PARTNERS IN GRACE
Galatians 2:1-10
S: Partnership
Th: “Grace-Full Living”
Pr: WE ARE TO BE PARTNERS IN GRACE.
?: What? Concerning what?
KW: Matters
TS: In our study of Galatians 2:1-10, we will find three matters in which we are to be partners in grace.
The _____ matter in which we are to be partners in grace is…
I. PROCLAMATION (1-8)
II. PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS (9)
III. PRACTICALITY (10)
RMBC 5/14/00 AM
INTRODUCTION:
ILL Notebook: Criticism (C & H)
In the comic strip, Calvin and Hobbes, here is a situation that every mother can relate to…
It is suppertime and in the first frame, we see Calvin making a very ugly face, pinching his nose, and he says, “Ewww! What’s this, something scraped off the bottom of boots?? I’m not eating it!”
In the next frame, Calvin’s mom is in disbelief, “Calvin, I made this last week and you said it was your favorite meal of all time and you wished we could have it every day for the rest of your life!”
In the next fame Calvin replies, “Well, now I hate it.” And there sits Mom sitting in utter despair.
In the final frame, we see Calvin still at the table, but with a smile on his face saying, “Another day, another gray hair for Mom!”
I know, too many moms have had that same experience.
The problem is, is that if our memories were better, we might remember that we did the same thing to our moms!
Nevertheless…
1. Many of us would like to learn how to remove conflict from our lives.
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could get through one meal peacefully with nice and pleasant conversation?
If only we could just get along.
Can you imagine?
No complaining.
No criticism.
No fighting.
OK, maybe I am living in a dream world, but I can dream, can’t I?
The fact of the matter, though, is whether we are talking about conflicts at the dinner table, or in our everyday world, most are not worth having.
We sweat a lot over small stuff that doesn’t really matter.
But every once in a while, you discover that…
2. Some disagreements are worth having.
ILL Notebook: Disagree (out with the boys)
Take for instance…
Did you hear about the guy who had a big fight with his wife about whether it’s all right to spend one night a week out with the boys?
He doesn’t think she should.
Perhaps a case could be made there!
TRANSITION:
As we continue this morning in our study of Galatians, we need to recognize this…
1. For our church, we must not disagree on the subject of grace.
This is absolutely essential to who we are.
We must get “grace” right.
For it is by grace that we receive salvation.
And it is by grace that we live the Christian life.
If we are going to be characterized by “grace-full living” we must understand and apply grace.
This is important, for…
2. If we do not get grace right, the good news turns into bad news.
When we come to these two opening chapters of the letter to the churches in Galatia, Paul is battling over the subject of grace.
It was a battle worth fighting over.
Paul knew that we can never allow anyone to mess with the message.
Salvation is by grace alone.
You do not need to do anything else to be saved.
There are absolutely no other requirements.
It is God’s work and God’s alone.
Therefore, there is nothing you can do to add to it.
Paul also knew that he had to defend himself as the messenger, not for his own sake, but for the sake of the message.
The accusation against him was that he was a “Johnny-come-lately.”
He was accused of being a self-appointed apostle with a self-devised message.
His communication here has been a defense of God’s call on his life.
Though he was late in doing so, and least of all the apostles, he has met Jesus personally.
He was called to serve.
So in this portion that we are looking at this morning, Paul is establishing his partnership with the other leaders of the church.
Again, he was accused of being a rogue.
It was said of him that he was acting independently of the church in Jerusalem.
And though he would agree with that last accusation, the context of today’s passage demonstrates that he had to find out if his independence meant that he was proclaiming a different gospel than they were.
The good news for Paul, was though he was acting independently of the church in Jerusalem, he was proclaiming a gospel that was identical in terms of the content.
He found that the church in Jerusalem were partners in grace.
It was something to celebrate, as it is for us.
For…
3. WE ARE TO BE PARTNERS IN GRACE.
As we look at those around us here in this place, we are to be partners in grace.
As we consider other church fellowships that are around us, we are to be partners in grace.
These are important matters to us.
For we need to who our partners are.
And we also need to identify those that are compromising grace.
This is why, today…
4. In our study of Galatians 2:1-10, we will find three matters in which we are to be partners in grace.
OUR STUDY:
I. The first matter in which we are to be partners in grace is PROCLAMATION (1-8).
Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did this privately to those who seemed to be leaders, for fear that I was running or had run my race in vain. Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. [This matter arose] because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you. As for those who seemed to be important-whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearance-those men added nothing to my message. On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews. For God, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in my ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles.
In our passage here, Paul testifies that he has been proclaiming the gospel message for fourteen years without Jerusalem’s approval.
As we noted last week, he had been in Jerusalem for two weeks to become acquainted with Peter, but he did not feel led to stay.
In fact, his post-conversion experience involved almost total isolation from the Twelve and the headquarters of the church.
But now that the Judaizers have invaded his ministry ground, it is time for a chat in Jerusalem.
