Galatians 1:1-9

I am excited this morning.  We begin a new study.  We are finished with Luke and Luke 2, also known as Acts.  Today, we move from studying how to be witnesses, which was the point of Luke/Acts, to why we are witnesses. Today we begin our study into… freedom.  Isn’t that a powerful word?  Over the course of 2009 we are going to be studying Paul’s letter to the Galatians and then his letter to the Romans.  And what we are going to be focusing on is the freedom we have in Christ and how that becomes who we are.  I am excited about the message of freedom in this New Year!    

Here is our theme verse for the year is the first half of Galatians 5:1.

Galatians 5:1 (It is) (for freedom) (that Christ) (has set) (us) (free.)

It is always fun to read a verse with each word having a different emphasis.  Listen to the difference in meaning as I change the emphasis. (Read verse with each word being emphasized.)  Wow!  What a great theme verse for this year.  We are going to learn about the freedom of grace, and the freedom in faith, and the freedom of the Spirit, and the freedom from any racial, gender or social bondage.  We are going to learn that we are free from law, and free from sin, and free from death!  We are going to have big fun this year as we work through two of the best books in the Bible.  You know how I determine which are the best books in the Bible?  It is the ones I am currently studying.  So, are you ready to rummmble?  Hang on…

Let me insert a note about the book of Galatians being the first of Paul’s letters.  The order in your Bibles of Paul’s letters is from longest to shortest.   They are not chronological.  Although Galatians is 4th longest book Paul wrote it is the first we have in the New Testament; with the possible exception of James. But, not only is Galatians first by Paul, but likely it is first in the New Testament. Isn’t that significant?  The first words written in our New Testaments are about freedom! 

“Historically, Galatians has been foundational for many forms of Christian doctrine, proclamation, and practice. And it remains true today.  That is to say that how one understands the issues and teaching of Galatians determines in large measure what kind of theology is espoused, what kind of message is proclaimed, and what kind of lifestyle is practiced.” 
                                                                                      -Word Biblical –

Okay, now we are ready to rummmble…  And I’m not just saying that. Rummmble is exactly what we are going to do. 

Galatians 1:1-5 Paul, an apostle-- sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead-- and all the brothers with me, To the churches in Galatia: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Those are the nice verses in Galatians. That is the handshake before the fight.   Paul starts his letter according to the customs of the day.  He named himself; Paul an apostle sent by Jesus and the Father.  He addressed the recipients; the churches in Galatia; modern day Turkey.  He offered what is called the salutation of nice words like grace and peace which comes from Jesus and his father, to them be glory.

But after these nice words, playtime’s over; no more Mr. Nice Guy.  He jumps into the middle of the Galatians with both feet.   The bell rings and Paul’s ready to rummmble.    

Galatians 1:6-9   I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!

Wow! Paul is mad.  Paul is not just a little upset. These are fight’n words.  I’m not sure you can read these four verses any way but mad.  It doesn’t sound right nice. Let’s try. (Read again like a therapist.)   These are rummbling words.  Paul is… obviously hacked.  That is the flavor of the book of Galatians. The first book written in our New Testament is disturbed about something. Let’s ask the question this morning, as we set up Galatians, for the year, “Why is Paul so angry?” 

Let’s listen to some perspective from N.T. Wright:
“Imagine you're in South Africa in the 1970s. Apartheid is at its height. (Prejudice is everywhere. Apartheid was a system of legal racial segregation enforced by the National Party government between 1948 and 1990. There was a deliberate policy in "white South Africa" of making services for black people inferior to those of whites, to try to "encourage" black people to move into the black homelands.)  You have embarked on a risky project: to build a community center where everybody will be equally welcome, no matter what their color or race.  You've designed it. As you begin to build your community center you've laid the foundation in such a way that it is not divided into sections.  It is going to be one building to symbolize one people.   The very architecture of your center is going to promote racial equality. 

You are then called away urgently to another part of the country to help in some other project.  A little later you get a letter. A new group of builders are building on your foundation. They have changed the design, and are installing two meeting rooms, with two front doors, one for whites only and one for blacks only. The “new” building is going to support the exact opposite of what you were trying to do.  It is going to further the terrible prejudice that already exists. 

Some of the local people are relieved. They always thought there was going to be trouble, putting everyone together like that. Others, though, asked the builders why the original idea wouldn't do.  “Oh,” said the builders with an air of superiority, “That chap who laid the foundation, he had some funny ideas. He didn't really have permission to make that design. He'd got a bit muddled. We're from the real authorities. This is how it's got to be.”  How would you feel? If you wrote a letter back to your community, perhaps it would sound like Galatians. 

