Paul’s LettersThe Unchanging Gospel in a Changing Church

Lesson 3

Paul’s Calling and Mission

The risen Christ called Paul, and the Spirit sent him through the church to carry the gospel to the Gentiles and build up Christ’s people.

Calling in actionActs 9:19–31
Sending and purposeActs 13:1–12; Romans 15:14–33

Called by Christ, sent by the Spirit through the church

The risen Christ called Paul, and the Holy Spirit sent him through the church to carry the gospel to the Gentiles and build up Christ’s people.

Acts 9

Calling becomes action

Saul joins the disciples, proclaims Jesus, suffers opposition, and is received through Barnabas.

Acts 13

The Spirit calls; the church sends

Antioch worships, listens, prays, commissions, and participates in the work.

Romans 15

Paul explains the mission

Christ accomplishes his work through Spirit-empowered witnesses and partnering churches.

A shared mission

The whole church participates

The church worships, listens, sends, goes, gives, welcomes, protects, and prays.

Central question

Who sends the church into mission—and how does the whole church participate?

Contemporary significance

The Gospel Then and Now

Paul’s mission is neither a private ambition nor a program the church merely sponsors. The risen Christ directs it, the Spirit forms and sends a worshiping church, and congregations share in the work.

Church pattern then

Worshiping, discerning, sending

Antioch listens to the Spirit while worshiping, praying, and fasting. The church sets apart, sends, and remains connected to those entrusted with the work.

Church temptation now

Mission becomes optional

Congregations can become inward-facing, outsource mission to specialists, support personalities without discernment, or measure faithfulness mainly by attendance, activity, and institutional survival.

Gospel-shaped church

Christ’s mission orders our life

A congregation participates through worship, discernment, sending, prayer, giving, welcome, teaching, and the formation of people who can carry the gospel faithfully.

Discuss

  1. What changed in Saul’s zeal—and what remained recognizable?
  2. What does Acts 13 teach about the Spirit’s call and the church’s responsibility?
  3. When might strong words be necessary to protect others, and what guardrails should govern them?
  4. If not every Christian is called to be Paul, how does every congregation participate in Christ’s mission?

Before Lesson 4

Galatians, Part 1

Read Galatians 1–6 in one sitting, then read Acts 15. Listen for the problem Paul addresses and the gospel truth he protects.

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