["Pomp and Circumstance"]
you
you you
you you you you
you you
you you you
you you
you
you you
you
the storm passes over
till the thunder
sounds no more
till the clouds
roll forever
from the sky
hold me fast
let me stand
in the hollow
of my hand
keep me safe
till the storm
passes by
2019
many times
Satan whispers
there is no
need to try
for there's no
end of sorrow
there's no hope
by and by
but I know
thou art with me
that sorrow
of my
soul
never darkens
the sky
till the storm
passes over
till the thunder
sounds no more
till the clouds
roll forever
from the sky
hold me
fast
let me stand
in the hollow
of my hand
keep me safe
till the storm
passes by
when the long
night has ended
and the storm's
gone no more
let me stand
in thy presence
on that bright
peaceful shore
where the tempest
never comes
for may I
grow with thee
when the storm
passes by
till the storm
passes over
till the thunder
sounds no more
till the clouds
roll forever
from the sky
hold me fast
let me stand
in the hollow
of my hand
keep me safe
till the storm
passes by
Amen. Good singing. We'll have the guys come up
and help us with the offering at this time
and let's go ahead and bow our heads
and have a word of prayer
Heavenly Father, Lord, we do come to you tonight
asking that you bless the offering, the gift, and the giver
and we ask that you meet with us as we take time to pray
and then of course as we take time to
say your word together. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Amen.
Amen
Amen.
And here.
Hands higher.
Hands video.
la
Ma Sergio.
Mom.
Ma Sergio.
Defence.
commendable.
Command.
Concentrated with.
Notice Acts 15 and verse 2 when therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them
They determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain other of them should go up to Jerusalem
unto the apostles and elders about this question and this here in Acts 15 is usually referred to as the
Jerusalem Council
where there was this meeting with
Elders pastors apostles
Evangelists Paul was there Barnabas was there and they had this big meeting
Regarding this question and the Bible says that they should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this
question I remember
Galatians 2 and
Acts 15 are
are
Telling us about the same event
Galatians 2 is a commentary to what's going on in Acts 15 and I want you to understand what's happening here
Because the Apostle Paul
goes up
to Jerusalem and
In Acts we're told by Luke that he goes there in order
To see the apostles and elders about this question and that is true
they went to Jerusalem to discuss this question and
to
try to
resolve this among the leaders of
Christianity there in the first century, but I want to show you something and I just want you to
Understand this that though Paul was going up there
Because the whole purpose of this council was to talk about this question. This was not a question in the Apostle Paul's mind
This was not something that he's like, okay, let's go up there. Maybe you guys are right
Maybe I'm wrong
Let's go up there and ask them he is gonna go up there and he's just going to ask them but he's not asking them
Because there's a question in his mind about this
He's not asking them because he's confused about this
In fact, and I'm gonna show you that in Galatians, but let me just show you here in Acts 15 in
verse 2 we're told at
The last part of verse 2 that they should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question
But then notice verse 3 and being brought on their way by the church
So as they were going up to Jerusalem, they passed through Venice and Sumeria notice
Declaring the conversion of the Gentiles and they cause great joy unto all the brethren
Now, why are they going to Jerusalem?
They're going to Jerusalem to ask the question do Gentiles have to be circumcised in order to be saved
But the fact that on his way on his way to this Jerusalem Council to ask this question
He is passing through Venice and Sumeria and he's visiting these locations and while he's there
He's declaring the conversion of the Gentiles. He's declaring to them
Hey
We've had these Gentiles saved and they cause great joy unto all brethren that shows you that this was not a question in Paul's mind
He's going up there to ask a question but as he's going up there to ask a question
He's telling everybody the answer to the question
He's telling them about these Gentiles that have been saved and they don't have to be circumcised
So this is not a question in his mind go back to Galatians chapter 2 and I want to explain this because I think sometimes
This could be a little bit of a confusing passage if you don't understand the context and you don't understand the mindset of the Apostle Paul
Galatians chapter 2 verse 6
But of these when he gets to Jerusalem, right because in verses four and
Five, excuse me verses three and four and five he tells us about the fight
They had but neither Titus who was with me being a Greek was compelled to be circumcised verse three and that because of false
brethren unawares brought in who came in privately despite our Liberty which we have in Christ Jesus that they might bring us into
Bondage verse four to whom we gave place by subjection
No, not for an hour that the truth of the gospel might continue with you verse five
He's telling us about the fight
but in verse two
he tells us about the fact that he went to Jerusalem verse two and I went up by revelation and
Communicated unto them that the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles but privately to them which were of reputation
Last thought by any means I should run or had run in vain. So I want you to notice that he goes up there and
What happens when he gets there now here in here's because look
When you look at this passage
I've had people ask me a lot of questions about this this chapter
Through the years because like I said, I can I think it can be a little confusing to people
So let's just read it and then I want you to understand what's going on here Galatians 2 6
But of these this is Paul speaking he's in Jerusalem, but of these
Who seemed to be somewhat?
