December 16, 2024: Monday Bible Study on Paul’s letter to the Galatians 2:6-10
May the perfection of our LORD Jesus Christ stand before you so that your life may be filled with opportunities to bring joy to the hosts of heaven. We are only now just one Sunday left in Advent. Christmas Eve Service is scheduled for Tuesday evening at 7 PM next week. I hope that you will set aside the time to join our congregation for this festival worship opportunity. This coming Sunday at 8:30AM we will be showing a wonderful Christmas movie about the Biblical account of the journey of Mary and Joseph and their burro to Bethlehem and all of the intrigue in human evil which attempts to prevent the coming of the Christ Child. This story is a wonderful, for all ages, animation gift for all of us. I hope that you can join us for this special movie showing. Please continue to pray for my family on the death of my brother Rick last week. I will be traveling to be in western Michigan for his funeral on January 11. So, prayers for God's speed for both Jesse and Me, as well as family and friends who will be coming for Rick's celebration of life. Prayers too for Kandice and her father. Kandice's cancer numbers are climbing rapidly now, and her father has fallen and broken his hip on a different Hawaiian Island. All of these changes are going to make their Christmas celebrations much more difficult. Offer a prayer of thanksgiving that, in spite of her Dr. ordered limitations, and the hip socket issues, Teri has been able to get back to church. Thank you, God! Please keep the Backers in your prayers as they now travel to California to be with their family for Christmas and remember Pastor Ron and Becky too as they get ready to head down to Tucson from Minnesota.
Today we are in Chapter two of Galatians verses 6-10. I don't know about you, but it really seems like Paul is exhibiting his sense of superiority in his mission and spread the Gospel in Asia Minor. That really should not surprise us, after all Paul is a person of extra special learning that has led him to be one of the most knowledgeable Pharisees there has ever been. I would think that he would naturally be filled with himself and his ability. It should not surprise us then that he seems to be a little Haughty when he speaks of others. Twice, when Paul speaks about those whose reputations are already out there in the world, in verse 6 Paul lets the reader know that they really may not be all that special, or they may be really special, but whatever the situation, Paul says that it does not affect him. It is obvious that the disciples have a kind of natural seniority, which Paul cannot match, no matter how he tries. But Paul has come to meet with the disciples so that they may get all of this sorted out for the sake of the UNITY in the new church. Both circumcised and uncircumcised men must be able to work in unity for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As you can see here, it was uncommon for women to hold positions of authority and power in the new church. Not everyone was a Lydia. So, in this meeting with the disciples three things happen that make it possible for many Christians to move forward in their faith with confidence that no matter how many errors the church's new people make, the Church will work because God will bring them all together, providing His Mighty Gift of Faith to all of their Gospel work.
The Jerusalem disciples add nothing to Paul. His faith and his work can stand solidly on their own.
The disciples were happy to agree that a division that serves all communities would be best.
Paul is reminded by the disciples to remember the poor. A little later in Paul's ministry, he will undertake to collect the necessary monies to keep the disciples' ministry in Jerusalem running.
Neither Paul nor the Disciples would have ever been able to do this work if the hand of God had not been with them. It is not easy to explain and convey to others the strange, intimate, and powerful work of the One True God. I know how the ministry for the Gospel feels to me in my life but explaining it to someone else is not easy. I feel consumed by it! Even at nearly 75 years of age, I know how much more there is that needs to be done, and how much more I have to share about this consuming presence of God's truth in my life all of the time. It's just like trying to talk about God's Grace on Sunday in a way that we might all understand, but I sure know when it is in, with, and around me all of the time. I can think of anything that could possibly fill my life in the same way, and though my Love for my family is nearly equal, the presence of the LORD fills me, and compels me to take whatever future steps in my service God challenges me to take.
God bless you. In the Name of Jesus, and with His love, Pastor Kim
Comments