Galatians 1:11-24

                                                                         Galatians 1:11-24

For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel.  For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.  For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it.  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.  But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, 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; 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.  Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days.  But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother.  (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.  And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.  They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”  And they glorified God because of me.

Paul is constantly giving his testimony.  He does this, to be able to share with others about what God has done, not to promote his own accomplishments.  In this case, Paul wants to make sure that the church in Galatia knows his history because it provides the context for the message he is delivering in defense of the Gospel.  There is no more important message which is why it is constantly under attack.  Paul wants the church to understand his authority, but mostly he wants them to have confidence in the Gospel that he preached to them.

 

THE GOSPEL IS GOD’S REVELATION: It is of utmost importance that the church understands that the Gospel that Paul preached was not something that he invented or that was invented by any man or group of me.  The Gospel came to Paul directly from God.  Paul received a direct revelation from God when Christ appeared to him at his salvation experience.  This didn’t happen because Paul had earned it, but because God chose him before the foundations of the earth.  However, besides the appearance of Christ at his conversion, Paul was instructed in the Gospel during a time of solitude with Christ in the desert of Arabia for about three years.  The Gospel was revealed to Paul by God, not by the leadership in the church in Jerusalem.  This is important because Paul wants the church to know that since the leaders in Jerusalem had no part in revealing the Gospel, they had no authority to make changes to it.

 

THE GOSPEL HAS THE POWER FOR TRANSFORMATION: The authenticity of the Gospel that Paul preached is demonstrated in the power of transformation evidenced in Paul’s life.  He had been a persecutor of the church.  He was a well-respected and influential Jew who was climbing the ladder of influence in Jerusalem.  He could have had a secure a prestigious position as a leader of Judaism.  However, the Gospel radically transformed his life.  He had been a persecutor of the church and now he was a preacher of the Gospel.  He was willing to go from a powerful persecutor of the church to being persecuted in the church.  The Gospel has the power to change lives and Paul was a living illustration of that truth.

 

THE GOSPEL RESULTS IN GOD’S GLORIFICATION: The transformation of Paul’s life was a testimony that spread throughout the church.  Paul’s reputation was well known, but Paul as a Christian was relatively unknown to many within the church in Jerusalem.  Paul had been in Arabia and Damascus but spent very little time in Jerusalem after his conversion.  When he did finally go to Jerusalem, he only met with Peter and James who were leaders in the church.  They only knew him by the testimony of transformation from a persecutor of the faith to a preacher of the faith.  This reputation caused them to glorify God.  The true Gospel will always lead people to worship and glorify the Lord; not promote the glory of men.  

 

APPLICATION: Remember that the Gospel is from God and not the invention of men.  Allow the Gospel to radically transform our lives on every level.  Always point people to the Lord and His glory.