I wonder if you recognise these words.
Imagine there's no countries, it isn't hard to do,
nothing to kill or die for, and no religion too.
Imagine all the people living in peace.
You can probably all join in here, I won't sing it.
You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.
I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will be its one.
I love the fact in the first verse, Lennon writes about,
imagine no possessions while he's sitting behind a Steinway piano in his mansion somewhere.
But it's a popular song.
It still is, 40, 50 years I guess, or 40 years after it's written.
Because people long to have unity.
They long to be one, don't we?
And it also contains a popular sentiment that religion is one of the things that divides us.
Religion and nationality.
People believe religion to be divisive, don't they?
We turn on the news, we hear about IS, we hear about Boko Haram,
we see the bloodshed propagated in the name of religion.
And we can see why people think religion is the problem.
And I don't know how you felt as we read these words from Galatians chapter 2.
But at first hearing it can sound like religion is divisive.
Here is this ancient argument 2,000 years ago,
people arguing about whether someone should be circumcised or not.
It sounds like typical religious trivia when we first hear it, doesn't it?
And yet as I said in the introduction,
what I hope to persuade you of,
is that actually the outcome of this meeting
was of eternal importance.
More important than life and death,
to me and to you and to all of us here.
So let's say a little bit about the setting.
The setting was Jerusalem, about 47 AD.
The meeting was set up by God, we're told in verse 2.
Paul went to Jerusalem because of Revelation.
In attendance, on one side we had Paul,
Barnabas, who was a Jew,
and Titus, who was a Gentile.
A non-Jew.
As well as Peter, James, John,
the apostles and influential leaders
in the church in Jerusalem,
and some false brothers,
who we'll hear more about in a moment.
Now what was the presenting issue under discussion?
Well, Paul tells us in verse 3, basically.
The issue was circumcision,
or the presenting issue was circumcision.
Even Titus did not have to be circumcised.
Now, what was circumcision all about?
Well, if we think ourselves into Jewish sandals for a moment,
circumcision was very important.
It was something God commanded their forefather Abraham
to do 2,000 years ago.
It was a sign.
A sign of belonging to God's people.
A sign of being in relationship with God.
You might say it was a badge of membership to God's people.
Funny place to wear a badge?
I know.
But it was a badge nonetheless.
And for 2,000 years they've been practicing this.
And so now we're faced with this question.
When a Gentile,
someone who's not a Jew,
someone like Titus,
exhibit A,
sitting in the corner of the room,
when he becomes a Christian,
does he have to be circumcised?
Now,
the heart of that issue really,
is what is required
for someone to be part of God's people?
What is required for somebody to be part of God's people?
What is required for somebody to be loved,
forgiven,
and accepted
by a holy God?
Is it
faith in Christ Jesus?
Or is it
faith in Christ Jesus
plus
being circumcised,
obeying Jewish laws,
doing certain things?
See,
that's the real issue.
What does it take
to be accepted
by the living God?
Now,
if Titus had to be circumcised,
if Gentiles had to be circumcised,
then what that would be saying is,
to be a Christian,
to be a follower of Jesus Christ,
you need to do certain things.
Yes,
you need to believe in him,
but then also,
you have to
fulfil
a whole series of laws.
And that would have
a knock-on effect as well.
That would mean that
if someone like Titus
did not
agree to be circumcised,
then in the church,
you have a
two-tier church.
You have the true believers
who'd gone all the way,
who'd embraced
Jewish identity
and Jewish law.
You have these
sort of second-class ones
who didn't really,
weren't really fully committed.
So that's what's at stake
at this meeting.
In the one corner,
you've got Paul,
a Jew,
Barnabas,
a Jew,
Titus,
a Gentile believer,
a non-Jew believer
in Jesus Christ.
In the other corner,
you've got these
false brothers
Paul speaks about
in verse 4.
They were probably
very committed
to the traditions
and teachings
they'd had.
They were probably
culturally conservative.
You almost hear
the arguments.
What's the damage?
We've circumcised
people for 2,000 years.
We shouldn't just
throw that out now,
should we?
They're probably
proud of their heritage.
So the question was,
which way would it go?
Who would win
this discussion?
Let's think through
what would have happened
if those traditionalists,
those culturally
conservative
false brothers,
as Paul calls them,
had won.
