Participants: Pr. C.A. Murray (Host), Jill Morikone, Pr. John Dinzey, Pr. Tom Ferguson, Shelley Quinn
Series Code: SSP
Program Code: SSP000034A
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00:01 The Bible tells us...
00:20 Join us now for the 3ABN Sabbath School Panel. 00:24 Our study today is, The Gospel of Galatians. 00:32 Hello and welcome to 3ABN Sabbath School Panel. 00:35 This is our weekly walk through the Word of God. 00:38 And we are so glad that you are able to join us 00:41 and to be part of this excursion through the Bible. 00:46 Let me encourage you, grab a pen, pencil, paper, 00:49 fire up your iPad, iPhone, Android, 00:51 whatever you've got to take notes on, 00:52 because I'm sure you will hear something 00:54 that will be of interest and that will send you studying 00:57 into the Word of God. 01:00 Should you want to join us in this study, 01:02 may I suggest that you go to... 01:11 And you can get and download a Sabbath School quarterly. 01:15 We call it the quarterly because it comes out four times a year. 01:18 It covers three months each quarter. 01:20 And we are in the third quarter just now. 01:22 Or better yet, find a local Adventist church. 01:26 They will treat you well, they will love you, 01:28 and they will give you a Sabbath School quarterly 01:30 that you can use to join us. 01:32 So we're having a good time together. 01:33 I am in the company of the lady Shelley Quinn, 01:36 Pastor John Dinzey, Jill Morikone, and 01:38 Pastor Tom from the... 01:42 I know you do Marion church. 01:43 You have several others, do you not? 01:45 - Several others, yes. - Yeah, yeah. 01:47 He's a busy man. 01:49 And he has deigned to join us. 01:50 Good looking guy, praise the Lord. 01:52 And good to have you here with us. 01:54 Great to be here. 01:55 We are in the book of Galatians, and have been there 01:58 for a little while. 02:00 Today's study focuses on, Paul's Pastoral Appeal. 02:06 And we get to take a look again at this passionate book 02:12 as written by Paul. 02:15 And before we launch out, Shelley would you 02:18 as the Lord's blessing upon our study today? 02:20 Heavenly Father, we come in the name of Jesus 02:22 thanking You, Father, for Your grace, 02:25 thanking You for the gifts of Jesus Christ, 02:27 Your Holy Spirit, and Your Word. 02:30 And we pray right now You will send Your Holy Spirit 02:33 to be our Teacher. 02:34 Father, if we have preconceived notions that are not correct, 02:38 we ask in Jesus' name that You will for us, 02:42 for each person that's joining us, Lord, 02:44 just let Your Spirit be our guide. 02:46 And we ask in the name of Jesus, Father, that 02:49 we will come to understand this most important message 02:53 of salvation by faith in Christ Jesus alone. 02:57 In His holy name we pray, amen. 03:00 Amen, amen, thank you so very much, Shelley. 03:03 Our memory text is found in Galatians 4:12. 03:06 It is a short one. Let's read it together. 03:08 "Friends, I beg you, become as I am; 03:13 for I also have become as you are." 03:17 The lesson takes pains to note, as we have seen so far, 03:20 that Paul did not, and the lesson uses the term, 03:23 mince words. 03:24 Paul did not bite his tongue. 03:27 There are any number of adjectives, I guess, we could 03:28 use for the strident nature of Paul's writing here 03:33 in the book of Galatians. 03:34 As we have said on previous programs, 03:36 Paul had a very special burden for this group of people 03:39 because they were his spiritual babies, 03:41 they were his children. 03:43 And like any parent who has a love for his children 03:47 and wants to see them going well and right, 03:50 Paul is writing to them in no uncertain terms 03:54 about the necessity of surrendering to the Lord 04:00 and accepting the work of Christ in their lives 04:02 and not going back into a works oriented legalistic mindset. 04:08 We're going to talk about the dangers of legalism 04:10 in a future sitting. 04:12 But the lesson says, and I agree so very, very much, 04:17 lords and ladies, that what you believe is very, very important. 04:20 Because what you believe determines how you act. 04:23 It certainly determines your relationship with God. 04:26 And so Paul is very, very solicitous 04:29 of having these people think right and believe right 04:32 so that they act right, and that they accept the 04:36 freedom that has been granted to them and given to them 04:39 through Jesus Christ. 04:43 Paul continues now his teaching. 04:50 He changes, he nuances his position just a little bit, 04:53 but he again is saying the same thing. 04:56 He is begging them, he is urging them, 04:58 he is cajoling them, use whatever word that you wish, 05:02 to stay in the right path. 05:04 And this is very, very important to him. 05:07 The bottom of the lesson says this, 05:09 I'm on the first page of the Sabbath afternoon section, 05:14 "Unlike the false teachers who had no true interest 05:16 in the Galatians, Paul reveals the genuine concern, 05:20 hope, and love of a good shepherd for his wayward flock. 05:24 He was not just correcting theology; 05:27 he was seeking to minister to those whom he loved." 05:30 That, of course, is part of the pastoral function. 05:33 You want the theology to be right, 05:36 you want the mindset to be right. 05:37 But also, you want them to grow and to be stronger. 05:40 So when you see error coming in, you really want to cut that off 05:43 because you don't want your people going astray, 05:45 you don't want them making mistakes, 05:47 you don't want them thinking wrong, 05:48 you don't want them behaving wrong. 05:50 And you don't want an element to come in that 05:54 will stunt their growth in the Lord. 05:56 And this is what Paul is trying to redress 05:59 in no uncertain terms. 06:01 As we look at Sunday, Paul is begging. 06:07 What is interesting is that there are three different 06:10 words in the New Testament that are all, sort of, 06:14 translated, beseech or beg. 06:16 But they have slightly different nuanced, sort of, meanings. 06:20 I want to run through them quickly. 06:23 "Beseech," is, parakaleó. 06:27 "Parakaleó," is almost like a pep talk. 06:30 It's an encouragement kind of thing. 06:31 It's a, "Shelley, I've got something to share with you." 06:34 You know, you're correcting something, but you don't 06:36 put it in a negative term. 06:38 You put it in a positive term. 06:40 So it's like kind of a pep talk. 06:41 "Let me share something with you." 06:43 You know, "Let me encourage you," 06:45 is something that my math teacher use to say. 06:48 Because I hated math and didn't do good at it. 06:50 He'd say, they called me, Clem, back then, 06:53 "Clem, let me encourage you," you know. 06:56 Ha, ha, ha, ha... 06:58 So this first word is sort of like that. 07:00 "I've got something I need to say that's going to correct you, 07:02 but I'm couching it in encouraging terms." 