Sermon Tone Analysis

Freed to Be Free #3

Galatians 1:17-2:1a

 

We are continuing today in our look at Paul’s letter to the Galatians.

There were a lot of letters written then just as now.

There were many letters written from preachers to churches.

But there were only a relative few that are collected for us and accepted in the canon of scripture as being the Word of God.

The New Testament authors are all either Apostles, or close associates to an Apostle or to Jesus in his brothers, Jude and James.

That term Apostle is an important distinctive in scripture.

All the Apostles were disciples but not all the disciples were Apostles.

A disciple was a follower of Jesus.

It wasn’t exclusive to the 12.  any of those who followed Jesus were disciples.

However, to be an Apostle is an important difference.

Before we can move on in this book we have to address the Authority of Paul.

Today’s message will be more college class than revival message, but don’t turn me off.

Everything Paul says in this letter hinges on his Authority to say what he says.

There are those in this world today who try and separate the New Testament into the Gospel of Jesus and the Gospel of Paul as if they are different things.

We have to address Paul’s authority.

Does he have the right to teach?

Does he speak for God?

If Paul does not speak for God, then we can significantly lighten this Bible.

Romans, 1&2 Cor, Gal, Eph, Phil, Col, Titus, Phile, 1&2 Thes, 1&2 Tim all were written by Paul and if they are not authoritative messages from God they shouldn’t be here, they then are just letters, just opinions, just personal convictions but not Scripture.

The authority of Paul affects every reader of the Bible and has ramifications to life, conduct, belief, and practice of every Christian.

The teachings of Paul address discipleship, Christian living, sacrifice, suffering, trials, salvation, the 2nd coming, the anti-Christ, ministry, and accountability and expectations of leadership.

Well before we go further, let’s read our text … I’m going to back up a few verses and let’s start on verse 13 and read down to verse 1 of chapter 2

 

Look and Listen for yourselves at the pedigree that is unique for Paul

 

READ 13-2:1a

 

What is an Apostle?

We think of the 12. 

/Apostolos ~/ap-os-tol-os~/ a delegate, messenger, one sent with orders/

Websters says

/1) one sent on a mission as /

/   a.

… one of an authoritative N.T. group sent out to preach the gospel made up of Christ’s 12 and Paul /

/    b.

… the first prominent Christian missionary to a region or group/

 

The Apostles were the 12 selected by Christ, with Judas selling out Christ and committing suicide, they replaced him with Matthias.

But there are preachers today who have taken up the title of Apostle.

This is a touchy thing.

I am not attacking them but warning that care must be taken in HOW you use the term.

If that Pastor ~/ Preacher is wanting to simply call himself a “sent one” then well, ok.

But if they are trying to identify themselves with the authority and office of the NT Apostle then they are out of order.

From the standpoint of the simple definition of a “sent one” then our modern day missionaries are ones who serve that purpose.

But the purpose of revealing truth directly from God that stands alone is no longer active.

There is NO fresh REVELATION of Truth that stands apart from Scripture.

We have been given the revealed and written Word of God.

The Apostles carried unique qualifications from all other followers of Jesus.

They were chosen, commissioned, and taught by Christ himself.

This gave them special authority and authenticity to deliver His message and direct His Work

When they replaced Judas, they gave their expectation for an Apostle

/Acts 1:21-22 (NIV) \\ 21 //Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,// //22 //beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us.

For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”/

Well, as he was from Tarsus, the best we know, Paul wasn’t around during that time and isn’t seen in Jerusalem until the stoning of Stephen.

So, what DOES give Paul the Authority over these teachers from Jerusalem that have taken it on themselves to set these Galatians straight?

What makes any other writings of Paul on the same level with Scripture?

 

1 A Unique Conversion

 

/1 Corinthians 15:8-9 (NIV) \\ 8 //and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.//

//9 //For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God./

 

/1 Corinthians 9:1 (NIV) \\ //Am I not free?

Am I not an apostle?

Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?

…/

 

Paul could claim Authority because of his unique conversion

 

For those of you who may be new to the faith … let me remind you … The Apostles had all been called one by one by Jesus himself.

He had picked them out.

Since the Ascension of Jesus there had been thousands of conversions to The Way of Christ.

But every one of them had come from either the Preaching of the Apostles or their personal testimony or that of others in the Way.

After Stephen was stoned, the church was persecuted greatly and the people scattered.

Paul had legal permission to arrest and imprison the followers of Jesus.

Acts 9:1 says he was “/breathing out murderous threats” / against those following Christ and he took it on himself to go and get permission to destroy this “/sect of the Nazarenes/”

 

That Chapter goes on to recount for us … He was on his way to Damascus for this purpose when he was literally knocked off his feet by a lightning flash from Heaven.

It blinded him and Saul (who became known as Paul) heard the voice of Christ himself say “/Saul why do you persecute me?/” … Saul asked “/who are you?”/

“/I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting/” … “/now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do/”

 

He was blind for 3 days until the Lord sent a man named Ananias to him, who laid hands on him, restoring his sight, receiving the Holy Spirit and then being Baptized.

There’s not another conversion like that in the church era.

Why?

It was because Saul becoming Paul, was a unique Apostle.

In order to speak to us with Authority he had to have a direct conversion connected to Jesus.

A unique conversion, and

 

2.

A Unique Call

 

When Ananias was sent to Paul, in Acts 9 it says

 

/Acts 9:15 (NIV) \\ 15 //But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go!

This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel./

Paul was not commissioned by the Church in Jerusalem.

He didn’t seek or need their approval.

V1 says Paul, an Apostle, not OF men, BY men, but BY Jesus Christ and God the Father

His work was critical to YOU and to ME.  Christ had proclaimed that they would be witnesses to the /“ends of the earth.”/

And the Apostles took the gospel to many places.

But Paul uniquely took the gospel to the Gentile world.

Philip preached a great revival taking the gospel to the Samaritans,

Peter introduced it to the Gentiles in the person of Cornelius the Centurion.

But Peter still remained in Jerusalem, for the most part.

The Lord’s brother, James led the church in Jerusalem, as Pastor.

But in Jerusalem they were called the “sect of the Nazarenes”  They were redeemed by Christ but they still kept the law as their course of worship.

It was Paul who preached freely the gospel with no strings attached.

It was through Paul’s ministry that in Antioch we were first called “Christians”.

It was through his preaching that it went from being “/Jews completed/” by Christ to being referred to as “/little Christs/” … people living like him, walking like him, expressing him to a world that never met him or heard of him … Praise the Lord for Paul church …

But what did he do with this unique conversion and call …

 

Well he went to school … Oh he had been to University in Tarsus.

He had been trained by the greatest Jewish mind of the day … Gamaliel …

but that wouldn’t do as an Apostle he needed …

 

3.

Unique Collegiate Training