Paul had a dream!
Saturday, June 18, 2011
This week’s message, entitled “Gospel Confirmation Hearings” (link is for file download) would probably be more appropriately entitled, “Paul had a dream…” There is likely no more important message that I have ever preached from the Pulpit at Southwood. The grace of God is so pregnant, poignant and rich in this text that I will hardly be able to sleep this evening thinking about sharing it with the church! Please be in prayer for worship tomorrow!
From the message, “You need to know that the question before the Galatian church had VERY LITTLE to do with the ‘sign’ of circumcision, but more to do with the fundamental implications of the law.
Circumcision, as a sign of the Abrahamic covenant, was indicative of ‘obedience to the law’——if circumcision was required in order to be saved, then salvation would not have been by FAITH ALONE.
The best analogy I can give you is this: in the 1960’s one of the tell-tale marks of racism in the South was the fact that we had water fountains for ‘whites only’ and for ‘colored’s only’—- The problem in the South was not the distribution of water, the problem was our hearts! The problem was epitomized by water fountains, bus seating and classroom integration, but the heart of the matter was the HEART!
In Galatia the same problem existed. The fundamental question of the Gospel was being asked—- but the question showed up as circumcision. The issue was Faith Alone, but this was epitomized in the question about circumcisionl!!!
In Galatia, Titus refused to get off the bus!
Barnabas refused to give up his seat!
Paul had a dream that one day, all God’s children, Jew and Greek, Slave and Free would not be judged by color of their obedience, but by the content of Christ’s character!”
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