Whatever they were it maketh no matter to me. God accepted no man's person
Now, what is he talking about? Or let me say it this way. Who is he talking about?
He's talking about the Apostles
He's talking about Peter and John and James and he says but of these who seem to be somewhat
Because he's saying these guys were big shots, right?
Peter and John and James he says they were big shots and they were big shots
He says but of these who seem to be somewhat
Whatsoever they were it make it no matter to me. God accepted no man's person for they who seem to be somewhat he says
somewhat
Conferred good night. I think my I think I might have copied and pasted the wrong thing here
Let me just read it to you from the actual Bible not my notes verse 6
But of these who seem to be somewhat whatsoever they were it make it no matter to me God accepted no man's person
He says for they who seem to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me
Okay. So what is he saying? He says I went up there and I talked to the big shots
He said but I wasn't impressed
Because he says whatsoever they were it make it no matter to me God accepted no man's person
But then he says for they who seem to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me
What is he saying? He's saying I went up there
But I didn't leave with anything new
There was nothing they added to me. It's not like I went up there and they're like, okay, you know
You're like halfway there, but you gotta you you gotta add this to it
He says they added nothing to me in
verse
Number six look at verse seven. He says but contra wise
That means on the contrary
when they saw that the gospel of the
Uncircumcision was committed unto me as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter for he that rot effectually in Peter to the apostleship
Of the circumcision the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles and when James
Cephas and John
Notice what he says who seemed to be pillars. These are big shots, right?
Perceived that the grace that was given unto me
They gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship
That we should go unto the heathen and they unto the circumcision now
What does that mean that they gave unto me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship and usually when we think of that term the?
Right-hand approach if we think of something that we do a lot in Baptist churches, right?
we shake hands the right hand of fellowship where you shake someone's hand and and the idea is
And here's what I want you to say because remember the themes of the book of Galatians are what?
the gospel
He's he's defending the truth of the gospel
he's defending his own credibility and
He's going against the Judaizers and going after the Judaizers and this is why Paul's bringing up the story and what Paul's doing is
He's kind of he's he's walking this very fine line
Because what he told us in chapter 1 was that he was an apostle not babe made by man
That that that he didn't get his message from the Apostles that he didn't get his message from
From Peter and from those guys, of course
the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to him on the road to Damascus and then he went to Damascus and
Ananias went and preached the gospel to him
he got saved and then he went to Arabia for three years and spent some time out in the wilderness and
And got alone with God and that's where he got his revelations. That was where he got his doctrine
He didn't get it from the Apostles. He's making that clear
He says I didn't go to Jerusalem chapter 1 till after I'd been saved for three years and the next time I went to Jerusalem
Was 14 years later
So now like he's palling around with these guys all of the time and and he's he's trying to make this point
I have credibility as an apostle
Because Jesus made me an apostle
But then he's also trying to prove this point that when he did finally go up to Jerusalem after 14 years
They agreed with him
They didn't add anything to him
And in fact, they gave him the right hand of fellowship and he's he's walking this fine line where he's trying to explain
Look, I didn't get my gospel from the Apostles
But when we went up to Jerusalem and we compared notes they agreed
They gave me the right hand of fellowship. They said yeah
You're preaching the gospel. That's the true gospel. Now. Why is he saying this?
