Free Indeed: Living in the Power and Truth of the Gospel - Week 1

No Other Gospel

Galatians 1:1-10

Good morning everyone and Happy New Year!

I also want to say hi to those of you joining us online this morning. It’s so fun to be able to worship together, both here in person and online.

I hope you all had a good Christmas and New Years.

I love this time of the year. I love all the things that come with Christmas - the lights, the decorations, the parties, the music, all the things.

New Years is also awesome. I love the excitement of a new year and fresh start. I grew up in Southern California and I love the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game. I also love New years, because as a parent, it means that we are at the end of Christmas break and school is going to be starting up again and we get to settle back into a normal routine and being able to remember the days of the week again.

In all seriousness, I know the holidays are often a mixed bag for many and I am grateful for the hope and confidence we have in knowing that Jesus is with us in all things. And He walks with us through every season.

And I’m excited for what He has in store for us this year as a church and for each of us individually.

If we have not had a chance to meet, my name is Jake and I am one of the pastors here at NCCF and this morning, we are beginning a new series on the book of Galatians called “Free Indeed: Living in the Power and Truth of the Gospel.”

So if you have a bible with you, or have the bible app on your phone - I want to invite you to turn with me to Galatians 1.

Galatians is a small book in the NT between 2nd Corinthians and Ephesians

If you don’t have a bible and want one, we have some in the back at Event Central, otherwise we’ll have the words up on the screen as we go.

But turn with me to Galatians 1 and follow along as I read the opening 10 verses of Paul’s letter.

Read Passage - Galatians 1:1-10

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 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—2 and all the brothers who are with me:

To the churches of Galatia.

3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father. 5 To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

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—7 not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are troubling you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 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! 9 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!

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.

Let’s Pray

Introduction

Illustration - Custom Glove

I played baseball growing up and as I got older, it became the thing that I did and was all about. I played on club teams, traveled for tournaments, as I got older the focus became playing so that I could make the high school team. Part of why I started playing football when I got into high school was to get stronger and faster in preparation of playing at the high school level and beyond.

For my birthday one year, my parents gifted me with a custom glove which included being able to design and determine every aspect of the glove. And so, the day after my birthday, I sat down at the computer with my dad and we went through the step by step process of designing and then ordering my custom glove.

It started with what kind of glove I wanted - my primary position was shortstop, but I also pitched and played 3rd base, so I selected a model meant for infield and a size that worked for playing shortstop but was still big enough to play 3rd and pitch.

The second step was to pick the color. I wanted it to stand out, but not in flashy way so I went with a dark brown color that was accented with with black in certain spots including the lacing.

Then came time to select the design of the web. I loved watching Nomar Garciaparra so I picked a webbing similar to the one he had on his glove.

The last step was to add my name and so we made it so that my nickname was embroidered on the thumb

It was one of the best gifts I have ever gotten and I still have the glove and use it when I coach or play catch with the boys in the back yard.

We live in a world of constant change and customization where everything is adjustable and ever evolving.

There is customization with what we eat - I think of places like Chipotle and Subway where we literally go down the line and have full control over what goes on our burrito or in our sandwich.

There is customization with how we consume entertainment and news with the variety of streaming services, channels, movies, tv shows, news outlets, radio stations, podcasts, and music platforms to choose from.

There is customization with our homes in how we decorate or even in how they are built.

There is customization with the cars we drive and the features available

There is even customization and the ability to adjust the sound of notifications on phones - choosing between vibration or a ringer and even the sound of our ringer.

We can customize and adjust the clothes we wear, the hobbies we are interested, even our physical appearance.

While Change is hard at times, having the ability to customize or adjust is a great thing to be able to do and can be a good thing and ultimately improve both our lives and the world around us.

Food allergies are a reality and being able to adjust diets and the food we consume allows us to be protected not only from discomfort, but also from potentially harmful and serious problems.

Having the ability to choose how we decorate our homes or even how our home is built allows us the ability to accommodate different needs we might have.

On a bigger scale, being able to adjust how we do things paired with more information allows us to better care for others and the world around us. We can steward God’s creation better.

It also means that we can adjust how we connect with others and build relationships with people who are each unique and different from one another.

While change and having the ability the ability to adjust things, the tension and challenge we often face is that we can have the same mindset towards the Gospel.

We can adjust or change the message of the gospel in order to fit or justify the choices we make.

We can adjust the message of the gospel in order to seem more attractive or appealing to people around us.

Meaning that maybe we only include the part of God’s love but leave out the gravity and weight of sin and our need for salvation.

Sometimes, we might even use the gospel to manipulate or control or adjust it according what makes us comfortable or how we think others should act and live.

