We are currently reading through a letter Paul wrote to Jesus followers in the Roman province of Galatia. Yesterday, Paul defended the accuracy of what he was teaching. Today, he is going to talk about the importance of staying true to that message.
Galatians 2
11 But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. 12 When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile Christians, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. 13 As a result, other Jewish Christians followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, “Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions? 15 “You and I are Jews by birth, not ‘sinners’ like the Gentiles. 16 Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.” 17 But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! 18 Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. 19 For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law - I stopped trying to meet all its requirements - so that I might live for God. 20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.
Hypocrisy. Yesterday, we talked about one of the biggest reasons the message of Jesus seems unbelievable ... a lack of agreement (or unity) among Jesus followers. Today, we are confronted with the biggest reason the message of Jesus seems unbelievable ... hypocrisy ... a lack of agreement (or unity) between what I say and what I do, between what I say I believe on Sunday and what I do on Monday (or Friday). In defense of Peter, Jews weren’t supposed to interact with Gentiles that was what he had been taught all his life; but Jesus had changed all that ... and Peter knew it. He watched Jesus be accepting of others (check out Mark 2:14-17) and was one of the first people to witness God’s acceptance first hand (check out Acts 10). Obviously, the key is consistency ... what I believe needs to match up with what I say and what I say needs to match up with what I do ... which means I need to examine what I believe and what I say and what I do ... consistently. I believe that is what Paul meant when he said, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”
Friday, October 3, 2008
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Agreement
We are in the early part of a letter written by Paul to Jesus followers in the Roman province of Galatia. Yesterday, he defended the source of his understanding concerning the message of Jesus. Today, he is going to defend the content of what he has been teaching.
Galatians 2
1 Then fourteen years later I went back to Jerusalem again, this time with Barnabas; and Titus came along, too. 2 I went there because God revealed to me that I should go. While I was there I met privately with those considered to be leaders of the church and shared with them the message I had been preaching to the Gentiles. I wanted to make sure that we were in agreement, for fear that all my efforts had been wasted and I was running the race for nothing. 3 And they supported me and did not even demand that my companion Titus be circumcised, though he was a Gentile. 4 Even that question came up only because of some so-called Christians there - false ones, really - who were secretly brought in. They sneaked in to spy on us and take away the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to enslave us and force us to follow their Jewish regulations. 5 But we refused to give in to them for a single moment. We wanted to preserve the truth of the gospel message for you. 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. 10 Their only suggestion was that we keep on helping the poor, which I have always been eager to do.
Agreement. Most scholars believe the meeting that Paul is talking about coincides with his visit to Jerusalem that is detailed in Acts 11:27-30. The primary issue of this meeting was circumcision ... did Jesus followers have to first convert to Judaism (by being circumcised and held to the “letter” of the Law) or did they simply have to have faith in Jesus? Paul wasn’t worried about the truth of what he was teaching (that circumcision was unnecessary and that faith in Jesus was all that mattered). He just wanted to make sure the leaders in Jerusalem were in agreement with him ... that there was unity. This idea of agreement ... of unity among Jesus followers ... was actually something Jesus prayed for the night before he was crucified (check out John 17:20-23). The reason he thought agreement, among Jesus followers, was so important was the impact it would have on whether or not the world would believe the message of Jesus (seriously, check out John 17:20-23). I am not suggesting we believe anything just to preserve unity. I am suggesting there are a lot of issues Jesus followers do agree on and could emphasize together that would impact the world and whether or not it believed the message of Jesus. Maybe we could start with the suggestion the Jerusalem leaders offered ... helping the poor.
Galatians 2
1 Then fourteen years later I went back to Jerusalem again, this time with Barnabas; and Titus came along, too. 2 I went there because God revealed to me that I should go. While I was there I met privately with those considered to be leaders of the church and shared with them the message I had been preaching to the Gentiles. I wanted to make sure that we were in agreement, for fear that all my efforts had been wasted and I was running the race for nothing. 3 And they supported me and did not even demand that my companion Titus be circumcised, though he was a Gentile. 4 Even that question came up only because of some so-called Christians there - false ones, really - who were secretly brought in. They sneaked in to spy on us and take away the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to enslave us and force us to follow their Jewish regulations. 5 But we refused to give in to them for a single moment. We wanted to preserve the truth of the gospel message for you. 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. 10 Their only suggestion was that we keep on helping the poor, which I have always been eager to do.