07:05 It's very, very positive. 07:07 It means, to exhort, to entreat, to implore. 07:10 But there's this idea of, "Let me encourage you to do this." 07:14 We find that in Romans 12:1, 07:16 "I beseech you, therefore, brethren." 07:18 "I encourage you, brethren." 07:19 You know, "I'm not spanking you, I'm encouraging you, 07:22 to present your bodies a living sacrifice." 07:24 We also see that in Hebrews 13:19, 22. 07:28 Then the word that we run into is, deomai, 07:33 which means, to beg or petition. 07:34 This is a little stronger. 07:38 This is what Paul is doing here. 07:40 This is, "I really need you to do this." 07:45 Because it's for your own good. 07:46 We're getting a little serious here. 07:48 This is not smiley stuff. 07:49 "I really need you, I'm entreating you. 07:53 Because what I'm asking you to do is for your own good." 07:58 So it's a little stronger, a little more earnest. 08:00 This can be something with tears. 08:03 Because there's a burden here that is not just encouraging, 08:06 not just sort of a pat of the back. 08:08 No, this is a little bit stronger, a little bit deeper. 08:10 And then there's a third word, erotao, depending on 08:15 how you want to pronounce it. 08:17 This is, it can be translated, interrogation. 08:22 This is where I'm going to just lay on you 08:27 until you see my point. 08:29 I'm going to just interrogate you. 08:30 I'm going to stay with you until you understand 08:33 the burden that I have for you. 08:34 And in some sense, all of these are kind of... 08:38 Paul's got such a strong burden for this church. 08:41 He's got such a strong desire that they do right 08:44 and that they be right. 08:46 Let me give you some text for, erotao. 08:49 And that's 1 Thessalonians 4:1, and 2 Thessalonians 2:1. 08:53 Now what is interesting about, deomai; to beg, petition, 08:56 which is the word that is used here, 08:58 in 2 Corinthians 10:1-2 two different words are used. 09:07 Deomai, used in one; and in the very next verse, 09:12 parakaleó, is used. 09:13 So Paul here is, can I say, pulling out all the stops. 09:19 He really wants this fledgling group, this nascent group 09:24 of baby Christians, to bite down on the fact 09:28 that Christ has given you something. 09:30 Don't let go and go back, but stay in this particular way. 09:34 So he nuances now his presentation to them. 09:39 He, dare I say, mixes his metaphors. 09:42 He changes things just a little bit. 09:44 He moves from a tough dad to a loving mom. 09:48 You know? 09:50 When you take homiletics in school, 09:53 they tell you, when you're preaching and you have a 09:55 point that you want to impress upon 09:58 your congregation, you try to attack it from several 10:00 different directions, you know. 10:02 You say it, and then you re-say it in a different way. 10:05 Because half the people will get it the first time you say it 10:07 and maybe half will get it the second time you say it. 10:10 So hopefully you will cover your whole audience. 10:12 And most preachers know that. They understand that. 10:14 Say it again a different way so that the other group gets it. 10:17 Well this is what Paul appears to be doing here. 10:19 He was a tough dad before, now he's the loving mom. 10:23 He talks about working with you and laboring with you. 10:26 "I don't want my labor with you to be in vain." 10:32 Having first described the Galatians as being formed 10:34 in the womb, Paul now speaks of the Galatians 10:37 as if they were expectant mothers themselves. 10:41 So he changes up his presentation just a little bit. 10:44 Because he's trying to, as it were, pull out all the stops 10:47 to get them to understand his burden. 10:49 And he carries such a strong burden for this fledgling group. 10:54 "Through this metaphor," the lesson tells me, 10:56 "Paul describes what it means to be a Christian, 10:59 but individually and collectively as a church. 11:04 To be a follower of Christ is more than just a 11:06 profession of faith; it involves a radical transformation 11:10 into the likeness of Christ. 11:12 Paul was 'not looking for a few minor alterations 11:15 in the Galatian church...'" 11:17 He's looking for a radical shift in their thinking 11:20 and in their activity. 11:21 Something that I saw in last weeks lesson that I didn't 11:24 get a chance to mention, but I thought was very interesting. 11:26 It talks about child-like faith is an ensign, or an emblem, 11:31 or a sign of spiritual maturity. 11:33 Interestingly enough. 11:34 And spiritual maturity reveals itself in child-like faith. 11:40 There is this juxtaposition of child-like faith 11:44 and spiritual growth, spiritual growth and child-like faith. 11:47 - George Muller comes to mind. - Yes, indeed. 11:50 Yeah, and this is what Paul is trying to move this church into. 11:55 That you're going to have to trust... 11:57 Remember, this is a nascent community. 12:00 This is a church with heavy Jewish roots, 12:03 with a Gentile influx, but this particular church 12:09 is coming from a pagan background. 12:11 So you've got these Judaizers coming in really trying to 12:15 dump a lot of stuff on them that they are not spiritually 12:18 prepared for and mentally they're not prepared for. 12:21 It's just alien to them. 12:22 And they're trying to be pushed back into this. 12:24 And Paul is trying to say, "Stay in this way that you're going. 12:28 This is the way." 12:30 And you see this burden throughout the New Testament. 12:32 The book of Hebrews says the same thing, 12:34 "Christ is the real deal. 12:35 Christ is what you want. 12:37 Christ is what you need. 12:38 Stay in this way." 12:40 And this is the same burden that we have here 12:42 in the book of Galatians. 12:44 This is his baby. 12:46 He wants his baby to live, to grow, and to thrive. 12:49 And he knows that Jesus is the answer to what they, 12:53 to the things that they need. 12:54 And now he is trying to tell them, "I beg you, 12:57 I beseech you, please don't go back. 13:01 Keep going forward. 13:02 Because Jesus Christ is that way." 13:04 Amen, amen. 13:05 You know, the lesson for Monday is, The Challenge to Become. 13:11 And there is the juxtaposition... 13:14 We're going to look at some of Paul's other writings, 13:18 other epistles. 13:21 But there is, we're looking at the juxtaposition 13:24 of becoming or imitating. 13:28 And it's interesting to me, the problem at the church 13:33 of Galatia, it wasn't like the problem at Corinth 13:36 where it was about sinful behavior, and this. 13:40 The problem was that suddenly their emphasis 13:44 had been changed from salvation in Christ alone 13:50 to where they were beginning to focus on behavior again 13:57 because of these Judaizers coming in. 13:59 And you know, I think we all have the challenge 14:04 before us to become rather than to worry about our behavior. 