Introduction to Galatians

Intro to Galatians – Acts 13-14 Various Scriptures

1)   Turn to Acts 13

2)   Prayer

3)   Introduction of New Book

a)     New Book

i)        Today we begin to study a new book together

(1)   No, it is not the book of Acts, rather it is the book of Galatians

(a)    Why in the world then did I have you turn to the book of Acts then?

b)    Reason - To the Churches of Galatia

i)        The Reason is this

(1)   Unlike the other epistles of Paul, this letter was not written to a church in one particular city or to one particular person

(a)    Galatians 1:2b to the churches of Galatia

(i)     You see Galatia was not a city, it was a region

1.      It was the region known today as Turkey

2.      There were a number of churches in this region that Paul had planted and ministered to in his missionary journeys

4)   Paul’s First Missionary Journey

a)      Perhaps you might remember from your reading and study of the book of acts that Paul’s first visit to the region of Galatia

i)        The Largest portion of Paul’s first missionary journey took place in the region of Galatia

(1)   You can find the history of Paul’s time in Galatia during this journey in Acts 13 and 14

(a)    The cities that are specifically mentioned there are

(i)     Antioch of Pisidia

(ii)   Iconium

(iii) Lystra

(iv) Derbe

5)   Reason for the visit

a)      As you walk with Christ you will find that sometimes God uses circumstances in our lives for many different reasons

i)        It appears that God used a an illness of some sort in  Paul’s life to bring him to the region of Galatia the first time

(1)   Galatians 4:13 You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first.

(a)    From looking at this text It appears that Paul had not intended to visit the cities of Galatia on his first missionary Journey

(i)     Perhaps he had planned to go further north to ephesus or west to corinth and athens, we do not know what his original plan was, but it appears that physical infirmity changed his plans

b)    No Mention in Acts

i)        The book of Acts does not mention anything about this infirmity but what most commentators have come to think happened is that when Paul left the island of crete he visited low costal area of Pamphila.

(1)   Acts 13:13-14

(a)    As I have said, Luke the writer of Acts, does not mention sickness here

(i)     But we do know that sickness happened prior to Paul’s visit to the region of Galatia which happens begins in verse 14

(2)   The most common thought is that perhaps there in the mosquito laden swamp lands he contracted Malaria

(a)    And due to this illness he decided to go to higher ground to the region of Galatia where it would be easier to deal with his infirmity because of the climate condtions in that region Illness

(i)     Malaria – According to the CDC

1.      Severe Malaria Can Cause –

a.      Cerebral malaria, with abnormal behavior, impairment of consciousness, seizures, coma, or other neurologic abnormalities

2.      Some Manifestations of Malaria:

a.     Neurologic defects may occasionally persist following cerebral malaria, especially in children. Such defects include troubles with movements (ataxia), palsies, speech difficulties, deafness, and blindness.

A Few Clues on Next Page

c)     A Few Clues

i)        Galatians 4:14 And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

(1)   There was obviously something involved with his sickness that would normally cause him to be despised or rejected

(a)    Physical disfigurement or perhaps as we saw, some of the results of Malaria can be seizures and severe sweating

(i)     combine these symptoms with the common myths of the day that disease was often a divine curse upon people that had done wrong and it would not be surprising to see people despising and rejecting Paul

1.      But Paul makes it clear, that even though there was sufficient reason to despise his infirmity, they did not, rather they received him

d)    Vision Effected

i)        As we saw one of the possible results of Malaria is blindness

(1)   It appears that whatever the infirmity Paul it effected his eyes to where his vision was very, very bad

(2)   This might explain the statement that the Paul makes in Galatians 4:15

(a)     Galatians 4:15 what then was the blessing you enjoyed? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me.

(i)     That shows me that the Galatian christians had a deep love for Paul, imagine how much you would have to care about someone to be willing to pluck your own eyes out and give them to someone else

ii)      Partial blindness would also explain a statement made in the end of Galatians

(1)   Galatians 6:11 See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand!

(a)    It appears that this is the only epistle that Paul actually wrote by hand

(i)     We saw in our study in Romans 16 last week that Paul would use scribes to pen his words for him

1.      probably because his lack of vision made it difficult to write

a.       Therefore the letters would be large so that he could see what he was writing.

e)     Lifelong Effects

i)        It was a strong possibility that at this time and this illness that Paul received what he called a thorn in the flesh

(1)   2 Corinthians 12:7-9

(a)    Not only did God uses Paul’s infirmity to direct him to minister to these cities in Galatia, but he also used it as a way to bring glory to himself

(i)     God was glorified by showing his strength in the midst of Paul’s weakness

1.      Not to mention that people can sometimes fall into the trap of idolizing their spiritual leaders.

a.       With this consistant and constant infirmity, people would see recognize the strength of God in Paul’s life rather than giving glory to Paul.

