What Really Matters: Galatians 2:1-5

There is nothing more significant than our pursuit of Jesus.  Jesus – and His love for me – transforms me into what He wants me to become.  God uses people to show me Jesus, but what matters is Christ crucified shining through those people.  My relationship with God hinges solely on the fact that Jesus hung on the cross for the forgiveness of my sin.

Paul gets to the heart of the issue in these verses.  After God shaped him, Paul went to Jerusalem.  There wasn’t any point in going to the leaders of the disciples and making personal introductions until he had been tested and proven.  There was not point to get approval until he had evidence of what God was doing through him.

Hear Paul’s tone.  Paul didn’t go to Jerusalem under a huge fanfare to announce his greatness.  He went privately and met privately with the leaders.  This trip was about clarifying theology with people who had authority.  It was about making sure his followers would be accepted; it was not about Paul.

Remember, Paul went to Syria and Cilicia.  While there were Jewish communities in the region, the predominant people in the area were not Jewish.  When God called Paul to go home, He was calling Paul to evangelize to Gentiles.  When Paul went to Jerusalem, the undercurrent of the visit was to clarify the acceptance of the Gentiles.

This is why Paul brings up Titus.  Titus was a Gentile convert.  Titus is Paul’s evidence of God’s work among the Gentiles.  Titus was not made to be circumcised in Jerusalem.  In other words, the lack of Titus’ conversion to Judaism would not prohibit him from associating with the Jewish followers of Jesus.

This is what makes Paul and the book of Galatians awesome.  As Paul ministers to the Gentiles, God shapes him into a staunch defender of salvation.  The difference between Saul and Paul is Jesus.  Paul didn’t do anything to earn God’s favor.  Paul didn’t meet anyone who gave him a secret code to get in.  The only reason Saul becomes Paul is because he met Jesus and Jesus changed his life.

Remember Jesus’ response to his disciples in Mark 9:38-41?  The disciples come to Jesus and tell Him they tried to stop someone casting out demons in Jesus’ name because they didn’t recognize the person.  Jesus rebukes them.  What matters is Jesus, not my pedigree or my reputation.

The name of the person who discipled me is not as important as Jesus.  The denominational name on the door is not as important as Jesus.  The way I was baptized is not as important as Jesus.  Whether I sing hymns or praise songs is not as important as Jesus.  Salvation comes through Jesus alone, and this message comes across loud and clear when the leaders in Jerusalem don’t make Titus undergo circumcision.  What matters is that Titus followed Jesus.  There is nothing more significant than our pursuit of Jesus.