WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:02.200 Hey, everybody, we're the Bible Guys, and if you're just 2 00:00:02.240 --> 00:00:05.320 tuning in recently, just know that we are showing a 3 00:00:05.320 --> 00:00:07.120 little bit of reruns for a few months and then 4 00:00:07.120 --> 00:00:09.839 we'll be back bigger and better than ever on August 5 00:00:09.919 --> 00:00:13.519 thirty first, because behind the scenes, we're taking a hiatus 6 00:00:13.519 --> 00:00:14.720 to do some very important things. 7 00:00:14.759 --> 00:00:18.399 Yeah, we're building building out a new studio and we've 8 00:00:18.440 --> 00:00:21.399 got some new structure. Super excited about it. So August 9 00:00:21.480 --> 00:00:24.359 thirty first, brand new content. But in the meantime, enjoy 10 00:00:24.440 --> 00:00:25.480 some of our greatest hits. 11 00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:28.399 Well, today we're going to find out that the idea 12 00:00:28.440 --> 00:00:31.719 of being a penpal came from Paul as he finally 13 00:00:31.719 --> 00:00:34.560 comes home and then writes to the churches he visited. 14 00:00:34.679 --> 00:00:38.359 Okay, so that's what we're talking about. Apparently today he's 15 00:00:38.439 --> 00:00:41.520 Chris and I'm Jeff, and we're the Bible guys. 16 00:00:51.920 --> 00:00:55.359 So today we're actually just going to ask each other 17 00:00:55.679 --> 00:00:58.159 a question, okay, and just answer it. So here's my 18 00:00:58.240 --> 00:01:02.759 question to you. What are the top five cities that 19 00:01:02.799 --> 00:01:06.200 you've not been to that you would like to visit? 20 00:01:06.280 --> 00:01:09.040 Oh, that I have not been to that i'd like 21 00:01:09.079 --> 00:01:12.719 to visit. Okay, top five in order, so five, four 22 00:01:12.799 --> 00:01:14.879 three too. Well, I mean that's incredible. If you do, 23 00:01:14.959 --> 00:01:15.439 that would be good. 24 00:01:15.480 --> 00:01:16.959 Let me the alphabet. 25 00:01:17.480 --> 00:01:23.079 Probably, let me see. So top five countries are cities 26 00:01:23.200 --> 00:01:26.079 that I haven't been to yet. I've never been to Jerusalem, 27 00:01:26.719 --> 00:01:28.319 so that that's a big one. I'd love to go 28 00:01:28.359 --> 00:01:31.599 to Jerusalem. I've never been to London. Oh yeah, I'd 29 00:01:31.599 --> 00:01:33.439 love to go to London. All the museums and all 30 00:01:33.439 --> 00:01:37.200 that kind of stuff. That's kind of cool. I've never 31 00:01:37.239 --> 00:01:40.319 been to Bangkok, Thailand like that. So I've been to Burma, 32 00:01:40.319 --> 00:01:42.359 I've been to places over there, but not not not 33 00:01:42.480 --> 00:01:48.680 to Thailand I've never been to. Does that have to 34 00:01:48.719 --> 00:01:52.799 be cities, that's the question. Yeah, okay, does it have 35 00:01:52.879 --> 00:01:56.719 to be existing cities like like like currently lived in cities, 36 00:01:56.879 --> 00:02:00.719 like I'd love to go to Machu Picchu I will allow. Yeah, okay, 37 00:02:01.840 --> 00:02:04.079 so it's an empty city, but Machu Pichu is on 38 00:02:04.120 --> 00:02:07.319 my on my list, I'd love to go there. I've 39 00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:09.919 never been to Buenos Aires, so that'd be my fife, 40 00:02:09.960 --> 00:02:10.400 I guess. 41 00:02:10.479 --> 00:02:15.680 Wow, yeah, those are more exotic than mine. Okay, So Dubai, 42 00:02:18.919 --> 00:02:23.479 Venice just because you know, my my family's from from 43 00:02:23.560 --> 00:02:27.080 that area. Barcelona nice, I want to go to Barcelona, 44 00:02:27.439 --> 00:02:30.000 go watch the bulls. 45 00:02:30.080 --> 00:02:31.120 Yes, that's right, that's right. 46 00:02:31.879 --> 00:02:35.360 London because my daughter, my daughter actually spent time over 47 00:02:35.360 --> 00:02:36.120 there first semester. 48 00:02:36.159 --> 00:02:36.800 It was really cool. 49 00:02:36.960 --> 00:02:38.599 My wife got to go. I never have to go, 50 00:02:39.000 --> 00:02:42.199 you know. And then also for some reason, I've always 51 00:02:42.280 --> 00:02:43.759 wanted to go to Sydney, Australia. 52 00:02:44.080 --> 00:02:48.439 Sydney, Australia. Yeah, okay, yeah, well, there you go. Those 53 00:02:48.439 --> 00:02:50.719 are places we haven't been, those are bucket list places. 