6)   Transition to Acts

a)      So it appears that an infirmity is the thing that really directed Paul to go to the region of Galatia

i)        But the people, out of character of what you would normally expect, received and cared greatly for Paul through it

(1)   And in the midst of this physical trial, Paul was used to minister effectively the Gospel of Christ

(a)    But it was not by any means easy, without even taking into consideration the physical trials, we can see in Acts 13-14 that there were many other trials that Paul endured in his visit to Galatia

b)      So let’s talk a little bit about Paul’s time in Galatia

7)   Antioch of Pisidia – Turning to the Gentiles

a)     Two Cities Called Antioch

i)        The first place that Paul came in the region of Galatia was a City called Antioch

(1)   To keep from any confusion, there are two different cities called Antioch in the book of Acts

(a)    The first Antioch Mentioned is in the Northern part of the region of Syria

(i)     This was the city where believers in Christ were first called Christians

(b)   The Second Antioch is Antioch of Pisidia, in the region of Galatia

b)    Visiting the Synagogue

i)        When Paul came to Antioch of Pisidia they went to they synagogue on the Sabbath day

(1)   The rulers of the Synagogue gave Paul an opportunity to share with the congregation and he did so

(a)    He preached a brief recap of the history of Israel and then proceeded to preach Jesus as the promised messiah, the Savior

c)     The Gentiles Response

i)        The gentiles that heard Paul’s presentation begged him to preach it again the next Sabbath

(1)   So the next Sabbath almost all of the city came together to hear what Paul had to say

(a)    But the Jews saw all of these Gentiles coming to hear the good news

(i)     Their reaction is recorded in Acts 13:45

1.      Acts 13:45-46

(b)   The Jews did not care for the Gentiles one bit, they despised anyone that was not a Jew

(i)     So when they saw this huge gathering of Gentiles, coming to hear the good news of the Gospel it was an offense to them, and they began to oppose Paul

1.      So Paul declared to them that he would then turn to the gentiles of that city and when the gentiles heard this they rejoiced and many of them got saved

d)    Jews and Authorities

i)        The Jews were outraged and they went to men and women in the city that had power and authority and convinced them to expel them from the region and they did so

(1)   So Paul and Barnabas went to another city in the region of Galatia, called Iconium

Now to Iconium

8)   Iconium - Jewish Persecution

a)     Synagogue First

i)        As was his normal practice the first place that Paul went when he went to Iconium was the synagogue to preach Christ to the Jews

(1)   When he did so in Iconium many Jews and Greeks believed

b)    Unbelieving Jews – Poisoning Minds

i)        But then the Jews that did not believe stirred up some problems

(1)   Acts 14:2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren.

(a)    The Jews poisoned the minds of the gentiles

(2)   Poisoned means: To Embitter,  to put one into a bad mood against another

ii)      Paul and Barnabas stayed in Iconium a long time preaching and working signs and wonders that confirmed the message they were preaching, but even with signs and wonders many did not believe

c)     A City Divided

i)        The city was divided part following the Jews who were poisoning their minds and part following the teaching of Paul as he shared with them the gospel of Grace

(1)   Matthew 10:34-36 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’

(a)    Jesus made it clear that there would be divison, even among family members because some would believe and others would not

(i)     We see here a perfect example of the division that happens because of Christ here in Iconium

1.      A whole city was divided over the teaching of Christ

d)    A Violent Attempt

i)        Then the unbelieving Jews, with the Unbelieving Gentiles tried together to overtake Paul and Barnabas with Violence

(1)   They plotted to abuse and stone them

(a)    But when Paul and Barnabas became aware of their plot they left town and fled to Lystra

On to Lystra

9)   Lystra – Thought Paul and Barnabas were Gods

a)     Healing a Man

i)        When Paul and Barnabas came to the city of Lystra they came across a man that had crippled from the day of his birth

(1)   Miraculously Paul was used to heal this man, he stood, and leaped and walked

b)    People Amazed – Call them Zeus and Hermes

i)        The people were amazed, this man had never walked in his entire life

(1)   And then these two guys show up and this man is miraculously healed

(a)    So what do the people do?

(b)   They automatically assume that the gods had come in the likeness of men to visit them

(i)     Acts 14:12 And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.

c)     Priest of Zeus

i)        Now if the gods come and visit you in the likeness of men there is only one thing to do right?

