Where Your Credentials Come From Series

WHERE YOUR CREDENTIALS COME FROM

Galatians 1:10-24

S: God’s Call

Th: Grace-Full Living

Pr: WE ARE TO BE CONFIDENT OF GOD’S CALL.

?: How?

KW: Graces

TS: We will find in our study of Galatians 1:10-24 four graces that reveal how we are to be confident of God’s call on our lives.

The _____ grace that reveals how we are to be confident of God’s call in our lives is we (were)…

I. RECEIVED THE WORD (11-12)

II. REPENTED OF OUR PAST (13-14)

III. RECOGNIZED GOD’S WORK (15-17)

IV. REGARDED A BROTHER (18-24)

sort of inductive…

RMBC 5/7/00 AM

INTRODUCTION:

Have you ever felt unqualified for something?

ILL Personal (art project)

When I look at my own life, the list of the things that I am not qualified for seems to get longer and longer. One area that I am particularly not gifted in is art. I remember when I was in the 8th grade, we were making a project out of clay. As my class members were making cups and statues, and all kinds of useful and decorative things, my piece of clay never seemed to get rid of that “lump” kind of look. As the week went on, and several art classes later, my predicament was getting more serious. It was time to hand in my project. So I had an inspiration! Well, not really—it was more an act of desperation. I did what others with no artistic talent have done. I tried modern art. So I squeezed there, and thumped it there, made a curve here, flattened there…and “voila”! A masterpiece! But what was it? I think I called it “Ash Tray Out of Synch” or something like that. But it got me a “B” and I was more than satisfied with that. But let me tell you, when it comes to art, I am not qualified. It is not even close.

TRANSITION:

We continue our theme of “Grace-Full Living” with our second study of the letter to the church in the area of Galatia.

1. Last week, we studied, “Don’t Mess with the Message.”

If you were here last Sunday, you know that tolerant is not a word that we used when it comes to the gospel message.

For the thrust of our message was that anyone who adds to or subtracts from the Gospel message is playing with eternal fire.

There is no patience for those that change it, for when you do, you make it something that it is not.

You change it from “good news” to “bad news.”

Last week, we noted that Paul is answering the objections of a group of people we are calling “Judaizers.”

Since the Judaizers were basically emphasizing circumcision and the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament, they were probably Jewish Christians (in a very loose sense) who had come from Jerusalem and claimed to have James, Peter and John as their authority.

According to them, Paul was just a “Johnny-come-lately” to the apostolic band.

Well, just as last week we said, “Don’t Mess with the Message…”

2. This week, we could say, “Don’t Mess with the Messenger.”

Now, the Judaizers realized that they could not attack the gospel Paul preached without attacking him.

So they assaulted his character and they challenged his credentials.

Simply, he was not qualified.

They communicated that he was not a legitimate apostle and spokesman for God.

He had not been with Jesus in his earthly ministry; and now here he was starting churches in the name of the Messiah but telling Gentiles they didn’t have to be circumcised or keep the feasts.

So these people went out to set the Galatian churches straight.

Paul may claim to be an apostle, but he is not really one.

He may claim to preach the true gospel, but he only has it secondhand from the true apostles.

Not only that, his version is seriously flawed.

We can not be sure what their motivation was, but we know well that there was strong prejudice against the Gentiles in the Jewish community.

It was very evident during Jesus’ ministry.

So, when Paul declared himself an apostle to the Gentiles, there were probably those that considered the Gentiles to be utterly outside the sphere of God’s concern and grace.

Therefore, if they were coming in, there was only one way in, that is the Jewish way.

Even though the accusations were coming his way…

3. Paul had confidence about God’s call on his life.

He recognized God’s grace was at work in his life.

He knew that he was an apostle.

He knew that his gospel was true.

But his concern, though, was not for his own popularity or personal success.

It was God’s truth.

His defense of his apostleship was for the purpose of defending the integrity of the gospel.