Galatians 2: Oops, Peter Did It Again!

a lot of stuff in Paul's letters. I don't know about anybody else but when I read Paul's letters is kind of like that that heart-wrenching punch to the gut now, you can read through his letters and it's almost like I was looking through the window of my house going this is where you're messing up. You know it it's just like scripture that carries throughout time that you know, we can read through some things that may not directly apply to our situation today. But then then you read three things and you know, like last week's chunk was false gospels. We live in a world of false Gospels.

but some of it, you know, he could almost be writing this letter to Not only Calvary Heights, but every Church in America every church around the world still still today. I hope it no point Calvary Heights title fits in in this letter bit.

We're going to start off will read through Galatians 2 and then and a touch on some points. Some points are like last week summer easier to get through summer a little more more difficult little a little more stomping on toes and

Then after 14 years, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas taking Titus along with me. I went up because of you because of a revelation and set before them though privately before those who seemed influential. The gospel that I proclaimed among the Gentiles in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain, but even Titus who was with me was not forced to be circumcised know he was a Greek yet because of a false brother because of false brother's secretly brought in who slipped into spy out our freedom that was that we have in Jesus in Christ Jesus. So that they might bring us into slavery. To them we did not yield in submission even for a moment so that the truth of the Gospel might be preserved for you. And from those who seemed influential what they what they were makes no difference to me. God shows no partiality.

Those I say who seemed influential added nothing to me on the contrary when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised just as Peter had been entrusted to the gospel to the circumsized. For he work through Peter for his Apostolic Ministry to the circumcised worked. Also threw me remind to the Gentiles. And when James and cephas and John you seem to be pillars receive the receive the grace that was given to me. They gave the right hand of Fellowship to Barnabas and me. That we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumsized only they asked us to remember the poor the very thing I was eager to do.

day when Peter came when she first came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he stood condemned guilty or before certain man. He came from who came from James. He was eating with the Gentiles.

but when they came he drew back and separated himself during the circumcision party and the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy when I saw

Sorry, but when I saw that their contact was not in stepped in step with the truth of the Gospel. I said to cephas before them all if you though a Jew live like a gentile and not like a Jew how can you force the Gentile to live like a like juice?

We ourselves are Jews by birth and not galatian Center Health Centers. Yeah, we know that a person is not justified by works of the law. But through faith in Jesus Christ to we also have believe in Christ Jesus in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law because by works of the law, no one will be justified.

but if in our Endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners in is sorry struggling a little this morning. But if in our endeavors to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be Sinners is Christ than a servant of sin certainly not if I rebuild what I tore down I prove myself to be a transgressor for through the law. I died to the law so that I might live to God I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me and the life, I now live in the flesh. I live by faith in the son of God. I love me and gave me him gave himself for me. I do not know if I the grace of God for if righteousness, we're through the law then Christ died for no purpose.

Lord I Thank you for these these words even though I'm having a tough time this morning I pray Lord that that you will work through me that at your word would would be heard that I would get out of your way.

Lord I pray that as we continue to to do these studies through scripture that

at the end of all of it everything that we do is is to glorify you that every message that we preach from this Pulpit Lord is to eat the gospel and it's pure contacts keep Christ does as the center of the only justification that that we could ever acquire

Florida I pray that as we study your word that we also take the time to realize that From beginning to end your word is a story story that only tells a story of your grace.

Or that that's the only reason mankind existed is your grace your love and For Your Glory fication. I just pray Lord that you will guide us that you will be with our pantry tonight just Open Hearts as people come through as we share the gospel make each and every counselor Bowl than sharing the gospel holding nothing back. Or do we just pray that that you will lay it on our hearts to make sure that as we share the gospel that we share the true gospel the whole gospel of Christ and nothing more nothing less. In Jesus name we pray.

Okay. I'm not going to spend a whole lot of time on. the portion of Paul traveling to Jerusalem I do want to point out a few quick quick bits in this first chunk of all states that that he meets with those who seemed influential. And down just a little farther. He he makes the statement that Build a synonym for influential it really didn't matter to him. It. It it it doesn't change his gospel message.

