry using the image of the Old Testament priest. His ministry, like the Priest in the Old Testament, was a duty to proclaim the Gospel of God. The priest declared to Israel. Paul declared it to the Gentiles. The offering of the Gentiles was both the Gentiles themselves and the works they did, for example the collections for the saints. Paul saw himself as a priest, in the world, not in the temple, to the Jews and the Gentiles. In the Gospel, the uncleanness of the Gentiles had been taken away through the Holy Spirit. By using this imagery, Paul was stressing both the continuity between his own ministry and the ministry of Israel and its newness.

3. Paul was given the priestly task of bringing the Gentiles to obedience. In Romans the obedience of the Gentiles forms an inclusio with the opening statement in Romans 1:5: Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name. This inclusio frames the whole of the letter (Romans 1:5, 15:18, 16:26). In Romans, Paul saw himself as acting as an Old Testament priest bringing the Gentile nations to obedience.

50

3.3. Paul “Fully Preached” the GospelPaul’s ministry was extraordinary effective. Paul claimed to have fully

proclaimed the Gospel of Christ, so there was no more room for him in those parts. This was more than a mere sense of fulfillment (Acts 14:26); it was a claim to have fully done the work of ministry that he was called to do. The claim will assist us in understanding Paul’s method. First, the reference “from Jerusalem” seems to indicate that Paul was thinking historically redemptive, rather than personally (Paul never preached the Gospel in Jerusalem). Secondly, Paul sought to focus upon areas in which Christ had not been preached. He focused upon new places, where there was no church, not wanting to lay upon another man’s foundation (1 Cor. 3). This was not absolutely ridged–Paul preached in Cyprus (Acts 13) and he desired to preach in Rome in a church he had not founded–but the major thrust of Paul’s ministry was into new areas.

Third, we must also stress that Paul was not just a primary evangelist; rather, Paul preached, laid a foundation, created the structure, and actually built. Paul revisited the church he founded and sought that they be built up into a mature man (Eph. 4:13, 14). P.T. Obrien’s argument that we must understand Paul’s enigmatic expression, “I have fulfilled the Gospel of Christ”, in terms of a scope of ministry which included (1) primary evangelism (2) the nurture of emerging churches and the firm establishment of congregations is correct in my judgment (42). Paul was not limited to just primary evangelism; rather, Paul understood his work to be the planning and the building up of the individual churches. It was from these churches that the Gospel spread to surrounding areas.

Principle 4. Paul’s great focus was to found churches. Paul did not just seek individual conversions. Paul was always church-centered, being sent from a church (Acts 13:1-3) to found churches. When he had founded and nurtured a church in the area, his work was complete. Paul’s mission paradigm was church based, not para-church based. In his teaching ministry Paul entered a city, preached from 6 months to 2 years, built a church, taught and preached from house to house, established it with elders and officers and then left it to the care of God and the Holy Spirit. Because of this method, Paul could say, “I have fully preached the Gospel.”

4. Mission of Word and DeedAs we have seen above, Paul evangelized through the proclamation, the

preaching and teaching, of the word of God. He also deliberately modeled the Gospel in his own life.

4.1. Mission in Word- Preaching and TeachingPaul spread the Gospel through teaching and preaching. It is important to

note that Paul was aware of other methods of evangelism; dance, drama and schools were all well known in the ancient world, and yet Paul was focused on the spoken word

51

of God (Acts 15:35, 18:11, Acts 28:31). This was not a simplified Gospel; Paul sought to explain the Gospel as fully as possible. We are told in Acts 18:11 that Paul stayed in Corinth a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. In Acts 19:9, 10 we are told “he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.” He sought to teach the whole council of God (Acts 20:27). In Troas, Paul kept them busy until midnight. The book of Acts ends with Paul in Rome stating “He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. In Rome we are told he was proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance” (Acts 28:30, 31).

Paul did not teach for long. On the first mission journey Paul spent about 4 weeks in Psidian Antioch and probably similar periods in Iconuim, Lystra and Derbe. The pattern was repeated in the second and third journeys with Corinth and Ephesus being the exceptions. The principle reason for only staying a short time was persecution and yet Paul, through the powerful work of the Spirit, was still successful in establishing a vital, functioning church in a short period of time.

The longest stays occurred on the second and third journeys. Paul spent over one and half years in Corinth (Acts 18:11, 18) and two and a half years in Ephesus (Acts 19:8, 10). God allowed Paul to thoroughly instruct and influence these key churches in important cities. By the time Paul left Ephesus, he had taught them “the whole council of God” (Acts 20:28); something he would not have said in Thessalonica and other cities.

Since Paul only had a short period of time to preach and teach, Rolland Allen has suggested that Paul must have focused upon fundamentals. What did Paul preach? Allen argues that Paul began with a clear presentation of the facts of the Gospel–the story of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, and the acknowledgement of the reality that the Jews rejected their Messiah. He called the Jews to recognize the cross, even though it was a stumbling block. In this ministry, Paul appealed to the spiritual needs of man, the need for pardon, assurance, peace and confidence. Paul’s preaching included a definite call to decision, coupled by a warning that the way of salvation can and is often rejected, and that there will be judgment. To Paul the Gospel challenge was immanent. In times past, God had been long suffering and yet now He called upon all men everywhere to repent, because the Day of Judgment was at hand. Paul preached for closure. Paul’s preaching met with both acceptance and rejection. When it was rejected, Paul did not simply leave, he shook the dust from his feet (Acts 18:6, Matthew 10:14) showing them that they had been rejected. Paul’s preaching of the Gospel demanded a moral response (Missionary Methods 63).

Allen argues that the key theological content of Paul’s preaching can be seen

52

in his letter to the Thessalonians (68). Allen argues that since Paul was only there for a short time (he preached at the synagogue for three Sabbaths), his follow-up epistle to them would have focused upon the essentials of the faith. Allen argues the letter reflects a summary of Paul’s preaching.

1. There is only one true and living God (1:9).2. Idolatry is sinful and must be forsaken (1:9).3 The wrath of God is revealed against the heathen for their impurity (4.6) and against the Jews for their rejection of the Christ and their opposition to the Gospel (2:15,16).4 The judgment will come suddenly and unexpectedly (5:2, 3).5. Jesus the Son of God (1:10), given over to death (5:10) and raised from the dead (4:14), is the Savior from the wrath of God (1:10).6. The kingdom of Jesus is now set up and all men are invited to enter it (2:12).7. Those who believe and turn to God are now expecting the coming of the Savior who will return from heaven to receive them (1:10, 4:15-17).8. Meanwhile their life must be pure (4:1-8), useful (4:11, 12), and watchful (5:4-8).9. To that end God has given them the Holy Spirit (4:8, 5:19).

The book of Acts also shows that Paul preached in different ways to different audiences. Paul had two audiences, the Jews at the synagogues who knew the Scriptures and the Greeks who did not. While Paul preached the same Gospel, the manner in which he preached it was not the same. When preaching to the Jews (Antioch) he stressed the Old Testament Scriptures and fulfillment. When preaching to the Gentiles (Lystra and Athens) Paul stressed natural revelation, the sovereignty of God, the resurrection, and the final judgment. We will look at this again in lesson 8.

4.2 Mission in Signs and Deed

Paul believed in the primacy of teaching and preaching, but Paul also believed that he had to model the Gospel. There are a number of aspects to this.

First, it is clear that the marks of the Apostle–signs and wonders–accompanied Paul’s ministry. The signs and wonders (a reference to the Old Testament deliverance from Egypt: Ex. 7:3, 10:1-2, 11:9-10, Deut. 4:34) were historically redemptive. When God did a new work, i.e. at Sinai or in Acts, He accompanied it by unique signs to authenticate its validity. The signs were Christ’s bearing testimony and giving authority to Paul’s Gospel.

In considering these signs we must neither under estimate nor over estimate their importance. They were an important witness to the truth of Paul’s ministry, and yet they did not lead to conversion in every case; moreover, on a number of occasions, they

53

actually hindered the spread of the Gospel (Acts14: 8-14). Paul had power that currently ministers do not have, but this did not guarantee him success.

Second, Paul believed that his life should model the Gospel (1 Cor. 4:16, 10: 1-11; Eph. 5:1). P.T Obrien (83) writes: “Four times in the epistle to the Philippians he calls upon his own Christian friends to emulate his own example: He wants them to have the same attitude of mind in relations to their ultimate goals (Phil. 3:15), to be united in imitating him and to pay careful attention to others, following the apostolic pattern (3:17). Finally, he urged them to put into practice the things that they had learned and received from him (4:9; cf 2:17). As he writes to Christian friends at Thessalonica he positively claimed: ‘you became imitators of us and of the Lord’ (1Thess. 1:6). Additional examples of the apostle’s letters could be cited to illustrate the point that Paul presented himself as a model to be followed, not only by his fellow workers but also in his churches (cf. 1 Cor. 4:16,10:31-11:1; Eph 5:1; 1 Thess. 2:14; 2 Thess. 3:7-9).”

Paul not only preached the Gospel, he also self-consciously tried to model the Gospel in his life. Paul preached free grace and physically demonstrated this by never burdening his converts. He preached free grace and he preached the Gospel for free. The fact that Paul never sought to be a burden and was always careful never to give the appearance that he was using the Gospel for wealth pointed to his own sincerity and the free and gracious nature of the Gospel. By his life and conduct he sought to show the Gospel. Paul supported himself by tent making and by gifts from other churches in the work; he never sought payment for his work from the group to which he was bringing the Gospel.

The modeling of the Gospel was more than Paul trying to be consistent with the message; it was a distinct teaching tool. P.T. Obrien (83, 84) quotes A J Malherbe “Paul’s method of shaping a community was to gather converts around himself and by his own behavior to demonstrate what he taught.7 Paul’s desire was that he would show the Gospel in his life allowing that others could follow his example even as he followed Christ’s example (1 Cor. 11:1). Paul never desires that they follow him personally; rather, he desires that they follow him as he followed Christ.”

There are a number of practical ways that Paul modeled Christ.1. He took no one’s bread; he worked for free so he could not be accused of being in the ministry for money. Although Paul believed that a minister is worthy of his wages, as a missionary he sought never to be burden upon the churches to which he ministered.2. He lived and taught amongst the converts for a period. He was not remote from them.3. He boasted in his weakness, not his strength (2 Cor. 12:7).4. He forwent his natural rights in order that others might hear the Gospel.5. When dealing with the weak he was careful that he might not be a stumbling block to

7 P.T. Obrien A.L Malherber, Paul and the Thessalonians. Philadelphia, Fortress Press, 52

54

them. He forgave them (1 Cor. 10-11:1).

Each one of these shows that Paul’s missionary model was to self-consciously model the Gospel in his own life.

Principle 5. The missionary should carefully consider his conduct. He should be careful that his lifestyle is consistent with his teaching. He must be particularly careful to be seen as focusing upon God, not money.

5. Paul, Jesus and Mission GroupsIt is important to realize that neither Paul nor Christ ministered alone. Jesus

was always traveling with a group of people, not just His disciples, many of whom were women who supported His ministry (Luke 8:1-3). The principle of not ministering alone is clearly seen in Jesus sending out His disciples in two’s, as a biblical witness and for mutual support. Mission for Christ is a joint enterprise.

Paul likewise traveled in groups. In the first missionary journey he went with Barnabas and John Mark. Silas accompanied him on the second trip and Timothy joined them shortly afterwards. In Acts and the epistles we see that Paul traveled with Timothy, Titus and Luke as well as a number of others. In Colossians we see that Aristarchus Timothy, Lucius, Jason and Sosipater accompanied Paul (4:10, 11, 14). In Romans 16:21 we are told that Tertius, Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, and Jesus who is called Justus were with Paul.

Principle 6. Missionary activity was not to be done alone. Early missionaries traveled in groups for a witness and for support.

6. Romans 9-11. The Relationship between Jew and Gentile Mission

Paul is a unique figure in the history of redemption and so it is important to understand how he saw the relationship between Israel and the Gentiles. Paul explained the role of Israel and the Gentiles in Romans 9-11. This is a complex area and I will just offer a short overview. God chose Israel. Even though Israel rejected God (11), He still maintained a remnant. The rejection of Israel was still part of God’s plan. Through the rejection of Christ, the Gentiles were brought in. The process of the hardening of Israel led to the bringing in of the Gentiles. This can be illustrated from Acts 13:44-47:   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,

55

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.’”

