Sister Alice Sunday School 4/21/13

Sister Alice Sunday School 4/21/13

Every one of us has a mission that is larger than our life.  Jesus definitely did and we studied that.  Jesus did not tolerate any distractions or anything that would turn Him from what He was to do.  We then studied Paul and we will finish this lesson today.  Paul also would not allow anyone to cause this mission to be deterred or changed.

1Co 1:9  God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

1Co 1:10  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

I certainly believe that it is possible to be perfectly joined in the same mind and in the same judgment.

1Co 1:11  For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

1Co 1:12  Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

1Co 1:13  Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

1Co 1:23  But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

1Co 1:24  But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

He wanted no divisions but perfect unity.  Christ died for this and Paul also gave his life for this perfect unity.  Are we holding this mission for perfect unity today?

1Co 1:25  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

1Co 1:26  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

1Co 1:27  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

1Co 1:29  That no flesh should glory in his presence.

1Co 1:30  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

1Co 1:31  That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

Paul’s mission was to hold up no man but Christ Jesus.

1Co 2:2  For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

This is the key.  This was Paul’s determination.  He wasn’t taking sides but was determined, “If you are saved then you are saved and if you are God’s then you are God’s.”

1Co 3:1  And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

1Co 3:2  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

1Co 3:3  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

1Co 3:4  For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

1Co 3:5  Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

1Co 3:6  I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

Paul was not against Apollos but loved him.  Apollos was described from what I could read in the commentators as eloquent. 

Paul was not against any man but wanted to hold up Christ Jesus and Him only. 

People start getting their eyes on man and start lifting up man and putting them in position and that is an avenue of trouble and causing divisions.  We are all God’s group and not the ones of Paradise or or the ones of California, or Miami.  We are all Gods people. 

We are all laborers together of God.  We are God’s building.

1Co 3:7  So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

1Co 3:8  Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

1Co 3:9  For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

1Co 3:10  According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

1Co 3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;

1Co 3:22  Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;

We love our minister but we are not separated out as a group because we love him.  We want to all stand on the foundation and that is Christ Jesus.

We see in this reading how strong Paul is in this belief:

Gal 1:1  Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

Gal 1:2  And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:

Gal 1:3  Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

Gal 1:4  Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

Gal 1:5  To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

This is just the greeting.  Isn’t it just a beautiful greeting?  Now we read the letter:

Gal 1:6  I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

Gal 1:7  Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

Gal 1:8  But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

Gal 1:9  As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

Gal 1:10  For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

Gal 1:11  But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

Gal 1:12  For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

He is telling this to show how important it was.  It did not come from just any man but it was by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Gal 1:13  For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:

Gal 1:14  And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

Gal 1:15  But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

Gal 1:16  To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

Gal 1:17  Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

Gal 1:18  Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.

When you read in Acts about this you see that no one accepted him but Barnabas.  Barnabas stayed with him.  He loved Barnabas.

Gal 1:19  But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.

Gal 1:20  Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.

Gal 1:21  Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;

Gal 1:22  And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:

Gal 1:23  But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.

Gal 1:24  And they glorified God in me.

This is what He wanted and that was God to be glorified.

Gal 2:1  Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.

Gal 2:2  And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.

Gal 2:3  But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:

Earlier Paul had Timothy become circumcised so that there would be no question and here maybe eight years later he saw no reason to have Titus be circumcised. 

Gal 2:4  And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

This book of Galatians is about the independence of the church from the bondage of the law. 

Gal 2:5  To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

Gal 2:6  But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:

Gal 2:7  But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;

They had been taught from a babe that circumcision was the way so it was difficult for them to let it go.  Who he was really being strong on was Peter because Peter had seen the vision that told him that what God had made clean to not call unclean.  He knew better. 

Peter had been helped by God and went and prayed for Cornelius and his whole household.  When I get strong on some things it is because God has dealt with me on that thing and I want to stay clear and not again fall into that for which I’ve been corrected.

Gal 2:8  (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)

Gal 2:9  And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.

Gal 2:10  Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.

Gal 2:11  But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.

Our desire is not to get after Peter but to hold up the ministry and that which is right.  Peter showed a double standard. 

Gal 2:12  For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.

Gal 2:13  And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.

Paul was going to put up with no dissimulation.  He wanted all on the road to heaven without any man hindering that. 

Gal 2:14  But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

Gal 2:15  We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,

They felt that they were Jews and not sinners.  It is not because of our lineage that we are saved but only because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

Gal 2:16  Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Gal 2:17  But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.

Gal 2:18  For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

Gal 2:19  For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Gal 2:21  I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Righteousness came not by the law but by the faith of Abraham.

Gal 3:25  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

Gal 3:26  For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Gal 3:27  For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Gal 3:28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Gal 3:29  And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female.  Paul obliterates the idea that a man has a higher rank than a woman does in the chrch.  We are all one in Christ Jesus.

Gal 6:14  But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

Gal 6:15  For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

Unless you have a new creature experience then it doesn’t matter your lineage or regulation.  We must be new creatures in Christ Jesus.

Act 20:24  But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

This is where we want to live.  We want to live so that we finish our course with joy.  We don’t want to come into the gates of glory barely surviving.  We want to go in victorious and rejoicing in what God has done for us.  We want to take any one with us that we can.

We don’t want to put limitations on ourselves.  “I cannot do that I am old.”  If God wants to use us then we don’t want to put limitations on ourselves. 

I have a granddaughter that I send cards to every week and leave phone messages for.  I hardly ever hear back from her.  I would have a tendency to have a sore heart from that.  God talked to me and told me that “That is not your job.  Your job is to call and to send cards and show love.”

Job 22:2  Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?

Job 22:3  Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?

We can be profitable to God.  He saved us for His glory. 

He spoke from the cloud, “This is my well beloved son in whom I am pleased, hear him.” 

Bro Figeroa said, “God, I am so happy with you are you happy with me?”  This is how we want to live.

Phm 1:9  Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

Phm 1:10  I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:

Phm 1:11  Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:

What made the difference in this Onesimus?  He was a servant of a precious couple.  He was a young man and wanted to do some things on his own.  He didn’t want to be stuck in one place.  He wanted to do some exploring and not stay right there.  He took off with some things that didn’t belong to him and went to Rome.  There he ran into trouble again and was put into prison. 

In prison he met Paul and there Paul was so convinced that God could forgive of any sin that he helped Onesimus get saved.  Paul told him that he needed to go right back to his masters and return what he had taken.  Onesimus was afraid to do this so Paul sent him with a letter. 

When we are saved from sin we need to go back and make everything right with others that we wronged in our past. 

2Ti 4:11  Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.

Can people say that about us that we are profitable for the ministry?  The word ‘Profitable’ means easily used and employed.  There is not a place to be useless or give up. 

It means good and well done.  I think of Abraham’s servant and how profitable he was to Abraham.  Abraham even left him the job to go back and get a wife for his son.  The servant said, “I being in the way the Lord led me.”

The result of being unprofitable is not anything that we want.  What happens if we are unprofitable:

Mat 25:28  Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

Mat 25:29  For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

Mat 25:30  And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

There is a real strong recompense if we are not profitable.  What kind of a representative are we in this gospel.  Are we testifying and showing others that we have been given everything that we need in this gospel? 

David wrote in Psalms 23, “I shall not want.” 

My father has bread and to spare.

Are we living and showing God’s goodness to us?  We want to be profitable in this mission for the master.