But we see Paul pointing this out because as Paul is traveling around planning churches speaking the gospel. The circumcision party is following him trying to attack everything that he does as soon as he leaves are popping up and you know that that guy he was trying to kill the church heat. Yeah this or that, you know, he he doesn't have the Full Gospel. He didn't really walk with Christ. He so there's this group of men that are that are just trying to to debunk. What what Paul has to say and approves it now. He's not who he says he is. He doesn't have the gospel that he proclaims to have him and he says he got up from a revelation from God, but you know, where was he when when Christ was was walking the Earth?

and that is why why Paul is meeting with the other Apostles and brothers is Basically, so so he can join together with them instead of instead of preaching the gospel on his own. Yeah, he states that they gave him the right hand of Fellowship. He was joining in basically not to to build camps between well this church is right at this church is wrong. This is great. This is horrible. But but he's joining together to it to strengthen the gospel to to strengthen that the men that are going out and preaching the gospel. And I think that is the only reason why Paul makes a point to say, you know, I met with these people that seem to be influential.

Just for the fact of verification make sure that I'm not running in vain that that I didn't miss something in the gospel to verify that their preaching the same gospel. Enter to strengthen that the community of the Apostles in that the brothers that are their preaching and teaching in the churches in the streets and wherever you know houses wherever they could possibly share the gospel.

all states that inverse 5 to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment so that the truth of the Gospel might be preserved for you.

I wish and I pray that that would be every Pastor every preacher every sure of the gospels primary focus.

so many have perverted that the gospel and you know health and wealth in. You got to do this. You got to have Works in a Catholics Mormons Christ isn't good enough. You got to add this to it. And you know, if if we all shared a true gospel and preserved the gospel that that that Christ gave us this world would be such a different place but and we know that as we get closer to Christ coming back that this world is just going to be more and more corrupt and an evil and the gospels going to get watered down and and mud it up. So badly that nobody's going to know what to believe. No pulse. All his whole Focus here in this first chunk. It is purity of the gospel and making sure that he's not running in vain making sure that the other disciple are the other Apostles aren't running in vain making sure that they're all on the same page and in preaching the same gospel that there's nothing different. No. no changes, no added additions no subtractions, but Christ Alone That's it. nothing else

via the big dispute are the the opposition from where Paul wrote rebukes Peter listening to John MacArthur last night.

pain, really put two and two together, but Basically, you're splitting the book of Acts into right here. The first chunk. It is Peter second chunk is Paul. I mean, these are the Titans of the gospel there

And we see Paul does not submit that Peter is Maybe in word preaching a true gospel bit in his actions. He's he's showing something else and it's like me sitting with Lucan and Owen at the the lunch table, you know. And I had to laugh, you know that this is like high school cafeteria stuff right here. I mean it's sitting with them.

No big deal. They're there Gentiles. I'm a Jew not a big deal. But yeah, the Jews come walking in that are freezing while you know, you got to be circumsised. Oh, well, you know, I got to step away from the these dirty sinful Gentiles and and hang out with these these righteous Jews over here because you know, they're not worthy of

And that's completely contradictory to what Paul's preaching. You know, Paul's Paul's mission is to share the gospel with the Gentiles.

quick note Peter is it sharing? With the Jews always sharing with the Gentiles. The gospels the same it's not Peter's gospel. Paul's gospel way of Salvation Paulk their preaching the exact same message that the gospel did not change if there was no theological difference between what Peter was teaching what Paul was teaching Just going out to different people just as as we should be going out to different people. There's there's people that one of us in this room can reach the others may not be able to you know, I might be able to work with people better in a technical field. Then I can and the education field or the it field or you know, if Clerical Fielder any other we've all been given a gift where we're going to be.

Better at reaching people that we're going to be able to communicate better with some people doesn't mean we don't share with everybody. When we should share the gospel at every opportunity we possibly can. But if it's important that we do it without discrimination without and well, I don't like that guy so I don't care.

I know it's hard to share the gospel with people that you don't care about it. It's hard to share with the gospel with people that you know think. Well, yeah, I'm going to hell it's going to be a great big party. I'm going to take over and it's hard to share the gospel with people that think that way but that think it's all a big joke.

But we also know that the holy spirit is not going. To reach out to everybody and not everybody is going to surrender to Christ. Not everybody is going to believe a word in this book. We know that that road is wide and the world is on the Amtrak fast train.

now here's the part that that really and a punched me in the gut.

Ricci Ricci Paul make the statement that when sivas when she first came to Antioch, I opposed him face-to-face because because he stood condemned.

now as a body of believers We don't do a great job of this.

Yeah, we we want Church leadership to step in and correct a iPad gospel or sand in people's lives and

you know it if if our brother is wrong this kind of want to let Church leadership deal with it. Or we go to the extreme and we blasted on Facebook. What we fire it through the gossip Mill.

