Good morning to everyone, good to see you all this morning and thank you Andrew for leading us, appreciate that, good songs. That line struck me this morning, souls in danger look above, Jesus completely saves. That's really what this epistle to the Galatians is about—the gospel. It's about getting the gospel right, getting it clear, and that's because if we don't have a clear gospel, then we have no hope of salvation. 

Well, we're digging into the meat of our study in the book of Galatians here in chapter one this morning. The context of Paul's words, you'll remember, has to do with false teachers—those who are called Judaizers—who have come into the region of Galatia. They are seeking to undermine Paul, undermine his apostleship, and undermine his gospel message. They taught another gospel, one of works plus faith in Jesus Christ, and Paul said it's not good news at all. 

If these ministers of Satan masquerading as angels of light were to gain any traction with their message, they were going to have to sow seeds of doubt in the minds of the believers concerning the apostle Paul. And so, that's what they tried to do. We can tell by the words that Paul uses here in this chapter and in chapter two in his defense that they attacked his apostleship, saying that he was sent by men, he was not sent by God, that his message was his own, and that they were the true ministers of God with the true way of salvation. 

So we see here that Paul explains to the believers that he received his gospel not from men; it was not a creation of man but rather revelation from Jesus Christ himself. In fact, after his salvation on the Damascus Road, his personal meeting with Jesus, he did not even go to meet with the apostles, with any men, but went off into Arabia where he received further revelation about the ministry that God called him to and the things which he must suffer at the hands of the Jews and the Gentiles. 

Paul did not even meet any of the other leaders of the Christian church until three years later when he met with Peter for a short time and saw James. And he was busy in his ministry during this time of taking the gospel to the Gentiles, where he saw God produce amazing fruit through the preaching and teaching of the Word of God, the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

The false teachers who were perverting the gospel and troubling the believers were teaching that Paul was not a real apostle and that the real apostles were in Jerusalem and that they had come from them, that they were sent by James. We see Paul address this by way of his defense in chapter 2. 

Look at chapter 2, verse 1 with me, please. He says, "Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas and also took Titus with me. And I went up by revelation and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles but privately to those who were of reputation lest by any means I might run or had run in vain. Yet not even Titus who was with me being a Greek was compelled to be circumcised. And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus that they might bring us into bondage. To whom we did not yield submission even for an hour that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. But from those who seemed to be something, whatever they were, it makes no difference to me. God shows personal favoritism to no man. For those who seemed to be something added nothing to me." 

He's talking about the apostles in Jerusalem and he's saying they didn't add anything to my gospel. We were all in agreement. We had the same gospel. We were all preaching the gospel. 

"But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter, for he who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles. And when James, Cephas, and John who seemed to be pillars perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do."

Well, it was 14 years later when Paul went up to Jerusalem for that council meeting that we read about in Acts 15, where this matter was settled fully and finally. We see the strong language of Paul, the importance of defending his ministry, his calling, his apostleship, and his gospel of grace. And that's what chapters 1 and 2 are really about in this epistle to the Galatians. 

Let's read in chapter 1, our text, please. Chapter 1, verse 11, Paul says, "'But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man, for I neither received it from man nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it, and I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 

But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went to Arabia and returned again to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter and remained with him fifteen days, but I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord's brother. 

Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed before God, I do not lie. Afterward, I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia, and I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ, but they were hearing only, 'He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy,' and they glorified God in me." 

I've given you four points on your outline this morning. First, revelation; second, remember; third, regeneration; and fourth, rejoice. We see again in verses 11-12 that the gospel which Paul preached was not from men but a direct revelation from Jesus Christ, and I'd like for you to turn with me as we start to Acts 9. We're going to look at several scriptures this morning. 

Acts 9 at verse 1, this is an account of Paul's conversion when he was still Saul. It says, "'Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he journeyed, he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ''Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?' And he said, ''Who are you, Lord?' Then the Lord said, ''I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' So he, trembling and astonished, said, ''Lord, what do you want me to do?' Then the Lord said to him, ''Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.' And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. 

Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias, and to him the Lord said in a vision, ''Ananias.' And he said, ''Here I am, Lord.' So the Lord said to him, ''Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying.' And in a vision, he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him so that he might receive his sight.' 

Then Ananias answered, ''Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priest to bind all who call on your name.' But the Lord said to him, ''Go, for he is a chosen vessel of mine to bear my name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel, for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake.'" 

