Title: The Beautiful, Acceptable Gospel
Speaker: Nate Holdridge
Text: Galatians 2:1-10
Galatians Theme: Galatians describes a life that is free. It is a life in flight. If we cling to the true gospel, if we accept it for what it is, we can fly. But Paul wrote Galatians because the Galatian believers—and all future believers—were in danger. If we adulterate the gospel, if we add to it in any way, we will not fly. Like a bird chained in a birdcage, we will (at best) hinder ourselves from flying into God's ideal for our lives or (at worst) hinder ourselves and others from true salvation.
Overview: So this passage tells us Paul's story of presenting this unearnable, freeing, and versatile gospel to the apostles in Jerusalem nearly 2,000 years ago. They considered it, and though they may have been quietly tolerating some who distorted the gospel by adding the Old Testament law to it, they stood up and recognized the gospel of grace as the gospel transmitted from Christ to them.
We have a similar decision before us today. Our decision does not impact church history as much as theirs did, but it greatly influences us and the people around us, even subsequent generations.
Will we think of acceptance by God as something we can earn through good works or religious ceremonies? If so, we have destroyed the gospel.
Will we allow ourselves to come under human controls that tell us we must add this or that behavior to the gospel to be approved by God? If so, we have destroyed the gospel.
And will we preach a message that forces everyone into a particular mold? If so, we have destroyed the gospel.
Instead, we must accept this unearnable, freeing, and versatile gospel message just like the apostles did.
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