Orthopedic Christianity - Keeping Your Eyes on Christ

ILLUST: When is the last time you’ve been to a chiropractor? What about your front end aligned on your car?

Galatians 2: 11-16 - STAND UP - like we do for pledge or national anthem

The issue:

Peter, the strong apostle, the one who just finished evangelizing Gentiles, has been - properly - eating at the table with Gentiles in Antioch

Antioch - believers first called “Christians” there - a derogatory term, “little Christs” - Acts 11

Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, arguments arise as to this news of Gentiles being converted, and the right-wingers are concerned that they need to be Jewish first.

God has made it clear, especially to Peter, “what I’ve called clean, don’t you call unclean”

So some people from James, Jerusalem church, go see some of these Gentiles in Antioch, and Peter is there.

Peter then distances himself from the Gentiles, knowing that the Jews visiting would not approve of him eating with Gentiles (fellowship table was sacred - we miss this in our fast food culture)

Paul calls him out, corrects him

Orthopedic Christianity - Keeping Your Walk “Straight”

In this passage, in the early church, the Gospel is a stake - the very foundational belief is being challenged

1) The strongest of disciples can stumble

V. 13 - “hypocrisy” - acting together hypocritically

Peter knows better - God Himself taught him

He had enjoyed this “open table” practice, until he felt pressure from the right-wing Jews

He slid back to his pre-saved days, or his less mature days

He saw Jesus associate with the Gentile “dogs” and the sinners, sharing meals with them - He knows this is OK

Potential devastating effect on young/newer believers, Gentiles

Peter told Cornelius that he sees that God shows no partiality, and here he is, showing partiality

In Acts 11, Peter is directly accused of having gone into a Gentile’s house - and Peter said “who was I to think I could oppose God? - GOOD QUESTION

He gave in to pressure, and his walk suffered (needed orthopedic help)

V. 14 - “straightforward” - walking not uprightly, or not acting in line - we get “orthopedic” from this word - important to walk properly, physically and spiritually

Peter was clearly in the wrong - he needed help by correcting - “re-aligned”

2) The strongest of disciples understand correction and repentance

Peter stand condemned - now what?

He knows the truth, and yet he settled into a comfort zone

His testimony is at stake

The very truth of the Gospel is at stake

Gentiles, people in need of a close relationship with Jesus, are watching and wondering

“Is THIS how a follower of Jesus acts and behaves?” - OUCH!

For one thing, the men from James did not come and act on James’ authority (Acts 15:24)

Peter needs correcting - his walk needs to get straightened out (ortho - like a knee, hip, etc.)

“You live like the lost Gentiles, while encouraging the lost Gentiles to love like Jews!”

Hypocrisy - strong word - “playacting” as in wearing a mask

Theater in the day, moods and personality were expressed by wearing a mask

NOW - here - “acting in a way that belies one’s convictions

Paul rebukes Peter’s inconsistency in conduct

Peter reverts, shortly, to times when his devotion to Christ was in trouble

Walking on water and falling (took his eyes off Jesus)

Denial of Jesus (eyes off Jesus, focused on himself)

Concern about others’ (John) place with Jesus (eyes/focus off Jesus)

Peter became obsessed with, concerned with, external circumstances (his own personal position and other people) - and his walk with the Gospel suffered

How would you react to being called out like this?

PETER GETS IT

How do we know Peter gets the message?

Acts 15:7-11 “Peter’s" Gospel (no such thing, it’s God’s Gospel)

His response to correction is repentance

Salvation by grace alone - no question - not even close to negotiable!

3) The strongest of disciples keep going, keep growing

This is where we get to US

The big point here: How you live your Christian life has an eternal impact on others around you - like it or not

Peter is a strong, if not the strongest - follower of Jesus - yet he became concerned with how that looked to others

Has this ever affected YOU?

Are you strong around some people, and then when challenged, you change, and give in to a “less-strong” walk?

Does it concern you that people might think “poorly” of you if you take this “Christianity thing” too seriously?

Some points for us:

Standing for the truth of the Gospel can be very lonely - especially when opposition gets intense

People outside the faith will not understand your convictions

ASIDE - the assumption is that you HAVE convictions, founded on truth of God’s Word

Examples: Sundays - in God’s house, not even close to being negotiable, or God is wrong in Hebrews 10:25

Some can be like Peter, talk a good game about being involved with church, how Sundays are important, how great our church is, and then disappear for weeks at a time

We know the truth, at least we say we do...

Correction is hard, and necessary

Like raising children - God is continually raising His children

Imagine a non-disciplined Christian life - it is God who provides the discipline, the correction

Imagine non-disciplined children (unfathomable to God), lack of discipline shows lack of love, to be honest

Hebrews 12:6 NASB95

For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives.”

How do you like being corrected? Are you willing to be shown you are wrong? Is this even important to you, to know the Word, defend it, and live it, letting God adjust you along the way (like a chiropractor)?

If your knee, shoulder, hip, etc. hurts and needs repair, you get it repaired

It can hurt, it’s very painful at times - but necessary?

CHALLENGE

So where could we stand some correcting?

First, the truth of the Gospel - we gotta get out of being “religious” and get to Gospel truth

IF you are willing to believe or support other beliefs, you do damage to the Gospel, and people end up in Hell - that’s truth - WE CANNOT BE WRONG ABOUT THE GOSPEL!

Realize there are things we CANNOT do like the world

How we treat church - like a social club, we know it’s “open” every Sunday, and if there is nothing more pressing or more important, we’ll come and watch

We treat church so nonchalantly, and then we wonder why those close to us want nothing to do with it - we show them it’s not important, so what do we expect from them??

How we treat family - namely marriage, parenting.

The world watches us and sees that we do this no differently than they do, and then we talk to them about Jesus, and they are confused, because there is no difference between us

How we treat “success” - especially when success comes at the expense of our spiritual walk

Again, what makes us different, “set apart?”

God set us apart for a reason - to stay there, and be used to draw others this way, NOT for us to be drawn the other way

Takes strength to stand firm, and influence others in the way of Jesus

Sadly, too often, strong Christians are influenced by the lost, or even by weak Christians

We need to change this

There is a small, core group here, that seems willing to be part of an effort, prayerfully toward revival. God’s will, His plan, is to see that group grow, and for the world around US be influenced for Christ

SO....willing to be corrected? Need an orthopedic specialist?

If you were guaranteed to be stronger after a surgery, would you do it?

If you were guaranteed to be stronger, spiritually, after being corrected by God, would you listen to Him?

He’s trying to get your attention, many of you, right now!

It’s time to be disciples, surrendered followers of Christ, and that means keeping going, and keeping growing, until we see Him face to face.