14:09 So Galatians 4:12, I have the "A" part, 14:13 the first part of the scripture. 14:14 Brother Johnny has the second part. 14:17 But he's simply, he says to them, 14:20 "Brethren, I urge you to become like me..." 14:26 Well now, let's look at some other places where we can 14:30 see that what he was urging was a little different. 14:32 Let's look at 1 Corinthians 11. 14:42 And Jill, if you've got that, would you read verse 1? 14:47 1 Corinthians 11:1 14:50 "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ." 14:54 So here it's not, "Become like me;" it's imitate. 14:59 He is talking about behavior really. 15:02 He's saying, you know... 15:03 Because the Corinthians have a lot of 15:05 ungodly behavior going on. 15:07 - Their problem was behavior. - It was ethical. 15:09 There was unethical things going on. 15:13 So he writes to them and he says, "Hey, Christ is 15:16 the ultimate example. 15:18 I'm imitating Christ. 15:19 Now I'm asking that you imitate me." 15:23 And it's interesting, because here he's summing up 15:25 the section that he's just talked on of religious liberty. 15:29 And what he does is, he is setting forth this example 15:33 of Christ's sacrifice and His divine love, 15:37 saying that, "All of you should be behaving like this. 15:41 Behave like me in so far as I behave like Jesus Christ." 15:45 So there's something that... 15:49 Once again I just want to say this. 15:51 You know, the devil doesn't care which side of the boat 15:56 we fall out of. 15:57 We can fall out of the boat into legalism, 16:01 as was happening here, or we can fall out of the boat 16:05 into license, thinking that by grace we don't 16:09 have to worry about obedience, 16:10 we don't have to worry about anything. 16:12 That's not true. Christ is our example. 16:14 Paul did everything he could to behave as Christ. 16:17 And he is telling these Corinthians, "Hey, watch me. 16:22 Because I'm imitating Christ. 16:23 You do what I do." 16:25 So now let's look at Philippians 3:7. 16:32 And Johnny, I'll let you read that one please, if you want to. 16:35 Go to Philippians 3:7. 16:42 Because when he is writing to the Philippians, 16:46 it's still this idea of imitating. 16:51 Philippians 3:7, "But what things were gain to me..." 16:54 I'm sorry, 3:17. 16:55 - 3:17, okay. Let me see. - I'm sorry, my bad. 16:58 - It makes a difference. - It does. 17:01 "Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them 17:04 which walk so as ye have us for an ensample." 17:08 So my version, the New King James, says 17:13 "Join in following my example." 17:17 He says, "Note the way we walk. 17:20 You've got us for a pattern." 17:22 So once again, he's addressing behavior. 17:25 Because he's saying, "Hey, Jesus Christ is my first love. 17:29 I'm going out proclaiming this." 17:31 But now he's saying, "Keep on imitating my behavior." 17:36 Now let's look at 2 Thessalonians 3. 17:43 C.A., you want to read this one? 17:45 2 Thessalonians 3, we'll look at verses 7 through 9. 17:50 While you're finding that let me just say, 17:52 in Thessalonica there were some very misguided Christians, 17:55 just a few Christians, who suddenly were teaching 17:58 "Jesus is coming any day." 18:01 And they quit working. 18:04 They quit their jobs. 18:05 They were just waiting on the Lord. 18:07 So here's what Paul is telling the Thessalonians. 18:11 2 Thessalonians 3:7 18:13 "For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, 18:18 for we were not disorderly among you; 18:21 nor did we eat anyone's bread free of charge, 18:26 but worked with labor and toil night and day, 18:29 that we might not be a burden to any of you," 18:32 verse 9, "not because we do not have authority, 18:37 but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us." 18:42 So once again, it's following. "Follow us." 18:45 And you know, Paul had the right to have the church 18:50 support his evangelism and his teaching. 18:53 I mean, the Bible teaches this. 18:55 That's strictly biblical. 18:57 But when he went in there and he found these people 19:00 who weren't working and the church was 19:02 having to support them... 19:03 And my mother always said, "Idle hands are the 19:07 devil's workshop." 19:08 So suddenly these people were becoming meddlers. 19:12 They were meddling into other people's business. 19:14 So Paul goes in and he sets them an example 19:17 that is basically, "If you want to eat, work." 19:21 But he's saying, "Follow me." 19:23 So now let's look at Acts 26. 19:28 Because here these three that we've just looked at; 19:31 to the church at Corinth, to the church at Philippi, 19:34 and to the church at Thessalonica, 19:36 he's saying, "Imitate me. Keep on imitating me. 19:40 Follow my example, follow my pattern." 19:43 But now in Acts 26, we'll look at verse 28. 19:48 What is happening here, Paul is sharing his testimony. 19:51 I have stood in the place where he stood in Israel 19:57 where he is sharing his testimony before Festus. 20:01 Now Festus, he was not a Jew. 20:07 He wasn't accustomed to Jewish thinking, 20:10 he wasn't accustomed to the Old Testament Scriptures. 20:14 So Festus obviously believed that, "Hey Paul, you're a 20:18 pretty intelligent man." 20:20 But then Festus is saying, "All of your studying, 20:23 all of your knowledge, has driven you insane." 20:27 And so Paul is arguing, "I'm not insane." 20:30 You know? So he appeals to Agrippa. 20:33 Because Agrippa was an expert in Jewish affairs. 20:39 So when Agrippa comes in, Paul is going to remind him, 20:44 he says, "I know you believe in the prophets." 20:47 And he's reminding him of the death and the resurrection 20:49 of Jesus Christ. 20:51 And I think Agrippa, his reaction tells us 20:54 maybe he was embarrassed in front of Festus. 20:57 So let's look at Acts 26:28-29. 21:01 "Then Agrippa said to Paul," 21:03 as Paul is giving him this impassioned appeal, 21:07 he says to Paul, "You almost persuade me 21:11 to become a Christian." 21:13 And Paul says to him, and I can just hear the passion 21:18 in his voice, "I would to God that not only you, 21:23 but also all who hear me today, might become..." 21:30 See the word? Become. 21:32 "...both almost and altogether such as I am, 21:37 except for these chains." 21:39 If Paul could speak to you personally today, 21:41 and I am speaking to you personally, 21:44 Paul is saying, "I would to God that you would 21:47 become just as I am." 21:50 Saved by grace, justified by faith in Christ Jesus alone. 21:56 Become a Christian, follow God. 21:59 And he just didn't want, you know... 22:01 Because Paul was standing there as a prisoner in chains. 22:05 So here is the word, "become." 22:09 This is about your identity. 22:11 So now back to Galatians 4:12. 22:16 Let's just read that again. 22:20 Paul is saying, "Brethren, I urge you to become like me..." 22:27 This is an urgent appeal. 