SOP - Christian Patterns
Barnabas, Paul and John Mark leave the Island of Crete which was the first part of the missionary journey commissioned by the Holy Spirit. We don’t hear much about things happening on the island although it was at one time home to Barnabas. They sail from the opposite end and head North and end up in Pisidian Antioch. There they will start the process that I will call SOP, which means standard operating procedure. So let’s figure out what that is….
On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down.
So the first part of the SOP is that on the Sabbath day they go to the synagogue where ever they are for services. They don’t go with any special plan to interrupt the service or to ask to speak. They just go to church and sit down. And wait for the service to start. Going from place to place there are very few parts of the Jewish worship that will be very different.
So far, I would say that most Christians today tend to follow the pattern. That makes the process we are in this morning basically biblical right?
We get up on Sunday and Go to church and when we get there the sit down and expect to Worship God in some way. If we are traveling and on Sunday we went to a Methodist church in Florida or North Carolina or even California we would probably have a good idea of what was happening.
It might not be like home but it would not be completely foreign either.
We expect music, Hymns were a part to they synagogue. We expect to hear someone to read from the Bible, . They expect some one to explain the bible. Our scripture picks up,
After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue rulers sent word to them, saying, "Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak."
Woah, that would be a surprise wouldn’t it. To be visiting a church and the pastor send an usher over to ask you, A visitor if you would like to explain to interpret the scripture.
On the few times that Renee and I have been away on a Sunday, we god to church where ever we are. In the back of my mind, I have a little uneasiness that maybe, just maybe the pastor would ask me to say a few words or offer a prayer. That is especially true when we go to a place that we know the pastor or others in the church.
How about you? If there was a chance that someone would ask you to say a few words would you ever visit another church on vacation or any other reason.
But, it was not so rare in Barnabas and Saul’s day. The sharing of ideas and interpretations form scripture was welcomed. They were not really asking them for a whole sermon.
They were asking for a word of witness…What has God done for you?
If that happened to me, I know what I would do. I would say something, short, sweet and general. I would just hope not to offend or say something stupid right there in public.
Paul accepts the invitation and stands up and motions with his hand to quiet the crowd or just as a welcoming motion and he offers a two part testimony. He directs his comments to Men of Israel and gentiles that worship God.
How about you, what would you do of an usher came over and asked if you wanted to say a few words? Would you run? Would you say something? Would you refuse and decide to never ever to visit another church again?
The request that has come to the visitors is one of honor and respect. Barnabas and Saul (Paul from now own) are probably dressed as Jews. They don’t look like idiots as far as we know. And there are probably not that many Jewish visitors that come through owns this far from Israel.
I skipped over the text of Paul’s first recorded sermon but, I think you should be aware that his words are similar to what was said by Stephen and Peter in their messages. He ties the history of God and Israel from Abraham and David into his wittiness of What God had done. He connects Jesus with the line of King David and explains the message of salvation.
Then he gives testimony as to how Jesus was treated and how that matches the testimony of the prophets, (Keeping it on topic)
As far as we know, Barnabas and Paul never actually planned to speak, but it was not out of the question. When an opportunity came, Paul took it up and gave a quick yet persuasive commentary to this specific group of Jews.
Do you think he went into the Synagogue un-prepared with no idea of what he would say?
Do you think that he only had one message to preach…..Later on we will look at examples of the things he says to gentiles in acts.
When these visitors went to church, they probably expected something to happen.
They were following the pattern, the Standard procedure that they will follow week after week I thin they are full of expectation that God will move each time.
They don’t just expect that the church will be open and the teachers and preachers will show up. They expect that God will move and they will have the opportunity to reach Jews and God fearing gentiles with the Good News.
42As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath. 43When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.
Notice the change in name order between Barnabas and Paul. IT actually happened in last week’s reading. When Paul with a filling of the Holy Spirit deals with Elymas the sorcerer.
Now, in this event in the synagogue the leadership of the mission team has changed.
As church lets out, some of the people invite Paul and Barnabas back and they want to hear more of theses ideas, more details about Jesus and salvation and how that fits into this Grace thing.
The encouragers are both Jews and devout gentiles who may continue the dialog out in the streets.
They, the missionaries, have had a great day. Their message was received well, they are invited back. No rocks or sticks or being run out of town by a mob. They has a great day.
The SOP starts with church for a reason. The grace of God is always offered first to the Jews as the chosen people who are supposed to be the priest nation to the world .
Going to church offers them the most knowledgably people about the Bible and ultimately the most likely to respond the Good news.
The story picks up a week later,
44On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.
Wow, what a response, the people at church were so impressed that they told everyone they knew about these teachers and invited them to church. Almost the whole city shows up.
It is pretty obvious that they did not have cable TV with an outer limits marathon or a big ball game on that week. So with nothing better to do, the head over to that little synagogue where the Jews meet.
The pace is packed, someone is sitting in Fred’s seat and even the women’s seats are filled. The whole church experience is a little messed up. There are to many people…too many Gentiles….
45When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against what Paul was saying.
It sounds like the Jews are the only ones with a problem.
What is their problem?
Does it have anything to do with Paul’s message not being appropriate last week….
No, they were ok with when they went out of the service.
Does it have anything to do with there being more people in church on the next Sabbath?
I think so, but perhaps not for the reasons that we think
The scripture says they are Jealous… Jealous of the sudden influence that brought some many people to church. Perhaps jealous over the attention being given to strangers instead of the normal minister.
Perhaps they are worried over their own lack of influence.
The Jews never tried friendly conversion of people to their faith… Although God tells them that they are a chosen people a Royal priesthood. They only tolerated the people that came to worship YAWH.
When the place is packed they resent it and attack Paul as he teaches. Paul and Barnabas react with another step in the SOP.
They announce, "We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.
Paul always attempts to reach Jews first and when that fails or is only mildly successful he moves on to a more receptive audience.
As Christians are we able to celebrate success? If a revival comes to town or if a church has sudden growth are we supportive?
Do we turn up our noses?
If we were to hear of God moving in our community, would we celebrate and join the work or would we just sit and wonder why he is not working over here?
Is there any chance that we have rejected the grace offered and God have moved on to a more receptive audience?
Paul quotes Isaiah 49
47For this is what the Lord has commanded us:
" ’I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’"
48When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.
49The word of the Lord spread through the whole region.
The Gentiles respond in a big way, They are Glad and honor the word of the Lord. They receive the teaching, believe in eternal life and ultimately tell others of this great new teaching.. The idea that god came to us.
Then we come to the last point of the SOP. Which normally involves the response to the leadership in the synagogue and the town.
50But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. 51So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. 52And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Their stop in Pisidian Antioch had been a fantastic success. They were on mission and doing the work of God and it was OK that some rejected.
It seems that we Christians/Americans seem to thing only 100% success is required. Don’t get me wrong 100% would be fantastic. But in reality, we don’t have any success at all. It is the work and leading of God that brings success. It is the death of Jesus on a Cross to redeem the sins of man kind that is the only difference. When Paul and Barabas preach and teach that t the people it is only their willingness to go that is a sign of their personal success. Their sanctification my God as servants connects the word spoken by man with the power of the spirit and things happen.
Are you willing to let God work through you? What is your SOP?
Are you ready to follow God’s plan?
All Glory be to God!
