I am so stuck on this truth… that I come across as this is what you would expect the pastor to say…

• Theology in suffering must replace the therapy of suffering in the church today.
• Bible tells us that suffering is the result of sin
• We enter and leave the world by causing others to suffer
• Throughout life we deal with suffering… Psalm (1/3), Lamentations, every prophet (except Haggai) include a lament in their book, Jesus lamented over Israel.

Those suffering around us today:

• 4 Families in Idaho who lost their college students
• Hospitals are full with RSV patients
• Homicide rate in Indianapolis is setting records
• We’ve all got friends who are going through relationship issues
• There is grief for loss in this room as we are in the holiday season
• Financial issues for many

It overwhelms us… it encompasses every human being. You will suffer. You will not avoid it. Will you suffer with purpose or without purpose?
This is not a message about who has suffered the most…
Paul –
2 Corinthians 1:8-10 - We don’t want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our affliction that took place in Asia. We were completely overwhelmed—beyond our strength—so that we even despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a terrible death, and he will deliver us.[1]
2 Corinthians 11:23-30 - I’m talking like a madman—I’m a better one: with far more labors, many more imprisonments, far worse beatings, many times near death.
24 Five times I received the forty lashes minus one from the Jews. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day in the open sea. 26 On frequent journeys, I faced dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, and dangers among false brothers; 27 toil and hardship, many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, often without food, cold, and without clothing. 28 Not to mention other things, there is the daily pressure on me: my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?
30 If boasting is necessary, I will boast about my weaknesses.[2]
2 Corinthians 12:6-9 - For if I want to boast, I wouldn’t be a fool, because I would be telling the truth. But I will spare you, so that no one can credit me with something beyond what he sees in me or hears from me, 7 especially because of the extraordinary revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so that I would not exalt myself. 8 Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.”
Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.[3]
Paul in prison in 62 AD in Rome.
 - Epaphroditus was sent to deliver an offering to Paul and care for him.
 - Epaphroditus got sick on the way.
ADVANCE OF THE GOSPEL
PHILIPPIANS 1
12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually advanced the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard, and to everyone else, that my imprisonment is because I am in Christ. 14 Most of the brothers have gained confidence in the Lord from my imprisonment and dare even more to speak the word, fearlessly.

• It is not a question of “if you will suffer”… it is “when will you suffer”
• It is going to happen… why do you think you can avoid suffering even for a day?
• Will you suffer with purpose or without purpose?
• Will suffering compel you to love Jesus more?
• Will suffering purify your motives?
• Will your suffering reorient your focus on Jesus and the Good News?

I am begging you not to waste your suffering!!!

• Will your chains of suffering be an opportunity for you to share about the sufferings of Jesus and how He has triumphed?

1. You ask the question… “Why are chained here?”
    - You are not “chained here”… you are free!
    - You are free to tell others of the Truth!
   
   
2. Will the other Christians benefit from watching you suffer? WE WATCH!!!
   
   
3. Will non-Christians become Christians because of your suffering?
   -People are watching you suffer!!!
   
   
4. Will you suffer with purpose or will you waste your suffering?

Misconceptions of Suffering…
       1) Suffering is not avoided by you having a lot of faith.
       2) Suffering does not automatically make you a victim.
       3) Suffering is not necessarily a result of sin.
       4) Suffering is not to be pursued. (It makes us holy…)
       5) Suffering is not to be avoided.
       6) Suffering is not to be excused because God uses it. (Because God uses it doesn’t justify the sin)
       7) Suffering is no excuse to allow injustice and evil. (We must still be just and avoid evil)
       8) Suffering is for us… not an act of atonement… but for sanctification. (We aren’t paying God back for sin… don’t believe in karma… penance… purgatory)
       9) Suffering is not to be fully understood in this life.
      10) Suffering is not beyond the sovereign goodness of God.
15 To be sure, some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of good will. 16 These preach out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; 17 the others proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, thinking that they will cause me trouble in my imprisonment.
 - Some Bible teachers teach from very corrupt motivations.
        - It is about producing numbers…
        - It is about controlling the behavior of their congregation
18 What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice.[4]
 - Paul… are you sure that is what you meant to say!?!

• Paul tells us that in suffering… the key is to rejoice.
• You wrongly identify joy with an emotion… and you can’t command an emotion!
• I couldn’t command Sam and Chloe to mourn last weekend!
• Roughly 18 times in the NT… Joy and suffering are mentioned together.

