The Apostles Accept Paul (Part 2)
Galatians 2:6-9 NLT
6 And the leaders of the church had nothing to add to what I was preaching. (By the way, their reputation as great leaders made no difference to me, for God has no favorites.) 7 Instead, they saw that God had given me the responsibility of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as he had given Peter the responsibility of preaching to the Jews. 8 For the same God who worked through Peter as the apostle to the Jews also worked through me as the apostle to the Gentiles.
9 In fact, James, Peter, and John, who were known as pillars of the church, recognized the gift God had given me, and they accepted Barnabas and me as their co-workers. They encouraged us to keep preaching to the Gentiles, while they continued their work with the Jews.
Examine the scriptures:
Galatians 2:6-9 NLT
The Apostles Accept Paul (Part 2)
6 And the leaders of the church had nothing to add to what I was preaching.
- The apostles in Jerusalem did not correct or modify Paul’s message but recognized its divine source and affirmed its truth and completeness.
What was Paul’s message?
Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
The Gospel is both profound and simple.
Romans 10:9-13 NLT
9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” 12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
What was Jesus’ message?
John 3:16 NLT
16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
The Scriptures “add meat to the bones.”
(By the way, their reputation as great leaders made no difference to me, for God has no favorites.)
Romans 2:11 NLT
11 For God does not show favoritism.
2 Corinthians 12:11
… for I am not at all inferior to these “super apostles,”
- Paul knew that he was not inferior to the other apostles.
- God does not show favoritism.
* Apply this principle to you and those around you.
7 Instead, they saw that God had given me the responsibility of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as he had given Peter the responsibility of preaching to the Jews.
Different gifts.
Different responsibilities.
One Gospel, different audiences.
1 Corinthians 12 NLT
Spiritual Gifts4 There are different kinds of spiritual gifts … 5 There are different kinds of service … 6 God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. … 7 A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.
One Body with Many Parts
12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. … and God has put each part just where he wants it. …27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.
- A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.
Your responsibility is different from the responsibility of the person sitting next to you.
Romans 12:6-8 NLT
6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
- In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well.
8 For the same God who worked through Peter as the apostle to the Jews also worked through me as the apostle to the Gentiles.
9 In fact, James, Peter, and John, who were known as pillars of the church, recognized the gift God had given me, and they accepted Barnabas and me as their co-workers.
Look for and recognize spiritual gifts in your co-workers as well as in your students.
- Recognize the spiritual gift(s) God has given to the people around you.
They encouraged us to keep preaching to the Gentiles, while they continued their work with the Jews.
Encourage one another.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 NLT
11 So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.
Ephesians 4:29 NLT
29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
Hebrews 10:23-25 NLT
23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. 24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
- God’s Word instructs us to encourage each other and build each other up.