Well,
for any of us men here,
when we profess
faith in Christ,
we have to go down
to the local hospital,
have something done.
We have to embrace
the whole Jewish law.
No more bacon
butties
for lunch.
No more
prawn and avocado
sandwiches from M&S
if that's what you prefer.
Our cultural identity
would have to be Jewish.
Do you see why
Paul is so firm
about this?
See,
more importantly,
it wouldn't just mean
no more
bacon sandwiches.
It would mean
we were saying
our status before God
depended on
what we did.
Depended on how well
we kept certain
laws and rules.
And that's why
Paul stood firm
on it.
Look at verse 5.
See what he says.
And see why
he stands firm
on it.
To them,
the false brothers
that is,
we did not yield
in submission
even for a moment
so that
the truth
of the gospel,
the truth
of the good news
might be preserved
for you.
See,
Paul had huge foresight.
As he looked ahead
he saw this was
a big issue.
And he stood firm
on it.
Well,
for the sake
of the Galatians,
the sake of the
Gentile believers
he was preaching to,
but also for the
sake of you and I
here,
if you are assuming
you are not
for a Jewish
background.
Now what was the
outcome of the
meeting?
Well,
there were several
outcomes.
Look at verse 3.
Titus didn't have
to be circumcised.
Verse 6.
Even those who
seemed influential
added nothing to
Paul.
In other words,
they said,
yes,
the message
you are preaching
really is God's
message.
Now,
what are the
implications for us?
There are the
implications then.
What are the
implications for us?
I want to briefly
run through three.
the first is
it's only the
true good news
that creates
unity.
It's only the
true good news
message about
Jesus Christ
that creates
unity between
different people.
It's a message
that's for all
peoples,
all cultures,
every language,
every background.
And it's a message
that is,
first of all,
deeply humbling.
Because it says,
you have no hope
of being accepted
by God.
because you're a
sinner,
you're a rebel
against him.
It doesn't matter
how smart you are,
it doesn't matter
how religious your
background is,
you are a rebel
against God.
And the only way
to be accepted
by him is through
his son Jesus
Christ,
who died to pay
the penalty for
your rebellion,
arose to new life
to give you new
life.
So that's the
heart of a good
news message.
And it humbles
us all.
It doesn't matter
if, like me,
you've brought up a
Christian home,
being a church
or your life,
or whether you've
just wanted it
off the streets
to hear what
Christianity is
about for the
first time.
We're all in
the same boat.
Everyone's on a
level playing field.
No culture,
no race,
no individual
has anything to
contribute to this
rescue.
And that means
it's deeply
humbling,
doesn't it?
We all stand
on a level
ground,
a level playing
field before the
cross of Jesus
Christ.
Now think about
what would happen
if that were not
true.
If somehow my
obedience,
or my background,
or my learning,
or my culture,
contributed something
to me being right
before God,
then what would
that lead to?
It would lead to
pride, wouldn't
it?
It would lead to
pride, it would
lead to looking
down on other
people.
That happens in
almost every
religion, almost
every sphere of
life.
I don't know if
you've followed
the news recently,
that, for
example, with
the whole
transgender debate
and discussions,
Germaine Greer,
the famous
feminist, has
been barred from
speaking at
certain universities
because she
doesn't want to
call men who
become women
women.
Now leave
aside all those
issues for a
moment.
What fascinates
me is that some
people have now
decided Germaine
Greer, this
ardent feminist,
is beyond the
pale.
She doesn't
measure up to
standards.
Why?
But she's not
speaking the same
things that the
four or five of the
trans-gender debate
are speaking.
See what they're
saying?
You do not
measure up.
It doesn't
matter about
things you've
done in the
past, you do
not measure up,
you're out.
So even in a
secular, atheistic
environment, you get
these in-groups and
out-groups.
Because it's all
based on what
people have done,
whether people
believe the same
as me, whether
they're as
zealous as I
am.
And every
religion does
the same thing.
So the
gospel of Jesus
Christ is
completely different.
It says none
of us have any
hope, none of
us measure up.
It is only
through Jesus we're
put right.
See, the
gospel creates
unity.
The gospel
creates unity.
It says it's
only through Jesus
we can come.
Now probably
none of us have
ever worried about
whether someone's
circumcised or not.
and yet even
today, even in
our churches,
there's always a
danger we end
up creating new
rules that people
have to submit to,
to be a fully
fledged member of
the church.