You suffer through your finances… your poverty… your loss of loved ones… separations and divorces of relationships… your unemployment… your addiction… your sin… your unmet expectations!
Jesus is the perfect example of suffering…

1. Jesus took our sin and purchased our salvation through His suffering
2. Jesus suffered for us
3. Jesus continues to suffer with us (“Saul, why do you persecute me?”)
4. Jesus will put an end to all suffering… this world comes to an end.
5. John 16:33 – In this world… you will have tribulation… you will suffer!

• You will suffer… suffer well… suffer with Jesus… let Jesus use the suffering!
• Don’t waste any of your suffering… It cost you much!
• Invest in the people who know Jesus and the people who need to know Jesus!

Romanian pastor… “Christians are like nails… the harder you hit them… the deeper they go.”
I pray that you go deeper in Christ by each blow of suffering that you receive!

[1] Christian Standard Bible (2 Co 1:8–10). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Christian Standard Bible (2 Co 11:23–30). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Christian Standard Bible (2 Co 12:6–9). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[4] Christian Standard Bible (Php 1:12–18). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.

What is the Gospel?
Intro Talking to internationals who have zero understanding of Jesus.
Have you ever explained Gospel to someone like that?
Can someone tell me what the gospel is?
Examples Four spiritual laws.
     1. God loves you and has a plan for your life.
     2. We can’t know God’s plan because we have sin.
     3. Jesus is provision for our sins.
    4. Must place faith in Christ to get the gift of salvation and knowing God’s plan.

Is the Gospel a formula?
What if you reject one of those laws?

Evangelism Explosion
“Suppose you were to die today and stand before God and He were to say to you 'why should I let you into My heaven?
What would you say?”
Is the Gospel fire insurance?
Focus of making it to heaven reduces the gospel to wishful thinking.
Blood Sweat and Tears “And When I die” I can swear there ain't no Heaven
But I pray there ain't no hell I'll never know by livin'
Only my dyin' will tell

Romans Road
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned…
Romans 6:23 Wages of sin is death…
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love toward us…
Romans 10:9 If you confess with your mouth Jesus as lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved!
Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith we have peace with God…

Is the Gospel a hidden message in the Bible?
Have you ever wondered why the Gospel isn’t clearly spelled out in the Bible?
Why so many “Christians” have versions of it?
Let’s try to untangle…
John Eldredge talks about humanity loving story because it is written into our being.
I propose that the Gospel is actually an epic story.
Def. Gospel: Good News Good news implies there’s bad news.

Look at this from old Jewish perspective.
Creation. Everything is great. The Fall. We are cursed, but a promise/prophecy is given.
God offers little guidance, all hell breaks loose.
God resets everything with Noah.
Again, people wander away from truth, and God chooses Abraham.
Gives a promise. The world will be blessed through his offspring.
Abraham’s faith/trust/reliance on God’s promise is his righteousness.
God gives a few instructions to make his people unique.
Abraham’s family prospers until calamity (famine).
God rescues the family into Egypt, but that becomes enslavement.
Centuries later, Moses arises to free God’s chosen people from slavery and give them a promised land.
God gives detailed laws and rituals His people are to follow.
Why? To have Israel maintain its identity.
The rituals (festivals, sacrifices, etc) are unique to Israel and Followers of Abraham’s God.
Matt Tully and the festivals.
God’s people suffer all sorts of problems, mostly because they aren’t sticking to the rules God set up for them.
Many prophets come and go, begin Israel to repent and return to their traditional ways.
But hey also proclaim a new promise coming.
A new and better covenant.
Jer 31 3:31-33 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD.
“But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Ezekiel 36:26–27 “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.”