And it is at this point that we note that…
1. Because of the importance of the message, our contact with other “messengers” regarding agreement is appropriate.
ILL Notebook: Difference (hills & water)
While calling a resort to reserve accommodations for a long weekend a man inquired about the rates. He was told that they varied, depending on whether he wanted a view of the mountains or a view of the lake. "How much of a difference is there between the two?" he asked. The voice on the other end replied, "Well, one’s hills and the other’s water."
Well, it was time to see what the differences were.
So Paul comes to Jerusalem, not for their approval, but to submit evidence of what he is proclaiming.
It was important make sure that they were “on the same page” with the other church leaders.
So the meeting in Jerusalem becomes a “check each other out” type of meeting.
It was time to figure out what their differences were.
It was now time to avoid any unnecessary misunderstanding and any unnecessary rift between Paul and the Jerusalem church.
Paul has to do this, for the message is “the thing.”
They have to be proclaiming the same message!
And they have to be applying the same message.
For…
2. We are never to compromise the application of the gospel.
Paul takes Titus with him to Jerusalem.
But why does he do this?
He does this because he is not playing games.
His gospel has laid hold on real people.
Titus is “Exhibit A” of Paul’s gospel preaching.
Titus is a Greek and he is not circumcised according to Old Testament laws.
Yet, he is a brother in Christ by faith.
He was living proof that circumcision and Mosaic regulations are not necessary for salvation.
This is the freedom Paul stands for.
And Titus is his best case.
So the question is: Will he be forced to be circumcised by the apostles in Jerusalem or won’t he?
There was no better way of forcing the real issue than to take along a real person.
And when he got there, the Judaizers who had gone to Antioch to “correct” Paul and Barnabas, demanded that Titus be circumcised.
Paul’s view is that they were deceitful and fraudulent.
As it says in Acts 15, they were disturbing the churches and unsettling souls.
Paul was not going to give in to these people.
Titus was not going to be circumcised.
He knew he was right, for the solution to such people was no compromise, not even for an hour.
According to Paul’s view, it is impossible to practice legalism and true Christianity at the same time.
In fact, if these Judaizers had looked more closely, they would have realized that long before Abraham was circumcised, he followed after God’s grace and received the blessings of God by faith.
Abraham was circumcised because he was saved.
He was not circumcised in order to be saved.
As believers, we have liberty from the law as the way of salvation.
We have liberty from its external ceremonies and regulations as the way of living.
Because Christ has borne that curse, we also have liberty from the curse for disobedience of the law, which God requires all men to obey but which we are unable to perfectly keep.
Paul was at liberty to say “no” to these people.
Circumcision was unneeded and therefore, not required.
So…was the message the same?
3. Though we may have different audiences and methods, the message of grace is the same.
You see, we can never afford to lose this.
We see Peter’s wonderful conclusion in Acts 15.
Peter addressed the group declaring that God makes no distinction between Jews and Gentiles, saving them both by faith and granting them both the gift of the Holy Spirit.
His conclusion was that this was only by God’s grace.
The mighty spreading of the gospel and the building of the church was due solely to God’s grace.
4. Do you see how important a matter proclamation is?
If we are to be partners in grace, than our message must be the same.
ILL Notebook: Friendship (A Friend Indeed)
Many years ago when former Ronald Reagan operative Lyn Nofziger found himself at odds with federal prosecutors, a number of his friends put together a fund-raising reception to help offset his legal expenses. One of the hosts of the event was man named John White, who had been chairman of the Democratic National Committee during the Carter Admin-istration. White was asked why he would help a man who worked against Carter.
"When you first arrive in this town, you expect a city divided simply along partisan and ideological lines," White answered. "But when you’ve been here a while, you find that there is a more important divide—the divide between the good guys and the bad guys; between us and them. Whatever our disagreements, Lyn is one of ’us’ and needs our help."
This interesting story leads us to the…
II. The second matter in which we are to be partners in grace is PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS (9).
James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews.
1. When we have found a brother or sister in Christ, we have found a friend.
Paul was welcomed.
When the right hand of fellowship was offered to Paul, it was not a sign of approval, but a gesture of unity and fellowship.
In fact, it was more than that.
It was a solemn vow of friendship and a mark of partnership.
There was personal harmony here.
But that is not all.
For these four men, Paul, Peter, James and John, would write 21 of the 27 New Testament writings, and in these writings you find nothing less than doctrinal harmony.
You see…
2. We can find unity in mission.
They recognized that their message content was the same, even though the audiences were different.
They had different fields of service, but they were agreed in their mission.
Historically, it is important to note that in Acts 15, Paul and Barnabas were vindicated and the Judaizers denounced.
The Judaizers were proclaiming a different message.
They were making the good news, bad news.
This leads us to…
III. The third matter in which we are to be partners in grace is PRACTICALITY (10).
All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.
1. When grace is truly at work in us, we want to make a difference.
Grace makes us act differently.
The leaders in Jerusalem asked that they would be remembered.
There were many poor believers, for Jerusalem was a hurting place.
A famine had struck the region and their resources had rapidly depleted.
