To the Churches in Galatia Rolling Hills Church
Gal 1:1-51 16 May 2010
We begin a study through the book of Galatians today. It is a very intense book of six chapters, and it is focused on preaching the gospel again to a people who have received the gospel – and are now considering another gospel. Let’s read the first five verses, the introduction of the book.
Gal 1:1-5
1 Paul, an apostle--not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead--
2 and all the brothers who are with me, To the churches of Galatia:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,
4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Today we’re going to consider the author, recipients, and the greeting, and we’ll get in a little background of Galatians as we go. First, let’s pray, shall we?
Lord, make the book live to me today.
Show me Yourself within your Word.
And show me myself, in light of your good glory.
And Lord, show us our good Savior.
And Lord, make the book live to us. Through Christ I ask this, amen.
Author: Paul, the Apostle, along with brothers. Credibility established here is significant, because Paul is writing this letter to do what Jude urged the saints themselves to do when he wrote 1:3 of his letter: “…contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints”. Let’s go back and review Paul’s credibility and his call, shall we? Just briefly, for we’ll get into that a bit more next week.
Acts 9:3-6 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" And he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And he said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do."
So the Lord sends this man Ananias to go and pray for Saul that he would be given his sight back; but he was very reluctant to go, thinking he was going to feed the wild animal that had been ravaging the church in Jerusalem.
Acts 9:15-16 But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name."
Now we go to Acts 26, where Saul – now called Paul – is imprisoned, and is testifying before King Agrippa as to why the Jews want him dead. Instead of defending himself legally, Paul uses this opportunity to share the gospel.
Acts 26:14-18 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' And I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles--to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
What he wants these churches to know and to be re-enforced in is this: Christ Himself had given and had sent Paul to this gospel work. This truth was from God, and it was THE gospel. That’s critical from the very word ‘go’ in this book, because the issue the apostle is addressing is turning from grace through faith alone back to the law, represented in an over-arching way by taking circumcision back up. So Paul is writing back to these churches that he had gospel-preached into existence (of course, through Christ’s power and help) to reinforce the gospel of grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone to the glory of God alone.
Recipients: the churches of the southern part of the province of Galatia (now in Turkey). These are young believers who came out of Jewish synagogues and off the streets of these cities where they preached the gospel. Paul and Barnabas established a custom on their first missionary journey of going to the Jews in town first at the Synagogue and preaching Christ – the fulfillment of the OT Scriptures. Then they would take the gospel to Gentiles in town who were open to hear it. The towns we’re concerned with here in this letter are probably the island of Cyprus, Perga, Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, and Lystra; these were the cities hit on their first missionary journey. Let’s go back to Acts 13 and see how this came about…
Acts 13:14-16 but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, "Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it." So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: "Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen.
Now in vs 17-41 is a fine, fine gospel message Paul preached. Christ crucified, buried, risen, and the fulfillment of the OT prophecies of a Savior. When he ended the sermon, this was the response…
Acts 13:42-48 As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath. And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God. The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him. And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, "It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, "'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'" And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
So these were Jews, Gentile proselytes to Judaism, and other Gentiles who heard the message and believed in Christ. THAT is who Paul is writing back to. On a side note here we see three things:
The preaching of the gospel is how God calls the elect to Himself. Our responsibility is the preach the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit, and leave the results to God. Some will believe, others will not. Since the resurrection of Christ it has been this way, and it will be until He returns. Ours isn’t to know who He is calling to Himself, ours is to be faithful with the message.
The preaching of the gospel often brings division and persecution. When we aren’t facing either, we should wonder if we are preaching the cross of Jesus Christ.
The preaching of the gospel was the means for starting local New Testament churches2. It is still a good place to put our hope for a church start, and must be the foundation! Now the greeting…
The Gospel Greeting: Paul not only establishes his authority, but he is preaching the gospel right out of the gate as well. It is a common greeting, but it a little more brief and direct.
Grace and peace. Not just the absence of conflict, but a positive blessing of well-being as well; more of the OT shalom idea3.
Grace from God our Father. God the creator is the giver of all grace: both common graces and the saving grace that comes through the faithful preaching of the good news of Jesus Christ.
Grace from our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul here shows again that God the Father and God the Son are both God, and are One. Later in the book he explains the power and the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing the gospel to people, so the doctrine of the Trinity is taught here in Galatians, and begin here in the greeting. This is a common practice for Paul.
Jesus, who gave Himself to deliver us from this present evil age. We are saved not only from the wrath of God, and the power of sin in our lives, but from the pull of the world on our souls, which Paul refers to as ‘this evil age’.
Jesus, who died according to God’s will. This was God’s plan from the beginning; it is not a reactionary plan B, it was the plan from before times eternal.
God, who is forever glorified. Glorified in and through us as we worship God through Christ in spirit and in truth.
Closing
So that is the author, the recipients, and the gospel greeting for the book of Galatians. Paul the Apostle writes to saved people from Jewish and Gentile backgrounds who are being told another gospel, and he is determined to hold them to the one true gospel.
Church, if you are Christians, you came to Christ through faith in Him alone for salvation. I want you to read this book this week, and let this truth challenge your faith, to see that it resides in Christ alone for your life. Our hope must be held fast to Him, and to Him alone for our right standing with God.
Grace and peace are from God alone. And without grace, there is no peace. Let’s pray.
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