Prepare for the Call
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Introduction
Introduction
I grew up a 90’s kid, any other 90’s kids in here? During that period I became a huge fan of a well known band that goes by the name Korn. They had a guitar player, you may have heard of him, Brian Welch who left the band in 2005 due to personal issues, namely addiction and being suicidal. In his time off Brian began going to church and he became saved. A lot people rejoiced, his band-mates not so much. Over the next few years Brian would surround himself with other believers and begin the journey of learning and growing and maturing. All vital aspects of a transitioning life. We must put off the old and put on the new as it teaches in Ephesians. Brian doesn’t know at this point what the Lord’s plan is, he just knows where he has him at this point.
In order for us to know our call, there is a maturing process. It is through this process when we learn THEN we go fulfill the calling the Lord has given us.
We bring others into the fold because they help us walk this new path, they don’t validate us. They help us discover where the Lord may be calling us, along with the help of the Holy Spirit. If left to our own analysis, we might think we are the next Billy Graham, when really, we are meant to be the first “Us”.
When done right, the fruit of this transition will be evidently clear to those around us. Some will attack and some will glorify God. Either way, this is a result of the validation the Lord has placed on your life, not man.
Paul will be our example today of this, so if you would, please open your Bibles to Galatians, chapter one.
Raise A Need
Raise A Need
So, what’s your calling? Do you know it? Are you sure? My goal today isn’t to raise confusion in your mind whether or not you are called by God, I don’t make that determination, but to whether or not you have taken the time to really pursue the Lord in what you might be being prepared to do.
Have you really sought out the Godly council of other believers? The Lord uses them to help guide you.
If you have identified your calling, what are you doing to prepare for it?
We read in Colossians 2:6–7 “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.”
Transition to Text
Transition to Text
When we pick up here in verse 18 of chapter one, Paul has already laid out a strong case for his defense. What is he defending? I’m glad you asked, he’s defending his calling. He defending his apostleship and most importantly the gospel that he brought to the Galatians. Why is he defending? another great question! He is being attacked by the religious leaders who are trying to defame his character and his integrity. In verses 11-17 Paul explains that the message he is preaching came directly from a revelation of Jesus Christ and not the other Apostles. Until verse 18, Paul hadn’t met any of the apostles, unless you count Stephen, but that was definitely a different circumstance.
In Verse 17 Paul went away to prepare. He never went to meet any of the Apostles, and this point is so important, because it is the crux in which Paul bases his defense on.
MIT: Paul defends his apostleship, his calling, as verified by Jesus Christ and not man.
MIM: We can be confident in God’s calling in our lives when we seek Christ in our preparation.
Interrogative: Can you defend the calling on your life with the same assurance as Paul?
Transition: In our text we will see the three areas Paul uses as evidence for his calling, and how we can apply those to our own lives.
Purpose: That we are confident and can serve confidently in the specific calling in which the Lord has given us. That we can confidently counter the challenges and attacks that are sure to come.
Context
Context
So what is going on in Galatia? I’ve already hinted at it a bit, but a quick synopsis is this. The church is under attack from Judaizers, religious leaders who are telling the Christians they must follow Jewish laws, such as circumcision, and abide by Jewish customs in order to be considered true Christians. These Judaizers are trying to discredit Paul’s position as an Apostle and the gospel he has preached to the Galatians. Truth is, the Judaizers hate Christianity, and even more so, they hate those who preach it. Again, Verses 11-17 is Paul’s testimony as his defense and we’ll pick up in verses 18-24 as further evidence for his calling
Please open your copy of God’s Word and follow along. Galatians 1:18–24 “Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days. But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. (Now in what I am writing to you, I assure you before God that I am not lying.) Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea which were in Christ; but only, they kept hearing, “He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy.” And they were glorifying God because of me.”
Pray: Father, we thank you and we praise that you would consider us your children. And we are further grateful for your mercy and grace that you would call us to serve you. Father, I ask that you help clear our hearts and minds, open them up to be receptive to your word today, and that you may be glorified through this message. It is in the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
1. And “Then” - Galatians 1:18-20 NASB
1. And “Then” - Galatians 1:18-20 NASB
Right off the start Paul provides the first piece of evidence. He opens with “Then” implying that he only went to Jerusalem after he had spent time in and Damascus, where he spent the time in preparation for the mission in which God had called him, nowhere near or at any time with the original Apostles. This is vital because it provides a very tight alibi that he had no prior engagements with the church of Jerusalem and therefore, could not have come under any subordinate leadership that the Judaizers have alleged.
The three years Paul refers to are the three years after his conversion. Is there anything significant regarding the number three? Perhaps or perhaps not, but it is interesting to note that the original apostles spent three years under the tutelage of Jesus.This makes sense in light that the original apostles are called because of their appointing by Christ, which is significant in Paul’s case, as he too had a personal encounter with the Lord, who appointed him as well. His highlight of the time frame is important to his argument as it shows his first trip to Jerusalem came a considerable amount of time after his conversion and early ministry.
So, why is Paul going there? Verse 18 says, Paul went to “become acquainted with Cephas”. Paul’s use of acquainted is important that it again implies that his visit to Jerusalem was not one of learning or seeking affirmation from men, but to familiarize himself and his ministry with the other apostles. Verse 18 reinforces the point Paul had made back in verse 10, that he is not seeking favor from men.
Not much is known about Paul’s encounter with James, but that James may have played a significant role in providing Paul with opportunities to preach in Jerusalem during his fifteen-day visit.
