What is Your Story

Intro

- Eliana telling her friends about riding an ostrich

- We might think that Paul would jump right into telling the Galatians where they went wrong, or to get back to the truth of the genuine gospel, but he instead launches into a lengthy autobiography.

o Why?- not to boast, not for his own popularity, but to defend the authority of his message

o In the first section he defended the authority of his Apostleship, but what would stop the Jewish teachers from saying, “Paul’s gospel is incomplete, perhaps he didn’t get it all from the other apostles. What we have is authentic.”

- Paul’s story was meant to prove the authenticity and authority of the Gospel that he preached

o Paul lays out his main premise- vv. 11-12

o Recipe illustration- you want the original

- Like Paul, we each have a story- different from Paul’s, but in many ways similar.

- This morning I want us to see how Paul’s story affirms the gospel message, but I also want us to see how his story shows us the importance of our own story

- Read Galatians 1:11-24

The Former Life- before Christ (13-14)

A. Paul was firmly rooted in Judaism

1. Advanced beyond his contemporaries

2. Zealous for the traditions of his ancestors

B. Paul Intensely persecuted the church

1. The word used means a persistent and continual intent to harm

2. Traveled far to crush the influence of the early church

3. Paul was telling them, “Look, I know where this leads!”

C. Before Christ, we were lost without hope

1. Eph. 2:1 “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins”

2. Romans 3:11 “no one seeks after God”

The Transformed Life- conversion

A. Paul’s transformation was a complete work of God

1. No human could have convinced him- he was set in his ways

a. John Stott “Now a man in that mental and emotional state is in no mood to change his mind, or even to have it changed for him by men... Only God could reach him - and God did!”

b. This went completely against everything that he believed and had built his life on

c. Social media illustration

2. Revelation (v. 12) Paul had knowledge, but not belief

a. He knew all the facts, he knew the scripture, he knew about Jesus, he knew what the Christians believed

B. Paul’s encounter with Jesus

1. God “was pleased to reveal his Son to me”

C. Paul was set apart before he was born

1. Just like the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah, or kind David, Paul was set apart

2. Although his former way of life was lived in opposition to God, it was all part of God’s sovereign plan

D. We are saved by a supernatural work of God

1. Eph. 1:4-5 “For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him., 5 He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will”

2. Titus 3:5 “he saved us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy—through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”

3. Our pride doesn’t like the idea that the only remedy for our sin is God’s grace and mercy. We want to have a part in it- this is one of the reason’s that so many are drawn into legalism

4. Don’t give up on people who seem “too far to reach”

The Purpose Driven Life- “So That”- called

A. Paul was called to ministry by the grace of God (15)

1. Acts 26:16- “For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness of what you have seen and will see of me.”

B. Paul was called to preach the gospel to the Gentiles (16)

1. Acts 26- I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

C. We have all been called to witness and to serve

1. Called to witness

a. Acts 1:8- But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

2. Called to serve

a. “God does not call any person to salvation whom he does not also call to service.” MacArthur

b. He equips us

(1) Heb. 13:21- “Now may the God of peace… equip you with everything good to do his will, working in us what is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.,Amen.”

Alone- in survival, having the right tools makes all the difference- God does not send us out without the proper tools- we have everything we need

c. Gifting for the purpose

(1) 1 Peter 4:10 “Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God.”

Conclusion

- Paul’s story centered around Christ

o What defines Paul's life is his encounter with Christ- not his past, not his future accomplishments, not his nationality, not even the teachings he left behind- only Christ

o Before he met Christ, everything centered around the law and his traditions

§ His identity was found in what he did, how he kept the law

§ Now his identity was in Christ

- His purpose in telling his story was to verify the authenticity of the Gospel message

o We can know that the Gospel we believe and share with others is authentic, it’s not from man but God himself

§ His ministry was verified by Peter (2 Peter 3:15-16)- Also, regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our dear brother Paul has written to you according to the wisdom given to him. 16 He speaks about these things in all his letters. There are some things hard to understand in them. The untaught and unstable will twist them to their own destruction, as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures.

§ His ministry was verified by other believers (vv. 23-24)

- He also told his story to point others to Christ

o So What #1- Do our stories point others to Christ?

- IVP “We might do well to learn from Paul that the best way to challenge others to live for Christ is by our own example

- We know it can do the opposite-

· A self-centered life story can easily point others away from Christ

- So What #2- can you clearly communicate your story?

o We may not be able to preach, you might even have a hard time leading someone through a gospel tract, but we can all tell people our story- what God has done in your life and how he can change theirs

- So What #3- are you fulfilling your calling?

o God has saved you and called you for a specific purpose- are you reaching and serving others?