Follow me in this extended reading from Galatians:
Galatians 1:11 For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.
13 For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure, and tried to destroy it;
14 and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions.
15 But when He who had set me apart, even from my mother’s womb, and called me through His grace, was pleased
16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood,
17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.
18 Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days.
19 But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.
20 (Now in what I am writing to you, I assure you before God that I am not lying.)
21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
22 And I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea which were in Christ;
23 but only, they kept hearing, "He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy."
24 And they were glorifying God because of me.
2:1 Then after an interval of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also.
2 And it was because of a revelation that I went up; and I submitted to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, lest I might be running, or had run, in vain.
3 But not even Titus who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.
4 But it was because of the false brethren who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage.
5 But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you.
6 But from those who were of high reputation (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)-- well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me.
7 But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised
8 (for He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles),
9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we might go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised.
10 They only asked us to remember the poor-- the very thing I also was eager to do.
Why is he telling them this? To show that he didn’t get the gospel he preaches from any man, but from Jesus Christ.
What are his points?
1. He was headed up the Judaism ladder and would still be climbing except Jesus Christ called him to preach to Gentiles.
2. He didn’t go to Jerusalem to get his gospel, Jesus gave it to him, and, in fact, he was preaching a long time before he ever got with any church leaders in Jerusalem. Most of them had only heard about his conversion.
3. When he did go to meet with them years later, he took Titus, a gentile with him, and presented the message he preached before the leaders of the church in Jerusalem. They fully accepted him, Titus was accepted, uncircumcised and all.
4. They saw that the Lord had called Paul to preach to gentiles, just as Peter was entrusted to preach to Jews. The right hand of fellowship was given to them and the only thing the church leaders asked was to remember the poor.
Notice 1:20 (Now in what I am writing to you, I assure you before God that I am not lying.) They could check his story out with others.
Paul’s gospel came to him from God. Is that true? Is what we are reading here really and truly from God? There are those that would challenge that. There are many others who wouldn’t challenge it, they just won’t accept it. They don’t believe it. There are some who say they believe it, but by their actions and priorities they reveal that they really do not believe it. Then there are those who receive the gospel, believe it, embrace Jesus Christ as the crucified, buried, risen and coming Son of God who is King of kings, Lord of lords, and ruler of our lives today and forever! That’s who we are! That’s who the church Jesus died for is! That describes Paul’s life and the lives of all who are walking in the truth of the gospel! But even the best need help at times walking consistantly in the truth of the gospel.
This next section that we read is really amazing. An apostle confronts another apostle! One was acting in hypocrisy! And his actions were having a terrible effect on the church! He was not walking in the truth of the gospel. He believed it, he had received it, and he most certainly knew Jesus Christ… but just look what peer pressure did to him!
Is there anything uncomfortable about living in the truth of the gospel? Is there anything inconvenient about following Jesus Christ, who went to the cross to save you and me?
Well, just look at this:
11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.
12 For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision.
13 And the rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.
14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, "If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?
15 "We are Jews by nature, and not sinners from among the Gentiles;
16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified.
17 "But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be!
18 "For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor.
19 "For through the Law I died to the Law, that I might live to God.
20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.
21 "I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly."
To more fully appreciate what happened here between Peter and Paul we need to look at what the Bible tells us about Peter earlier in the book of Acts. We discover that Peter was never quite comfortable rubbing elbows with non-Jews. In fact, when God called Peter to preach to a Gentile who was prepared to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, Acts 10 shows us that Peter was reluctant. Remember Cornelius? He was a seeker of God and a generous, praying man. God sent an angel to Cornelius and told him to go get Peter, who would come and tell him how to be saved. But then God had to work on Peter to get him to go. First, God softened Peter up with a vision involving a sheet full of unclean animals coming down and a voice saying, “Rise Peter, kill and eat!” Peter’s response was, “Not so, Lord!” Why? This is illegal, and I’ve never done this before! Afterward Peter is puzzled. Then the Holy Spirit speaks directly to Peter and says, “Three men are here looking for you; now go downstairs, and accompany them without misgivings; for I have sent them myself."
The point? Peter needed coaxing to do this. He obeyed, but watch what happened next.