If you look down to verse 19 it says, "'So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus, and immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. And all who heard were amazed and said, 'Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem and has come here for that purpose so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?' But Saul increased all the more in strength and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.'" 

I want you to turn to one more passage in Acts 26, this again a testimony from Paul concerning his conversion. Acts 26 at verse 9, Paul testifying before Agrippa here says, "'Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme, and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities. 

While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, at midday, O King, along the road, I saw a light from heaven brighter than the sun shining around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It's hard for you to kick against the goad.' So I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And he said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But arise and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness, both of the things which you have seen and the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people as well as from the Gentiles to whom I now send you.'" 

Look at verse 18. "'To open their eyes in order to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me. Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea and then to the Gentiles that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. For these reasons, the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. Therefore, having obtained help from God to this day, I stand witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come, that the Christ would suffer, that he would be the first to rise from the dead and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.'" 

Well, Paul was wonderfully changed on that Damascus road as he intended to go and to persecute the church, persecute Jesus, and really trying to destroy Christianity. It was a profound display of the grace of God, and it turned this zealous Jew breathing out threats against Jesus into a faithful, fervent preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Paul gives testimony in these and other passages, and here in Galatians 1, that this gospel was not devised by the wisdom of men. It did not come from man, but it was given to him directly by Jesus by revelation. You know, Paul had similar troubles seemingly everywhere he went, but especially in Corinth. He writes much about this kind of thing in Corinth. In Corinthians 3, he talks, he says, "Do we begin again to commend ourselves, or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? And then he says, 'You are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read by all men. Clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink, but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of flesh that is of the heart, and we have such trust through Christ toward God.'" 

One of the ploys of the false teachers was to bring letters of commendation supposedly from James or the church in Jerusalem. Paul says, "We don't need any such letters. You are our letters. People can look at you and see what's happened. I came here preaching the gospel, and God wonderfully saved you and formed churches, and you've been transformed by His grace, and it's evident to everyone that there was power in the message that we brought." 

In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul says, "We do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you the opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart. He says, 'For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God. If we are sound-minded, it is for you. For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus, that if one died for all, then all died.'" 

The false apostles wanted affirmation, letters, commendations. Paul says, "We are way past that. You know us. You know our hearts. And we came to you with the true gospel, and you believed, and you were saved." The love of Christ compels us, not selfish motives and boasting in ourselves, as those false apostles, and they were false apostles. 

I want you to turn to 2 Corinthians 11 with me and look at these words. So important to hear the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 11 concerning these false teachers. And hear his heart for the believers there. He says, "O that you would bear with me, 2 Corinthians 11:1, O that you would bear with me in a little folly, and indeed you do bear with me. For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, I should betray him, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you've not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you may well put up with it." 

For I consider that I am not at all inferior, listen, you can hear the accusation here in these words, "I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent Apostles, even though I am untrained in speech, yet I am not in knowledge, but we have been thoroughly manifested among you in all things. Did I commit sin and humbling myself that you might be exalted because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge? I robbed other churches taking wages from them to minister to you, and when I was present with you and in need, I was a burden to no one for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself. As the truth of Christ is in me, no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia. Why? Because I do not love you? God knows. But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ, and no wonder, for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light; therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works." 

My brothers and sisters, Paul tells it like it is. The gospel is at stake. We see that his gospel came directly from Jesus by revelation, and now what he's asking these believers to do is remember. Remember how we came to you with the gospel. Remember how you believed, how you were saved. You know me. I'm not bringing letters from anybody. I got a revelation from Jesus Christ. I brought that gospel to you in power, and God worked and bore fruit and formed churches. Why are you so quickly turning back, turning from him who called you in the grace of God? 

In verse 13 of our text, he says, "For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the Church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it, and I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers." These words remind us of Peter's words, where he says, "We were not redeemed by vain, aimless traditions handed down by our fathers." Or Paul's words in Romans 9:30, where he talks about how the Jews did not find righteousness because they sought it by the works of the law, trying to establish their own righteousness. 

Paul says, "Do you now question the power and legitimacy of my gospel? Remember who I was, and by extension, remember who you were before God so wonderfully transformed you by his grace." 

