April 12-Peer Fear
Oscar and his friends are getting ready for their man-cation tonight. While he’s getting out all of his cool camping gear, he remembered his inflatable couch he won at our Hudson Christmas party. So, he pulled out it out and got it ll aired up. I shared the picture with Philip and he said “I think it’s like finding a Gentile man laying on your couch—and that’s how the Jews felt when they all started showing up in their house of worship!”
Well, Chapter 2: (from Philip)
In the beginning of Paul's letter, one of the things he wants to do is prove he is a legitimate apostle. So, on the one hand, he wants to show that he met with the other apostles and was approved of by them. But on the other hand, he also wants to show that his authority does not come from them but from the risen Lord. So, Paul includes this story that shows he is not afraid to get in Peter's face when Peter needs correction.
“But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong...When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, “Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions?” Galatians 2:11, 14 NLT
The apostles are a special group of people. The Lord Jesus picked them. They saw him risen. Before Jesus' resurrection, they were fearful, they were selfish, and they did not understand much of what Jesus was trying to tell them.
But after the resurrection and the giving of the Spirit, they quote the Old Testament like scholars and perform amazing miracles. They now talk like Jesus and can do the things only Jesus was able to do. They have his Spirit and his commission.
But the apostles are also only people. They are not free from sin or all their flaws. They still have learning and growing to do and still have weaknesses they struggle with.
In this case, we have Peter who normally eats with Gentiles who do not observe the Jewish food and table laws. This is a big no-no in Jewish law. Gentiles are unclean. But Peter, full of the Spirit of Christ, eats with them - these unclean riff-raff who should be excluded from the kingdom. Is this or is this not just like Jesus?
But when those who believe Gentiles must be circumcised and keep the Law arrive, Peter then proceeds to treat those same Gentiles as though they are unclean and will not eat with them. He does this because he is afraid.
(Pam again) There are times we are all afraid and just now to peer pressure. Sometimes we are brave and feel like we dare to be the Daniel and in the next, we end up cowering behind the trash can like Peter. But the good news is that even though Peter sank when he walked on the water, he did get out of the boat. He had it wrong here in this instance because he was a coward, but so very many times, he was brave, without fear and stood up for faith in Christ alone.
Thank you Father for helping us, for being the God of our strength, for being strong when we are weak. You are so good and kind and patient with us. Thank you Father and Son. We praise you and bless your Name for you are our Rock and our Salvation. Amen and amen.
Love you precious one,
Pam.
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