This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing to learn more about the amazing life of the Apostle Paul. This week we covered Paul’s return from his first missionary journey and the challenges he encountered back in Antioch of Syria, with a religious group who came in from Judea. The team from Judea was requiring non-Jewish converts to Christianity to both be circumcised and then comply with the Law of Moses. Paul and Barnabas disagreed with the men from Judea so strongly, that the they (fresh off their long missionary journey) decided to travel to Jerusalem to discuss the issue with the Apostles and Elders there — the formal leaders of the church at the time.
The movements in Jerusalem and Antioch were very different. In Jerusalem Peter and his team preached the Gospel primarily to Jews, informing them that the Messiah had come, that His name was Jesus, and that He came to save them from their sins. Jews were coming to Jesus by the droves in Jerusalem and Judea. However, for the most part, they were maintaining their religious ways. While they were Born-Again, they still did everything they could to maintain the Law of Moses. Not only that, but on the rare occasion when a non-Jew accepted the Gospel and was Born-Again under their ministry, the Gentile was required to get circumcised (if the convert was a man) and then also required to live under the Law of Moses. The Law of Moses was foreign to the Gentiles, so it seemed like a bunch of rules that they had to keep track of, and this rule-keeping focus seemed contrary to the Gospel message being preached. Once they were filled with the Holy Spirit, the new converts had God Himself living inside of them, and the Holy Spirit is more than capable of leading believers in the way they should go.
In Antioch the movement was quite different. The primary audience of Paul and Barnabas were Gentiles. They were preaching to Africans, Arabs, Greeks, Romans, Syrians, Asians, and etc. These people had no understanding of the Law of Moses, nor were they seeking it. Paul and Barnabas did not attempt to mix the Law with the Gospel of Grace. No, Paul and Barnabas preached salvation by Grace and Grace alone. For Paul and Barnabas it seemed ridiculous to ask an African or a Roman, who had never been under the bondage of the Law of Moses, to get circumcised. Once Jesus came circumcision served no purpose. Paul and Barnabas did not even require Gentile converts to live under the Law of Moses. They simply sought to disciple the men and teach them to learn to be led of the Holy Spirit for all things. This extreme Grace, that puts the emphasis on God and not man, was an affront to the religious Jewish-converts in Jerusalem and Judea. They felt more comfortable — more holy, more pious, more, more distinguished — if they had a greater role in their righteousness. Therein lies the issue of religious activity.
So what does this mean to you today? A few quick things:
1. Religious people have a hard time with the message of Grace, because it takes the spotlight off of them and puts it on God.
2. Religious people like religious routines, because it gives them something to focus on and it gives them a sense of accomplishment when they complete their religious duties.
3. Religious people won’t come out and say it, but their religious routines makes them feel good — as if they are right and all those who are not fulfilling their religious routines are wrong.
4. Religious people like feeling right and they reject the message of Grace that says, “Everyone is wrong outside of Jesus.”
5. Religious people would rather focus on rites, rituals, routines and rules, than on being led of the Holy Spirit to do whatever God wants to do, in the earth, through them.
6. Grace is an affront to religion. A religious believer says, “I have to live right and do right to be right with God.” Hence the emphasis on rules and religious activity. A believer who has embraced Grace says “God is merciful to my unrighteousness, He has forgotten my sins and iniquities and He will remember them no more” (Heb 8:12). This believer is free to focus on God and whatever God wants to accomplish through them.
7. The choice is yours. If you find yourself on the religious side of the conversation this morning, you can choose to continue to be religious-minded and rule-focused, or you can embrace Grace and take the emphasis off of you. This way you will focus more on God and you will be more open to whatever He wants to accomplish in, with and through your life.
Closing Confession: Father, thank You for Your amazing and underserved Grace. I see why Paul and Barnabas came against so much opposition when they preached the message of Grace. Religious-minded believers put way too much emphasis on themselves and their activity. From this day forward, I declare by faith that I shall put my focus on You. I shine the spotlight of my life on You and I am free to do whatever You want to do in my life. I know I am not worthy to be used outside of Your Grace, so I am not going to waste time attempting to earn a spot in Your Kingdom. You gave me the spot You wanted me to have, before the foundations of the world. You gave me my spot by Grace. I could never earn it, so I simply receive it and embrace it. I am worthy because Jesus made me worthy. I am right because Jesus made me right. Outside of Jesus I am nothing. I don’t need to devil to tell me that I am not worthy to be used of You. I already know that, so the devil has nothing to condemn me on. This takes the sting out of his accusations. You choose to use me by Your Grace and I choose to embrace Your Grace so that I can be used. I will never again allow rites, rituals, routines or rules to make me feel like “less than” what You have already made me. You filled me with Your Spirit and my ears are attuned to His leading. You lead me, guide me, direct me, and bless me every step of the way. Not because I am so good, but because You are! I enter this day and every day that follows as a believer who is righteous by faith (and not works), and who is available to be used of You by Your Grace. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
