Practice what you Preach

I have had the privilege of preaching several times in my life, and their is something special about the sermon prep, about how God works on you, and how he convicts of certain sins. And this text is no different, but it hits hard, because of who is involved in this dialogue. Paul and Peter two giants of the faith interacting in a way that you dont often see them interacting. Sure their are rebukes all throughout Scripture, but none quite like this. And Paul wants to stress the point Peter practice what you preach.

Read Galatians 2:11-14

Main Point: Practicing what you preach means you are to live out what you believe.

Practicing what you preach means living for Christ in all situations

The text says Cephas ( Peter ) went to Antioch. Antioch was a place that was full of Gentile Christians. Peter could go to them because of what took place in Acts chapter 10. In Acts chapter 10, Peter has a unique vision from the Lord where he is told to kill and eat certain animals that God in the law made unclean, and God was clear with Peter do not call what is common what I have made clean. And in that Vision Peter heard from the Lord that he was going to go up and three men would be meeting you, and he left to meet with them.

Lets pick up what it says in verse 22 of Acts chapter 10. And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say.” 23 So he invited them in to be his guests.

The next day he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. 24 And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.” 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. 28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.”

30 And Cornelius said, “Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ 33 So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”

Gentiles Hear the Good News

34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), 37 you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, 40 but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, 41 not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Peter had recieved the same revelation that Paul had, that Gentiles could believe in Christ.

Look what it says in verse 44, 44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.

And Peter would eventually go and tell the church about this event. It was important to mention all this background, because of what was taking place between the circumcision party and Peter. Peter was eating with the gentiles, and certain men from James were as well, remember last week we talked about how these men did in fact believe that you could be saved by faith alone, not works, not adding anything to salvation.

Peter and James men eating with the gentiles meant that they had extended fellowship with those who were quite different from them. These people were never people that Peter or James would have ever eating with prior to Christ, but Christ changed everything, he opened the forbidden door, and he was probability enjoying himself in the process. But when trouble came he was quick to forget all the Christ had taught him. ( thats crazy to think about ) Peter who had been given this great revelation went quickly away from it when the pressure came.

This wasn’t the first time Peter had done something like this if you remember the gospels Peter was talking to Jesus about how he would never betray him. Listen to Matthew 26:30-35- 30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 31 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 33 Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” 34 Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 35 Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same.

It is so easy to not practice what you preach, If you read a little further you will see that Peter actually denied Jesus Matthew 26:69-75 what happened it says, 69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” 71 And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72 And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” 73 After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” 74 Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.”

Its devastating when you read it, because you know Peter loved Jesus, yet he compromised.

And i believe I had to read all these verses to you today to drive home the point it doesn’t matter who you are, and what you believe you can too compromise and live something other than what you believe. It is possible for you to have right believe, and wrong practice. And thats why Paul had to oppose him, to rebuke him, because when those who were not like the gentiles came he drew back and the sign of fellowship he gave the gentiles before was no more. So much so that he separated himself from them out of fear.

Peter lacked the boldness needed to stand firm for what he actually believed. We see this so often in our own lives. When we are at church with like minded people its easier to be how we are suppose to be, but when the world creeps in and confronts us to what we really believe we often look for a way out. Or we draw back, many of us are content to live life without confrontation, and with compromise.

As much as God used Peter his life shows us the importance of living consistently. Believers in Christ should live in such a way that no matter who is around us our lives are the same. It’s easy to be like Peter and change when we are around others, and while sometimes we need to adapt that doesn’t mean we need to compromise. Jesus didn’t die for us to live like the world, but died so we could live freely in Christ.

Think about the chameleon some of those species can change colors so much that they can adapt to their environment to protect themselves. Many Christians often do this they adapt to their environments so much so that they separate themselves from what they really believe, and I am not suggesting that you be foolish with your faith, but I am suggesting that you dont back away from your faith when surrounded by those who apose you. Dont shink back when the world challenges your faith, because you know the true gospel.

Look at the result of what happens to others as result of Peter compromise. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so much so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.

Simple compromise on a believers part can lead astray even the best of believers. Peter was to be an example, a warrior for the faith, yet when the opposition came he lacked boldness, and drew back.

All of those Jews who believed the gospel, and knew the freedoms that they had in Christ were led astray by Peter’s actions. They too were not enjoying the freedoms of Christ, because of Judizders, because of legalist, telling them this is how you live, and they were not extending the fellowship to the gentiles. like they previously were. They were quick to go back to their old lives, because of who was around them. ( bad company can often cause a believer to go back to the way they use to be ) have you ever been around someone and noticed that your pattern of behavior started to be like theirs? For the Jews that had been saved this pattern would come naturally because of who they use to be. ( you often see this with addiction when someone has been set free from something and if they go around those who have similar struggles and they fall into the trap of going back to what they had been struggling with ) For a believer in Christ its important to live as though they are free in Christ and not fall back into bad habits.