22:29 In the Greek it's, keep on becoming as I am. 22:34 Paul laid aside his pedigrees, he laid aside all of his 22:38 privileges, and all the prejudices of Judaism 22:44 to become like Christ. 22:45 And now he's telling them, become like me. 22:48 He learned that through his personal obedience... 22:51 I mean, he gave up on personal righteousness. 22:54 He's depending on Jesus Christ alone now. 22:57 And so Paul here is not talking about being... 23:02 Or he is talking about being, not acting. 23:07 He's talking about being, not behavior. 23:09 So when Paul, his concern was, suddenly these people 23:15 had lost their liberty in Christ. 23:17 They were going to a law-centered religion. 23:21 And I just have... Oh I don't have time. 23:24 Paul was the Pharisee of Pharisees, 23:26 but he says, he talks about all that he had, 23:30 and he says, "I count all things but as lost 23:35 for the sake of Christ Jesus." 23:36 So in Paul's ledger, Christ's righteousness 23:42 was the only thing in the positive column 23:46 of Paul's ledger. 23:48 Amen, well done. 23:49 Before we go to Johnny, just two things occur to me 23:52 that I want to just touch on. 23:54 I am so glad that the lesson, and you brought this out, 23:56 put 1 Corinthians 11:1 first, because there are many who say, 24:02 "Be like me, be like me, be like me." 24:05 Because they want people to be like them. 24:07 But Paul says, "Be like me as I am like Christ." 24:10 And that's very, very important. 24:12 And then he says, "Become, become, become, become." 24:15 I am so glad that John 1:12 says, 24:18 "To those who are in Christ, you have the power to become." 24:21 So there is power to be what Paul is asking you to be. 24:24 And that power comes through Jesus Christ. 24:26 We have the right, we have the authority, 24:28 to become what Paul has asked us indeed to become. 24:31 Johnny. 24:33 I think I can sum up my part by saying, I concur. 24:36 Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha... 24:39 Very good. Praise the Lord. 24:41 And so Tuesday says, "I Have Become as You Are," 24:44 which is a continuation of what Shelley was bringing out. 24:48 And once again, we go to Galatians 4:12. 24:52 Reading that again. 24:54 "Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; 24:56 for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all." 24:59 So it may be confusing to some people at first glance, 25:03 because, you know, you say, "Well why do you want us 25:05 become as you are if you are as we are?" 25:08 And this is, what helps us to understand this, 25:10 and reiterating, is that Paul is working to convert the Gentiles. 25:20 So Paul, being a Jew, was living as a Gentile in the sense 25:25 that he was not doing all the circumcision things. 25:29 Well he was circumcised the eighth day, as he says. 25:33 So he is saying, "I identify with you." 25:36 And so what helps us to go into Paul's thinking in this 25:41 is to go to 1 Corinthians 9, the lesson brings out, 25:45 1 Corinthians 9:19-23. 25:48 And I'd like to ask Pastor Tom if you would help us read those. 25:52 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 25:57 When you're ready, you may begin. 25:59 "For though I am free from all men, I have made myself 26:03 a servant to all, that I might win the more; 26:06 and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; 26:09 to those who are under the law, as under the law, 26:12 that I might win those who are under the law; 26:14 and to those who are without law, as without law, 26:18 (not being without law toward God, 26:20 but under law toward Christ), 26:22 that I might win those who are without law..." 26:25 - Through 23? - Yes. 26:27 "...to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. 26:30 I have become all things to all men, 26:32 that I might by all means save some. 26:35 "Now..." 26:37 - Yes. - Oh. 26:38 - Thank you very much. - Okay. 26:40 So we have here that Paul, Paul is not saying that 26:44 he was putting on an act. 26:45 He was saying that he tried to identify with people's 26:48 situation in order to reach them. 26:53 He was not putting on a costume, let's say. 26:56 He really wanted to help the people. 26:58 And as I was thinking about this, it helped me to see that 27:03 Christ did something similar. 27:06 We have His critics saying, "He's over there eating with 27:10 the publicans and the sinners." 27:12 And, "He's talking to a harlot," you know. 27:15 They criticized Him for this. 27:17 But Jesus tried to reach people where they were, 27:21 but not to leave them as they were. 27:24 He tried to lead them to a better life; 27:27 the life in Christ. 27:29 So I see here that Paul is doing what Jesus did in a sense. 27:37 The lesson brings out something interesting 27:39 concerning Paul. 27:40 And that is that he did something that today has 27:43 become known as contextualization. 27:45 Pastor C.A... 27:48 It sounds like a C.A. word, doesn't it? 27:49 It does, doesn't it? 27:50 Ha, ha, ha, ha... 27:52 In other words, you try to bring the gospel to people 27:59 in a way that will be easier for them to understand, 28:02 and they can say, "I understand that." 28:06 And you see Jesus, as He's talking, He uses things 28:09 to help people understand the great lessons 28:12 He was trying to teach. 28:14 You may remember the parable of the sower. 28:16 The sower went out to sow. 28:18 And some seeds fell by the wayside. 28:20 And there they were, the people that worked 28:22 with that type of setting, planting seeds, they say, 28:26 "Oh man, I understand what He's saying." 28:28 So Paul used contextualization to reach people. 28:32 And so when he says, "I have become as you are," 28:37 one of the individuals that wrote about this, 28:40 a man named Timothy George, 28:41 and the lesson brings his name out, he says, 28:43 "Paul was a pioneer in what we call today contextualization, 28:47 the need to communicate the gospel in such a way 28:50 that it speaks to the total context of the people 28:53 to whom it is addressed." 28:54 And so you don't change the gospel. 28:57 The gospel remains the same, the message remains the same. 29:00 But you help the people understand it 29:04 in a language that they understand. 29:07 So when you go to some remote area where they... 29:14 - Vietnam. - Vietnam, let's say. 29:16 ...you have to see what they do in order to reach them... 29:22 ...better, to help them understand it. 29:24 And one of the things that helps me to understand it also 29:30 is something I read years ago. 29:32 I don't even remember who quoted it or for what. 29:34 But it says Isaiah 1:18. 29:36 What does it say? 29:38 It says, "Come now, let us reason together. 29:41 Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." 