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I am so Delighted to be a part of New Covenant Fellowship

Explore the importance of placing Jesus at the center of our decisions and how it impacts our relationship with God. Discover the core value that trumps all others in a community of Jesus' followers.

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I am so Delighted to be a part of New Covenant Fellowship

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  1. I am so Delighted to be a part of New Covenant Fellowship – what a gift from God to Donna and to me!

  2. Nevertheless: I hope today to make us all – me too - a bit uncomfortable: – unlessyou are really hurting today – if you are; I hope you go away remembering this part of our text: “I live trusting the trustworthiness of God’s Son Jesus, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Jesus loves you! “And, that may be all you need to know.”

  3. FOR THE REST OF US: -as Martin Luther King is quoted: “Today, I want to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” Today’s Text: Galatians 2:9-21 is certainly designed to do just what MLK proposed. -I have no “hidden agenda” or “special cause” I am pleading. I think this text addresses the key to understanding Jesus, myself,New Covenant, and the twists and turns of church history.

  4. Galatians 2:9-14 (1) – Agreement Made? 9 James, Cephas, and John, who are considered to be key leaders, shook hands with me and Barnabas as equals when they recognized the grace that was given to me. So it was agreed that we would go to the Gentiles, while they continue to go to the people who were circumcised. 10 They asked only that we would remember the poor, which was certainly something I was willing to do. [Common English Bible]

  5. Galatians 2:9-14 (2) Different Applications Assumed? 11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was wrong. 12 He had been eating with the Gentiles before certain people came from James. But when they came, he began to back out and separate himself, because he was afraid of the people who promoted circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews also joined him in this hypocrisy so that even Barnabas got carried away with them in their hypocrisy. [Common English Bible]

  6. Galatians 2:9-14 (3) – Major Disagreements among the followers of Jesus is not new! 14 But when I saw that they weren’t acting consistently with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of everyone, “If you, though you’re a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you require the Gentiles to live like Jews?” [Common English Bible] - Discouraging reality that serious disagreements came early? - Comforting reality?

  7. Galatians 2:15-16 Community Righteousness (Justification) 15 We are born Jews—we’re not Gentile sinners. 16 However, we know that a person isn’t made righteous by the works of the Law but rather through the faithfulness (trustworthiness) of Jesus the Messiah. We ourselves believed (trusted) in the Messiah Jesus so that we could be made righteous by the faithfulness (trustworthiness) of the Messiah and not by the works of the Law—because no one will be made righteous by the works of the Law. [Common English Bible] -HOW CAN A COMMUNITY BE “IN A RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD?”(“justified”-Gr. dikaioo). Jesus’ trustworthiness? Another way?

  8. Community “Rightness” for those with a Jewish Background? Understandable Issues! • Jewish, not Gentile Sinners – basic life-long morality • Cultural Comfort • Afraid to Alienate the part of the community that they were most comfortable with • Long standing way of understanding the Scriptures • Table fellowship – “kosher” and “clean” • Gentile cultural customs (must change to ours) • “all nations” blessed” (become more like us)

  9. IS PAUL RIGHT? (1) • Paul IS NOT THE MOST LIKEABLE OF THESE 3 KEY LEADERS (passionate, impulsive, and transparent Peter – generous Barnabas who encourages everyone). Probably made it more difficult for them, and now for us, to hear Paul. • But, PAUL IS CLEAR – THIS WAY OF BEHAVING WILL DESTROY EVERYTHING GOD HAS BEEN DOING SINCE JESUS DEATH AND RESURRECTION!

  10. IS PAUL RIGHT? (2) • A COMMUNITY OF JESUS’ FOLLOWERS CAN ONLY BE “RIGHT” IN ONE WAY WHEN THE CHIPS ARE DOWN • AS A COMMUNITY, WE MUST CHOOSE THE CORE TRUST THAT TRUMPS ALL OTHERS. What is the “litmus test”? • Is our core desire to be – CLOSER TO GOD, CLOSER TO JESUS - or is it someone or something else, no matter how “good” that someone or something is?

  11. WHAT MUST CHURCHES TODAY DECIDE ABOUT THE FINAL CORE VALUE? Eg.’s?(1) • AMERICA FIRST? AMERICAN PROSPERITY? • NATIONAL SECURITY? • BELONGING TO A COMMUNITY OF “GOOD PEOPLE” • “SOCIAL JUSTICE” CAUSES? LGBTQ+, Abortion, … • POLITICAL VIEWS? • FOLLOWERS WE ARE MOST COMFORTABLE WITH? • HOWSCRIPTURE IS INSPIRED AS GOD’S WORD? • LOCAL RESPECTABILITY?