Its with this in mind - the danger of adjusting/changing the gospel - that Apostle Paul opens his letter to the Galatians in the way he does, with urgency and pointedness. Paul writes with urgency because of the state of the church in Galatia and the reality of the truth of the gospel being at stake in Galatia.

Context and Background

But before we dig into the opening of Galatians, I think it would be helpful to take a step back and look at Galatians as a whole and look at some of the context and background to this letter.

The book of Galatians was one of the many letters written by the Apostle Paul that we find in the NT and is most likely the first letter that Paul wrote.

It was a letter written to the churches of Galatia which was located in Asia Minor which is modern-day Turkey and written somewhere around AD 50 give or take a couple years.

What is unique about this letter is also the tone it is written with and how it differs from Paul’s other letters. Paul, who is largely known for having a tender pastoral heart, writes this letter with a spirit and tone of righteous indignation.

Meaning that Paul doesn’t mince words or hold back in his instruction and correction of the followers of Jesus in Galatia. There is a problem and reason that spurs Paul’s writing this letter and he doesn’t shy away from calling it out and redirecting the followers of Jesus in Galatia.

The issue that Paul addresses throughout the letter has to do with the social and racial divide happening in the churches of Galatia.

The first Christians in Jerusalem were Jewish, but as the gospel spread out from that center (Jerusalem), there were increasing numbers of Gentiles who began to receive Christ.

However, there were a group of teachers in Galatia that were new insisting that the Gentile (non-Jewish) Christians had to practice and keep all the traditional and ceremonial customs of the Mosaic law - just as the Jewish Christians did.

This meant observing things like the dietary laws, the law of circumcision and others that were observed and practiced for generations in order to be fully accepted and pleasing to God.

In other words, there an emphasis on legalism and personal responsibility taught by a contingent of Jewish followers of Jesus proclaiming that in ordered to be saved and made righteous, you had to believe in Jesus AND keep the Jewish laws.

Ultimately distorting and adding to the simple, yet powerful message of the gospel. Essentially eliminating the good news that it we are saved the grace of God through the work of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Big Idea

It is the reality of the distortion of the gospel spreading throughout the churches in Galatia that Paul writes this letter. And he opens the way he does here in 1:1-10 in order to establish the truth that:

There is only ONE true Gospel! It’s given by God, and centered on the work of Jesus through His death and resurrection.

Throughout the entirety of Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he reiterates and continually points us to the truth that the good news of Jesus brings freedom.

And the freedom we have access to is not accomplished by what we do, or say, or even how we live our lives.

Rather, it is completely reliant upon the work of Jesus through His death and resurrection. It’s what Jesus accomplished and not based on us.

Unpacking Galatians 1:1-10

Paul opens the letter as he does in most of his letters by identifying himself in verses 1-2:

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 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—2 and all the brothers who are with me:

To the churches of Galatia.

Although different from how we would begin a letter, or an email, and especially a text message - how Paul begins the letter was a typical opening in ancient letters - beginning with the writer’s name followed by who the letter is addressed to and a basic greeting.

By doing this, Paul is does a couple things:

#1 - The first thing Paul does is distinguish himself as an APOSTLE, not a disciple.

Disciples and Apostles - while we might sometimes see them as synonyms and in the same light - in the ancient world, carried different meanings and significance.

A disciple was a learner and a student of a specific teacher. In ancient Jewish culture, this typically was someone who followed a rabbi - or religious teacher - someone whose primary purpose was to learn from and absorb the teaching of another.

The most common example of a disciple is found in the gospel accounts and the 12 men that Jesus called to be his followers - guys like Peter, James the son of Zebedee, John, Matthew, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon, Thomas, Thaddeus, and Judas

An apostle on the other hand was someone who had been sent by or from a particular authoritative person and who then carried that person’s authority with them.

In the ancient world, an apostle was an emissary or a messenger who had been confirmed by an authority or a ruler, such as a king, and was authorized to speak in the name of that authority. Meaning that the apostle carried the authority of the one who sent them.

In the OT, instead of apostles, there were prophets. People like Isaiah and Jeremiah who spoke on behalf of God in speaking about what was to come (a word of warning) or in what to look for in the coming Messiah.

Jesus was the ultimate apostle who was ordained by God the Father and sent into the world by the Father’s authority to fulfill a mission. And the authority given to Jesus by the Father was then transferred by Him to a small group of people who spoke with the authority of Christ who in turn spoke with the authority of God.

