We are picking up where we left off in Chapter 1 of Galatians. A short recap: Paul is writing to the church in Galatia. The church has recently been flooded with false teachings, false teachers, and false gospels. Paul is instructing the church, there is only one Gospel, and any variation of that Gospel is false. Paul is showing that the Gospel is not used for self-gain, and that he has sacrificed everything for the preaching of the Gospel. One last thing to note, our theme for the whole book is Truth. Truth is unchanging, truth is absolute, Truth has no variation. God is Truth, and God does not change, his word is consistent. God does not change nor does he need to change to meet our life styles and beliefs. We must change our life styles, and beliefs to match Gods and the one and only Truth.
Galatians 1: 13 - 17 “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.”
This week we are really going to dive into the life of Paul. First if you do not know much about Paul or have interest in learning more I recommend a couple of books. The first, “Paul The Apostle: Missionary, Martyr, Theologian” by Robert E. Picirilli, and the second is “Running With The Giants” by John C. Maxwell. Both books will take you down a deeper journey of the life of Paul, much deeper than we could possible discusses in this weeks lesson.
Paul was a pharisee, who became famous after the death and resurrection of Jesus, for his extravagant pursuit of the Christian Church. He was originally known as Saul. Saul rooted out Christians through out the Jewish world, torturing them, and executing them. Saul has often been described as the Hitler of his time. The Christian’s feared Saul, and knew wherever he went death came with him. After his conversion to Christianity, Saul changed his name to Paul, and began a journey of preaching the gospel.
Acts 22 : 3 -5, Paul was born to a Jewish family of Pharisees, in Tarsus Cilicia. He was born into Roman citizenship, and raised as a Pharisee. The Pharisees really despised Jesus. Through out the whole life of Jesus, the Pharisees, constantly tried to trap Jesus, and show him as a heretic. Jesus overcame each challenge showing the pharisees the flaws in their own religious law. As many of you may know, when someone tells you that what you believe, or the way you live is wrong, you might become a little hostile as well. Acts 9: 1-2, Paul was sanctioned by the High Priest to hunt down and capture every Christian. Paul was so good at this that he became a celebrity among Jewish Society.
Acts 9, Walks us through the full conversion of Saul. This is a long chapter and I recommend you checking it out on your own. I will give a brief summary here, so that we can continue our devotion. Saul was headed out on the road to Damascus, sanctioned by the Jewish High Priest to capture and return any Christians he found along the way. While on the road Jesus appears to Saul and confronts him, the whole legion of soldiers with Saul could hear Jesus speak, but only Saul could see him. Saul is blinded by Jesus, and must continue into Damascus where he would be given further instructions.
Jesus, Appears to a Christian named Ananias, who resides in Damascus, instructing him to go out to a certain location where he would find Saul. Ananias is so scared of Saul, that at first he questions Jesus, thinking this surely could not be happening. He probably thought how could Jesus come to save someone who had done such terrible crimes as Saul had done. Jesus reassures Ananias, telling him to go to Saul, for Saul is the one Jesus has chosen to deliver the Gospel of Truth to the gentile world.
Long story short, Jesus restores Saul’s sight through Ananias, and Paul becomes a Christian. Paul tries to go to the church leaders but out of fear of a trap they sent Paul away, but his proclaiming of the Gospel grew. The Church began to see Paul’s transformation, and his dedication to God. Saul became so much more famous than he was before, the man who was once chief persecutor of Christians had now become a Christian. The Jews in Jerusalem heard this and feared Paul’s new fame, and his betrayal. They set up traps to capture and kill Paul. Out of fear for Paul’s life, the church sent him to study under a man named Barnabas.
Now you might be thinking a few things. The first that comes to my mind is; he was a murderer, a person who had committed horrific genocide, thousands of lives snuffed out by his hand, how could God forgive him? The second that comes to mind is; God chose him, why would God chose someone so bad, when he had so many others already following him?