29:46 So when they were translating that scripture 29:49 for a people that lived in an area that had never seen snow, 29:54 if you say, "Though your sins... they will be as white as snow." 29:57 "Snow? What is snow?" 29:59 So in order to help them understand, the missionary, 30:02 let's say, he said, "Though your sins be as scarlet, 30:04 they shall be as white as the skin of a coconut." 30:07 "Ohhh." 30:09 They understood it because when you open the coconut, 30:11 inside it's all white. 30:13 There's not even a stain there. 30:15 It's all white. 30:16 And they could understand that. 30:18 So this is really what Paul was trying to say 30:21 and what Paul was trying to do. 30:23 So here we see that Paul used things to help them 30:28 understand the gospel. 30:29 Really Tuesday's lesson is to me, I say, well this is 30:35 kind of a short study. 30:37 But let's go to Galatians 2. 30:40 In Galatians 2 is another scripture that is brought out 30:44 for this part. 30:46 And sister Jill, if you have it could you read it for us? 30:49 Galatians 2, what verse? 30:50 11 through 14. 30:52 "Now when Peter had come to Antioch, 30:54 I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; 30:59 for before certain men came from James, 31:02 he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, 31:05 he withdrew and separated himself, 31:07 fearing those who were of the circumcision. 31:10 And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, 31:14 so that even Barnabas was carried away 31:16 with their hypocrisy." 31:19 Keep going? 31:20 Verse 14, to verse 14. 31:22 "But when I saw that they were not straightforward 31:23 about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, 31:26 'If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles 31:30 and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles 31:33 to live as Jews?'" 31:35 Thank you very much. 31:36 And so we see here that Paul was being as they were, 31:42 but also he was saying he walked in the truth of the gospel. 31:46 Because he says to Peter, "Why are you not walking 31:49 according to the truth of the gospel?" 31:51 So when you bring the gospel to other people, 31:53 you don't change the gospel, you don't water down the gospel. 31:56 You present the gospel in a language and in a 32:00 contextualization that is easy for them to understand. 32:04 So to me, it is a powerful, powerful method, 32:09 if you want to call it a method, but this is the way we can 32:12 reach certain people where they are. 32:14 You don't change the gospel, you don't lower the gospel. 32:19 The gospel remains true, remains powerful, 32:22 but people understand it better. 32:23 Amen. Well done, brother Johnny. 32:26 On Wednesday we look at, Then and Now. 32:30 Let's turn back to Galatians 4, the next verse right after 32:33 what you read there, and what Shelley had as well. 32:36 When Paul first went to Galatia, he was not feeling the best. 32:42 He had some health challenges. 32:43 Physical infirmity, is the way he refers to it. 32:46 So let's look at Galatians 4:13. 32:50 "You know that because of physical infirmity 32:54 I preached the gospel to you at the first." 32:57 In the NIV it says, "It was because of an illness 33:01 that I first preached the gospel to you." 33:04 New Living Translation says, "Surely you remember that I was 33:08 sick when I first brought you the good news." 33:11 It talks about this infirmity of the flesh that he had. 33:15 Now I know that there's some discussion, we could say, 33:18 regarding what was Paul's infirmity of the flesh. 33:21 And growing up, I was always taught that probably 33:25 it was something to do with a condition with his eyes. 33:29 On the road to Damascus, remember when Jesus appeared 33:33 to him, and then after that time he had like scales, 33:36 he was blind, and then the scales came off his eyes 33:39 when Ananias prayed for him. 33:40 And I don't know if something from that point on 33:43 he struggled or not. 33:45 The lesson brought out a brand new concept to me 33:48 that possibly he could have contracted malaria. 33:52 Now we know Galatia was a little higher elevation. 33:56 And I guess if you have malaria, the higher elevations would 33:59 maybe help you to feel better. 34:01 So whatever the issue was, we know that he had 34:04 an infirmity of the flesh. 34:06 And at the same time the Galatians treated him well. 34:13 It says in verse 14, "And my trial which was in my flesh 34:17 you did not despise or reject, but you received me 34:22 as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus." 34:26 Now to you and to me, we would say, 34:28 "Well why would they despise him if he had an issue?" 34:31 But the Jewish people believed, and I think even sometimes today 34:35 maybe we still carry this belief forward, 34:38 that a physical issue is a sign of divine displeasure. 34:45 You think about John 9. 34:48 Remember, the man who was born blind. 34:50 And Jesus, His disciples came to Him and said, 34:54 "Did this man sin or was it his parents? 34:58 Why is he suffering with blindness? 35:01 He must have done something wrong." 35:05 And I know that we think that's in the Jewish mentality, 35:08 but people say that today. 35:09 I have a friend with MS. 35:12 And people many times have come to her and say, 35:16 "If you had more faith, 35:18 this affliction would not rest upon you." 35:21 "If you dealt with this in a better fashion, 35:24 you would not be dealing with this." 35:27 So not only did the Jews believe that, but sometimes 35:30 we put that on people here as if it were a 35:32 sign of divine displeasure. 35:34 But Jesus said, the man didn't sin 35:37 and neither was it his parents. 35:39 It was that God could be glorified, 35:43 that Jesus could be glorified in this. 35:46 They call that the Deuteronomic, 35:49 am I saying that right, teaching. 35:51 There is biblical basis for that. 35:54 You know, the law of blessing and cursing 35:56 from Deuteronomy 27 and 28, that obedience brings blessings 36:01 and that disobedience brings curses. 36:04 Galatians 6:9 talks about it as well. 36:06 What you seap... 36:07 What you sow, you shall also reap. 36:11 That's a combination of sow and reap. 36:12 What you sow, you shall also reap. 36:15 However, at the same time, it does not necessarily mean... 36:22 We know that there is the law of consequences 36:24 and there is the law of sowing and reaping. 36:26 But at the same time that is not necessarily always the case. 36:30 As we see in the example of John 9, 36:34 the man who was born blind. 36:35 Or Job, the example of Job. 36:38 It was for a lesson before the universe. 36:41 So what does Paul do with this affliction? 36:43 Let's read one more verse, 36:44 and then I want to go to another scripture. 36:46 Verse 15, he says, "What then was the blessing you enjoyed? 