Thoughts From Galatians 1 - Part 2

 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. Gal. 1:10

           I'm always amazed on Twitter or X, that someone will make a post and get thousands of "likes". I'm thrilled when I get one like, only to find it to be a bot of a sexy woman who is probably a male scammer trying to catfish me. Paul would not be going for "likes" if he was around today. He was out to tell the Truth of the Gospel, and if people didn't like it, that didn't matter because God did and that's the only "like" he cared about.

Blessed are you when people hate you,
    when they exclude you and insult you
    and reject your name as evil,
        because of the Son of Man.

Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,

 for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets. Luke 6:22,26

What was Jesus saying here in Luke? He was saying that if you follow Jesus, believe the Bible, share the gospel, call out evil when necessary - you may get more "dislikes" than "likes." Our goal shouldn't be that everyone likes us. That doesn't mean that our goal should be for people to dislike us. For me, at my newish "job", I'm amazed how much people like me and that thrills me. One of my goals is to show people that Christians can be likeable in this day of us vs. them that politics, Covid, and whatever else has divided us. But if they like me, it can't be because I have hidden my faith or compromised the truth to get along or be liked.

I've got to say that at this point, I've shared the gospel a lot and still am liked. I wonder if I have presented it in a way that doesn't say, it's one or the other but rather, "here's what I believe, what do you believe?", almost in a way that's "Here's my truth, what's yours?" It's certainly something to be considered because one thing Jesus never promised is that everyone will like me.

Paul was chased out of every town he went to and eventually killed for his faith. When he would leave town, he would be "bad mouthed" and slandered by false teachers. Yet he never backed down or watered down the gospel and when he entered eternity, I imagine the first person he saw was Jesus saying "Well done my good and faithful servant. Enter the kingdom I've prepared for you." That would have been the only "like" he needed.

Thoughts From Galatians 1 - Part 1

 Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2 and all the brothers and sisters with me,

To the churches in Galatia:3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one (gospel) we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what (the gospel) you accepted, let them be under God’s curse! Gal. 1:1-9

            I got in a discussion with a Muslim 3 days ago and asked, "How do you get to Heaven?" She responded, "By being a good person." I asked, "Are you good enough?", and she responded, "I hope so." Now if I was grading, she'd be in because she is one of the nicest people at the hospital, but unfortunately, the standard is perfection and we're all short of it. (Is that a BigTentRevival song?) 

          Gospel means good news. To follow a religion that can't tell you if you are going to make it but just keep trying harder and harder is not good news. It sounds like stress and anxiety to me. Actually, Islam does give you some assurance of salvation, if you die in the midst of Jihad (Quaran 3:157) I shared with her that all the religions of the world are like people climbing up different sides of a mountain to get to God. Christianity is the only one that states the mountain is insurmountable. We can't be good enough, so God came down the mountain in His Son Jesus who takes us to the top if we put ourselves in His arms. It's total faith, not works. (Eph. 2:8,9 & Titus 3:5,6) Then John says in 1John 5 that we can know that we have eternal life. That's good news.

         Paul had shared this good news to the people in Galatia and they were thrilled to receive it but then it appears when he left people came in and changed the good news to good works salvation which is not good news at all.  Originally gospel was associated with a herald bringing and posting a proclamation in town that a victory had been accomplished and everyone cheered. This is probably a lame illustration but since I'm a Brewer fan let's say that during the '25 season there's a night where we hang our NL Central Champion 2024 banner and Cubs fans try to tear it down or petition MLB to remove it because they won the season series against us. What's happening? The season is over. Winning the NL Central was accomplished and the proclamation and good news has been displayed. Now, someone is coming in and changing the rules or saying it takes more than that. That is how silly and infuriating what's going on in the church of Galatia is to Paul. Salvation has been won. It is finished. It's final. Why are you trying to change the rules?

       I'm so glad that I don't have to be good enough to get to Heaven. I could never make it. Thanks be to Jesus who did it for me!

Thoughts From Romans 16 - Part 2

 

 I ask you to receive her in the Lord

Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus

...they were in Christ before I was.

Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord.

