Life After Death

Philippians 1:21-26

         Paul is acknowledging the concern of his friends.  He addresses the uncertainty of his future.  In so doing, he has something to say both about life and death.

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INTRO:  Thursday night most of us are going to have visitors knock on our doors.  Depending on your particular disposition you may or may not be particularly happy to have them.  But keep this in mind.  These visitors will be content with a couple pieces of cheap candy and a remark about how cute or scary they are.  Many who knock on our doors at other times during the year expect you to go looking for your checkbook or reach for your wallet.

Some of those candy greedy visitors will appear as beautiful princesses or as brave superheroes.  You know Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and Cinderella or characters like Flash, Wolverine, Storm, Superman, and Super Girl.  Well, around here maybe you won’t have a Wolverine but who knows.

But I suspect a good many of your visitors will come as ghosts, zombies, and vampires.  Ghosts are always popular at Halloween.  We were once caught short at Halloween and sent the boys out with ghost costumes made with flowered sheets.  We told them to explain that they were “designer ghosts.”  Of course, the vampires won’t be old-school vampires; these “undead” will will be just fine out in the sunlight, except for some twinkling maybe.

Right now, the walking dead (zombies) and vampires are big.  The “Twilight Series” has made millions of dollars exploring the lives of history’s most beautiful vampires and even Brad Pitt has made a Zombie movie.  What’s up with that?

Sociologists and anthropologists might have a different answer but I think it all reflects the hope that somehow death is not the end.

A 2005 survey of American opinion revealed that nearly 80% of us believe there is a life after death.

Of course, not everyone believes that.  Many Americans, including some liberal theologians believe that this is it, that there is not life beyond the grave, that the Biblical talk of heaven is a “metaphor”.

A sizable number of Americans fall into a category we might call “the naturalists.”

According to these folks, driven by radical Darwinism,  what we see around us is all there is.   Death is the end;  there is no soul to live on in eternity.  You’ve heard it before.  Remember Carl Sagan’s “The cosmos is all there is, or ever was, or ever will be.”  You hear the same notion echoed on Bones and even The Big Bang Theory from time to time.  

To believe anything else is absurd and unscientific.  Of course, not every scientist believes that; some remember that the Biblical worldview is the source of modern science.

These naturalists may say that if you're lucky, you may 'live on' in the memories of your friends.  That’s as close to immortality as you can expect.

 I remember a TV program about a young woman who was suffering from a terminal illness.  A naturalist, she had no room for God in her worldview.  

As the story unfolded she was seeking permission to be frozen, stored in a cryogenic chamber until a cure for her disease could be found.

The problem was that if she waited until the disease had taken its natural course, there would be little left of her mind to revive.  So she sought permission from the courts to be killed so she could be preserved before the disease had ravaged her brain.

I don't remember the outcome, but at one point in the courtroom debate she pleaded with the judge, "This is my only hope!"  

I was disturbed by the story, but I realized that, given her world-view,  the deep cold of that chamber was her only hope.

 This viewpoint is really quite ancient.  Epicureans of Paul's day would say, "Eat, Drink...for tomorrow we will die."

Throughout history men and women have asked themselves some variant of the following questions.  Can you believe that death is truly the end?  Don't you feel that there is something within you that death cannot destroy?

Louis Pasteur was one of the greatest scientists of his age;  his accomplishments saved millions of lives, but he could not stop the death of his daughter.  Listen to his words spoken at her deathbed: "I know only scientifically determined truth, but I am going to believe what I want to believe, what I cannot help but believe--I expect to meet this dear child in another world."

Wishful thinking?  If it is, it is the 'wishful thinking' of almost every race and culture.

Before we move on to the Biblical view of life after death, I need to say something about the notion of reincarnation.

In 1999 some reports suggested that 30% of Americans believed in reincarnation.  I’m not sure how much we should rely on that figure.  The concept of “serial rebirth” as taught by Eastern Religions is a little more complex than it’s portrayed in popular literature and movies.  Far too many women and a few men have believed they were the reincarnation of Cleopatra.

Of course, not every person who embraces reincarnation believes they were once someone famous.  I read about a woman who always felt guilt about her conspicuous consumption. With the help of a medium she 'discovered' that she had once been a slave and the unconscious memory of that austere life created her guilt.  Graciously, the medium told her it was okay to spend in this life.

To some degree the belief in reincarnation in America reflects how many of us are willing to treat religious issues like the items on a salad bar.  It's like those people who pick and eat the pepperoni off a sausage and pepperoni pizza because they don't like sausage and cheese.

In Eastern religions, reincarnation is not something to be celebrated;  reincarnation is a burden because it prolongs our association with a bleak and broken world.