Today, we see this in how ambassadors function. An ambassador will go to a different country and interact with the officials of that country on behalf of their own country. In the US, the role of the Secretary of State is to interact with officials - presidents, kings, prime ministers - on behalf of the President.

Apostleship was held in high regard and wasn’t something people claimed just because. The position held weight and meaning, so by identifying himself as an apostle sent by Jesus, Paul was claiming divine authority with the ability to impose duties and obligations on anyone who heard his voice.

Paul wastes no time in using his authority as an apostle of Jesus Christ to respond and call out the heresy and manipulation of the gospel that had come up throughout the churches in Galatia.

#2 - The second thing Paul does is reiterate who it was that sent him.

Scholars point out that Paul wrote this letter not long after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension to Heaven. Meaning that Paul’s own conversion is still new and he more than likely still faced hesitation and uncertainty about if he was who he said he was.

In saying - “not from men or by man” Paul is telling the Galatians - ‘I didn’t get my call from Peter, James, and John…nor did it come from Ananias or anyone else in the church community. The source of my (Paul) authority is not from the other apostles or man, rather its from Jesus Christ and God the Father.

It was no small thing for someone - especially Paul - to claim apostleship. Unlike the other apostles at the time, Paul was not a disciple during the earthly ministry of Jesus, nor did he know Jesus personally when Jesus was alive, nor was Paul an eyewitness of the resurrection. The “qualifications” for apostleship, if you will; didn’t apply to Paul. He didn’t measure up.

However Paul’s apostleship is legit because Jesus appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus and directly called to him and then later affirmed by the apostles.

All of which Paul is reiterating and reminding the Galatians of why he is coming with a message and why it’s important to listen to - it’s because he comes as a chosen and called messenger of Jesus Christ and God the Father.

Paul continues on by emphasizing that the Gospel is based on who Jesus is and what He accomplished through His death and resurrection in verses 3-5:

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 1

3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father. 5 To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

After Paul identifies himself and reminds the Galatians that he is writing and speaking to them on the authority of God the Father, he offers a blessing to the Galatians.

What’s unusual though is that typically after Paul gives the personal greetings and blessing, he usually will go on to say something along the lines of ‘I’m pleased to hear of the ministry that’s going on in the world and I’m praying for you.

In Romans 1:8-15, 1 Corinthians 1:4-9, Philippians 1:3-11, and Colossians 1:3-14, Paul offers each group of people a prayer of thanksgiving for them and their partnership in the work of the gospel.

However, it’s Paul’s tone here in Galatians that scholars suggest is not one of thanksgiving, but rather is stern and frustrated. Basically suggesting that Paul’s letter is not a “hi-5, you’re doing great, let’s take it another step further in the journey of following Christ” kind of letter - it was a corrective and we need to handle some business and make some adjustments kind of letter.

Bible scholar, RC Sproul suggests that by not offering the typical prayer of thanksgiving and metaphorical pat on the back to the Galatians, Paul is conveying his displeasure over the reports he is getting that the followers of Jesus in Galatia are entertaining the false ‘gospel’ of those pushing the belief that in order to be made righteous, you had to believe in Jesus and keep the traditional laws and ceremonies.

Paul was not happy that the Galatians had forgotten the truth of the gospel that Jesus is enough - a truth Paul reminded them of in his inclusion of the statement - who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.

Yet, at the same time, even though Paul is upset with the state of the church in Galatia and the distorted gospel that was being spread among the churches in Galatia, Paul still wrote and cared for the churches in Galatia as a pastor would - especially one who began the church and was the one who brought the good news of the gospel to the people of Galatia with a love and desire to see them restored and reconciled into a right relationship with God.

Which is what we see in Paul saying - Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

This was not transitional and a way to move into the purpose of the letter.

The words grace and peace were a carefully chosen way of greeting for those who were beloved in the Savior.

The first word - grace - was intentional in that God’s grace was the very thing being undermined by those distorting the true gospel of Jesus Christ.

And in Paul’s inclusion of the word peace he establishes the point that the reason we need the gospel and that we need reconciliation is that by nature we are at odds with God. When we are justified by faith - that we are saved by grace - we are made right with God and can experience His peace.

From the outset, Paul is reminding and reaffirming the gospel that he had proclaimed to them - the Galatian church - the gospel of a redeeming Savior who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age according to the will of our God and Father; is the One True Gospel

And all other ‘gospels’ and mindsets of how to be made right with God are only meant to distract and keep us from the truth that Jesus is enough and there is no need to adjust or customize Jesus.

And to make sure we don’t miss the point, Paul puts the exclamation mark on it by saying - to him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. Making the point that at no point in time will the glory of God cease.