The acceptance of the Gospel by the Gentiles then led to Israel’s jealousy. Through her jealousy they are in turn converted. Through this process salvation is for the Jews and the Gentiles.

The ingrafting of the Gentiles: The rejection of Israel and the Gospel going to the world did not end God’s relationship with Israel and it did not create two different entities, Israel and the church. The Gentile church was ingrafted into Israel. In lesson 2.7. above we saw that the nation of Israel pointed to and was fulfilled in Christ. The Gentiles were grafted into Christ and so into Israel. The boast of the Gentiles is not that they have replaced the Jews, rather it is that the Gentiles have been grafted into the Jewish root: Romans 11:16-18 states: “For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.”

Paul saw Gentile mission as an extension of Israel. The preaching of the Gospel to the nations did not mean that Israel was rejected; rather it meant that Israel would be jealous and return to God. This framework explains why Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, preached the Gospel to the Jews first, then to the Gentiles. In Acts we see

56

Paul applied this principle in his own evangelism–Paul preached the Gospel first to Israel, then to the Gentiles. This was motivated by his love for Israel and his understanding of God’s sovereign purpose.

Principle 7. Paul’s method was to take the Gospel to the Jewish synagogues first and then to the Gentiles (See Cyprus, 13:5; Psidion Antioch 13,14; Lystra 14:1; Philippi 16:10; Beria 17:1,10; Corinth 17:16; Athens 18:4. See the summary statement in Act 14:1,17:2). Since Paul was unique, we are not under the same obligations. He was a Jew, sent from the Jews, but we must always remember God’s promises to Israel have not been forsaken and we must always seek for ways to bring the Gospel to the Jews.

7. Other People’s Missionary Roles in ActsPaul was not the only model in the New Testament. There were a number of

others who fulfilled missionary-type roles in different ways. In this section we will focus just upon Phillip, Apollos and the elders at Jerusalem in order to broaden our understanding of mission.

Phillip: In Acts we are told that Phillip was an evangelist. In Acts 8 God used him in the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch. This seems to be an office of the early church in which some are specifically called to present the Gospel to those who have not heard.

Apollos: Apollos was an important itinerant teacher in the Scriptures. He was a missionary traveling from church to church strengthening them, per Acts 18:24-28 “Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ” (1 Cor. 16:12; Titus 3:13).

Paul did not see Apollos’ work as a threat but rather as a compliment. In 1 Corinthians 3:5-9, Paul said that he laid the foundation, he planted and Apollos watered with his teaching: “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.”

57

Apollos was a teaching missionary. He was not based at one location, but moved from church to church teaching and instructing the brethren.

The Church Elders: At Antioch it was the elders, the church leaders, who set Paul and Barnabas aside for mission work. In Acts 15, we see that the elders (the Jerusalem council) played a role in mission. While the elders were not missionaries, they had the responsibly of developing a theology upon which the mission of the church would proceed.

In summary, Paul was the principle paradigm for mission in the New Testament but there are others who engaged in mission.

Principle 8. While Paul is an important paradigm for mission, there were a number of other missionaries upon who we can model missions. Apollos seems to have been more of a teacher and he was used by God to build up existing church.

Conclusion

Paul was uniquely chosen by God to be the missionary to the Gentiles. Paul was both unique and also a paradigm for mission. Paul laid down many important principles for Missions in the New Testament and we should follow his model as closely as possible.

Summary

Paul was called to take the Father’s plan of salvation to the Gentiles. Paul saw himself primarily as an evangelist who was to take the Word to those who had not heard. Paul’s aim was to found churches, to evangelize them and build them up. The obedience of the Gentiles refers to conversion but also to their actual obedience to Christ, even as Christ was obedient to the Father. Because Paul had established church in major centers, Paul could say that he had fully preached the Gospel in Asia.

Lesson Five Questions1. Briefly describe the world into which Paul preached. Is it better or worse than today?2. Briefly describe Paul’s background, and explain how he was particularly suited for mission? 3. What are two key verses that describe Paul’s calling? 4. Describe the concept of the obedience of the Gentiles per Romans 1:5, 15:17.5. Paul’s mission was in word and deed. Explain. 6. Did Paul minister alone or did he travel with a group? Give textual support for your answer. 7. Briefly explain Romans 9-11 as regarding election of the Jews and Gentiles. 8. Who sent Paul out on his mission work? 9. Who was Apollos? What sort of mission work did he do?

58

10. What role did the church play in mission in Acts 15?

59

Lesson Six. Paul’s First Missionary Journey

1. Introduction

This lesson focuses upon Paul’s first missionary journey, one that changed the course of Judaism and Christianity. From this journey we will follow Paul’s method of evangelism. This lesson also introduces us to the nature of mission, the rise of opposition to mission within the church, and objections that were brought against Paul’s missionary methods by Jewish Christians. In Acts 15 it shows how the church resolved those issues. We will cover Acts 11:19-26 and Acts 13:1 to 15:35.

2. The Church at Antioch

The book of Acts divides into two parts. The first half looks at the expansion of the church from Jerusalem, mainly through Peter. The second half stresses the expansion of the church from Antioch, principally through Paul. While both focus on evangelism, there is an important difference between them: the church from Jerusalem was forced to expand through the break out of persecution; while the expansion of the church from Antioch was a deliberate act. Antioch was the first mission Church (Donnelly).

2.1. The History of the Church

Located in Syria, Antioch was the third largest city in the Roman World. It was a place of commerce, culture and learning. The term Christians was first used at Antioch. There was a strong Jewish community here that had been founded by Jews scattered from the Jerusalem persecution. They began by speaking the Word to other Jews, Hebrews, then some Jews from Cyprus and Cyrene took the Gospel to the Hellenists (Acts 11: 19-20). These were Jews who worshiped God using Greek language and customs, rather than reading the Hebrew Scriptures and speaking Aramaic (Acts 6:1-7). The work then expanded to the conversion of the Gentiles (Bruce 227). The church at Jerusalem heard of the work and sent Barnabas down as their representatives (11:22). The church was a mixture of Hebrewist and Hellenists, men from Jerusalem, Barnabas and Agabus the prophet, and others from Cyprus and Cyrene. The church had a strong link to Cyprus. We note that they honored the Cyprus relationship; this was their first stop on their missionary journey.

2.2. The Character of the Church

Each church has a character, and Donnelly argues that there are four particular characteristics of the Antioch church that made it suitable for mission. It was cosmopolitan, caring, growing and gifted (Donnelly). Each aspect contributed to their

60

missionary vision.

2.2.1. It was Cosmopolitan

Antioch was the provincial capital of Syria. It was a large church. It was founded by Greeks from Cyprus and Barnabas who had come down from Jerusalem. The church was a mixture of Cypriots, Jews, and Greeks. The cosmopolitan nature of the church meant it was open to the idea of foreign, Gentile mission.

2.2.2. It was growing

The church was growing. In Acts 11:21 we are told: “the Lord’s hand was with them, and a large number believed and turned to the lord.” The Lord was blessing them for their local efforts and this lead Him to use them in bigger worldwide efforts. Mission was a natural product, a natural out flowing of the church. It was not forced.

2.2.3. It Was Caring and Compassionate

The church provided help to those who needed it. In Acts 11:29-31 Agabus the prophet had prophesied that there would be a famine and warned the church. The church responded by collecting relief to send to Jerusalem.

2.2.4. It had Gifted Men

There were many gifted men at the church. There were a good number of men and many had exceptional skills. This allowed them to send out very gifted men without weakening the church. Acts 13:1 states: “Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers; Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.”

2.3 The Sending of Barnabas and Saul

Under the guidance of the Spirit the church at Antioch was the first to formally send out missionaries. Led by the Holy Spirit, their vision lays a paradigm for mission.

2.3.1. Mission is driven by the Spirit

First, the Spirit directly led the mission of the church. “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ’Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them’” (Acts 13:2). The church was instructed to set Paul and Barnabas aside, and to release them for mission work by the authority of the Spirit. This reaffirmed the work of the Spirit in mission from Lesson 4.

61

2.3.2. The Spirit Works through the Church

The Spirit did not act independently of the church. The Spirit worked through the church to do His work. Too many people think that the Spirit works directly apart from the church, that spirituality has nothing to do with the formal church, but here we see that He first worked in and through the church. The Spirit dwelt in the church and the Spirit led the church to do His work.

2.3.3. The Church’s Authority in Mission

Building upon the above, the authority for mission came from both the Holy Spirit and the church. The Spirit could have acted independently of the church but He did not. God acted conjunctively not disjunctively in His church. He worked in and with His Church. He spoke to the church and the elders laid hands upon them. We are also to remember that Christ had commissioned Paul directly for mission, he was the apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15) and yet Paul’s commission worked in conjunction with the authority of the church. The Apostle to the Gentiles was commissioned by the church.

Principle 9. Mission is Spirit driven and He acts through the church.

Principle 10. Mission is the activity of the churches; they should send out their missionaries. Churches are the only New Testament sending agencies recognized by the Scriptures.

2.3.4. The Missionaries’ qualifications and gifts

The Holy Spirit chose men who were suitable for mission. Both Paul and Barnabas were leaders in the church, they had experience, and they were from cosmopolitan backgrounds. Paul was from Tarshish; he had Roman citizenship and understood both Jewish and Greek culture. Paul had already been involved in Mission work in Arabia (Acts 9:20-25). Barnabas was a Jew from Cyprus. Both men’s backgrounds were suitable for the work they were to do. God prepares and chooses suitable candidates with the required skills and gifts to do His work. If we do not have those gifts, it is unlikely that we will be called to this type of mission.

Principle 11. There is a strong presumption that missionaries need to be recognized leaders (probably officers) in the local church before going to the field.

3. The First Missionary Journey

The following is a short introduction to the first missionary journey.

62

Hendrickson observes that Paul seems to have focused upon major centers; something we see in the second and third journeys. In each journey we see Paul founded churches, established elders and then moved to the next place, sometimes in a very short space of time. Paul then retuned to his home church.

Principle 12. Paul centered upon major centers–Pisidian Antioch, Ephesus, Athens, and Corinth. He could reach the maximum number of people and the maximum number of people could reach others. (Donnelley Lecture 10 notes three exceptions to this rule. Paul does not always do this. On the second journey he does not go to the large commercial city of Pella but he goes to nearby Beria, a small town in comparison. Paul is always subject to the leading of the Spirit, Acts 16:6, 7.) As the servant spreading the Gospel to the Gentiles, Paul had a unique task (see lesson 5, section 3.3. above) so once a church was established, he then moved on to a different Gentile area.

3.1. Cyprus

3.1.1. The Link between Antioch and Cyprus

The first mission journey began on the island of Cyprus. We are not told expressly why Cyprus was chosen but we do know that there were strong links between Antioch and Cyprus. Barnabas and many others in the church at Antioch were from Cyprus so they knew the area and probably felt a debt to their homeland.

3.1.2. The Work and Mission in Cyprus

The party land at Salamis on the south of Cyprus and work north. They begin by preaching to the Jews at the Synagogue. In every new place, Paul always went to the Jews first and then to the Gentiles (Acts 13:5,14, 46; 14:1).

Principle 13. Paul went to the Jews first, then to the Gentile.

The synagogue meeting consisted of a call to worship and prayers. Then there was reading from the Pentateuch and the Prophets followed by an address given by a suitable member of the congregation. The ruler of the synagogue controlled who would give the address. The congregation was a mixture of Jews and proselytes (Gentiles who had become Jews) and God-fearers (Acts 13:16) (Bruce 252,264).

The opposition by Simon bar Jesus and the conversion of the proconsul is instructive. This was the first time we see Paul using his apostolic power and this is the first recorded instance of the Gospel penetrating into the heart of the Roman world. Sergius Paulus was a Roman Aristocrat and Proconsul. From secular sources we know he had published important books on nature. The missionaries saw immediate success of the Gospel in the highest realms of Romans society. What an encouragement it must have been to them! If God can convert such a man, he can convert anyone!

