Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to go hear Steve Backlund from Igniting Hope Ministries . He is an incredible man that equips and empowers others to discover and sustain joy in their lives. At the end of the session I was able to attend, Steve graciously stopped to speak with my two friends and I as he was leaving and shared encouragement that the book of Galatians was an important book to be studied and that he saw a special grace over the three of us and our stewardship of spending time with God in that book.......here we are. I've spent the last months reading and re-reading Galatians waiting on God to give me words and infrastructure to what it is He wants to do. Let me clear- I'm just a woman pursuing the Lord. Yes, I have had some schooling and training specifically in studying the Bible but I'm a student in training at all times- WE are doing this together and I WILL learn things as we go. This is not a one-sided convo, learning (whether you are the one teaching or receiving) is always available on both sides of the process...don't ever be too impressed with your position to completely miss your opportunity to learn.
I would love to invite you in on my process of going through scripture and, perhaps, one of the benefits of what Steve suggested to me may be getting to do this with all of you!
Here's where I like to start---with God. Communication is key, right? Prayer seems fitting to me to start with anything so that I acknowledge my need for understanding and desire for wisdom through Holy Spirit. So, let's pray:
Thank-you Jesus for your instruction. Thank-you for your availability and your desire to be known. Thank-you for each one that you would bring alongside me to pursue you and submit to your incredible process of becoming more and more like you. Teach us to love well and teach us to receive your love. We want to know you and we want our lives to be transformed. Show us what you have for us today and speak to us, we love your voice! Amen.
This is where I'm sitting with you as I write- and even finishing that conversation with God, I can feel His presence and that He is at work in all of us- right in this moment....I'm confident that many of you can actually feel something- but we'll talk about that another day....
Galatians PT 1
The Bible Project is a PHENOMENAL resource for anyone studying the Bible. I will very often site their videos for foundational reference as they are brilliantly created to teach both intellectually and visually. The content is also well segmented in that they are not extremely lengthy. We are going to follow the break-up of the book of Galatians in the manner that Bible Project does, simply because it makes total sense to me to do it lol.
HERE is the link for the overview of Galatians from Bible Project. Go ahead and watch it, it's a little over 9 minutes....
If you have your Bible- grab it now! If you don't have one- HERE is an app! I am using the NIV (New International Version) Life Application Study Bible for those wanting to follow along in step with the same language....
You know what? I love my Bible and I LOVE reading it and discovering the treasures and mysteries God wants to show me, but that wasn't always the way I regarded the Bible. It's ok if you've grown up with different experiences that may have shaped the way you look at it....maybe it feels intimidating or harsh or unrelatable or something you need to be instructed to do before you dive in, all those thoughts and feelings come from different ways we have all been shaped BUT you can always start with a new perspective, you can always try again......some of you, I want to tell you today the Bible is God's love letter to YOU and He wants you to just try something new....
Galatians Chapter 1
Paul was an apostle. Bear with me for anyone that says "yes, I know". Sometimes, the basics are still important to remember. Paul had a famous conversion (Saul to Paul) in which he was in one moment potentially arch enemy #1 to existing Christians to Jesus right-hand man to the Gentiles (non- Jewish world). What was the event that took place to cause Saul's transformation? Meeting resurrected and ascended Jesus. He met Jesus. (See Acts 9)
Paul's letter to the Galatians was in response to learning that they had strayed from the Gospel's message of grace back into religion- many Jews in the area wanted the converted Gentiles to practice their traditions in order to truly be Jews...however, this directly opposed the work that Jesus did on the cross. It was out of his frustration that he wrote to these people to remind them of what the true Gospel says and demonstrates.
Galatians 1:1-2
Paul, an apostle- sent not from men nor my a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him rom the dead- and all the brothers and sisters with me,
This introduction reminds us how Paul got to where he was currently. The risen and ascended Jesus transformed, empowered and emboldened him to go to these people and that a group of "brothers and sisters" in Christ affirm that this is true. It's a good reminder for us that anyone teaching and equipping without the affirmation of the body of believers (which the opposing view that was infiltrating Galatia was not) should be wisely weighed. Don't go believing everything you see on Insta, YouTube, THE NEWS or wherever you get your "info" from- all things should be weighed and filtered through TRUTH.
