Gospel Accountability & Gospel Courage

Galatians  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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Galatians 2:11–14 (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. 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 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?”

Opening Prayer

I Have No Self-Righteousness

G.K. Chesterton made this statement in a magazine article...“The problem with the world is me.
As Christians, we understand this and believe it.
But, when we’re clinging to self-righteousness we’re not able to make that statement with sincerity.
It’s impossible.
Because deep down we actually don’t believe we’re the problem with the world.
We think others are.
And, the result is that we start believing the world would be better if more people were like me.
The gospel frees us to say, “The problem with the world is me”...
And, know that we are, in spite of that truth, infinitely valuable to the only One who can truly judge value.
And, that is God.
And, that infinite, eternal value that we have is because...
And, only because of Jesus laying that value upon us...
Through faith in Him.
Now, this morning I want us to see a subtle, but profound lesson in this passage.
Galatians 2:11–13 (ESV)
11 But when Cephas [Peter] 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. 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.
I want us to see...

The Need for Accountability & the Courage to Give It

You may be thinking, “Wait. Why is anyone confronting me if I have no rules placed upon me?
So, the short answer to that question is...
It’s not that we have no rules or commands from God.
It’s that our hope is not in rules or our keeping them.
That’s been done for us by Christ.
That’s the good news of the gospel... It is finished.
We need to remember that although the ceremonial laws have been fulfilled in Christ...
And, therefore, put away...
The moral law is still our guide.
And, for Christians, our pursuit of living morally is an expression of our love for the one who has saved us.
It is an act of gratitude to God for saving us...
Because we now love Him.
The NT is very clear about what God’s will for us is as His people.
The Ceremonial, Clean, & Cultural laws of the nation Israel have been fulfilled in Christ.
Their purpose has been fulfilled.
The roles that played into those laws such as priests and high priest have been abrogated by Christ fulfilling the necessity of those Laws.
The moral law of God has always been universal law...
Written on the hearts of both Jew & Gentile, alike.
The moral law doesn’t separate people into cultures, and they’re summed up in the two commandments:
Love the Lord you God with all you heart, mind, soul and strength.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
So, the moral law can be characterized by your behavior towards God...
And your behavior toward your fellow man.
Much of the commands we have in the NT are based upon how we should treat one another...
In light of our relationship with God.
Which stems from the moral law.
And, our moral life is a work of us yielding to the HS for Him to transform us.
So, the moral law of God or the law of Christ is love...
Expressed through our behavior towards God and fellow man...
And we should be confronted when it is out of step with the gospel...
For the purpose of evangelism, conversion, sanctification, unity...
All under the banner of the glory of God.

In light of those truths, let’s get back to The Need for Accountability & the Courage to Give It.