9 Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ

Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.

12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord.

Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord.

13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord

22 I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord.

            Ten times in these few verses, Paul makes reference to being in the Lord, especially working in the Lord. To figure out the difference between working for the Lord and working in the Lord has to be one of the deeper truths to mine out of scripture. Two people working at the winter coat drive at the church. One is working for the Lord, and one is working in the Lord. Can you spot the difference? Probably not, but God can. One is bearing fruit that will last and one is bearing that wax fruit that looks good in a bowl but in the long run isn't of use. I want to be the one God approves of that bears real fruit and the glory goes to Him, not me in the end. Don't you? How can we make sure we are?

           I'm still trying to plumb the depths of this but let me give you an example from this passage. Who wrote Romans? Paul, right? I mean that's what we have been saying throughout, and you'd have to go to seminary to hear otherwise. But notice a guy named Tertius shows up in verse 22 and states that he wrote it! So why don't we attribute Romans to Tertius instead of Paul? Because everyone knows that Paul used a person with skills as a scribe, and told him word for word what to write down. He submitted to Paul, listened to every word he said and wrote it down word for word and let Paul sign it at the end to authenticate it. Tertius made himself nothing, yielded to Paul and did everything he said so the credit would go to Paul.

       Lest you think that now you have the perfect trick Bible trivia to pimp everyone - Q. Who wrote Romans? A Tertius! - some smarty pants would say, "No, the Holy Spirit!" and you would probably lose because in the same way as Tertius is to Paul, Paul is to the Holy Spirit. Paul is yielding his thoughts and his mind to the Holy Spirit who is telling Paul, straight from the mouth of God, what to tell Tertius to write. This is how inspiration works, a yielded vessel, chosen by God, to pass His word on to believers of all generations.

         So what does it mean to work in the Lord? We, at salvation are given the indwelling Holy Spirit. Being in the Lord means that we are yielding our will to His and letting Him glorify the Father by manifesting good works in us. We are not doing things for our glory but His. We are not doing things in our strength but in His power that flows through us. Before every fall festival, Christmas store, food pantry, we should be begging God, "take me and use me. May people see my good deeds and glorify You not me. May I experience the oneness and presence of Jesus as I yield my body in service of You. Thank You for the opportunity to make my Father happy, Amen." This is a little glimpse of what it means to work in the Lord.

Thoughts From Romans 16 - Part 1

 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. 2 I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. 4 They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.5 Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.6 Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you.7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.8 Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord.9 Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys.10 Greet Apelles, whose fidelity to Christ has stood the test. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus.11 Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew. Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord.13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the other brothers and sisters with them.15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the Lord’s people who are with them.16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings.

        I recently had an encounter in the new Sunday School class I am going to. A man was talking about a trip to Nairobi with Calvary Road ministries where someone's passport was stolen and the person had a hard time leaving. I had a similar experience in Nairobi with Calvary Road, and it forced me to ask the awkward question, "Was I on that trip with you?" I wasn't but still to have to ask that when we would have been co-laboring in a far-off country for the sake of Christ shows just how inwardly focused I am and how my fellowship and interpersonal skills are lacking. In my defense, I have been on about 30 mission trips and it's hard to remember, but here, Paul is writing to a Church he has never been to and mentions 28 people by name because he has co-labored with him. I tend to see Paul as lacking in people skills like me, but obviously he has mastered the art of deep relationships in the midst of service despite his own inadequacies.

      And then, over the years, I have heard people say - and maybe you're one of them, "I attended that Church for a year and nobody even knew my name!" That isn't their fault! We all need to jump in and start serving for the advancement of the gospel and then you will know people's names, and they will know yours.

       Lastly, not to take this passage too far out of its cultural context but I think there is another lesson to be learned. I have developed some friends over the years while attending church and for one reason or another, we no longer attend the same church. Recently I ran into one of those guys and he told me that he and another guy are attending a men's Bible Study at another evangelical church in town on Tuesday nights. I may just go show up because we are all in this together, right? Paul felt close to this church he had never attended because it was filled with fellow believers he knew. Do you feel comfortable doing things with other churches in your vicinity for the fellowship of the saints or are you an "us or them" mentality?