Then, too, I question the statistic because I’m sure some confused “reincarnation” and “resurrection.”  In reincarnation you die and come back several times, each time as someone else or something else.  In resurrection, you die once and come back as you--only different.  

 Let it suffice to cite the writer of Hebrews:  "...each person is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment." (9:29)  The word "once" means "a single time" and should make it clear that the Bible does not support the idea of reincarnation.

The Bible tells us we live once, we die once, and what happens after that death is determined by the decisions we make in this life, in particular, the decisions we make regarding Jesus Christ.

We could explore other options but I want to spend my remaining time looking at the Biblical notion of life after death.

As we begin, let me share another statistic.  Rodney Stark cites a study conducted by Baylor University which reports that 63% of Americans are certain heaven exists and another 19% are “pretty sure” heaven exist.  By the way, that belief doesn’t vary with the age of those answering.  Young and old believe in heaven.  Interestingly, Muslims were not included in the survey but they, too, believe in heaven.  By the way, some of the media’s portrayal of the Muslim heaven is not necessarily what all Muslim’s believe.

Statistics can be enlightening but let’s look at what Paul says.

 Paul knew he would face death one day, whether in prison from the axe of a Roman executioner, in a storm-tossed sea, on a dusty road at the hands of highwaymen, or in a borrowed bed in the home of some hospitable saint.

 Paul had some uncertainty about the outcome of the trial he was to face.  But he knew that the matter was in God's hands, so he did not wish to be presumptuous.  

Still, he had no uncertainty in the face of death.  He makes a confession filled with assurance:  "To depart and be with Christ is far, far better than this life." 

Keep in mind that believing in heaven, believing that through Christ we will spend a joyous eternity with God, is not a denial of the good things of this life.  Yet, Christians have consistently believed that heaven is “a better place.”

That declaration reflects the fundamental perspective expressed in the words "to die is gain."   These are not the words of a world-weary escapist, who can't handle the demands of life.  No, he makes it clear--"to live is Christ".  

He is saying, "As rich as my fellowship with Christ is here, I know it will be richer beyond the grave."

 The word translated "depart" is the same used for a ship setting out on a journey or for troops breaking camp and setting out to a new location.  The Christian who dies is going somewhere, going to be with Christ.

Paul does not use many words to make his point, this is no theological treatise on what happens to us after death.  One thing is clear, however, Paul is convinced that upon his death he will be immediately in the presence of Christ. 

We don’t have the time to explore all that Paul means when he refers to dying as "gain."  It's a big issue and I don't claim to have all the answers but I do believe the notion of spending eternity in a heavenly choir is too limiting.

Several words come to mind that I think will apply to that life beyond this life.  Those words include worship, service, fellowship, discovery, and rest.  

 This is the substance of Paul's assurance--why he could look death in the face and not blink.  It was this assurance which enabled him to shout, "O Death, where is your victory."

IMPLICATIONS

What are some of the implications of what Paul has to say about dying, about life after death?

1)  The Christian hope of life after death does not preclude feelings of ambivalence about death.

Paul knew that if he lived, he would continue to be actively involved in ministry and enjoy a constant, enriching relationship with Christ.  He also knew that if he were executed he would have a richer, fuller relationship with Christ, a relationship not possible this side of death.

Paul could have said, "In the matter of living and dying, you can't lose when you're in Christ."

We might be tempted to face death with regret about work left undone or regrets about leaving behind loved ones.  It seems a very human thing to do.  As with Paul, this is a time for committing ourselves to the sovereignty of God.

2)  The Christian hope of life after death does not negate the reality of grief.

 Alec Motyer: 

          "The fact that [our deceased loved ones] are experiencing 

          the supremely best lightens but does not take away 

          the fact that our experience is loss, loneliness and

          great joys now irretrievably gone--however   

          much we know that they will be transcended 

          by the 'joyful reunion in the heavenly places.'"

Over thirty years ago my father died.  I still miss him.  I still wish he could see how his grandsons have grown; meet his delightful great-grandson.  Grief knows no statute of limitations.  If you've lost a loved one, you  know that--even years later--your loss can reach out and touch you with a twinge of pain.

The antidote to such pain isn't time or denial;  it's the hope we have that allows us to release our loved ones into the care of a gracious Savior.

3)  The Christian hope is focused more on a Person than a place.

For all the Bible may tell us about the architecture of Heaven, it continues to bring us back to the fact that we will be in the presence of God.

John makes a key point about the new heaven and new earth with these words:

 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Look! 

God's dwelling place is now among the people,

 and he will dwell with them. 

They will be his people, 

and 

God himself will be with them and be their God.

Paul celebrates the fact that to die is to be with Christ.  

