We'll continue our meditation
in the Epistle of Paul to the Galatians in the second chapter
and we'll speak to you tonight from verse 3 to verse 10. So
we'll read from verse 3 to verse 10 in the second chapter of the
Epistle of Paul to the Galatians. But neither Titus, who was with
me being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised, And that because
of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy
out our liberty, which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might
bring us into bondage. To whom we gave place by subjection,
no, not for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue
with you. But of these who seem to be somewhat,
whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me. God accepteth
no man's person. For they who seemed to be somewhat
in conference added nothing to me. But contrarywise, when they
saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the
gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter, for he that wrought
effectually in Peter the apostleship of the circumcision, the same
was mighty in me toward the Gentiles. And when James, Cephas and John,
who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto
me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship,
that we should go unto the heathen and they unto the circumcision. Only they would that we should
remember the poor, the same which I also was forward to do." As we know, the Apostle Paul
and Barnabas had come to Jerusalem There had been a 14-year gap
from when he came before, and of course he was only there for
just a few days. And since that time he'd been
travelling around amongst the Gentiles, amongst those who were
uncircumcised, and had been wonderfully blessed of the Lord. And now
he'd brought with him Titus, who was with him being a Greek,
who was not compelled to be circumcised. But neither Titus, who was with
me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. He wasn't
compelled and that's why the Apostle brought him of course
as a Gentile, to demonstrate the Lord's goodness. and mercy. And then he goes on and says
that because of false brethren, unawares brought in who came
in privily to spy out our liberty, which we have in Christ Jesus,
that they might bring us into bondage. And clearly there were
those Jews who were classified here as false brethren who intended
to come and try and destroy the liberty, the freedom which was
in Christ, and to turn them back to the law of Moses, the ceremonial
law, which of course was now superseded. since the Lord Jesus
Christ had fulfilled all the demands of that righteous law. And that was what the apostle,
of course, and Peter and the brethren preached. And so it
was a great and glorious gospel. And so he tells us, to whom we
gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour. I didn't want
them to come in and to disturb the position. And therefore I
didn't give them any leeway to do this. And so they gave them,
to whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour, that the
truth of the gospel might continue with you. They didn't want it
to be stopped at all, they didn't want it to be questions put against
it, so that the Jewish people might be turned back to their
old following of the ceremonial law. And he continues then by
saying, but of those who seemed to be somewhat, whatsoever they
were, it maketh no matter to me. God accepteth no man's person,
for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to
me. And you may remember there was
the account of Simon Magus, or sometimes referred to as Simon
the Sorcerer. He said he was some great one.
He told the people he was some great one. Well, the Spirit of
God teaches us that we're not great ones. In fact, we're very
insignificant ones. And therefore, if anybody thinks
they are a great person, we have to doubt the reality of their
profession and what they say. And so the Apostle draws attention
to such as he addresses the Galatians and he says but of these who
seem to be somewhat and it didn't impress Paul and these kind of
people should never impress us he says whatsoever they were
it maketh no matter to me God accepteth no man's person for
they who seem to be somewhat in conference added nothing to
me but contrary wise it had the the opposite effect but contrary
wise when they saw The gospel of the uncircumcision was committed
unto me and that was of course the gospel to the Gentiles. The Gentiles were those who have
classified the uncircumcision and was committed unto me as
the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter. And that of course
was the preaching of the gospel to the Jewish nation. And when
they therefore realized that, for he that wrought effectually
in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was
mighty in me toward the Gentiles. So it was wonderful, wasn't it,
that after these 14 years, Paul and Barnabas come again to Jerusalem
and are united with Peter and James and John And especially
with regard to the preaching of the gospel, and they were
able to discuss it between themselves, and it was quite clear that they
both preached the same gospel. And of course that was the gospel
given to them by the Lord himself. And of course they were aided
and helped continually by the Holy Spirit. So it was surely
a time of rejoicing together, as they were able to recount
how God had blessed their ministry in very various and different
positions, and yet clearly God was with them. And what a blessing
it was they were able to preach. What did they preach? the unsearchable
riches of Christ. And of course was the gospel. That was the gospel that drew
people and was a blessing to them. And that's what they were
able therefore to bring to the people, this great good news.
And no doubt they had to lay before the people their lost
condition and how they could not make themselves righteous.
How they were naturally unrighteous. keeping the law. As Peter would
have said they weren't able to keep it and therefore it wasn't
sufficient and therefore they had to count all their own righteousness
but as filthy rags and to be found looking unto Jesus for
all their hope. time and for eternity. And of
course, as the Apostle Paul went forth with Barnabas preaching
to the Gentiles, and in most places the Lord had never been
heard of, and it was therefore fresh news to many people, but
how wonderful it was that the Spirit of God came and met with
some. We know it was really only some. You look back at the time when
Paul was preaching in Athens to that great town at that time,
and there appeared to be only a few who actually came in the
end and received the preaching of the Gospel. And he was very
faithful, because every day he went into the marketplace to
preach the Gospel. But you see, we perhaps expect
wonderful success in preaching the Gospel. but the Lord knows
who are his. And that doesn't mean we're not
to preach the gospel. We are to preach the gospel to
ones and twos as also perhaps to many. It makes no difference. God sends his servants to preach
the gospel to those who will hear the great news and be blessed
with that godly repentance and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ. And so the Apostle goes on to
say, and when James, Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars,
perceived the grace that was given unto me, they had godly
eyes, didn't they? They saw that the Apostle had
also received this great grace. And therefore, they received
the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas
the right hand of fellowship." Well, that was a wonderful position,
wasn't it? They acknowledged that they were
workers together with God. And there was a very clear demonstration
of that. They didn't stand aside. No,
they joined hands with this right hand of fellowship to encourage
them each to continue in the work in which the Lord had called
them, the right hand of fellowship, that we should go unto the heathen,
unto the Gentiles, and they unto the circumcision.' And of course
that was followed more or less, I know there were exceptions,
but generally speaking the Apostle preached the Gentiles, and Peter
preached to the Jews. And of course, no doubt, they
were able to recount the wonderful occasions when God had come down,
especially perhaps that day at Pentecost, when the Lord had
so wonderfully blessed the preaching of the Apostle Peter, and what
a wonderful effect it had on the people. And so, they were
able to give the right hand of fellowship to Paul and Barnabas
and encourage them in the work and they just make one one further
request and they say only they would that we should remember
the poor the same which I also was forward to do well it's a
good word of instruction isn't it that we do remember the poor
thankfully we are able through our distribution fund to remember
the poor perhaps more particularly those who are poor in spirit
by distributing the Word of God. But it is an instruction, it
is really a command to the Church of God. They should follow such
a pattern. And it of course is the blessed
example of the Lord Jesus Christ. He went about doing good. He
mixed with the poor. He encouraged them. He healed.
He spoke to them and he did indeed remember the poor. And so may
we take heed to these gracious words and desire to follow what
is set before us in these few verses. And only they would that
we should remember the poor the same which I also was forward
to do. Amen.