        Jesus' last prayer in John 17 prayed that we might be one and have total unity. If that was on His heart "going down the stretch", don't you think it's extremely important to have the kind of fellowship that Paul is talking about here? Take it seriously!

Thoughts From Romans 15 - Part 7

I will go to Spain and visit you on the way. 29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ. Rom. 15:28,29

       Our pastor this week spoke on the resurrection with a 30-foot-high Christmas tree in the background. He was finishing up a series on Mark which ended just after Thanksgiving so the whole ambience seemed a bit confused as well as the congregants. Therefore, when he said things that deserved a hearty "Amen", it was relatively silent. At one point he had just gone to the 3 verses in Mark where Jesus had predicted His death and resurrection, Mark 8:31, 9:31, 10:34 (I found it interesting that it was the same verse one chapter apart) and he ended by saying, "God always keeps His promises". Certainly, that deserved an amen but relative silence and he even called us out (in a kind way). It wasn't the confusing backdrop that had me quiet this time, but rather I had just read this passage in Romans 15.

      God always keeps his promises! Amen! Paul, you are going to Rome and will meet the Roman Church and refresh them. Promise from God. What God didn't tell him is that he would be arrested, beaten, sit in prison through two regime changes, have assassination attempts planned against him, get shipwrecked, swim to shore, get bit by a poisonous viper, and finally end up in Rome under house arrest. So yes, God always keeps His promises! Amen! But don't assume you know or are even going to like how they are kept.

      For me, I would say 2 promises I claim are Prov. 3:5,6 and Rom. 8:28

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will direct your paths "

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,

 who have been called according to his purpose"

So it's an if>then proposition;

 if I trust in the Lord with all my heart

If I don't lean on my own wisdom            > then He will direct my paths

if I submit to Him

if I love Him                                            > then all things work for good

if I'm called into His service

                                           

      So here I am in Memphis doing my dream job, which I didn't even know I would like. I work 120 hours a month and have 3 weeks off. I make almost as much money as private practice, I don't have to chart, put up with nurses or demanding ungrateful patients, birthing plans, epidurals that don't work, hiring and firing, insurance plans and denials, etc. Instead, I get to be involved in the lives of student doctors and hopefully make an eternal difference. I can be friends with the nurses instead of fighting the power struggle and just let them win. (like last night) How did God get me to the "all things work for good"? Through my partner losing his privileges, the hospital turning its back on me after being there 37 years, being investigated by the TBI because of a nurse that didn't like us and seeking a 30% "whistle blower" reward, (after 3 years of not finding anything the case was closed) closing the practice which outside of Christ, really was my identity, and doing travelling doctor things in small towns because I felt at 66 I still had a lot to offer.

        Then I did a short travelling thing at UTHC in Memphis overseeing residents and med students at night. The first night I delivered twins with a breech extraction that few people do, did forceps to prevent a c/section, turned a baby from breech to headfirst and they offered me a job the next day. God wanted me here, so He put on display, in one night, my total skill set learned over 40 years, and I got a 2-year contract and I'm in the middle of my 3rd year. God always keeps His promises! Amen! Did I like how He kept them - No! But He has a purpose in the pain. I get slight glimpses of why but for the most part I may have to wait until Heaven to understand the plan of getting me to the "directed paths" of Proverbs. All I do know is, Yes, God does keep His promises, and I am so grateful to Him.

Thoughts From Romans 15 - Part 6

  Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the Lord’s people there. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord’s people in Jerusalem. 27 They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. 28 So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this contribution, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way. 29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.30 I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. 31 Pray that I may be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea and that the contribution I take to Jerusalem may be favorably received by the Lord’s people there, 32 so that I may come to you with joy, by God’s will, and in your company be refreshed. 33 The God of peace be with you all. Amen.