We should never forget:  That Person is supremely trustworthy.  

As he stood near a friend’s tomb, he said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live....”

The confidence we have in Christ shapes our view of death.  Recently, I heard a Muslim scholar speak about the Islamic view of death.  The Muslim believer who has died comes to a place of judgment, where his or her sins will be measured against his or her good works.  Despite a lifetime of attempting to live as a faithful Muslim, it remains a moment of uncertainty.  No one knows how the scales will tip.

That is such a different picture than the one which Jesus suggested the night before his crucifixion.  

JN 14:1-3 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 

 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have 

told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.  

And if I go and prepare a place for you,

 I will come back and take you to be

with me that you also may be where I am.

4)  The Christian hope of life after death may give us a new courage as disciples.

Throughout the history of the church, men and women have found courage in this promise of life beyond death. 

In 1984 Mehdi Dibaj was arrested by the Iranian government for the crime of apostasy (he had converted to Christianity from Islam--a crime punishable by death).  He spent ten years in prison awaiting his trail.  Finally, in late 1993, his case came to trial.  In 

his written defense he made the following statement:

        "[Jesus Christ] is our Saviour and He is the Son of God.  To know 

Him means to know eternal life.  I, a useless sinner, have believed in His 

beloved person and all His words and miracles recorded in the Gospel, and 

I have committed my life into His hands.  Life for me is an opportunity to 

serve Him, and death is a better opportunity to be with Christ.  Therefore 

I am not only satisfied to be in prison for the honour of His Holy Name, 

but am ready to give my life for the sake of Jesus my Lord...."

        On 12 December 1993 he was sentenced to be executed but under extreme pressure from the US State Department, he was released in January 1994.  Seven months later his body was found in a Tehran park.  He was the third Christian murdered after his release and some Christian groups suspect complicity by the Iranian government.

Conclusion

The vampires and zombies who will come to your door Thursday night will be having too much fun to think deep theological thoughts.  But I think they represent a universal human longing when the question of death is raised.  That longing can be met with one word.

The Christian view of life after death gives us a new perspective on death, a perspective summed up in that word "hope."

Cooperation and Chalenge, Part 2

Galatians: A Study of Christian Freedom

During this series I have distributed note sheets and some questions for reflection.  I have included those with this post.

Lesson 4:  Cooperation and Challenge, Part 2

¹¹ But when Cephas came to Antioch, 

Paul’s final story takes place in Syrian Antioch.  If Jerusalem was the center of outreach to the Jewish population, Antioch was the center of outreach to the Gentiles.  Keep in mind that while the Book of Acts focuses on Paul taking the gospel westward, other less well-known evangelists were taking it eastward.  And they would be very successful.  In fact, until about 800 there were more Christians east of Damascus than west.  

Sometime after the events described earlier in this chapter, Peter paid a visit to Antioch.  Apparently everything was harmonious and true Christian unity was displayed.  That didn’t last.

I opposed him to his face, because he stood self-condemned; 

Paul puts it bluntly:  “I opposed him to his face.”  Today Paul might have put it this way, “I got up in his face.”  

Imagine that, here is one of the most famous of the Apostles visiting the Christians in Antioch, a man who had walked with Jesus during his entire earthly ministry, the man who preached to the crowds on the Day of Pentecost when the promised Holy Spirit came on the church.  It was an honor to have him there and now Paul stands nose to nose with him and challenges him.  Why?  

“Because,” Paul says, “he stood self-condemned.”  His behavior was blameworthy.  What was that behavior? Paul explains.

¹² for until certain people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. 

When Peter first arrived in Antioch “he used to eat with the Gentiles.”  Maybe we shouldn’t picture him going out with the whole gang and having bacon-cheeseburgers at the local Wendy’s but the implication is that he had set aside the kosher rules while he was there and was enjoying eating with the Gentiles who had trusted Christ.  We don’t know how long this lasted but it was a time of rich and warm fellowship.

Then “certain people came [to Antioch] from James.” Historians and commentators don’t agree about whether this group actually represented James.  If they did, they may have gone beyond their remit in trying to stop table-fellowship among Jews and Gentiles.  In any case, Peter let their presence change his behavior.

But after they came, he drew back and kept himself separate for fear of the circumcision faction. 

Again, we can use our imagination to try to picture Peter’s actions.  Try to see him picking up his plate and moving to another table.  He didn’t want to be seen eating with Gentiles.  It was an unquestionable insult but it was more.

It implied that somehow there remained a spiritual barrier between Jews and non-Jews, that there was no fundamental equality among the believers.  Leon Morris raised an interesting possibility about the context of this behavior.