54 00:02:50.919 --> 00:02:53.919 We should do it. Let's let's just yeah, sure, we're 55 00:02:53.919 --> 00:02:55.800 gonna take a couple of weeks off and we'll be back. 56 00:02:56.120 --> 00:02:56.759 That's what it is. 57 00:02:56.879 --> 00:02:57.120 Yeah. 58 00:02:57.319 --> 00:03:00.560 Well, I think we named every continent except the Antarctica, 59 00:03:00.719 --> 00:03:05.080 so that's like true there too. Yeah, okay, well that's great. 60 00:03:05.120 --> 00:03:07.240 I love travel, I really do. I think that it's 61 00:03:07.280 --> 00:03:13.879 incredibly important to expand your worldview and to see the 62 00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:17.360 world from outside of our lens are just our distinctly 63 00:03:17.360 --> 00:03:19.560 American lens. When I come home, it makes me love 64 00:03:19.560 --> 00:03:23.439 our country more certainly, but it also causes me to 65 00:03:23.479 --> 00:03:27.240 have a broader and more compassionate view of the rest 66 00:03:27.280 --> 00:03:29.039 of the world as well. So yeah, I love it. 67 00:03:29.039 --> 00:03:30.800 I think it's great. Yeah, well, you know what. 68 00:03:30.919 --> 00:03:33.560 I actually, when I remember the first time I left 69 00:03:33.560 --> 00:03:35.719 the country and I flew over to Africa, I had 70 00:03:35.719 --> 00:03:39.599 this thought like, geez, this world is so big and 71 00:03:39.919 --> 00:03:42.479 I'm so small, you know, And I just remember thinking 72 00:03:42.520 --> 00:03:45.080 that and thinking, man, this world's so huge. Then when 73 00:03:45.120 --> 00:03:47.639 I get over there and I realized that the people 74 00:03:47.680 --> 00:03:49.960 over there, even though they were radically different, were almost 75 00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:52.759 exactly like me, right, and we had so much in common. 76 00:03:52.919 --> 00:03:55.319 It was just they were so they were so much 77 00:03:55.599 --> 00:03:55.840 like me. 78 00:03:56.080 --> 00:03:58.840 Trying to provide for your family, did your kids educated? 79 00:03:58.960 --> 00:04:01.280 You know, same thing built into them as built into me. 80 00:04:01.319 --> 00:04:03.960 Trying to forgure how to avoid carbs right then and then. 81 00:04:03.919 --> 00:04:05.680 When you well, they didn't have to. 82 00:04:05.719 --> 00:04:07.520 They just walked a bunch it and worked. 83 00:04:07.680 --> 00:04:10.840 But basically, the bottom line is is after I got 84 00:04:10.840 --> 00:04:12.759 there and I understood that, I visited a bunch of 85 00:04:12.840 --> 00:04:14.840 churches over there, and I realized their faith was the 86 00:04:14.840 --> 00:04:17.600 same and they were the same as me, I stopped 87 00:04:17.639 --> 00:04:19.480 thinking that this world is so big and I'm so small. 88 00:04:19.600 --> 00:04:22.399 I started thinking, Wow, this world is actually really small 89 00:04:22.920 --> 00:04:24.399 and God is so big. Yeah. 90 00:04:24.480 --> 00:04:26.240 Oh, that's a great way to view it. I think 91 00:04:26.240 --> 00:04:30.680 it's fantastic. So if you remember Paul went on this 92 00:04:30.800 --> 00:04:33.319 that we just finished up. Paul finishing PAULM. Bartner was 93 00:04:33.319 --> 00:04:36.480 finishing their first missionary journey. Yes, they do three journeys, 94 00:04:36.519 --> 00:04:38.639 and each journey goes out further than the last one, 95 00:04:39.120 --> 00:04:42.839 and they limp back home. They do every time. They 96 00:04:42.959 --> 00:04:45.839 beat up beat up pretty rough, and so each of 97 00:04:45.879 --> 00:04:48.040 these journeys to go up further and further. During this 98 00:04:48.199 --> 00:04:51.519 time that we have read up through Acts chapter fourteen, 99 00:04:52.120 --> 00:04:56.480 James becomes the main pastor in the in Jerusalem and 100 00:04:56.519 --> 00:04:58.000 he writes the Book of James. 101 00:04:58.360 --> 00:05:00.319 Right, But this is James the brother of. 102 00:05:00.319 --> 00:05:02.680 Christ, James the brother of Jesus, yes. 103 00:05:02.639 --> 00:05:06.279 Or yeah. So it's not James the son of Alpheus, 104 00:05:06.600 --> 00:05:08.040 which is one of the disciples, right. 105 00:05:08.079 --> 00:05:12.680 And it's not James the brother of John. Right, he 106 00:05:12.759 --> 00:05:16.319 had already been killed, so Herod killed him, right. So 107 00:05:16.720 --> 00:05:18.040 this is James the brother of Jesus. 