Paul: Mission and Message - Sabbath School Lesson 12, 3rd Qtr 2015

Memory Text: Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:13-14, NKJV).

Drawing on Old Testament prophetic messages, Jewish history, and the life and teachings of Jesus, Paul developed the Christian concept of salvation history, all centered on the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. Because of his cultural background in both Judaism and in Greco-Roman society, Paul possessed sufficient insights to allow him to lift the gospel out from the complexity of Hebrew civil, ritual, and moral practices of Jewish life and make it more accessible to a multicultural world.

Paul’s 13 letters to the believers applied faith to their lives. He touched doctrinal as well as practical topics. He counseled, encouraged, and admonished on matters of personal Christianity, relationships, and church life. Nevertheless, throughout his letters his main theme was Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1 Cor. 2:2).

Paul was not only a man of letters. He also became known as the apostolic missionary par excellence, witnessing to the gospel from Syria to Italy, perhaps even to Spain. Within a decade Paul established churches in four provinces of the Roman Empire.

Greeks and Jews

Read 1 Corinthians 1:22-24. How do these verses help us to understand the different ways people relate to truth? What can we learn here that can help us in our witnessing to various people groups?

In the Exodus from slavery in Egypt, God worked remarkable signs of providential care for Israel. Later generations of Jews developed the expectation that any new messenger sent from God should make themselves known by signs and wonders and miracles.

In contrast, in line with their philosophical and scientific heritage, Greeks sought a rational basis for belief, one that would satisfy the demands of human wisdom.

Paul did not dismiss the cultural and spiritual heritage of his target peoples but used it as an entry point for proclaiming Christ crucified. Those who desired signs found them in the life and ministry of Jesus and in the early church. Those who wanted logical elegance and rationality found it in Paul’s arguments for the gospel message. Both types of persons ultimately had only one need, and that was to know the risen Christ and the power of his resurrection (Phil. 3:10). How Paul brought them to that knowledge depended upon the people to whom he was witnessing.

When Paul preached to Jewish listeners, he based his sermons on the history of Israel, linking Christ to David, and emphasizing the Old Testament prophecies pointing to Christ and foretelling His crucifixion and resurrection (Acts 13:16-41). That is, he started out with what was familiar to them, with what they revered and believed, and from that starting point he sought to bring them to Christ.

For Gentiles, Paul’s message included God as Creator, Upholder, and Judge; the entry of sin into the world; salvation through Jesus Christ (Acts 14:15-17; Acts 17:22-31). Paul had to work from a different starting point with these people than he did with the Jews (or with Gentiles who believed in the Jewish faith). Here, too, though, his goal was to lead them to Jesus.

Think about your own faith. On what is it based? What good reasons do you have for it? How might your reasons differ from those of other people, and why is it important to recognize these differences?

Soldiers and Athletes

As a skilled communicator, Paul in his mission work used the familiar to explain the unfamiliar. He took everyday features of the Greco-Roman world to illustrate the practical reality of new life in Christ. He drew especially from two areas of his converts’ world for his teaching metaphors—athletes with their games and the ever-present Roman soldier.

Fondness for athletic accomplishments gripped Paul’s world, much as it does ours. Ancient Greeks transmitted their love of competition by holding, over the centuries, no fewer than four separate cycles of Olympic-type contests, located in different parts of Greece. Romans inherited and further promoted athletic competition. Foot races were the most popular events and included a race of men wearing full suits of military armor. Wrestling also was popular. Athletes trained assiduously, and winners were richly rewarded. Ethnicity, nationality, and social class mattered little, since endurance and performance were the goals.

Starting with Marius, Roman emperors replaced temporary soldiers with full-time career warriors, garrisoned them across the Roman Empire, and upgraded and standardized their armor and weapons. By Paul’s time, soldiers were recruited from various ethnic and national groups, whether or not they were Roman citizens. In return for rewards at the end of their term of service, soldiers pledged total loyalty to the ruling emperor, who in times of conflict personally led them into battle.

In what is perhaps Paul’s final letter, he applied both soldiering and athletics to his own view of his life as a Christian missionary: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith (2 Tim. 4:7, NIV).

In what ways is faith a fight and in what ways a race? How have you experienced the reality of both metaphors in your own Christian life? Which metaphor best describes your own experience, and why?

Paul and the Law

Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law (Rom. 3:31, NIV). What law must Paul be talking about here?

In English translations of Paul’s letters, the word law appears about one hundred thirty times, and in the Acts of the Apostles, about twenty times. Paul endeavored to get his hearers and readers, regardless of cultural background, to understand that law carried several meanings, especially for Jews. Laws such as the Ten Commandments are in force for all people at all times. But other kinds of laws in the Old Testament and in Jewish culture, Paul did not consider in force for Christians.

