Here are my notes from a sermon I preached a few years back on Galatians 1:6-2:10. I think it may have been for Nueva Vida.
Introduction
Nakhi Wells –footballer offered better deal at rival club –seen as a traitor
How do we know that a better religious offer is not out there? Christian faith may seem better than what we had before ….but what if someone turns up with something better –a new revelation from God, more up to date?
Paul says we are to stay with the Gospel –it is the only sure foundation . Only the Gospel of Jesus Christ really is good news
- Stay with the Gospel -it’s the only true good news (v 1-7)
The Galatians received the Gospel from Paul – Now swappihg sides (v6)
–but what is on offer is “no Gospel” at all ….literally it’s “not good news” (v 7)
-People are pestering them with something that is distorting the Gospel …. They didn’t come and say –stop believing in Jesus. They just wanted to add a little something to make things even better.
In the Vicar of Dibley a lady makes cakes. They all the right ingredients –eggs, flower, sugar but then she’ll add something that should not be there, tomato ketchup, mayonnaise, pickle. It ruins the cake.
These people were adding Jewish rules –get circumcised, don’t eat pork, observe special fasts. But it meant that if you were trying to all those things then you were saying that Jesus’ death was not good enough.
Well people will come along and try and deceive you. They won’t openly deny Jesus but they’ll say things like “you need to come to our special meeting, or pay money to this person or read this book” They add things that take away from the good news that eternal life is a free gift.
- Stay true to the Gospel because it’s God’s Word. It is true and not made up (v8-10)
V8-9 Paul says it is serious if someone comes along and offers a different Gospel. Even if he does it or an angel, even if someone does miracles. If they are not saying that we are saved by Grace alone, only through the death of Jesus then they are judged”
The Bible here talks about a curse or an anathema. This is a bit like when the Disciples were told to shake the dust off of their feet. The idea is that they are excluded from worship and you should have nothing to do with them –don’t give them a hearing.
These are hard words because we want to be loving and welcoming. However, it’s not about how we care for other Christians when they struggle and get things wrong. It’s about watching out for people who intentionally want to harm the church. It’s about protecting the vulnerable. In the same way that we have safeguarding policies to protect children, the elderly etc, we must guard the church from those who try to mislead people and destroy their faith.
It’s serious because they are leading people away from God. Now how do we know to watch out for them?
Clues from Paul
- He acted to please God not people (v 10) He spoke the truth even when it made him unpopular and it caused trouble for him. Now we will always aim to do that at Bearwood Chapel. This is not an excuse for being rude or confrontational. But it does mean that we will be willing to say things that you don’t like because we want you to know what God says. Even though God’s Word may sound hard at first, you will discover that it is always more loving and merciful than any human ideas
- His revelation was direct from God
He hears and responds to the Gospel (v11-24)
V11-12 …a message direct from Christ –revelation
V13-14 –a zealous Jew who persecuted the church
V15-17 –chosen by God’s grace –he revealed his Son to me – Damascus Road followed by a period of seclusion ….he wasn’t influenced ….didn’t collaborate the story
V18-20 –Gets to know Peter and James
V21-24 –Not known personally to the churches –but is seen to preach the Gospel
He is confirmed as a faithful witness to the Gospel 2:1-10
Ch 2: 1-5 …Some people were trying to corrupt the gospel 2Rob us of our freedom” v 4 –They wanted to make them go back to keeping all the Jewish regulations. So Paul went up to Jerusalem and met with the leaders to ensure on the same side
V6-10 –his specific call to the Gentiles is recognised –a co-worker
The point is this
- A direct revelation –and his priority to the Gospel. He’s not been under the influence of the others to try and fit in with them. Rather, he has obeyed God and been recognised by them as serving the same Godpel. Note, the things he received independently by a vision are confirmed by them based on their experience as eye witnesses. He becomes a different type of eye witness. A role model
For us the key thing is “Don’t lose the Gospel” –we lose the gospel if we try to add to it.
We know the true Gospel because
- Those who love God and love us will proclaim the truth they won’t change it to keep us or others happy
- They will stick with God’s revelation –they won’t develop their own message and their own ideas
How does that work for us?
For Paul there was something unique …He was recognised as an Apostle. He was a special eye witness.
Our faith is built on the foundation of the Prophets and the Apostles. You don’t re-lay out a foundation.
So for us it will mean that we must keep checking against that revelation i.e. Scripture.
Conclusion
Sticking with the Gospel means sticking with what God’s Word teaches.
We will see next week that sticking with the Gospel affects how we live – particularly the need to be welcoming and show hospitality to others.
Stick with the gospel –it is good news, it is life changing, it is God’s Word for you. God is trustworthy, he will never let you down
Faithroots 