108 00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:20.600 Yeah, And he's the one that wrote the Book of James, 109 00:05:20.639 --> 00:05:23.000 that's correct. And he actually did it during this time. 110 00:05:23.079 --> 00:05:26.800 So right at the juncture of X fourteen that we're at, 111 00:05:26.959 --> 00:05:30.120 this is right around the time where Paul comes back 112 00:05:30.120 --> 00:05:32.319 to Antioch and he starts writing through the churches. He 113 00:05:32.480 --> 00:05:36.439 was just visited, and then James writes the Book of James. 114 00:05:36.839 --> 00:05:40.959 So in our previous podcast HC Daily and it's in 115 00:05:41.040 --> 00:05:43.600 the archives, so you can find that on our website 116 00:05:43.680 --> 00:05:47.600 or whatever. In our previous podcast, we did an entire 117 00:05:47.720 --> 00:05:50.639 push through the entire Book of James, right, five chapters. 118 00:05:51.000 --> 00:05:55.920 At every chapter, punch packs a punch. Right. So then 119 00:05:56.120 --> 00:05:59.680 during that same time, Paul and Barnabas they returned back. 120 00:05:59.720 --> 00:06:02.800 They go down through Crete up through the center portion 121 00:06:03.120 --> 00:06:05.759 of Turkey. They get beat up a little bit, they 122 00:06:05.759 --> 00:06:09.600 move around, go to all these little villages Iconium and 123 00:06:09.800 --> 00:06:12.199 Listra and Derby, and then finally they go back to 124 00:06:12.279 --> 00:06:14.839 Antioch in Syria. And as soon as they get it 125 00:06:14.839 --> 00:06:17.600 that they haven't even unpacked their bags, and false teaching 126 00:06:18.199 --> 00:06:20.800 is beginning to happen, a bunch of false teachers swoop 127 00:06:20.839 --> 00:06:23.600 in and begin to teach false doctrine in the churches. 128 00:06:23.639 --> 00:06:25.959 And Paul has to write a letter. And that's the 129 00:06:26.399 --> 00:06:27.720 letter of the Book of Galatians. 130 00:06:27.839 --> 00:06:30.879 Yeah, and the note, which is why I love this 131 00:06:31.279 --> 00:06:34.920 life application study Bible. But the notes actually tell us 132 00:06:34.920 --> 00:06:37.600 as well that Paul was accused of watering down the 133 00:06:37.639 --> 00:06:41.439 Gospel uh to the to the Greeks, and so he 134 00:06:41.560 --> 00:06:43.759 actually you know, went out and preached the Gospel. And 135 00:06:43.800 --> 00:06:47.680 all of the Jewish Christians, who had been obeying so 136 00:06:47.759 --> 00:06:54.560 many laws for centuries, had accused Paul of not you know, 137 00:06:54.680 --> 00:06:58.079 of of relying on grace too much and not actually 138 00:06:58.079 --> 00:07:00.839 talking about the law, and so he he was accused 139 00:07:00.839 --> 00:07:03.279 of that. So part of the reason was he wanted 140 00:07:03.279 --> 00:07:05.600 to make sure to you know, make sure that they 141 00:07:05.600 --> 00:07:08.480 were indoctrinated and educated, and. 142 00:07:09.120 --> 00:07:14.600 For both reasons. So this is first journey and most 143 00:07:14.600 --> 00:07:16.720 of the rest of the letters of Paul have not 144 00:07:16.759 --> 00:07:20.639 been written yet, right, These haven't been written, and so 145 00:07:20.720 --> 00:07:22.839 this is the first big letter he had to write 146 00:07:23.040 --> 00:07:26.000 after he had started these churches in Lystra, derby Iconium 147 00:07:26.040 --> 00:07:29.199 and Antiakopasidia. So we just thought we'd pause in that 148 00:07:29.639 --> 00:07:33.720 Acts chapter fourteen spot and let's take a look at 149 00:07:33.720 --> 00:07:35.480 what Paul's trying to tell these people that he had 150 00:07:35.519 --> 00:07:36.600 just led to Jesus. 151 00:07:36.560 --> 00:07:39.680 Right, Because the goal of this whole series is to 152 00:07:40.199 --> 00:07:42.959 is to walk through the Book of Acts chronologically to 153 00:07:43.000 --> 00:07:44.920 make sure that we understand how all the pieces of 154 00:07:44.920 --> 00:07:48.920 the Bible fit together, because obviously Acts is not right 155 00:07:48.920 --> 00:07:50.639 next to Galatians, right. 