36:50 For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have 36:54 plucked out your own eyes and given them to me." 36:58 They would have... 37:00 Now some people say that this was a figure of speech, 37:03 it's a well-known figure of speech at that time. 37:06 Just saying that they had sacrificial love toward him. 37:10 Or it could indicate that, literally, if they could have 37:12 given him better eyesight or could have helped with his eyes 37:15 they would have done that. 37:16 Let's look at what Paul did with this thorn in the flesh 37:19 or this affliction that he struggled with. 37:21 Let's go to 2 Corinthians. 37:23 2 Corinthians 12 37:28 - And Shelley, do you have that? - Absolutely. 37:31 2 Corinthians 12, let's read 7-10, the whole section. 37:39 "And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance 37:43 of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, 37:47 a messenger of Satan to buffet me, 37:51 lest I be exalted above measure. 37:53 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord 37:56 three times that it might depart from me. 37:59 And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, 38:04 for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' 38:08 Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, 38:14 that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 38:18 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, 38:21 in needs, in persecutions, in distress, for Christ's sake. 38:26 For when I am weak, then I am strong." 38:30 - Amen. - Amen. 38:31 He besought the Lord three times that He would take this away. 38:36 And it reminds me of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane 38:39 coming before the Father, prostrate on the ground, saying, 38:43 "Father, if it's possible, please is there any other way?" 38:47 His soul, His natural humanity, shrank from the sacrifice. 38:51 But at the same time, He said, "Nevertheless, not as I will, 38:55 but as Thou wilt." 38:56 And so Paul here says God spoke to him, 39:00 "My grace is sufficient for you. 39:03 My strength, My power," dunamis, "is made perfect in weakness." 39:10 And he will gladly boast in his infirmity, 39:13 that the power of Christ may rest upon him. 39:17 Sometimes a, "no," is a, "yes." 39:21 If that makes any sense. 39:23 When we're praying and we receive a, "no," 39:26 it might mean that it's God's, "yes." 39:29 That it is God's will for some reason in this situation. 39:33 The lesson asks, what would be the reason 39:36 for God allowing Paul to suffer? 39:38 How could he minister to other people 39:40 when he's still struggling? 39:42 So I know this is, we could take a whole hour on this, 39:45 but just in a couple of moments I want to give three reasons 39:48 why God allows suffering. 39:51 First, for the perfection of my character. 39:53 And we'll look at scriptures. 39:55 Second, for the revealing of His character. 39:58 And third, simply because of the world of sin. 40:01 Let's look at, for the perfecting of my character. 40:03 Romans 3 40:06 We'll look at a couple of scriptures. 40:07 Pastor Tom, could you get Romans chapter 5? 40:10 I'm sorry, not 3. Chapter 5. 40:12 Brother Johnny, could you get 1 Peter 1? 40:15 And Pastor C.A., could you get Hebrews 12? 40:19 - 1 Peter 1:1? - 1 Peter 1:6-7. 40:22 We're in Romans 5:3-5. 40:25 We're looking at why does God allow suffering? 40:28 For the perfecting of my character. 40:29 Let's look at the perfecting that takes place here. 40:32 "And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, 40:36 knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 40:38 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 40:41 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God 40:45 has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit 40:48 who was given to us." 40:50 So the suffering, or the tribulation in this case, 40:53 produces in us perseverance, but character. 40:56 The character of Jesus. 40:59 - Hope and love. - The refiners fire. 41:01 And speaking of fire, it reminds me of your text. 41:04 1 Peter 1:6-7 talks about the fiery trial. 41:09 "Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, 41:12 if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 41:18 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious 41:21 than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, 41:25 might be found unto praise and honour and glory 41:28 at the appearing of Jesus Christ." 41:31 Yes, the trial of our faith, the tribulation, the suffering 41:35 that we go through refines us 41:38 and makes us more into the image of Jesus. 41:40 And Pastor C.A., you have Hebrews 12, 41:42 I think it's verse 11. 41:44 Yeah, it occurred to me there are three separate verses 41:47 that sort of repeat that same thought. 41:49 And I have it underlined in my Bible. 41:50 "Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, 41:54 but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the 41:59 peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have 42:02 been trained by it." 42:04 So even though in the midst of it, it's painful, 42:08 it yields the fruit of righteousness 42:10 to those who have been trained by it. 42:11 So suffering perfects my character, 42:13 suffering reveals God's character. 42:16 We mentioned in John 9 how the man was born blind 42:20 so that the glory of God could be revealed 42:24 in the healing of his eyes. 42:26 Also in Job, we see the character of God 42:29 being on trial, as it were. 42:30 A mini great controversy being worked out there. 42:34 And then third, because of a world of sin. 42:37 That's another reason that suffering exists. 42:40 We know 2 Timothy 3:12, we won't turn there, 42:42 but it says, "All who live godly in Christ Jesus 42:46 shall suffer persecution." 42:48 I want to leave you with one final scripture. 42:50 Romans 8:28, "We know that all things work together 42:56 for good to those who love God, 42:59 to those who are the called according to His purpose." 43:02 So I believe, in Paul's life his thorn in the flesh, 43:05 whatever it is, God used it to work together for good. 43:09 And in your life, and in mine, God can use the things 43:12 we experience for His glory and to work together for good. 43:17 Amen. 43:18 Wow, you know, just recently the Illinois conference 43:21 chose a new president to replace our outgoing president. 43:26 And one of the things the union president, Elder Livesay, 43:29 said was that when you end up in that position 43:34 it can easily go to your head. 43:37 And it's important for you to stay humble 43:40 all the way through that. 43:41 And these thorns in the flesh that you're describing 43:44 are a way that sometimes God, He needs us to stay humble 43:47 in order for Him to work in and through us. 43:50 And for the apostle Paul, the cleric that he was, 43:54 with all the success that he saw, you know, the Lord 43:57 knew what He was doing in refining his character that way. 44:00 I'd like for us to open our Bibles and turn to Galatians 1 44:06 just to get a glimpse of what we started this quarter with, 44:10 a text, the greeting. 