"It may be that the observance of holy communion was involved in this, for it seems that often in the early church it was celebrated at a meal shared by all the believers.  If this was the case at Antioch, there would have been a division of believers at the table of the Lord."

Remember, this is the man who had that powerful vision/dream as he prayed on the rooftop of Simon the tanner’s house.  Ultimately, Peter concluded the vision meant he “should not call any person common or unclean.”  That prepared Peter to introduce the gospel to the Gentiles by preaching to the Roman Cornelius.  When the church leaders in Jerusalem challenged Peter on this, he explained about the vision and what had happened when he preached to Cornelius.  Then he said, “If then God gave the same gift to [the Gentiles] as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way.” (Acts 11:17)  So, what had happened to this man whom God had chosen to introduce the gospel to the Gentiles? (Acts 15:7)

“Fear” happened.  Peter was afraid of the so-called “circumcision faction.”  This may have been some of the same group that had caused trouble when Paul had visited Jerusalem; they had the same agenda--requiring Christians to embrace the trappings of Judaism.  They may have possessed influence beyond their numbers.  Perhaps he worried they would be able to subvert his work back in Jerusalem or even lead to his being ostracized in Jerusalem.  

Fear can grip anyone.  In this case, it gripped an apostle who had previously shown great boldness.  

Sadly, his fear was contagious.

¹³ And the other Jews joined him in this hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 

After Peter stepped away from the Gentile table, others followed.  Doubtless, Paul watched with dismay as one Jewish-Christian after another abandoned their Gentile brothers and sisters in Christ.  Then, to his shock, Barnabus, the man who had ministered alongside him in preaching the gospel of grace, walked away from the Gentiles.  We don’t know, but it is not impossible that some of those Gentiles had actually been led to Christ through the witness of Barnabus.

As Paul watched the scene, one world came to mind; one of the strongest words that can ever be used to describe the behavior of another Christian:  “hypocrisy.”

¹⁴ But when I saw that they were not acting consistently with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

What did Paul mean when he said these Christians, led by Peter, were practicing hypocrisy?  There’s a great description in these words: “they were not acting consistently with the truth of the gospel.”  They were not “acting consistently.”  We might say, their walk didn’t match their talk.  Peter, Barnabus, and the rest of the Jewish-Christians who had walked away from table-fellowship with the Gentile-Christians knew what the gospel was about.  They knew it was a message of grace.  But they were not behaving as if they knew that.

It’s very easy to forget the gospel is a message of grace.  We so easily slip into a mode that says my salvation or, at least, my spiritual condition depends upon my doing something.  Usually something really hard.  Years ago I read that John Wesley got up at four every morning to read the Bible and pray.  I tried that but just couldn’t do it.  I was sure there was something deficient about my faith. 

  Of course, then I read about John Wesley’s wife.  Without going into details, let me say he probably got up at four so he could have at least a few hour of peace and quiet--and physical safety.  

I can’t help but think that if I had been successful in getting up at four to pray and study, I would have soon been saying things like, “You get up at 6:30 to pray; where’s your commitment?”  

Since Peter was the leader in the defection, Paul focuses on him.  

Allow me to paraphrase, Paul says, “Hey, I had to cast lots with you the other night for the last pork chop and now you want these Gentiles to go all kosher, what’s up with that?”

In those few words, Paul negates Peter’s attempt to look good before the boys from headquarters.  And, he demands Peter do some serious thinking about the circumcision party’s agenda.

OBSERVATIONS:

1  This is a story about three good guys whose contribution to the early church was profound.

--Paul, “Apostle Extraordinary,” author of much of the New Testament; Barnabus, encourager and mentor to some of the great leaders of the young church; and Peter, one of Jesus’ first disciples and the man whose preaching, according to tradition, formed the basis of the gospel written by John Mark.

--This episode isn’t grounds for discounting Peter, though Protestants have historically been tempted to use the story for that reason.

--Peter made a mistake; Barnabus made a mistake.  In a few years, Paul would make a mistake by writing off as unreliable a young man named John Mark, who had made a mistake.  

--If making a mistake barred a person from every again doing ministry, most seminary graduates would last past the first two years.  

--When you think of good guys who have made mistakes, keep in mind the what Paul would later say in this letter:  “Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are living by the Spirit should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.”

2  Occasionally we need to examine our lives to see if we are somehow “not acting consistently with the truth of the gospel.”

--We may not have a Paul to call our attention to our manifest failure to live honestly and consistently.  

--We may have to do some serious work in determining if we really understand the Biblical ideal around which we claim to have built our lives.  Remember, throughout much of the history of our nation, thousands of Christians allowed the norms of society and the dictates of economics to so shape their views that they believed the Bible sanctioned the institution of slavery.