156 00:07:51.839 --> 00:07:53.560 And it doesn't happen over the course of a few 157 00:07:53.600 --> 00:07:56.920 weeks or a few months. This is decades of time 158 00:07:57.160 --> 00:07:58.680 in Paul's life right now. 159 00:07:58.720 --> 00:08:00.600 At this point in time, when Paul's started to write 160 00:08:00.600 --> 00:08:02.600 the Book of Galatians, he had been a Christian for 161 00:08:02.600 --> 00:08:06.720 fifteen years. So think about that. So acts chapter nine 162 00:08:07.040 --> 00:08:09.120 is when he first became a Christian. And so here 163 00:08:09.120 --> 00:08:12.639 we are just five chapters later, and that represents fifteen years. 164 00:08:12.759 --> 00:08:16.839 You'll find, usually Paul when he opens his books, there's 165 00:08:16.879 --> 00:08:20.720 all these niceties, all these compliments, all these nice things. 166 00:08:21.279 --> 00:08:24.040 But this first book Galatians, he just gets right at it. 167 00:08:24.040 --> 00:08:26.120 And it's because the problem is so intense and he 168 00:08:26.279 --> 00:08:27.759 decides going to go right at it. So here we go. 169 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:29.759 Let's just read. We'll read the first chapter of the 170 00:08:29.759 --> 00:08:32.600 Book of Galicians. Day It says this, this letter is 171 00:08:32.600 --> 00:08:35.120 from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any 172 00:08:35.120 --> 00:08:37.120 group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus 173 00:08:37.200 --> 00:08:40.039 Christ himself, and by God, the Father who raised Jesus 174 00:08:40.039 --> 00:08:42.600 from the dead. All the brothers and sisters here joined 175 00:08:42.639 --> 00:08:44.600 me in sending this letter to the churches of Galatia. 176 00:08:45.519 --> 00:08:47.639 May God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ give 177 00:08:47.679 --> 00:08:51.080 you peace and grace. Jesus gave his life for our sins, 178 00:08:51.480 --> 00:08:53.399 just as God, our Father planned, in order to rescue 179 00:08:53.440 --> 00:08:56.080 us from this evil world in which we live. All 180 00:08:56.120 --> 00:09:00.759 glory to God forever and ever. Amen. I am shocked 181 00:09:00.759 --> 00:09:03.039 that you are turning away so soon from God, who 182 00:09:03.080 --> 00:09:05.240 called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. 183 00:09:05.639 --> 00:09:08.159 You are following a different way that pretends to be 184 00:09:08.240 --> 00:09:10.639 the good news, but is not the good news at all. 185 00:09:11.000 --> 00:09:13.279 You're being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth 186 00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:16.960 concerning Christ. Let God's curse fall on anyone, including us, 187 00:09:17.039 --> 00:09:19.480 or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different 188 00:09:19.559 --> 00:09:21.279 kind of good news than the one we preach to you. 189 00:09:21.879 --> 00:09:24.759 I say again what we have said before. If anyone 190 00:09:24.799 --> 00:09:28.159 preaches any other good news than the one you welcomed, 191 00:09:28.440 --> 00:09:31.799 let that person be cursed. Obviously, I'm not trying to 192 00:09:31.799 --> 00:09:34.360 win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing 193 00:09:34.399 --> 00:09:37.759 people were my goal, I not be Christ's servant. Dear 194 00:09:37.799 --> 00:09:39.840 brothers and sisters, I want you to understand that the 195 00:09:39.840 --> 00:09:42.559 gospel message I've preached is not based on mere human reasoning. 196 00:09:43.000 --> 00:09:45.600 I received my message from no human source, and no 197 00:09:45.600 --> 00:09:47.919 one taught me and said I received it by direct 198 00:09:47.919 --> 00:09:50.600 revelation from Jesus Christ. You know what I was like 199 00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:53.639 when I followed the Jewish religion, how I violently persecuted 200 00:09:53.639 --> 00:09:56.080 God's Church. I did my best to destroy it. I 201 00:09:56.159 --> 00:09:59.559 was far ahead of my fellow Jews and my zeal 202 00:09:59.799 --> 00:10:02.679 for the traditions of my ancestors. But even before I 203 00:10:02.759 --> 00:10:04.720 was born, God chose me and called me by his 204 00:10:04.840 --> 00:10:08.440 marvelous grace. Then it pleased him to reveal his son 205 00:10:08.519 --> 00:10:10.519 to me, so that I would proclaim the good news 206 00:10:10.559 --> 00:10:13.480 about Jesus to the Gentiles. When this happened, I did 207 00:10:13.480 --> 00:10:15.879 not rush out to consult with any human being, nor 208 00:10:15.919 --> 00:10:17.759 did I go up to Jerusalem to consult with those 209 00:10:17.799 --> 00:10:20.600 who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went away 210 00:10:20.639 --> 00:10:23.240 into Arabia, and later I returned to the city of Damascus. 