When the Gentile church would help the poorer Jerusalem church, it was an important and significant way to demonstrate the oneness that comes with the gospel.
Their practical help would convey that truly they were brothers and sisters in Christ.
When grace is active in our lives…
2. Grace makes us other-oriented.
We look out for each other.
If we are partners in grace, we make sure that others in the faith are not unduly suffering.
APPLICATION:
If we are to be established as true partners in grace, we need to…
1. Beware of those that seek to divide us over lesser issues.
This is what happened here.
What should have been a social matter, and thus, a fringe issue, had become a core issue.
Most disagreements are matters of preference and style, but we have this great ability to elevate them into theological issues.
Perhaps there is no more common example today in the church than music.
I spoke to Dave Grainge this week, the director of Buffalo Christian Center, and he was relating to me how he had been in a long discussion with a woman about the concert they had on Monday night with “Acapella.”
This woman thought the concert was horrendous, and the beat was evil.
This is a good example how we elevate a style or preference into something theological.
ILL music--cows
There was an old farmer that went to the city one weekend and attended a church there. He came home and his wife asked him how it was. “Well,” said the farmer, “It was good. They did something different, however. They sang praise chorused instead of hymns.” “Praise choruses,” said his wife. “What are those?” “Well, they are okay. They’re sort of like hymns, only different.” “How are they different?” “Well, it’s like this—if I were to say to you, ‘Martha, the cows are in the corn,’ well, that would be a hymn. If, on the other hand, I were to say to you:
Martha, Martha, Martha, Oh Martha, Martha, Martha, the cows, the big cows, the brown cows, the black cows, the white cows, the black and white cows, the cows, cows, cows are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn…
…then if I were to repeat the thing two or three times, well, that would be a praise chorus.”
The exact same Sunday, a new Christian from the city church attended the small town church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was. “Well,” said the man, “It was good. They did something different, however. They sang hymns instead of praise choruses.” “Hymns,” said his wife. “What are those?” “Well, they are okay. They’re sort of like praise choruses, only different.” “How are they different?” “Well, it’s like this—if I were to say to you, ‘Martha, the cows are in the corn,’ well, that would be praise chorus. If, on the other hand, I were to say to you:
Oh Martha, dear Martha, hear thou my cry,
Inclinest thine ear to the words of my mouth.
Turn thou thy whole wondrous ear by and by
To the righteous, inimitable, glorious truth.
For the way of the animals who can explain.
There in their heads is no shadow of sense,
Hearkenest they in God’s sun or his rain,
Unless from the mild, tempting corn they are fenced.
Yes, those cows in glad bovine, rebellious delight,
Have broke free their shackles, their warm pens eschewed.
Then goaded by minions of darkness and night
They all my mild Chilliwack sweet corn have chewed.
So look to that bright shining day by and by,
Where all foul corruptions of earth are reborn.
Where no vicious animal makes my soul cry
And I no longer see those foul cows in the corn.
…then, if I were to sing all four verse, and do a key change on the last verse, that would be a hymn.”
You see, we must recognize that there are different kinds of praiseworthy music for different dimensions of the church, but there is one gospel that must be the heart of our singing and one God to whom we sing.
When we recognize this, the kind of music stays where it belongs, a fringe issue.
But again, the truth of the matter is that social differences become theological agendas.
For many Christians expect all Christians to be alike.
We are to wear the same clothes.
We are to use the same translations of the Bible.
We are to send our children to the same schools.
We are to only patronize certain stores.
We are to support only certain political parties.
And when we become focused on such things, it keeps us from being united on matters of partnership and mission.
So, we are to beware of division!
We are to expect similar spies and agitators today, for Satan is not very original, but he is persistent.
Paul and the apostles were in full agreement.
They were both opposed to the Judaizers.
They successfully sought unity, and when they saw that unity was dependent on truth over tradition, the church marched on.
2. We can be partners in grace when we have the same…
2.1 …gospel.
When we agree on the message of the good news, we can celebrate that we are free from the bondage that long has held us.
Service to God is no longer a matter of perfection, but of freedom.
We serve God because we want to, not because we have to.
We can be partners in grace when we have the same…
2.2 …Lord.
When we recognize that Jesus is Lord, that He is the only Savior, that He is the Messiah that existed before the ages, then we are partners in grace.
Finally, we can be partners in grace when we have the same…
2.3 …Spirit.
When we recognize that we are receivers of the Holy Spirit at salvation and that He directs our lives and shows us how to live, we are partners in grace.
Celebrate those around you today, especially those that have the same gospel, Lord and Spirit, for together, we are partners in grace.
The church moves on today because we move on together in unity around the truth of God.
BENEDICTION: [Counselors are ]
Be a partner in grace…and proclaim the good news to those that are living the bad news; Jesus has done for us what we cannot achieve on our own;
Be a partner in grace…and love others who are also believers of the good news; worship with them, work with them, and care for them;
Be a partner in grace…and minister to those who are in need; for when grace is active in our life, we want to demonstrate that grace to each other.
Now…May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