63

3.1.3. Saul Becomes Paul, the Leader of the Mission

Cyprus established Paul as the pre-eminent missionary. Originally Luke records that it was Barnabas and Saul who were sent out from Antioch and that they were known as Barnabas and Saul when they first arrived in Paphos, Cyprus (Acts 13:2,7). After the incident with the Jew Elymas Bar-Jesus (or certainly by the end of this chapter) Luke begins to speak of Paul and his party: “Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia” (Acts 13:13). This is significant for two reasons: First Paul has emerged as the leader of the group. This was Paul’s calling as an apostle and so it was natural that he would take precedence, it must also have reflected something of his strength and leadership ability. He takes the lead role in the incident with Elymas the Sorcerer (Acts 13:6-12). Secondly, Saul’s name was changed (see Acts 13:9) to Paul. Saul was his Jewish identity, and yet as a Roman citizen Paul was his Roman name. Saul the Jew became Paul the missionary in a non-Jewish Roman world.

Principle 14. Paul changed his name to better identify with the Greeks. He did what he could to better communicate the Gospel.

3.2. Pisidian Antioch – To the Jew First, then to the Gentile

3.2.1. Preaching in South Galatia

The Gospel had already been preached in Cyprus but the Gospel had not been preached in Asia. In this section the Gospel was preached in areas where it had not been preached before. This was frontier mission work. While within the Roman Empire, it was also frontier, dangerous, and not fully under Roman control. Mark leaves them at this stage, we are not told why.

Luke used the mission at Antioch to illustrate Paul’s Jewish evangelism (Donnelley). The rejection by the Jews set the scene for the rest of Paul’s missionary work. The Jews rejected the word and persecuted him.

3.2.2. Jewish Evangelism

Luke recorded Paul’s sermon in great detail (Acts 13:16-41). The sermon illustrates Paul’s approach to the Jews. Because he preached to those who knew the Scriptures, Paul argued from the Scriptures, particularly those Scriptures that spoke of Christ coming. The sermon shows that when Paul preached to the Jews, he preached fulfillment. He stressed that the promises of the Old Testament were fulfilled in Christ. 8

8 The events and sermon at Pisidian are very close to Peter’s on the day of Pentecost. If we compare Peter’s and Paul’s sermons the similarities are striking, indicating this was a common way for the Gospel to be preached to the Jews, whether by Paul or any of the apostles.

64

We will briefly outline the sermon and refer to it again in Lesson 8. Paul’s sermon was a model for Jewish evangelism (Donnelley).

The sermon divides into three parts. Paul began by stressing God’s historical dealing with the Jews (17-22). He then stressed that Christ was the fulfillment of the Old Testament (23-37). Finally he challenged the hearers to accept or reject the message. The sermon was tailored to his Jewish audience. The key to Paul’s message was that God from the family of David had raised up the Messianic Deliverer, and that His name was Jesus. When preaching to Jews, Paul closed the sermon with direct application, the offer of forgiveness in Christ that was not available through the Law of Moses (38,39) and a warning if the Gospel was rejected (40,41).

Principle 15. Paul preached differently to the Jews and to the Gentiles. He adapted his message to his audience.

Principle 16. To the Jews Paul focused upon how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament Scriptures.

3.2.3. The Rejection and Hostility of the Jews

Although a few believed, the majority of the Jews rejected the word. When that rejection turned to persecution and expulsion from the region, Paul shook the dust from his feet (51). This was a significant act. Paul was not just personally angry, for a Jew to shake the dust from his feet was a sign of a curse. It was a sign that they were no longer the covenant people of God. They were no longer Israel. They were excommunicated. Even the very dust upon their feet was cursed and rejected by God. (Luke 9:5, 10:11; Acts 18:6). Paul was rejecting Judaism, an event made even more offensive because a Christian missionary was saying this. What Paul was saying was that God was no longer just the God of the Jews, rather he was now the Christians’ God and unless the Jews followed, they would be cast out.

3.2.4. Turning to the Gentiles

When the Jews rejected the Gospel, Paul turned to the Gentiles. Paul states: “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” (Acts 13:46-48).

The same pattern was repeated at Iconium (Acts 14:1-3) and almost every other place the Gospel was preached. “Local Jews, almost invariably, gave a corporate refusal to the Gospel ….and it was accordingly proclaimed to the Gentiles” (Bruce 266).

65

Paul understood that this was the pattern that God had ordained for Israel and for his ministry. 9

3.2.5. The True Basis of Success

Luke indicated the true source of the success of the Gospel–all those elected to eternal life believed. “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” (Acts 13:48, 49).  

3.3. Iconium

Paul traveled 90 miles to Iconium, a town built upon a strategic road junction. There preaching had better results but the Jews rose up in opposition again. Luke summarized the ministry as follows:

“Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren. Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. But the multitude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles. And when a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone them” (Acts 14:1-7).

Acts 14:5 shows an attempt was to be made on their lives by Greeks and Jews and so they continued onward.

3.4. Lystra

3.4.1. Evangelizing Those with no Jewish Background

Lystra was important. Here Paul and Barnabas evangelized a group with little Jewish background and Gentiles who did not speak Greek as a first language. (Donnelly notes that Timothy came from Lystra and may have been converted on this visit, Acts 16:1) This was extreme cross-cultural ministry; Paul was reaching across both linguistic and cultural divides to a group without any biblical background (11).

Paul healed a man and due to the barrier noted above, the act is immediately misinterpreted. Paul’s actions were ascribed to local gods, rather than to the power of the Gospel. Barnabas was called Zeus and Paul was called Hermes. The Lystrian’s had taken the Gospel signs and message and had reworked it into their own cultural

9 For Paul’s own commentary on this, see Romans 9-11; lesson 5, section 6

66

background. This event shows the real danger and difficulty of cross-cultural ministry and is a warning to all missionaries, particularly those going to totally unevangelized areas. Paul realized what was happening and corrected them. Luke recorded his teaching in Acts 14:14-18. Paul exhortation here was similar to his teaching before the completely Gentile audience of the Jews in Athens (Acts 17:22-34). These two passages need to be studied together to understand Paul’s method of purely Gentile evangelism.

3.4.2. Jewish Opposition Intensifies

The Jews from Antioch and Iconium were not content to have Paul thrown out of their areas. They continued their pursuit of Paul, and when they caught up with him at Lystra excited the local crowd to stone him. We see the intensity of Jewish opposition; the Jewish hatred was so extreme that they sought to kill him. They left Paul for dead. The next day, Paul departs for Derbe. We need to recognize that Paul’s mission was one of extreme hardship. He suffered terribly, even to the point of death. Paul’s mission showed the foolishness of the kingdom even as it was revealed in Christ’s own life.

Principle 17. Paul suffered great persecution in his ministry, yet he continued.

3.5. Returning to Strengthen the Brethren

There are two things to note concerning Paul’s desire to return to the new churches: First, he did not leave the churches but wanted to strengthen them as he had opportunity. The desire to return showed great personal courage; Paul ran the risk of being attacked and killed at each town.

Principle 18. Paul always returned to visit the churches. He followed up by return visits (Acts 14:21; 15:36, 41; 20:2, 27) and by letters. If he could not revisit them, he sent others–Titus was sent to Corinth (2 Cor. 7:6, 7), Tychicus was sent to Ephesus (Eph. 6:21), and Epaphroditus was sent to Philippi.

4. Opposition to Mission in the Church

Opposition to the mission of the church did not only arise from outside. By the end of the first missionary journey there was opposition from within the church. As we consider the issue, we must recognize that the situation was unprecedented.

The Gospel was going to the Gentiles and there was a mass influx of new converts. These converts did not come from a strict religious Jewish background; they came from a Greek pagan background. This raised a number of issues for the church.

67

First, the addition of a large number of Gentiles into the church would change the very character of the church. Second, the adding of the Gentiles would threaten the holiness of the church. Many came from an immoral Greek culture, and without insisting upon the law, immorality and idolatry would enter the church. Third, widespread Gentile converts who did not have the law, raised the issue of whether circumcision and the law were necessary to be a Jew. Did a person have to first become a Jewish’s proselyte, be circumcised, and keep the law before he could become a Christian? Could Jewish believers really have fellowship with Gentiles who did not obey the food laws and other laws? A group called the Judaisers pressed these issues. In Acts 15:1 we are told they came down from Jerusalem. In Acts 15:5 they are called some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed. From this we understand that they were believing Jews (Christians) who were sincere but very wrong on these issues. The issue came to a head at Antioch. Peter and Barnabas were influenced by the group who had come to Jerusalem. They withdraw from the Gentiles (Gal. 2:11-16). Paul stepped in to correct Peter (he challenged Peter as to his hypocrisy indicating that Peter did not really believe this teaching but he went along with the Jews from Jerusalem). Paul also wrote to the church rejecting their teaching in the harshest terms, Galatians 1. To clarify the matter, the church in Antioch appointed and sent Paul and Barnabas up to Jerusalem to address the issue (Acts 15:1, 2).

5. The Jerusalem Council

The elders and apostles came together as a church to decide the issue. The sect of the Pharisees opened the discussion. Peter responded, citing the conversion of Cornelius. Cornelius was converted directly and he received the Spirit. The Spirit made no distinction between Jew and Gentile, thus the church should not either. The single issue was faith.

Barnabas and Paul then spoke, they pointed to the miracles and signs that God had done on the mission. James spoke last. He cited the Scriptures, stating that the conversion of the Gentiles was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy (Acts 15: 16, 17). The council decided, based upon the Scriptures and the signs and wonders (Scriptures and evidence), that this was a work of God in the world.

Principle 19. The elders made the decision in Jerusalem. The decision was based upon the Scriptures and the evidence.

5.1. The Decision

The council rejected the need for the new converts to be circumcised and follow the law. They decided that the Gentiles could be included in the church without needing to follow the Jewish law and customs. In order to facilitate fellowship, they asked the Gentiles to abstain from things that were particularly offensive to the Jews,

68

idolatry, immortally and meat that still contained its blood. The Jerusalem council was a major step forward in the mission of the church. The church was now free to go into all the world unhampered by Jewish cultural requirements and Jew and Gentiles were seen as equal in Christ in the church.

Conclusion

The first missionary journey was a major step forward for the church. For the first time the church at Antioch began a mission program. The mission was successful but both unconverted Jews and Jews within the church itself opposed it.

Summary

The church at Antioch began the fist formal mission. Paul and Barnabas were sent by the church and under the leadership of the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles. Paul became the leader. He preached first to the Jews and then to the Greeks. He was successful but suffered extreme persecution by the Jews. They founded churches and then retuned to their sending church.

69

Lesson Six Questions1. What was the name of the first mission church?2. Name four characteristics of the church.3. Explain the relationship between mission, the Holy Spirit and the church.4. Where do we find a model for Jewish evangelism?5. Explain “to the Jew first and then to the Gentiles.” 6. Explain how and by whom Paul was persecuted. 7. Who were the Judaisers?8. What was the problem of Gentile mission?9. What council was called to address the issue?10.What did the council agree on?

70

71

Lesson Seven. Paul/the Missionary’s Relationship to the Mission Church

1. Introduction This lesson focuses upon the relationship between Paul and the churches he founded. Paul believed that the church is Christ-led and Spirit-indwelt and therefore fully equipped to do her work. Paul sought to promote the independence and authority of the local church as much as he could. 10

1. Paul/the missionary and the authority of the church

2. The functioning of the local church in baptism and appointment of officers

3. Paul/the missionary and the exercise of discipline within the church

4. The finance of mission and the local church

2. The Centrality Authority and the Power of the Local Church

Paul understood that the church is Christ’s and she is the principle structure through which Christ continues His revelation and presence in the world. Paul applied this principle in his mission. Even though Paul was called directly by Christ as an apostle, Paul did not depart for this mission work until Christ through the Holy Spirit set him apart through the local church. Paul always worked with the church. “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. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus” (Acts 13:1-3).

The Apostle Paul was not independent; rather Paul honored the authority of the church. The Holy Spirit spoke to the church telling her to separate Paul and Barnabas and the church obeyed. She prayed, fasted and then laid hands upon them. Paul’s mission was based upon both the church’s authority and Christ’s direct commission. This stressed the centrality of the church in mission. Mission was from the church and aimed to found church. The church also played a central role in mission in Acts 15, the Jerusalem Council. At the council the church, the elder, and the apostles formulated a vision and theology for mission for the church. Both Acts 13 and Acts 15 show the authority and centrality of the church in every aspect of mission.

10 Our outline will follow Rolland Allen. Missionary Methods

72

Principle 20. Paul never acted independently of the church.