--We may need to ask tough questions:  I know what everyone says, but what does the Bible really say?  Am I responding to peer pressure?  Am I letting my attitudes and behavior be shaped by a “celebrity?”  Have I let fear decide my actions?

3 If you care about truth, you may sometime have to take a stand, even if it means standing alone.

--Paul watched as the Jewish Christian believers moved to join Peter, leaving their Gentile brothers and sisters as if they were second-class members of the church.  Eventually even Barnabus had huddled with the circumcision clique.  Only Paul  remained to defend the non-Jewish believers.  They couldn’t defend themselves for the  posse from Jerusalem would immediately discount everything they said.  It was up to Paul.

--In a culture that wears a facade of relativism, it’s sometimes hard to take a stand for the truth since so many claim to believe there is no truth.  While few people really live like that, you might need to be prepared to be criticized. That can be unpleasant but standing up for truth isn’t a popularity contest. 

How you take a stand my vary from place to place.  Paul felt a in-your-face confrontation with Peter was the best approach at Antioch.  You might get by with a “With all due respect, I beg to differ” approach.  

4  When you take a stand, stand on something worth the effort.

QUESTIONS FOR LATER

1  Do you think this story has any historical or theological implications for the history of the church?  What are they? 

2 Have you every been so afraid of criticism by a “religious” person you’ve changed your behavior even though your behavior was not wrong or sinful?  What were the circumstances?

3  Paul would eventually write “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people.” (Romans 12:17)  Do you think Paul’s behavior contradicted that principle?  Why or why not?

4  In an age when many deny the existence of “true truth,” how do we handle challenges to the essentials of the Christian message?

Cooperation and Challenge, Part I

   Most of my work has been done on a PC; this study was prepared on a Mac.  I don't know if it will appear differently on the blog.  Today, I heard a woman say her grandfather would never use a computer.  Computers remain a mystery to me but I'm glad I don't have to understand them to use them.  May God bless your week.

Galatians: A Study of Christian Freedom

Lesson 3:  Cooperation and Challenge, Part I

2 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 

Almost a decade and a half has passed with Paul having little contact with Jerusalem, the birthplace of the faith he proclaimed. Paul had not been idle; he had been ministering in and around Damascus and in the region around Celicia.

Now, he travels to Jerusalem.  This trip is usually believed to have taken place a few years before the Jerusalem Council described in Acts 15.

Two men accompanied him on the trip:

--Barnabus—the generous believer from Jerusalem who was the first to befriend Saul, the persecutor turned believer.  He was probably older than Paul and had a reputation as an encourager.  He ministered alongside Paul for several years and accompanied him on the first missionary journey.

--Titus—a gentile believer who had come to Christ through Paul’s ministry.  In time, he would become a pastor in Crete.  One of the so-called Pastoral Epistles is addressed to him.

So, Paul travelled to Jerusalem with a stalwart, long-time friend who was known to the Jerusalem church and with a believer who was a product of his work among the Gentiles.  Barnabus could testify that Paul’s message had not changed.  Titus could demonstrate the power of that message. 

² I went up in response to a revelation. 

Language like this is a little unnerving.  The words imply God had somehow spoken to him.  We know from history to be just a little wary of anyone who says, “God told me to….”  But in the early church there seems to have been a greater reliance on such experience.  Yet, it was not an unqualified reliance.  While maintaining a healthy respect for the Sprit’s work, Paul would tell the Thessalonians: “Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.” (I Th. 5:19-21)  And John would warn his readers, “...do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (I Jn 4:1) 

Then I laid before them (though only in a private meeting with the acknowledged leaders) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure that I was not running, or had not run, in vain. 

Paul obviously saw the journey to Jerusalem as part of God’s plan for him.  Had
God not prompted Paul to make the trip, he would have continued ministering as he had been doing.  While he doesn’t appear to have anticipated the trip would change how he ministered or what he preached, he did manifest a humility that was open to correction should that be needed.

The gospel Paul preached contained elements that we would quickly recognize.  in particular, Paul stressed that Jesus was the focal point of God’s work in the world:  In particular, Jesus was the fulfillment of ages-old promises of a coming Redeemer (the Messiah), Jesus died to accomplish the transformation of humanity, Jesus was victorious over death, a victory that confirmed his claims regarding his work and identity.  

³ But even Titus, who was with me, was not compelled to be circumcised, though he was a Greek.

While Paul would have Timothy (who was of mixed parentage circumcised) so he could more easily work with the Jewish population and accompany Paul into the synagogues, he did not make a similar demand on Titus.  

