Be True to God's Word
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Good morning, everyone,
Today we are diving deep into the second chapter of the Letter to the Galatians. It has been a few weeks, so let us review and get our thinking caps on.
First, we learned that Pastors and Teachers are not paper but pencils. They do not create the word of God, but it is their job to teach and educate the word of God to others. Even the Apostle Paul did not create the Gospel but was the giant megaphone for our Heavenly Father to spread it throughout the region and the world.
However, we also learned that people could change. I know that this is shocking, but we live in a world where your life is entirely over if you are sent to prison. That one crime you committed will follow you for the rest of your life, and you will always be that person who broke the law, no matter if it was something as substantial as murder or as low as a crime that carries only a few years in prison. We must look at it from another way; for example, the Apostle Paul was killing Christians and the next, he was learning at the foot of Jesus about his Heavenly Father.
He changed entirely because he thought he was doing the right thing, but he did the opposite. There was a transformation in his life from killing Christians to teaching and Growing Christians.
Next, we learned that we must check where our ambition is?
Are we fired up for God, or are we like old stale fruit loops that are under the seat of your car? Of Course, all parents and Grandparents understand this point. When were we first believers? We did everything we could to learn and grow for our Heavenly Father? Just like a new job where you are fired up for your new company? Are we fired up for our Eternal Father and doing this for the supreme being that has done everything for us?
We do not deserve what we have been given. We were given grace and mercy for all our transgressions, and no matter what we do, we do not earn the gift we have received.
The title for this morning's Sermon is to be true to God's word. We are called to follow God's word because he is the creator and the sustainer of the Earth. Every word that is written in Scripture is meant to be there. There was not even one extra word that was put into Scripture. Just like commas and periods have a place in a sentence. Something that in the past I have struggled with.
Hey, 89-word sentences are good right?
let”s dive in
Galatians 2.1-2
Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 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.
(in-fluent-ial)
The Apostle Paul Returns to Jerusalem after 14 years and from his first Missionary journey. He Brings Barnabas and Titus along with him to hang out. He shows that he is a part of the larger Church and has the Mission that God has sent him on. Now Barnabas, who was always encouraging, and I am sure had a bubbly personality, opens the door so that he can get into the fellowship of the Churches in Jerusalem. We know this from
Acts 9.26-28
And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.
Barnabas was the one that provided the proof and allowed him into the places that he needed to be to do the Mission of God. He was kinda like an ID card for the situation.
Next, we have the word Revelation, and no, not the last book of the Bible. Do you remember how Pastor Rich mentioned a few weeks ago that God might have the Holy Spirit telling you one thing and having someone else tell you something different? He was being led away to Reach out to the Gentiles or the uncircumcised.
The Apostle Paul receives a Revelation or a tugging from the Holy Spirit that he needs to go to Jerusalem. The events that were going on there were causing some significant issues. The Jewish leaders told the Gentiles that they had to become circumcised or follow the Torah to become faithful followers of God.
Slide with Legalistic Church
The Jewish people took what God was trying to tell them in the Old Testament and taught them to the extreme. God did not give them commandments and laws to make them legalistic but to realize that they will fall short and need their Heavenly Father.
No matter what they and we do, we will not earn our Salvation. We cannot follow the 613 laws of the Circumcised or even the Christianity plus that we deal with in our current culture.
We have some Denominations or groups of Christians that believe and follow that you are not saved unless you are Baptized 1,2, or 3 times. I know that this is a significant debate in Christianity because of what man has decided to add to the equation.
Additionally, we have some that think that if you go to Church, you must wear a suit and tie or a dress. Do your clothes prevent you from having a relationship with your Heavenly Father, or is this something that man has decided that they are going to do Christianity plus?
Church Dress code slide?
I constantly tell people that we do not care what you wear to Church but care about your relationship with your Heavenly Father. What does the Bible Say?
The Apostle Paul keeps reinforcing that you do not have to be Circumcised to be a Believer. No matter what the Church says or what anyone at the pulpit says. What is our Heavenly Father saying and telling us? Pastors' jobs are to teach the word of God. Not add what they think or want it to say, but what is God telling us? It is God's word. Its not Brian's, nor pastor Rich, Mr. Chuck, or even some Biblical Scholars that I follow. It’s is our Heavenly father word.