Barnabas was someone who had been contending for the faith. Paul had been ministering all over the world with Barnabas, preaching the gospel to the gentiles. Seeing the fruit of the Holy Spirit day after day. Seeing lives changes, and people set free. Yet, Yet he even strayed himself. A faithful brother in Christ is not exempt from falling away when false teaching enters into his life.

This is a powerful reminder that we as Christians have a responsibility to one another to live faithful Christian lives. Before you go down the road of sin, remember that a brother or sister in Christ may see your sin, and says hey if this person is doing this then it wont be so bad if I do it.

Listen to this Simple compromise on your part can lead to the demise of others.x2 Don’t compromise your faith in the moment, because it can have devastating results not just for you, but for others as well.

Practicing what you preach means living for Christ in all situations.

Practicing what you preach means sometimes you need correction.

Look back with me at Galatians 2:14 Paul says that Peter was out of step with the truth of the gospel

Listen to this quote from one commentary, “Verse 14 was an example of right belief with wrong behavior, hypocrisy. Peter knew the gospel and believed the gospel, but his actions didn’t reflect the gospel, so Paul called him out.”

Their are times in our lives when we believe the right things but act the wrong way. For me this is one my biggest problems, I know what the word of God says, and I believe all of it, but my actions dont quite line up.

Our lives can often be out of step with the truth of the gospel, and that means you need to be corrected. As believers in Christ we often do need that correction. It doesn’t matter who you are, you may need correction, listen to this quote, “Remember it’s not legalist for believers to confront sin and hypocrisy, even if it’s the apostle Peter who must be confronted”

Sin is sin, and as believers we must take care of it, and that was what Paul was trying to do. We must sometimes confront others sin’s even if its our pastor, our friend, or someone else, because we want to preserve the truths of the gospel.

And Paul gives us a foundation do that very thing, If you, though a Jew, live like a gentile, and not like a Jew, how can you force the gentiles to live like Jews. Peter who had extended fellowship to the Gentiles by his own actions was proving that the fellowship he given them had no real value, because he shrank back, but Paul is telling Peter if you yourself can live out the freedom of the gospel and do not have to follow the dietary, and sacrificial things of a jew then why are you requiring others to do that very thing.

Their is freedom in the gospel to live differently than the Jews did, and that meant that Peter could eat with gentiles, and fellowship with them, and live in perfect harmony with them because of the gospel, he did not need to shink back from the judaizers he could stand firm knowing the truths of the gospel. He and fellow jews could have used that moment as an opportunity to show the circumcision party look we to are experiencing the freedoms that only come from Christ, and we too are eating with the gentiles that you say we should not be with.

Their are circumstances in your life that will come up were you have to make a decision am I going to live for Christ, or am i going to compromise what I believe in so i can fit in with the other crowd. Each and everyone one of us in this room have friends that are non-believers or believers who may be weak in their faith. This text is an example that can be applied in many different situations, which you yourself can put it into, but the point is this. When opposition, or sin comes creeping at the door are you going to live for Jesus, or are you going to draw back, or separate yourself from him. It may not have the same importance as this event did, but it may be that whatever the circumstance is I am not going to live for you Jesus here. It could be Lord I dont have a problem being bold in my faith with others standing up for what I believe in, but Lord leave this part of my life alone, I know it doesn’t honor you, but what harm could it really do? For Peter his lack of boldness his lack of integrity, his lack of faith led not only him to sin, but others to sin as well. Simple compromise on your part can lead to the demise of others.

Believers in Christ We have to Practice what we Preach.

And why do we practice what we preach? Because of Jesus. Our savior, our Lord, he changed everything about out lives. The crazy thing about Peter after all we have read about him today is that Peter was used by God, despite all that he had every done, God used him as a pillar of the Faith, as someone who would give us 2 books of the Bible, and most scholars believe that he was with Mark who wrote the gospel of Mark because of his teachings about Jesus. Peter a great sinner, was a friend of Jesus and used by him. And thats good news because if you are like me after reading through this text it stings a little bit. Listen back to the words in Acts chapter 10, 36 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), 37 you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, 40 but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, 41 not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.

So good, so good, IF you are a believer know that if you have been a hypocrite which everyone has that God offers that forgiveness to you. BUT if you are not a believer in Christ the text is clear. Everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through Christ.

And the good news today is you to can know the Lord, if you repent of your sin, and put your faith in Christ alone. You are his, free free from works, free from legalism free from hypocrisy, and free to live practicing what your preach.

If you have a decision you would like to make I will be up here to pray and talk with you. Let us pray…