Remember what Peter said when he came to Cornelius’s house in Acts 10? Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends...
27 And as Peter talked with him, he entered, and found many people assembled.
28 And he said to them, "You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.
Did you get that? He goes into the house of this man Cornelius and the first thing he tells everyone there is that it is illegal for him to do this!!! We Jews aren’t supposed to visit with you foreigners! God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.
In other words, God won’t let me call you foreigners names anymore!!!
Did Peter want to be there? No! Why? Two reasons: First, he’s never done this before and all his life he’s been taught that Jews don’t keep company with Gentiles especially at meal time. And second, because of all the questions he’s going to have to answer when he gets back home to Jerusalem! And he was right! Read chapter 11. The first thing out of many of the Jewish Christians mouths when they saw him was this: Peter! What did you mean by actually going into the house of a Gentile!!!
Look: Acts 11:1 Now the apostles and the brethren who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.
2 And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those who were circumcised took issue with him,
3 saying, "You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them."
Peter! What were you thinking!
Do you know what Peter’s defense was? God told me to. And when I did what he told me to do, while I was preaching to them, God poured out his Holy Spirit on them, just like he did to us! What was I supposed to do? Do you think this was my idea?
Time has passed and many Gentiles are putting their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Antioch is a church of both Jews and Gentiles. Peter has come up to visit and has been eating with Gentiles and Jews alike, but then something happens. Men from Jerusalem come up and look at what this does to Peter. When Peter sees them, he stops eating and visiting with the Gentile Christians. He starts pulling away from the Gentiles. Why? He is still uncomfortable facing the questions and pressure of the circumcision group.
He’s afraid of what they will think about him and say about him.
Does anyone here ever feel like Peter? Do you ever have any concern about the way others will look at you or think about you? Do you ever let what others might think or say about you affect your Christian conduct?
How many of us here need a person like Paul in our lives who will speak the truth in love to us? I know I do. I need someone who looks out for my back spiritually. Seth Miller asked me last Sunday evening, “Greg, how’s your prayer life coming?” Thank-you Seth! I need brothers in my life like that.
Some of you appreciate lessons that step on your toes and stir your heart to higher commitment to Christ. Some of you may not. Let me confess to you. These lessons are for me too. God’s word comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable. Let me encourage you to seek out relationships that will pull a Paul on you! Look for and ask for accountability from others. You need more than just a lesson or two a week. You need regular spiritual accountability fellowship in Christ. Hebrews 3:13 says we need daily encouragement to keep us from being hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. Listen to Hebrews 10: 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;
24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,
25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.
26 For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
27 but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment, and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES.
Did you know that missing church services becomes a habit? And it’s not a good habit! Listen, Jesus didn’t go to the cross to give you grace so that you wouldn’t have to attend church services! Now if you are assembling together for worship and spiritual fellowship and encouragement or doing some Christian service activities during one of our service times, that’s one thing, but to just get busy or let your priorities shift into a gear where you’re just missing services because other things have become more important than being together, that’s something else! Think of it. What takes a higher priority over church services for you? What is it that is more important to you than worship and fellowship with the body? Are my sermons that bad?
Why will many of you not be back here tonight and on Wednesday night? What has found a higher priority in your life than being together with us? The very people that miss church wouldn’t think of missing work for the same reason. The very people who will keep their kids home on Wednesday night from Bible study wouldn’t think of keeping their kids home from school for the same reasons. Am I stepping on any toes out there?
Paul asked the Galatians in 4:16 Have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?
Paul confronted Peter in front of everyone! He basically said, “Wait a minute, you’ve been acting like a Gentile up till now, why is it that you now want to make the Gentiles act like Jews?”
Peter’s influence was having a terrible effect on the church! Because he was not walking according to the TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL, in this case, not accepting the unity we all share in Christ by the same faith. His actions caused other Jews to pull away from the Gentile Christians too. Even Barnabas was carried away by this hypocrisy.
Did Peter not know better? Yes, he did! He was not acting according to the very truth he KNEW. Has that ever happened to you?
Thank God for the Pauls who will call us to task. I need them.
Thank God for the Peters who have the humility to accept correction and get back in line!
