Grace Importance

Galatians 2:1 CSB

Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also.

INTRO—

ATTENTION…ATTENTION!! We interrupt this programming to bring you breaking news! [[Like Sat., Feb. 1, 2003…at home with the TV on doing other stuff when—news of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster came across the TV. It broke apart upon reentry and all the astronauts on board died…; sadly it’s usually tragic news that breaks in]]

This message today…

IS OF GRACE IMPORTANCE!

**Paul brings to light two episodes in his life which highlight the undeniable importance of Grace for us…

[[Grace has a couple of ‘announcements to make.’]]

GRACE AFFIRMED [Galatians 2.1-10]

[[Even: “Grace Affirming” — “Attesting”]]

Jerusalem, Round Two (Galatians 2.1-2)

“I wanted to be sure I was not running, and had not been running, in vain.”

WE all seek—and often need—AFFIRMATION.

Continued, Constant Challenges (Galatians 2.3-5)

From the Judaizers = You MUST accept, submit to Jewish Law to be a true Christian.

Paul rejected their calls regarding Titus… “Not surrendering freedom for self-righteous, legalistic calls to conformity.”

Seeing Grace at Work (Galatians 2.6-9)

Recognizing the “Common Denominator.” (Math-Geeky & Non-Math-Geeky)

Galatians 2:7 “On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised, just as Peter was for the circumcised,”

The “Common Denominator” recognized = FELLOWSHIP!

Galatians 2:9 “When James, Cephas, and John—those recognized as pillars—acknowledged the grace that had been given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to me and Barnabas, agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.”

The Ask (Galatians 2.10)

Galatians 2:10 “They asked only that we would remember the poor, which I had made every effort to do.”

WHY??

To ‘remember the poor’—whether the poor Christians in Jerusalem; for whom Paul had and would exhibit great care and motivation to take a collection to help alleviate their plight…or of the poor which ‘will always be with (around) us,’ Jesus said—is another universal evidence affirming genuine faith responding to God’s grace…

[[James 1:27 “Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”]]

**Seeing God’s GRACE active in Paul’s life and ministry AFFIRMED for others the extending of God’s love, kingdom, plan for others through them.

GRACE ESSENTIAL [Galatians 2.11-21]

[[Even: “Grace Foundational”; This indicator of Grace present in a believer’s life (in a church’s life) comes to light through an instance of confrontation—Paul confronting Peter!!]]

Graceless Hypocrisy (Galatians 2.11-13)

Fear is a great motivator…too often for the wrong thing—like hypocrisy (which is a self-preservation kind of move).

…AND it’s — PETER!! He feared the Judaizers!!!

No matter who it is (any of our Christian Heroes)…Wrong is wrong.

Confrontation’s Cause (Galatians 2.14-18)

Blatant Illogical Inconsistency

Galatians 2:16 “and yet because we know that a person is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we ourselves have believed in Christ Jesus. This was so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified.”

For the Sake of the Gospel (Galatians 2.19-20)

Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

These challenges from the Judaizers are a Gospel—a Gospel of Grace—Issue!!

The Bottom Line! (Galatians 2.21)

Galatians 2:21 “I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.”

**Paul ends his testimony emphatically declaring that no way can we (True Christians) ever…EVER...set aside the Grace of God!

CONCL—

[[After the Breaking News Announcement; the Special Alert — we often hear these words...]]

We now return you to your regular program.

Today, I do indeed realize the importance of needing to maintain the ‘regular programming’ of our daily lives. My hope is that as we return to (carry on with) our lives…we do so with a greater appreciation for and trust in the Amazing Grace our Lord has extended—and continues to extend—to us for each and every “ordinary” day.

INVITATION:

Salvation

Grace’s Importance [[We can’t live without it.]]

Galatians 2:21 CSB

I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.