In the first appeal, he dealt with them about three things:
• He appealed to their PAST
• He appealed to their PRESENT
• He appealed to their PREDICAMENT
In this second appeal, he appeals to their love for him and how he should be treated by them.
• Being a Minister of the Gospel is considered by some as one of the toughest jobs a person can do.
• Because it is such a difficult job, nationally, the average pastor remains in a church less than three years.
• There are literally thousands of churches today without pastors. Why? Many ministers are finding easier and better paying jobs.
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?
One of the problems is that when pulpit committees go out to look for a pastor for their church, they often look in the WRONG PLACES and they ask the WRONG QUESTIONS.
If some of the best men that ever walked on this earth were to appear before many of the pulpit committees, they would be rejected. And the ones they should reject are the ones they would accept.
Illus: Someone wrote this about a pulpit committee: In our search for a suitable pastor the following scratch sheet was developed for your consideration as a congregation. Of the candidates investigated by the committee, only one was found to have the necessary qualities.
• Noah: He has 120 years of preaching experience, but no converts.
• Moses: He stutters; and his former congregation says he loses his temper over trivial things.
• David: He is an unacceptable moral character. He might have been considered for minister of music had he not 'fallen'.
• Elijah: He proved to be inconsistent; and is known to fold under pressure.
• Hosea: His family life is in a shambles. Divorced, and remarried to a prostitute.
• Amos: Comes from a farming background. Better off picking figs.
• John: He says he is a Baptist but lacks tact and dresses like a hippie. Would not feel comfortable at a church potluck supper.
• Peter: Has a bad temper, and was heard to have even denied Christ publicly.
• Paul: We found him to lack tact. He is too harsh, His appearance is contemptible, and he preaches far too long.
• Jesus: He tends to offend church members with his preaching, especially Bible scholars. He is also too controversial. He even offended the search committee with his pointed questions.
• Judas: He seemed to be very practical, cooperative, good with money, cares for the poor, and dresses well.
We all agreed that he is just the man we are looking for to fill the vacancy as our Senior Pastor. Thank you - The Pastoral Search Committee.
Paul was a good minister, but he was not treated as a good minister by these Galatians, who were allowing these Jewish teachers to turn them against him.
Illus: Someone said, “You can tell a lot about a church by the way they treat God’s man.” If this is true, it does not speak well of the church of Galatia.
They allowed these false teachers to come in after he left, and they literally tried to destroy his reputation as an Apostle and the gospel of grace he preached. If they really loved him as the man of God he was, they would not have done such evil things.
Paul is trying to get this congregation to come to their senses by these five appeals. This is the second one, and notice he talks to them concerning-
I. THEIR TREATMENT OF A GOOD MINISTER
These Jewish teachers were saying some harsh things about Paul. But he is not addressing them, he seems to be addressing these Christians that have allowed the false teachers to do such things among them.
Notice, in verse 12, Paul referred to them (the Galatian Christians) as, “Brethren….”
One of the things that a pastor has to do in the ministry when he is being attacked, is not to take everything so personal.
It is personal, but he has to recognize that those who are opposing him often are “Brethren” that have been misguided.
Illus: When the U.S. and the U.K. invaded Iraq, it caused a controversy across the land. The liberals began to hit the streets and the airways to express their opposition to the war. This caused many to question their patriotism.
But those who were more sensible, knew that many of these were not opposing the war because they were not good patriots, they were opposing it because they sincerely believed they were right in opposing the war.
So many times when things do not go our way, it is easy to see those who oppose our view points as the “Enemy,” when they are good citizens but have a different opinion than we do.
Paul must have felt that these were good Christians that had been misguided, because he refers to them not as his “Enemies” but as his “Brethren.”
Notice two things about the way he appealed to them.
(1) HE WAS HUMBLE
Notice, the Paul says in verse 12, “Brethren, I beseech you…” It takes a lot of humility to BEG someone that is opposing you. But that is exactly what he did.
Illus: On the steps of a church, two pan handlers were doing their daily business. One wore a large cross on his chest and the other wore a star of David.
Of course, most of the church people generously gave to the cross wearer and the other was overlooked. Finally the Pastor approached the Jew and suggested that if he take off the star of David maybe he'd get more hand outs.
"Get this guy," laughs the pan handler and turns to his cross wearing pal, "Trying to teach us how to do business!"
We do not know who taught Paul how to beg, but it seems to be something he did a lot of in his ministry. Notice, he was not so proud that he would not beg! But notice something else about the way he appealed to them.
(2) HE WAS FORGIVING
Look at verse 12 again, he said, “…Be as I am: for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.” Notice, he said, “Be as I am.”
HOW WAS PAUL?