So I think there's
some churches that
say, you have to
have been baptised
in our church to
be a member.
Well, that
creates a, that
adds to the
gospel.
It's not the
gospel, it's
Jesus plus, that's
no gospel.
It creates
division, not unity,
it makes second
class citizens within
the church.
Or I think of
other churches
that say, you
have to have
certain spiritual
gifts before we
know you really
are a believer.
You must be able
to speak in
tongues, for
example.
But what's that
doing?
It's causing
division.
It's saying
you've got to
have Jesus plus,
that doesn't
create unity, it
creates division.
Or I think of
other churches
where if you
don't hold to a
certain understanding
of Genesis
chapters 1 and
2, then
you're probably
not really a
Christian.
Now don't
get me wrong,
don't hear what
I'm not saying.
I'm not saying
it doesn't matter
what you believe
about Genesis
1 and 2, I
believe it does.
We should all
reach biblical
conclusions about
that.
However, as soon
as we say you
have to agree
with me on this
particular issue,
then what do
we say?
We're saying you
need Jesus plus,
and therefore we
destroy the gospel.
We destroy the
unity, and we
create a kind of
two-tier church.
those who are
in, and those
who aren't quite
in.
See, because the
gospel creates
unity, we must be
careful to preserve
the gospel, not
requiring anything
in addition to
faith in Jesus
Christ, to be a
believer, either
explicitly or even
implicitly.
What's the first
implication?
The gospel creates
unity.
But secondly, we
look at this
meeting, we see the
gospel defines the
boundaries of our
unity.
So it's not just
everybody's in, the
gospel defines the
boundaries of our
unity.
You can see that in
verse 4.
Paul talks about
these people who
are false brothers.
They're claiming to
be true, they're
claiming to be
faithful to Jesus
Christ, but actually
weren't.
Why?
Verse 4.
They slipped in to
spy out our freedom
that we have in
Christ Jesus, so they
might bring us into
slavery.
In other words, so
they might create new
rules for us, force
us to follow their
ways.
Now, if we'd met
these people, I'm
sure we'd have
found them very
sincere, I'm sure
we'd have found
them very plausible,
probably very loving
in their attitude,
probably they knew
the scriptures very,
very well indeed.
But they were
false brothers,
Paul says, because
they were not
holding to the
gospel that creates
unity.
They were saying
you need Jesus
plus circumcision.
And if you add
anything to the
gospel, you destroy
it.
Imagine for a
moment, visiting
the Louvre in
Paris, I've used
this illustration
before, it's the
only one I can
think of.
Imagine you're
standing there in
front of that
great masterpiece,
the Mona Lisa.
And you get to
the front of the
queue, it looks
great, there's
thousands of
tourists behind
you.
You think, you
know what, Leonardo
may have been a
great man, but that
smile is pathetic.
You get your pen
out of your pocket,
assume somehow you
can get there and
add a little smile
onto Lisa so she
looks a bit happier.
Now, apart from the
fact, all the
alarms would go off,
and you'd be
arrested in
milliseconds, would
you have added to
the masterpiece or
would you have
destroyed it?
Destroy it, right?
Same with the
gospel, you add to
it, you destroy it.
And it doesn't
matter how sincere
people are, it
also doesn't matter
what their status
is.
Do you notice how
many times in this,
verse 2, verse 6,
Paul talks about
those who seemed
influential, the
pillars of the
church who seemed
influential.
What Paul's saying
is it doesn't
matter how
influential people
are, how
powerful they
are, what's
important, what's
vital, is they
stick to the true
gospel.
That's why if you
look over the
column to chapter
1, verse 8, he
says there, even
if we or an angel
from heaven should
preach to you a
gospel contrary to
the one we preached,
let him be accursed,
let me cut off from
God.
The standard of
what is right is
not whether people
are sincere and
zealous, it's not
whether they're
respected and have
authority.
The standard of
what is right is
what God has
revealed, the
gospel message he
has revealed.
So you see this
gospel that creates
our unity, that
brings us together
whatever our
nationality and
background, is also
the gospel that
limits our unity.
There cannot be
unity in Christian
mission between
people who do not
believe this good
news message about
Jesus Christ.
So the message
unites us and
defines the
boundaries of our
unity.
Why is that so
important?
