The Agony of Change Part Four
October 3, 2007 – 5:02 am
We all know the power of being upset. I doubt there is a single one of us who has not been upset at something. Sometimes people get upset for reasons that do not merit such a powerful emotional reaction. Sometimes we all get upset because something that really matters happens.
The key to being properly upset is being honest with yourself. When you are upset, are you emotionally reacting to yourself, or are you focusing on concern for others? What is your motive? Are your emotions actually about you, or are they about helping others?
When those emotions are about you and your personal concerns, those emotions will betray you. Those emotions will deceive you as they justify actions that should cause you shame. Years later you will look back and wonder how you could ever do such things. You will be amazed later when you realize that you thought it was about God when it was actually about you.
Nothing is more likely to upset us than helping a person escape an addiction only to witness the same person return to a form of the same addiction. Your concern is not for “all the work I did.” It is for the needless tragedy the addicted person is certain to experience.
If you understand that form of “being upset,” you understand Paul being upset in his letter to gentile Galatian Christians. Please take your Bibles, turn to Galatians, and follow with me.
I. Let’s begin with a brief review of our past lessons.
A. We noted how much it took to convince the Jewish apostle Peter to share salvation in Jesus Christ with a gentile audience. (Acts 10)
B. We noted the reaction of Jewish Christian leaders and “the circumcision” to Peter’s decision to even associate with (have a meal with) gentiles. (Acts 11:1-17)
C. We noted the resentment of some Jewish Christians (the circumcision group) because gentiles were becoming Christians before being proselytes to Judaism. (Acts 15:1,2)
D. We noted the Jerusalem council’s devotion to forming an appropriate response to the concern. (Acts 15:5-29)
E. We noted the problem these Jewish Christians caused by lying about Paul’s work. (Acts 21:17-22)
F. We noted the responses to those lies. (Acts 21:23-26)
G. Add to these things this understanding:
1. There were a group of baptized Jewish believers who devoted themselves to creating confusion among gentiles believers who responded to Jesus Christ.
a. They were convinced that their work was God’s work.
b. They did not oppose gentiles becoming Christians IF they became Jewish proselytes first.
c. They insisted on the importance of circumcision.
2. They especially made Paul’s life miserable by doing two things.
a. They devoted themselves to destroying Paul’s reputation as a Christian.
b. They devoted themselves to destroying Paul’s work with gentile people.
c. They were convinced this was the proper, godly thing to do!
II. The opening of Galatians suggests (pointedly) how upset Paul was.
A. Paul typically opened a writing to even a deeply troubled congregation with messages of encouragement. (See Romans 1:7-15; 1 Corinthians 1:4-9; 2 Corinthians 1:3-11; Ephesians 1:15-23; Philippians 1:3-11; Colossians 1:3-8; 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10; 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12).
1. No such encouragement is found in the Galatians opening.
2. Paul immediately begins discussing his disappointment and their problem.
3. Obviously, Paul did not like what happened!
B. Look at a brief flow of Paul’s thoughts in his communication with gentile converts to Christ.
1. First, he expressed his disappointment in 1:6-10.
2. Second, he declared his commission from God to teach the gentiles (God’s commission is superior to the Judiazers’ concern). (1:11-17)
3. Third, he discussed the reason for his first visit to Jerusalem. (1:18-24)
4. Fourth, he discussed the reason for his visit to Jerusalem 14 years after his conversion, and the leadership’s response to his work with gentiles. (2:1-10)
5. Fifth, he affirmed (a) his spiritual stature by his confrontation with Peter (Cephas) concerning gentiles, and (b) affirmed salvation is through Jesus Christ. (2:11-21)
6. Sixth, the vehicle for righteousness in God has always been faith in God. (3:1-14).
7. Seventh, God’s covenant is based on Jesus Christ, not the law. (3:15-22)
8. Eighth, the purpose of the law was to lead people to Jesus Christ. (3:23-29)
9. Ninth, Paul’s first illustration was to emphasize the ineffectiveness of law. (4:1-7)
10. Tenth, Paul’s urgings: (4:8-20)
a. Salvation is not found by changing “systems” (going from the “system” of idolatry to the “system” of Judaism).
b. Paul’s affirmation of a personal relationship and concern for them.
11. Eleventh, Paul’s second illustration was to emphasize salvation is through Christ. (4:21-31)
[Paul's transition: "Because you are, as gentile Christians, free from the Jewish system and the law, does not mean you are free to live as you please."]