Acts 9:23 alludes to Paul leaving Damascus for Jerusalem as further evidence that Paul had not yet visited the other Apostles.
Illustration
Illustration
Let’s talk about Brian again. When we left off, he was away from the band now learning to grow and mature in his new faith. After eight years away, can you guess what Brian did? He went back to the band. I of course was a little confused, did he lose his faith? What is going on. When Brian returned, he brought along with him brothers in Christ that would stay with him. And can you guess what he would do after every show? He would gather groups of kids from the concert and begin praying with them and for them. It was only after the time Brian spent away, learning and growing, that he was “Then” able to go.
Application
Application
When we come into a relationship with Jesus Christ, everything is not made OK immediately. Honestly, before we can learn and grow, we must be willing to leave everything behind that separated us from Christ.
Don’t assume what you want to do, but ask what does the Lord want you to do. Failure to prepare is a failure to be obedient.
Surround yourself with fellow believers who will help you in your journey. Prepare well, and “THEN” go enter the field.
Introducing the New You - Galatians 1:21-22 NASB
Introducing the New You - Galatians 1:21-22 NASB
Paul opens this next section mentioning his follow-on trip from Jerusalem to Syria and Cilicia. Syria and Cilicia were located north and northwest respectively of Jerusalem. His trip to these regions coincides with Acts 9:30, “the brethren learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.” Tarsus was the capital of Cilicia and Paul’s home city.
The significance of Paul returning to Tarsus should not be missed, as is in most cases, people remember the person you were and will compare that with the person you are now. And they’ll use whatever little slip up on your end to discredit everything about you. Or the alternative, which we’ll see in the next set of verses.
Churches have been planted in these cities, and its members were aware of Saul of Tarsus, the one who persecuted Christians.
Paul probably spent eight to ten years here, the same region that Paul and Silas would travel to strengthening the churches in Acts 15:40-41.
This is important background information as it again provides further detail to his apostleship away from the original apostles. It emphasizes the oath he made in verse 20 and that gospel he is preaching is truly that from the Lord.
Illustration
Illustration
I can only imagine the reactions Paul recieved when he showed up to his home town. Do you remember what happened to Jesus when He showed up to His home town in Luke 4? Brian, after coming to faith and well prior to his return to the band also went back home, to Bakersfield, California. There he began serving in his local church, he focused on building his relationship back with his daughter. He began sharing his testimony everywhere. I’m sure Brian probably dealt with some of the same critics Paul did, questioning is faith, doubting his conversion is real. But what we’ll see in the next section is that we learn the difference between when we are validated by God or by man. What would happen next through Brian’s testimony speaks loud and clear of his validation.
Application
Application
Some of you may be new Christians, and some for a long time. But let me ask you this, do others know it?
In your transition from the old you to the new you, there is still opportunity there to share with others. Your testimony is the gospel. It was never meant to be personal, but shareable. It speaks of God’s work in your life.
To be certain of your calling is to also be certain in knowing what the Lord is asking of you. Are you bringing in others to walk beside you?
Your story, His Glory - Galatians 1:23-24 NASB
Your story, His Glory - Galatians 1:23-24 NASB
These churches again only heard of Paul and his amazing conversion, which he conveyed in Galatians 1:13-16. These believers now functioned as witnesses to Paul’s conversion and call.
Paul’s typical use of “faith” generally refers to “the gospel”, particularly here in verse 23, it most likely means “the Christian religion” or “body of doctrine”.
This would fall in line with the idea that the churches recognize that such a dramatic conversion could only come from the Lord and that Paul is with them completely on every level of conviction and not just some areas.
This would be why the churches convincingly switch their thinking and as George Duncan would profess it, “fear and dread gave place to joy and pride.”
Grant Osborne brings to light the significance of this last verse, “unlike the Judaizers, who had turned Paul’s gospel into a false religion, the true believers “praised God because of him”
People from all over, who have never met Paul, were praising God because of what He had done in Paul’s life.
Illustration
Illustration
Now, in this transition period for Brian, he still has a lot of growing a maturing to do, but that doesn’t mean the Lord isn’t going to use him, or you or me, now. Remember I said he went back to Bakersfield and not to long after he cleaned himself up there was a big news conference thing with him. Today technology allows these stories to go far and wide and a significantly fast pace. While at this conference, Brian is sharing his testimony, it’s really all he knows. When he finishes up, numerous people, I believe pushing perhaps 100, gave their lives to the Lord. And God was glorified because of him.
Application
Application
We are without excuse. Matthew 28 gives us our directive, known as the Great Commission.
Have you allowed your faith to shine through for others to see? Your testimony, as exampled by both Paul and Brian is a powerful form of the gospel that somebody needs to hear.
Allow your fulfillment in your calling, through your preparation, to take hold and make yourself usable to God to lead others to glorify God and draw them to salvation.
Conclusion
Conclusion
In closing, I do realize it has been a few years since a lot of this went down. You may have heard of things about Brian since, its the curse of living in the spot light. But the transition is a relatively simple in concept, but not always in execution. I like being in control. That’s not conducive to allowing the Lord to be in control. But my learning to relinquish control to the Lord is all part of the learning process, part of the preparation that He needs to make in order to be able to use me where He needs me. And when I can rest in knowing that it is the Lord who appointed me exactly where I’m at, I can rest in also knowing that no man can take away what the Lord has validated. And once validated “THEN” I can go anywhere He leads me.