Why is it so
important we don't
say, well yeah
Jesus plus a bit of
this will be alright,
Jesus plus agreeing
with me on this
doctrine, Jesus plus
obeying these
certain ways in our
church.
Why is it so
important we don't
add to the gospel
like this?
Well I'll give you
three reasons very
briefly.
First of all as
soon as we do it
robs the church of
its unity.
It allows room for
human pride and
looking down at
other people.
Here it would have
meant the Gentiles
are second class
Christians.
So it robs the
church of its
unity adding to
the gospel.
It also robs God
of his glory.
It robs God of
his glory because
the gospel is all
about what God
has done not what
we do.
And thirdly it
robs believers of
our security and
joy.
It robs believers
of our security and
joy.
In other words
it always has
thought of have I
done enough?
Have I been
circumcised fully?
Have I kept all
the rules?
Do I fail to do
this?
Am I lost?
We end up with
massive insecurity
in the legalism
that comes with it.
That's why it's
so important.
So the gospel
creates our unity
it defines the
limits of that
unity and
thirdly the gospel
propels us forward
in unity with a
purpose.
So you look at
that in verses
7 to 10.
There's this
discussion they
realise that Paul
has been sent to
the Gentiles.
Peter, one of the
other apostles has
gone to the Jews
and they look on
they hear what's
happened.
Verse 9
When they perceived
the grace that was
given to me they
gave the right hand
of fellowship to
Barnabas and me.
In the Roman world
that was a way of
sealing a contract.
Shaking hands,
the right hands.
It was a way of
sealing a contract.
They're saying yes
you've got a mission
from God to go
preach this good
news message to the
non-Jews around the
Roman Empire.
Go for it.
Get on with that
purpose.
Meanwhile, Peter and
the others, verse 8,
will keep going to the
Jews around us in
Jerusalem.
So this unity
was kind of a unity
in mission.
A unity to make the
good news of Jesus
known.
Unity in purpose.
Unity united in
preaching to lost
people, but also
united in sharing
with the needy
people in God's
family.
Look at verse 10.
I can find verse 10.
Here we go.
Only they asked us
to remember the poor,
the very thing I was
eager to do.
This is a practical
outworking of being
saved and loved by a
God who is generous,
by the Lord Jesus
Christ who was rich
yet gave himself,
became poor and
gave himself so we
and him might become
rich.
A natural expression
of that, extension of
that, is that
Christians should be
generous people.
We can be generous
because we're joyful.
Because our identity
is not in the money
we have, but in the
Saviour who has
rescued us.
So you see the
Gospel creates unity
amongst diverse
people.
It defines the unity
amongst diverse
people.
And it propels us
forward in unity.
In the message, in the
mission God has given
us.
The mission to preach
to the lost people.
And to share with the
needy in God's family.
Which is what that is
particularly referring to.
Now not everyone in
this room is going to
be a Gospel preacher
in the sense that I am
standing up here
talking to a room full
of people.
Yet we all have
opportunities day by
day to talk about
the Lord Jesus.
I remember a few
years ago I talked
to a friend of mine
who was in his late
twenties.
He was a bit sad
really.
He was doing very
well in his job.
His wife had two
children at that
stage.
I think we've got
three now.
He said, Stuart,
when we were at
university, my wife
and I, my fiancé
she was then, we
really thought the
Lord would send us
off as missionaries
somewhere to preach
the Gospel in some
far off land.
And we now feel
we're like second
class citizens.
I said, Mike, tell
me about your day.
Tell me what you
do.
His wife was very
involved in the
mothers and toddlers
group.
Mike was working
hard at work but
working in a way
that dawned the
Gospel.
He built up
relationships with
his colleagues.
He was often
praying for his
friends and work
colleagues.
So Mike, you're
doing what God
has called you to
do.
You are seeking to
share the Gospel
where you are.
You're seeking to
share with needy
people in God's
family.
Don't feel second
class.
Just rejoice in
this good news
message that you're
saved not because
you're a missionary
in Thailand or
wherever, not
because you're a
good person, but
because Jesus
died at Christ
died on the
cross for you.
The Son of God
loved you, gave
his life for you,
and now you are
his.
So in gratitude
preserve this
Gospel which
brings unity.
Preserve this
Gospel which
defines and
limits our unity.
And preserve this
Gospel which
sends us forward in
unity to do the
work God has
given us to do.
Let's pray.