No Longer Inferior

Our theme for 2021 is “Redeeming the Time”

Last week I began a study of Paul’s letter to the Galatians

Remember that Paul encountered opposition to the gospel.

As he writes to those who came to faith in Christ, he is finding himself in the position of needing to defend his ministry and to remind them of the truth that he taught them.

There were Jewish “missionaries” following Paul around the region and trying to convert Christians, both Jew and Gentile, back to Judaism.

Or in the case of Gentiles they would say that you have to be a Jews first to become a Christian.

You can believe in Jesus, but you have to follow the Law and keep the Jewish customs and Jesus’ teachings would be in addition to all of that.

Now the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 took up this matter and decided not to burden the Gentiles with these requirements.

Becoming a follower of Christ is not just a matter of following a religion, it is a supernatural transformation.

You are no longer what you used to be.

But then, like these guys following Paul, the doubts and the questions start to arise.

You need to come back to simple faith in Jesus.

You are not what you used to be.

As we go through this series, I want to confront those other voices.

You are no longer deceived - you had an encounter with Jesus and you know the truth!

Also, You are no longer inferior.

In the Roman world, most Jews would have been considered inferior.

In the context of religion, the Jews considered the Gentiles to be inferior because they (the Jews) were in covenant with God.

Referring to a Gentile as “uncircumcised” meant that they are outside of the covenant.

They are not a “member” of the club.

We have a membership here at SCF, but for the most part we don’t make any distinction between who is a member and who isn’t. But if you try to shop at Costco and you are not a member, they will send you to the service counter and try to sell you a membership.

For Jewish Christians, having Gentiles in the church was like having non-members getting the same benefits as members. They were going around telling Gentiles that they have to become a member before they can “join the club” so to speak. And to Jews they were telling them that they need to be sure to keep all of the rules.

Actually covenant is a much stronger concept than membership, but you get the idea.

They are putting these new believers in their place.

Telling them that they are inferior.

Giving them hoops to jump through to try to prove themselves.

Do you sometimes feel inferior to other people or to other Christians?

Do you feel like you have to prove yourself?

Or that it doesn’t matter what you do, you will never belong?

Things started out that way for Paul.

Remember, he was the one who started out persecuting the church and then became a preacher!

You can imagine the shame that he felt and the guilt that he had to overcome.

Paul takes his readers back to the days when he was a “nobody”

and talks about how he earned credibility,

even confronted hypocrisy

and how he found his identity in Christ.

And he tells the Galatians, “You can do the same, because you are no longer inferior!”

What makes you credible?

Credibility - the quality of being believable or worthy of trust. Dictionary.com

Paul had a huge credibility gap to make up with the rest of the church.

He didn’t do that by acting like someone that he wasn’t.

He did that by getting real about who he is.

Remember in the last chapter, part of his processing God’s call on his life was to spend some time in Jerusalem with Peter and James.

Now he talks about another trip to Jerusalem, this would have been after his first missionary journey.

Probably would have coincided with the Jerusalem council.

He had been preaching the gospel, going into the synagogues, but he was finding more Gentiles coming to Christ than Jews.

Today we would think that was awesome, but it was kinda strange back then so Paul needed to check in with the leaders in Jerusalem.

Make yourself accountable.

Galatians 2:1–3 ESV

1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. 3 But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek.

So Paul is preaching the gospel and Gentiles are getting saved, and somewhere in there Paul is getting a revelation that this is actually God.

You might remember that Peter had a similar revelation when God told him to go and preach to a Roman centurion.

Paul must have remembered that story and wanted to compare notes, so he went back to Jerusalem.

And he took a Gentile convert named Titus with him as an example of a Gentile believer (which to a Jew probably sounded like and oxymoron).

He wanted some “peer review” as to whether or not he was preaching the right message.

He must have remembered that he was wrong once before...

Honest people seek out accountability.

Good leaders invite critique and critique themselves.

Constructive criticism is how we learn to excel.

Paul is essentially asking the leaders in Jerusalem to tell him if he is doing anything wrong.

They apparently said, “no, you’re good!”

And what’s even more telling is that they accepted Titus who would have been considered an outsider.

Did these other Jews that are following Paul around bother to do their homework? I don’t think so!

Real accountability wants to get to the truth.

These guys were just promoting status quo.

Work at being consistent.

Galatians 2:4–6 (ESV)

4 Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— 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. 6 And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me.

After accountability, the next thing that makes a person credible is consistency.