In his writings, the apostle used the word law broadly in reference to rules for religious ceremonies, civil law, health laws, and purification laws. He wrote about being under the law (Rom. 3:19) and about being released from the law (Rom. 7:6). He described a law of sin (Rom. 7:25) but also law [that] is holy (Rom. 7:12). He mentioned law of Moses (1 Cor. 9:9) but also law of God (Rom. 7:25). Confusing as these phrases may seem to non-Jews, for the Jewish believer brought up in the Hebrew culture, the context would make clear which law was meant.

Paul realized that the ceremonial laws, detailing how one approached God through priesthood, Hebrew sanctuary, and sacrifices, ceased to be valid after the crucifixion. They had served their purpose in their time but were now no longer needed. (This point would become especially apparent after the destruction of the temple.)

With the moral law expressed by the Ten Commandments, however, matters are different. In his letters, Paul quotes some of the Ten Commandments and alludes to others as universal ethical demands on all people, Jewish as well as Gentile. Having written against the practice of sin, Paul would not in any way have diminished the very law that defines what sin is. That would make about as much sense as telling someone not to violate the speed limit while at the same time telling them the speed limit signs are no longer valid.

The Cross and the Resurrection

For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1 Cor. 2:2, NKJV).

No question, the Cross of Christ was central to all that Paul lived and taught. But Paul didn’t teach the Cross in a vacuum; instead, he taught it in the context of other teachings, as well; and one of them, perhaps the one most intricately linked to the Cross, was the resurrection, without which the Cross would have been in vain.

Read 1 Corinthians 15:12-22. What do these verses say which shows how crucial the death and resurrection of Jesus are to the gospel? Why is a proper understanding of death as a sleep crucial for making sense of these texts? That is, if the dead in Christ are already in heaven, what is Paul talking about here?

Unfortunately, the majority of Christian traditions, as well as non-Christian religions, believe strongly in the immortality of the human soul. Against this belief, however, Paul emphasized repeatedly that:

Worship in almost all religions includes numerous false teachings based on the false concept of the immortality of the soul. These errors include things like reincarnation, praying to saints, veneration of ancestral spirits, an eternally burning hell, and many New Age practices such as channeling or astral projection. A true understanding of the Bible’s teaching on death is the only real protection against these great deceptions. How unfortunate, too, that those who show the strongest inclination against accepting this truth are Christians of other denominations.

A believer closes his or her eyes in death and, after what seems like a moment of darkness and silence, he or she is awakened to eternal life at the Second Coming. What does the truth about the state of the dead reveal to us about God’s character?

Getting Along

Paul was a hard worker with a strong personality and singleness of purpose. Such persons can be loners with few friends but many admirers. However, on his travels, two or three fellow workers often accompanied Paul. At least eight of these close fellow workers are mentioned by name (Acts 13:2; 15:22,37; 16:1-3; 19:22; Col. 4:7,10-11; Philem. 24). To this must be added Paul’s greetings to 24 people in Romans 16, in addition to general greetings to households.

The apostle believed in teamwork, especially in pioneering situations. At the same time, however, he did at times have conflict with fellow laborers.

Read Acts 15:38-41. What happened here, and what does it tell us about the humanity of even these great workers for the Lord?

It was here that Mark, overwhelmed with fear and discouragement, wavered for a time in his purpose to give himself wholeheartedly to the Lord’s work. Unused to hardships, he was disheartened by the perils and privations of the way. . . . This desertion caused Paul to judge Mark unfavorably, and even severely, for a time. Barnabas, on the other hand, was inclined to excuse him because of his inexperience. He felt anxious that Mark should not abandon the ministry, for he saw in him qualifications that would fit him to be a useful worker for Christ.—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 169, 170.

The account in Acts reveals that Paul expected his companions to persevere in the toils and perils of their mission. For Paul, the close team constituted a church in miniature. He stressed the importance of setting a good example, the imitation model of mission. Dutiful yet loving relationships among team members became a pattern for the churches, which were often based on households. The team also provided an ideal setting for the training of new evangelists and missionaries. Of course, at times things didn’t always run smoothly, as in the case of John Mark.

We all make mistakes. How can you learn to forgive those whose mistakes have hurt you? And think also about those whom you’ve hurt with your mistakes. How have you sought to bring healing in those situations? Or if you haven’t yet, why not do it now?

Further Study: The apostle Paul has been compared with the Butterfly Effect in Chaos Theory: that the flap of a butterfly’s wings in California causes a hurricane in Asia. His work as a writer and preacher helped turn a Jewish sect in an obscure corner of the Roman Empire into a world religion. The ideas put forth in his 13 letters have probably exerted greater influence than any other ancient Greek literature of comparable size.