However, we have another Jewel inside this passage that the Apostle Paul mentions. We see in the second verse that the words Run in vain. I know that this seems like something that is not a big deal, but we must dive deep into what is being mentioned.
Galatians 2.2 slide
This saying running in vain has some background and we have to understand this to follow what the Apostle Paul means. The saying relates to the Isthmian (Is-Th-main) Games that were going on. They were held every two years, and exile Jews would attend. This particular festival was dedicated to Poseidon and was a part of the four significant festivals conducted to honor the Gods. Olympia, Nemain and Delphi. (Del-phi)
These Festivals had athletic games like Foot races, horse races, jumping, javelin, boxing, and discus. Yes, the Roman sport where they roll a disc and see how far it would go.
However, these games were massive events like the Olympics that required temporary housing with people coming from all over the place to see and participate in the games. This was like a pig in the mud because the Apostle Paul was a tentmaker during the day and used this reference to show that he was in the world but not of the world.
He was not going to put on a show for the Gentiles that he would reach. He was being genuine or authentic.
Biblical teachers are thought to be perfect, but we all have struggles. We are constantly facing attacks by Satan, just like those listening online and sitting in our Auditorium. You do not hear about the ones that we win but the ones that have overcome us. Look at the many Biblical Teachers in the past 50 years who were involved in a scandal or something that goes against our faith.
We went down this giant sidetrack hippo trail because the Apostle Paul was not putting up a show or going through the motions. He told everyone that he was not going through the motions of Being a Follower of Christ. He would not be fake and would be honest no matter what the issues were.
Galatians 2.3
But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek.
Titus is the evidence of everything that the Apostle Paul is telling the Gentiles. We know that there was a fight with the Jerusalem council in Acts 15. He was the physical evidence of everything that he told them. He was not circumcised and showed everyone that it was not a requirement to be a Christ Follower.
Galatians 2.4
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—
So, who Remembers the show As the World Turns? This was a significant turn because Apostle Paul says that because of False Brothers or Informants brought in. They were spies placed there by Satan trying to cause issues at the very foundation of the Church. There will always be attacks on the Church and Believers. The more we do for his kingdom, the more we will have these attacks.
Spies
really spies ?
These false Brothers were placed there in the Church in Jerusalem to cause issues and say that you must wash your hands instead of that way. This was what the big deal was with circumcision.
These brothers in the Church telling everyone these false truths or lies were trying to bring the early Christians in the Jerusalem church into slavery. We are called to be slaves to Christ because we were paid the price, but this is entirely different from what was happening with these spies or informants.
They were trying to enslave the early believers to do things a certain way, taking away their liberties and restricting their lives. This was the opposite of what God wanted because this was not growing the kingdom of God but hurting it.
In the United States and in the world, we have many Denominations of Christianity that place restrictions on how we are to live, breathe, and even spend our money.
They call themselves Christians, but they are pawns in the game that Satan is trying to win. A game where they have taken the foundation of Christianity and added many different layers or twisted the Church. Some of these would be like the Mansion family, The People Temple, and many others that are small and under the radar.
We as Believers are in a war, and The Apostle Paul knew this all too well by facing this in Jerusalem while trying to reach out to the Gentiles.
Galatians 2.5
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— to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.
(Ap-ost-Olic)
Even though The Apostle Paul, Titus, and Barnabas faced attacks, they did not give up or allow Satan to win. Not even for a second so that they could do the Mission that God had sent them to do. We have been told that Satan leaves us alone when we become Believers but instead, we become the target. The world is easy for Satan because they will do what they want and when they want; if they want to do sexually immoral things, they will.
If they want to get drunk and steal from the local store, they will. However, Believers know that this is wrong, and they face an internal battle. I want to do what everyone else is doing, but I know it is wrong. Satan will work on those weaknesses. Have a weakness with Telling the truth? Addiction to something? Being kind or showing patience?
Vice slide
These are just some things that Satan will use to attack you. We as Believers must be trusting to what Scripture Says. All of Scripture and nothing but the Scripture. It does not matter what you think Scripture is saying or what I think it says, but what God says in his word. I know this is blunt, but would you listen if I sugarcoat it?
Would you get the idea that our time on Earth is not meant to be a vacation but a battlefield, and when we are done here, we get to party in Heaven with Jesus forever? WE do not have a time measurement to fathom the amount because it does not exist.
