Rev. David Holwick T Galatians sermon series
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
June 25, 2000
Galatians 1:11 - 2:10
I DIDN'T MAKE IT UP
I. Who really knows God?
A. Young girls in a part of India are believed to be god-like.
1) They are treated special, considered perfect.
2) They get special dresses and food.
3) Their families are honored.
4) After a few short years they lose the honor to another
young girl and go into seclusion the rest of their lives.
[TV's Discovery Channel?]
B. In first century, some people knew who DIDN'T know God.
1) These Jewish Christians pestered Paul.
a) Hinted Paul only wanted to be popular.
b) Hinted Paul's message was second-hand.
c) Hinted Paul's message was different than Peter's.
2) By undermining the man, they thought they could undermine
his message of grace.
a) In the first part of this passage he defends the
uniqueness and divine origin of his message.
b) In the second part he defends its consistency with
the message of the other apostles.
1> There is only one gospel of Jesus.
2> You had better get it right!
II. Where Paul got his gospel. 1:11-24
A. It was not something he made up. Invention
1) Plenty of "gospels" have been.
a) Joseph Smith, founder of Mormonism.
1> Highly successful home-grown religion.
A> They have a large "church" on top of Mooney Mtn.
2> Smith was directed to gold tablets under a rock on a
New York hill.
Translated, the tablets became the Book of Mormon.
Gives story of Jesus appearing to white Indians in
America two thousand years ago.
b) Genuine gospel?
Recently a 19th century novel resurfaced that was
written before the plates of the Book of Mormon
were discovered.
This novel contains the same essential story, often
word-for-word.
In addition, the Book of Mormon quotes long sections
of the King James Bible, which was translated in
1611.
It even contains sections which were mis-translated.
c) Smith's history may be revealing.
Before he began Mormonism he was brought to trial.
He was accused of using a "Peep stone" to find buried
treasure.
2) Is Paul's gospel on the same level as Joseph Smith's?
B. It was not something he was taught. Tradition
1) Many believe because it is a family tradition.
a) Not wrong, but dangerous.
b) Do you uncritically accept what your parents believe?
2) You must have a faith of your own.
a) Baptist emphasis on personal decision...
C. It was revealed to him by Jesus. Revelation Acts 9
1) Damascus Road experience.
a) Bright light, loud voice.
b) Jesus gives him explicit instructions.
1> Paul, blind, mulled it over for three days.
2> When the scales fell from his eyes, he grasped
what God's grace finally meant. Acts 9:18
2) Should we expect the same?
a) God can still speak dramatically to people.
1> But he doesn't need to - we have the authoritative
word of the apostles on the issue.
b) We do not need to improve on gospel, but believe on it.
1> Is your experience of God personal and genuine,
or second-hand and thin?
3) Paul goes on to defend himself and his message by means
of his testimony.
III. Paul's personal story.
A. What happened before his conversion.
1) Fanatical devotion to Jewish traditions.
a) Ancient Jews noted for their intensity and zeal.
b) He gives no clue he was ever dissatisfied with Judaism.
1> As a matter of fact, he felt he made the grade.
2) Persecution of church.
a) He tried to destroy it.
b) Paul was very religious but in a bigoted sort of way?
1> Some Christians use their faith as a front for
sin as well.
B. What happened at his conversion.
1) The grace and initiative of God emphasized at each stage.
a) Set apart from birth. (predestination)
b) Christ revealed in him. (i.e., in his heart) 1:16
2) He was charged to preach the good news to Gentiles.
C. What happened after his conversion. 1:16 ff
1) He did not receive instruction from men.
2) Three alibis:
a) He went into Arabia.
b) He went up to Jerusalem later, and only briefly.
1> He visited Jerusalem only after three years.
2> It lasted only three weeks.
3> He saw only two apostles.
c) He went off to Syria and Cilicia. Acts 9:30
D. Paul's message was not invented by him but given by Jesus.
IV. The consistency of the Christian message.
A. Chapter one emphasizes Paul's unique experience.
1) God spoke directly to him.
