|
Sunday
February 7, 2010
Embodying Hope and Sharing God's Love
Introduction
Galatians 2:1-21: Paul describes his visit to Jerusalem. During the visit,
he shared his story and met with leaders to convince them of his
understanding of God's grace. James, Peter and John welcomed him,
indicating that they affirmed his ministry. Their affirmation was put to
the test when Paul confronted Peter about refusing to eat with Gentiles.
Today's Scripture: Galatians 2:20...so that it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.
This life that I live now, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me
and gave his life for me.
How is this Scripture passage speaking to me today? Today's Reading
1Fourteen years later I went back to
Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me.
2I went because God revealed to me that I should go.
In a private meeting with the leaders I explained the gospel message that I
preach to the Gentiles. I did not want my work in the past or in the
present to be a failure.
3My companion Titus, even though he is Greek, was
not forced to be circumcised,
4although some wanted it done. Pretending to be
believers, these men slipped into our group as spies, in order to find out
about the freedom we have through our union with Christ Jesus. They wanted
to make slaves of us,
5but in order to keep the truth of the gospel safe
for you, we did not give in to them for a minute.
6But those who seemed to be the
leaders—I say this because it makes no difference to me what they were;
God does not judge by outward appearances—those leaders, I say, made no
new suggestions to me.
7On the contrary, they saw that God had given me the
task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as he had given Peter
the task of preaching the gospel to the Jews.
8For by God's power I was made an apostle to the
Gentiles, just as Peter was made an apostle to the Jews.
9James, Peter, and John, who seemed to be the
leaders, recognized that God had given me this special task; so they shook
hands with Barnabas and me, as a sign that we were all partners. We agreed
that Barnabas and I would work among the Gentiles and they among the Jews.
10All they asked was that we should remember the
needy in their group, which is the very thing I have
been eager to do.
11But when Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him in
public, because he was clearly wrong.
12Before some men who had been sent by James
arrived there, Peter had been eating with the Gentile believers. But after
these men arrived, he drew back and would not eat with the Gentiles,
because he was afraid of those who were in favor of circumcising them.
13The other Jewish believers also started acting
like cowards along with Peter; and even Barnabas was swept along by their
cowardly action.
14When I saw that they were not walking a straight
path in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of
them all,
“You are a Jew, yet you have been living like a Gentile,
not like a Jew. How, then, can you try to force Gentiles to live like
Jews?”
15Indeed, we are Jews by birth and not
“Gentile sinners,” as they are called.
16Yet we know that a person is put
right with God only through faith in Jesus Christ, never by doing what the
Law requires. We, too, have believed in Christ Jesus in order to be put
right with God through our faith in Christ, and not by doing what the Law
requires. For no one is put right with God by doing what the Law requires.
17If, then, as we try to be put right with God by
our union with Christ, we are found to be sinners, as much as the Gentiles
are—does this mean that Christ is serving the cause of sin? By no means!
18If I start to rebuild the system of Law that I
tore down, then I show myself to be someone who breaks the Law.
19So far as the Law is concerned, however, I am
dead—killed by the Law itself—in order that I might live for God. I
have been put to death with Christ on his cross,
20so that it is no longer I who live, but it is
Christ who lives in me. This life that I live now, I live by faith in the
Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me.
21I refuse to reject the grace of God. But if a
person is put right with God through the Law, it means that Christ died
for nothing!
Reflect
The Law of Moses said it was wrong to eat certain foods and to share meals
with Gentiles or with Jews who did not keep the purity laws. Peter had
earlier agreed that these rules were not required of Gentile followers of
Jesus (Acts 11:1-18), but appeared to have changed positions here. Why
might he have changed positions?
Pray
Gracious God, our love and hospitality are tested when we are in
relationship with those who are different from us. Open my heart and mind
to those with whom I struggle most. Amen.
Prayer Concern
Mediators
|
Connecting to Facebook