Discussion Questions:

Paul avoided martyrdom by fleeing to Athens, the intellectual center of the Greco-Roman world. Cities provide shelter for refugees, including Christians. The apostle lost no time; after observing the city’s religious monuments, he reasoned with the Jews, and preached in the marketplace. Read Acts 17:16-31. What approach does Paul take with these people, and how does it help us to understand the need to tailor the message for various people groups? At the same time, look at how Paul did not in any way water down or compromise truth in order to reach these people. In our attempts to reach others, how can we be certain that we don’t compromise core beliefs?
Why is the state of the dead such an important teaching? What are some of the many errors and deceptions that an understanding of this truth protects us against? What about your own culture? What are some of the beliefs that this truth can be a bulwark against?
Dwell more on the question of the role of signs in regard to faith and the role of logic and reason, as well. In class, let those who are willing talk about how they came to faith and what role such factors as signs or logic, et cetera, had in their experience. Also, what role should they have, not just in coming to faith but in maintaining faith?
What about the majority of people in your society? What kind of background do they have? What kind of beliefs are the most common? Based on your understanding of their beliefs and background, think through carefully, the best approach to reach out to them. What are some entering wedges that will allow you to make contact in a way that will not immediately offend them?

Inside Story ~ ~ Gamini Mendis

The Stolen Sermons—Part 2

I remained in the hospital for two weeks in great pain, but slowly began to recover. Many pastors came to visit me. Some said that God struck me down because I had visited the Adventist church. The Adventist pastor visited me several times and brought me a book titled The Great Controversy. I had lots of time to read, and by the time I was discharged, I had finished the book. When the Adventist pastor came to visit me at home, I had many questions.

When I had recovered enough to preach at my church again, I went back to visiting the Adventist church to borrow the pastor’s sermon notes. Of course, I didn’t tell him what I was doing, nor did I tell my own congregation where I was getting my sermon material.

One Sabbath the Adventist pastor preached a sermon on the Sabbath. I borrowed that sermon, too. After I preached, members of my church asked me why we worship on Sunday if Saturday is God’s holy Sabbath.

Suddenly I realized that I was trapped by my own cunning. I needed more information so I could answer my congregation’s questions. I visited the Adventist pastor and asked him to study the Bible with me, beginning with the Sabbath. After we studied, I asked him all the questions I thought my congregation would ask. Then I called my church members together to give them the same Bible study on the Sabbath. Not all were interested in this new truth, but many wanted to learn more.

Word reached the church leaders in my denomination that I was teaching Adventist doctrines. They told me that if I insisted on preaching like an Adventist pastor I couldn’t continue as pastor in my church. By this time I believed in the Sabbath and other Bible truths I had learned through borrowing the pastor’s sermons.

I decided to become an Adventist, turn my church into an Adventist church, and bring as many members of my congregation with me as would listen. Sundays became Bible study days in my church, and several Adventist pastors came to help me teach the people. For three or four months we studied the Bible intensely and tried to understand God’s will for our lives and our church. Then we held a baptism in which 20 members of my church joined the Adventist family. Later 13 more people were baptized. More than half the members of my little congregation have joined the Adventist church.

Gamini Mendis continues to work as a pastor in the same area of Sri Lanka where he once pastored a charismatic church. He now has three Adventist churches.

All Rights Reserved. No part of the Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide may be edited, altered, modified, adapted, translated, reproduced, or published by any person or entity without prior written authorization from the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

For questions and concerns about the Study Guide,
please contact the editor of the Bible Study Guide, Clifford Goldstein

The web version of the Sabbath School lesson is published on this site by permission of the Office of the Adult Bible Study Guide, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
Website contents copyright 1996-2020 by Sabbath School Net, an independent supporting ministry.
For permission to copy contents of the web version of the Sabbath School lesson, please contact both the Office of the Adult Bible Study Guide and the publisher of this site.

All art in these lessons and on the cover is published on this site by permission of GoodSalt.com.

We invite you to join a discussion of this lesson each day on the Sabbath School Net Daily Lessons blog. And on Sabbath mornings, you are warmly invited to join a group discussion of the week's lesson in your local Seventh-day Adventist congregation.

Sabbath School Net Home page | Directory of Sabbath School Bible Study materials

Sabbath School Net is an independently funded supporting website not affiliated with nor funded by the Sabbath School Department of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists)It is run by volunteers and costs are covered solely by donations from the users of this site as well as the small commissions generated by sales through our links to online stores.

If you are using this site regularly, please pray for God's blessing on our visitors and ask Him to impress you how you can help with the costs of putting this site up every month. We appreciate any gift to support the ongoing publication of SSNET, and only you and God know how much you can give. Even a small donation every month helps. And larger gifts are much appreciated. (No, you don't need a PayPal account. Just choose the "Continue" link to the left of the PayPal registration. And, yes, it's safe - as safe as your online bank account.)

Sabbath School Net is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

You can find a sampling of materials available to aid you in your studies at our SSNET Store. (We will get a small commission not only from any books you purchase but also from whatever else you purchase at the same time. These commissions help to underwrite a small portion of the cost of publishing this site.)

You can also go directly to the home pages of stores which will pay us a small commission for whatever you choose to buy, without costing you a penny extra: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | ChristianBooks.com | AbeBooks Store

Archive of previous Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guides
Prepared for the Internet by the SSNET Web Team.
Contact the Sabbath School Net Web Team
Go back to top of page