To have had Titus receive this initiation rite would have somehow implied his faith in Christ was insufficient, that it needed to be bolstered by observing a portion of the law. Paul was unwilling to set such a precedent.

⁴ But because of false believers secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might enslave us— ⁵ we did not submit to them even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might always remain with you. 

The language of the NIV is a little clearer regarding the nature of the situation Paul found at work in Jerusalem:  4 This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves.  

Paul uses strong language (“false believers”) to describe those who seem to have been attempting to undermine his ministry. The identity of these Judaizers is not completely clear but Paul obviously felt he had reason to question their understanding of the Christian faith. Most Evangelical commentators believe they were Christians but were confused or unable to fully embrace the implications of the gospel of grace.  While Paul may have intended to deny their identity as Christians, his words might mean they had  such an erroneous grasp of the faith they could hardly be called Christian, at least doctrinally.  In any case, Paul believed their efforts would ultimately “enslave” Christians by stripping them of their freedom.  

Reviewing the language Paul uses, it’s tempting to give rein to the imagination to try to reconstruct a backstory to this event.  Some believe the Judaizers gained access to what was intended to be “a private meeting” through the collusion of someone on the inside.  Paul nowhere suggests that James, Peter, and John were the only ones present at the meeting.  There may have been some who were sympathetic to the Judaizers‘ cause and wanted to sabotage Paul’s ministry.  The division over the issue of circumcision would not be decided finally at this meeting.  

Paul’s opponents may have never imagined that spiritual slavery would be the outcome of their work; they may have simply believed they were preserving the integrity of the Jewish heritage.  But sometimes, even in the church, we see the out-working of the law of unintended consequences.  That’s true of today’s legalists as well; they believe they are the ones being true to the gospel but they are actually undermining its message and power.

How did Paul respond to this threat?  He says,  “We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.” The issue was so important there would  be no concession, no compromise.

⁶ And from those who were supposed to be acknowledged leaders (what they actually were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those leaders contributed nothing to me. 

Verse six begins a new paragraph and introduces a new thought.  Paul moves from discussing the crisis that brought about his visit to Jerusalem to the response of the several Jerusalem leaders to his message.  

Paul is not intending to show any disrespect for the Jerusalem leaders but he is walking a path between being independent and being dependent.  He is not indifferent to their assessment of his message (v 2) but neither does his authority to preach rest upon their endorsement.  He is an apostle in his own right.

Paul had no need to disassociate himself from these leaders for they would recognize God’s hand in Paul’s work among “the uncircumcised” or the Gentiles.

⁷ On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel for the circumcised ⁸ (for he who worked through Peter making him an apostle to the circumcised also worked through me in sending me to the Gentiles), ⁹ and when James and Cephas and John, who were acknowledged pillars, recognized the grace that had been given to me, they gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. ¹⁰ They asked only one thing, that we remember the poor, which was actually what I was eager to do. 

Paul doesn’t seem to have come to Jerusalem seeking endorsement but he received a kind of endorsement.  The leaders of the church recognized that he had been blessed by God with a special ministry to the Gentiles.  Just as Peter was particularly effective in ministering to the Jews, Paul was particularly effective in ministering to the Gentiles.  Now, this doesn’t mean Peter never preached to Gentiles (Acts 10) or that Paul never preached to Jews (Acts 17:1-4).  The focus of their ministry would be different

This story served to answer some of the charges Paul’s opponents were making as they tried to lure the Galatians away from the gospel he had preached.

--The Jerusalem leaders recognized God’s blessing on Paul’s ministry, blessing that equaled that on Peter’s ministry.

--The Jerusalem leaders perceived themselves to be partners with Paul, even though he preached to a different audience and in a different place.  (This is the implication of their offering “the right hand of fellowship.”  They were not in competition or at odds with one another.)

At the same time, this undermined any claims made by Paul’s opponents to be the true representatives of the Christian message.

--Ultimately, the agreement implies both Paul and the Jerusalem leaders understood that the gospel of grace did not require the addition of human traditions or actions.  To do so would rob the gospel of its power to set people free to enjoy the benefits of Christ’s work and set up a situation in which Christians are trapped in a set of impossible rules.  At the same time, imagining that we might be able to add to our salvation by our own efforts will open the way to pride and a sense of superiority.

--Both Paul and the Jerusalem leaders saw the gospel should have practical expression.  In this case, remembering “the poor” involved trying to raise funds for those Christians in Jerusalem and Judea who were suffering the combined effects of famine and persecution.  

SOME OBSERVATIONS

1. You shouldn’t necessarily believe what you hear in church, even if it’s said by seemingly “religious” people.

The Judaizers probably put on a good show of piety and strict behavior but they didn’t represent the truth.  In fact, they were opponents of the truth and to have listened to them would have divided and weakened the church.