Because remember these Judaizers are coming down
to the region of Galatia to the churches of Galatia and they're getting up and saying
Paul is wrong
Paul is not a true apostle and
They're saying we're coming from Jerusalem
Because Jerusalem is like the headquarters
Jerusalem is like the big the the where it all started. So they're using the fact that they're coming from Jerusalem as
Their credibility and saying Paul he's preaching a false gospel
He's not telling you everything and they're telling people that they have to be circumcised. So Paul is telling the story
In a very strategic way to say number one I have credibility they didn't add anything to me
He says God doesn't respect the persons of man
He says they they who they are and what they are and their positions mean nothing to me Paul says
But when I did go up there and and and we compare notes, it was the same gospel
So he's he's telling the story for a very specific reason
He
Says they're looking at again in verse 9 and when James and Cephas and John who seemed to be pillars perceived the grace that was
Given unto me they gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship that we should go unto the heathen and they unto
The circumcision verse 10 only they would that we should remember the poor the same
Which I also was for to do. So here's what Paul said. The only thing they said to me is hey
Make sure you remember the poor
Make sure you're generous and charitable to the poor and Paul says the same which I also was forward to do
He says I was already doing that
I'll already have the inclination or the tendency to want to do that. So he says they didn't add anything to me
He says we agreed and they gave me the right hand of fellowship
Now I want you to go back
To verses 1 & 2 because in verses 6 through 9 through 10 we see Paul's acceptance, right?
He's accepted by the Jerusalem Church. And this is why again why are you saying it?
These Judaism are coming from Judea and they're saying we're from the big church. We're from the main church
We're from the headquarter church and we're here to tell you Paul's wrong about the gospel and we're not even sure that he's an apostle
So Paul saying I went to Jerusalem and we compared notes and they gave me the right hand of fellowship
He says now I don't need them because I don't need anyone I've got the Lord Jesus Christ in the Word of God
but if but if you want to know whether they agree with me or not, I went up there and
They did not add anything to me
They gave me the right hand of fellowship
Let me point this out just real quickly actually before you look at verses 1 & 2
In verse 9 the last part of verse 9 it says that we should go unto the heathen and they unto the circumcision I
Want you to understand and I've taught on this in the past
So I won't spend a lot of time on this, but let me just say this
When it comes to studying the Bible and I preached entire sermons and taught lessons on principles for studying the Bible and all that
But there's one principle for Bible study that you need to keep in mind and it is that statements trump narratives
Statements trump stories
So whenever you're in a narrative because those are the books that people like to read right the stories
First and second Samuel the Gospels, you know, the the things like the epistles or the prophets
There's a little denser and more difficult
But here's what you need to understand just because somebody says something or does something doesn't make it right
Now you say well is the Bible lying to us when it comes to a narrative?
It's not lying to you if it's telling you this is what happened
Because that is what happened
So, is it true that they said these things one to another they had this conversation?
Yes, it is true. But what they said is that necessarily true?
Well, we've always when we're looking at narratives or stories. We've got to ask ourselves the question does this
Jive with the rest of Scripture what is a specific statement or command in the Bible?
Because and I we've used the example in the past, but you can look at stories where somebody it has multiple wives
This is what the Mormons did
Look at stories in the Bible or somebody has multiple wives and say well then
We can have multiple wives
But wait a minute
The Bible says that a man shall leave father and mother and cleave unto his wife and they twain
Two shall be one flesh
It doesn't say and Joseph Smith and his 47 wives shall be one flesh
So here's what Jesus said the Bible says they twain shall be one flesh. What did God say?
God said one man and one woman. What do we see in the Bible?
We see men that had multiple wives, but just because they did it doesn't make it right
So you need to understand because this is where people get a lot of false pro false doctrines and
here's a place where people get some false doctors because we're a Galatians 2 is a
commentary on a story
Paul is telling us that when he went
Up to Jerusalem looking for seven again Galatians 2 7
But contra wise when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, is that true? Yes, it is
The gospel of the circum of the uncircumcision was committed unto Paul
Paul was the apostle of the Gentiles
But now he says when they saw so Paul's not saying that this is what he saw
He's telling us when they saw what they said what they thought was when the gospel of circumcision
Was committed unto me which is true as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter. Now. Is that true?
That's not true
You told me a verse of the Bible where the Bible says that Peter was supposed to go preach the gospel to the Jews
In fact, I can show you a story in the Bible Acts chapter 10
Where Peter is told specifically to go preach the gospel to the Gentiles?