12. Twelfth, Christ did not free you to become the slaves of a different system. (5:1-12)
a. You were freed to choose to serve others. (5:13-15)
b. You were freed to escape your old lifestyle and accept a new lifestyle. (5:16-24)
c. You were freed to be guided by God’s Spirit instead of self-centered passions. (5:25, 26)
13. Thirteenth, Paul’s admonitions about appropriate Christian conflict in regard to proper treatment of others (a) who are tempted, (b) who are deceived about the purpose of physical existence, and (c) who think spirituality is primarily a physical consideration. (6:1-16)
III. Things I ask you to note.
A. The Judaizing teachers, Jews who believed in Jesus and were baptized, successfully created doubt and confusion among gentile converts.
1. They were the “experts” who knew the way God worked chronologically before these gentiles became Christians.
a. ”We know more than you know so we must be right.”
b. ”You should not trust Paul–he used to be one of us!”
c. ”Admit your ignorance and trust our history!”
d. ”We know what we are talking about!”
2. Paul’s message, though from God, was quite different.
a. Jewish Christians like Paul, Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, Aquilia, and Priscilla were the exceptions among Jewish converts, not the typical majority.
b. The teaching that God, from the time of Abraham (and before), prepared to provide a solution through Jesus Christ rather than through the Jewish nation, was strange to most Jewish people.
c. It was easy to believably declare Paul and his message of faith being superior to the law false, because that concept was foreign to the Jewish concept, even among most Jewish Christians.
3. Please understand that from the beginning of Christianity there was conflict and difficulty because Christianity meant change.
a. If your concept of early Christianity was this ideal existence where every Christian was at peace and in harmony with all other Christians, I urge you to listen to scripture and change your concept.
b. The conflict between Jewish Christians and gentile Christians is one of the dominant themes of the New Testament.
i. What God wanted was for all to be saved in Christ.
ii. However, that is not what many people wanted.
iii. If it was suggested that God produced salvation through Jesus Christ in ways they (people) did not like or want, many were offended.
iv. The fact that this concept came from God meant almost nothing to many.
v. People’s preferences too often are more powerful than God’s revelation–and that includes people today!
B. The solution:
1. The solution today is the same as the solution was in the first century: mutual love and respect.
a. Neither are simple; both are extremely difficult.
b. I may not agree with you, but I am your brother, not the judge of your eternal destiny.
2. If you are in Christ, I must kindly respect you because you are in God’s family–not my family.
3. We are siblings to each other, and neither of us is the other’s parent.
4. When believers in Christ who have repented and been baptized treat other believers in Christ who have repented and been baptized with hate, false accusations, and contempt, the whole family of God suffers.
5. When Christians treat Christians with contempt, we ridicule ourselves in the eyes of those who are not in Christ–we destroy our credibility and are looked upon with contempt.
IV. I would like to close with some readings–would you listen and silently pray for God’s family.
5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another. 5:14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 5:15 But if you bite and devour one another take heed that you are not consumed by one another.
Galatians 5:13-15 RSV
14:13 Then let us no more pass judgment on one another, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. 14:14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but it is unclean for any one who thinks it unclean. 14:15 If your brother is being injured by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not let what you eat cause the ruin of one for whom Christ died. 14:16 So do not let your good be spoken of as evil. 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit; 14:18 he who thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 14:19 Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. 14:20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for any one to make others fall by what he eats; 14:21 it is right not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that makes your brother stumble. 14:22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God; happy is he who has no reason to judge himself for what he approves. 14:23 But he who has doubts is condemned, if he eats, because he does not act from faith; for whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
Romans 14:13-23 RSV
15:1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves; 15:2 let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to edify him. 15:3 For Christ did not please himself; but, as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached thee fell on me.” 15:4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. 15:5 May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 15:6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 15:1-6 RSV
12:9 Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; 12:10 love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor. 12:11 Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord. 12:12 Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 12:13 Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality. 12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 12:16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; never be conceited.
Romans 12:9-16 RSV
4:9 But concerning love of the brethren you have no need to have any one write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another; 4:10 and indeed you do love all the brethren throughout Macedo’nia. But we exhort you, brethren, to do so more and more, 4:11 to aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we charged you; 4:12 so that you may command the respect of outsiders, and be dependent on nobody.
1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 RSV
13:12 When he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13:13 You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 13:15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. 13:16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 13:17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
John 13:12-17 RSV
Help us make it obvious that the church is composed of people who seek to be God’s family who respect and love others. You do not have control over everyone. Yet, only you control yourself. In all circumstances and situations, control yourself.
Used with permission from David Chadwell, West-Ark Church of Christ
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