That was pretty much what happened to Paul.  We learned last year from Acts 13 & 14 that Paul and Barnabas traveled in Galatia. They visited the cities of Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe and preached the good news. Listen to a couple of verses from that visit.

Acts 13:48-49   When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed. The word of the Lord spread through the whole region.

Acts 14:21-23  They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch,  strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said.  Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

Paul and Barnabas were successful in Galatia. They preached the Gospel. They witnessed to the good news.
-They told the people of Galatia that the God of Israel was more than that.   The God of Israel was in reality the God of the whole world who loved all of his creation and wanted each of them to be his children in Christ! 
-They told the people of Galatia about Jesus; the Jewish Messiah; the king-to-end-all-kings!  This Jesus was executed by the Romans but that he was resurrected from the dead! 
-They told the people of Galatia that because of the death and resurrection of this Messiah, Jesus, that God was building a new family, a single family, a family with no divisions, no separate races, no one table for the Jews and one table for the Gentiles, but all could sit a the same table and share the Lord.
-They told the people of Galatia that was why the Gospel is the Gospel; good news.  It provides salvation by grace through faith for all.  There is no more, Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female.  All those distinctions are gone.  The Galatians were all one in Christ!  The Galatians were Free! 

You can see why large numbers of Galatians became Christians.  You can understand why they were glad and honored the word of the Lord! Galatia was special to Paul. They were his spiritual kids. 

But then, after that great beginning, just a few years later, some other Jews came around behind Paul and messed it all up.  These other Jews came to the churches that Paul and Barnabas had started and ruined the Good News:
-They taught the Galatians that Paul really didn’t know what he was talking about. He wasn’t really an apostle.  He did not have the authority of the true church. Paul was wrong. 
-They taught the Galatians that surely it was obvious that Jews and Gentiles are different.  “We are God’s people.  We are descended from Abraham. We have Moses and the Law.  There is a big difference in us and you.”
-But, these other Jews offered nicely, “We will let you play too, if you follow all of our rules.  Your men must be circumcised.  All of you must follow the Law of Moses.” They brought the truck load of laws and rules and restrictions and bound them to the slavery of legalism.
-They taught the Galatians that the real good news is you can be a part of our family.  Well, sort of, but to do that you must become a Jew before you can be a Christian! 

And that made Paul ready to rummmble.  That made Paul fighting mad.  You can begin to see why there is an attitude to the book of Galatians.  That is the setting of the letter.

This is interesting.  Notice How Paul starts some of his other letters.  Listen carefully and see what is different between these openings and the one in Galatians.

Romans 1:7-8  To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.  First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.

1 Corinthians 1:2-4  To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ-- their Lord and ours: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 1:1-3  Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:  Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

Philippians 1:1-3  Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.   I thank my God every time I remember you.

Colossians 1:1-3  Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,  To the holy and faithful brothers in Christ at Colosse: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.  We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,

1 Thessalonians 1:1-2  Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you.  We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers.

Now listen to Galatians again.

Galatians 1:1-6  Paul, an apostle-- sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead-- and all the brothers with me, To the churches in Galatia: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,  who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel--

What is missing?  There is no “Thank you.” How cold is that?  Paul leaves out a part of the standard way you were supposed to start a letter. He doesn’t thank God for them at all.  It’s like us leaving off the “Dear” at the being of a letter, only worse. 

Why is his tone different in Galatians?  Why is Paul so angry?  Here is the bottom line. These other Jews jacked with the fundamentals.  They perverted the essence of the Gospel.  The Galatians were about to buy into a legal system that ceased to be salvation at all.  It ceased to be rescue.  There is a heart to the Gospel, that when messed with, ceases to be Gospel and becomes a different Gospel that is not gospel at all.  Paul was angry because they were loosing their precious freedom!

Through the course of our study in Galatians over the next couple of months we will be exploring the heart of the Gospel, the essentials of the gospel.  We will learn the freedom in the Gospel. 

“For Paul, the Gospel isn't a system of salvation, or a new way of being religious. It's the announcement that Jesus, the crucified Messiah, is exalted as Lord of the whole world; therefore he is calling into existence a single worldwide family. This is the true gospel, he says; beware of illicit imitations. Indeed, shun them; they are a curse, not a blessing.” - N. T. Wright -

Here is the bottom line for us. When the Gospel is messed with it should make us angry.  When our freedom is at stake we should be ready to rummmmble!

 

Los Alamos Church of Christ
January 11, 2009