44:12 Because I want us to remind ourselves of what it was exactly 44:15 Paul was dealing with. 44:17 You know, when you see him writing the other letters 44:20 to the churches, he had joyful experiences 44:24 that he was just, what can I say, boasting about 44:27 or just appreciative of. 44:29 But here we find him, in verse 6, he says, 44:32 "I marvel that you are turning away so soon," 44:36 from Jesus. 44:38 "...so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, 44:43 to a different gospel, which is not another; 44:46 but there are some who trouble you and want 44:48 to pervert the gospel of Christ." 44:52 I believe the enemy is working overtime trying to pervert 44:55 the gospel of Christ in the church. 44:58 It is a constant warfare to get us off track. 45:04 And you know, something that I didn't prepare the panel 45:07 that I was going to say, that I've heard outside of 3ABN... 45:11 So what is he going to say next time, right? 45:13 What is he going to do next time? 45:16 And you know, one thing, 3ABN is known as a 45:19 conservative ministry. 45:21 And I've also heard, salvation by works 45:25 is another thing I've heard. 45:26 And one thing that everyone here, this camera, 45:29 should know from hearing this panel week after week: 45:33 it's not salvation by works. 45:34 It's salvation by grace through faith alone. 45:38 And that there is a work that is produced 45:42 in Christ in each one of His believers. 45:45 So I want to say that I see it first hand. 45:48 And I really appreciate the message that you are 45:54 sending around the world, the unadulterated message. 45:58 Now, I want us to go to Galatians 4. 46:06 Galatians 4:16 46:11 "Have I therefore become your enemy 46:13 because I tell you the truth?" 46:15 You know, I think about it, they had been so indoctrinated 46:18 by Judaism, they had lost sight of Christ, 46:22 we can all do this, they got into a works program 46:25 that was a combination, as we mentioned earlier 46:27 in another lesson, of Judaism and their previous ways. 46:30 The special days, the non-special days, 46:33 some months were not celebrated. 46:37 All these old ways they had fallen back into 46:39 because they had stopped basking in the presence of Christ. 46:44 So as a result of that, Paul comes back and he sees 46:48 the condition of the church, and he says, "Wait a minute. 46:50 Now I'm your enemy because I'm sharing the truth?" 46:53 Well what is the truth that he's sharing? 46:55 We've gone here, but I want to go back. 46:56 Let's go to Galatians 2:5. 47:01 Galatians 2:5 47:04 "...to whom we did not yield submission..." 47:06 By the way, this is talking about the brethren coming in. 47:09 And that happens today, does it not? 47:11 It still is happening in my district. 47:14 Someone slipping in doing their thing, 47:17 trying to get people into bondage, 47:20 trying to get them into bondage. 47:22 And verse 5 says, "...to whom we did not yield submission 47:26 even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel 47:29 might continue with you." 47:31 The truth of the gospel. 47:33 The good news of salvation through Christ. 47:35 Then verse 14 says, "But when I saw that they were not 47:38 straightforward about the truth of the gospel, 47:40 I said to Peter before them all, 'If you, being a Jew, 47:43 live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, 47:46 why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?'" 47:48 You know, I think the saddest thing would be, 47:50 if we were free in Christ and we try to, 47:52 it's actually impossible, to be sharing a witness 47:55 to someone and having them be in bondage. 47:58 You know, we want them in bondage while we're free. 48:00 But what I discovered is that Peter was struggling 48:04 in his own conversion, and Paul is bringing that out 48:07 for all of us to learn from. 48:09 You know, John 3:19, "...men loved darkness 48:12 rather than light..." 48:14 We love darkness. 48:16 You know something else? 48:17 All theological truth is grounded in Jesus. 48:22 "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think 48:24 you have eternal life; but these are they which testify of Me." 48:28 So Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. 48:30 He is the Word made flesh. 48:33 He is all that the seven annual feasts, and sabbaths, 48:36 and Purim, and Hanukkah, which were not ordained by God 48:39 but the Jews also instituted. 48:41 They were celebrated. 48:43 And they all pointed to their Savior, Jesus Christ. 48:47 Let's turn to Galatians 4, we're going to look at verses 17-20. 48:55 "They zealously court you," these are those Judaizers, 48:59 "but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, 49:03 that you may be zealous for them." 49:05 Exclude you where? 49:07 In experiencing the good news, in experiencing the gospel. 49:11 Why? "So that you may be zealous for them." 49:13 They want a follower. 49:15 They don't want you to be following Christ, 49:16 they want you to be following them. 49:18 And verse 18, "It is good to be zealous for a good thing always, 49:22 and not only when I am present with you. 49:25 My little children, for whom I labor in birth again 49:28 until Christ is formed in you, I would like to be present 49:31 with you now and to change my tone; 49:34 for I have doubts about you." 49:36 Wow! 49:38 He's still concerned they're not going to pull out of this. 49:41 That somehow these Judaizers who were there on a regular basis 49:46 will have their way with the church. 49:49 And you know, what I think about Paul, 49:53 what he is trying to do is actually found in verse 19. 49:56 Verse 19, "My little children, for whom I labor in birth again 49:59 until Christ is formed in you..." 50:01 What is that saying? 50:03 To me, when I read that I'm thinking, 50:06 you need to be reborn. 50:08 You need to be born again. 50:09 You need that experience. You lost your first love. 50:12 You must gain that back. 50:14 Too often Christians lose their first love. 50:17 And too often this text speaks to our own hearts, 50:21 that Christ needs to be rebirthed in us. 50:23 And it's for the same reasons that's going on in Galatia. 50:26 We have been prey to another gospel 50:29 that isn't a gospel at all. 50:31 And so we must hang on to Jesus in faith. 50:34 We must not allow that to happen. 50:37 So he is telling them he wants this... 50:39 As it was mentioned before, it's more like a motherly 50:43 approach to it. 50:44 But he wants to see Christ born in the church. 50:48 Now it also talks about speaking the love in truth. 50:52 You know, how is it that we speak the love in truth? 50:58 Why is that so important? Let's go to Ephesians 4. 51:01 The love in truth or the truth in love? 51:04 - Oh, speak the truth in love. - Okay. 51:05 I said that backwards. More than once. 51:07 Well it's not such a bad thing, though. 51:09 More than once I said that backwards. 