Agreement. Most scholars believe the meeting that Paul is talking about coincides with his visit to Jerusalem that is detailed in Acts 11:27-30. The primary issue of this meeting was circumcision ... did Jesus followers have to first convert to Judaism (by being circumcised and held to the “letter” of the Law) or did they simply have to have faith in Jesus? Paul wasn’t worried about the truth of what he was teaching (that circumcision was unnecessary and that faith in Jesus was all that mattered). He just wanted to make sure the leaders in Jerusalem were in agreement with him ... that there was unity. This idea of agreement ... of unity among Jesus followers ... was actually something Jesus prayed for the night before he was crucified (check out John 17:20-23). The reason he thought agreement, among Jesus followers, was so important was the impact it would have on whether or not the world would believe the message of Jesus (seriously, check out John 17:20-23). I am not suggesting we believe anything just to preserve unity. I am suggesting there are a lot of issues Jesus followers do agree on and could emphasize together that would impact the world and whether or not it believed the message of Jesus. Maybe we could start with the suggestion the Jerusalem leaders offered ... helping the poor.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Reveal
Yesterday, we read the opening of Paul’s letter to Jesus followers in the Roman province of Galatia. He encouraged them to not turn away from the message of Jesus. Today, Paul is going to talk about how that message was revealed to him.
Galatians 1
11 Dear brothers and sisters, I want you to understand that the gospel message I preach is not based on mere human reasoning. 12 I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ. 13 You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion - how I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it. 14 I was far ahead of my fellow Jews in my zeal for the traditions of my ancestors. 15 But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him 16 to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. When this happened, I did not rush out to consult with any human being. 17 Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to consult with those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went away into Arabia, and later I returned to the city of Damascus. 18 Then three years later I went to Jerusalem to get to know Peter, and I stayed with him for fifteen days. 19 The only other apostle I met at that time was James, the Lord’s brother. 20 I declare before God that what I am writing to you is not a lie. 21 After that visit I went north into the provinces of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And still the Christians in the churches in Judea didn’t know me personally. 23 All they knew was that people were saying, “The one who used to persecute us is now preaching the very faith he tried to destroy!” 24 And they praised God because of me.
Reveal. I know this idea of God revealing himself through Jesus has always been a part of the plan (check out Isaiah 53 and John 3:17 and Ephesians 1:4-5). What really struck me about this revelation was the why ... why God revealed Jesus to Paul. Did you catch it? God revealed Jesus to Paul so that Paul would reveal Jesus to others. This revelation wasn’t meant to be treated like a family heirloom ... stored in the attic and only brought out for special occasions. It was meant to be experienced; and more importantly, shared (check out what Jesus said to his first disciples Mark 1:16-18). Every night, before I put my daughter down for “night-night”, I spend some time rocking her. As I do, I pray that God will reveal Jesus to her. I hope (and pray) that God will include me in the process of revealing Jesus to her; but I also realize that there will be other people involved in the process ... maybe a friend or a sponsor in the student ministry or a teacher ... someone that will be revealing the same message and someone that my daughter will actually listen to when I cease to be cool. This is why it is so important to me that you are revealing Jesus ... every day, through what you say and what you do ... because that someone might be you.
Galatians 1
11 Dear brothers and sisters, I want you to understand that the gospel message I preach is not based on mere human reasoning. 12 I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ. 13 You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion - how I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it. 14 I was far ahead of my fellow Jews in my zeal for the traditions of my ancestors. 15 But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him 16 to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. When this happened, I did not rush out to consult with any human being. 17 Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to consult with those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went away into Arabia, and later I returned to the city of Damascus. 18 Then three years later I went to Jerusalem to get to know Peter, and I stayed with him for fifteen days. 19 The only other apostle I met at that time was James, the Lord’s brother. 20 I declare before God that what I am writing to you is not a lie. 21 After that visit I went north into the provinces of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And still the Christians in the churches in Judea didn’t know me personally. 23 All they knew was that people were saying, “The one who used to persecute us is now preaching the very faith he tried to destroy!” 24 And they praised God because of me.
