In Jesus Holy Name January 8, 2023
Text: Galatians Series Galatians 1:1-5 Redeemer
“Galatians: Fighting For the Gospel”
My wife, Colleen, volunteers at the Mercy Hospital Cancer Center in Merced. She greets people, helps them check in or fill out forms. She makes people feel comfortable because, they know why they are there, to receive chemo or radiation and most days they don’t feel well. She was chatting with the receptionist at the end of her shift. Colleen said: “I’m going home to start taking down our Christmas decorations.” The receptionist said, “No, the Three Kings haven’t come yet.”
Even though this is the Sunday of the Epiphany, we are beginning a brand-new sermon series thru the book of Galatians. This is a follow up from our series through the book of Acts. In Acts we saw the work of the Holy Spirit lead and empower the disciples to imitate Jesus and share the gospel of salvation. Now we are looking at the letter that Paul wrote to the new Christians in Galatia.
But do not be deceived by its size. Only six chapters. Martin Luther read it and an explosion went off in his heart that led to the Protestant Reformation. John Wesley heard a sermon based on Luther’s commentary on Galatians and was profoundly converted. Galatians is a book about freedom. It answers the question, “How can I be truly free?” Free from guilt, free from the fear of death, free from doubt, free from my broken commandments which burden my soul and keeps me awake at night. (An overview…not about the Way to God nor our Walk)
Let’s take a look at the outline in your bulletin today which is a review of our Vision, Mission and Values.
? Vision is the horizon, it tells where the ministry is and where it is going. We are a multi- ethnic ministry, learning God’s word together in Sunday School, and worship. And we are helping to support our Hmong Vicar. (Future service possibilities
? Mission is the road that is often not very straight. It addresses the path that gets you to the vision. In the coming year we will “read more in
? the bible this year than last”; sponsor a men’s retreat and women’s luncheons, and offer a Hmong language school, thanks to a grant from LWML to connect with new families.
? Values are the rumble strips along the side of the road that keeps you on target. Our guiding principle is the Bible. “Be imitators of God and live a life of love, as Jesus loved us.” Ephesians 5:1
Sermon Series- Galatians
Galatians was one of Martin Luther’s favorite books. It was a key letter used in the Protestant Reformation because in Galatians Paul emphasizes justification by faith and the grace of God. An Overview.
1. Christians in the first century A.D. found themselves facing similar circumstances to our present culture.
a. Immorality was rampant, moral virtue was scarce
b. Religions were many, yet ineffective in saving and sanctifying souls
2. In his letter to the churches of Galatia, Paul addressed such concerns...
a. Dealing with false gospels and false hopes
b. Providing guidance for salvation and godly living
Paul’s topics in his letter deals with the relationship between faith and works, the purpose of the law, bearing the burdens of others, and living by the Spirit. Paul was an agitated apostle when he wrote Galatians. False teachers were troubling his converts. Jewish Pharisees were constantly hounding the new Gentile converts.
Paul’s argument is not always easy to follow, One passage (Gal. 3:19, 20) is so difficult that commentators have produced almost three hundred (300) interpretations of it.
A. THE REGION OF GALATIA... (you have a map in the bulletin)
1. Galatia was a name used both geographically and politically in the first century
2. Geographically, it was used to describe the northern part of central Asia minor
3. Politically, it included parts of Pontus, Phrygia and Lycaonia, i.e., more southern regions of central Asia Minor
B. THE CHURCHES OF GALATIA...
1. During their first missionary journey (45-47 A.D.), Paul and Barnabas had the opportunity to establish several churches in the Roman province of Galatia - Ac 13:14-14:23
2. On Paul's second trip (51-54 A.D.), he and Silas visited them again - Ac 16:1-5
3. On Paul's third trip (54-58 A.D.), he visited them yet again - Ac 18:23
It is quite likely that the churches of Galatia included those established on
his first journey E.g., Lystra, Derbe, Iconium, Pisidian Antioch, Perga,
Pamplylia,
4. The home of Timothy - Ac 16:1-6
The first half of Galatians answers the question: “Who is Jesus and what has He done.” The second half answers the question: “What now is your response?”
It’s amazing how many so-called Christians don’t really “get it.” They think that the basis of Christianity is living a good moral life and doing good works. And – so long as you don’t mess up your life entirely – you’ll end up in heaven. Not true.