He always loved them and he said he hoped they would love him the way he loved them.
The heart of a true minister can be seen in verse 12. Paul revealed his love, affection, kindness and concern for their well being!
They had loved him in the past, and he was saying, “I hope you will love me as you once did!”
While they once loved him, they do not seem to be doing so at this time. But Paul wanted them to know he would forgive them.
Look at the last part of verse 12, he says, “…You have not injured me at all.”
Paul then shows them the bond of love they once had for him. It is amazing how people can love us one day and hate us the next day.
Someone said there is a very thin line sometimes between love and hate.
Illus: A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8-year-olds, "What does love mean?" The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think:
• Rebecca, age 8, said, “Love is like when my grandmother got arthritis and she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love."
• Karl, age 5, said, "Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other."
• Chrissy, age 6, said, "Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs."
• Danny, age 7, said, "Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK."
• Noelle, age 7, said, "Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it every day."
• Tommy, age 6, said, "Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well."
• Elaine, age 5, said, "Love is when mommy gives daddy the best piece of chicken."
• Chris, age 8, said, "Love is when mommy sees daddy all smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford."
• Marry Ann, age 4, said, "Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day."
Bethany, age 6, said, “Love is when I let my big sister pick on me because my Mom says she only picks on me because she loves me. Then I pick on my baby sister because I love her."
There is a very thin line between love and hate, and many times those who love us seem to slip to the other side. This is exactly what has happened to the apostle Paul. Those who once really loved him, no longer seem to have that love for him that they once did.
Paul appeals to them concerning how they once loved him. Look at verses 13-15, we read, “Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first. And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.”
HOW SHOULD A GOOD MINISTER BE WELCOMED?
(1) HE TALKS ABOUT HIS PREACHING
That is, the MESSAGE he had preached WAS RECEIVED.
Paul reminds them of this in verse 13, he said, “I preached the gospel unto you at the first.” If the message was once RECEIVED, why is it now being REJECTED?
(2) HE TALKS ABOUT HIS PERSON
Paul had some serious infirmity of the flesh, and we are not sure what that infirmity was.
The Bible does give us a few clues that suggest it might have been some eye problems. Some think this was the “Thorn in the flesh” he spoke about in 2 Corinthians.
Look at 2 Cor. 12:7-10, we read, “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”
Look at Galatians 6:11, we read, “Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.”
• They think the reason he wrote with large letters was because of his eyes.
• Also, he did not ordinarily write because of his eye condition, but he wanted them to know he wrote this letter with his own hands.
Whatever the physical problem was that he had, he was received as an ANGEL or MESSENGER FROM GOD HIMSELF.
They loved him so much, that Paul reminds them they would have, “plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.”
Paul was saying:
• You once loved the gospel of grace, and no sacrifice was to great, why have you forsaken it?
• You once loved me the man of God, and no sacrifice was to great, why have you forsaken me?
They should love the man of God because he loves them enough to tell them the truth.
But look at what Paul says of these Galatians in verse 16, “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?”
THEIR TREATMENT OF A GOOD MINISTER should be one of acceptance and kindness.
But the same should not be said of -
II. THEIR TREATMENT OF A BAD MINISTER
Look at verse 17, we read, “They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.”
In other words, Paul is saying that these Jewish teachers are excited about winning your favor, but it is not because they really care about you.
Have you noticed that many movies Hollywood produces are to attack ministers of the gospel?
WHY DO THEY DO THIS?
They know that a Bible-preaching minister is going to expose their evils, so they are constantly attacking ministers of the gospel.
In other words, they feel they must destroy the minister of the gospel before the minister of the gospel destroys them with the Word of God.
These false teachers were endeavoring to destroy Paul and his message, because they knew Paul and his message would destroy them.
A false teacher does not care a thing about the flock of God, all they care about is what they can get from the flock of God.
Paul said that is not the case with the good minister of God. No church should ever reject the minister who seeks to help them to grow in Christ.
Paul contrasts himself to these false teachers in verse 18, we read, “But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.”
Conclusion:
Paul loved these Galatian Christians, and it bothered him a great deal that they were being led astray by the false teachers.
These were converts that he had led to the Lord. Look at verse 19, we read, “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.”
He desired to be with them. Look at verse 20, we read, “I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.”
He closed by saying that he wished to be with them, but also he expressed the frustration he felt in not knowing what to say to them.
The reason Paul dealt with these two things is because he knew that for them to ACCEPT THE MESSAGE, THEY FIRST MUST ACCEPT THE MESSENGER!
We have looked at:
I. THEIR TREATMENT OF A BAD MINISTER
II. THEIR TREATMENT OF A GOOD MINISTER