2) He did not palm it off of others and barely met them.
B. Chapter two emphasizes the Church's agreement on the gospel.
1) Opponents: if Paul got it from God, why doesn't it agree
with what Peter and James are teaching?
2) When Paul did meet the apostles, they were in agreement.
a) He does not depreciate the apostles, but only the
extravagant claims made for them. 2:6
1> "Position" doesn't matter, only truth matters.
b) They all agreed the good news of Jesus is by grace.
3) The nature of the meeting was dramatic.
a) Paul brought a Gentile convert.
1> Titus was a Greek, uncircumcised.
2> It was enough for him to accept Jesus.
b) The outcome of the consultation. 1:6-9
1> Negative: They added nothing to Paul's message.
2> Positive: They gave him right hand of fellowship.
3> Charge to remember the poor.
V. Take it or leave it.
A. We can accept the divine origin of Paul's message.
1) Problems people still have with Paul:
a) His teaching is too harsh and dry.
b) He corrupted the simple message of Jesus.
c) His opinion is no better than others (i.e., mine).
d) He simply reflects the first-century church.
1> He got his views from Christ, not the church.
2) If Paul is correct that he got it by revelation, then
to reject Paul is to reject God.
B. There is only one gospel.
1) Do Methodists go to heaven? Mormons? Bahai?
2) The gospel may have local flavoring but the core must be
consistent:
a) Jesus is the God's revelation of himself to humans.
b) Jesus demands our repentance.
c) Jesus saves us freely.
3) The truth of the gospel must be maintained.
C. We need to experience this good news personally.
1) Appearances don't count.
2) Being "religious" is not good enough.
3) What is the inner reality of your faith?
=========================================================================
John Stott, "The Message of Galatians" IVP
I. The Origins of Paul's Gospel. 1:11-24
A. It was not something he made up. Invention
B. He was not something he was taught. Tradition
C. It was revealed to him by Jesus. Revelation
1) The facts of his autobiography.
a) What happened before his conversion.
1> Persecution of church.
2> Fanatical devotion to Jewish traditions.
b) What happened at his conversion.
1> The grace and initiative of God emphasized at each
stage.
2> He was charged to preach the good news to Gentiles.
c) What happened after his conversion.
1> He did not receive instruction from men.
2> Three alibis:
A> He went into Arabia.
B> He went up to Jerusalem later and briefly.
1: He visited Jerusalem only after three years.
2: It lasted only three weeks.
3: He saw only two apostles.
C> He went off to Syria and Cilicia. Acts 9:30
D. Conclusion.
1) Can we accept the divine origin of his message?
a) Some reject it because it is too harsh and dry.
b) Others say he corrupted the simple message of Jesus.
c) Others say his opinion is no better than others.
d) Some say he simply reflects the first-century church.
1> He got his views from Christ, not the church.
2) If Paul is correct that he got it by revelation, then
to reject Paul is to reject God.
II. Only one gospel. 2:1-10
A. False teachers always dodged his footsteps.
1) They undermined his authority by hinting his gospel was
different than Peter's.
2) In first chapter Paul emphasizes his independence.
3) In second chapter he emphasizes his compatibility.
a) He paid a proper visit to Jerusalem.
b) He was accepted and endorsed by apostles.
B. Paul's visit to Jerusalem.
1) He took a Gentile companion.
a) Titus was a Greek, uncircumsized.
b) It was enough for him to accept Jesus.
2) He took a Gentile gospel.
a) He does not depreciate the apostles, but only the
extravagant claims made for them.
3) The outcome of the consultation.
a) Negative: They added nothing to Paul's message.
b) Positive: They gave him the right hand of fellowship.
c) Charge to remember the poor.
4) Tensions of the trip.
C. Conclusion.
1) The truth of the gospel is one and unchanging.
2) The truth of the gospel must be maintained.