Galatians 2.6-8
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. 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 (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles),
The Apostle Paul says that those that were influential made no difference to him. He refers to Peter, James, and John, whom he had met with and pillars of the early Church. He did not care what they thought because God did not care. God only sees them as his children. They were not the golden child or the one treated with special treatment but all his children.
There was no Red Head Stepchild verse the Biological Children Dynamic Going. Everyone was on one team, and that was team G-O-D. No one was more special or got more attention than the other person. Everyone Mattered, and everyone had a job.
Their Mission that God had entrusted them to do was to spread the Gospel throughout the land. Peter, James, and John hit the synagogues and reached out to the Jewish People. Paul, Titus, and Barnabas reached out to the non-Jewish people or Gentiles.
Even though he did not care what they thought about him, Peter, James, and John did help him out on his Mission. They showed the Galatians proof that the Apostle Paul was honest. That he was there to spread the Gospel and not to kill Christians. He was facing the struggle of this because he was killing the very people, he was working with to add people to the kingdom in his past life.
Without the other Apostles vouching for him, he would not have been able to reach these individuals. The Apostle Paul was the real deal and was not fake. He had the stamp of approval and continued with his Mission to help the Church grow. God has his fingerprint all over this because he is taking the strength of everyone and plugging them into a way to spread the Gospel through the land.
Galatians 2.9
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.
So, James, John, and Cephas or Peter are apart of the foundation of the Church that was being built. The pillars notice that the Apostle Paul had received the kindness or favor from their Heavenly Father to Be a Believer and to spread the Gospel. So, they realized that he had changed from his ways of murdering Christians .
He was doing what he thought a good Jewish boy was supposed to do.
The Apostle Paul has been accepted as one of the popular kids, and they start giving out their assignments. We covered this in detail a few verses before, but they get their game plan together so that one group will go to the Gentiles and the other will go to the Jewish or Circumcised people.
Galatians 2.10
Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.
Peter, James, and John ask the Apostle Paul, Barnabas, and Titus to remember the less fortunate or the poor. Of Course, Apostle Paul states that he was eager to do this because he was in the trenches seeing what was going on. Remember that he was not doing full-time ministry in the sense that we see it today.
He did not get paid everything he needed to live by spreading the word of God. He was a tentmaker during the day. He was the ancient version of bi-vocational.
He was a strong guy putting together these tents interacting with people of all walks of life. He would have dealt with people covered in expensive purple robes, and then the next customer would be someone who would have rags and barely surviving who would not know the next meal they had.
The background of this time, there were thousands of people visiting Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost or those that are not Jewish this is 50 days after Passover. The event that released them from slavery in Egypt. We learned about this a few weeks ago in numbers and
Exodus 12.
However, like snowbirds who never return north, some of those who came for Passover never went home. They decided that life would be better in Jerusalem, so they stayed. The resources were scarce in terms of food and money. The people in Jerusalem were struggling big time because more people and the same amount of work means some will be poor and struggle.
So, what does this last verse mean for us in Fort Myers, Lee County, the united states, and the world?
We are called to help those that are less fortunate. Providing food gift cards, donating money to international missions, providing Bibles to people in Africa in their mother tongue, and ensuring people have safe Drinking water in the CAR And many other things.
Helping the poor slide
Who has seen this sign around town ???
We are not meant to be bumps on a log just sucking up everything we learn, but we are meant to learn, spread the Gospel, and help those around us. WE are called to be just like the Apostles Pillars of Christianity. Do the people we interact with daily know that we follow Christ, or are they shocked. Now, this could be as simple as grabbing an extra canned good when you go grocery shopping, taking a friend or neighbor to the doctor, sacrificing your personal or downtime to help someone do yard work or work on ham Radio gear.
The point is that God has given us gifts and skills to help the poor, less fortunate, and those struggling in our world.
So how can we take everything that I just dumped on everyone and spread it to our friends, family, weird people we see on the street, and even ourselves including placing it on our fridge
First, Christianity plus - NOT
We Covered that there is no such thing as Christianity plus. There is only one thing that guarantees and is required for your Salvation. There is no requirement that you have be Baptized once, twice, three, or even twenty times. This was taken to show Fellow Believers that you were a Christian and to deepen your relationship with your Heavenly Father.