Hope you had a pretty awesome concept here. You know if there is something wrong in your brother's life. Or your sister's life. Having those face-to-face conversations having the boldness to say look. Yeah, I feel that this is wrong and we need to talk about it. now The flip side of that and I didn't write it down, but you know in Matthew talks about don't be hypocritical and go to your brother when you have a log in your eye about a speck in his eye.

so humbly Go to your brother and have that discussion. Now. They're there are issues that come up in the church that our church leadership issues that you know that the elders are going to have to deal with if you're not sure how to Have a conversation with someone or you feel like the conversation may not go so great. And you would like a witness the elders the deacons are more than happy to. To pray with you the council with you to provide guidance. But I will warn of this.

We may not always give you the answer that you want. We may not always agree. We may see the situation differently. Or young sometimes from the outside looking in it. It's it's a different view so

but I would say that if there is a Biblical issue we have to confront it, but we cannot just just let it ride and hope well eventually they'll figure it out. Yeah, if someone within our congregation is sharing a false gospel. We've got to say something. You know what? We can't just wait we can't tell you know, they're angry. Anyway, they'll leave the church and then we won't have to won't have to deal with it at all. And I think Paul set set a great example for us here. You'll have that face-to-face conversation. Don't send him a text message. Don't fired across Facebook. Don't shoot him an email go to him. Don't tell him in love and have the conversation. You know, it may may turn out to be a misunderstanding from the outside looking in. We may have seen something differently than what it really was.

We we may have let our emotions get in the way. We we may have been having a bad day and completely misrepresented the situation as Well, you know, I thought he said this but then we talked it it really wasn't that. you know, I thought that he was talking about me when he said that from the pulpit and I promise. Went when we dive into the word. Most of what we say from up here we might as well be looking in a mirror. the word can Vicks us

extremely some more than others. Do you know if vision for one tells us?

I therefore a prisoner for the Lord urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called with humility gentleness with patient. Bearing with one another in love eager to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to you. Are the belongs to your call one Lord One Faith one baptism one God and Father of all. Who is over who is over all and through all and in all? But Grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.

Pretty pretty bold, you know.

Tell this bearing with one another in love patience gentleness, you know, if you look at it at Timothy and Titus as we did it a while back and it calls out elders and deacons.

Pretty quickly sober minded not angry. Not a lover of the world man of one wife all of these things that they list as elders.

Later on Earth are called out for for the congregations of the church. There is no difference between qualifications of an elder or a deacon and the qualifications of a church member a follower of Christ all of those things apply Now ladies, you may not be a man of one wife. I get it, but there's a heart thing there so you can you can get the Adjust of it but you know that there's there's that critical thing that you know as Believers in Christ. We're supposed to the dyed our self and let allow Christ to live through us. But you know, we're going to get to justification here in a few minutes, but It's important 1st Peter 2 1 through 3 tells us to put away all malice and all the sea and all hip-hop corsi and envy and all slander like newborn infants long for the pure spiritual milk that by you. They grow into salvation if need if needed you have tasted that the Lord is good. If if we're being Hypocrites if we got my last against one another. for being deceitful

and we can easily, you know, be deceitful in a couple of different ways, but we can try to deceive other people into believing. I guess the greatest greatest illustration I have of this is family pictures.

We try to deceive people and making everything look perfect in a family picture even though he's probably going to shoot me for this. About five years ago. We had family pictures taken Jenny and I were on the diverter on the verge of a divorce. If you look at the pictures, you know, everybody looks happy. Everybody's close together everybody smiling. But it was the sea it wasn't painting the true picture our life. We're in shambles. We were headed different directions Savannah and Valerie hated each other because I know step-sisters in I think they still kind of feel that way but it's it's easy to to deceive people and and make everything look, okay. easy to deceive people with lies

and I think you know putting away all malice in to see no. Our brothers and sisters in this room can't pray with us can't pray for us. If we paint the picture that everything is okay.

We asked people people often often in the essentials Pantry. How can we pray for you?

We are to be asking each other the same thing. What's going on in your life that I can pray for you? Everything's going great. Let me pray for you and praise. If everything's miserable and crummy. Let me share your burden. Let me pray with you. Let me pray for you.

But you know, I think often were deceitful unintentional as well and we tell people I'll pray for you. We get busy we forget.

Now that there's there's nothing better that we can do on this Earth than to pray for one another. You know, I could give you everything I own.

And that means nothing. But if if I pray and God gives you a blessing. It's everything.

quit harping on that

now we're going to talk about justification a little bit. And yeah, I'm going to kind of do like I did last week and give the the kiss version of Yeah, keep it simple stupid.

