Thoughts From Galatians 1 - Part 4

  Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days. 19 I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother. 20 I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie.21 Then I went to Syria and Cilicia. 22 I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they praised God because of me.   Gal. 1:18-24

       Has your encounter with Christ changed your life or was it just a part of your life's story like graduating High School? Paul encountered Christ on the road to Damascus and it was the turning point of his life.

      First, the people he hung out with changed. We see him here meeting James, the brother of Jesus and the leader of the fledgling Church. We also see him meeting Peter, the lead disciple. All his old friends wanted to kill him! I highly doubt that when you got saved all your friends wanted to kill you, but try as you might, chances are that they hung out with you less and less because as Peter would say in 1Peter 4;

"you do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4 They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you."

My guess is that if your friends didn't change after coming to Christ, you never really "came".

        Second, his residence changed. Does that mean we need to move when we find Christ? Not necessarily but maybe? Maybe you will want to go to a Christian school or University if God is telling you to. When you get saved you go where He tells you to go. You may need to move out if you are living together. You may have roommates that you shouldn't live with anymore. Your career path may change to a field that you feel glorifies God instead of a self-serving one which might require a move. The writer of Hebrews describes our "putting down roots" in this way in chapter 11;

" By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them."

Paul lived as a nomad. He had no home except Heaven. That was where he had put down roots. If you feel like Earth is your home you probably didn't really encounter Christ.

          Lastly, people knew he was a Christian. Do people know you are a Christian or are you undercover? Maybe you see yourself as a Secret Agent Christian. You are a "mole" in the world. If so, it's time to "come out". Your social media, house, car, office, countenance - everything people see should scream "I'm a follower of Jesus." Everyone knew Paul had changed. Do they know you've changed. If not, you probably haven't. Paul said in Romans 1;

 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile."

              Has your friend group changed? Has your citizenship changed? Has your identity changed? Everything changes if you are truly born again because you are a new creation. Old things have passed away- the new has come! (2Cor.5:17)

Thoughts From Galatians 1 - Part 3

  I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. 17 I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.    Gal. 1:11-17

                When I picture God talking with a person, I think of Moses going to the tent, a cloud would come over the tent, Moses would meet with God for hours and then Moses would come out with a glowing face. Those were probably the times when God would give him instructions on leading the people, insight into dealing with problems, but also the words to the first 5 books of the Bible. Think about it; how could anyone tell the creation account when no one except God was there unless the creator told someone (Moses) how it happened.

             I tend to forget that for 3 years in the Arabian desert, Paul got some direct interaction with Jesus giving him insight that he would need for his future ministry to the Gentiles along with how the Old Testament pointed to and was fulfilled by Christ, the Messiah. Paul pens insights and doctrines into his epistles that we can only get from him, so we have to assume, during his 3 years, God answered Paul's questions so much clearer than His recorded answers to the other disciples' questions. I have to believe it is because now Paul had the indwelling Holy Spirit opening his mind to the truth. We see the disciples, in their last recorded interaction with the risen Jesus in Acts 1, asking Jesus when He was going to deliver them from the Romans. They still didn't get it. Jesus' response was kind of funny. He basically says, stay in Jerusalem and don't talk to anyone until the Holy Spirit comes. Paul, now filled with the Holy Spirit could actually ask questions and get answers.

          When you read 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, you see that Paul has insights into the second coming, rapture, antichrist that he couldn't have gotten anywhere except from direct revelation.  Paul explains Justification by faith especially in Romans and Galatians in a way that the Jews had totally missed. In Ephesians and 1 Corinthians he discusses the Church as the body and bride of Christ and also lays out the concept of spiritual gifts which must have been revealed to him. The whole concept of being indwelt by the Holy Spirit was talked about in John but Paul unpacked it in his epistles which must have been explained to him divinely. The qualifications of deacons and elders and roles of women in the Church sounds a little like Jethro instructing Moses on how to lead the people. Lastly, the whole inclusion of Gentiles and the limited duration of the Church age with the Jews then coming back to God had to be divinely revealed to Paul.

        Some skeptics like to discount Paul's writings and say that they are just filled with his opinions. Some theologians say that they are inspired but take the "Red Letters" of Jesus in higher regard. My thought is that God talked "face to face" with Paul like He did with Moses so treat Paul's words with the utmost respect that we give Moses'. Will God talk to you the same way He talked to these 2 if you are committed and desirous enough? My thought is no. Why? Because the Bible is written and everything we need to know is in there. However, God will speak to you through His word "face to face" anytime you call on His name, come into His presence and sincerely desire to hear from Him. How badly do you want it?

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.