Sermon Tone Analysis

Acts 15 was the great Jerusalem conference- there the dispute of the necessity of following the law, in particular circumcision, was settled.

The believers were free from the law in Christ- they had a liberty in Christ that could not be bridled.

For some, like Peter, who had been orthodox Hews their entire life, this would be a hard matter to retrain in their minds and hearts.

However, Jesus had taught it before his crucifixion in Matthew 15;1-20.

The early church had settled it a tthe conference in Jerusalem, and Peter had been there.

Peter, in this passage, had been overcome by peer pressure- fear.

When members of the Jewish party arrived, Peter was now overcome by fear and changed his ways.

He had his Christian liberty, until his fear of others made him uncomfortable.

Remember, Peter was impulsive.

he could show faith and fear in the same sentence.

He walks on water but then he sinks.

He says he will die with Jesus, but then denies him three times.

And Peter’s fear led to this story.

He was enjoying a love feast with his gentile believers, but when these men showed up, Peter separated from the gentile believers.

Immediately, Peter’s actions make him a hypocrite.

Recognize those places in our lives where our actions make us inconsistent to those loooking on.

Peter also led others astray- Paul mentions Barnabas and others that followed suit.

There are five matters that Peter denies because of his actions in this scripture.

While Peter was a Jew, he was now a believer.

But he wasn’t acting like it.

He was making racial distinctions depending upon who he was with.

Remember Galatians 3.28

PSeter’s own words at the Jerusalem conference clearly stated his beief:ee Acts 15.9

Peter’s actions directly contradicted the Unity of the church or of the Believers.

Job had asked the question, “How can we be justified”?, in Job 9.2.

How you answer that question matters.

God’s answer, found first in Habakkuk 2.4, is that the just shall live by faith.

living by faith, being justified, is what allowed Martin Luther to lead the church to the reformation.

God has given us Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews to explain it to us.

Justification is the act of God where he declares the believing sinner righteous in Jesus Christ.

See Romans 5.1

Justification is an immediate transaction between the believer and God.

W/hen we ask for forgiveness, He gives it today- it is not a process and it is not withheld- it is an act of God that takes place immediately.

It doesn’t depend on us.

See Romans 8.33

See Rom 3.20

See 2 Cor 5.21

Justification is not pardon.

If you are pardoned, you are still guilty- just free.

God no longer remembers his sins

See Psalm 32.1-2

See Romans 4.1-8

Most people don’t experience justification because they cannot admit they are sinners.

Sinners are who God justifies- not good people.

Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners.

See Romans 4.5

When Peter ate with the Gentiles, then walked away when the Jewish leaders showed up- he was saying, “We Jews are different from- and better than- the Gentiles.

Both Jews and Gentiles are sinners and can be saved only by faith in Christ.

Peters’ actions were denying Justification by Faith.

Peter’s actions were rebuilding what he had torn down by faith.

Peter was denying Freedom in Christ.

Peter’s actions were denying the gospel of Christ itself.

The Judaizers wanted to mix law and grace.

Grace says, “There is no difference!

All are sinners, and all can be saved through faith in Christ!

Peter was saying, by his actions, “There is a difference.

Grace is not enough.

The law is necessary.”

Returning to the law means Christ died for no reason.

Jesus’ final words were, “It is Finished.”

Paul says, “by grace are ye saved through fiath.

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When All I Have Is Me-Jesus Is All I Need

In and of myself- my works, my personality, my goodness will always be insufficient.

Anything that adds to the grace of God actually detracts from the power of God.

Anything that takes the place of Jesus nullifies the goodness of Jesus.

Jesus is enough.

Have you been saved by the grace of God?

See Galatians 1.6-9

Are you creating your own gospel by trusting in yourself?

Are you adding to or taking from the gospel of Christ?

Peter was “adding” to the gospel the moment he walked away from his gentile friends.

Do we add to the gospel.

Many add to the gospel by saying that we “must” do good works- keep the Ten commandments, obey the golden rule, do the ten commandments, even “God is Love” can mean that all you have to do is love people- that addition denies the efficacy of the grace of Christ.

All you have to do is be nice- no, that adds to the gospel.

Paul was mad here- he said he withstood Peter to his face- He didn’t let it go by because it was addint to the grace of Christ, and if Paul let it go by by being a nice person- he would have made new friends and kept old ones but he would have detracted from the sufficiency of the gospel of Christ.

Do I Rejoice in my Salvation?

Am I Living the Gospel of Christ?

Are You Walking In His Grace and offering it to others as you go?

Are you forgiving as he forgave you?

When All I Have Is Me- Jesus Is All I Need