         Paul is writing this as he is winding up his 3rd mission trip. He is going through all the churches in Macedonia and Achaia and collecting money and occasionally a representative from the church and this entourage and sum of money is heading to Jerusalem to help out the church there because as the Jews received Christ they would get kicked out of the synagogue and many would lose their jobs. The gentiles, who believed in multiple gods anyway probably didn't suffer persecution for their conversion. I remember talking to a Hindu mom and she had no problem if her child followed Jesus because He was a "good prophet" and would help her child socially to fit in here in the Bible belt. I imagine if a gentile said they were following Jesus; the response might have been "cool."

        Paul has 2 concerns that he wants prayer for and that is that the church would accept the gift and for his safety because prophets have warned him not to go back to Jerusalem because he would be arrested. Some people are very good at accepting money others aren't. I would say I'm somewhere in between closer to the line of accepting. My wife is way on the other end, "Give that money back." The Jews didn't like the gentiles or at least were beginning the process of considering them humans, plus they were proud people because they were God's chosen. To receive a gift from a gentile dog or claim they needed help from Gentiles was something Paul was afraid might combust and all his work of collecting money and trying to bring Jews and Gentiles together might all be undone. The answer was going to be through mutual humbling. Paul told the gentiles that they owe their salvation to the Jews because through them came Christ and therefore be in debt to them. Likewise, the Jews were suffering financially, and the Gentiles could relieve that burden but that meant humbling to say you needed help from the Gentiles.

       Don't you think that most of our interpersonal problems would be solved by humility and considering others more important than ourselves? So what if others take advantage or think they're better, they're not. You are a child of the king - find your confidence and worth in that.

Thoughts From Romans 15 - Part 5

  It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. 21 Rather, as it is written:

“Those who were not told about him will see,
    and those who have not heard will understand.”

22 This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you. 23 But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you, 24 I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while

             When I went to a Christian Missionary Alliance Church, I learned that their emphasis for missions was based on this verse in Matt. 24:14, "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." They believed that the one thing holding back the second coming of Christ was unreached people groups. Now whether that's a correct interpretation of the passage or not doesn't really concern me. Any church with an emphasis of taking the (true) gospel out to the world is fine by me.

     We learn several things about Paul from these few verses. First, his primary gifting was evangelism not discipleship. Sure, he stayed in some cities for months at a time and met with believers at a school but those seemed more the exceptions. His personal discipleship consisted of taking guys along with him on his trips like Silas, Timothy, and Luke. Paul was basically an itinerant speaker going to areas that hadn't heard the gospel, preaching it for several days and then moving on usually for the fear of his life. That was God's plan for him at this point. Throughout my Christian life, I have heard travelling evangelists at revival weeks at every different denomination I'm in. Usually, they come for a love offering and are meant to save the lost and rekindle the backslidden. I'm sure they say that Paul is their inspiration for ministry.

         I often wonder if evangelists, like Paul with John Mark, have limited patience with people. I can see this with myself; I don't like to go on mission trips where I've been before. Hundreds will have been saved, and I go back a year later and none of those converts are in the church. How can you hear something as wonderful as the gospel and not experience radical life change. Or I meet with kids in the youth group to disciple and I give them verses to read with a journal to fill out - main thought, what God is saying to me, Action I'm going to take. How difficult is that? They don't do it or say they will meet me and don't show. Personally, I don't think Paul would have put up with that. I don't want to question Paul's motivation as he justifies it with an Old Testament prophecy or says, "God hasn't allowed me to come to you", but I think Paul's personality was certainly suited for a travelling evangelist. His zeal was so great that there were no places left to preach - how could he put up with someone who is unexcited about Jesus?

       Second, he wasn't embarrassed to ask for support. I tend to think any ministry that is asking for money is suspect due to all the scams and greedy people out there, but legitimate ministries should not be ashamed to ask for money. In fact, although a church in Lystra might not be evangelizing the nations, by helping Paul financially, they in effect are. I've been to multiple missions' conferences growing up, also, where a missionary on a brief furlough, comes to a church that supports them and tells of the fruit of their labor which wouldn't have been possible without your financial support. We feel somewhat responsible for the Bible being translated into an unreached people group's language in the Ivory Coast through Verne and Denny Johnson. They did all the work, but we had a small part and so glad we have supported them.