2. The centrality of the church in mission is evident from Paul’s evangelism. Paul did not stop at personal evangelism; he sought to plant churches. He did not establish schools or medical missions; he founded churches. Once a church was founded, he expected that the church would then become the focus–the Gospel spreading from it into the area (1Thess.1:8). Paul worked that the church would grow to maturity (Eph. 4:6-14). Paul’s great desire was that she should be independent and mature as soon as possible. In contrast, many missionaries feel the need to hold on to and control the mission work. They forget that the church, as well as their own life, is only carried on through the Spirit. Paul did not forget. He believed that conversion and the ongoing health of the church was not dependent upon him but rather it was dependent upon the Holy Spirit.

Principle 21. Paul planted churches.

Paul did not spend long in founding churches. Because he was forced to leave due to persecution, his stops were often short. Despite this, the churches survived and grew. Even in Ephesus and Corinth, Paul only stayed for 3 years and 18 months respectively. This was enough time for Paul to start and develop churches, appoint elders and continue his mission. Paul did send helpers–Timothy, Titus, Epaphras–from time to time, but his supervision and visits and letters were occasional. The reality that the church is Christ’s kingdom upon the earth, ruled by the Holy Spirit, allowed Paul to commit it into Christ’s care and move on. The churches took responsibility for their own actions and grew to maturity quickly.

Principle 22. Paul believed in the power and authority of the local church, not the missionary.

3.Training of Candidates: Baptism and Ordination The principle of Christ’s rule in the local church meant that the local church should take responsibility for baptism and ordination of officers as soon as possible. In the beginning Paul baptized and ordained (1 Cor. 1:14, 16; Acts 16:11-34), but once a church was formed, this responsibility passed to the church. Paul’s attitude to these things is seen in 1Corinthians 1:17 “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the Gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.” There are two benefits of this approach. First it is constant with our theology of the church. Paul left the responsibility of baptism with the church as soon as possible. This practice supports the idea of the authority of the local church. Second, the local church is often the best body to assess a true change in heart of prospective converts.

73

Paul’s baptism furnishes us with clear criteria for baptism–an understanding of the basics of the Gospel and a real change in life. Paul did not demand a great deal of knowledge, but a moral change–a heart change, not a head change. (In the West there is the danger of focusing upon education and confusing knowledge with a real changed life.) In a small community, these life changes would have been easier to see in than in modern cities.

To establish churches Paul appointed elders (Acts 14:23). The elders were pillars of the church and vital to her health. To strengthen the church in Crete, Titus was sent to appoint elders (Titus 1:5). Paul committed the church in Ephesus into the hands of the elders (Acts 20:17-38). The elders were to shepherd, to lead and to teach the congregations. Paul always ordained several elders, a plurality, so that authority was not vested in the hands of just one man. While Paul, Timothy, and Titus ordained elders, the elders themselves ran the churches and they in turn had the authority to ordain and continue the work. As part of the local body, there was mutual responsibility between the congregation and the elders. Then, as well as today, local members were the best possible persons to judge who were good and proper candidates. A list of criteria is found in Titus 1:5-9 and 1 Timothy 3:1-7. As in baptism, the criterion is principally moral, not academic. When we focus upon the academic, we often focus on the wrong things. The need to train to our standard can also mean that we delay the proper appointment of elders unduly. If this persists, the church will not be established and its dependence upon missionaries will continue.

Principle 23. Paul sought to establish the organization, baptism and elders of the local church as quickly as possible in order for the church to take responsibility as soon as possible.

4. Paul, the Authority and Discipline in the Local Church

Paul, as an apostle and missionary, was called to lead and guide the churches in their growth to maturity. Paul, Christ’s apostle, spoke directly for Him and yet Paul was very careful in using his authority. Paul followed two principles. First, he used his authority rarely, preferring to encourage and exhort, rather than demand. Second, when he did exercise his power in the church, he challenged the church to do the job of exercising discipline rather than acting himself. These two principles flow from the idea that the power of the church is to be vested in the local body itself, not the missionary.

First, Paul as an apostle had direct claim to authority in the church (2 Cor.10:8) but Paul used this power very sparingly: in most cases when he wrote to the churches he encouraged and exhorted them. Corinth is an exception. At Corinth matters at the church had reached such a point that Paul had to speak more directly to them.

74

Principle 24. Paul used his power in the church sparingly. He encouraged the church to deal with problems themselves.

Second, we are to see that even in the case in Corinth, he encouraged the church to do its own duty first, only threatening to act directly if they failed to do so. Paul wanted the Corinthian church to administer its affairs. If the church is Christ’s then Christ, through His Spirit, should lead the church. If Paul had taken direct action, he would have stopped the local church from exercising its authority and responsibility. In 1 Cor. 5:1-13, Paul took the church to task for its failure in dealing with the sinning brother. He addressed the conscience of the whole church, challenging them, pointing out that they should have acted decisively. Because they had not, the church denied its moral responsibility. Paul acted only as a last resort.

This principle is illustrated in the diagram below. In the first diagram Paul acted directly upon the church. In the second Paul called the church to deal with the sinning brother.

There are many practical benefits from this course of action. It helps the offender, as it is his peers who challenge him concerning his actions. Allen states: “[W]hat is needed is the public censure of the majority of the fellow churchman to awaken his conscience” (123). It calls the church to exercise lordship in spiritual matters, to grow in maturity, to follow after Christ (1 Cor. 5:1-2). By these actions, the local body makes a statement to the community about its own standards, rather than the missionary making a statement about his standards. Rolland Allen states: “but of course it is quite impossible for us to exercise any real discipline unless the common conscience of the church is really injured by the offence. That conscience needs to be quickened. By throwing the responsibility on the majority St Paul stirred and educated the conscience of the whole Christian church (124). Paul “appealed to the corporate conscience to check the serious and growing evils in the church, arguing and pleading that the Holy Spirit might enlighten and strengthen his converts” ….When we exercise discipline we leave the church undisciplined. He disciplines the church: we discipline the individuals. He left the church, and it stood, tottered on its feet, but still standing: we

75

leave the church without any power of standing at all (124).

If this is true of Paul, it must be even truer of the local missionary. The local missionary is not an apostle. He does not speak directly for Christ as Paul did. He has no separate and distinct ecclesiastical authority. He cannot exercise discipline himself. He must therefore call the local church to work and act in discipline in the church.

5. Finances, the Missionary and the Church

Our final topic is the use of funds in mission, particularly the need for the local church to generate and control its own funding. As a missionary Paul was very careful about money and spoke of this often. Money is important in mission as finances affect who controls things and defines relationships between the missionary and the church. How the finances are organized will affect the mindset of the congregation. On a theological level, if the local church does not control its own funding, it will affect the autonomy and self-government of the church, and the Lordship of Christ in the church will be affected.

5.1. Money and the Missionary

Paul was careful to never burden his hearers with demands for money. There were a number of motives for this. First, as Paul was like a father to the churches, he did not want to be a burden to them, “[H]e showed his fatherly care by refusing to burden them with his maintenance (Allen 50). 1Thessalonians 2:7-9 “But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the Gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the Gospel of God.”

Second, Paul wished to avoid any appearance of making money from the Gospel. At that time there were many wandering teachers who charged for their services. Paul chose not to do so as not to be a hindrance to the spread of the Gospel. In Acts 20:34-35 he states: “Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Paul wanted to give no appearance of covetousness.

Third, Paul wished to use his own life as an example of Gospel life. He modeled hard work and giving as part of the Gospel call.

Fourth, Paul did not take financial support form his converts. As we have al -ready notes in lesson 5, in the use of money Paul self-consciously modeled the Gospel.

76

Principle 25. Paul as a missionary did not ask for money when he was found -ing a church.

5.2. Money in the local church As a missionary Paul never brought money to the local church –that was never a part of Paul’s mission. Paul focused upon preaching and teaching, not bringing or administering funds. The churches were expected to look after themselves financially; Paul or other missionaries never supported them.

Principle 26. Paul mission focused upon preaching and teaching. Within the church Paul encouraged the elders to work with their hands, to provide for the poor within the body (Acts 20:34, 35). Paul also recognized ministers as having a right to labor in the Gospel for money. 1Corinthians 9:9: “For it is written in the Law of Moses, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.’ Is it oxen God is concerned about?” 1Timothy 5:18: “For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,’ and, ‘The laborer is worthy of his wages.’” The Galatians are encouraged to support their teachers: “Let him who is taught the word shares in all good things with him who teaches” (Gal. 6:6). The churches were encouraged to look after their own poor. When extraordinary events happened, then money was sent as in the case of the famine in Jerusalem, but this was not the norm. The norm was that churches were to be financially independent. If God privileged a church in giving it a minster; it was the church's responsibility to provide for him; this created mutual love and accountability. When funding comes from outside, the mutual accountability and obedience between the minister and the local church is taken away. This separates the minister from the congregation and fragments the church. If a church cannot support a minster, he should engage in tent making, even as the Apostle Paul did (1 Thess. 2:8).

Principle 27. Paul provided for himself by “tent making” to support his ministry

The church, once established, should support mission in the same way it supports the elder/pastors. Paul took gifts from the churches that had been established to help in his mission to new churches. “I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you” (2 Cor.11:8).

5.3. The Financial Relationship between the Founding Church and the Mission Churches

Paul never took money to converts. While it is true that at Paul’s time there was not the rich first-world, poor third-world divide we currently have, we should note that

77

Paul never came with money or aid, nor did he administer money for the church. Paul did help on a case-by-case mercy ministry basis. He collected and took aid to Jerusalem, but there was no regular support by one church for another.

Principle 28. Paul did not bring regular financial aid to the churches

When the founding church gives money, issues arise. First, the agenda of the sending church can control the mission church. Funds are to be used for specific purposes and usually strict accountability is required. The issue becomes one of control with one church controlling another in way that undermines the Lordship of Christ over the local congregation.

Second, the local church becomes a slave to the mission church’s agenda. This is not the case in thought out joint projects, but in many case the mission church puts value on things that the local church does not. The local church is driven by money to follow the vision of the other church instead of recognizing that the local church represents the body of Christ in an area and it has the primary responsibility to set vision in this area. In Belize we have seen many schools and other institutions built. As these are tangible, they are easy to photograph and raise funds for. They are attractive to the sending church, but their local value to a small struggling church is unclear. The same is true of building buildings. In many cases these projects generate stress upon the local church. The local resources of the church become focused upon schools and buildings rather than the Gospel. The evangelical focus of the church is often lost and churches are distracted and end up taking resources from the Gospel ministry. In many cases the local church is left with maintaining the buildings and other expenses the church cannot bear and so the mission then becomes secular and business focused instead of reaching out to save souls.

The danger of losing focus is as old as the church itself. In Acts 6 the apostles were involved in the work of feeding and distributing food to the poor. A dispute led the apostles to recognize that their job was to minister the Word and be in prayer, not spend time administering food, no matter how important.

The use of money in this way also misplaces our witness. The focus upon buildings and material things that are seen as important in the West leads us to misrepresent the essence of what is important in ministry. This also makes the passing on of the mission impossible. With such a high financial aim, there is no room for the local church to take over. The focus on the material and educational gives a false view of what the Gospel ministry really is.

In these situations we need to reaffirm the primary importance of the Word and the Spirit and prayer. The Holy Spirit works in His church. The success of Gospel ministry is not dependant upon the wealth of the mission.

78

The above discussion shows Paul had a very high view of the authority and the work of the Spirit in the church. Paul stressed that the church was in Christ, indwelt by the Spirit. His desire was that those in the church mature as fast as possible. Allen makes the following important point on Paul’s ministry. He states: He did not trust them because he believed in their natural virtue or intellectual sufficiency. He believed in the Holy Spirit within them (125). Any missionary must have faith in the Spirit. It is accepted that there will be degrees of growth. The author in Hebrews 6 referred to them as children and yet that is principally the work of the Spirit who dwells in the churches.

