GC2 Church

Galatians 2:11-14 | The Gospel & Ethics

Sermon Big Idea: The gospel of Jesus not only unmask our hypocrisy, it also restores us through the grace of Jesus.
Paul publicly confronts Peter over hypocrisy in Antioch, exploring how the fear of man led established leaders to compromise the gospel and how that compromise spread through the community.
It emphasizes two gospel actions — unmasking sin and restoring sinners — and highlights the role of Scripture, the Spirit, and faithful helpers in keeping Christians in step with the gospel.
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Galatians 1:11-2:10 | Gospel and Identity

Sermon Big Idea:
Our new identity that comes from the gospel compels us to live out that identity by maintaining unity in the gospel.
Sermon Summary:
In the mid-20th century, the phrase "winning hearts and minds" became a staple of military strategy. The idea was simple but profound: you cannot stabilize a region through brute force alone. To defeat an insurgency and establish lasting peace, you must win the trust and loyalty of the people through persuasion, aid, and consistent presence to win back the hearts and minds of civilian population.
As we dive into Galatians 1:11–2:10, we find the Apostle Paul in the middle of a spiritual counter-insurgency with the same mission: winning back the hearts and minds of the Galatians.
The Insurgency of "Gospel-Plus"
A group of "agitators" had moved into the region of Galatia, gaining authority by "customizing" the Gospel. They weren't removing Jesus; they were simply adding to Him. Their message was "Gospel-Plus"—faith in Christ plus circumcision, plus Jewish dietary laws, plus ancestral traditions.
This subtle shift didn't just contaminate the message; it discredited the messenger. To win back the hearts and minds of the Galatians, Paul doesn't pull rank or use "brute force." Instead, he retells his own story of a shattered identity and a sovereign call.
A Shattered Identity
Paul reminds the Galatians of his "B.C." (Before Christ) life. He was a rising star in Pharisaic Judaism, literally "head and shoulders" above his peers. His identity was constructed around markers of religious zeal: his pedigree, his adherence to tradition, and his violent persecution of the Church.
But when he encountered the risen Christ on the Damascus Road, that identity imploded. He realized that the markers he trusted in were empty. God hadn't called him because of his performance; God had "set him apart" from birth by His grace.
The Integrity of the Litmus Test
To prove the integrity of his message, Paul takes us to a "living case study": a Greek believer named Titus. When the "insurgents" tried to force Titus to be circumcised, Paul didn't give them "the time of day."
Why? Because if circumcision is necessary for salvation, then Christ’s death was unnecessary. By accepting Titus exactly as he was, Paul preserved the truth of the Gospel. He shows us that our changed life—and how we treat others—is the best argument for the integrity of the faith.
The Right Hand of Fellowship
The message concludes with a beautiful picture of unity. The "Pillars" of the Church—Peter, James, and John—recognized that while they had different audiences, they shared the same Gospel. They extended the "right hand of fellowship" to Paul, proving that diversity in ministry doesn't have to mean a division in truth.
Their only request? "Remember the poor." True doctrine always leads to practical, tangible compassion for the marginalized.
Reflecting the Gospel in 2026 in San Diego, California
As we look at our own lives today, we must ask: Are we falling into the "Gospel-Plus" trap? Do we require others to adopt our political views, social statuses, or dress codes before we offer them "the right hand of fellowship"?
When we live out our new identity in Christ, we stop putting stipulations on acceptance. We extend grace to others just as God has extended it to us.
In our next section of Galatians 2:11-14, we discover the gospel was still at stake when Peter himself is put under the microscope as a living test of Gospel integrity.
 

Matt 7:21-23 | The Most Frightening Words

Drawing on Matthew 7, Derek Maxson, our guest preacher serving our community in Poway, California,  confronts the chilling possibility of religious achievement without relationship: people who built impressive spiritual resumes — prophesying, driving out demons, performing miracles — can still be turned away by Jesus with the words, “I never knew you.” The exposition insists that outward spiritual activity, however impressive, is not the same as doing the will of the Father. Using the lost-sheep, lost-coin, and prodigal-son parables, the talk contrasts two kinds of absence: the surprising absences in heaven of those who appeared religious, and the surprising presences of the truly repentant and received. The older brother in the prodigal story becomes emblematic of a resilient, résumé-driven religiosity that mistakes dutiful performance for intimate belonging.
Derek  distinguishes modern faith, which privileges evidence and the mind, from an older, biblical pattern that begins with the heart and yields transformed actions. This ancient pattern treats belief as a posture of receiving and following, not as a checklist that earns acceptance. The will of the Father, he argues, is fundamentally a posture of belief — a trusting response that aligns inner disposition with outward life. Jesus’ invitation — “Take my yoke…for my yoke is easy and my burden is light” — reframes discipleship as a gentling reorientation of the heart rather than another project of self-justification.
The overall aim is pastoral: to replace anxious resume-building with confident reception, and to provoke honest self-examination and more sincere seeking. Comfort is promised to those who stop proving themselves; conviction is pressed upon those who mistake activity for intimacy. The closing appeal calls for exchanging head assent for heart allegiance, allowing inner transformation to rework behavior and community life. Prayer and an invitation to surrender conclude the call to abandon performance-based security and embrace the restful humility of faith that Jesus actually desires.

Galatians 1:1-10 | The Gospel & it’s Counterfeits

This series will take a slow and deep dive through Paul’s urgent letter to a church in danger of drifting from the freedom of the gospel. Written to believers tempted to add religious performance to God’s saving grace, Galatians calls us back to the heart of the Christian faith: we are saved, sustained, and transformed by grace alone through faith in Christ alone. Throughout this series, we will discover that grace not only forgives us but frees us, forms us, and sends us to live by the Spirit rather than by the flesh. As we listen to Paul’s passionate plea, we will learn to stand firm in gospel truth, walk in gospel freedom, and live as new creations in Christ — because where grace abounds, true freedom is found.

2025 Recap: Testimonies

Psalm 100 | Lost Art of Gratitude: Practicing Thanksgiving

As we step into 2026, Psalm 100 reminds us that gratitude is not just a feeling — it is a way of life formed through worship. In a culture built on dissatisfaction and comparison, God invites us to enter His presence with thanksgiving and praise. The more intentionally we worship, the more deeply gratitude takes root in our hearts. The way we worship God in life will determine how grateful we are in life.
Sermon Big Idea:
The way we worship God in life will determine how grateful we are in life.

Isaiah 40 | The Worth in Waiting

Sermon Big Idea:
Waiting prepares us to receive God’s comfort before circumstances change.
1st Application: Waiting prepares us to receive God’s comfort before circumstances change.
2nd Application: Waiting reminds us of what ultimately lasts.
3rd Application: Waiting enlarges our view of God.
4th  Application: Waiting is our pathway to renewed strength.

Matt 1:18-25 | Rescue Has Come

Sermon Big Idea:
God’s rescue unfolds through His promise, His presence and His plan culminating in the birth of Jesus.

John 1:14-18 | The Glorious Condescension

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Sermon Big Idea:
As we journey forward, our lives must be centered around the presence and glory of Jesus.

John 1:6-13 | The True Light

Sermon Big Idea:
Jesus, the true light came down and was rejected so that he could bring us up to be accepted as children of God.