Paul shifts gears in verses 6-9 and addresses his concern over the revision of the gospel taking place throughout the church in Galatia. Beginning in verse 6, Paul says:

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 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—7 not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are troubling you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 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! 9 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!

The gospel of grace, while simple and seemingly too good to be true, is powerful and transformative. In his letter to the Ephesian church, Paul speaks to the significance by saying:

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 2

8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—9 not from works, so that no one can boast.

Its this truth that followers of Jesus in Galatia are turning away from due to the Galatian church leaders are perverting and changing. Paul’s amazement was that the Galatians had “changed positions” and turned away from the means of acceptance with God and the role Christ played in that acceptance.

People were turning away from and deserting the understanding and truth of God’s grace and the work of Christ on the Cross and its sufficiency in making us right with God. Instead, they were turning a works based righteousness that said it was good to believe in Jesus, but in order to ensure one’s righteousness you need to also follow the Mosaic law.

And its this change to the gospel that Paul calls out as a distortion and perversion ultimately making it no gospel at all. The word in the original Greek here is the same word for ‘reversing’ pointing out that Paul is calling them out for ‘reversing’ the gospel.

Tim Keller points out that this is significant and important to note saying that at the heart of what Paul is accusing the Galatians of here is that by adding anything to Christ as a requirement for acceptance with God - saying that in order to be saved, I need the grace of Christ plus something else completely reverses the ‘order’ of the gospel and makes it null and void.

This is why Paul says in verse 6 that the false teachers are producing ‘a different gospel’ which he then clarifies as ‘really no gospel at all.’

Paul’s comments here are direct and clear, Paul is saying that another gospel is not another gospel, it is no gospel. To change or to customize the gospel even in slightest is to lose it so completely that the new teaching as the right to be called a ‘gospel.’

Martin Luther, the 6th century reformer sums this up by saying:

There is no middle ground between Christian righteousness and works-righteousness. There is no alternative to Christian righteousness but works righteousness; if you do not build your confidence on the work of Christ you must build your confidence on your own work.

Paul doesn’t just go in with the Galatians about the changing and distorting of the gospel message. He goes one step further and tells them that doing what they are doing will bring about a a curse, or as some translations say - condemnation.

Meaning that by adding or altering the gospel message of God’s grace not only results in losing sight of why God’s grace matters so much, but it has the potentially to negatively influence and lead ourselves and others away from eternity with Christ.

The point of what Paul All of this said, Paul is calling out the followers of Jesus in Galatia saying that they have completely lost sight of the truth of the good news of the gospel of Jesus. Instead, they were allowing a distorted, legalistic message that ultimately eliminated any need to surrender and rely fully on Jesus for salvation and true freedom that can only come from Jesus.

Conclusion

As we will see throughout the entirety of Paul’s letter to the Galatian church, his desire was not to bash them and belittle them or diminish the journey they were all on.

Paul wrote with the heart of pastor whose desire was for the followers of Jesus in Galatia - people that he had a connection to because he was the one who introduced them to Jesus in the first place - to recognize how far they had veered from the truth of the gospel and ultimately turn back to Christ and freedom that only Jesus had to offer them.

Paul wrote to the Galatian people to remind them of the truth that there is one true gospel; it comes from God the Father, is centered on the work of Jesus and empowered by grace.

God’s grace saves - not because we deserve it or did anything to earn it - but is freeing given to all who believe because of what Jesus did on the Cross.

God’s grace has the power to transform lives and ultimately glorifies God.

Final Word/Takeaway

We live in a world that is constantly changing and full of customization. And as hard as change can be, there is a lot of good that comes out of change. Without change and adjustments and being able to lean into customization, we wouldn’t be where we are as a society or as humankind.

Of all the change and adjustments throughout history, we can be confident that the most important thing ever - the good news of the gospel truth that because of who Jesus is and what He did for us through His death and resurrection, we have been saved and forgiven out of God’s love and grace for us - has never and will never change.

We know with full confidence and hope that no matter what is happening and changing around us - Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever and ever.

So then, what are we to do with what Paul says in the opening of his letter to the Galatian church?

First and foremost - RECEIVE the truth and hope of the gospel. Friends, we are saved not because of anything we’ve done or will ever do but completely because of what Jesus did for us. So the encouragement for us is to first receive the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The second thing for us to do is RESPOND to the message of God’s grace. Say yes to Jesus and the gift of God’s grace. Embrace the freedom of the truth and hope of the gospel.

Lastly, Friends we need to PROCLAIM IT: Live out the message and hope of the gospel in what we say and how we live. Share it with others - not out of convenience but because it truly is good news.

Let’s Pray

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