Look over at Galatians 3 with me, please. It's so easy to forget, especially when there's false teaching and a lack of truth teaching. This is the problem in the church today; there is false teaching, but primarily there's a lack of truth teaching. Listen to Paul's words, Galatians 3:1. He says, "O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you. Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish, having begun in the Spirit? Are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain, if indeed it was in vain? Therefore, he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does he do it by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith? Just as Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness, therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham." 

These false teachers came in and drew them away. They were being taken captive, bewitched by hollow and deceptive philosophies according to the traditions of men and not according to Christ. They were turning away from the one who called them by His grace, turning away from God the Father. 

Paul says, "Remember, remember the power of the gospel, even in my life and in yours. I was a blasphemer, I was an insolent man, I was zealous for the traditions of my fathers, so zealous for Judaism and the law that I was persecuting the church and seeking to destroy it." 

My brothers and sisters, we have to remember. Many of us were religious self-righteous people or we were religious self-righteous people. Someone brought to us the gospel, some faithful minister preached us the truth and maybe was patient and preached us many times. I think about that time in my life and how patient people were with me, and I wasn't, you know, a very nice person. 

But someone came and preached us the gospel and we realized that salvation was by grace through faith, that Jesus had paid our sin debt in our place and accomplished our salvation and that I could only receive God's righteousness by grace through faith in Him alone. And I realized that and the Galatians realized that when Paul came preaching and they turned to him in faith and they believed him. 

Paul says, "How now could you go back to the law?" And yet we see that today in the church, in so many circles—putting the law on believers, binding them with the law as a rule of life. The law is not God's means to holiness; we no longer live by the letter but by the Spirit. 

Peter said in Acts 15, "Why do you now put a yoke of bondage on the disciples which neither we nor our forefathers could bear?" The law was given to show us our sin. Jesus came to deliver us from sin, from the law, from death, so that we might live for Him by grace. 

But Paul was a blasphemer; look at 1 Timothy 1 with me, please. 1 Timothy 1:3, "Now Timothy's got problems in Ephesus too. What's he need? Sound doctrine, preach the Word." 1 Timothy 1:3, "As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies which cause disputes rather than godly edification, which is in faith. Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, from sincere faith, from which some having strayed have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm." 

But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully. What a statement. Knowing this, look at this, "that the law is not made for a righteous person but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly, for sinners, for the unholy, profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators and sodomites and kidnappers, liars, perjurers, and if there's any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust. 

And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me because he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man, but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus." 

Now he says, "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason, I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might show all long-suffering as a pattern to those who are going to believe on him for everlasting life." 

Paul was a pattern; he was an example. Who is it that's too bad to be saved? The man who was persecuting Jesus and killing the Christians? No, he became the greatest preacher of all time, saved Jesus. Here we see again a warning against false teachers who had come into Ephesus desiring to be teachers of the law, but they were not using it lawfully, not for God's intent and purpose. 

Notice what Paul says here, "I was a blasphemer, but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly, and the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant." Paul considered himself the chief of sinners because he persecuted the church. But what happened? God, who separated him from his mother's womb, called him out by his mercy, separated him to the gospel to be a preacher and teacher of the word for the salvation of lost souls. 

As we saw earlier, Paul was wonderfully transformed by the grace of God. He immediately turned 180 degrees and became a preacher of Christ, reasoning from the Scriptures, persuading men to come to faith in him. What an amazing transformation, and it was an example to all who would come to faith. This was God's power; this was God's purpose on full display and fully by His grace alone through faith alone. 

We who have believed Jesus all have a story—a story of transformation from being men dead in trespasses and sins in Adam, in bondage to indwelling sin in the law and the fear of death, into men in Christ, born again, new creations with a new heart and a new spirit and the Holy Spirit living in us. We are not religious men. We are those who have been saved by the grace of God and made new creations in Christ, and therefore we must live a new life—a life of purpose and fruit by the preaching of the gospel, by the great transforming power of Christ in us, the hope of glory. 

One of my favorite passages is Ephesians 4, where Paul talks about this transformation. Listen to these words. He's talking to believers. This is written for you. He says, "This I say therefore and testify in the Lord that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart, who being past feeling have given themselves over to lewdness to work all uncleanness with greediness. It's not how you should walk; it's how the world walks. 

He says, "But you have not so learned Christ if indeed you have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus that you have put off concerning your former conduct the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lust and you're being renewed in the spirit of your mind and that you have put on the new man which was created according to God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, he says, put away lying. Let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor. Be angry. Do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your wrath nor give place to the devil. 