(1)   Offer them a sacrifice

(a)    So the priest of Zeus came with an oxen that was going to be sacrificed to Paul and Barnabas

d)    Paul and Barnabas’s Reaction

i)        But when Paul and Barnabas realized what was going on they were grieved

(1)   They tore their clothes and ran to the multitudes

(a)    With all of their power they tried to convince them that they were only men, not gods

(i)     That they were no different than any of them

1.      but that they worshiped the true and living God

(2)   But even with these sayings, they barely kept the multitudes from sacrificing to them

e)     Jews from Antioch and Iconium

i)        Then we find that that Jews from Antioch and Iconium were not finished persecuting Paul, Barnabas and the message of Jesus Christ

(1)   Acts 14:19-20

(a)  Paul reminds me of the old Timex Slogan

(i)     He takes a licking and keeps on ticking

(2)   I am amazed, Paul was just stoned to the point of being at the edge of death and then when he revives, he gets up and goes right back into the same city in which they had just stoned him

(a)    Maybe he got hit a little too hard by some of the stones

(i)     I don’t know, but I am impressed that he did not just go straight to Derbe, but actually went back to Iconium First

To Derbe and Back again

10)          Derbe – and Post Derbe

a)      We do not have a detailed account of Paul’s time in Derbe

i)        What we are told in the Acts 14:21a he preached the Gospel to that city and made many disciples

(1)   Many came to believe in Jesus in the time Paul was there preaching the Gospel

(a)    He either did not have any major opposition, or else for some reason the opposition was not reported by Luke

b)      After Paul’s time in Derbe he and Barnabas made their way back the way that they had came

i)      Acts 14:21-23

(1)   They made sure that they had appointed elders to oversee these new churches and then they made their way back to Antioch

11)          Transition - Quite a Journey

a)     Received and opposed

i)        So this is what it was like for Paul to visit the region of Galatia

(1)   These are the things that we know about how well the Gospel was received as well as how strongly the Gospel was opposed in this region

12)          Jewish Opposition

a)      As we saw in Paul’s time in Galatia, there was strong opposition primarily coming from and starting with the Jews of that area

b)    Antioch – Governing Authorities

i)        In Antioch they turned to the authorities, those that were in government type positions in an attempt to force Paul and Barnabas from Preaching the truth

(1)   Much like today, we have those that have used the government to remove the bible, the 10 commandments and prayer from our schools and many of our public functions 

c)     Iconium – Marriage of unlikely partners

i)        In Iconium I find it interesting that the Jews actually united with the Gentiles in opposing the Gospel

(1)   The Jews despised the gentiles, but their greater distain for the gospel united these unlikely partners to oppose Paul and Barnabas

d)    Lystra – Fickle like Jerusalem

i)        In Lystra they were so fickle that they went from wanting to worship Paul and Barnabas one day, to allowing the Jews to influence them to try to kill them not long after that

(1)   This reminds me much of what happened to Jesus

(a)    He enters Jerusalem and they are throwing down their garments and palm branches before Him declaring hosanna, hosanna

(i)     Desiring to make him kin

1.      A couple of days later the Jews influence the multitudes to cry out crucify Him, Crucify Him.

Did not stop the Gospel

13)          Did not stop the Gospel

a)      There was strong outward opposition to the Gospel

i)        Stirring up the Governing authorities

ii)      Stirring up the Multitudes of unbeliever

iii)    Attacking and nearly killing Paul

b)      But this persecution did not work

i)        It did not stop the message from saving many Jews and Gentile alike

(1)   There were churches formed and started and the gospel was reaching people and changing their lives

(a)    Persecution was not effective in stopping the spread of the Gospel

14)          Cant Stop it, try to distort it

a)      Ultimately the one responsible for the opposition to the gospel was not the Jews

i)        Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

(1)   The real opposition was coming from satan and his cohorts

(a)    When satan saw that this outward persecution was not stopping the church in Galatia, he began to use a different tactic

(i)     A tactic that can be much more destructive, a tactic that has continued through out the ages and has had long lasting effects upon the church

1.      that tactic is false teaching

15)          Judiazers

a)      The new tactic was not the outward attack from the Jews, but an inward attack from what were called Judiazers

i)        These were people that had come out of Judaism and were in the Christian church

(1)   But they were teaching a works related Gospel

(a)    They were teaching that a Gentile could not simply repent of their sins, turn to Jesus Christ and be forgiven

(b)   No, rather, they had to first become a Jew, be circumcised, believe in Jesus and keep the Old testament laws, feasts and festivals

(i)     They were teaching a false gospel, a works related salvation

1.      they were adding to the grace of God, by saying you need Jesus yes, but you have to do these things as well to be saved

16)          Paul’s reaction

a)      Paul’s reaction when he heard about this was to pick up a pen and paper and write a passionate and fervent plea for the churches of Galatia to abandon this false teaching and to warn them of the eternal dangers of this false teaching

i)      Galatians 1:6-7

(1)   Paul’s tells them strongly that there is no other gospel, that there is no other message that can save

(a)    It is grace, through faith in Jesus Christ alone that can save a lost sinner

ii)      Paul knew the horrifying danger, and strongly warned against it

(1)   We saw last week the warning that Paul had for the elders of Ephesus

(a)    It is appropriate to look at that text again one more time this week

(i)     Acts 20:28-30

b)      Savage wolves had come into the congregations of the Galatians Churches

i)        They were deceiving people with a false Gospel and Paul deals with that false teaching in the epistle that we will be studying together every week for the next few months

17)          Worship team and Prayer