Paul’s principles humbled the missionary. All too often the missionary comes with a sense of superiority over the new mission church. Allen points out that this is incorrect: Mission is not something that the missionary does because we are complete and we wish to take what we have found to others. Of the mission church of his day he says, “we have not learned the lesson that it is not for righteousness that we have been entrusted with the Gospel but that we may be instruments in God’s hands for revealing the universal salvation of this Son in all the world ….. We have not learned the lesson that our own hope, our own salvation, our own glory, lie in the completion of the temple of the Lord. We have not understood that as members of the body of Christ we have been scattered in all lands, and that we without them, are not made perfect. We have thought of the temple of the Lord as complete in us, of the body of Christ as consisting of us, and we have thought conversion of the heathen as the extension of the body to which we are members. Consequently we have preached the Gospel from the point of view of the wealthy man who casts a might into the lap of the devil, rather than from the point of view of the husbandman who casts his seed into the earth, knowing that his life and the lives of all connected with him depend upon the crop that will result from his labor (142,143).

6. Paul Demanded/Expected a Great Deal from the New Church

Building upon the idea that the church was in Christ and equipped by the Spirit, Paul expected that those in the new mission church would live as Christians in this world. Everyone in Christ had Christ’s ethical obligations upon him, no exceptions were made. Paul’s demands were high. Donnelly notes the following: All were to present their bodies as living sacrifices Philippians 1:9. He expected total commitment. This included evangelism (1 Thess. 1:7), spiritual growth (Eph 1:17), in giving and practical support from the churches (2 Cor. 8:24ff, Rom. 15:24) and for them to labor in prayer (Phil. 1:19, 1 Thess. 1:25). It is important that we make these demands upon new churches. The new mission church is not a second-class citizen.

Conclusion

The church is central to mission. The missionary is an agent of the church

79

and his aim should be to found churches. Paul models the role of the missionary in his conduct towards the church in questions of authority, discipline, oversight and finances.

Summary

The relationship between the missionary and the mission church is very important. Paul gave a great deal of responsibility, power, and authority to the local churches, even to young churches. He did this because he believed that the church was only founded, kept, maintained, and could only grow through the work of the Spirit. Allen writes, “It is not a question of our faith in them: it is still more a question of our faith in the Holy Ghost. We look too much at our converts as they are by nature. St Paul looked at his converts as they were by grace” (125). Paul believed in the power of the local church, that they should take responsibility in all major ecclesiastical matters and that they should be responsible for their own finances.

80

Lesson Seven Questions1. How did Paul’s high view of the church affect his mission strategy?

(See 1, introduction)2. What was the relationship between the apostle and the church as defined in Acts

13? 3. What was Paul’s aim in mission?4. How long was the average time that Paul spent at any church? Give some exam-

ples of the time Paul spent in churches.5. Who is to control baptism of new members and ordination in the church?6. How many elders did Paul appoint in a new church? Why?7. What are the two principles by which Paul as apostle/missionary exercised power in

the church? 8. What is the advantage of making the church enforce its own discipline? 9. Did Paul bring financial help in any way? 10.What does Allen (at 5.2 above) say the great lesson for the missionary is?

81

Lesson Eight. Mission and Cross-Cultural Ministry

1. Introduction

This chapter focuses upon cross-cultural mission. Belize, although small, has a number of cross-cultural groups–Creole, Spanish, Garifuna Mayan, Chinese and Indian. These groups have banded together, forming close knit communities who hold tightly to their own cultures and traditions. To minister to these groups, we need to cross the cultures to be able to speak and witness.

The book of Acts speaks cross-cultural mission. Israel, the church of the Old Testament was now sent to preach the Gospel to the Gentile nations. The Gospel now travels across linguistic, cultural, ethnic, ethical and moral boundaries. The book of Acts provides important lessons on the challenges and dangers in ministering cross culturally. In this lesson we will consider the key events as they occurred in Acts.

2. A Summary of the Spread of the Gospel in Acts

The story of the book of Acts is the story of cross-cultural mission. The Gospel, founded and rooted in Jewish culture, spread from Jerusalem and Israel into the Gentile world. The Jewish church now had to consider cultural and social changes as the Gospel led to the conversion of the Gentiles. This did not occur naturally to the Jewish church. At the beginning the church held on to the old cultural Jewish forms. It was only through a slow process that the theological and cultural implications became clear.

2.1. Acts 10Initially the early church continued to operate in the culture in which it was

born. It continued to observe Jewish customs and to meet at the temple (Acts 4); it also continued to observe the food laws (Acts 10) and to practice circumcision (Acts 15). Although these things were no longer theologically necessary, the church existed and operated within that culture and saw no need to change. This changed with Stephen’s martyrdom.

Until the time of Stephen’s martyrdom, most of the mission work had been carried out in Jerusalem. When persecution forced the church to scatter, the process of taking the Gospel to the world began (Acts 8:1). The Gospel was preached in Judea and Samaria and into the whole world. With the spread of the Gospel, the nature of the converts changed. The conversion of Samarians and others from further afield led to new theological and cultural issues.

82

Cornelius’s conversion in Acts 10 illustrates this shift. Through the conversion of Cornelius, Peter, and later the whole church, was forced to radically rethink their theology, life, and mission. As a faithful Jew, Peter kept the food laws, laws given to teach the Jews the distinction between clean and unclean and as part of this; it prevented Jews from mixing with the immoral and culturally unclean Gentiles. Then God commanded Peter to go with the three Gentile men sent by Cornelius (10:15, 19, 10:24-29). Peter obeyed. He preached the Gospel (Acts10: 34-43) and the Holy Spirit was poured out, bringing salvation to the Gentiles. Peter then baptized them (10:47, 48). Through these actions, God changed both the cultural and theological nature of the church and the convert.

First, Peter, representing the Jewish church, was taught to not call anything unclean. With the outpouring of the Spirit, Bruce remarks, “Actually in terms of the vision on the housetop at Joppa taught him to call no food profane or unclean if God pronounced it clean: but he was quick to grasp the analogy between the ceremonial food laws and the conventions affecting intercourse with non-Jews. It was largely because of their lack of scruples in food matters that Gentiles were ritually unsafe people for a pious Jew to meet socially. Intercourse with Gentiles was not categorically forbidden: but it was liable to render a Jew ceremonially unclean. As was entering a Gentile building or the handling of articles belonging to Gentiles….hence, all forms of intercourse with Gentiles, to accept their hospitality and sit at a table with them was most intolerable. Peter’s lesson was so impressed upon his mind that he accompanied Cornelius’s messengers without scruples or protest (210).

Second, the full acceptance of the Gentiles into God’s people was now based, not upon the cleanliness regulations, but upon the Holy Spirit being poured out upon them. Peter saw that the external code of laws for purity that separated clean from unclean, was now replaced by a new work, that of the Spirit. Now those who had the inward work of the Spirit within their hearts were considered clean and accepted. No further act or rituals were needed. This was a new concept for Peter. Peter was being taught that true separation unto God and cleanliness come through the world of the Spirit, not through the Old Testament laws and regulations. The outpouring of the Spirit made Peter think about the law, the Spirit and holiness in a new manner. Peter was forced to think about his own theology. Newbegin states, “The implication of this ‘mission changes not just the world but it also changes the church. In this case there is the conversion of the church as well as the conversion of Cornelius” (XX). Through the conversion of Cornelius, the church was forced to wrestle with the situation.

3. Third, since a Roman was now accepted as a full member of the church without having to be a cultural Jew, the very nature of the church was changed. Spirit-sanctified Roman culture now coexisted with spirit-sanctified Jewish culture. To paraphrase Newbegin, it is not as though the church opened it gates to admit a new person into its company and then closed them again, remaining unchanged except for an addition to a name upon its roll or members.

83

Cornelius’s conversion illustrated that mission was not just church extension; it was something more costly and more revolutionary. Peter’s mission defined his theology and forced theological and cultural changes.

Newbegin notes: Theologically, Peter begins by rejecting what seems to be an assault on his fidelity to the Law (10:9-16). His whole identity as a son of Israel is bound up with the strict obedience to the commandments. But despite these scruples he is persuaded to go to the home of the heathen officer and to tell him the Gospel story. Before he could finish the situation passes out of his control. Cornelius and his household are caught up in a way that cannot be gainsaid, to the same freedom and joy that Peter and others has known since Pentecost. Peter understands that he is not in control. A power greater than his own has broken the hedge that protects devoted Jews from the uncleanness of the heathen worlds. Peter can do nothing but humbly accept the fact and receive these uncircumcised pagans by baptism into the fellowship of the church (10:47-48) and it is the Spirit who leads the church into a greater fullness of the truth, a truth that she has not yet fully grasped.

The challenge to the mission church can be put in this manner: Will the church simply try to stamp its own identity upon the new converts or will the Spirit’s leading cause it to reflect upon its own spiritual life and conduct?

Principle 29. The New Testament church struggled with integration. Integration did not occur easily or naturally; rather, it was something that had to be taught by the Spirit of God.

Principle 30. Mission churches must understand that the mission of the church not only blesses the nations but also brings blessings to the church. By the Holy Spirit’s leading, salvation is brought and the missionaries are lead into a deeper understanding of the truth. This mutual and reciprocal process is led by the Holy Spirit.

2.2. Paul’s Missionary Journeys

Greater changes occurred in Paul’s mission journeys. Paul traveled deep into the Gentile world, into a completely different ethic and spiritual culture. The 1000-year-old Jewish practices of circumcision, separation, Sabbath observance, food restrictions and daily activities were not practiced in the Gentile world. From a cultural point of view, the Jew and Gentile did not think alike. The different cultural heritages affected the church in every level. Allen illustrates for us the difficulties of how the Jewish and Gentile Christians would have related to one another. He states: “The church in the four provinces consisted almost entirely of Gentiles ignorant of that tradition. Consequently, if a Christian from Macedonia or Achaia went up to Judea he must have found himself in a strange atmosphere, in a community as unlike that to which he was accustomed as it

84

is possible to imagine. “There was strictness and a reserve that must have dismayed him. Christianity in Jerusalem must have seemed to him a thing of rules hardly distinguishable from pure Judaism. Many of the Christians shrank from the Gentiles, or tolerated him as a proselyte. In the meetings in the church the prayers were modeled on Jewish patterns and expression, Jewish thought in Jewish speech with which he was not familiar. The only points of real contact were a common devotion to the person of Jesus, a common recognition of the same apostles, and a common observance of the same rights of baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Allen 129).

On the other hand, when a Christian from Jerusalem went down to Corinth, the shock might have been even more severe. The Corinthian in Judea found himself in a society that was stiff, uncouth, formal, and pedantic. The Jewish Christians in Corinth must have thought that the church was given over to unbridled license. Uncircumcised Christians attended the feasts of their pagan friends in heaven temples. Every letter of the ceremonial law was apparently broken without rebuke. Even in the meeting of the church, preaching and prayers were built upon a strange system of thought which could hardly be called Christian, and there was the most undignified freedom of conducted …” (124).

The difference in cultures led the Jews and Greeks to suspicions of one another. Could the Jews really trust the Gentiles? Would this new Jewish culture not swap out the old Jewish ways? What would happen if some of the old Jewish safeguards were removed? Would this lead to immorality and idolatry entering the church? How could Jews have fellowship with these Gentiles? Allen also suggests that there was a great danger–if the churches did not culturally conform, they could be excommunicated. This was the radical context of mission in the New Testament.

Paul noted and accepted this distinction. Paul believed that each of the churches could and should develop independently, and that new Gentile converts should not be forced into following Jewish customs. At the same time, Paul was eager not to give offense to either group and he actively tried to maintain the unity of the church.

We will consider this under the heading of Paul’s preaching and practical approach to theological and cultural practices.

Paul preached in different ways when addressing the Jews or the Gentiles (Acts 14, acts 17). Paul’s content remained the same, even though the way he spoke to both groups was different. Paul tailored his message to fit his audience; he was sensitive to their backgrounds. In Acts 14, his first recorded address in the Pisidian Antioch synagogue, Paul stressed the Old Testament promises and their fulfillment in Christ. Since the Jews possessed and were familiar with the Scriptures, Paul could assume their knowledge and thus focus on proving that Jesus was the Christ from the Old Covenant. His method was to show the Old Testament promises and their fulfillment.

85

Acts provides two illustrations of Paul preaching to the Gentiles in Lystra (Acts 14) and in Athens (Acts 17). Paul understood that the Gentiles had no understanding of the fundamentals of Jewish Scriptures, so he began with foundational ideas such as God is the Creator and Ruler. Once this was established, he went on to explain the Gospel. Paul knew that preaching salvation without rooting it in creation would mean that the message would be distorted. In dealing with the Gentiles, Paul pointed to the authority of creation, rather than the authority of Scriptures. After establishing God’s authority, he then preached the Gospel. When dealing with the Jews he pointed to the authority of the Scriptures.