And the simple version of Salvation, you know is the ability to have a relationship with God. Adjust ification, you know sounds like another one of those hundred. Million-dollar church words that nobody outside understand. I would say half of us in here. May not understand. I know a few years ago. I wasn't really in the word had really no clue.

but the simple story is

we're going to stand before before God in the day of judgement. And to be justified through Christ that that's going to be Christ's saying god dad. This one's mine. I've made him righteous For You For Your Glory they're yours now.

Yeah, it's it's Christ making us righteous, but we can't do it ourselves.

There's no works that we can do we can build a bridge to the sun before we could ever justify ourselves. And most people would look at you and say we're building a bridge to the sun's impossible. Well justifying yourself through works. is even more so Never going to happen.

But justification comes through the same process.

In order to be justified justified through Christ. We we've got to be crucified with Christ.

And what we've all seen movies that portray is at the crucifixion all probably seen paintings somewhere.

The gruesomeness of the crucifixion and I I would attest that none of those do the the real crucifixion Justice.

At the crucifixion all of us who we were the mockers. We were the Roman soldiers. We spit on Christ. We beat Christ. Yeah, we drove the nails.

We surrender to Christ and our old selves were crucified with Christ.

paint a complete different picture Christ has is standing there and love saying be alive with me. You're no longer dead. It you're no longer on the path to Hell come with me. I love you. Follow me.

pretty harsh picture to think of when you take rice off the cross in and put ourselves on the cross.

We didn't end or any of what he went through.

We were crucified of it was a dead soul. nailed across

but it is his crucifixion. It gives us the ability to be lifted off that crap cross alive in him. To be called righteous before God. that the day of judgement have Christ say This one is mine. Dad. I give it to you.

hard to think about

but in order to be justified. We have to die to our old selves. We have to accept that we have to surrender to the gospel. I hate the term except because it's Are you cheesy way of?

Thing that that you fully believe in fate have faith in Christ at Christ is who he is, but he died for us.

Goes back to the basics of of the Gospel.

God wants to have a relationship with each one of us. He wants each and every one of us to be called righteous.

But soon as separated us. Sends running rampant in this world that we live in.

Christ crucified raised from the grave paying the price for our sin that we could never pay.

Repair confessing. We're centers repenting from San surrendering Our Lives to Christ.

We become justified through Christ. by Christ to the father and at the day of judgement we get to stand before God and say

That I am righteous. I am covered in the blood of Christ. The day of judgement. God is going to see us one of two ways. He's going to see his red covered in Christ blood. Are you going to see us dead? Plain and simple he sees his dead. Hell is where we're going we see you there. covered in the blood of Christ justified by Christ then we see heaven.

Romans 10:8 through 13

I was exhausted last night when I was working on. This has been a really tough week.

What does it say? The word near you in your mouth in your heart. That is the word of the faith that we Proclaim because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved. For with the heart One Believes and is Justified and with the mouth one confesses and is saved for the scripture says everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek for the same. Lord is Lord of all. Bestowing his riches on all who call on him for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

I'm pretty simple.

I know we all struggle sin is.

Sin is hard to turn away from it. It's so easy and I feel sorry for you because you know. As I look at my son playing on his phone.

But we put send so easily at their fingertips.

They don't have to leave their bedroom to get into trouble.

They don't have to leave their their bedroom to. As wrong relationships with friends or you know, the opposite sex or anything else that everything's right there at your fingertips.

Valerie know and I guess I was more eager to get his driver's license in Valerie is but you know in order to socialize have relationships with friends and we were those of us there a little older than technology here. Yeah, we couldn't wait to get our drivers license.

Course, you know we all got the the same responses from her parents be home at this time. Where you going to be who you going to be with? What's a phone number where I can call somebody? They don't even have to leave their rooms.

And I can get into more trouble. And what we could being out on the streets.

And as technology continues to grow and the world contains continues to the spiral more and more toward the the Revelation toward Christ coming back doors. It's going to get

That's why it's important that that we understand that. When we give our lives to Christ when we surrender Our Lives to Christ.

that

we do our best even though it's a daily struggle to to turn away from sin. You know, there's a sin in our lives that that we struggle with it. It's important to pray about it. Before we fall into it.

I pray that as all prayed, you know Lord, please take this Thorn from my side. I wasn't wasn't praying that God would forgive him again because he fell into the same sin. He was praying that God would change his heart to turn away from that sin not to continually fall into it not to put another nail in in Christ on the cross.

Be able to have our souls. Alive no longer hanging on the Cross covered in the blood of Christ.

fraternity to be able to have that internal relationship with God to be able to glorify him to serve him the worship him for eternity.