Does their story stay the same or is it always changing.

Does what they say align with what they do?

Are they predictable in the way that they relate to people or change depending who is around?

Paul says here that there were actually people sent to spy on him and maybe bring back something that they could use against him!

If he would have acted differently because they were there, then they could say it was all just an act!

Paul knew that the only way to pass that test is to be completely genuine.

Let them see whatever they want to see! Its all real!

The other test was how he would act around the Apostles - you know - the “real” Apostles - the ones who spent three years with Jesus.

Paul literally took a “crash course” in apostleship when he had that encounter on the road to Damascus.

These guys had the full three-year degree!

He could have either cowered or tried to suck-up to them

But he chose to keep his eyes on God and just be himself.

So what did these other Apostles think of Paul?

Remember how last week we talked about grace and that everything that we are and all that we receive is by God’s grace?

Well, that is the answer:

Walk in the grace that God gives you.

Galatians 2:7–10 ESV

7 On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised 8 (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), 9 and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived 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 circumcised. 10 Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.

This isn’t really about Paul or Peter or Titus or Barnabas - its about what God is doing in the world and we each have a part in it.

If you don’t consider what you have to be yours then you can’t be threatened by anyone else.

If what each person has is what is given to them by God then there is no place for insecurity or envy - the only thing that is important is what we do with what we are given.

The Apostles seem to have this attitude.

“Hey, we have our hands full just trying to reach the Jews for Jesus, but if you have Gentiles getting saved then go for it!”

The only condition was that they remember the poor.

That’s another way of saying, don’t just go after the rich Gentiles, but the poor ones too.

Maybe since most Jews were working class they had this idea that all Gentiles are rich, which isn’t really true, but it probably was true that most rich people that they would know were Gentiles.

Paul says, “I’m cool with that!” and he is… because he’s consistent.

But here’s the next question: What do you do when someone who is supposed to be your superior is not consistent?

How do you confront hypocrisy?

The incident that Paul describes next must have happened after the Jerusalem council when Peter is visiting Antioch which is a mixture of Jews and Gentiles.

Peter is an honored guest, but he is outside of his usual culture and the rules are different

But what is Paul going to do?

Galatians 2:11–12 ESV

11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party.

Be bold but respectful.

Now to be clear, normally Jews do not eat with Gentiles.

Peter is willing to bend the rules, just as he did when he went to Cornelius’ house.

Now in Antioch with a multi-ethnic church, he decides to blend in and eat with eat with everyone else.

When I was in India for the first time, I was glad to have a guide who was Indian and American and who could help me to navigate cultural norms. Just like in the Bible, we would be served separately as honored guests. They are used to dividing according to social status, but we wanted to eat with them to show that we are all one in Christ. Depending on our host, sometimes we could and sometimes we couldn’t but we always insisted on eating the same food.

But when some other guests arrived he had a dilemma:

Do I continue to eat with the Gentiles? They know I don’t have a problem with them.

These guys are probably more conservative, they might not understand.

I’m only reverting to what is considered normal.

By eating with the other guests and separating himself, Peter was sending mixed messages to the Gentile believers.

Peter probably didn’t see it, Paul had to say something.

But Paul payed him the respect of saying it to him directly and not to everyone else.

I suppose he could have stayed at the Gentile table and made sarcastic remarks that Peter might overhear.

He could have said nothing and “vented” after Peter left.

Given who Paul was in comparison to Peter at the time, it took guts to do what Paul did.

But Paul was actually handling it in the most appropriate way.

So what if Paul had just let it go? What could be the harm in that?

Recognize the larger dynamics.

Galatians 2:13 ESV

13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.

The problem was that it wasn’t just Peter.

Another thing that I learned in India is that people in Eastern culture to not think as themselves as independent of others. You think of yourselves as a group and each person knows their place in that group. For example, whenever you enter a room you assess who is the most respected in the room, usually the oldest, unless there are designated titles. You take all of your cues from that person, follow their lead and do what they do or what they tell you to do.

That is what was happening at Antioch.

All of the Jews knew that Peter was a respected leader

So when he left the table to sit with other Jews, everyone seemed to follow his lead.

Everyone except Paul.

Paul knew that if they separated Jews and Gentiles that would be the new precedent.

Gentiles would become second-class Christians, people you can eat with, but only if there aren’t any “important” people around.

Paul had worked hard to make sure that he was right in preaching that Jews and Gentiles are equal in Christ.

