Introduction
In the last couple of years we have spent time looking at some of the important parts of the Old Testament, the life of Jesus and who he is and recently Jesus’ blueprint for being a Christian. Of course when Jesus returned to his Father, the Church began to grow around the world. The disciples – now the apostles – did just as Jesus asked and mad disciples of great numbers of people. Churches sprung up everywhere – not buildings as most met either in houses or other larger rooms. With these churches came the need to produce leaders and when you put people together there are always problems. Paul founded many churches around the Mediterranean and writing letters was his main way of keeping in touch and dealing with issues they faced. The letter to the Galatians was written by Paul (verse 1) to help new disciples and address various issues that they were facing about how to live out their faith. That is why it’s important for us too, but we have to bear in mind who it was written to and why, so shall we have a look at the background first.
Background
Galatia is a region of Turkey which was visited by Paul on the first of his 3 missionary journeys before he was arrested and put to death. This means the letter was written somewhere around 50-52AD and makes it one of the oldest parts of the New Testament. We can read about how Paul founded these churches in Acts 14 and learn about some of the problems they faced in Acts 15. I have a piece of film which will help us see this.
Watch video of Acts 14 & 15 or read the scripture.
What did we learn about their issues?
A lot of the converts to Christianity in those Galatian cities were former pagans but there were also many Christians among them who were former Jews. These people believed not in Paul’s teaching that all you needed was to trust and have faith in Jesus, but that when you became a Christian you needed to carry on keeping the law, especially some of the rituals like being circumcised and what to eat. According to the Jewish Christians you could not be a real Christian without doing this. As a result of this, they not only challenged Paul’s teaching about how you are saved and how Christians live, but his position as an Apostle. So if Paul’s teachings, which were responsible for bringing thousands of people to Christ were being challenged, then the whole Gospel was under threat. Christians were in danger of having to live under the Law again. Paul had to address this and challenge these false teachings so he wrote this letter which covers the following main themes:
• Keeping the Law does not save anyone
• Faith in Jesus alone saves us from sin
• True freedom comes from grace not law
• The Holy Spirit works in us to bring us to Christ
In a few more moments we will see how Paul sets out the defence of both himself and his teachings and how that helps us.
Verses 1&2
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.
Paul begins by defending who he is because it is from who he is that his teaching has authority. An Apostle is a special messenger who enjoys unique authority given by Jesus himself. All 13 Apostles were personally appointed by the risen Jesus. Paul at his conversion on the road to Damascus. Although Paul begins all his letters by introducing himself he is much more precise in this one. He isn’t just a brother, as he describes the others, but an Apostle, not appointed by men but by God, Jesus himself. Without this authority, the Gospel that he preaches is at risk too. Why should anyone believe it if he is a fraud?
For us we have to be very careful who we take our beliefs from. Jesus gave the Apostles the job of building on his work. No one else, not even anyone living today, has such authority. It is important when we choose who to listen to that we listen to people who follow the teachings of the Apostles and Jesus. If we hear someone who comes up with “some new teaching” we need to take real care. They have no God-given authority to give it, whatever they claim.
Authority is everything. When you have permission to speak on behalf of someone or an organisation people can take notice and be assured that what you say represents what they think. I can say what I want on behalf of the church for instance, but if I have no authority or perhaps I am not even a member of it I have no authority and not many people will give credit to what I say. This is why to me it is important we just don’t set up ourselves with self-given authority. Paul was one of 13 unique men who were given special authority from Jesus and no one since has received that. Authority is everything. Paul has it.
Verse 3
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
These are easy words to underestimate. When you and I say “Peace be with you” what is it you think you are saying? This isn’t just a “Hello how are you?” It’s a blessing pregnant with meaning. Grace and peace tells you everything you need to know about the salvation you have as a Christian. Peace is about your reconciliation with God. You and he are one. Peace is something you have with other people. Peace is also something you have within yourself. It’s a fruit of the Spirit you all have which comes from both the Father and the Son. What you need to do is experience it. God loves you. He gives you power to love anyone and when you have that you feel a real sense of peace within that nothing can shift.
Verse 4
(Jesus) who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present age according to the will of our God and Father.
We talked about grace and peace in the previous verse and now Paul wastes no time in telling us about the idea of grace which has brought his readers to faith. He talks about the great historical event which exhibits God’s grace most of all.
1. Christ died for our sins
Some people confuse Jesus’ death as some sort of heroism or a display of love. It is partly that, but described fully it is a sacrifice as surely as a lamb or bull was in the Temple. His death was an offering for your sin and mine. It is unique. No act of heroism or act of love has been a sin offering for everyone who wants it. Jesus’ death was unique, which is why so many people don’t understand it. In the words of the Bible he became a curse for us. He got what we deserve. We should have two reactions to this. First, to realise only Jesus can save us and secondly something to give massive thanks to Jesus for by giving him our lives.
2. Christ died to rescue us from the present age
Paul says the Gospel is a rescue plan, which is why it is good news. Have you ever seen anyone be miserable when they get rescued? But what does it rescue us from? Christ death has rescued us from death. It also rescues us from bondage to sin – the influence sin has over us – like the freeing of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt (explain this briefly).
Before I make the final comment on what we are freed from, let me make the point the Bible makes of what we are not freed from. Christians are not freed from the world, we have to live in. It is not God’s purpose to remove us from it otherwise the moment we became Christians we would be transported to heaven. The example of Paul and others shows us how God has a plan for us in this world. We discovered that God needs us in the world to be light and salt. He has rescued you because he knows you have a future and a purpose in this prison and beyond. But God is rescuing us in another way – from the present age. That is not the world, so what is it?
The Bible shows us that there are two ages – “This age” and “The Age to come”. This age – the present (evil) age – belongs to who do you think? The Devil is its Lord. “The Age to come” was ushered in by Jesus at his resurrection. At the moment both ages co-exist – overlap. But one will come to an end and one will carry on forever. Everyone born is born into “This age”. When you become a Christian you are moved into the “Age to come”, but at the moment “This age” is still around too. But we are transferred from darkness into light – a new life, a new kingdom. We are rescued from the present age into the age to come with the status that comes with it of saints not sinners.
The third important thing about the Gospel:
3. Christ died according to God’s will
As we have seen, Christ’s death was to save us from sin, and to save us from the present age. It didn’t happen by accident. It happened as part of a plan. God knew you before you were born and had a plan to make sure you have the choice to go to heaven if you want to take it. God willed it. We had nothing to do with it. We never will. God didn’t do it because you are better than anyone else. When it says God’s will God means Father, Son and Holy Spirit working together in complete agreement. They all decided equally to do it and each contributed to it.
Conclusion
Already Paul has defended his authority as an Apostle of God and therefore defended the meaning of the gospel he has used to bring people to Christ. These first 5 verses show God at work in three stages:
• Stage 1 – The death of Christ for our sins and to rescue us out of this present evil age
• Stage 2 – The appointment of Paul as an Apostle to bear witness
• Stage 3 – The gift to believers of grace and peace which Christ won for us through his death.
This is the Gospel which saved you and which you are called to use to save others. Over the next few weeks we will find out more about God’s generous good news. Let’s share it.
