Galatians 6:1-10

In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he talks about how we should serve one another. How we should work to restore our brothers who have sinned, bear their burdens, and serve our teachers and pastors, along with everyone we encounter. His emphasis is to serve in love and give glory to God not ourselves, keeping our focus on the Kingdom.

Keeping our eye on the Kingdom results will help us reap the benefits God has prepared for us, not earthly results, but heavenly ones. This focus keeps us from growing weary when we do not experience the results in our timing. Let us come alongside our brothers to lift them up, share their troubles and provide support as we all work toward the ultimate goal.

Galatians 2

Paul’s letter to the Galatians is considered his earliest letter in the Bible. It was written while the church was in its early years to a group of Gentile believers. At the time several of the early followers felt that in order to show you were a true follower of Jesus you needed to follow Jewish tradition as well, including circumcision.

Even today a lot of us form our beliefs on our background, our teaching, and experiences, which guide us on how we approach others. We can be led to feel that in order to demonstrate faith, people need to be like us. We need to remember that Jesus’ great commission was not to go and “convert” others to be like us, bit to make disciples to be like Jesus.

2 Corinthians 4:1-18

This week instead of moving on in the next section of Paul’s letter, life events have guided Danny to stay in chapter 4 for his message. In this chapter Paul tells us not to lose heart as we go about in our ministry of sharing the gospel of our lives. He tells us not to use deceptive methods, but to be honest and straightforward, kind of like last week where we were instructed to not hide behind a veil.

We are instructed to share our treasures, not hide them in a jar. Our light should shine forth from the darkness we may be facing. Paul encourages us that we may have to face affliction, but not to let is crush us, we may be persecuted but we are not forgotten, always remembering both the death of Jesus that saved us, and His life that gives us hope, and let His life show through us. Keep in mind that these earthly trials are just temporary, and short lived compared to the eternity we will spend with Jesus.

2 Corinthians 3:4-18

This week in Paul’s second letter to to the church in Corinth he talks about the confidence we have in God that comes through the Spirit, making us competent. He also talks about how the people who were trying to follow the letter of the law were destroying each other through judgement, building up egos and defining their salvation by their works.

Paul clarifies the intent of the law is to guide us through the Spirit to reveal our condition before God, help define what sin is, showing our need for God, and humbles us in the process. He talks about how the Jews placed such a focus on the physical and written laws, which took the focus off the Spirit of the law.

Paul went on to describe how Moses used a veil to cover his face when he was away from God. The perception was because when he spoke to God his face glowed so bright it frightened the people, but he also did not want them to see that when he was not close to God the glow faded. What kind of veils do we place over our lives to prevent others from seeing us when we are away from God’s plan? Maybe it’s time to lift the veil and let others see us as we are; see us as God’s children drawing closer to Him.