Reveal. I know this idea of God revealing himself through Jesus has always been a part of the plan (check out Isaiah 53 and John 3:17 and Ephesians 1:4-5). What really struck me about this revelation was the why ... why God revealed Jesus to Paul. Did you catch it? God revealed Jesus to Paul so that Paul would reveal Jesus to others. This revelation wasn’t meant to be treated like a family heirloom ... stored in the attic and only brought out for special occasions. It was meant to be experienced; and more importantly, shared (check out what Jesus said to his first disciples Mark 1:16-18). Every night, before I put my daughter down for “night-night”, I spend some time rocking her. As I do, I pray that God will reveal Jesus to her. I hope (and pray) that God will include me in the process of revealing Jesus to her; but I also realize that there will be other people involved in the process ... maybe a friend or a sponsor in the student ministry or a teacher ... someone that will be revealing the same message and someone that my daughter will actually listen to when I cease to be cool. This is why it is so important to me that you are revealing Jesus ... every day, through what you say and what you do ... because that someone might be you.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Turning
At Eastside, we believe the Bible is God’s story ... more specifically, a series of stories that ultimately tell the Story of God. Included with the story, we also have letters that were sent by leaders to specific groups of believers. This week, we are going to begin looking at some of those letters. No one is certain about the chronological order of these letters; but we are going read through them following the most commonly accepted order. You will notice that they follow along with the order of Paul’s missionary journeys. The first letter we are going to look at was written by Paul and sent to believers living in the Roman province of Galatia; specifically, the communities Paul had just visited on his first missionary journey. If you would like to review that journey, check out Acts 13-14.
Galatians 1
1 This letter is from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead. 2 All the brothers and sisters here join me in sending this letter to the churches of Galatia. 3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. 4 Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. 5 All glory to God forever and ever! Amen. 6 I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News 7 but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ. 8 Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. 9 I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed. 10 Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.
Turning. Most Bible scholars believe Paul wrote this letter just months after he had returned from his trip to the province of Galatia. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised by the fact that someone could turn away from the message of Jesus so quickly ... Jesus himself warned us about it (check out Matthew 13:1-23). The sad truth is some people will turn away from the message of Jesus because they don’t understand something or they experience problems or they are distracted by the worries of this life (again, check out Matthew 13:1-23). The good news is this message of Jesus will take root in some people and revolutionize their life so much that even though they face issues they don’t understand and face problems that bring heartache and face worries that cause distractions ... they keep turning back to God. And in doing so, God keeps using them to turn others back to him (seriously, check out Matthew 13:1-23). Everyday, in the choices we make, we can be turning away from God or turning toward God.
Galatians 1
1 This letter is from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead. 2 All the brothers and sisters here join me in sending this letter to the churches of Galatia. 3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. 4 Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. 5 All glory to God forever and ever! Amen. 6 I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News 7 but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ. 8 Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. 9 I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed. 10 Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.
Turning. Most Bible scholars believe Paul wrote this letter just months after he had returned from his trip to the province of Galatia. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised by the fact that someone could turn away from the message of Jesus so quickly ... Jesus himself warned us about it (check out Matthew 13:1-23). The sad truth is some people will turn away from the message of Jesus because they don’t understand something or they experience problems or they are distracted by the worries of this life (again, check out Matthew 13:1-23). The good news is this message of Jesus will take root in some people and revolutionize their life so much that even though they face issues they don’t understand and face problems that bring heartache and face worries that cause distractions ... they keep turning back to God. And in doing so, God keeps using them to turn others back to him (seriously, check out Matthew 13:1-23). Everyday, in the choices we make, we can be turning away from God or turning toward God.
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