A Galatian Greeting

Opening Comments:

Please meet me in your copy of God’s Word in the New Testament book of Galatians where we will take our text from 1:1-5. While you’re making you way there, allow me to borrow your mind for a minute and ask you a question.

Have you ever been in a situation where you have been intimidated by someone who had more “credentials” than you? Perhaps on the job where they guy next to you was better educated or more experienced.

That is something I have always struggled with in ministry is being around other pastors who are more credentials than me. Perhaps they have higher degrees than I do, or they went to “better” schools than I did. I’ve found myself, in those situations, feeling like I just don’t measure up.

Have you ever felt that way?

If you have, rest assured you are not alone.

As we read the text this morning, you can almost see that Paul was feeling the exact same way.

Let’s read the text together. This is the Word of the Lord.

Galatians 1:1–5 NKJV

1 Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), 2 and all the brethren 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, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Introduction:

Paul’s greeting that opens Galatians is a little different and more forceful than his other writings.

You can feel that he was writing under pressure that was intense.

False teachers and very outspoken critics had come behind Paul and were wreaking havoc in the Galatian churches he had labored to plant.

Some of the critics of Paul in Galatia (the Judaizers) were attacking Paul’s credentials. He hadn’t been a part of the original 12, he was not from the Jerusalem church, he was an “upstart”. Who told him he was an apostle anyway.

In our text this morning, Paul comes out of the gate swinging and abruptly defends his calling, shares his desire for believers, and then he lays out a directive that defines his ministry that he will expound on for the rest of the book.

Let’s dive into the text together.

1.) Paul’s Defense. (v.1-2)

Paul’s detractors in Galatia were questioning his call and ministry. They spread doubt that he had a true calling from God and lacked true authority for his teaching.

They were dead set on destroying Paul because of his past as a persecutor of the church, because he wasn’t trained by the other apostles at jerusalem, he wasn’t sent out from Jerusalem, he didn”t abide by their religious forms and customs, and he preached a gospel devoid of works.

Pauls answers his critics immediately. He doesn’t argue with his critics, he simple declares that:

A.) His calling and commission came from God alone. (v.1)

He says his calling was not by or through men. No man had qualified him for ministry. He was called, trained and commissioned by Christ and the Father. Which meant Paul had the highest calling and training imaginable.

Paul is letting it be known that He served the same Lord as the original apostles and if they were true apostles, then so too was he.

The call to ministry comes from God alone and those who desire to serve him in a ministerial capacity should examine their call to be sure it comes from God. Because the ministry is not:

A profession you chose.

A job to earn a living.

A position to garner recognition.

It is a calling from and for God. God alone gives a true calling and commission to Gospel ministry.

All of the brethren who were with Paul were not just sending along their greetings, they were agreeing with Paul had written.

They clearly recognized the authenticity of Paul’s calling and were also coming to his defense.

Just as you can judge a tree by its fruit, so to can you spot any man who claims to represent God. Paul’s relationship with the Lord was recognized by other believers because of the fruit he bore. There is no greater way to be recognized as God’s servant than to faithfully proclaim the gospel in power and authority.

Notice, these were true “brothers”. They were true friends who came to their brother’s defense, the kind who come to their friends aid when he is criticized and attacked for no reason.

John 15:13 NKJV

13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

2.) Paul’s Desire. (v.3)

Paul’s singular desire for the Galatian churches was that they would experience the grace and peace from God and the Lord Jesus that the true Gospel brings.

The false Gospel of the Judaizers did not bring grace and peace but the burden of the law and worry they were living up to the right standards.

A.) The Gospel of Grace.

Grace- The undeserved favor and blessings of God.

The word “undeserved” is the key to understanding what grace truly is.

We do not deserve God’s favor and we cannot earn God’s approval and blessing no matter how hard we try.

God is far too high and man is far too low to deserve anything from God.

God is perfect; we are imperfect and as such, we should not ever expect anything from Him.

Because of our sinful nature and rejection of God, we deserve nothing but punishment, condemnation and judgement.

But God, in His grace makes it possible for us to experience his love and blessing provided through his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 3:24 NKJV

24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

B.) The Gospel of Peace.

Peace- To be bound, joined, and weaved together with God and with everyone else.

To be assured, confident and secure in the love and care of God.

A person can only experience true peace when he comes into a saving relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Only Christ can bring true peace to the human heart and true deliverance and assurance to the human soul.

John 14:27 NKJV

27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Paul, truly wanted the people in the churches of Galatia, including his critics to experience the kind grace and peace that only a belief in the true Gospel can bring.

From Paul’s declaration of the Gospel of Grace and Peace we learn two things:

Just as Paul proclaimed the message of Grace and Peace from/with God; so too must we as we move through life.

We must be on guard that we do not let the false Gospel of legalism convince us that earning grace and peace with God is dependent on something we do. As believers , we live from God’s grace and peace and not for Grace and Peace.

3.) Paul’s Directive. (v.4-5)

In these two verses Paul gives us his only directive that guided his ministry and that is the declaration of the Gospel of the the Lord Jesus Christ. Which he gives here in a clear and concise form.

The true Gospel proclaims the message that

A. Christ “gave Himself for our sins.”

Christ died in our place as our substitute. He took our place before God.

“For”- instead of/ or on behalf of.

In other words, Christ sacrificed himself as a sin-offering for us. He stood in our place, on our behalf, as our substitute before God.

He bore in his body all of the wrath, judgement and condemnation from God for us.

B. Jesus died in order to “deliver us from this present evil age.”

We live in a world and in a time that is abundantly sinful and corrupt.

Christ died so that all those who trust in Him would one day be delivered from this sinful world.

But, even now, he has delivered you from the power of this world. We have passed from death unto life. Thats not just a future promise but a today reality.

C. Christ death was “according to the will of our God and Father.”

This is an amazing truth. Christ died according to the will of the Father.

God loves mankind so much, he willed for Christ to die for sinners in order that we may be saved. The death of Christ makes it possible for us to become the sons and daughters of God.

Romans 5:8 NKJV

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

D. Christ death resulted in bringing glory to God.

Paul bursts into a moment of praise in v.5 for the glorious gift of salvation through Christ alone.

We should continually praise God for the gift of the gospel.

Have you ever taken time from your day to fix your attention upon the work of Christ on the cross?

Praise the Lord that Christ stood in your sins so that you didn't have to stand in God’s judgement.

Closing:

The Apostle Paul lived a life of conviction. A conviction for the true Gospel of Christ. The Gospel of grace and peace.

He lived his life defending, declaring, and desiring for others to experience all that comes through Christ.

Is your life guided by the gospel, like Paul’s was?

Have you believed in the Gospel?