You can’t preach one thing and practice another.

Point out the inconsistency.

Galatians 2:14 ESV

14 But when I saw that their conduct was not 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 Gentiles to live like Jews?”

Here’s the thing - Jews were not excluded from eating with gentiles because they are Gentiles- just that they are not Jews.

If a Gentile is circumcised and follows the Jewish laws, he can theoretically be accepted at the Jewish table.

It worked for Titus and he wasn’t circumcised (and probably only follows some of the Jewish customs).

Peter and Paul both know that as Christians their priority is the command of Christ - you know, the one about love.

They don’t even keep all of the Jewish laws and yet they are accepted - how is that not possible for Gentiles?

I’m sure it was not easy for Paul to call Peter out in from of everybody,

but for Paul, this wasn’t just something between him and Peter,

this was about the integrity of the gospel message and how it is lived out.

And lets not forget about grace.

God is working in all of this because He wants the world to know the freedom that is in Jesus Christ.

Where is your identity?

Faith in Jesus makes you adequate.

Galatians 2:15–16 ESV

15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed 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.

Three times in two verses Paul says that we are “justified” by faith in Jesus Christ.

What does it mean to be justified?

It means that you are in compliance with a standard

like the law,

or in this context with the propriety of social order.

It means that they are part of the covenant of Jesus’ blood and can therefore participate in eating together which is a covenant activity.

In today's plain language it means you are adequate - good enough - you’re OK!

You are adequate because of Jesus.

Jesus is the One in the room from whom we all take our cues.

If you are in covenant with Jesus, then anyone who has a problem with you can take it up with Him!

You are welcome at the table as the guest of Jesus Christ!

Following Jesus makes you competent.

Galatians 2:17–19 (NLT)

17 But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! 18 Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. 19 For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God.

I am using the NLT here because these verses may be tricky and hard for us to understand.

In the Eastern context, like in India or in the Bible, if you are someone’s guest and someone else has a problem with your being there, your host will surely defend you, but you might feel guilty for having brought this trouble on them.

In another story from India, my host wanted to take me to a museum. He was going to pay for my admission because that what I do when he is here with me. Of course in India there is a different price for natives and for tourists. And its a big difference in price! So the museum guard insists that i should pay the tourist price and my friend argues that he is paying and it should be the native price. But I don’t think that the guard believed him because tourists have lots of money. Why wouldn’t I pay?

Someone might still insist that you should pay for your invitation to the table (like by keeping the Law).

Paul wants to make sure that we understand, that Jesus is not bypassing a social convention out of convenience.

The Law and the religious system doesn’t work!

Unless Jesus invites you to the table, there is no other way to get there!

What makes you competent?

How did you earn the right to receive what you have?

What makes you worthy of any reward at all?

Grace - just grace.

The only thing you need to do is walk in obedience to Jesus - just follow his lead.

Later we are going to talk about walking in the Spirit - it’s the same thing.

The gospel is not a gospel of trying harder.

You can’t do this on your own.

You need God’s grace and the Spirit’s empowering.

It’s not so much about trying harder as it is letting go - dying to self.

We identify with Christ in His death and resurrection.

Identifying with Jesus makes your life meaningful.

Speaking of the Lord’s Table, we are going to take communion while I make this last point.

Galatians 2:20–21 The Message

20 Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I am not going to go back on that. Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God’s grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily.

As we take communion this morning, I want you to consider who you are in Christ and how your identity in Christ makes your life meaningful.

1 Corinthians 11:23–24 ESV

23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

If you are in covenant with Jesus, then his death was your death.

Your old sinful nature died with Jesus on the cross.

He carried your sin to the grave and it was buried with Him.

Whatever may remain of the sinful nature is to be considered dead and gone.

It is inconsistent with who you are in Christ.

1 Corinthians 11:24–25 ESV

24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

But if you are in Christ then His resurrection is your resurrection.

His life is your life - that’s what it means to be in covenant.

His Spirit is your empowering.

His mission is your purpose.

Questions for reflection:

Can you say, “I am adequate?” Who or what makes you OK? Is your faith in yourself or in Jesus? Have your responded to Jesus’ invitation?

Can you say, “I am competent?” Who or what makes you good enough? Are you still striving or have you learned to rest in Christ’s sufficiency? Are you moving in the Spirit’s empowering?

Can you say, “My life is meaningful?” Who or what gives you purpose? Are you part of something bigger than yourself? Is God able to direct and use you for His purpose?