October 5, 2014
Evening Service

Galatians 1:1-12

 

            We have just finished the Book of Acts.  Acts is a history of the early church.  In Matt. 16:18, we saw Jesus telling His disciples that He would build a church (a called out body of believers), and that the gates of hell would not prevail against it.  He also at this time turned over to Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever he would bind would be bound in heaven, and whatsoever he loosed would be loosed in heaven.  The keys of authority.  Peter used this authority to open the door to salvation to the Jews in chapter two of Acts.  Then he used them in chapter ten to open the door to salvation for the gentiles.

            We saw the first martyr of the church in chapter seven, Stephen.  Also, the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, who later becomes the Apostle Paul, in chapter nine.  We see him become the Apostle to the gentiles, as Peter was to the Jews.  Jesus called Paul, as we will see in this letter to the Galatian church, to play a very important roll in the spreading of the gospel.  To write 14 of the 27  New Testament letters.

We saw a very important Council meeting in chapter 15.  Gentiles were no way obligated to keep the laws of Moses.  Only four things, the leadership of the church, said gentiles were not to do;

Act 15:29  That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

We saw Paul stand and testify to Governors, Kings, and eventually he will stand before Caesar, and be killed in the first persecution of Nero.

            The history of the early church should strengthen our faith in our walk with God.  As should all the Word of God.  There are certain Scriptures that we should remember:

1.       Paul told the church at Corinth;   1Co 14:37  If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.

2.      Paul told Timothy, 2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

3.      2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

4.     Joh 20:30-31  And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:  (31)  But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

5.      Romans 10:17, Rom 10:17  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

6.     Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

These Scriptures help us to realize just how important our Bible is to us.  Read your Bible, it will build your faith that Jesus of Nazareth, is the Christ, the very Son of God.  The Savior of the world. 

 

We will see some very important teaching in this book of Galatians.  In all of our studies we are building our faith.  The way our world is going today we need all the faith we can get.  The resurrection, and judgment will happen before we know it, and we need to be ready.

 

It is thought that this epistle was written while Paul wintered at Corinth, or in his stay at Ephesus in AD 57-58.  It is also thought he wrote the letter to the Romans at this time also.

 

Gal 1:1-24  Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) 

·         The cause of his writing is their speedy falling away from the gospel he taught. Defense of his teaching: His apostolic call independent of man.

·         This kind of statement from Paul, believing the Bible to be inspired, builds our faith in his authority.

(2)  And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia: 

·         Unto the churches, plural.

 

Paul’s famous greetings:

(3)  Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,  (4)  Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:  (5)  To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.  

·         To deliver us from this present evil world.  We can be delivered today, we don’t have to wait on the resurrection, and the changing of our mortality, to immortality.  Have you allowed Him to deliver you from this evil world?  God has given us a beautiful world, but mankind is fast destroying it.

·         And now for the main reason for writing this letter.

(6)  I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:  (7)  Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.  (8)  But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.  (9)  As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. 

·         Paul saying it, is just like God saying it.  Very serious statement.

·         So now, while I am reading, and studying to show myself approved unto God, what is my goal?  To read in the Scriptures what this gospel is that Paul preached.

·         As we would have been reading the new testament, we would have already believed that Jesus was the Messiah, because we started out with the four gospels.  Then we would read the book of Acts, and listen to all the testimonies of the Apostles, and all the examples of people becoming Christians.  We would have heard Paul’s testimony to King Agrippa, when he would have said; Act 26:23  That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

·         As we get to the first letter to the Corinthians, Paul says in chapter 15,  1Co 15:1-11  Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;  (2)  By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  (3)  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;  (4)  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:  (5)  And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:  (6)  After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.  (7)  After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.  (8)  And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.  (9)  For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.  (10)  But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.  (11)  Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.

·         I declare the gospel that I preached unto you, then goes on and tells that gospel.

·         This is the gospel that God wants preached. 

(10)  For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.  (11)  But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.  (12)  For I neither  received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. 

·         As we continue our studies we will see the authority of Paul, and throughout his writings, is the fact that we are sinners saved by grace, through faith.  ( Eph. 2:8 )

Lord God Almighty open our hearts, and eyes to see that Jesus paid the price for our redemption, and there is nothing I can do but receive it.