Fast forward a few hundred years and Jesus arrives on the scene. Jesus preached the gospel, (19 mentions in the Gospels) but what was his message?
Gospel of the Kingdom mentioned 5 times in Gospels (before crucifixion)
Matthew 4:23 “Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom.”
What is the kingdom? Matthew 4:17 it is at hand Matthew 6:10 prays for kingdom to come
This Gospel is not that you can make it to heaven, but that heaven is coming here.
So who is the King of this Kingdom of Heaven? Luke 19:37-40 Blessed is the King
Mark 15:2 Pilate.
It is as you say Matthew 27:42 King of Jews get off the cross
John 18:33-37 Kingdom not of this world Try telling this to someone who has no concept of the Bible or its stories.
It’s fantastic!
So, why is this story good news to the Jews of Jesus’ time or to us?
Because the New Covenant is far superior to the Old.
The constant striving to identify as one of God’s chosen is replaced with being adopted into the King’s family.
Having the law wrapped around your neck is replaced with having the Spirit of God reside within you.
Hoping to “make it into heaven” is replaced with being a part of heaven on earth.
Laws and rituals are replaced with relationship, intimate and personal.
Faithful obedience in one’s own power is replace with a new nature that is inclined to obedience.
Striving is replaced with rest.
Hopelessness and death are replaced with peaceful assurance and the life of eternity.
And that is pretty good news.

Romans 5:1
Acts 20:35
1 Corinthians 6:17
Romans 8:1

• Paul has been writing about authentic ministry since 2:14.

THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL
2 CORINTHIANS 4
1 Therefore, since we have this ministry because we were shown mercy, we do not give up.

• Not because he was funded, appointed or had the abilities.
• The reason for having ministry is because they have been shown mercy.
• His mercy happened on Road to Damascus.
• He did not give up when he was challenged in Ephesus.

2 Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful things, not acting deceitfully or distorting the word of God, but commending ourselves before God to everyone’s conscience by an open display of the truth.

• Once again, discrediting the false teachers based upon their own tactics and agendas.
• The reason for discrediting is not to constantly speak out against the false teachers but to show the difference between Paul’s ministry and their ministry.
• Paul is speaking more his credibility for a reason.

3 But if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

• Some people are not going to see this Truth because they have been deceived from what is actually the truth.
• Think about it… one of the best ploys of the evil one (the god of this age) is to convince this world there is no absolute truth.
• We are watching a generation grow up writing their own narratives and declaring what truth is based upon what they want it to be.
• The Church is a huge part of this issue.
• There is a reason that people don’t want what the Church is selling because it is a false Gospel.
• It is based upon their own selves more than it is on Jesus Christ.

5 For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

• Paul constantly indicates the things that have occurred in his ministry… but it was never based upon what he did, but what Jesus did.
• Paul’s foundation of ministry is based upon Jesus.

6 For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.

• I can produce numbers for the public.
• I can manipulate people to pray a prayer of salvation.
• There are ministries that survive on this standard.
• I’m not the one to question a person’s heart and whether it was just words or a real heart change.
• I used to feel pressure to sit next to someone on a plane or a ski lift and present the Gospel to a captive audience.
• Now I understand more of who I am in Christ and learning what I actually have as a child of God.
• With that, comes the removal of pressure to “save people”. Just tell them about the goodness of God.
• It is not my responsibility to save others… that is Jesus. The pressure is off of me.
• I’m just supposed to naturally be a light in the darkness.
• If they see the glory of God in me, maybe they will desire what I am sharing with them.

 
TREASURE IN CLAY JARS
7 Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us.

• Clay jars were used on the daily and often broke.
• They are to us almost as Solo red cups are.
• They were easily broken.
• But don’t focus on the clay jars… focus on the “treasure”
• The “treasure” is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
• We are simply the fragile vessels to carry the Good News.

8 We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; 9 we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed.

• Our flesh suits are the clay jars.
• We become broken… sometimes even shattered.
• Many times over, glued back together.
• We can suffer physically, but it still doesn’t stop us from living a good life in Jesus.
• We don’t understand why things happen like they do, but we have our faith that keeps us from giving up on life.
• We can be hated and isolated but we know He is always with us.
• We can come to the end of ourselves and know that there is still hope.

10 We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be displayed in our body. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’s sake, so that Jesus’s life may also be displayed in our mortal flesh.

• Paul said he is willing to sacrifice his earth suit for the ability to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

12 So then, death is at work in us, but life in you.

• We may suffer and even die, but it is for the purpose of you finding eternal life.
• Braveheart – “Every man dies… but not every man lives.”

13 And since we have the same spirit of faith in keeping with what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke, (Psalm 116:10 - I believed, even when I said, “I am severely oppressed.”[1]
we also believe, and therefore speak.

• It may seem as though I have nothing and suffered much which is true, but I also have much more than you can actually see.
• So let me tell you about it!

14 For we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you.

• This is when we are done with the flesh suit (jars of clay) and we have our glorified bodies.

