Sermon Tone Analysis

Freed to be Free #5

Galatians 2:11-21

A Slippery Slope

 

Moving on in our study in Galatians, we found Paul addressing conflict in the church.

Some of that conflict was between true brothers in Christ and resulted in a separation in ministry focus in a semi-denominational fashion.

But the more serious conflict was between true brothers and false brothers.

Paul addressed the false teaching head on and without apology.

One of the issues that this raises for the church today is how far is too far?

Does grace mean we are to be completely open and expect nothing from fellow believers and church members?

Are we supposed to just look the other way when someone within our body is acting differently than the clear expectations  of the scriptures saying, /“well we are all sinners, and it is all grace, so it doesn’t matter”?/

Or can we hold people accountable for living the Christian life?

If so, how far is too far?

Well that’s a slippery slope.

I enjoy skiing.

I wouldn’t say I’m a skier, because I don’t do it enough or am good enough to call myself a skier, but I do like to ski and with a little practice I can get myself around the slopes alright.

In 2002 I was in upstate NY visiting my parents and decided to go to Lake Placid and ski White Face Mountain, the site of the 1980 Winter Olympics.

Now I’ve skied taller mountains, but I don’t know that I’ve skied any more challenging conditions.

It was beautiful that day and kinda warm for a ski day.

Of course the warmth causes a little melting which causes a little icing.

Then you add the mix that I had been traveling and visiting and had only had about 5 hours sleep in 2 days.

And then that I was 37 not 27.

Well, we polled our way over to a run we hadn’t been on, pretty high up on White Face.

It didn’t look like much on the map.

It was a green which was supposed to be medium.

We moved to the edge of the run and it was nearly straight down.

AND it was full of moguls.

I watched my brother, a regular skier, who lived up there, as he weaved back and forth down, and then I took my turn, I moved to the right, made a turn to the left, and moved back across, made a turn back to the right, and my fatigued legs gave out under me as my skies tried to grab on the ice and I started sliding … and there was no stopping.

I slid easily a hundred + yards down the mountain, snow going everywhere.

I finally got stopped and Looked at my ski which was about 20 yards above me.

I finally got on my feet on the slick surface and before I could get up to my ski I heard /“oh oh oh oh”/ and this lady came careening into me, knocked me off my feet and I slid another 40 yards down the mountain.

The problem, besides my fatigue and suspect abilities, was a very slippery slope.

READ 2:11-21

 

Let’s just jump right into the problem for the church today, not so much of dealing with the false brothers here, but of dealing with True Brothers and sisters who overstep their bounds

 

It is a very slippery slope

 

Paul has VERY strong words here for Peter and the true brothers.

We don’t know all the details, but Paul makes it clear that Peter had relaxed standards when he was in Gentile territory, acting, Gentile himself, probably in regards to foods eaten and similar practices, but then demanding Gentiles to be law compliant when he was back in Jerusalem.

It is mentioned that somehow they had even gotten Barnabas to be sucked into the hypocrisy as well

 

It is a slippery slope when we begin holding people to a standard.

I am NOT saying that we should not hold people accountable, but I AM addressing the dangers.

So, let’s start there because it is a slippery slope …

 

 

1.

Why

 

Two things and both are fear based.

There is that four letter word again … FEAR … we’ve talked about it haven’t we.

The first reason that the slope is slippery …

  A.

Seeking Approval of Men

    1.

It is obvious why Peter and ultimately Barnabas were sucked into this … these leaders … who remember Paul had said were false brothers, were obviously prominent men in the church in Jerusalem and Peter and others were afraid of these men, or didn’t want the hassle.

2.

I’ve seen this all my life in churches.

Pastors and leaders who are otherwise solid people, give in to the pressure of other leaders and place restrictions on people that shouldn’t be placed.

3.

there are people of influence in every church.

Some have influence because of money, others because of longevity, and others because of relationships and they sway their leverage for control.

And we make concessions over smaller issues, followed by bigger and bigger, and place tighter and tighter controls.

4.

It might start with pressure over who can have certain positions, and then it’s over which ministries can be operated, and before long the Pastor is being pressured over how he should or should not preach.

It is a slippery slope. 

    5.

That’s why well meaning people place unnecessary restrictions on people … but what about not so well meaning people?

For them it is often …

 

  B.

Fear of Losing Control

    1.

These that had infiltrated the church in Jerusalem and had gained control did so FIRST because they were afraid of losing religious control over these rogue Christians.

Then as the churches were growing in Gentile regions they sought to gain control over them as well

    2.

People will seek to regain control at any cost.

At its simplest some will hurt feelings and damage relationships to regain control.

But at it’s worst churches will lose all effectiveness, fail to reach the lost, fail to disciple new believers, fail to take their place in the advancement of the Kingdom all to regain control.

3.

Perhaps you are a new Christian or new to the Church and you are saying /“Can church really be that way?”/ Well … is your job that way?  Are politics that way?

Is school that way?  What’s the common denominator?

PEOPLE … as long as there are people involved, as long as we are on THIS side of Heaven, as long as people fail to submit to the hand, instruction, and leading of God, YES it can happen in the church.

4.

Now again, I am NOT saying that the church should not hold it’s members accountable for being discipled and walking after Christ.

Jesus said/, “if anyone would come after me … let him deny himself.”/

There IS an expectation that we would come AFTER him

Jesus commanded us to MAKE DISCPLES …

Disciples are those who come after him …

 

    5.

But the Danger is when I take my eyes off Jesus and put my eyes on me and want people to be like ME …

That’s when our feet get cut out and we start sliding down the hill … and it’s HARD to stop …

 

2.

How Do We Slip?

What are some ways that we bind people seeking Christ?

How do we slip down this slope?

 

 

  A.

we slip when we don’t KNOW the Truth of Scripture

 

 

    1.

The greatest danger of the slippery slope is that as we seek to be people who hold one another accountable to walk in a sound, faithful Christian Life, we pass that along to unbelievers.

2.

Hear me, we SHOULD challenge each other to walk with Christ.

There IS a way to live.

There IS light for our path.

We do NOT live in darkness any longer.

We have been given the Word of God as a Light to our path.

Furthermore, that light is not just meant to give us information.

But the light we have been given is to GUIDE our path, to direct us in the way we should live.

We do this NOT FOR eternal Life, but that we might start LIVING like Citizens of Eternity now, before we get there.

It is Eternity Practice.

Psalm 139:23-24

David said /“search me, Oh God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting”/

    3.

There IS a right way and we SHOULD be learning to walk IN it.

The Slippery slope comes when we IMPOSE OUR way more than God’s way.

    4.

And as we challenge believers to step up and live as they should … the most dangerous thing is when we try and impose that on a lost world. 

    5.

Now, do NOT get me wrong I do NOT believe, in a CIVIL sense, that we should have a lawless world.

We don’t have to just say /“oh well, they are lost so let them do what they want.”

/ Let them steal, let them murder, let them take innocent life, just because they are Lost?

NO that is NOT what I’m saying.

No we should pass laws to help direct an fair and orderly society

    6.

But with that said, we can’t expect Lost people to do anything godly, righteous, or wholesome.