He's told to go to Cornelius in Italian
Notice
Verse 9 and when James and Cephas and John who seemed to be pillars notice up Paul
He's not speaking very highly in a sort of high honorable way. Now. These were great men of God
but the Holy Spirit is the one who's speaking here and
The Holy Spirit says when James Cephas and John who seemed to be pillars perceived the grace that was given unto me
That's true. They gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship
Good for them that we should go unto the heathen praise the Lord and they unto the circumcision. Is that what Jesus commanded?
Did Jesus get up right before his ascension and say all powers given unto me in heaven and earth
Go ye therefore and preach the Jews
Is that what he told 11 to do?
He did not say that
He told them all to leave Jerusalem
But
Just because but is that what they did? No, that's not what they did
Does that make them bad people? No, does that mean that Peter wasn't a great man of God?
Peter was a great man of God James was a great man of God
These were all great men of God, but you need to understand something just because they did something doesn't make it right
Acts 1 ain't he tells them go out of Jerusalem unto the uttermost part of the earth
He even tells him go to Judea go to Samaria go into the uttermost part of the earth
That's what Jesus said in Acts 1 8
Then in Acts chapter 8 in verse 1 because they would not leave he sends persecution
through Saul to try to get them to leave and
most of them did leave but not the 11 they stayed and
Here's the point that I'm trying to get you to understand that just because they did something doesn't make it right
Because Peter
Go we're gonna look at Acts 10 here in a little bit in case you're just like I don't know about this I
wasn't taught this and
You know the radio preacher
Acts chapter 10 God is trying to get Peter to go to the Gentiles
Wouldn't it make sense? Have you ever thought about the book of Acts?
how
the first few chapters are all about Jerusalem the Church of Jerusalem the Apostles and
Then there's this shift right around chapter 10
Where God had where Peter has his vision?
The the food comes down and God is telling Peter. Hey go to the Gentiles
Don't call anything unclean go to corn and Peter goes and gets the Italian saved
But then he goes back to Jerusalem
So what happens in the book of Acts?
God finds Paul
He
Says how about you go to the Gentiles and Paul goes to the Gentiles and guess who becomes the star of the entire?
Rest of the book of Acts. It's all about the Apostle Paul
Why cuz he was doing what God wanted him to do
now should somebody have stayed in Jerusalem, of course, but this idea that Paul was the
Apostle of the Gentiles and then all the other apostles were the apostles of Jews is not true and people will point to this passage
I say well, here's what it says, but keep in mind. This is telling you what happened
Just because it happened doesn't mean it's right
Because when we compare what they're saying
We're the apostles to the Jews and we compare that to what Jesus said go you therefore into all the world preach the gospel
These things aren't driving
So who's right? I'm just gonna go with Jesus. How about that?
So make sure that when you're reading the Bible you're reading the Bible
purposefully
Compassionately paying attention asking, you know asking yourself. Is this correct?
Not not is this correct? Like the Bible I'm talking about where you're reading a narrative
Before you go and marry your third wife
You say well David had seven wives. Okay, he had seven wives, but is that what the Bible says?
Is that what we're supposed to do?
Because people literally will use this these verses and say I'm gonna be a missionary to Jerusalem
That is stupid
You know, we we don't we believe in common-sense missions where we go where people are receptive and
And and using verses from Galatians 2 and saying well they were apostles to the circumcision. Yeah, but they were wrong and that's why
Most of those apostles we never even hear about them in the book of Acts
So the Apostle Paul wrote most of the New Testament. That's why it's the path is the Apostle Paul show
after the after Paul shows up
Because he's the only one that actually did
What he was told to do now, I just got done bashing on the Apostles for a little bit
Okay, Peter and James and and and and John but look I
Want you to notice his approach because we see in verses 6 through 10 Paul's acceptance
But in verses 1 & 2, let's go back to verses 1 & 2 we see Paul's approach. I want you to notice it
Then 14 years after I went up again to Jerusalem but with Barnabas and took Titus with me also verse 2 and
I went up
by revelation
Here we're told why he went up
He didn't go up there
Because he had a question that he didn't know the answer to
That's why they held the council to discuss this question, but that's not why Paul went up there
Paul went up by revelation. What does that mean? That means Jesus told him to go
He said hey, go ahead. I
want you to go to this meeting and I went up by revelation and
communicated unto them that the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles and
We saw that remember we saw that in Acts chapter 2 verse 3 where he went to the different cities and he was telling them
About the Gentiles so he's openly talking to everyone about his position
That the Gentiles can be saved and they don't have to follow the law of Moses
notice this look at verse 2 though, but
Privately to them which were of reputation
Now it's interesting because you see this balance
Paul's saying
look
It make it no matter to me
God accepted, you know who's he said but of these who seem to be somewhat whatsoever
They are and make it no matter God accepted no man's person
For they who seem to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me and and here's what I want you to send
Paul is
He's striking this balance and it's a correct balance and I feel like people often
They they don't have the mental capacity to understand
That the Christian life is a balanced life and they want to go on these two extremes
One extreme is
all
You know just anti leadership all pastors are bad. We don't have to respect them. They're nothing, right?