15 Indeed, everything is for your benefit so that, as grace extends through more and more people, it may cause thanksgiving to increase to the glory of God.

• Did anyone ask you what you were thankful for this week?
• As we give more grace to more people, we will have more to be thankful for.
• We can continue to go down the “Cancel Culture” path and we will have less and less to be thankful for.
• We want justice more than we want grace.
• Trust me… at some point, you will want more grace than you do justice.

 
16 Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day.

• It gets harder and harder for me to do things every year.
• Putting Christmas lights on the house.
• Doing ski trips…
• Answering the phone… to whatever is on the other side.
• But every day… I have this inner motivation that wakes my soul to the daily adventure.
• I know in the midst of the hard work and hopelessness in the world that there will be opportunity to talk about Jesus.
• Every day, the Spirit inside of me (that raised Jesus from the dead) raises me up for the adventure of the day.
• I walk into meetings with people and have no idea what is going to unfold.
• I have no idea what the next phone call, text message or e-mail is going to include but I trust the Spirit inside of me.

17 For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory.

• I can fly Spirit airlines for $40 round trip vs $400 on the big jet airliner.
• It’s only 2 hours each way to Orlando.
• Then I saved me enough money to have Mickey Mouse ice cream every day!
• Mickey Mouse ice cream = incomparable eternal weight of glory?
• Momentary light affliction… I’m on whole 14?

18 So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.[2]

• This world’s focus is on what is seen.
• Prove to me by showing me.
• But the real world, the eternal everlasting, is based upon faith.
• If you have no faith… The Word of God is written by men.
• If you have faith… The Word of God is written by God through faithful men.
• It is the ability to see things from a spiritual perspective rather than human perspective.
• It takes more for person to believe in faith than it does for a person to believe out of sight.
• You can’t escape this world without suffering.
• And if that is all you see… you miss the glory that is all around you.
• Christ in us is the joy in a fallen world.
• Christ in us is the hope for dying people.
• Christ in us is the light for a dark world.
• Christ in us is the glory for a world that is killing each other.
• Christ in us is the answer for people who are searching.

“So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen.”
Stay focused on what is unseen.

[1] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ps 116:10). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (2 Co 4:1–18). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

1. Paul’s early Christian experience and his first encounter with church leaders in Jerusalem (1:11–24)
2. The summit meeting between Paul and the Jerusalem leaders over the scope and sphere of his missionary work (2:1–10)
3. The confrontation with Peter at Antioch leading to the central pronouncement of justification by faith (2:11–21).[1]

- Paul’s first fight for Christian liberty was at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:1–35; Gal. 2:1–10); his second was at a private meeting with Peter (Gal. 2:11–21). [2]
-  Paul had already returned from Antioch and 1st Missionary Journey with Barnabas when reports about all the Gentiles being “saved” returned to Jerusalem.
 - The Jewish leaders were upset with what they heard and went to Antioch and began telling the Gentile believers that they needed to become Jewish first (circumcision) before they became Christians.
 - The Jewish leaders had forgotten the true purpose of circumcision.
 - The new believers had a circumcision of the heart.
 - They did not need a physical operation.
 
GALATIANS 2
PAUL DEFENDS HIS GOSPEL AT JERUSALEM
1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also.

• Titus was a Greek Gentile and companion of Paul.
• He is mentioned to demonstrate that the leaders of the church in Jerusalem did not pressure him to be circumcised.
• This would have discredited any claim that the leaders in Jerusalem required that Gentiles be circumcised.[3]

 
2 I went up according to a revelation and presented
(make clear to you) to them the gospel I preach among
the Gentiles, but privately to those recognized as
leaders. I wanted to be sure I was not running, and had
not been running, in vain. and wonders.

• They met privately with the 3 pillars
• “According to a revelation” – The Lord told Paul to meet privately with these 3.
• Peter, James & John
• James is Jesus’ half-brother.
• The other James (brother of John) was killed by Herod in Acts 12.
• Attests to Paul’s motivation for traveling to Jerusalem.
• He was responding to God’s direction, not human invitation.
• He was concerned with aligning his ministry to the Gentiles with the work of the Jerusalem apostles.
• In essence, he was not the rogue minister that his accusers claimed he was.[4]
• Paul wanted to provide a “united” front in the public meetings.
• If the “pillars” sided with the Judaizers, or tried to compromise, then Paul’s ministry would be in jeopardy.
• He wanted to get their approval before he faced the whole assembly; otherwise a three-way division could result.[5]
• Paul was being proactive rather reactive.
• This is an awkward situation… so let’s fight through the awkwardness.
• The Spirit will lead you to be proactive… your delay causes you to be reactive.

