Whom Do We Please?

Sermons based on the Letter to the Galatians (I)

Galatians 1:1-24

While I was a school principal in Ainjar Lebanon, making tough decisions was a daily challenge for me. According to the school regulations, if someone did not succeed his or her class for two consecutive years, that person had to leave the school and go to another environment. I felt this regulation was not applicable to kids who came from broken homes who, for practical reasons, should not have to leave our boarding and eventually the school. I had to make decisions to break this law. I kept them in the school. I worked hard with them so they could move to the next level. Unfortunately, many condemned me when I broke the school laws. The question I asked often that Paul asked in verse 10. “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

Paul is writing a letter to the churches of Galatia. I say churches, because Galatia is in Asia Minor, and in his first journey, Paul established several churches in its southern parts. Paul is addressing problems in the churches that he established. There was a group of believers in those churches who were converts from Judaism to Christianity. However, those who converted became “legalists” who believed that Paul preached an “easy” gospel, a gospel that requires faith in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation and justification is not by works but by grace of our Lord.

Let us make one point very clear. Paul is not against the Old Testament laws. God gave the laws; even Jesus said he came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill the law. Laws are educational and helpful for our lives. Laws are intended to help individuals to know what is right and wrong. However, Paul is against the “laws and regulations” which distorted the message of the Gospel. Galatian legalism made them blind. They became so proud of their Jewish nationality that they refused to see that others could become Christian as well.

We have 24 verses in the first chapter. I am going to concentrate on verse 10. The trap of “legalism.” By the way, it could become our problem as well. Anything that replaces the Gospel in the church could be dangerous. There are churches where they emphasize the gifts of the Spirit. There are churches that have become just a social circle. There are churches that just emphasize social reform. There are churches where “laws are regulations” are above God. All these, gifts of the Spirit, the social life of the church, social reforms, laws and regulations are means and not ends. Nothing should replace the priority of Jesus Christ as savior. So, I am going to emphasize verse 10. “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or God?”

Three years passed since I became your pastor. I ask this question often in my life, and I am asking it today. My message for you is the same. Since we are all called to the ministry, all the believers of CACC should ask this question: “Whom do we please?”

1- Seek God’s approval. This is my first challenge to you.

It was a challenge for Paul. He started a new mission in Galatia. He could easily fall in the trap of “let it go.” Paul could say, “We are in tough times; we do not as many converts; let me compromise the message; let me please them so I will not lose them.”

All of us can fall in the trap of pleasing people. We struggle constantly with the balance between “pleasing people” and leading them. On one hand, we should obey to the Lord. We do not need people’s approval. If we know absolutely that we are obeying God’s commandment, nothing should stop us from doing it. That is leadership. But also a leader is someone who is sensitive to his flock. If there are secondary issues, one can learn to not do his way but the “others” way.

I learned this when I served different congregations. I will never compromise my biblical principles in teaching any congregation in any part of the world. But I learned that each congregation has its own cultural ways that are different than mine. Always, I ask God’s wisdom to find His way in these “grey” areas in the church life. I learn from Jesus and Paul to stand firm in principles that are essential. I sometimes made decisions in my life that were not popular with my congregation, and they were costly; I even lost friends in my decisions. I rather please God than people.

To be continued in English.