So they love the verses like it make it no matter to me. God accepted no man's person
But then there's this other balance where people just like put men on pedestals and act like they can't sit
here's what's interesting about this chapter is
That Paul is writing under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost in the scripture a kind of embarrassing a
Story not in this one, but the next one about some of the big shots in the early church
but yet he still had respect because notice verse 2 and I went up by revelation and
Communicated unto them that the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles. He says but but but
privately to them which were of reputation
Why did he do it privately less by any means I should run or had run in vain
Say, what does that mean? Oh
That means that he didn't know if he was right or wrong. So he went to them privately and made sure
In case he ran in vain. Well, wait a minute
If I was very clear that he knew what he believed he wasn't going up there to answer question
He was like going up there by revelation
So what does that mean but privately to them which were of reputation? Here's what he's talking about
He says when I got to Jerusalem
I met with the Apostles privately
He said though. I understand that their positions if they go against the Bible
I don't care about their position
He said if I would have went up there and they would have said no
You know, you got to be circumcised to be to be saved then Paul would have said I'm not gonna go with you
I'm gonna go with the Bible it make it no matter to me. God accepted no man's person
But when he got up there he had enough respect to deal with them to talk to them privately just in case they were wrong
To not embarrass them
Publicly and to maybe be able to strain them out just in case they were wrong. He didn't know
Because these people are coming from Jerusalem and saying well, here's what they're teaching Jerusalem
So Paul goes up there and he's like, is this what Peter's preaching now?
Is this what James is preaching now?
Is this what the church in Jerusalem is teaching so the Bible says that when he got there he spoke to them private
He says privately to them which were of reputation. He took the big shots aside and said hey, let me talk to you privately
are you guys preaching this stuff and
Then the Bible says that they were like no we preach the same gospel you're preaching
They gave him the right hand of fellowship. Do you understand the story?
Here's the point that I'm trying to make
Paul had this balance where he said look
If a big shot is preaching wrong, I'm not just gonna follow the big shot because of his position
But Paul also had this balance that said but I'm gonna respect his position
I'm not just gonna show up to Jerusalem and start calling him out in front of everybody
I'm gonna meet with them privately and
Talk to them privately and not just put them on blast publicly. Do you understand that?
You know what the Bible says rebuke not an elder but entreat him as a father
So Paul, he's striking this balance where he says look if they're wrong. I
Don't care what their position is
But because they have a position I'm not gonna blast them publicly. I'm gonna go to them privately
But privately to them which were reputation less by any means I should run or had run in vain. He's just saying
Just in case I get there and I realize that this whole trip was a waste
You know, just in case I get up there and Peter was wrong. I
Just wanted to deal with the privately. Okay. Do you understand that? That's the first story
Let's look at the second story
Now the reason for the the reason I'm making a big deal about that is because the second story has a striking difference
Notice the second story verse 11. The first story deals with the acceptance of Peter and the Apostles in
Jerusalem the second story deals with the confronting of Peter and other brethren in Antioch
Look at Galatians 2 and verse 11
But when Peter was come to Antioch, so now we have another story. The first story was when Paul went to Jerusalem
the second story is
but when Peter was come to Antioch, I
Withstood him to the face because he was to be blamed
Hey, he's he's putting Peter on blast here. Why what happened? Well notice there's a dissimulation of the Apostles
Verse 12 we see the power of peer pressure
for before that certain came from James
He did eat with the Gentiles now
I'm not gonna have time tonight to go through all the passages that I wanted to go to
But let me just explain this to you quickly. You can study this out on your own
James is the brother the half brother of the Lord Jesus Christ
He's not James of the 12 Peter James and John remember James was killed in the book of Acts
So James is the half brother of the Lord Jesus Christ and he's the guy that wrote the book of James and
he's also the pastor of the church in Jerusalem and
Again, I don't have time to go through all that
Peter is an apostle in Jerusalem because remember the church of Jerusalem has like
5,000 people in it. So they've got James who's their pastor?
