Paul: The Revolution Begins
This Sunday, we are looking at four lessons from the Jewish/Gentile dynamic in which Paul was sent by God.
1. Paul probably didn’t care for Gentiles and likely would not have wanted to devote his life to working with them, but sometimes God calls us outside our comfort zone to accomplish his work.
2. In God’s kingdom there are no more first-class and second-class followers of Christ. Those distinctions were destroyed by Christ. We are all just sinners in need of saving.
3. The importance of justification by faith for our lives. The gift of salvation is just that a gift. No amount of good deeds and effort can earn God’s love and forgiveness. Salvation is a priceless gift. All we need to do is see it as a gift, receive it as a gift, and say, “Thank you Jesus.”
4. Who are today’s Gentiles? Jewish Christians were uncomfortable with the Gentiles, because they didn’t know how to relate to Gentiles. They had been raised and trained to have animosity toward Gentiles. Who are the people we feel uncomfortable being around? Who are the people we’re not sure God wants reached out to? Who are the people we see and think, “I’m glad they don’t come to my church?”