Allow me to give a little description of the known people in this scenario.
And, I mean no disrespect to any of them.
My list is certainly not exhaustive.
I’m not trying to put them in a positive light, nor a negative light...
Only a human light.
Peter:
Typically the first to speak.
Which came back to bite him a few times.
Bold/Courageous in the right situation, right.
I mean he pulled out a sword and cut a soldier’s ear off in the arrest scene.
But, among a peer group and a crowd he cowered back and denied Christ.
Peter had a knack for influencing his peers.
Most likely, someone you would want in your foxhole.
In the finality of his life, he was crucified for being a Christian and made only one request.
To be crucified upside down (unworthy)
Barnabas:
Loving and kind.
His name means “Comforter/Encourager.”
He was the type of person that looked for the outcast...And sought to make him feel included.
Barnabas immediately rejoiced at the conversion of the Gentiles.
He didn’t stay away from them.
He didn’t act suspicious of them.
He rejoiced for them, with them, embraced them, and spent time with them.
Barnabas was inclusive of Mark, even when Paul was not.
Barnabas is someone who would most likely be easy to hang around.
Most likely, loved by most, if not all.
Peter and Barnabas seem to be opposites with regards to personality.
But, both were able to be swept away into hypocrisy.
They were both able to get caught up, once again, into self-righteousness.
They both were able to fall into the sin of finding your identity in something/someone other than Jesus.
It’s interesting that Paul makes a special emphasis on Barnabas getting pulled into the hypocrisy.
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.
I don’t think Paul is saying this because he’s surprised that Barnabas is falling into peer pressure.
Aren’t we all capable of such?!
I think Paul says this because the peer pressure Barnabas is falling into is the kind that would make others feel like outcasts & uncomfortable.
Barnabas the Comforter was not only acting sinfully, but even against his very own personality.
And, that is how deeply rooted sin is in each of us.
It can cause us to behave in such sinful ways that it goes against human nature...
And the personality that is so ingrained within us.
That’s the power of sin and temptation that we fight moment by moment, daily.
Now, some may be like Peter.
The more confrontational ( I don’t mean that in a bad way)…
The “Tell it like it is” kind of people.
They may be a bit more loud and outspoken about what they believe.
The “Far be it from me Lord” kind of people.
And, this type may think they’re not susceptible to cowering from contending for the truth.
But the truth is…YOU ARE.
Peter is that type of person.
And, he’s been swept away.
No matter if you’re more like Barnabas...
Or if you’re more like Peter...
And, I would say that we all lean one way or the other...
There’s something both types need.
There’s something both types, and all in between need.
Something that without it you can be swept away and many times we do get swept away...
And we need this in our life.
What is it?
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?”
What do we need in our life?
What do we need a steady diet of in our life?
We need gospel truth spoken into our lives.
And, not only do we need a steady diet of gospel truth spoken into our lives...
But, we also need people in our lives who are willing to risk their peer perceived value...
In order to snatch us from the fire of self-righteousness.
In this case, Peter & Barnabas needed Paul.
They needed Paul’s willingness to lose their “liking him”...
Peter & Barnabas needed a friend who was willing to lose their “cool points” with them.
So, let’s ask/answer a very important question...

How Can We Be that Friend?

God calls us to be this kind of friend to one another.
We need friends like this.
And, at the same time, it is very easy for us to get out of line...
And, be more of an enemy in these situations than a friend.
So, how do we do this?
How can we be a Paul to a Peter or a Barnabas?

#1 – Think About the Timing of Your Approach

Be gracious in the timing of your approach.
Have a relationship with the person outside of this confrontation.
Know what is going on in their life.
Be praying for them and the specifics of their difficulties.
Hold off if they have heavy difficulties going on in their life.
Be a person of grace.

#2 – Realize Your Role

Holding people accountable is not introducing them to your Ceremonial Laws.
Or heaping guilt on them for not living up to your Ceremonial Laws.
Or traditional Christian ceremonial laws.
Your role as a gospel speaking friend is to lovingly confront when the behavior is not in step with the truth of the gospel.
In my near 23 years in the ministry...
Having to mediate in these kind of scenarios...
It’s amazing how many of these situations are based on Ceremonial Laws...
Either OT ones that have been abrogated by Christ fulfilling...
Or personal, made up Ceremonial laws.
It’s far less, that they have actually been biblical sins that needed to be repented of.

#3 – Pray Up/Study Up

Have passages that support your thoughts.
Study the Bible with regards to what you feel needs to be said or confronted.
Pray for God to grant you humility, kindness, gentleness, patience, understanding, a willingness to be wrong, acceptance it you are wrong, forgiveness in the situation.
All of these things will help the situation go better than without those things.

#4 – Approach w/Gentleness and Their Well-being In Mind

State your intentions, your motives, and your willingness to discuss...
And, that your wanting to discuss because you care...
And, your aware you could be wrong.
Speak with gentleness.
Speak with the goal of deeper love being the result.

#5 – Try to Leave w/Better Understanding & a Better Relationship

#6 How to Receive Being Confronted

Ask questions with patience to find out what is really being stated.
Clarify to the person what you think you’re hearing and what you think they mean...
And give the person a chance to correct or clarify any misunderstanding.
Have a heart to understand where they are coming from...
What they are thinking is going on...
What their goals are in the confrontation...
And, have a humble heart and look at it as a teaching moment for you...
And, possibly them.
The goal of this...is the gospel to be magnified.
Not hindered in the lives of others.
Let grace abound in our hearts, speech, actions, and our relationships.
And may the bride of Christ be beautiful to the world...
And to one another.

Closing Prayer

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