We need to examine what we hear in church and compare it to the teaching of Scripture.  Only when what we hear squares with the Biblical account of the gospel, should we accept it.

2  Legalists tend to be afraid of freedom and want to restrict it wherever they find it.

The attitude that guided the “spies” who sought to sabotage the gospel of free grace when Paul visited Jerusalem was at work in the hearts of the Judaizers trying to influence the Galatian church.  

Legalists don’t think their fellow believers can be trusted with freedom.  They are about control rather than freedom.  There is a Baptist church in Texas that has a unique membership requirement. To be a member of this church, parents must agree to home-school their children.  The church’s leadership trusts neither the public schools nor any Christian school.  Now there’s nothing wrong with home-schooling and Baptist churches have a right to construct their own rules for membership. But this church obviously believes its members don’t possess the wisdom or skill to teach their children how to separate wheat from chaff.  At the same time, they created a system the promotes passing judgement on those parents who choose to send their children to public schools.

As we move through Galatians, we’re going to see that legalism takes many forms.

3  Christian unity is rooted in factors unrelated to outward forms.

If we could visit the Christian churches in the key cities around the Roman Empire, I think we would find each had a distinctive style.

--Churches in and around Jerusalem would reflect the people’s Jewish heritage.  The outward forms of the worship--prayers, Scripture reading, the lesson would take on a form familiar to those who had grown up in the synagogues.

--We would expect worship among Christians who did not have that background to be different.  In Corinth, the worship might be more participatory; in Thessalonica, there might be a more sedate service.

What would be important would be the common focus on the good news about Jesus Christ and his work on our behalf.

Today, churches take various shapes.  Some meet in ornate buildings with stained glass windows and steeples; some meet in private homes where a passerby might not immediately see the gathering as a church service.  We ought to appreciate that variety, not demand conformity.

                    

Percentages

 

Luke 15:1-7

It’s such a simple story.   A shepherd discovers one of his sheep is missing.  So, he searches until he finds it.  It’s a story that probably played out hundreds of time in the Judean countryside.  Yet, when Jesus told the story, it changed the way men and women looked at God!  And, for us Christians, it can change the way we look at the world around us.

This beautiful little story Jesus told begins with a snobbish criticism made by his enemies.   Picture them looking down their noses and sneering, “He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends.” 

Jesus responded by saying, “You got that right!”  You see, their criticism was on the mark.  Jesus was doing just what they said he was doing.  He was treating sinners like they mattered.  As such, he became a model for us.  

From Jesus’ shepherd we learn how to deal with the “lost sheep” we encounter.  What lessons can we learn from this shepherd?

The Shepherd Knew the Danger Lost Sheep Face.

The countryside of Judea was no peaceful land where there were no dangers.  It was full of danger and few animals were as vulnerable to those dangers as a sheep.  The terrain itself posed dangers.  Food and water was scarce;   a sheep could die without a shepherd who knew where there was sufficient grass and hidden springs of water.  There were deep ravines and high cliffs.  A single misstep could send the sheep plunging to its death or cripple it so that I became prey for scavenging animals.   Those animals included wolves, hyenas, wild dogs, and the occasional bear or lion.  A lost sheep wouldn’t last long.  The shepherd knew this.  He had probably found the torn, battered, carcasses of those unlucky sheep that weren’t found.

Jesus understood the lost sheep he sought were in even graver danger.  They faced eternal jeopardy.  We have largely shied away from the term “lost” in our churches.  Maybe that’s good because when some of us use “lost” we seem to imply that we were naturally too morally upright to ever get lost, despite Isaiah’s declaration, “All we like sheep have gone astray….”

We prefer the less threatening “unchurched.” I’m not sure that’s an improvement.  It certainly isn’t less confusing. Honestly, when we’ve been dealing with some of the nonsense that goes on in churches, some of us wouldn’t mind so much being among the unchurched.  The greater danger is that we begin to think that just being in church fixes the lostness problem.  In doesn’t

Paul describes that situation in Ephesians.  He wanted his readers to recall their spiritual situation before they came to Christ.  This is what he says:

…you were dead, through the crimes and the sins which used to make up your way of life when you were living by the principles of this world, obeying the ruler who dominates the air, the spirit who is at work in those who rebel.

   We too were all among them once, living only by our natural inclinations, obeying the demands of human self-indulgence and our own whim; our nature made us no less liable to God's retribution than the rest of the world.

Paul would later describe the situation as being “without hope and without God.”   Until God acted we faced the certainty of eternal separation from him.

