Grace Alone

Galatians 1:1 CSB

Paul, an apostle—not from men or by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead—

INTRO—

“At the end of December 1772 [253 years ago], an Anglican priest in the poor parish of Olney[, England] worked by candlelight on his New Year’s Day sermon. He would preach on the text of 1 Chronicles 17:16-17. That passage was David’s response to God after Nathan informed him that his descendants would be enthroned forever as kings of Israel. David, the once-poor shepherd boy, the man who had repented of adultery and murder, responded to the news by saying, ‘Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me thus far?’

“[For t]hat pastor … those words struck a deep chord in his heart. In those last days of 1772, [he] found himself running out of empty pages in his journal, a bound book of 300 pages holding 16 years worth of entries. As he came to finish that journal and start another, his mind was drawn to the pages of his past—the story of his life from his days as an unregenerate slave-trad[ing ship captain] to becoming a child of God.

“[He] would have remembered when his rebellious spirit got him thrown off numerous ships, publicly flogged, and ousted from His Majesty’s Navy. He would have remembered the shipwrecks and the mutinies—and then the transformation of his heart by the power of the Gospel. As [he] considered those days gone by, he would have asked as David did, ‘Who am I, O Lord…that you have brought me this far?’

“As was his habit, [this pastor] set to work composing a hymn to illustrate his New Year’s Day sermon. In that hymn, he would tell his poor congregation of lace-makers and low-paid artisans about the dangers and snares he had faced. He would reflect on the … grace that had saved … him.

“Th[e] now-famous words of [that hymn,] first sung in the small parish of Olney on New Year’s Day 1773, lingered in obscurity for many years. Even as [the author] counseled the young William Wilberforce and encouraged him to stay the course in the long battle against the slave trade, the words to ‘Amazing Grace’ were little sung in England, but the Olney hymnal, later published by [its author, John] Newton, caught on in the Americas[—which began the wider circulation of this now classic hymn].

In his old age, it was suggested that Newton retire because of bad health and failing memory. He replied, "My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things: That I am a great sinner and that Christ is a great Savior!"

“It all began in that dark little study in the waning days of a year gone by, when one man took the time to reflect on God’s goodness to him.”

As we begin 2026, we turn to the words of Paul’s letter to the churches in the region of Galatia. In this remarkable little letter, I pray we will see that “Grace is GOOD”—and just how good God’s grace truly is!

STARTING WITH GRACE [Galatians 1.1-5]

MINISTRY STARTS WITH GRACE (By Grace Alone)

Galatians 1:1 “Paul, an apostle—not from men or by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead—”

“Not from men or by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father” [Not self-manufactured; not based on human planning, etc.]

Graced by God = not up for debate or man’s adjudication… (Spurgeon on ordination…)

And here we find a big hint at a significant point of the biblical message — Grace impacts more than salvation! (AND, sustains so much more!)

[[NOTE: Not much to say about verse two…except that it shows that this was written to real people in a real place at a real point in time…just like us.]]

SALVATION STARTS WITH GRACE (By Grace Alone)

Galatians 1:3–4 “Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.”

Such a beautiful truth to celebrate…AND upon which we must build!!

Spurgeon wrote a book, “All of Grace” (in my office library) celebrating grace as relates to God’s gift of salvation to us.

…Grace causes WORSHIP! — Galatians 1:5 “To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”

I left out a key word in our outline of the two areas Starting with Grace. Anyone have guess as to what it is? — OUR!

Just like Paul—WE, yes, WE—have been graced by God with salvation…& a ministry: ALL FOR THE GLORY OF GOD!!

If we don’t start with grace, we don’t end up with salvation and we will never have a ministry by which to glorify our Lord.

STAYING WITH GRACE [Galatians 1.6-10]

SURPRISED AT STRAYING (Away from Grace Alone; “I am shocked…SHOCKED, I tell you!”)

Galatians 1:6 “I am amazed that you are so quickly turning away from him who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—”

Enticed by “Extra” (like all the kids say these days: He’s so ‘extra’…)

Galatians 1:7 “not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are troubling you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.” [The ‘extra’ = some who are troubling you…]

Doubled-Down Disgust! (Like John Pinette [comedian] standing behind someone in line at McDonald’s trying to figure out what’s on the menu)

Galatians 1:8–9 “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, a curse be on him! As we have said before, I now say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, a curse be on him!” [He repeats himself…thoroughly, consistently!; He makes absolutely certain his audience understands the seriousness of the situation at hand.]

GRACE PRIORITIES

Galatians 1:10 “For am I now trying to persuade people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

Question: How are we to understand “If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ”?

1 Corinthians 10:32–33 “Give no offense to Jews or Greeks or the church of God, just as I also try to please everyone in everything, not seeking my own benefit, but the benefit of many, so that they may be saved.”

Galatians 1.10 is not a license to be rude, condescending, or self-righteously condemning…but a call to faithfulness to biblical truth above all else. [It’s a matter of CONTEXT (Priorities): His forthright comment/condemnation of a false gospel amid accusations of being self-serving, people-pleasing with his life/ministry]

CONCL—

There is a story of a candidate who was to be ordained into the ministry. During his questioning by the Ordination Council he said to the Pastor, "Pastor, if you knew how unworthy I am to be ordained by you, you would never lay hands on me."

The dear pastor replied, "If you knew how unworthy I am—how unworthy we are, you wouldn’t let us do it!"

We need to recognize that in the sight of God we’re sinners saved by grace—all of us. From our salvation through our life’s ministry, we need to come again and again to the Cross of our Saviour.

INVITATION:

Salvation…Grace

Ministry…Grace

Grace Alone!

Galatians 1:10 CSB

For am I now trying to persuade people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.