Paul’s Letter to the Galatians deals with this kind of shallow understanding head-on. Through his preaching The Holy Spirit won many Galatians to Christ. But now some Jewish-Christians had begun to convince these Gentile believers that they couldn’t be saved unless they were circumcised and kept the Mosaic Law. The new Christians were about to go backwards – from faith in Christ to faith in law-keeping – and Paul is adamant that this is a fall from grace.
Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias stated: “The Bible says that we are separated from God, and salvation does not depend on my efforts to get back to God. This is the classic difference between the Christian faith and other religions. In Buddhism, you work and work your way into Nirvana, and enlightenment. In Islam you keep the rules but there is no guaranteed that “Allah” will approve. You have no hope.
I shared this true story about ten years ago. Some of you might remember it. Our past District President, Robert Newton was once attending Lutheran night at the Oakland A’s. At the BBQ before the game he was in a discussion with a Jewish man who had come with some friends. As the conversation developed the Jewish man said, “I know about Jesus. I believe that there is a ladder which I can climb in order to have peace with God.” Pastor Newton responded. “The ladder of which you speak has already been provided by God in the death and resurrection of Jesus.” Jesus has come down to take your hand.
The cross is where God’s work of justification occurred. We are made just, not by our own effort, but by the work of Jesus Christ. Christ, being made sin for us, has redeemed us from the curse of the law.
Galatians verse 1. Paul and apostle…to the churches in Galatia. Who is Paul?
We first met Paul in Jerusalem. The Jewish Pharisees and Sadducees had heard Stephen’s speech about the resurrected Jesus. They were furious. Stephen was swept up by members of the Sanhedrin and by standers. They rushed through the streets to the edge of the city, the place of execution. They pushed Stephen down, his tangled clothes breaking his fall, he staggered to his feet, but the mob hurled stones. While blood flowed from the cuts he knelt to pray. Standing nearby was a young Pharisee from Asia Minor known as Saul. He held the clothes of those throwing the stones.
Saul was probably born about 1 AD in the city of Tarsus. A Roman city between Mountains and the sea. The river Cydnus, narrow and swift flowed through the city into an artificial harbor, an engineering masterpiece in the ancient world.
The city was a mixture of civilizations, indigenous Cilicians, (pronounced Ci liscians) Hittites, light skinned Greeks, Assyrians, Persians and Macedonians who had come with Alexander the Great. Saul’s father was most likely a master tentmaker who worked in leather and cloth woven from the hair of the large long haired black goats that still graze on the slopes of the Tarsus mountains. The family held the coveted title of Citizens of Rome. Paul had one sister who later moved to Jerusalem.
His Jewish name was probably chosen in honor of the first Jewish King, the Benjamite, King Saul. Paul was from the tribe of Benjamin. Growing up he attended the Jewish Synagogue. He had memorized Jewish history from the Hebrew scriptures. He could speak, Latin, Greek and Hebrew. More than likely at the age of 14 he was sent to Jerusalem, where he sat at the feet of Gamaliel, a brilliant Jewish scholar. He was bright, and out stripped his contemporaries. He was in line to have a seat on the Sanhedrin…but Jesus intervened.
In the rest of chapter 1 Paul writes that he was once an enemy of Jesus. He stood by when the first Christian, Stephen was stoned to death. Saul considered Stephen’s speech nonsense. The Messiah had not come in the person of Jesus. The only way to have peace with God was to be a Jew, obey the Law in every detail, and forgiveness depended on the sacrifice of a lamb every day at the temple.
Gamaliel had advised toleration and allowed Peter and other disciples of Jesus to worship in the temple and obey the Law. Not Saul. He was enraged. (from: The Apostle A Life of Paul John Pollock)
Raised a Jew, trained as a rabbi, he became a violent persecutor of the early Christian church. He hated Christ and his followers so much that he did his best to eradicate the new religion as if it were some sort of dreaded virus. He was a terrorist who did his evil deeds in the name of the God of the Bible. The rest of chapter one is his story.
God’s Holy Spirit changed Paul. When the Holy Spirit dwells within you, and you do not crush His encouragement towards right behavior…. long-held prejudices can be overcome, lifetime habits can be broken, and deeply ingrained patterns of broken commandments can be erased. You can be changed. Saul was changed. You can be different. Paul was different. Your behavior reflects integrity and righteousness. Your life can move in an entirely new direction. Broken commandments are totally erased when you trust in the death of Jesus on the cross and His resurrection from death.
In the weeks to come I urge you to read more in the bible this year than last. There are several suggestions of where to begin as we work our way through Galatians. Amen
