WHO IS PAUL AND WHY DOES IT MATTER? (GAL 1:1-5)

SERIES: FREE AT LAST, PART 1

GCEFC: SEPTEMBER 27, 2009

INTRODUCTION

1. Today we begin a new sermon series as we look at Paul’s NT letter to the Galatians.

2. Which will provide us the privilege of looking together at one of the most important written documents the world has ever been given.

3. Which may sound like an exaggeration. But it is not an exaggeration in the least bit.

4. The Book of Galatians contains one of the clearest explanations of the Gospel of Jesus Christ of any New Testament letter.

5. It also argues convincingly against 3 perennial doctrinal errors.

a. On the conservative side it argues against legalism. Showing that salvation is not something that can be earned through good works, no matter how good they are.

b. On the liberal side it argues against license. Showing that once salvation is received freely by grace, that it’s no reason or excuse to live however one chooses.

c. And it argues that once salvation is received, that sanctification doesn’t come by keeping the law, any more than salvation began by it.

6. The Book of Galatians has been called The Magna Carta of Christian Liberty because it outlines the spiritual freedom Christ has purchased and secured for us.

7. The book was especially loved by Martin Luther, and became his theological playbook during the Protestant Reformation. He even referred to the book as his second wife.

A. PAUL, THE WRITER

1. Beginning at V1: Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—and all the brothers with me, to the churches in Galatia.

2. Letters in the first century typically began with a salutation consisting of 3 parts.

a. The name of the sender of the letter

b. The name of the recipient of the letter

c. A standard greeting

3. Most modern letters end with the name of the person who wrote it. But first century letters began with the name. Which actually makes more sense. Why wait until the end of a letter before you see who wrote it?

4. So in a typical 1^st century letter, the writer’s name appears at the beginning. In fact, in the letter to the Galatians, the name of the writer is literally the first word—Paul.

5. So in this particular letter, the writer is Paul, the recipients are the churches in Galatia, and the greeting is: grace and peace.

6. The 2 words were not just pleasantries. In his letter Paul would make it clear that salvation is a matter of grace. And that grace results in peace with God.

7. Another standard element of Paul’s letters was the commendation. This was where he commended the recipient of the letter in some way.

a. So in Romans he writes: I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.

b. To the Corinthians he writes: You have been enriched in every way—in all your speaking and in all your knowledge.

c. To the Ephesians he writes: To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus.

8. But Paul offers no commendation to the Galatians. Why is this? Two reasons.

a. The first being that he was angry and disappointed with them, as we shall see.

b. Second being that he wanted to waste no time in getting down to the matter that so greatly concerned him.

B. PAUL, THE APOSTLE

1. So we know that Paul is the writer and sender of this letter, but who is Paul and who are the Galatians to whom he writes?

2. He starts by stating that he is an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead.

3. And though Paul often mentions that he is an apostle, it was especially important that he do so in this particular letter.

4. Which leads us to who the Galatians are. Galatia was not a city but a region in what was known at the time as Asia Minor, modern day Turkey.

a. If you left Jerusalem and traveled north up the Mediterranean coast 400 miles. Then headed west for about 100 miles, you would come to this part of the world.

b. You may recall last winter from our study in the Book of Acts, that Paul planted churches in 4 towns in Galatia—Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, and Pisidian Antioch.

c. Paul and his partner in the ministry Barnabus had quite the adventure on this first missionary journey.

5. So Paul returns to his home base, encouraged by the ministry begun in this region and excited about what good things were in store for these new believers in Galatia.

6. But Paul was shocked, disappointed, disheartened, and a bit angry when he received word that the churches in Galatia had been invaded by false teachers.

7. And these false teachers had led the new converts astray and confused them about what initiated their salvation and how they were to grow in their Christian life.

8. So Galatians was Paul’s letter to these churches primarily to clarify what had happened to them when they heard and believed the gospel.

9. And how they were in grave spiritual danger by listening to these false teachers whose goal was to turn them away from the true faith toward a hybrid of Christianity/Judaism.

10. It was a big problem that required immediate attention. What Paul wrote to them in this crisis went on to become one of the most important literary documents in world history.

11. Let’s summarize the main points in his opening words.

a. The false teachers in Galatia had claimed Paul was a bogus apostle. That he hadn’t seen Jesus after he rose from the dead, and that he received no appointing by Jesus as the real apostles had.

b. But Paul says in V1—I AM AN APOSTLE. And later in the book he elaborates.

c. You’ll recall that Paul had been on his way to Damascus to capture Christians and return them to Jerusalem for imprisonment or execution.

d. But while on the journey, Jesus appeared to Paul in a bright light and not only saved him, but appointed him as his ambassador to the Gentiles.

e. So, at that moment Paul both SAW THE RISEN CHRIST and he RECEIVED HIS APPOINTMENT as an apostle. Paul was totally legit, as we shall see in more detail.

f. And Paul reminds the Galatians that it was Jesus who had given himself to provide our salvation. His sacrificial death in fact rescued us from the present evil age.

12. All this to say that Paul, being a Christ-appointed apostle, spoke with authority regarding spiritual matters. Not only could his word be trusted—his word was authoritative.

13. In fact, this was exactly what a true apostle was. Someone who spoke with authority as God’s delegated representative. Apostles were uniquely qualified spokesmen for God.

14. Paul begins here because it was absolutely critical that he establish who he is and why what he said was so important.

15. His opening reminder is simple and straightforward. It was the will of God the Father, that God the Son give himself to pay the penalty for our sins.

16. That sacrifice rescued us from the condemnation of this evil age. Not the evil age of just the first century—the evil age that stretches from Jesus’ resurrection until his return.

17. And all of this, he goes on to say, is not only according to the will of God, but all of this is ultimately to the glory of God.

18. By the time we finish the 6 chapters of this book, it will be crystal clear how we get saved, how we stay saved, and how we live saved.

19. It’s one of those cases when reading someone else’s mail is perfectly acceptable and perfectly beneficial for those who do.