3 But not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. 4 This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus in order to enslave us. 5 But we did not give up and submit to these people for even a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would be preserved for you.

• Titus was 100% Gentile. Didn’t need to be circumcised (It was obvious from his behavior that he was a believer).
• Timothy – Was 50% Gentile and 50% Jewish. He needed to be circumcised so as not to bring confusion to the Jews he was trying to reach with the Gospel.
• Paul’s concern was “the truth of the Gospel” (Gal. 2:5, 14), not the “peace of the church.”
• The wisdom that God sends from above is “first pure, then peaceable” (James 3:17).
• “Peace at any price” was not Paul’s philosophy of ministry, nor should it be ours.

6 Now from those recognized as important (what they once were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism)—they added nothing to me. 7 On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised, just as Peter was for the circumcised, 8 since the one at work in Peter for an apostleship to the circumcised was also at work in me for the Gentiles. 9 When James, Cephas, and John—those recognized as pillars—acknowledged the grace that had been given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to me and Barnabas, agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.

• Ever since Paul’s time, the enemies of grace have been trying to add something to the simple Gospel of the grace of God.
• They tell us that a man is saved by faith in Christ plus something—good works, the Ten Commandments, baptism, church membership, religious ritual—and Paul makes it clear that these teachers are wrong.
• It is a serious thing to tamper with the Gospel.[6]
• This act of “giving the right hand of fellowship” indicates the acceptance of Paul’s apostleship and gospel message by the apostles in Jerusalem, as well as the recognition of their partnership as ministers.
• If the Galatians were formerly concerned that Paul might be a rogue apostle, they no longer needed to be.[7]

10 They asked only that we would remember the poor, which I had made every effort to do.

• Correct doctrine is never a substitute for Christian duty (James 2:14–26).
• Too often our church meetings discuss problems, but they fail to result in practical help for the needy world.
• Paul had always been interested in helping the poor (Acts 11:27–30), so he was glad to follow the leaders’ suggestion.[8]
  ​
  

FREEDOM FROM THE LAW
11 But when Cephas came to Antioch,

• Antioch was 300 miles north of Jerusalem (Syria)
• During the New Testament period Antioch was the third largest city in the Roman Empire and boasted a population of more than half a million.
• Peter came to Paul’s home turf.
• The Jewish community formed a significant segment of the city’s population, numbering some sixty-five thousand during the New Testament era.[9]

I opposed him to his face because he stood condemned. 12 For he regularly ate with the Gentiles before certain men came from James.

• These were not the same men mentioned in 2:4 (false teachers).
• These men were sent from Jerusalem by James.
• They ate differently (law vs no law) – piety
• It wasn’t the fact that he was just eating with the Gentiles.
• He ate like the Gentiles… forgetting Jewish rituals that he practiced with the Jews.
• How does this differ when Paul says, “Be all things to all people.”?
• When the Judaizers came along, they expected the Gentiles to eat like them.

However, when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, because he feared those from the circumcision party.

• What did Peter have to be afraid of? Intimidation?
• Power of sin working on Peter… He was the one who had authority… not James’ men.
• Peter’s fear was robbing him of his freedom.
• Proverbs 29:25 - 25 The fear of man is a snare, but the one who trusts in the Lord is protected.[10]

13 Then the rest of the Jews joined his hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.

• That speaks of the influence that James had back in Jerusalem.
• Or how strong Jewish rituals were taught.
• Paul used two very strong words in his public condemnation of Peter and the other Jewish Christians at Antioch who had separated from their Gentile brothers and sisters: playacting and crooked walking.
• The word in v. 13 translated “hypocrisy” (hypokrisis) comes from the world of the theater, where it refers to the act of wearing a mask or playing a part in a drama.
• By negative transference it came to mean pretense, insincerity, acting in a fashion that belies one’s true convictions.
• Here is the brunt of Paul’s charge against Peter: He should have known better!
• Peter was not guilty of an honest mistake, nor was there any evidence that he had changed his mind about the extension of salvation to the Gentiles.
• Peter had donned a mask of pretense; he was shamefully acting a part contrary to his own true convictions.

