A Divine Message: Revelation of Grace
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Me:
I have been thinking of the power of testimony recently.
On FB I learned one of my friends from seminary came to faith while in jail.
I have a testimony of turning from reason to faith.
And I know many in this church have powerful testimonies of being brought to faith
We:
For all us, each testimony is powerful, even if it is not dramatic.
Some it is being pulled out of sin
Some were from a false faith to this authentic one
Some are a story of consistency from a child to adult.
God has revealed His Grace to us and now through us.
There are many amazing testimonies of faith in Scripture, but one of the most powerful arguably is that of Paul
God:
Pray: Now may the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be p[leasing in your sight, O Lord our Rock and our Redeemer.
Pauls testimony is known fairly well by most, but this is the clearest place it is given.
Each of our testimonies like Pauls is based on a divine message. Each of our Testimonies is a revealing of God’s grace.
We will be look at this passage as we break it down.
11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. 12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, 16 was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother. 20 (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) 21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they glorified God because of me.
Paul here is giving his testimony to the Galatians.
There are a few parts to this that we will look at over the next several services.
This along with Acts is what gives us some of the most information on who Paul was. We learn other bits and pieces in other Epistles, but this is the biggest section.
In this Paul is trying to remind and inform the Galatians of his background and how he developed into the Apostle they know, along with how he came to know the other Apostles.
Part of the issues going on here are questioning the authority and validity of Pauls message.
11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. 12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
Not a message of man, but from Christ (v11-12)
This is one of the most important aspects of the gospel message we carry. It was given to us through the Apostles, but it is not from them, it is from God.
There are others that came and said it was a message of their own. We will see over time that they wanted to return to the law and that Paul was trying to lead them astray.
Paul is refuting this saying that this is a revelation of Grace from Christ.
We could not imagine a story like this on our own but through the grace of God.
13 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, 16 was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
Your past is forgiven (v13-17)
Our previous life is not a waste
God prepares us through our life
Paul went to be developed and learn the full truth of God
He is developed and used through Gods grace.
Seminary?
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother.
Met and Accepted by Apostles (v18-19)
Cephas is another name of Peter.
So here he is saying that Paul went and visited with Peter for 15 days.
He is saying at this visit he only saw Peter and James. (Points to who THE James is)
So he is telling them after being called by Christ he separated himself for a time and eventually came to be with the Jerusalem.
20 (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) 21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”
Becoming known in person (v20-23)
As more learned who he was they began to ask about his past.
He is testifying to these individual that he is being truthful
Benjamin Keech’s son
24 And they glorified God because of me.
Overcoming past sins (v24)
Revelation of God
We are told that they glorified God because of him.
They were celebrating and worshiping God because He saved Paul.
We celebrate this because of how God used him in the furthering of the church and the revelation given through him, but this is also how we should respond when someone like this comes to faith.
Sometimes we may question someones conversion.
But we should also celebrate.
We must always celebrate the conversion of people, especially something as wondrous as this. It isn't just someone who pushed against the gospel, but Paul actively persecuted the church and had a hand in killing many Christians.
You:
In this we see how God revealed his grace in an through Paul
God prepared Paul
God called Paul
God sent Paul
In all parts of our lives God shows his grace through us, even if we wont see it until after the fact.
We:
God preparing me, Dr. Hedges, God doesn't waste anything
We see this throughout Scripture and history. Those major names in the history of the church were only able to do what they did because of God revealing his grace through them.
Augustine
Reformers
Spurgeon
God prepared them, his called them, and he sent them.
Let us be reminded in this passage of the power of our testimony, and that it is written by God. As God prepared Paul to be an Apostle among the gentiles he has called you to a specific mission. We are a revelation of God’s grace.