IT was not a part of the requirements to be saved and party in Heaven with Jesus. We also learned that God does not care what you wear to Church. Jeans, shorts, tank top, shoes, no shoes, whatever you want. Please make sure you are modest and have something covered up. We, as Christians, have added our requirements because we thought it was a good idea. God did not add another commandment of things that we add.
Of Course, I know many denominations and churches would disagree with this topic, so I would ask them where in the Bible it says that I must wear a suit when I go to Church? Where does it say that I cannot wear comfortable jeans and a polo shirt when preaching his word?
If you find it, we can talk about it, but you will not find it. The Early Christians were faced with the Jewish Church saying you can be a Christian, but you also must be Jewish and circumcised on top of our other laws or commandments. The Circumcision party was for the Jewish people, and God meant for them, not his Believers.
Or here is another one that we deal with constantly in our world today. You can come to Church and be a believer when you get your life together. Take care of the drugs, lust, alcohol, and sins, and then you can come to Church. Ensure you are clean enough and not tarnish the Church with your messiness or crazy life. We will welcome you into our Church when you get these things under control.
What does this sound like? This sounds like the popular kids in high school who will only accept you if you are perfect with no blemish or issues.
Do we need to invite everyone to our church table? I know I say this, but we are fighting against Satan that tells the world that you are too messed up for God and that you must fix yourself and deal with your issues, and then you can have a relationship with your Creator and Sustainer.
Second, we are a family and on Mission
The Apostle Paul tells us very subtle that we as Believers are not here for the show. It is okay to show that you are messed up. As followers of Christ, WE do not have to put up that front, and it is okay to be raw with what is going on.
When does someone ask how you are doing before Church? Are you being honest with them? are you hiding that you are struggling at work, at home, your health. We, as Believers, are meant to be for each other. We are a family meant to support each other in the local Church and the universal Church.
We should be and continue to pray for our brothers and sisters facing war and conflict in other parts of the world.
The Apostle Paul did not care about what the other Apostles thought because he was doing the Mission of God. Ed Lewis had a famous saying that said "On mission," which fits perfectly because we are not meant to care what others think.
We are not to think about what the world thinks of us, our friends, and others when following God. We are meant to reach out to them but take what the world says with a grain of salt. Do you have multiple versions of yourself: a Work version, church version, or a home version? This sounds mentally exhausting, and we as Believers should have one version where it is the version that God wants us to be.
What does God want for our life, and what does God want us to do? We add nothing to the equation, and we are the issue at hand. We are tarnished like the crude on the bottom of your garage can.!!
Third, Be on Guard
We, as believers, will have attacks. We will face attacks from Satan in all forms, shapes, and fashions. He will have people that you love and care for hurt you. Best friends will back stab you and more. Satan will do whatever he can to ensure that we as Believers do not do what we are supposed to do. Now I know that is not comforting and fuzzy, but it was not supposed to be.
We are not meant to be in this world forever. Satan will do whatever he can to ensure that God does not gain another Believer or the Believers he has strayed away from. Will he place you in a situation where you want to lie, deceive, cheat, or even worse.
We need to be on Guard, and When things get tough, we need to grow closer to him. Yes, I know this is the opposite of what we are programmed to do.
Lastly, Last slide
Spread the word and help everyone
In the last verse, the Apostle Paul mentions that he was asked to remember the poor. In a time where inflation is increasing over 40 percent for groceries. Gas is expensive, and the world looks at Europe. We need to help those around us.
Are we helping our community, nation, and the world ! As a church from day one, we have started with a focus on missions, but what can you do in your seat in this auditorium or at home?
Can you grab some extra items for a food pantry? Can you provide comfort to someone struggling emotionally or be a shoulder for someone that needs it?
We are called to spread the Gospel and help build the kingdom, but we also need to help those around us. Get on their level, provide for their earthly needs, and then tell them about their eternal need to spend in heaven with their father. Last week, I learned that school-age kids struggle to get food at work. Yes, we know this fact, but it hits hard. Parents are struggling to put food on the table, and nonprofit organizations cannot keep up with the demand.
It does not matter if it is a national organization or a food bank. The demand has tripled in the last three months, getting worse. This broke my heart because what if that was my child.
We, as Believers, are called to be good stewards of everything given and called to take care of those that are less fortunate around us and in the world. What can we do to help someone spiritually and physically?
Let’s Pray!