Receive the message, share the message...
Scripture: Galatians 1:18-20; Then three years later I went to Jerusalem to get to know Peter,[g] and I stayed with him for fifteen days. 19 The only other apostle I met at that time was James, the Lord’s brother. 20 I declare before God that what I am writing to you is not a lie.
Observations: After spending time in Damascus, and then in Arabia, Paul finally went to spend time with Peter, Jesus’ right hand man, the one of whom Jesus had, “You are Peter, the Rock; I will build my church upon you”. Paul goes to Peter to hear his first hand accounts of life with Jesus, the things Jesus said and taught, and most importantly Jesus’ appearing to Peter as the resurrected Christ. This first-hand eye witness account would fill in the details for Paul about Jesus’ life, ministry, death, resurrection and ascension. Paul goes to Peter also to be officially sanctioned into the brotherhood of leaders of the church, since Peter is the leader of the Church in Jerusalem. Paul had already been doing the work of an apostle, so Peter as leader of the Jerusalem Church would be the one to affirm him. He also spends some time with James, the brother of Christ. James is unique because as the brother of Christ, he did not believe in Jesus as son of God until after His resurrection (John 7:5). Yet he became a leader in the Jerusalem Church as well. James would provide Paul with the unique insights of life growing up with Jesus.
Application: Wednesday night I spent some time with a small group who had lost a member to a tragic accident. I went to support them, to listen, to help them process their loss, but also to learn more about their friend and husband Rick, whom they had lost. It was a rich time of relationship and sharing together. We shared a meal and talked about our lives, got to know one another a little better, and got to know more about the life of their friend, Rick. I left feeling enriched, and through them, knowing Rick a little better. This is the beauty of community, that we can be known through our relationships with one another. We can have first hand knowing as Peter did with Jesus, and we can also have 2nd hand knowing, as Paul had through Peter. Even though Paul had experienced the “revelation moment” with Jesus, where he was entirely exposed and undone by the holiness of Christ, he still gained rich insights by hearing the stories about Jesus’ life and ministry from Peter and James. We carry within us the story of Christ, from our unique perspective, and we each have the opportunity to enrich one anothers’ lives with His story in us. People can know Christ through us. Receive the message, share the message.
Prayer: Jesus, may others know You better through our story. May we receive the message of grace more fully, and share the message of grace more freely.