211 00:10:23.799 --> 00:10:26.399 Then three years later I went to Jerusalem to get 212 00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:29.159 the No Peter, and I stayed with him for fifteen days. 213 00:10:29.399 --> 00:10:31.759 The only other apostle I met at that time was James, 214 00:10:31.799 --> 00:10:34.360 the Lord's brother. I declare before God that I am 215 00:10:34.559 --> 00:10:36.279 that what I am writing to you is not alive. 216 00:10:36.679 --> 00:10:40.039 After that, I visit and went north into the provinces 217 00:10:40.039 --> 00:10:42.360 of Syria and Cilicia. And still the Christians in the 218 00:10:42.399 --> 00:10:45.720 churches and Judea didn't know me personally. All they knew 219 00:10:45.879 --> 00:10:47.840 was that people were saying, the one who used to 220 00:10:47.879 --> 00:10:50.799 persecute us is now preaching the very faith he tried 221 00:10:50.840 --> 00:10:54.039 to destroy, and they praised God because of me. So 222 00:10:55.039 --> 00:10:56.960 the second half of this chapter, he's just beginning to 223 00:10:57.039 --> 00:10:59.600 establish the fact that he has legitimacy in his conversation. 224 00:11:00.080 --> 00:11:01.879 But on the front end he lets them know immediately, 225 00:11:02.039 --> 00:11:04.240 what in the world. I've only been going to this 226 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:06.919 a little while, and you people are already being pulled 227 00:11:06.919 --> 00:11:09.639 away into false teaching. We'll unpack a lot of that 228 00:11:09.639 --> 00:11:12.639 false teaching over the next couple of days. But he's 229 00:11:12.840 --> 00:11:15.279 very concerned. You can you can read the concern. I 230 00:11:15.399 --> 00:11:17.279 almost hear the concern and the words that we're reading. 231 00:11:17.919 --> 00:11:20.480 Yeah, and and like you said, you said that he 232 00:11:20.519 --> 00:11:24.240 had written this message. Uh, you know, it was so urgent, 233 00:11:24.519 --> 00:11:27.039 and you can hear it in his writing. You know, 234 00:11:27.080 --> 00:11:29.399 he says, I'm surprised that you've turned away so soon, 235 00:11:29.879 --> 00:11:32.279 and he said, let them be cursed. I mean, these 236 00:11:32.279 --> 00:11:35.480 are strong words that Paul is using. Yeah, you know, 237 00:11:35.519 --> 00:11:39.080 and it's because He's just so passionate. And it's interesting too, 238 00:11:39.120 --> 00:11:42.480 because because I'm a pastor, you know, I feel like 239 00:11:42.600 --> 00:11:48.080 God has, you know, sort of given me responsibility over people. 240 00:11:48.200 --> 00:11:50.320 And I feel that way as well. I'm sure you 241 00:11:50.360 --> 00:11:53.519 do too, where you feel you feel the responsibility of 242 00:11:53.559 --> 00:11:56.360 the people. And so if you lead somebody to Christ, 243 00:11:56.440 --> 00:11:59.519 or you introduce somebody to a new relationship with your 244 00:11:59.559 --> 00:12:01.399 you know what, they're they father, and all of a 245 00:12:01.399 --> 00:12:04.159 sudden they sort of go astray. Boy, man, I'm telling you, 246 00:12:04.159 --> 00:12:08.360 it's just something inside just says, no, come on, come back, 247 00:12:08.759 --> 00:12:12.240 come back to Jesus, because you know, I feel responsible 248 00:12:12.240 --> 00:12:15.480 for you. And so you can hear the heart of 249 00:12:15.480 --> 00:12:16.799 the pasture with Paul right here. 250 00:12:17.159 --> 00:12:21.039 Yeah, I love the fact, you know, he's reminding them 251 00:12:21.080 --> 00:12:24.639 of the Gospel. In the first couple verses, especially verse 252 00:12:24.639 --> 00:12:28.159 three and four, he says, may God, our Father, and 253 00:12:28.200 --> 00:12:30.960 the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. Jesus 254 00:12:31.000 --> 00:12:33.759 gave his life for our sins, just as God as 255 00:12:33.799 --> 00:12:36.639 our father planned, in order to rescue us from this 256 00:12:36.759 --> 00:12:40.240 evil world in which