Listen to this verse. Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor working with his hands what is good in order that he might have something to give him who has need. That's a transformation, my friends. You're a thief, stealing for your own desires, your own lusts. God wonderfully saves you. Now what do you do? You labor and work with your own hands. Why? So that if someone has a need, you can give it to them. 

We're no longer who we were. We have put off the old man. We died. We were buried with Christ and raised to a new life. We have put on the new man raised with Jesus who now works in and through us for His glory and His purpose. We are being renewed in the spirit of our mind by the Word of God, by the Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth. 

We experience fruit as a branch abiding in a vine. Paul explains his new life, our new life, in Galatians 2:20. Listen to these great words. Verse 19: "For I through the law died to the law in order that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God for if righteous, holy living comes through the law then Christ died in vain." 

My brothers and sisters, this new covenant life in Christ is not what the Judaizers were preaching, and it's not what the religions of our world teach today. Unfortunately, those false teachers that claim the name of Christ have also had a great influence in the true church so that it seems a rare thing these days to hear the truth taught from the pulpits in evangelical churches. 

Paul sets himself as the example of salvation by grace through faith and the transforming power of the pure gospel of Christ. And what should be our response to this regeneration, this transformation by the grace of God? What should our response be but rejoicing? 

In verse 22 of our text, he says, "And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ but they were hearing only, 'He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy,' and they glorified God in me." Think about that; if you lived at that time, if you were part of that church in the beginning and Saul was...he was there when they stoned Stephen to death, the first martyr. He's going to neighboring towns, chasing down Christians and putting them in chains, condemning them to death, putting them in jail, and then all of a sudden… think of Ananias when God called him. Can you imagine being Ananias? "Lord! You know, I've heard a lot about this guy; I don't know, I'll go over there, you know?" And then to know that God has transformed him by His grace and now he's this powerful witness furthering the gospel of Christ. They glorified God in me. They rejoiced.

There was no disagreement between Paul and Peter or James or the church in Jerusalem. These were false teachers that were disturbing the believers in Galatia and elsewhere. We saw that clearly in Acts 15, when Paul and Barnabas went up there, verse 3, "So being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles, and they caused great joy to all the brethren." 

Then they went down there and had their little meeting, and Paul says, "We didn't yield for even one hour. We weren't budging on this deal. I talked to the apostles just to make sure they weren't going to say something different that I'd run in vain. We were all in agreement. We came out; Peter shut them right up, and that was the end of that deal." 

Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles. They rejoiced greatly. 

That should be our response to the transforming grace of God, through the power of the gospel, preached clearly and faithfully with all authority. What can you do with the gospel of grace but say thank you? And if you're thankful, you can't be bitter. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Always thankful. Give thanks in everything. 

The fruit that we see in our lives should cause us to glorify God and to rejoice. And we see this over and over in the book of Acts as they went out preaching the gospel. Remember when the eunuch was saved through Philip's preaching? And then Philip disappears: it says he went away rejoicing. When the apostles were persecuted and jailed, it says they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for His sake. 

Rejoicing in all things as God works out His will through our lives and produces fruit through us for His glory. This was the life of Paul. This was the reminder to the Galatians as well as to us that the gospel is the power of God, that regeneration is the work of God by grace, and that we now live each moment each day in dependence on Jesus for His power, for His life, His grace to produce fruit through us. 

We began in the Spirit by grace through faith. And my brothers and sisters, we are now being made perfect through the Spirit by faith. We no longer live by the letter but by the Spirit so that we might bring glory to God and rejoice, full joy, for the eternal work He does through us. 

It was vital that the believers in Galatia, and it is vital that the believers at Living Hope Church, understand these truths so that we're not drawn away by false teaching, but rather that we would remain steadfast and focused on Jesus, abiding in Him, the simplicity of Christ, one day at a time, His life through us by faith. 

Let's close in prayer. 

Father, we're so thankful for the bold, clear words of Paul in his writing and defending the gospel and his apostleship, and his authority—that his message was from You and that he did not yield, did not compromise that message ever, regardless of all that he experienced and suffered. You told him from the beginning the things which he must suffer. Help us, Lord, to be bold, to be clear, to be loving, to tell the truth in love, for this is the only way that men can hear the message about Jesus, believe, and be saved. For Your glory, in Jesus' name, amen.