He's the guy running it
But then they also have the 11 apostles that are there as spiritual leadership and and all those things
and
Paul is an Antioch with Barnabas and the Bible says that Peter was come to Antioch verse 12
But before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles. So when Peter got to Antioch
He was eating with the Gentiles, you know, I don't know what maybe they're having like a church potluck and
And he's eating with the Gentiles
But when they were come when who was come certain came from James
So a group comes from the church in Jerusalem James is the pastor of the church in Jerusalem
And when some guys came from from Jerusalem look verse 12, he Peter withdrew and separated himself
Fearing them which were of the circumcision. So the church in Jerusalem has a major problem where it's just this really hyper Jewish
Church
It's kind of like the old IFB
It's just like just like super Zionist just all about the Jews, right? So this group comes from
James from
Jerusalem and Peter's there and he's just eating with the Gentiles, but when they get there
He it's like when you were in school and you know
They just they he just gets up and he just goes to eat on the on the other side of the cafeteria
He just gets away from the Gentiles. That's what's going on. Look at verse 13 and the other Jews dissembled likewise with him
Say why is that that's the power of influence
Cuz Peter, you know whether you like it or not on good days and bad days. He was a leader
He was Peter
So when he gets up and moves this tray and goes over on the other side of the cafeteria
So does everyone else and the other Jews dissembled likewise with him in so much that notice
Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation
and the word dissimulation means hypocrisy and
Look Barnabas was Paul's
missionary
partner
He's the one that got these Gentiles safe and and even Barnabas himself was carried away with their dissimulation
So I want you to notice here. We see a different approach
Look at verse 11 and in Jerusalem. He went to him to them privately in
Verse 11 the Bible says well, but when Peter was come to Antioch, I would stood him to the face because he was to blame
Look at verse 14
But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel I said unto Peter before them all
That's public. I said unto Peter before them all if thou
Being a Jew liveth after the manner of the Gentiles and not as do the Jews
why compelest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews and
And what what Paul's doing is he's just kind of calling Peter out
Because he says Peter Paul, you know and how this happened
I don't know, but they're all having you know, just envision. Everyone's just having a meal together in a room
Peter's there Peter's a big shot, right?
So he's there and they're asking him to sign their Bible or their scroll or whatever and and they're wanting to talk to them
And they're wanting to whatever they're asking them questions. They're asked and you know, Paul's probably embarrassed. Like oh, they're asking him all these weird
It's just like you act, you know red hot preaching conference
You walk up to Pastor Anderson asking some weird question. I'm just like good night
So this is what happening right? They're having this meal, but then this delegation comes
from James and when they come Peter all of a sudden is just like
goes and then all the Jews and Paul sees and even Barnabas and
Paul sees this verse 14
But when I say when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel
I said unto Peter before them all if thou being a Jew liveth after the matter of the Gentiles
Here's what he's saying Peter
Paul walks up to Peter and just he's just I just have a question for you Peter
If you being a Jew
You live like the Gentiles I mean Peter wasn't eating kosher
Paul's like Peter I saw you eating a hot dog
You and I had a bacon cheese remember the bacon cheeseburger
He's saying if if thou being a Jew
Liveth after the matter of the Gentiles and not as do the Jews why compelest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews
So he's calling him out
now, let me just say a couple of things you say well is there what there's a there's a
Contradiction here because in the first story he goes to him privately in the second story. He goes to him publicly
Look, it's not a contradiction. These stories are being put in the Bible for a reason because God's trying to highlight something for us
First of all, let me just say this the Bible says rebuke not an elder but entreat him as a father
So this does not apply to you
You understand that
There are some things that do not apply to us based off our positions
so let me just be real clear there is never there is never there is never a
situation where it is appropriate for a church member to just go walk into a church and just
blast the pastor and
Start rebuking him. The Bible says rebuke not an elder but entreat him as a father
You say why you're a respecter of persons, you know what read the Bible
because there is a hierarchy of
Positions that give you the right to do certain things. I brought this up before but let me bring it up again
When when Jesus was struck by the hype when the high priest commanded the soldiers to hit him
Jesus rebuked the high priest
When the exact same thing and they said to him
It's not how you're gonna talk to the high priest and Jesus pretty much puts him in his place and says I'm God
But when Peter when the exact same thing happens to Paul and the high priest commands Paul to be beaten
Paul mouths off to the high priest and they say to him
It's not how you're gonna speak to the high priest and he says, I'm sorry. I didn't realize it was the high priest
Now, why do you have two different?
