Galloping Through Galatians...#1...Galatians 1:1-5


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I have the privilege to "gallop" through the book of Galatians, which is a letter to the churches in the region of Galatia (Asia Minor), with the church were I am serving as an interim pastor.  Each book of the Bible I preach I like to start with the 3 a's: author, audience, and autographed.  The letter points to Paul as the author and the churches of Galatia as the audience.  Historical events point to an autographed date of 48 to 52 A.D., not long after the life, death and resurrection of Jesus in the early 30's A.D.

This letter from Paul is very different from his other letters.  It gets right to the point.  It shares more details about what happened to him after he met the Lord on the Damascus Road.  Galatians outlines nicely into 3 sections over the 6 chapters.  Chapters 1 & 2 are about the man, Paul and it is personal.  Chapters 3 & 4 are about the message, the Gospel and it is doctrinal.  Chapters 5 & 6 are about the manner, how we live now and it is practical.  

This introduction sermon was a great time to emphasize the purpose statement of the church I am serving.  Their purpose statement can be communicated as: We have a message that is Jesus; We have a motive that is love; and We have a method that is discipleship.  I saw all three of these points in these first 5 verses.

Paul has a method of discipleship as he continues to encourage the local churches that emerged from his proclaiming of the gospel and also the including of other brothers who were with him.  Paul is not alone in his walk with the Lord and he encourages the local bodies of Christ to grow together in Christ.

Paul gives again the message of Jesus to the churches of Galatia.  He lays out the contributions of God to them of grace and peace from Him, a willing Son who gave Himself, a rescue from this evil world, and a plan that is His will.  Our only contribution is our sins and our response should be that of glory to God.

Paul also displays the motive of love as he responds with an admiration and glory of God.  This love of God for the salvation that he has received is proclaimed to the ones he loves, the recipients of this letter.  Out of love, Paul is going to write a letter that helps the Galatian Christians to keep on track with this wonderful and precious gospel.

I finished our time with these verses with a medley of songs that express glory to God.  "All glory be to Christ my King, All Glory be to Christ..."; "Glory to His name, Glory to His name...."; "All glory laud and honor to you Redeemer King..."; and then ending with one that I think could have been taken from these very verses, "To God Be The Glory."

To God be the glory great things He has done,
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life, an atonement for sin,
And opened the life gates that all may go in.

Praise the Lord!  Praise the Lord!  Let the earth hear His voice.
Praise the Lord!  Praise the Lord!  Let the people rejoice.
O come to the Father through Jesus the Son
And give Him the glory, great things He has done.

May we ever be reminded of the true gospel.  We we recognize our contribution of sin and God's contribution of His own Son, Jesus Christ.  His contribution is always greater and the only redeeming part.  Saddle up with me for this gallop through Galatians.

Adam


A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

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