We were kind of talking in small group about a conversation Mike and I had last Saturday or the Saturday before I don't know X just kind of out of control right now, but

We imagine how great. Evan is going to be to be in the the good presence of God. Not that there was a bad one, but there's there's a good side to that we see is this is what I want. God's going to be present in hell as well.

But not going to be any any of the side of God that we want to see God's Wrath is going to be in hell for eternity. It's important that we get this right. It's important that that when we share the gospel were dead on important that as a family of Believers and I think you know that terms used a lot even though structure of family as horribly broken in the United States and where bunch of spoiled rotten.

individuals hear, you know, we're entitled to everything but we have these god-given rights that that we fight about which were wrong because

I don't believe most of the rights that we fight over our god-given but fighting against what man wants what what we feel were entitled to what our preferences are. What are opinions are. The god-given right that God has given us. What's a believing in Christ through Grace and nothing less? Down everything from the beginning of scripture to the end all falls back on Grace. and I think it's important that as a body of Believers as a family that that we extend Grace, but we also extend accountability. But extending it in love. one on one face to face versus any other means we have

I really struggle with a lot of my family that are their dirty laundry and even Church dirty laundry out on Facebook. Not the place for arguing religion on Facebook. We're wrong. And it if we're sharing the gospel on Facebook. How do you say be cautious? Yeah.

My mom's not here today so I can say this but yeah, my mom used to share these. So if you share this Jesus will bless you in the next 24 hours if we're sharing that kind of garbage on Facebook your fault. Paul is a cursing us. in Galatians 1

to be cautious be loving know your source Know the context is correct.

Share the gospel Jared on Facebook. Bashar cautiously Garrett one-on-one the shirt cautiously make sure we're in contact make sure that we're not leaving anything out. Make sure we're not adding anything to

cheraton love there in the grace that God has given us because without Christ where all useless

it only only reason we're here is to that it glorifies God and you know, if we're not glorifying God then then we're raising up the the kingdom of Satan that we know is going to fall. It's already fell just Satan don't know it yet.

I'm going to go ahead and close this out with the word of Prayer. Sorry, I know this morning's message was. It was a bit all over the place because it has been a week and I mean even here at the church. It's it's been a busy week as we had an elders meeting with the deacons on Monday Wednesday night service tonight beef night to breathe on Thursday, which I missed.

Essentials Pantry tonight changing jobs trying to finish up from what I feel was God showing me a life lesson. Everyone is not going to come to Salvation. Everyone is not going to believe in Christ and just as he's not going to save everyone. I can't help everyone really feel like I opened my business as a bleeding heart wanting to help everyone that I could. And it was a great Learning lesson that that God said that you can't save everyone yet. You can't help everyone. Sometimes people have to stand out on their own two feet and and do it for themselves in a week.

I'll pray for us and then we're going to have hopefully a pretty short business meeting as we've got a pantry tonight and dear heavenly father. Thank you for this day. I thank you for the beautiful sunshine Lord. I I know the earth needs the rain, but honestly, I'm I'm tired of it. I am ready for some beautiful days of of sunshine some days that I can actually get out and just enjoy the the glory that That you have made in the beautiful Creations that you have made the Lord ready for the days that to see you showing off with the clouds the sun rises the sun sets. I pray that that you will be with our hearts as as we continue to just share the gospel of Christ. Lord I pray that if we're failing if if we're missing the boat if we're adding to taking away Lord that that you would put someone in front of us that is willing to say in love you're wrong. That would be willing to take the time to show us why we're wrong. Show us in scripture what the gospel is. Lord I pray that as we have the pantry tonight Lord that if there's someone that doesn't know the gospel that's claiming salvation. That you will convictor heart. Arduino salvation is impossible without the gospel.

So I just pray the Lord that you will convict hearts that you will. ISpy the the mouthpiece as we share the gospel as we go out into the World Lorde it as we go out into the town of Martinsville and share with people as we go out and do our jobs. just as we go wherever

you would convict our hearts to share the gospel of Christ that we wouldn't be. racist with the gospel That we wouldn't be. Are fall to share the gospel.

That we wouldn't let intimidation. by any other source change the purity of the Gospel that we share. I just pray that. everything that we do Is centered on glorifying you? And sharing Christ to bring everyone that we possibly can to know the truth.

And once I know that truth. Allowing the Holy Spirit to do his job. And whether that's to bring that believer to know. Or tell all that believer to go.

That's up to you. I just pray Lord that that you will convicted us to do what you have commanded us to do in Jesus name we pray.

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