Why do you have two different
Outcomes or two different responses them. Here's why
Because that high priest though he was wrong at that time. He was over the authority of Paul
So Paul he mouthed off to him
They said are you talk to the high priest like that? And he's like, I'm sorry
I didn't realize with the high priest that was the right response
when Jesus
Mouthed off to the high priest. They said you're gonna talk to the high priest like that Jesus
Yeah, I'm gonna talk to high priest like that because Jesus is God
When you look at a hierarchy and you got the high priest Paul was under the authority of the high priest
Jesus was over the authority of the high priest
So let me let you know a little secret your boss can mouth off to you. Don't mouth off to your boss
That's just the reality
So here the reason that Paul can do this number one is because he's an apostle
Remember the book of Galatians is about his authority as an apostle
So he's telling this story for a reason. He's saying number one
They accepted me
number two I
rebuked him and
What he's proving is that he has authority as an apostle and by the way, Peter was a mature Christian who took this correction
Well because later on Peter writes a book
Two letters called first and second Peter and he speaks highly of Paul
It just shows you that Peter was obviously a godly man and
He took the correction. Well, but what I'm saying is Paul wasn't like this guy
They just got saved off of YouTube videos for two years and walks up and just starts rebuking Peter
He's doing this because he's an apostle now. Why does he do it publicly? Well, keep in mind
He already they already dealt with this issue privately
So now because of the fact that Peter did this publicly
Because when Peter did this it caused all the Jews to follow him
Because Peter did it publicly Paul had to deal with it publicly and let me explain something to you
Private sins are dealt with privately public sins. Oftentimes have to be dealt with publicly. I
You know people sometimes they leave our church and I tell people hey god bless you, you know, I wish you well
And I tell people like hey I
Will not speak of you publicly I will not talk say anything negatively about you
Oh, but sometimes when I have the suspicion that they're bad people I say but if you begin to attack us publicly
Then I will defend
Myself publicly. So I mean you do that. Well, the Apostle Paul wrote a whole book about
Defending himself and his credibility
And you know people often just throw it in my face like every time someone leaves, you know
You attack them and I'm like name one and it's like two people
well, let me let you know a little secret people leave our church all the time and
You never hear their name. You know, I never there's never any sort of sermon. I mean just today just today. I
Sent an email off to somebody that left our church
Going to another church and their pastor reached out to me and I said praise Lord. I'm glad they're in church. God bless them
I have nothing bad to say about them. You know, did they leave our church for good reasons?
Not necessarily, but you know what? I don't hold that against them
It's great. I'm glad they're in church
But let me tell you something if you start attacking a man of God publicly
Then things the Bible says that these things have to be brought rebuke before all that others also may fear that's public
So
Private sins are dealt with probably look if you if you're backslidden you want to leave leave
I mean, I don't want you to leave
I'm just saying if you're gonna leave leave just leave quietly and go and we'll never talk to you or whatever
We won't say anything about you. Well, you start making YouTube videos and it's like, all right, you want to fight?