we live. He basically is saying, 257 00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:43.600 that's the message I brought you, right, and he says 258 00:12:43.600 --> 00:12:47.240 it in verse four and then he's going to spend 259 00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:50.080 the rest of this book kind of unpacking the difference 260 00:12:50.120 --> 00:12:53.519 between trying to follow a religious system that has all 261 00:12:53.519 --> 00:12:57.120 these rules and relying on the grace of God expressed 262 00:12:57.120 --> 00:12:59.600 through Jesus Christ on the Cross and forgive them the sins. 263 00:12:59.639 --> 00:13:05.080 And I think that for Paul, he's so urgent in 264 00:13:05.200 --> 00:13:07.480 making sure that they understand what the meaning of the 265 00:13:07.480 --> 00:13:10.519 Gospel is, the simplicity of the gospel salvation by grace 266 00:13:10.519 --> 00:13:11.000 through faith. 267 00:13:11.720 --> 00:13:13.799 You know, if you're gonna read, if you're going to 268 00:13:14.159 --> 00:13:17.679 memorize scripture, a wonderful verse to memorize is Galatians one 269 00:13:17.720 --> 00:13:20.519 to ten, where Paul says, obviously, I'm not trying to 270 00:13:20.559 --> 00:13:20.879 win the. 271 00:13:20.840 --> 00:13:22.639 Approval of people, but of God. 272 00:13:23.120 --> 00:13:25.519 If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be 273 00:13:25.559 --> 00:13:28.840 the Christ servant. And it's just it's a verse that 274 00:13:28.879 --> 00:13:31.879 stands on its own. And obviously we've seen through the 275 00:13:31.879 --> 00:13:35.399 Book of Acts so many times where Peter and John 276 00:13:35.759 --> 00:13:38.679 and of course Paul respond this way to religious leaders 277 00:13:38.759 --> 00:13:41.559 and say, should be not a big you know God? 278 00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:44.200 And should we obey you over God? They say it 279 00:13:44.240 --> 00:13:46.679 in so many different ways. But I love this verse 280 00:13:46.679 --> 00:13:49.960 because it applies to our lives where if God tells 281 00:13:50.039 --> 00:13:52.600 us to do something and we don't do it because 282 00:13:52.600 --> 00:13:55.080 we fear the opinion of others or how we're going 283 00:13:55.159 --> 00:13:57.399 to be perceived by others. You know, we have to 284 00:13:57.440 --> 00:14:00.600 remind ourselves. Are we trying to win the approved of people? 285 00:14:00.679 --> 00:14:00.879 Yeah? 286 00:14:00.960 --> 00:14:03.000 Are we trying to rind the approval of God? Because 287 00:14:03.279 --> 00:14:07.120 guess what, only one wins right, and there's only one 288 00:14:07.159 --> 00:14:10.159 that should win right. It's just a great verse to memorize. 289 00:14:10.720 --> 00:14:15.559 So in verses six and seven, he's very concerned. One 290 00:14:15.639 --> 00:14:18.240 he says, I'm shocked. So he's not even trying to 291 00:14:18.320 --> 00:14:22.519 hide his concern or his frustration. I'm shocked that you're 292 00:14:22.559 --> 00:14:25.399 turning away so soon from God who called you to 293 00:14:25.480 --> 00:14:28.879 himself in this situation. He's not talking about you moved churches. 294 00:14:29.480 --> 00:14:32.960 You know, back then there was the church in Lystra, 295 00:14:33.159 --> 00:14:36.039 the Church in Derby, the church and Antioch. And so 296 00:14:36.320 --> 00:14:39.399 it's not like they packed up and left his church 297 00:14:39.440 --> 00:14:42.279 and went to some other church. They were literally leaving 298 00:14:42.399 --> 00:14:46.080 the gospel. They were leaving the truth that salvation is 299 00:14:46.080 --> 00:14:48.840 by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. And they were 300 00:14:48.919 --> 00:14:53.120 instead adopting or trying to blend this idea of having 301 00:14:53.120 --> 00:14:55.320 to have all these rules in place in order to 302 00:14:55.879 --> 00:15:00.600 please God. And this is incredibly dangerous. Will read this 303 00:15:00.639 --> 00:15:03.919 over the next few days. But it's tempting for us 304 00:15:03.960 --> 00:15:07.639 to say, yes, salvation is only through Jesus, it is 305 00:15:07.720 --> 00:15:09.559 only through the forgiveness of our sins because of what 306 00:15:09.639 --> 00:15:12.240 Jesus did on the cross. It is by faith. But 307 00:15:12.360 --> 00:15:15.159 then I also have to work really hard to keep it. 308 00:15:15.399 --> 00:15:18.200 I have to work really hard to deserve it, you know, 309 00:15:18.360 --> 00:15:21.559 I have to do all these things to qualify for it. 310 00:15:21.600 --> 00:15:24.320 And Paul said, then that's not the gospel. That's not 311 00:15:24.519 --> 00:15:26.919 he said, the gospel that you're following a different way 312 00:15:26.919 --> 00:15:29.399 that pretends to be the good news, but is not 313 00:15:29.600 --> 00:15:30.480 the good news at all. 314 00:15:32.039 --> 00:15:36.320 So this chronological Life Application study Bible talks about the 315 00:15:36.399 --> 00:15:40.320 Judaizers versus Paul, and it says, as the debate raged 316 00:15:40.360 --> 00:15:43.360 between the gentile Christians and the Judaizers, Paul found it 317 00:15:43.399 --> 00:15:46.759 necessary to write to the Church of Galicia. The Judaizers 318 00:15:46.799 --> 00:15:50.200 are trying to undermine Paul's authority, and they taught a 319 00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:53.960 false gospel. In reply, Paul defended his authorities the gospel. 320 00:15:54.159 --> 00:15:56.679 So here's you know, you sort of skipped down and 321 00:15:56.799 --> 00:15:59.360 here's there's two columns and it says, here's what the 322 00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:02.960 Judaizer said about Paul, and here was Paul's defense. So 323 00:16:03.000 --> 00:16:06.000 they said four things about him. Number one, they said 324 00:16:06.000 --> 00:16:09.000 he was perverting the truth. And we read in verses 325 00:16:09.039 --> 00:16:12.279 eleven and twelve that he received his message from Christ himself. 326 00:16:12.279 --> 00:16:15.200 He said that. They also said about him that they 327 00:16:15.240 --> 00:16:17.840 said he was a traitor to the Jewish faith. But 328 00:16:17.919 --> 00:16:20.720 it says in verse thirteen, Paul had been one of 329 00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:23.600 the most dedicated Jews of his time. Wherever he referenced 330 00:16:23.639 --> 00:16:25.840 that about himself. In the midst of one of his 331 00:16:25.879 --> 00:16:29.639 most zealous acts, God transformed him in Acts chapter nine. 332 00:16:30.360 --> 00:16:31.080 The third thing that. 333 00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:33.960 They were saying about him is they said he compromised 334 00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:37.759 and watered down the message for the gentiles. But you know, 335 00:16:37.879 --> 00:16:40.000 and he goes on to say, and we'll actually talk 336 00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:43.679 about this tomorrow's podcast. The other apostles declared that the 337 00:16:43.720 --> 00:16:47.720 message that Paul preached was the true gospel, that's tomorrow's. 338 00:16:47.919 --> 00:16:50.240 And then the fourth thing was they said he was 339 00:16:50.279 --> 00:16:54.320 disregarding the Law of Moses. But then in Glasian chapter three, 340 00:16:54.360 --> 00:16:58.200 he gets into far from degrading the law, Paul puts 341 00:16:58.240 --> 00:17:01.240 the law in its proper place, he says, it shows 342 00:17:01.279 --> 00:17:04.839 people where they've sinned and it points them to Jesus Christah. 343 00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:06.839 So that's just really cool. 344 00:17:06.920 --> 00:17:09.119 It just sort of gives us an outline of what 345 00:17:09.240 --> 00:17:11.720 Paul is trying to say in the Book of Galatians. 346 00:17:12.240 --> 00:17:15.400 And it's in direct, you know, connection to the things 347 00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:18.319 that he was accused of, and you know the concerns 348 00:17:18.319 --> 00:17:19.240 that he had for the church. 