Last week we started going through the Letter to the
Galatians. We saw Paul had some strong words for those who distorted the Gospel
message. He went so far as to say that those who led others astray with any
false gospel would be cursed. Sadly, we see a lot of that today. Sugar coated
messages, a happy go lucky gospel, an absence of hell, repentance not being required,
sin is embraced, and the list goes on. To many people are preaching a message
that does not show the need for a savior and in turn driving people away from
Jesus. After all, if all paths lead to an eternity of peace, why take up a
cross and follow Jesus?
The Galatian church was facing the same things we are facing
today. False teachers, people pleasers, and people with a god complex. Instead
of putting a big name pastor on a pedestal we need to keep Jesus on His throne.
Afraid that if you speak the truth will hurt someone’s feelings? Better to hurt
their feelings or bruise their toes than for them to spend an eternity in hell.
Don’t be a servant to the world, be a slave to Jesus Christ.
Be a witness, share the true gospel, the amazing gift of grace. Jesus First and
Jesus Always!
If you remember from last week we saw that Paul needed to
confront the issue of his apostleship. Someone was saying he was not an apostle,
they questioned his authority to preach the gospel, and he wanted to shoot that
down immediately. That was not his final words on it.
Galatians 1:11-12
“11 Now I want you to know, brothers,
that the gospel preached by me is not based on human thought. 12 For
I did not receive it from a human source and I was not taught it, but it came
by a revelation from Jesus Christ.”
The debate around Paul’s apostleship revolves around him not
being personally present during the ministry of Jesus Christ. The original
twelve Apostles were all present during Jesus’ ministry. They walked with Him,
talked with Him, and broke bread with Him. Paul was not there during all of
this. In fact, Scripture tells us that after Judas betrayed Jesus that the
remaining 11 Apostles filled his spot.
Acts 1:15-26
“15 During these days Peter stood up
among the brothers—the number of people who were together was about 120—and
said: 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be
fulfilled that the Holy Spirit through the mouth of David spoke in advance
about Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For
he was one of our number and was allotted a share in this ministry.” 18 Now
this man acquired a field with his unrighteous wages. He fell headfirst and
burst open in the middle, and all his insides spilled out. 19 This
became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, so that in their own language
that field is called Hakeldama (that is, Field of
Blood). 20 “For it is written in the Book of
Psalms: Let his dwelling become desolate; let no one live in it; and Let
someone else take his position. 21 “Therefore, from
among the men who have accompanied us during the whole time the Lord Jesus went
in and out among us— 22 beginning from the baptism
of John until the day He was taken up from us—from among these, it is necessary
that one become a witness with us of His resurrection.” 23 So
they proposed two: Joseph, called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. 24 Then
they prayed, “You, Lord, know the hearts of all; show which of these two
You have chosen 25 to take the place in this
apostolic service that Judas left to go to his own place.” 26 Then
they cast lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias. So he was numbered
with the 11 apostles.”
Any Israelite Christian would have believed that through
this process that Matthias was now the 12th apostle. Paul’s point is
not to discredit Matthais or what the 11 apostles did, but to point out that he
was personally chosen by Jesus.
As Paul was traveling to Damascus to persecute followers of
the Way, AKA Christians, he had a personal encounter with his and our Lord and
Savior.
Acts 9:3-6
“3 As he traveled and was
nearing Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. 4 Falling
to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul,
Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 “Who are
You, Lord?” he said. “I am Jesus, the One you are
persecuting,” He replied. 6 “But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what
you must do.”
Paul was chosen by Jesus with the purpose of being a witness
and messenger.
Acts 9:15
“15 But the Lord said to him, “Go! For this man is My chosen instrument to take My
name to Gentiles, kings, and the Israelites. 16 I
will show him how much he must suffer for My name!”
Jesus appeared to Paul and made it known through Ananias
that he was supposed to go spread the Gospel of Jesus. He was personally chosen
for this task which supports Paul’s statement to the Galatian church.
Galatians 1:11-12
“11 Now I want you to know, brothers,
that the gospel preached by me is not based on human thought. 12 For
I did not receive it from a human source and I was not taught it, but it came
by a revelation from Jesus Christ.”
The message Paul preaches is from Jesus. It is not sugar
coated, it was not something he was taught, and it was not concocted in his own
mind. The same Jesus that appeared to him on the road to Damascus, the same
Jesus who took his sight for a short time, is the same Jesus who has told Paul
what message to preach.
Trying to prove his point, Paul dug into his past to help
the Galatians understand where he started and why they should believe the
message he has shared with them.
Galatians 1:13-14
“13 For you have heard about my
former way of life in Judaism: I persecuted God’s church to an
extreme degree and tried to destroy it. 14 I
advanced in Judaism beyond many contemporaries among my people, because I was
extremely zealous for the traditions of my ancestors.”
Paul, formerly known as Saul, was a persecutor of the new
Christian Church. He went around trying to destroy it and make a name for
himself. The path he was on would have led him to be a leader in Jewish
society. Saul of Tarsus was a name that was feared by believers and revered by
devote Jews. He wreaked havoc on the Church, consented to the stoning of
Stephen, and threw as many believers in prison as he could. He had no qualms
with killing believers in order to destroy the Church. He was one of the most
respected young rabbis of his day.