We can fight
Now, let me just say this as I end this because it's kind of a complicated chapter
So I just want you to understand what's happening here
Because I don't want you people walk away from this or like you can rebuke any pastor look Paul's rebuking Peter the faith
Well, wait a minute
Paul met with Peter privately first
the only reason he dealt with this publicly is because it was done publicly and
Because he had the authority to do so
So don't get it in your mind that you can go walk up to some pastor start rebuking him dumb. No, you cannot and
Even if you are a pastor
You should be like Paul was and say if you got an issue with a pastor try to deal with it privately
But sometimes things have to be adult publicly and when they're dealt with publicly they have to be dealt with publicly and sometimes we had
The new IP get attacked you guys deal with stuff publicly. That's not very Christian like oh really like Galatians 2
Where he says that he said to Peter that he was to blame and
He rebuked them in front of everybody that's that's in the Bible
So don't get this idea
That oh
Drama is just the new IP the whole New Testament is drama
It's all drama. You know, if you're gonna stand for the things of God, there's gonna be drama
There's gonna be fights
And look the reason it's good to explain this is because whenever there's a fight there's always there's always the bleeding hearts
These bleeding heart, you know these weak people
With no backbone that don't ever want to stand with their pastor or their spiritual leader. There's always these bleeding hearts
They're like, I can't believe that you guys are attacking so hey that person's wicked
They're trying to destroy a church, you know, whatever if they're being dealt with publicly it's because they're a Judas
it's because they're a bad person and
Some fights need to happen publicly. It's just the way it is
Now, let me just say let me just say a couple things
As I kind of end because this isn't going well, so might as well just finish it
It's interesting
about leadership
Because here you have Peter just being called out by Paul
But let me just and I and I I could I could take the time to give you all the verses
I'm not gonna do that because I'm out of time, but let me just say this all of these guys failed
Okay, here we have a story where Paul did not allow Titus to be circumcised
But you know what in Acts 16 if you just want to jot this down for your notes in Acts 16 verses 1 through 3
Paul gives in to the Jews and has Timothy circumcised
and
in Acts 21
verses 17 through
24
Paul goes to Jerusalem and James
who's the pastor of the church and
Who is the man who wrote the book of James?
He gives Paul this idea because remember what we talked about
Just because they did it doesn't make it right
James I mean read Acts 21 and you know what you find a story where James a pastor is telling Paul
Hey Paul, all these Jews don't like you. Why don't you pretend like you took this Jewish vow and
That's just there's these other guys that took a vow
Let's shave your head and act like you took it too. That way these Jews will like you literally a pastor of a church
It's telling a missionary to lie
And before you get down on James Paul does it
And if you're familiar with the book of Acts he goes into the temple and they still beat him up and they still arrest him
you say why does God tell us these crazy stories because they happened and
Because look
Leaders are human beings
They're gonna make mistakes
Was Peter a great man of God look Peter. I'll just say it
Peter was a greater Christian than anybody in this room
But he gave in to peer pressure and took his lunch and ate it what the cool kids
Paul was a greater Christian than anybody in this room
But
He had Timothy circumcised and he shaved his head and pretended like he took a vow that he hadn't taken
we're gonna learn about that in the book of Numbers and
He acted like he was, you know a sympathizer to the Jewish cause when he wasn't
James was a great man. I
Mean the book of James in the New Testament might be my favorite book in the entire New Testament. I
Mean, it's a super practical super wise book
But
James
is telling Paul to lie is has all these Judaizers in his church and and
What's the point? Look the point is this the Bible tells us the truth about people and
That actually lends to the credibility of the Bible
That God doesn't just like hide all their mistakes
He shows us their mistakes because look these were all great men Peter
Paul James great men greater men than anyone here greater men than anyone alive
But they made some real bad mistakes
Say well, what can you learn from that? Here's here's what you can learn from it. Love your leader
respect your leader
But don't put any leader on an unhealthy pedestal
Where you would follow them into sin because even leaders make mistakes
That's the moral of the story it's about heads an hour to prayer Heavenly Father
Thank you Lord for your word. Thank you for these stories. I
Realize that sometimes these narratives they can be a little complicated because we're reading things and seeing things and we're just not really sure
Why is Paul?
Saying he's not gonna circumcise Titus, but he's circumcised Timothy. Why is
Paul rebuking someone privately and then rebuking him publicly
We just have to realize that these are stories
This is this is what happened some people did the right thing some people did the wrong thing
But we should always go with what the Bible clearly tells us to do. We love you the match the same of Christ. We pray
Amen. All right, we're gonna have brother Moses come up and lead us in a final song
Just wanna remind you that we've got PE tomorrow at 10 a.m
So don't forget about that. If you're part of the PE class if there's anything we do for you, please let us know
We'll have the final song at this time
Please turn your song books to page number 277
277 let's see it out on the first
And he will surely
Trust him now
Oh
The way
Oh
Let's sing it out on the last
Oh
Great singing. Can I please have brother Daryl?
Oh
You