What Paul rebuked was the inconsistency of his conduct.[11]

[1] George, T. (1994). Galatians (Vol. 30, pp. 105–106). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 689). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[3] Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Ga 2:1). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[4] Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Ga 2:2). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[5] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 691). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[6] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 692). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[7] Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Ga 2:9). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[8] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 693). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[9] George, T. (1994). Galatians (Vol. 30, p. 170). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[10] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Pr 29:25). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[11] George, T. (1994). Galatians (Vol. 30, p. 177). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

 - We left last week with Jesus explaining how the “Gospel seed” grows on its own…

• In that growth we experience the “awe” of God.

 
Matthew 13:24-35
24 He presented another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while people were sleeping, his enemy came, sowed weeds among the wheat, and left.

• There is going to be error taught
• It will be sorted out later.
• Why is that? The enemy is great with a counterfeit Gospel. Work harder… get nowhere.
• Mediocre church.
• It’s interesting that this week, I had two different students inquire about watching scary movies…
• Explain how our brain is our hard drive… use their phone as an example.

26 When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared. 27 The landowner’s slaves came to him and said, ‘Master, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?’
28 “ ‘An enemy did this!’ he told them.
“ ‘So, do you want us to go and gather them up?’ the slaves asked him.
29 “ ‘No,’ he said. ‘When you gather up the weeds, you might also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I’ll tell the reapers: Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to burn them, but store the wheat in my barn.’ ”

• Explains it later in vs 37-43

 
31 He presented another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It’s the smallest of all the seeds, but when grown, it’s taller than the vegetables and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the sky come and nest in its branches.”

• Annoyance birds – Grackles and European Starlings
• Beautiful birds – Finches, etc.

33 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into 50 pounds of flour until it spread through all of it.”
 
34 Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables, and He would not speak anything to them without a parable, 35 so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled:
I will open My mouth in parables;
I will declare things kept secret
from the foundation of the world.[1]
 
Matthew 12:46-50
46 He was still speaking to the crowds when suddenly His mother and brothers were standing outside wanting to speak to Him. 47 Someone told Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to You.”
48 But He replied to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” 49 And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven, that person is My brother and sister and mother.” [2]
 
Matthew 13:36-50
36 Then He dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached Him and said, “Explain the parable of the weeds in the field to us.”
37 He replied: “The One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38 the field is the world; and the good seed—these are the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. 40 Therefore, just as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather from His kingdom everything that causes sin and those guilty of lawlessness. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Anyone who has ears should listen!

• Non-Believers
• Religious people like the Pharisees
• False Teachers

 
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure, buried in a field, that a man found and reburied. Then in his joy he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. 46 When he found one priceless pearl, he went and sold everything he had, and bought it.

• The pearl representing the Gentiles.
• The mystery kingdom
• Pearl – Believers never understand this parable because they have never been taught that they are holy, righteous and blameless.
  
  

47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a large net thrown into the sea. It collected every kind of fish, 48 and when it was full, they dragged it ashore, sat down, and gathered the good fish into containers, but threw out the worthless ones. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out, separate the evil people from the righteous, 50 and throw them into the blazing furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
 
Mark 4:21-25
21 He also said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed? Isn’t it to be put on a lampstand? 22 For nothing is concealed except to be revealed, and nothing hidden except to come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, he should listen!” 24 Then He said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear. By the measure you use, it will be measured and added to you. 25 For to the one who has, it will be given, and from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.”
 
Matthew 13:51-53
51 “Have you understood all these things?”
“Yes,” they told Him.
52 “Therefore,” He said to them, “every student of Scripture instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who brings out of his storeroom what is new and what is old.” 53 When Jesus had finished these parables, He left there. [3]
Mark 4:35-41
35 On that day, when evening had come, He told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the sea.” 36 So they left the crowd and took Him along since He was already in the boat. And other boats were with Him. 37 A fierce windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 But He was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him up and said to Him, “Teacher! Don’t You care that we’re going to die?”
39 He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 Then He said to them, “Why are you fearful? Do you still have no faith?”
41 And they were terrified and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey Him!”[4]

• The “awe” of God was seen by His disciples.

Before we can experience the “awe of God”, we must understand and accept our inability to calm the storms around us.

[1] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Mt 13:1–35). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Mt 12:46–50). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Mt 13:36–53). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[4] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Mk 4:35–41). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.