51:11 Let's go to Ephesians 4:15. 51:15 And we need to speak the truth in love... 51:17 There we go. 51:19 ...that we "may grow up in all things into Him 51:23 who is the head: Christ." 51:25 See, sometimes when we see someone that is erring, 51:28 we feel that we need to show them the truth. 51:32 We need to give them the truth. 51:33 We need to straighten them out. 51:35 Right, and if it's not done in love, 51:38 what happens here is they don't grow, and neither do we. 51:42 And the reason why we need to share it in love... 51:44 Which is something, I cannot produce a love for someone 51:47 that is like the love God wants me to have. 51:50 He has to be producing that in me. 51:52 So He must be the one that I love with all 51:55 my heart, mind, and soul first. 51:57 But then when I share that truth in His love, 52:00 it will have a converting effect, not only in the person 52:03 that I am talking to, but on myself. 52:06 It has a way to sanctify me when I do that. 52:11 God is not going to leave us where we are. 52:13 You know, what I really love about ministry 52:16 is that when you're blessing other, you're always blessed. 52:18 - Amen. - Oh, absolutely. 52:19 And you're not only blessed, but you're being 52:21 converted thereby. 52:23 You are actually experiencing the things that you knew 52:26 in theory and had faith in. 52:28 You heard, you read, you had faith in it, 52:30 then you have it as an experience. 52:31 And it changes our character. 52:33 Do you realize, God changes character. 52:37 He is into character transformation. 52:39 Otherwise we're stuck with who we are. 52:42 Because character develops in the first five to seven years. 52:45 Everything else is built on it. 52:46 But He'll take that and transform it 52:48 into His own likeness. 52:49 And Paul's concern was that those who had 52:53 experienced conversion, they had become victims 52:56 to the Judaizers and lost that first love. 53:00 So when you and I see someone erring, 53:02 it's important for us to have that same compassion. 53:05 God will give you that compassion for the erring one 53:09 so that we can be an instrument that He's bringing them back 53:12 through us, as well as being converted thereby, 53:16 both the recipient and the ourselves. 53:18 Amen. Well said, well said. 53:20 If someone would look up for me Hebrews 6:6. 53:24 There are a few things I want to touch on 53:27 in summary and in closing. 53:30 We get a picture of the Galatian church as good people 53:33 going bad, but they are being purposely led astray 53:37 by people who are trying to put on them something that is 53:40 going to turn them away from the direction that 53:42 Paul would have them to go. 53:46 If you think the language in Galatians is strong, 53:50 look at Hebrews 6:6. 53:53 Who want to read that for me? 53:55 - I'll go ahead and read it. - Okay, Pastor Ferguson. 53:58 "...if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, 54:01 since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, 54:04 and put Him to an open shame." 54:06 Yeah, that's pretty strong. 54:09 That's pretty strong. 54:11 Paul talks about having tasted of the goodness of the Lord, 54:14 having experienced that, and then going back into 54:17 your old ways. 54:19 That's what he fears for this church. 54:21 They've tasted, they've felt, they've experienced. 54:24 And now they're receding back into their old ways. 54:28 And of course, the back-end of that is that we crucify 54:33 Christ afresh and put Him to open shame. 54:36 And Paul doesn't want that for his church or for his people. 54:41 The idea of suffering, making us more like the Lord; 54:45 right after the 1888 General Conference 54:48 the brethren shipped Ellen White off to Australia. 54:51 And when she said, "I don't really have a call 54:53 from the Lord to do this. 54:55 I'm being sent, and I'm going to be obedient, but I don't..." 54:57 No. 54:59 So you spend months and months on the sea. 55:01 And then when she got there, she said, "I suffered for the 55:03 next ninety days the worst suffering of my life." 55:06 "I'm in a place that I don't know that I should be here, 55:09 I don't really know what I'm doing here, 55:11 and now I'm suffering like never before." 55:14 And yet she says, "It was during those seasons 55:17 when I was as close to God as ever in my life." 55:21 So there is a place for suffering for the Lord. 55:26 And there is something that suffering works in us 55:29 that perhaps only suffering can work in us. 55:32 And if accepted right, it does bring us closer to the Lord. 55:38 In the last part of the lesson, the lesson says something 55:40 that is very important. 55:42 "An important lesson for every minister of Christ to learn 55:46 is that of adapting his labors to the condition of 55:51 those whom he seeks to benefit." 55:53 That's why when you're getting ready to go on an extended 55:56 mission trip, they put you in mission school first 55:59 and tell you, "Don't go in and make immediate changes. 56:02 Don't go in and try to Americanize your people. 56:05 Contextualize the gospel so that the people that you're 56:09 trying to give the gospel to can understand it 56:12 and can accept it." 56:14 But the American way of the gospel is not the gospel. 56:18 The gospel is the gospel. 56:20 So you want to put it in a wineskin that is amenable 56:23 to those that you are dealing with. 56:25 And that's one of the things Paul was trying to do here. 56:27 He is contextualizing his message 56:31 so that the Galatians can take it. 56:32 When I was playing basketball in college, 56:34 I noticed that the basketball coach taught each player 56:38 a little differently, he treated them a little differently. 56:40 Some players he was kind of rough on. 56:42 Others he was kind of kinder on. 56:45 Because he was trying to get the best out of 56:46 that particular player. 56:48 So he changed his presentation to meet that particular player. 56:54 Some he was kind of rough on. 56:55 His language was a little strident. 56:58 Praise the Lord he was never that way with me. 57:00 And I saw that right away. 57:01 He didn't curse at me and use all the kind of stuff 57:03 that he did with other people. 57:05 And this is what Paul is trying to do. 57:07 "These people need a pat on the back, 57:09 or a little something different, let me give them that, 57:12 let me show them that, let me be that for them, 57:15 so that they can accept the gospel and return to the way 57:18 that I would have them to go." 57:21 Lords and ladies, thank you so very much. 57:23 Shelley Quinn, John Dinzey, 57:25 Jill Morikone, Pastor Tom Ferguson. 57:27 Thank you so much for being with us. 57:29 And thank you for joining us on this, 57:32 our Sabbath school study together. 57:34 We'll be together again soon, and we'll look to see you then. 57:37 God bless you. Good night. |
Revised 2023-10-31