The danger faced by those outside of Christ ought to compel us to join the search for lost sheep.  It isn’t a very popular notion right now.  We prefer to think there is no real danger for those who spurn Christ’s claims, no peril for those whose faith is in their own good works rather than in the work of Christ.  But that peril moved Christ into the wilderness of our world to find lost sheep like us.

The Shepherd Knows Every Lost Sheep is Valuable.

In the late nineteenth century a popular hymn/ballad based on this parable depicted a dialogue between the shepherd and his co-workers.  The co-workers couldn’t understand his concern.

“Lord, Thou hast here Thy ninety and nine;

Are they not enough for Thee?”

But the Shepherd made answer: “This of Mine

Has wandered away from Me.

And although the road be rough and steep,

I go to the desert to find My sheep.”

Jesus’ attitude toward the notorious sinners of his society was revolutionary.  The religious people of his day would regard such people with contempt.  They would give them wide berth as if they could be contaminated by coming too close.  In fact, some of them believed they could be contaminated.

Jesus scandalized his critics by hanging around with all the wrong people.  He discussed theology with tarts.  He did lunch with swindlers.  He touched the untouchable.  He was the saintliest man in the world and the sinners loved him.

They knew that even though most thought of them as trash in the gutter, this Man didn’t.  He treated them with respect, actually listening to them.  In a world where there was always someone to tell them how they had failed God, he told them God loved them.

If we would follow the example of this shepherd, we’ll resist the impulse to isolate ourselves from those who are so rough around the ages you’re afraid you’ll get scratched if you get too close.  Instead, we must learn to see everyone as valuable, as worth the effort to reach seek them.

The Shepherd Knows Finding Lost Sheep Can Be Demanding.

Lost sheep seldom find themselves.  We don’t  know if Bo Peep listened to her friends’ counsel that she could leave her lost sheep alone and they’d come home?    This shepherd wouldn’t think of it.  He was willing to go back into the dark night until he found that lost sheep.  He would face the cold until he found that sheep.  He would go hungry until he found that sheep.  He would go sleepless until he found that sheep.

Jesus didn’t elaborate but it seems pretty clear the shepherd didn’t find the sheep a couple dozen yards down the road sleeping peacefully under a bush.  Finding that sheep demanded effort .

Unless we get into mission work, most of us won’t have to worry about lions and cobras in the bushes when we go after the “lost sheep” in our neighborhoods.  Still, pursuing lost sheep can be demanding.

It demands our time and our energy.  It may demand we expand our comfort zones.  It may demand we associate with “those” people.  It may demand we risk being embarrassed and misunderstood.  It may demand we occasionally say things like, “I was wrong,” “I don’t know,” or “You could be right.” 

In his story of the searching shepherd, Jesus never says, “Ironically, that ‘lost’ sheep was found in the sheep pen.”  Of course, spiritually speaking, lost sheep can sometimes be found in our churches, but we make a mistake if that’s the only place we ever look for them.  They’re at the school, at the office, at the club.  Like the shepherd, we have to go where they are.

Finding lost sheep can be demanding, but keep something else in mind.

The Shepherd Knows Finding a Lost Sheep is Cause for Rejoicing.

Each of the stories in this chapter ends with a party.  It might seem strange to celebrate over a sheep, a smelly sheep.  Of course, we could try to analyze the story from an economic viewpoint.  The shepherd had regained his property.  He hadn’t lost the wool this sheep would have produced.  But that seems to be missing the point.

If we think about the monetary value of the sheep at all, it is to contrast it with the greater value of the human soul.  It there is that much rejoicing over a sheep, how much should there be over that man or woman who comes to Christ.  Jesus put it this way, ^“I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents  than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.”^[1]  Before we move on, let me remind you that from the biblical perspective no one is just who does not see his sin. 

Do you remember that this time last year some people were wondering if the Mayans would be right and the world would end on December 21?  One person told Pat she was trying to be patient because in 2012 all the bad people will disappear from the world.  It’s funny that people will believe something like that without ever considering that they might be among those who disappear.  

Jesus had a more gracious way for dealing with “bad” people.  He offered them grace and transformation.  When someone experiences such a change, it’s reason to rejoice.

We need to be on guard against being casual toward new believers.  When someone comes to Christ, I hope we never see it simply as a chance to increase our church’s membership.  It’s a reminder of God’s great grace.  Thst’s surely something to rejoice about.

 

Concluson

In the story, one sheep was lost, ninety-nine were safe.  Only one percent.  That’s not too bad when you consider the percentages.  What’s our lost sheep situation?

Let’s just say it’s obvious there are plenty of “lost sheep” needing to be found.  They’re all around us.  What are we doing to bring them to the Shepherd?

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^[1] The New King James Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1996, c1982, S. Lk 15:7