The differences in their cultures led to church issues. Issues such as sexual immorality, associating with the immoral, and food offered to idols arose in the church, issues that would not have occurred within the Jewish/Jerusalem church. Paul addressed these by stressing the principles of the New Covenant and the creation.

First, the touchstone was no longer Moses, Israel, the law or Jewish culture. The new touchstone was faith in a crucified Savior. In Christ the barriers were broken down. All are now sons of God in Him. Furthermore, if anyone be in Christ, he is a new creation. Earthy old creation issues such as food, drink, circumcision or uncircumcision were no longer important. In the Gospel, a new third culture, neither Jew not Gentile, was created, one in which the cultural norms of this age were not relevant. We begin our discussion with 1Corinthians 9:19-23.   

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the Gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.

Because Paul was under Christ’s rule, he could choose to enter Jewish culture or he could choose not to; he could also choose to follow Gentile practices if that would be helpful to his mission. Neither had any cultural hold upon him. The only thing that constrained him was Christ’s rule.

This rule was applied in Timothy’s case to circumcision. Timothy’s mother was a believing Jew, his father a Greek. He was useful to Paul’s work and so Paul circumcised Timothy. Paul’s motive was so that Timothy would not be an offense or a stumbling block to the Jews. Paul believed that circumcision or uncircumision availed nothing (unless one insisted that it was necessary for salvation, in which case it would undermine the Gospel, see Galatians). Since it was irrelevant, if it would be of help in

86

mission work, Paul would do it. If it would be a hindrance, he would not. Since Timothy had not been circumcised, and circumcision would be helpful in Jewish evangelism, Paul circumcised him for the sake of the Gospel.

Paul’s attitude to circumcision illustrates that Paul’s concern was directed to the underlying thinking, the principle behind the actions, rather than the action itself. To Paul the same act was either one to promote the Gospel (to circumcision Timothy so as not to be an offence) or it was an act of rebellion, pride, and apostasy (as in Galatians, when it was insisted that circumcision was necessary to make one a believer). It was the underlying motive and its relationship to the Gospel that were paramount.

Principle 31. While missionaries are free to accept or reject cultures, they are not bound to them.

Principle 32. Although a missionary is not bound to the culture, he can and should take up trapping of that culture so as not to make offense.

Principle 33. Often the key issue is not the act; it is the motivation behind the act.

3. Defining and relating to Culture within Creation.11

Newbegin argues that Paul described the cultures of the world under the heading of “powers” and “elements of the world.” These phrases include the law (Gal. 3:23-4:11), Roman administration (Rom. 13), and “the complex of rules and prohibitions that existed in Paul’s time” (Col. 2:8-22) (142).

Newbegin points out that Paul spoke of these powers in a number of ways. Positively, they have been created for Christ (Col. 1:15-16). Negatively, Christ has disarmed them upon the cross. “The power of state, religion, law and customs all

11 A culture is a way of living, an outlook and practice that is shaped by and shapes a local community. This culture comprises of language, and ideas and practices, laws and social customs. These cultures are learned by the community and passed down from generation to generation. Language is a powerful aspect of the culture as it influences and controls the concept and idea of the community. Different languages have different words that define and limit the ability to communicate other ideas into the community. A culture is not static; it is always changing. It changes vertically from generation to generation (through time) and it changes horizontally as it comes into contact with other cultures. The difficulty for the missionary is to respect the local expression of culture while still changing the culture by the power of the Gospel. He must also be able to distinguish between his own culture and Gospel principles. He must remember that his own culture is not neutral and that all cultures, including his own, must be brought under the Lordship of Christ.

87

conspired to crucify Jesus. By this act they reveal their own insufficiency (1 Cor. 2:8). They have been disarmed. They can no longer usurp the place that belongs to Christ alone” (142).

“The powers are created by Christ for Christ. They serve His purpose. They make human life possible. They provide the ordered framework within which it is possible for human freedom to develop” (143). They are given but they are not changeless and absolute. They are part of the created order: they exist throughout the created love and power of God. Final authority belongs to God and culture must serve the purpose of Christ. Cultures are subject to challenge by those who are in Christ, those to whom has been entrusted the secret of God’s purpose to sum up all things, including all the powers, with Christ as their head (Eph. 1:10). “The Christ who is presented in the Scripture for our believing is Lord over all cultures, and His purpose is to unite all of every culture to Himself in a unity that transcends, without negation the diversity of culture” (149).

A way that the missionary can assess different cultures, including his own, Newbegin suggests, is through the triangle of the Scriptures, the missionary’s culture and the mission culture.

Scripture

Missionary culture - Convert Culture.

Principle 34. The cultures of the world are all subject to the Scriptures.

As the two cultures interact, the cultural and theological differences of each culture will be exposed. This is a positive process as once exposed, the Scripture can then examine the cultures. The missionary in the process of entering another culture will be exposed to new ideas. This may expose things that he had accepted, things he had taken for grant. This then forces him into the Scriptures and allows them to shed light upon those issues, thus leading him into a deeper understanding of the truth. He will be forced to reevaluate his own culture as well as the culture into which he is going. Culture examination will be an ongoing process in the missionary’s life. A deeper understanding of the culture forces a deeper understanding of the true scriptural principles. In both Acts 10 and Acts 15 the church was forced to confront and eventually reassess aspects of her culture and theology. The mission to the Gentiles self-consciously forced the church to reevaluate.

Newbegin’s triangle can also be more specifically expressed in old creation, new creation terms. Paul recognized that Israel was part of the old creation, even as the Gentiles were. These cultures were both part of the old creation, both were passing away, and only the things of the new creation would remain. Due to this, neither the missionary’s nor the convert’s cultures were dominant. Neither could claim supremacy.

88

In fact, Paul argued that both cultures were in a real sense irrelevant. If it was helpful to the Gospel, the culture could be followed, if it not, it should be rejected. Paul said that food is for the stomach, the stomach is for food, but God will destroy both. Due to this, he is free to eat meat or not (Rom. 14, 1 Cor. 8, 1 Cor. 10).

New Creation

Old Creation – Missionary Culture Old Creation Convert culture.

Principle 32. The cultures of the world are all part of the old creation.

4. The Jerusalem Council

Paul’s Gentile mission and the example of the Antioch Church led to the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15). The council considered the basis upon which Gentile Christians were to be accepted by God, and as a natural consequence, the basis upon which the Jews would accept the Gentiles into fellowship. The new Gentile churches did not follow Moses and so were not culturally Jewish. This stance offended a group of Jewish Christians who came down and tried to enforce the law and Jewish customs upon them.

The council felt that submission to circumcision and the Jewish law was not necessary. Peter argued from his experience with Cornelius. Paul and Barnabas argued from the signs and wonders that accompanied their ministry. James argued from the Scripture (Amos 9:11, 12). Using both experience and the Scriptures, the church decided that the Gentile Christians did not have to conform to Old Testament cultural and legal practices. They only asked that the Gentiles refrain from things that would make Jewish-Gentile fellowship particularly hard. This decree was extremely important for mission. It is notably brief.

“They wrote this, letter by them: ‘The apostles, the elders, and the brethren, to the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings. Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law”—to whom we gave no such commandment— it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: that

89

you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell’ ” (Acts 15:23-29).

The church’s decision had the following implications: 1. The church refused to set up a central administrative authority from which the whole church was to receive directions in the conduct of local affairs. 2. They declined to establish an apriori test of orthodoxy that would satisfy us for all time. They also declined to set a fixed list of rules, preferring the broad application of principles of the Scriptures. 3. Each of the churches was free to develop their own cultures under the leading of the Holy Spirit (Acts 15:27).

The mission of Paul and the “Jerusalem Decree” set the direction for mission in the New Testament. While the primary issue was theological, it carried with it huge cultural implications. By rejecting the need to impose circumcision and the law, it also rejected transplanting Jewish culture over the Gentile churches. The importance of this cannot be overestimated. The one church of Christ was now free to take a very different form in Jewish and Gentile worlds. The old Jewish model, drawn from centuries of worship, would not control the Gentile churches. They would be expected to develop within their own culture under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This decree meant that Jewish and Gentile churches would develop in very different ways.

5. Keeping the Unity of the Church

Although Paul held to cultural unity, Paul also believed that the churches were united in Christ. Paul was very conscious of the need to promote unity in the church. Donnelly suggests three ways that Paul sought unity.

1. He Taught Theological Unity. Paul taught that the church was the body of Christ, at both a congregational and a universal level. Christ is not divided and so the church is to be one as the body and the temple. Unity in Christ broke down the great cultural barrier between the Jew and the Gentile and so it breaks down all cultural barriers.

For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, Eph. 2:14-15.

2. He kept the churches informed about one another. Paul made sure that the various churches knew about each other. After the Jerusalem Council, Paul traveled around to the churches to explain the decree. Paul made sure that he kept the individual churches informed of his activities. “But that you also may know my affairs and how I am doing, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make all things known

90

to you; whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that you may know our affairs, and that he may comfort your hearts” (Eph. 6:21).  When Paul could not go, he sent one of his messengers to tell the churches how he was doing.

“Tychicus, a beloved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me. I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts” (Col. 4:7-8). This frequent flow of information promoted unity.

3. Paul promoted the unity of the church through practical means. Paul was concerned about the poor, particularly those in Jerusalem. Early in Paul’s ministry Paul took famine relief from Antioch to the church in Jerusalem. Later, on the third mission journey, Paul used famine relief to unite the Gentiles and Jews. Paul deliberately organized a collection from all the Gentile churches to collect money for the impoverished Jerusalem church. Paul did this to provide help, but also to promote unity between both churches.

Principle 35. While Paul respected the diversity of the church, Paul also did everything in his power to promote unity through acts of sacrificial love.

Conclusion

Cross-cultural ministry is a major theme in Acts and the New Testament. The Jewish church was forced to meet cross-cultural challenges as she emerged from Israel to evangelize the Gentile nations. This was a process, and the church grew into it.

Summary

In the New Testament, the Gospel that had been confined to Israel, went out into the world. A major step occurred in Cornelius’s conversion. Through bringing the Gospel to the Gentiles, the Jewish church deepened her own theological understanding. Paul was very conscious of the cross-cultural ministry. He reflected this in the way he preached and the way he dealt with issues of circumcision and meat offered to idols. The Jerusalem Council not only affirmed the basis of salvation but its decision also meant that the Gentile churches could develop within their own culture.

Lesson Eight Questions

1. Does the New Testament speak to cross-cultural mission? Explain. 2. What were the theological and cultural objections to Peter speaking to Cornelius?3. What did God teach Peter from the mission events? 4. According to Allen, what cultural barriers would the Jews and Gentiles have faced in fellowship?

91

5. How did Paul’s preaching reflect the different cultures? 6. Describe the importance of 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 in the context of mission. 7. What was Paul’s attitude to circumcision (include Timothy and Galatians in your answer)?8. Explain Newbegin’s model for bridging the cultures. 9. How does the coming of the new creation affect mission?10. Name two implications of the Jerusalem Council.

92

BibliographyAllen, Roland, The Ministry of the Spirit. Cambridge, Lutterworth Press, 2006.

Allen, Roland, Missionary Methods. Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 2001.

Allen, Roland, The Spontaneous Expansion of the Church, Cambridge, Lutterworth Press, 2006.

Bavinck, J.H., An Introduction to the Science of Missions. Philipsburg: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, 1960; Edinburgh, Scotland: Banner of Truth Trust, 1984.

Berkhoff, Lois, Systematic Theology, Edinburgh, Banner of Truth, 1984

Bruce, F.F., The Book of Acts, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1988.

Donnelley, Edward, Unpublished Lectures, Trinity Pulpit, No Date.

Hendrickson, William, Survey of the Bible, Welwyn, Evangelical Press, 1977.

Luther, Martin. A Commentary on Saint Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians, Michigan, Baker Book House, 1979.

O’Brien, P.T. Gospel and Mission in the Writing of Paul. Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 2001.

Newbegin, Leslie, The Open Secret, Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 1995.

Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, Ed. Green, J.B. McKnight, S, Marshall, I.H,. Downers Grove, Inter Varsity Press, 1992

Ramsey, Richard. St Paul the Traveler, online at www.ccel.org/ccel/ramsay/paul_roman.html.