  12. WHAT MUST CHURCHES TODAY DECIDE ABOUT THE FINAL CORE VALUE? (2) -There will always come a time when a community must choose – what is our #1 value – what is the core that interprets all else? – CLOSER TO GOD, CLOSER TO JESUS? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -Paul argued – it is how each decision relates to JESUS AT THE CENTER and HIS LOVE FOR ALL – or, Jesus wasted his life and so are we! -is he right?I think absolutely! Jesus at center – or let’s do something else beside church with our time and money!

  13. INDIVIDUAL “RIGHTNESS” HAS ONLY ONE CENTER TOO! • PAUL IS NOW GOING TO ARGUE THAT INDIVIDUALS TOO CAN ONLY HAVE ONE FINAL CORE “RIGHT RELATIONSHIP”THAT INTERPRETS ALL OTHERS - it can be (1) “me” or “mine” OR (2) “good people, good causes, and good values” OR (3) “Jesus who loves me and died for me as God’s grace”

  14. For those who think Paul was a bit overbearing, and Jesus was “nicer,” we will first listen to Jesus say the same thing Paul is about to say, but even more strongly!

  15. JESUS – as God’s one central core of “RIGHT RELATIONSHIPS” 25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus. Turning to them, he said,26 “Whoever comes to me and doesn’t hatefather and mother, spouse and children, and brothers and sisters—yes, even one’s own life—cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever doesn’t carry their own cross and follow me cannot be my disciple…. 33 In the same way, none of you who are unwilling to give up all of your possessions can be my disciple. (Luke 14:25-33)

  16. Galatians 2:17-21 (1) – Now listen to Paul 17 But if it is discovered that we ourselves are sinners while we are trying to be made righteous in the Messiah, then is the Messiah a servant of sin? Absolutely not! 18 If I rebuild the very things that I tore down, I show that I myself am breaking the Law. 19I died to the Law through the Law, so that I could live for God.  [Common English Bible]

  17. As an Individual, what most tempts me at the core to put my relationship with God 2nd? • For most of us here today it is not keeping Torah. So what does most tempt me to sin against Jesus rather than my other deep values when I must choose between them? At some point, I will “sin” against all but one core relationship. • Security? Family or friend approval? Cultural approval? Possessions/Wealth? Appearing “Moral” to the “Causes” I most value?Avoiding Pain?Being Physically or Socially Attractive?Being “Successful?” Living Longer? Health? …….

  18. Galatians 2:17-21 (2) 20I have been crucified with the Messiah andI no longer live, but the Messiah lives in me. And the life that I now live in my body, I live by faith (trust), indeed, by the trustworthiness of God’s Son, who loved me and gave himself for me.21I don’t ignore the grace of God, because if we become righteous through the Law, then the Messiah died for no purpose. [Common English Bible]

  19. WHO DO YOU WANT TO BE? • There are two possible ways to be me – two potential “me’s” at all times: – who “I” am trusting Jesus’ trustworthiness and love at my core! OR – who “I” am trusting something or someone else as my core trust!

  20. IF I CHOOSE… • God’s Grace through JESUS’ TRUSTWORTHINESS & LOVE TO BE MY CORE…All else will be in relationship to that central relationship • Something or Someone else is more central to life – what Jesus thought he was doing with God, and for God and for us/you, was a waste of his life. Should have just let us get on with doing our good stuff!

  21. MAYBE IT SOUNDS NICE, BUT… BUT… … INDIVIDUALLYand as COMMUNITY - WE HAVE, and WE DO, and WE WILL FAIL SO OFTEN IN CHOOSING GOD & JESUS AS THE CORE

  22. BUT… INDIVIDUALLYand as COMMUNITY • We do fail often – as community and as an individual • Perhaps by now we are all somewhat “afflicted” and need some “comforting”

  23. THE PRIMARY QUESTION IS: Are God and Jesus Trustworthy • Gal 2:20: “And the life that I now live in my body, I live by trust, indeed, by the trustworthiness of God’s Son, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I don’t ignore the grace of God…” • IS LOVING US, LOVING YOU, the core value for God and Jesus? • IS GRACE the core value for God and for Jesus? • Did Jesus bear our failures in his own body and overcome them?

  24. COMMUNION:ON BEHALF OF GOD, JESUS WANTS… TO BE- FOR OUR FELLOWSHIP: -LOVER & SIN-BEARER & GRACE FROM GOD TO BE - FOR YOU INDIVIDUALLY: -LOVER & SIN-BEARER & GRACE FROM GOD (SIN-BEARER??? – EVERYONE IS! Someone Sins; Someone Pays – someone else, yourself! Can anyone absorb the sin and end the never ending spiral? Jesus can!)

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