Dear Rehoboth,

This Sunday I want us to turn briefly towards the letter to the Galatians. Since we will be dropping into the second to last chapter of this letter, we will have to reacquaint ourselves with the purpose of the letter. Remember, when Paul writes a letter, he is writing to a real church with real problems. He doesn’t just write about some concerns he has seen at other churches, but he writes to address the specific problem in that church. The first thing we need to figure out is what issue has Paul sensed in the Galatians. If we turn back to chapter one, it becomes clear that the issue is that the Galatians are starting to believe a Gospel that is not from Jesus. Doesn’t that sound familiar. I read and listen to a lot of people talking about Jesus, and often I say to myself, “I don’t know that Jesus.” Or “I have never heard Jesus say that.” I look around at this world, and I hear a little of people preaching a small “g” gospel and not a lot preaching a big “G” Gospel. What I mean by that is I hear a lot of people preaching a Gospel message that I don’t think Jesus would have preached. A gospel that somehow seeks to make people lesser. A gospel that somehow legitimizes hatred. A gospel that says it’s ok for some to be rich while others search for their next meal in dumpsters. Maybe it’s just me. Maybe I have too naive a view of Christianity. Maybe I am not “orthodox” enough, but I hear a lot of gospels that seem to be contrary to the Jesus I have read about. Paul might have been writing to the Galatians, but he might as well have addressed it to us. What false gospels have we been taught? What false gospels have we heard? 

Paul gives us the measuring stick for how to determine if we are preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. And the first thing he says is “love your neighbor as yourself.” I hark on this a lot but so does Jesus. The gospel message isn’t hard. At least it doesn’t have to be. If you are wondering if your gospel message is from Jesus just ask would the hearer of this message feel loved? Would those I am preaching to feel loved by the message of Christ I am preaching? That’s it. If the answer is no, then we need to look at why we think its gospel. As Paul writes, Jesus gave us the freedom not to make others our slaves but to be slaves to others. If your gospel makes you powerful, I think you have the gospel. 

Paul continues, and he writes on the fruits of the spirit. How will we know if our gospel is the Gospel of Jesus Christ? I think we will show the fruits of the spirit. If our gospel message is accompanied by as Paul writes “fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these” then I don’t think it’s the right Gospel message. That’s a hard list right there. Paul says if we act in any of these ways, we will not inherit the Kingdom. I have heard a lot of gospel messages that have led to quarrels and dissension. I have heard lots of gospel messages that have been filled with anger and strife. I am not sure what to think about this. What does it mean that when we debate Jesus, we often get angry? What does it mean that when we think about Jesus, we often don’t think about his teaching that we have been freed so to be slaves? I think this week I want to ponder these fruits of the spirit. Maybe this was too deep for a Monday morning. Maybe this doesn’t give you any idea what I am going to preach on this Sunday. But, hopefully together this week we can listen for a true gospel message, a message that bears the fruits of the spirit. Please talk back to me; I would love to hear from you.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Lee