Wright, N.T. The Resurrection and the Son of God, Minneapolis, Fortress Press, 2003.

93

Appendix 1. Mission PrinciplesBelow is an outline of Paul’s mission principles. In lesson 5 we noted that Paul was unique; yet, also a model for us. It follows that our mission strategy must be based on Paul’s strategy, but it will not and cannot agree on every point. Any mission vision should be compared with the Pauline methods. If there are just a few discrepancies the mission might still be sound, but the greater the variation between Paul’s method and the missions, the greater the likelihood that the mission is not following a biblical and Pauline structure.

Principle 1. Paul faced all the cultural challenges (save language) that missionaries face today. In many ways the world then was far more depraved than many present day mission fields. It should encourage and motivate us that the Gospel is powerful enough to go forward in whatever circumstance we find ourselves.

Principle 2. It is important to see that God perfectly equips His missionaries with education, background and culture to fulfill their tasks. Note: if someone has not been equipped through education or background in a particular way, they should carefully consider whether or not God is really leading them into mission.

Principle 3. Paul was a unique individual in the history of redemption; Paul was called to take the Gospel message from Israel to the nations. Since Paul was unique, we cannot apply the principles that Paul used in exactly the way he did, but the principles are important guides in developing a missionary model.

Principle 4. Paul’s great focus was to found churches. Paul did not just seek individual conversions. Paul was always church-centered, being sent from a church (Acts 13:1-3) to found churches.

Principle 5. The missionary should carefully consider his conduct. He should be careful that his lifestyle is consistent with his teaching. He must be particularly careful to be seen as focusing upon God, not money.

Principle 6. Missionary activity was not to be done alone. Early missionaries traveled in groups for a witness and support.

Principle 7. Paul was unique in this: Paul’s method was to take the Gospel to the Jewish synagogues first and then to the Gentiles.

Principle 8. While Paul is an important paradigm for mission, there were a number of other missionaries upon whom we can model missions.

Principle 9. Mission is Spirit-driven and the Spirit acts through the church.

94

Principle 10. Mission is the activity of churches; they should send out their missionaries. Churches are the only New Testament sending agencies recognized by the Scriptures.

Principle 11. There is a strong presumption that missionaries need to be recognized leaders (probably officers) in the local church before going to the field.

Principle 12. Paul centered upon major centers–Pisidian Antioch, Ephesus, Athens, and Corinth–where he could reach the maximum number of people and the maximum number of people could reach others.

Principle 13. Paul went to the Jews first, then to the Gentiles.

Principle 14. Paul changed his name to better identify with the Greeks. He did what he could to better communicate the Gospel.

Principle 15. Paul preached differently to the Jews than he did to the Gentiles. He adapted his message to his audience.

Principe 16. To the Jews, Paul focused upon how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament Scriptures.

Principle 17. Paul suffered great persecution in his ministry, yet he continued.

Principle 18. Paul always returned to visit the churches.

Principle 19. The elders made decisions in Jerusalem. The decisions were based upon Scriptures and the evidence.

Principle 20. Paul never acted independently of the church.

Principle 21. Paul planted churches.

Principle 22. Paul believed in the power and authority of the local church, not the missionary.

Principle 23. Paul sought to establish the organization, baptism and elders of the local church as quickly as possible in order for them to take responsibility as soon as possible.

Principle 24. Paul used his power in the church sparingly. He encouraged the church to deal with problems themselves.

Principle 25. Paul, as a missionary, did not ask for money when he was founding a

95

church.

Principle 26. Paul’s mission focused upon preaching and teaching.

Principle 27. Paul provided for himself by “tent making” to support his ministry.

Principle 28. Paul did not bring regular financial aid to the churches.

Principle 29. The New Testament church struggled with integration; it did not occur easily or naturally. It was something that they had to be taught by the Spirit of God.

Principle 30. Mission churches must understand that the mission of the church is for their own blessing as well as to bless the nations. Mission is not the haves bringing the Gospel to the have-nots. Mission is led by the Holy Spirit in order that salvation is brought, and in doing that mission, the missionaries are led into a deeper understanding of the truth. This is a mutual and reciprocal process led by the Holy Spirit.

Principle 31. While missionaries are free to accept or reject cultures, they are not bound to them.

Principle 32. Although a missionary is not bound to the culture, he can and should take up trappings of that culture so as not to make offense.

Principle 33. Often the key issue is not the act; it is the motivation behind the act.

Principle 34. The cultures of the world are all subject to the Scriptures.

Principle 35. While Paul respected the diversity of the church, he also did everything in his power to promote unity through acts of sacrificial love.

96

Appendix 2. Case Study in MissionThe Foreign Mission to Chinese Church Missionaries in China was hampered by pressures from home, mistakes in leadership, and identification with the West, but they planted the seeds that would some day yield an astonishing harvest. By Daniel H. Bays In the first half of the 20th century, the foreign missionary movement in China matured, flourished, and then died. In these same decades, a Chinese church was born—a church that is today growing incredibly rapidly. From 1900 to 1950, Christianity in China forsook its foreign origins and put on Chinese dress. The turbulent forces of history, which shaped all aspects of China's politics, economy, and culture, also burst upon foreign missionaries and Chinese Christians. If we take a historical telescope and focus just on two years, 1932-1934, we can see the transformation of Christianity in China in mid-stream. And it began with a transformation of the missionary endeavor itself. On an autumn day in 1932, Pearl Buck, born in China of missionary parents and herself a famous missionary there, strode to the podium in the ballroom of New York City's Hotel Astor to address 2,000 Presbyterian women. Buck had just received the Pulitzer Prize for her novel The Good Earth. Now she addressed the topic "Is There a Case for Foreign Missions?" Her answer was technically "yes," but it was so qualified and unenthusiastic, and her criticisms of missionaries for being arrogant, ignorant, and narrow-minded were so trenchant, that she left her audience stunned. This event ignited a firestorm of agitated comments by both critics and defenders of foreign missions in almost all quarters of American Protestantism. It was a sign of the times.

Another sign of the times was the publication of Rethinking Missions: A Laymen's Inquiry After One Hundred Years, commissioned by John D. Rockefeller Jr., the foremost individual financial supporter of missions in the U.S. Widely circulated and read, the Laymen's Report advocated an overhaul of missionary thinking, especially on such questions as the exclusivity of Christianity. Also in 1932-33, Robert Service, the former UC-Berkeley track star who had pioneered the establishment of YMCAs in western China, was unexpectedly sacked. In the midst of the Great Depression and dwindling contributions, the YMCA and other well-established missions in China had a massive financial crunch in the early 1930s. Their expensive institution-heavy facilities, especially hospitals, schools, and colleges, swamped the mission budgets. Many missionaries headed home. The mission’s movement was clearly on the defensive. Hopeful Signs Despite these negative portents, however, there were still enthusiastic young people answering the "call" to China. The China Inland Mission (CIM), that remarkable multinational creation of J. Hudson Taylor, continued the dramatic growth it had enjoyed since the late 1800s. Its "faith mission" principles (no denominational or other regular financial support) managed to adapt to the new climate of scarcity. Even as other missions were shrinking because of discouragement or shrinking budgets, the CIM launched a successful campaign to add 200 missionaries. David Adeney, a young Cambridge University student, learned of this campaign for "the 200" and felt a strong call to China. He came to north central China in 1934 and found his niche working with

97

students, which he did until he left in 1950. He established ties which remained intact though dormant for more than 30 years, and which were renewed in heartwarming fashion when Adeney returned to China in the 1980s. In addition to signs of life in theologically conservative missions like CIM, a wave of Pentecostal revivalism was sweeping through some parts of China. A traveling Norwegian evangelist, Marie Monsen, was the catalyst for the famous "Shantung Revival." Participants saw tongues of fire and heard roaring winds, and some even fell to the ground half-conscious. Pentecostalism, with its stress on the "gifts of the spirit," including prophecy, divine healing, and speaking in tongues, also fed the growth of most of the independent churches that had begun organizing by the 1920s.

In these years it could be dangerous to be a Christian in China, whether foreign or Chinese. A few months after David Adeney's arrival in 1934, one of the most dramatic incidents of martyrdom in China missions’ history occurred. John and Betty Stam, an attractive young couple who were products of Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and had come to China with the CIM a couple of years before, were stationed in a small city in Anhui province (central China). When Communist troops captured the city in late 1934, they beheaded the Stams and killed some local Christians who pleaded for the foreigners' lives, but the Stams' three-month-old child was safely taken to a nearby mission station. This story gained much publicity and motivated many young people to go to the mission field. The effect was much the same as what happened after the death of Yale graduate Horace Pitkin in the Boxer Uprising of 1900. Pitkin died along with more than 10 other foreign missionaries—Presbyterian, Congregational, and CIM—in Baoding, not far from Beijing. His death spurred a surge in mission applicants, many from East Coast colleges, and the establishment of the Yale China Mission in the early 1900s. The End of the Golden Age The Boxer Uprising had begun as a peasant rebellion against the increasing commercial, political, and religious encroachment on Chinese culture by Western nations. The Boxers killed hundreds of foreigners, including about 250 missionaries and missionary children, as well as 20,000 or more Chinese Christians (who were considered traitors). In retribution, the occupying troops of eight nations killed at least that many other Chinese in 1900-1902. It was a disaster for China. Yet paradoxically, this national trauma triggered a national reform movement. For a short time, the xenophobia of the past was discredited and China was more open to the West. (Later, the Communists would praise the Boxers as patriots.) This gave Christian missions in China the largest opportunity they had ever had—truly a "Golden Age." Mission schools suddenly had high prestige and waiting lists. Members of the elite class became Christians. Rates of growth skyrocketed, especially for Protestants. After the revolution which overthrew the feeble Manchu dynasty in 1911-1912, the provisional president of the young Republic was Sun Yat-sen, a baptized Christian. In 1913, the Republic's second president asked the foreign missionary community in China to pray for the nation. Protestant missionary numbers soared from more than 1,300 in 1905 to 8,000 in 1925. Many Christians were confident that events were moving inexorably towards the

98

"Christianization" of China. It was not to be. The Golden Age lasted less than two decades, until the mid-1920s. What went wrong? During that time, practically all missions in China failed to sufficiently cultivate a Chinese leadership in their mission structures and to permit that leadership to shepherd the flock into independent and self-supporting local churches. The rhetoric of moving from (foreign) mission to (Chinese) church was always present, but it was mainly hollow. At times it appeared that the foreign mission establishment had given way to Chinese leadership. The national missionary conference of 1907 had only half a dozen Chinese delegates out of more than a thousand; the next major conference in 1924 was called the "Christian" (not "missionary") conference, and more than half the delegates were Chinese. But looks were misleading. It was at best a partnership, and an imbalanced one at that. In almost all cases, missionaries still controlled the purse-strings. The result was that the best Chinese leaders nurtured by the Protestants—such as Cheng Jingyi, respected head of the Church of Christ in China, and Yu Richang (David Z. T. Yui), gifted national secretary of the YMCA—never shed the image of being subordinate to foreign missionaries. The Protestants put Chinese in leadership roles where they at least had the appearance of responsibility and power, even if that power was limited by close association with foreign missions. The Roman Catholic Church in China suffered even more from tokenism. The Catholic hierarchies in China had for decades permitted (and closely supervised) the training of Chinese priests, who were given mundane tasks and little responsibility. But no Chinese bishops were consecrated until 1926, after a couple of maverick European missionary priests, in particular Fr. Vincent Lebbe, convinced the pope to break the stranglehold that the European hierarchy had over the Chinese clergy. Even so, Chinese priests still continued to be largely relegated to secondary roles in the local parishes, and the new Chinese bishops were shunted into subsidiary functions. Tainted by Association There was almost certainly no conscious conspiracy among foreign missionaries to deprive Chinese leaders of the means of emerging and flourishing. There was often respect, genuine friendship, and collegial cooperation between missionaries and Chinese priests and pastors. But in the new political atmosphere that was brewing after 1920 in China, such ties were fatally compromising to the Chinese involved. In the 1920s, popular resentment against foreigners' legal privileges in China, which dated back to treaties signed by the Manchu government in the mid-1800s, boiled over. This popular nationalism fueled the rapid rise of two major political parties that have dominated Chinese politics from the 1920s to the present: the Kuomintang (the Nationalists) and the Communists, which became bitter rivals and then mortal enemies. The leader of the Nationalists was Chiang Kai-shek, himself a Christian convert and married to Soong Mei-ling, the daughter of one of China's most prominent Christian families. Under Chiang, there were several other Christians in government positions and polite, even cordial relations with the foreign mission establishment. But even Chiang agreed that foreign privileges should be eliminated as soon as possible, especially immunity from Chinese laws. Missionaries were among those who enjoyed these privileges. There had been the occasional missionary prophet (for example, Frank