349 00:17:19.640 --> 00:17:23.559 Yeah, so these Judaizers, it happens today. By the way, 350 00:17:23.680 --> 00:17:26.799 a lot these Judaizers did not go out and make 351 00:17:27.000 --> 00:17:31.720 these converts in Lystra and in Derby and Iconium. Instead 352 00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:35.559 they swoop in after Paul leads them to Jesus. Right, 353 00:17:35.599 --> 00:17:38.000 how often have you seen that happen? Where you know, 354 00:17:38.119 --> 00:17:41.720 God uses you or or somebody close to you to 355 00:17:41.839 --> 00:17:44.880 lead somebody to Jesus and then suddenly, within just a 356 00:17:44.920 --> 00:17:48.000 few short weeks or months, all of a sudden, this 357 00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:50.160 person who never shared the gospel with them at work, 358 00:17:50.279 --> 00:17:54.160 suddenly is correct correcting quote unquote their theology at work. 359 00:17:54.359 --> 00:17:57.880 Never mentioned Jesus to them before, never shares the gospel before, 360 00:17:58.000 --> 00:17:59.960 But then they swoop in and scoop up the fruit 361 00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:03.440 that God had given. Would I would encourage if you're 362 00:18:03.480 --> 00:18:07.720 a newer believer, be careful about just trusting somebody who 363 00:18:07.799 --> 00:18:10.799 never shared the Gospel with you before, who swoops in 364 00:18:10.920 --> 00:18:13.440 now and decides to try to teach you something that, oh, 365 00:18:13.559 --> 00:18:16.200 you know, you're being taught taught by false teachers. This 366 00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:18.559 is what the Judaizers did too. They didn't lead these 367 00:18:18.559 --> 00:18:21.440 people to Jesus. They come swooping in after Paul is 368 00:18:21.480 --> 00:18:24.240 the one who's sharing the gospel man alive, the one 369 00:18:24.279 --> 00:18:27.680 who brings you to faith in Christ. Pay close attention 370 00:18:27.759 --> 00:18:31.480 to them at the beginning, and be very careful about 371 00:18:31.519 --> 00:18:34.359 others swooping in trying to change you know. I've seen 372 00:18:34.400 --> 00:18:38.839 that with false religions, you know, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, different 373 00:18:38.880 --> 00:18:41.240 different groups like that, that after you become Christians suddenly 374 00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:43.480 want to have a Bible study in your house or whatever. 375 00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:45.759 And I've also seen it with people who want to 376 00:18:45.920 --> 00:18:51.319 twist the Gospel into their theological or their denominational view 377 00:18:52.559 --> 00:18:54.720 that you know, before they never were a part of 378 00:18:54.759 --> 00:18:57.319 the you know, your spiritual development, but now that you 379 00:18:57.359 --> 00:19:01.720 are a Christian, suddenly they're gonna you know, fix your 380 00:19:02.039 --> 00:19:04.400 your doctrine, you know, and to be. 381 00:19:04.559 --> 00:19:07.039 Let's just be honest, if we're really honest with ourselves. 382 00:19:07.200 --> 00:19:09.759 That's why it's sort of discouraging a lot of times, 383 00:19:10.079 --> 00:19:13.799 because people interpret the Bible in different ways, which is 384 00:19:13.799 --> 00:19:17.400 why we have denominations and and and it's actually a 385 00:19:17.440 --> 00:19:20.680 little discouraging because if you're a brand new Christian, the 386 00:19:20.720 --> 00:19:23.240 one thing that I've heard for decades is who do 387 00:19:23.319 --> 00:19:25.880 I listen to? And so the answer, of course is 388 00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:27.880 the Word of God, right, the Word of God what 389 00:19:27.960 --> 00:19:29.960 it teaches. And then there are some people that will 390 00:19:29.960 --> 00:19:31.799 take a verse and take it out of context, and 391 00:19:31.880 --> 00:19:35.000 it's it's it's really tricky, it's really difficult to times. 392 00:19:35.160 --> 00:19:37.319 And so that's why you have to be grounded in 393 00:19:37.359 --> 00:19:40.000 the faith. That's why you have to sort of when 394 00:19:40.039 --> 00:19:43.640 you hear something that seems like it's different, to question 395 00:19:43.720 --> 00:19:46.759 yourself and question that truth and say, is that true? 396 00:19:46.799 --> 00:19:49.640 Let me let me reserve my right to believe that 397 00:19:50.039 --> 00:19:52.680 I And so really what it comes down to is 398 00:19:53.319 --> 00:19:56.880 when you find a trusted source, somebody that you believe 399 00:19:57.160 --> 00:19:59.839 is as a good woman or a man of God, 400 00:20:00.160 --> 00:20:03.440 and you feel like they interpret the Bible correctly, you know, 401 00:20:03.640 --> 00:20:07.079