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2:10 Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 (Ga 2:10). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

I have served as a pastor of a Southern Baptist church, or been a member of a Southern Baptist church since 1996.  I choose to describe myself as a follow of Jesus Christ, rather than as a Southern Baptist.  This identification is because I believe it is more significant to declare our identity in an Eternal God, rather than a man-made denomination.  Apart from that, I willingly choose to align myself with Southern Baptists becase of the intentional and strategic plan of the Cooperative Program.  Today’s text gives some Biblical support to the issue.

There are several times in the N.T. that we see Paul’s commitment to serve the poor.  Romans 15:25-33, 1 Corinthains 16:1-4, and 2 Corinthians 8:9 serve as examples.  Consistently it seems that the method of collection was from the local church, and that Paul distributed the funds to the poor.

When Peter and the Apostles asked Paul to remember the poor, it was not a burden nor an addition to his ministry.  He was willingly eager to continue this tangible ministry.

As Southern Baptists we follow a similar model.  Our local churches combine resources to advance the Gospel.  There is an undeniable truth that working together we can achieve more.  By faithfully giving as the Lord directs us individually, coupled with the shared resources of the Cooperative Program, it is very possible to advance the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

I am not naive, these resources must be managed wisely and with a spirit of obedient stewardship.  One could be critical of fund management in the past, but regardless the Cooperative Program is still the best approach to missions efforts around the world.  It is Biblical and it is best, and that is why I choose to be a Southern Baptist.

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2:8 (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 (Ga 2:8). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Both Paul and Peter served as key leaders in the advancement of the Gospel following the ministry of Christ.  This in no way minimizes the work of the remaining apostles or other evangelists.  However, it does serve as a call to leadership.  In Catholic tradition, June 29 celebrates both of these leaders; as traditionally that is the date they were both executed.

It is interesting to note that while the Gospel was available to all, God gave Peter and Paul different focuses in their ministry.  In modern day, there is often divisions in the church when one pastor or group chooses to focus on a target area that differs from another.  We should be cautious against being critical of others who choose to “do ministry” a different way.  The message must be of Christ, crucified, risen, and coming again.  If God’s Word is held in highest regard, and the message of the Gospel is not altered, then there should be freedom to follow God’s call in the focused efforts to target specific people groups.

Another interesting thing to note in this passage, is that much of Galatians 2 has been paralleling the accounts of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15.  The accounts of Peter seem to drift off following the Council and much of the attention moved to Paul.  This does not imply that Peter was no long effective.  It does emphasize the significance of the Gospel message being spread to unreached people groups.  For you and I today, we must be aware of the unreached people groups around the globe and should do all we can to go and send Gospel curriers to the ends of the earth.

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2:7 On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 (Ga 2:7). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Galatians 2:7 contains powerful clues and challenges to the modern day Christian life.  He leads with, “When they saw”. In the previous verses Paul has mentioned the false accusers, Judaizers, and spectators around the Jerusalem Council.  Clearly the consistency of his message and the conviction of his position has been observed by eye witnesses.  He delivered an unshakeable message in the face of opposition.  Undoubtedly they wanted to find loop holes in his message, but were unable to do so.  For us today, we must admit that many work to undermine the Gospel message.  From recent political attempts to restrict military from evangelistic efforts, to criticism of traditional views on marriage; there is a deliberate and strategic movement to undermine the Christian Gospel message of hope in Christ alone.

We can learn from Paul in his consistent message pointed to Christ as the Source and Strength of the Gospel.  What others observed in him was that he “had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised”.  Paul had been given a specific mission, which expanded the traditional audience.  This came with great tension.  Paul was faithful to reinforce the Gospel was from God and given with authority from God.  For us today, we must be guarded against relying solely on logic and reason.  Granted we should use sound logic and reason, but the ultimate authority on which we stand is Christ, the Hope of Glory.  He has mandated that we share the Gospel message, in the face of persecution.  (2 Timothy 3:12, Matthew 28:18-20, John 15:18-20).  The challenge is that we communicate the unshakeable message of the Gospel with conviction, in spite of our criticism.

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2:4 Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery  The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 (Ga 2:4). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Paralleling Acts 15:24, Paul’s engagement at the Jerusalem Council was joined by secretive atttacks against the life and ministry of freedom and the extension of the Gospel to the Gentiles.

It is important to note who these dissenters were – false brothers.  Whether translated as “false brothers”, “false apostles”, or “false prophets”, we are observing a group of people who are not really “In Christ”.  These unbelievers were contaminating the Council.  Perhaps this was for political gain, for religious influence, or other gain, but the fact remains that these unbelievers were attacking the move of God.

It is likely that these critics were of traditional Jewish origin, or Judaizers, and were trying to combat the growing move of “followers of the Way”.  In modern times, churches often experience conflict between “false believers” who simply particpate out of tradition and not out of a genuine relationship with Christ.  If Christ is in us, His Spirit will guide us; and in theory should guide a church in the same direction with one spirit and for one purpose.  This goal of unity of the aim of the church and the bane of the Enemy.

The false brothers were holding to their tradition of Judaism and could not accept the Gentile brothers.  The freedom that the Gentiles experienced in regards to circumcision and dietary restrictions were the key issues of contention.  For much of Galatians, the them is one of freedom.  This freedom for the Gentiles was and is an essential element of the Gospel that Paul could not and would not alter.

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The contrast between wickedness and righteousness is seen in the first small word of Psalm 1:2, “But”.  This connecting word establishes the contract between the slippery slop toward wickedness that we read of in Psalm 1:1 to the life of hope and peace that we read of in the following verses.  The word, “but”, could also be translated, “But If”.  With that thought as we read Psalm 1:1 and 1:2, we see the walking, standing, sitting progression toward wickedness that we all want to avoid.  BUT IF our delight is in God’s Word and if we meditate on His truth we can walk in the Light.

The contrast between 1:1 and 1:2 creates a formula for us to follow.  If we can establish boundaries of sin as we observe in 1:1, and if we can develop a passion for God’s Word we can live out a formula of God’s purpose.  We should delight in His Word.  There is no substitute for God’s Word.  It is how He communicates to us, first and foremost.  To delight in His Word  implies that God’s Word is placed in a position of favor and preeminence in our life.

Learning to ask, “what does the Bible say” is a simple application to our life that we must all learn to ask.  God’s Word is so instrumental in our life, and we must rely on it’s impact!  In our hands we hold the force to break the cedars of Lebanon and the power to bring life in the midst of death.

Do we really delight in God’s Word?  Do we hold it in high esteem?  Do we allow it to influence everything we do? Or is it just a good book?  There must be a saturation of our life in God’s Word in order to experience the healthy spiritual life that God has planned for us.