99

Rawlinson, editor of the Shanghai missionary journal The Chinese Recorder) who warned that the seeds of the "treaty system," as it was called, might bring a harvest of wrath someday. That day arrived in the mid 1920s, and the most radical elements of Chinese opinion considered missionaries, and for that matter Chinese Christians as well, lackeys of foreign governments and of "world capitalist exploitation." These attitudes, which pervaded the Communist Party, continued strong until the last foreign missionaries were expelled from China in 1951-1952 by the new government. The missionary community, and the mission project as a whole, paid a high price for its failure to distance itself from at least some aspects of Western political, military, and economic power in China. This portrayal of the missionary record may seem unfair to some. Missions had brought many blessings to China. Chinese Christian schools had been the first places where Chinese could receive a modern education, and the first to permit enrollment of girls and to employ women teachers. Missionary hospitals and clinics had saved tens of thousands of lives, and missionary-coordinated famine relief saved hundreds of thousands, if not millions. Missionaries had been leaders in the movements to abolish the opium trade and to end the custom of binding and crippling the feet of young girls as a means of increasing their desirability for marriage. All in all, the missionaries' contribution to the making of modern China was considerable. Though they were reviled and demonized by the new regime after 1949, they are quietly given credit for their accomplishments and warmly welcomed back to visit China today. Homegrown Faith If missions were anathema to many Chinese, and many Chinese Christians were tainted by their identification with foreign missionaries, how did Christianity enter the Communist period with enough resilience to survive the dark valley of 30 years and to flourish since 1980? After Japan went to war with China in 1937, most missionaries left, but hundreds stayed in "Free China," beyond Japanese reach, and ministered during the Pacific War. About 1000 others were interned in camps by the Japanese, where many died, including Eric Liddell of Chariots of Fire fame. Chinese Christians who remained under Japanese rule now suddenly had full responsibility for their churches and fellowships, and many rose to the challenge, developing leadership skills that were later useful under Communism. In the brief period between the Japanese surrender in August 1945 and the Communist victory in 1949, a few thousand missionaries returned (including David Adeney). By this time the hated treaties were gone, and foreigners were under Chinese law. But after the Communists took the upper hand in the civil war and established their new government, they decided in 1951, in the context of the Korean War, to expel all foreign missionaries. Dramatic stories abound about the extrication of the last missionaries from the remote hinterlands of China. Thus ended the foreign missions movement in China, but not the Christian movement. From the 1920s on, there had been another, very healthy development: the growth of independent, wholly Chinese-led movements that had roots deep enough for believers to hold fast when the storms came. By 1949, it is likely that 25% of Chinese Protestants were in these independent churches. They constitute a surprisingly little-known story, with some fascinating personalities. The fiery evangelist John Sung traveled the country and drew huge crowds. Fundamentalist pastor Wang Mingdao (who would have a

100

fateful clash with the new regime in the 1950s) built his own "tabernacle" for services in Beijing in addition to speaking all over China (see page 21). Watchman Nee was working out his Holy-Spirit-centered theology. Paul Wei, a Beijing cloth dealer, founded the True Jesus Church, which grew explosively. Jing Dianying developed and ruled rural Christian communities of the "Jesus Family," based on the principles of common ownership and group-directed life. There were important female leaders as well, including Mary Stone. Her Bethel Seminary in Shanghai produced the "Bethel Band" of zealous young musician-evangelists, who spread revival all over China. Resilient groups of believers carried on, both in the missionary-related and the independent churches. The missionaries were flawed but sincere sowers of the seed; it was left to the Chinese Christians to take their faith into the last half of the 20th century and reap a bountiful harvest in the 1980s and beyond.

Daniel Bays is professor of history and director of the Asian studies program at Calvin College.

101

Appendix 3. Special ProjectStudents are to find a missionary, mission agency or a missionary church to interview. They are to ask the missionaries to explain the theological and philosophical basis of their mission. They are then to contrast this mission with Paul’s mission principles in Appendix 1 and evaluate the success of the mission agency. Bachelors 5-7 pages, Masters 10-15 pages.

102

Instructor’s Manual

Lesson One Answers1. Genesis 3:15 2. Mission is God’s work3. Each Member of the Trinity is involved in Mission4. Matthew 3:1-175. The Father plans, the Son acts and is present, the Spirit applies the Son’s work.6. The New Covenant brings in a new creation, the outpouring of the Spirit and Sonship.7. Circumcision and the old creation no longer matter. 8. This reverses the Tower of Babel. 9. Paul is a historically redemptive figure and yet he is also a model for us. 10. Paul never brought funding to the churches or administered their funds.

Lesson Two Answers1. God promised to send a seed of the woman to defeat Satan.2. The Flood and the Tower of Babel.3. He would have a land, a people and he would be a blessing. 4. Because of the promises He made to Abraham. 5. God called Israel, blessed her and sent her as a witness to the nations.6. Israel was given God’s law but God’s blessing. 7. Israel is to be a light to the nations. 8. His death, burial and resurrection and preaching to the Gentiles. 9. Idolatry and self-righteousness. 10. Christ is Israel; He fulfills her calling to be a blessing to all men.

Lesson Three Answers1. Jesus is the mission of God and He is present in the world.2. No, the nature of the kingdom was unexpected.3. Isaiah’s servant songs.4. Mark 1:14, Matthew 12:28.5. Luke 4:16, Matt 11:1-6.6. The kingdom has come in meekness, not power. 7. The servant is humbled and weak and yet supported in his work by God’s

power. 8. The Jews looked for a powerful deliverance from Rome; the Greeks sought

wisdom. 9. Matthew 16:15-28, John 6.

103

10. The Gospel was to be preached to the Jews first, but when they rejected it, it was to be preached to the Gentiles.

Lesson Four Answers1. By the power of the Holy Spirit.2. They did not have the Spirit in their early ministry and so they were not effective.3. Jesus commanded them to wait until the Spirit was given. 4. This is not a command; it is a promise of what God will do. 5. John baptized with water, Acts 19. He looked forward to the later outpouring of the Spirit with Christ in Acts 2.6. God the Spirit is personally present in the church. 7. It is a mark of Sonship.8. Acts 8:26-40 shows the Spirit’s control over the church’s mission. 9. God dwells in His church; the church is now His temple. 10. The Spirit is the basis of her unity, holiness and she lives by the power of the Spirit.

Lesson Five Answers1. The world was the same as it is today. 2. Paul was a Jew, trained in Jewish law with Roman citizenship and trained in Greek culture. 3. Galatians 1, Ephesians 3. 4. Paul was like a priest, he was to preach the Gospel to bring the nations to obedience. 5. Paul preached and taught but he made sure that his conduct mirrored his message. 6. Paul traveled in groups. We see this in Colossians 4:10,11, 14. 7. God called Israel. She rejected the Gospel and then the Gospel went to the nations. The conversion of the nations led to jealousy of the Jews and their own conversion. 8. The church, the Spirit and Christ. 9. He was a skillful teacher. He strengthened the church. 10. The elders set the direction of New Testament mission.

Lesson Six Answers1. Antioch.2. Growing, caring, cosmopolitan and it had skillful teachers.3. The Spirit works in and through mission. 4. Acts 13. Paul preached in Pisidia Antioch.5. Paul preached the Gospel to the Jews first, and when they rejected it, he preached

to the Gentiles. 6. He was persecuted by the Jews for preaching to the Gentiles. 7. Jewish Christians, probably ex Pharisees.

104

8. The inclusion of the Gentiles into the church would change the very nature of the Church.

9. The council of Jerusalem.10.That the Jews did not have to become Jews before becoming Christians.

Lesson Seven Answers1. Paul was sent by a church and founded churches.2. Paul was sent by the church even though he was an apostle. 3. To found churches.4. 18 months. Times 4 weeks in Psidian Antioch, 2 weeks in Thessonionia, 18 months in Corinth 3 years in Ephasis.5. The elders.6. Always more than one, so that one man could not dominate the Church. 7. He had direct authority but he sought to encourage the churches to act themselves.8. The church is forced to take on its own authority and it makes a statement to the community that it is the community acting, not the missionary and it challenges it own community. 9. No.10. Mission is needed for the church. Our own salvation and the church is not complete unless all of our brothers have been converted.

Lesson Eight Answers1. Explain. Yes, the mission of the Jewish church to the Gentile church is a major theme. 2. He was a Gentile, and so to go to his house would have made him unclean. 3. God led Peter into a deeper understanding of the way of salvation through Cornelius’s conversion. 4. The Jews would be worried about license, immortality and how the Gentiles mixed in a wicked Gentile world. The Jews would be seen as being too structured, legalistic and ridged by the gentiles.5. Paul preached differently to the Jews and to the Gentiles. 6. When speaking to the Jews, Paul became as a Jew. When speaking to the Gentile, Paul would not follow Gentile culture. In both cases, he was always subject to Christ. 7. Paul believed that circumcision was not necessary for salvation and if anyone insisted it was, he would reject them. (Galatians. 1:6-10) Paul also believed he had freedom to circumcise if it would be helpful for mission. Paul circumcised Timothy, not for salvation, but to allow him easier access in converting Jews. Circumcising is part of the old creation and so it irrelevant for salvation. (Gal 6:15)8. Newbegin believed in a triangle; the missionary culture and the mission culture are both subject to the Scriptures. 9. The New Covenant/creation lays the foundation for mission. The new creation creates its own culture, and the cultures of this world will pass away. Due to this, the cultures of this world do not control mission. The missionary can use them or ignore

105

them depending upon whether it is helpful or not. 10. The church refused to set up a central administrative authority from which the whole church was to receive directions in the conduct of local affairs. 2. They declined to establish an apriori test of orthodoxy that would satisfy us for all time. They also declined to set a fixed list of rules, preferring the broad application of principles of the Scriptures. 3. Each of the churches is free to develop her own culture under the leading of the Holy Spirit (Acts 15:27).

EXAMThe exam is to be taken from the material outlined above. The examining instructor is to take 30 questions from the questions at the end of each week and to administer a final exam. I have provided an example exam, but the local examining instructor is encouraged to set his own exam from the questions in order to meet local needs.

1. What verse is a good illustration of the Trinitarian mission?2. Briefly describe the role of each person of the Trinity in mission. 3. What is the significance of the Spirit being poured out in the nations?4. Explain why Paul is unique and yet still an example to us.5. Describe the promise of Genesis 3:15.6. Why was Israel called by God?7. In what way does the election of one nation, Israel, mediate blessing to the nations?8. What lesson does Jonah teach Israel?9. What are Israel’s two principle sins?10.What Scriptures in the Gospels show that the kingdom of God is here?11 .What Scriptures would you use to show the surprising nature of the kingdom in the New Testament?12. Using Isaiah 42 and 53 explain the nature of the kingdom.13.Why is the kingdom offensive to the Jews and the Gentiles?14.What two verses point to the ongoing sin in the church?15 . Briefly describe the world into which Paul preached. Is it better or worse than today?16. Briefly describe Paul’s background, and explain how he was particularly suited for mission? 17. What are two key verses that describe Paul’s calling? 18. Describe the concept of the obedience of the Gentiles per Romans 1:5, 15:17.19. . Paul’s mission was in word and deed. Explain. 20. Did Paul minister alone or did he travel with a group? Give textual support for your answer. 21. Who sent Paul out on his mission work? 22. What role did the church play in mission in Acts 15? 23. What was the name of the first mission church?

106

24. Name four characteristics of the church.25. What was the relationship between the apostle and the church as defined in Acts 13? 26. How many elders did Paul appoint in a new church? Why?

27. What is the advantage of making the church enforce its own discipline?

28. What did God teach Peter from the mission events? 29. According to Allen, what cultural barriers would the Jews and Gentiles have faced in fellowship?30. Describe the importance of 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 in the context of mission.

107