Paul was a devote Jew and believed that God had spoken
through Moses, but not Jesus. He was on a mission to wipe them out, and then
Jesus appeared to him and his life was changed instantaneously. One day he was on
his way to persecute believers and a few days later he was preaching in
Damascus. He was declaring that the Christians were right, Jesus is Lord.
Paul did an about face. There is no way a person could go
from attacking Christians to proclaiming Christ without godly intervention. I
can think of several people I have known over the years that would not be who
they are today without Jesus. I am sure each one of us can think of someone,
who truly is a new person after God began to work in their lives. For most of
us and our friends it takes years. Time spent in prayer, learning God’s Word,
and learning from other believers.
For Paul it was instantaneous, through the direct
involvement of Jesus Christ, Paul was saved. It was through that same direct
contact that Paul was made an apostle, and that he was given the message of
grace to share. If God can save him, there should be no doubt that God is
capable of revealing the message of Grace to Paul or his apostleship.
Galatians 1:15-16
“15 But when God, who
from my birth set me apart and called me by His grace, was pleased 16 to
reveal His Son in me, so that I could preach Him among the Gentiles, I did
not immediately consult with anyone.”
Paul is telling the Galatians that what he preached to them
is exactly what he had personally experienced. It was not something that he
studied. He was not taught by another Apostle. It was not something that he
earned. It really had nothing to do with his abilities at all. It all came down
to God giving His grace to Paul. God accomplished it, not Paul. God did the
work. God paid the price. It was all Jesus and Jesus alone, that brought about
Paul’s conversion.
God revealed Christ to Paul. Up until this point everything about
Paul’s faith was based on outward rituals. Now his faith is based on Christ
being in him, saving him, and using him to reach others.
Paul the persecutor, became Paul the believer, and then he
became Paul the preacher.
Galatians 1:16b-17
“so that I could preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not
immediately consult with anyone. 17 I did not go up
to Jerusalem to those who had become apostles before me; instead I
went to Arabia and came back to Damascus.”
You would think the logical response would have been to go
introduce himself to the other apostles and learn from them. After all they
traveled with Jesus, sat under His teachings, witnessed the feeding of
thousands, and many many miracles. That is exactly what Paul did NOT do.
Instead God lead Paul to go abroad.
He went to Arabia where he studied, prayed, and meditated.
He spent the better part of three years in Arabia evangelizing and growing in
faith. Then Paul went back to Damascus and began preaching.
Acts 9:19b-25
“Saul was with the disciples in Damascus for some
days. 20 Immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in
the synagogues: “He is the Son of God.” 21 But all who
heard him were astounded and said, “Isn’t this the man who, in Jerusalem, was
destroying those who called on this name and then came here for the purpose of
taking them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22 But
Saul grew more capable and kept confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus by
proving that this One is the Messiah. 23 After many days
had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, 24 but
their plot became known to Saul. So they were watching the gates day and night
intending to kill him, 25 but his disciples took
him by night and lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the wall.”
Paul preached and the Jewish leaders were out to get him,
thankfully the disciples helped protect him and got him out of there. Sounds
like they all, the Jews and Christians, believed that Paul’s conversion was
real.
Galatians 1:18-20
“18 Then after three years I did go
up to Jerusalem to get to know Cephas, and I stayed with him 15 days.19 But
I didn’t see any of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s
brother. 20 Now I am not lying in what I write to
you. God is my witness.”
Three years after his conversion Paul finally heads to
Jerusalem and tries to meet up with the other apostles. He spent a little time
with Peter and James, but was not able to stay long. There is no way that in
that short time Paul was taught what he was teaching the Galatian church. There
can be no doubt the message Paul was preaching did not come from man, it came
from God.
Galatians 1:21-24
“21 Afterward, I went to the regions
of Syria and Cilicia. 22 I remained personally
unknown to the Judean churches in Christ; 23 they
simply kept hearing: “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the
faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they
glorified God because of me.”
Paul returned to his home and preached the message he
received from God. The other apostles heard about it and glorified God for it.
They believed that Paul was sharing the message of Christ.
Paul made his case and proves that the message he was
sharing was given to him by God. The message that changed the direction of his
life. The message that led him to be a witness to many. The Word of God changed
Paul and can change you.
The message of love found wove through the entire Bible was
written by God. The message of Grace found through the ministry, life, death,
and resurrection of Jesus is God given. No matter how much it stretches your
imagination, Believe it. No matter how hard it hits you, Believe it.
God’s message whether written by Moses, the prophets,
Solomon, or any of the Apostles will bring you peace, show you sacrifice, and
convict you or your sin. It can and will change you. You need to believe in it,
study it, and preach it! Not because I or another pastor tell you so, but because
you have read it yourself and you believe it! If you believe it, live it, and
watch God at work in you and through you.
Thanks for reading!
Robert
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