Well to answer the first, is to answer the second. Jesus tells us that he came to save us all John 3:16-17. He did not come to this world to save those who were already perfect without sin. First of all there were none without sin Romans 3:10-12, and second Jesus came to seek out the lost Luke 19:10. This is a powerful message. Have any of you ever felt, as if you’re just to bad, or you have done too many things that are too terrible to be forgiven? I know that I have. That’s the beauty of Jesus, he did not come to hold our sins against us, no matter how bad we think they are. He came to save us, each and everyone of us. Romans 6:23, tells us that the cost of our sin is death. Death is what we deserve, but Jesus came to take our sins upon himself, so that we might be forgiven, 1John 2:2. There is nothing we can do to save ourselves from the penalty of our sins, only God can do that, and has done that through Jesus Christ. For the forgiveness of our sins is a grace we do not deserve, but he offers it to us all, when we choose to believe and follow him Ephesians 2:8-9.
Paul was no different than you or me, he was a normal man doing what he thought was best for his society and protecting his way of life. Jesus chose him as a particular instrument to be used to spread the Gospel. Jesus has predestined us all to his salvation Ephesians 1:4, He will save any of us who come to him, seeking him John 3:36. God has unique purposes for us all, we might not be called to be a missionary as Paul was, but we are called in the simplest of ways to serve God. We are called to spread his Gospel, and worship him with our every breath.
Paul was a sinner, he was from a Jewish society who hated the gentiles, perhaps more so than the Christians. When God change Saul’s life, Saul did a 180º turn, he became a new creation, he became Paul. He no longer persecuted the Christians, he became one, he no longer tried to shut out the light of the Gospel, instead he helped carry it through the ends of the world. Paul helped start a fire that will one day cover every nation. He no longer hated the gentiles who were not of Jewish birth, instead he loved them, because Jesus loved them. Paul chose to serve Christ, he gave up everything he had and was, to be nothing. When we become nothing, the Gospel shines that much brighter through us. We become nothing so that our lives are everything for Christ.
This does not mean we become poor, homeless, vagabonds, preaching doom and gloom messages on street corners. This means that we drop our desires, we drop our dreams, we drop our motivations, beliefs, and goals. We drop everything so that we might follow Christ, and live by the dreams, goals, desires, beliefs, and motivations he has waiting for us. This does not mean we do not become successful people, this just means our success is no longer measured by units of this world, but measured by the Kingdom of God. Our success is no longer ours, but the success Jesus has allowed us to carry for him.
This is what Paul is saying in this passage. He was a sinner, but he was saved. He does not change the Gospel to suit his own needs, but submits to the Gospel and follows it. Every success Paul makes is not his, but Gods. Paul died in Roman hands executed as a Christian. He died a very poor man, with very little to no earthly belongings. He went from being famous and wealthy to having nothing. He gave up everything on this Earth, so that he might have everything, and that everything is a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior. To this day the works God did through Paul are still changing lives. No one talks about the fame he had as a Jewish official killing Christians, they talk about the Gospel he shared through the world. The Gospel of Truth, the Gospel of Salvation, The Gospel of Forgiveness; and this Gospel is everything worth living for.
Thank you or joining us this week as we continue through the book of Galatians. I hope you are enjoying these, and God is able to use these devotions to help you. I don’t know where you are in life, or where your relationship with God stands, but I know one thing, we can always be doing more for God and less for ourselves. I ask that you read over the reflection questions below. Answer them honestly and let them help you drop everything to live for our God.
Have you asked God for his forgiveness?
Have you let God forgive you, and have you forgiven yourself?
Have you forgiven those who have sinned against you?
What are you holding onto in your life that is getting in the way of Jesus working through you?
What one thing, can you do this week that will help you grow in your relationship with God?
This last is a challenge, spend a week praying, but when you pray instead of asking God for anything, just pray thank you’s to God. Thank him for anything and everything. Often times when we thank God instead of asking things from God we realize what he has given us already, and shows us what he wants us to do with what he has already given us.
God Bless
Kyle Statham
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