Galatians 1:3-5
Grace and peace to you from God the 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 forever and ever. Amen.
Paul comes backed with GRACE and PEACE and a reminder of the sacrifice Jesus willingly gave on our behalf because of God's LOVE for us to which we in return give GLORY forever.
Interesting, right?
His letter that is written out of frustration BECAUSE of people backsliding did NOT come with instant reprimand or punishment or accusation. This letter came with GRACE, PEACE, LOVE and GLORY. Paul reminds us WHOSE we are and WHO we are in the event we start to go off the rails.
For God so LOVED the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17
How do we respond to those around us that aren't living in the truth of the Gospel? How do we respond to ourselves as God reveals how we aren't?
Galatians 1:6-7
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel --- which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throuwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.
Paul says he is downright ASTONISHED that anyone would so easily move away from the GRACE of the Lord to be persuaded into alternative forms of the Gospel (which he quickly asserts is no Gospel at all). I would have to agree with Paul that as I look around my immediate world today, the conversations that I have even recently- it is absolutely astonishing how easily anyone is persuaded into a different perspective or method of finding relationship with God....persuasion is a REAL thing, folks.
Are you being or have you been persuaded into any methods, practices, beliefs, etc that are not a part of THE Gospel?
Galatians 1:8
But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God's curse!
LISTEN UP- EVEN IF WE OR AN ANGEL SHOULD PREACH A DIFFERENT GOSPEL OTHER THAN THE GOSPEL....There are competing influences INCLUDING supernatural beings that would persuade us to believe something other than what Jesus has for us. Paul chose to say "Even if an angel". This day in age, that feels incredibly relevant and worth hanging on for a second. I believe that there are angels and demons in existence- right now with us- and that they are capable of influencing us. Angels serve God and are created- in part- to minister, help, protect, etc. those that are His (Psalm 91). Demons are fallen angels that are enemies of God that counterfeit everything God's angels do to PERSUADE us away from Jesus and the Gospel.....why? That's a very multi-layered question, but ultimately because they are on the team to "steal, kill and destroy" (John 10:10). If they can persuade you from the WAY of the Gospel- they persuade you away from Jesus, away from God and ultimately into eternal separation with them because they hate God. Team Steal, Kill and Destroy does not look like a bunch of red hooligans with pitch forks, they come disguised and cunning and pleasing to your eye (2 Corin 11:14, 15).....they are persuasive LIARS.
How can you be aware of any time you may be being persuaded? Know God's Word. Know God. Know Truth. As Bill Johnson has taught: those that are trained to know the difference between a real hundred dollar bill and a counterfeit are so familiar with the real one that they can detect the slightest difference in the counterfeit. Not, sometimes, because it is so easily recognizeable but because they have been trained in practice to be more familiar with the real than the fake.
You need to know the real to recognize the fake.
I'd like to interject one thought here for anyone thinking "Oh no! I can not recognize the fake" or "Oh no! I have totally engaged with the fake!" God meets you RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE....there is no shame or fear in Him, only grace and love and mercy (remember the beginning of this book? Grace, love and mercy preceed Him- He gives you what you need to keep moving forward)
Galatians 1:9
As we have already said, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God's curse!
Paul declares a curse on anyone preaching an alternative Gospel- anyone including himself, he's doubling down-- and he's flaming angry at anyone that would attempt to persuade someone that has put their hope in Jesus.....that's intense. I think Paul wanted it to hit home with everyone that dabbled in a little of "this or that" (which was circumcision and other religious tradition they were being persuaded back into at this time) that ANYTHING that was not of the Gospel is NOT compatible and pollutes it......can you think of anything nowadays that Christians accept as harmless in conjunction with the Gospel??? I can. The Gospel isn't something to take lightly- it is life and death....and may I suggest that life and death is not only relegated to where you will spend eternity, but it is the freedom and extent of victory you walk in right now. I truly believe there is a lot to unpack here that sheds light on our current awareness and demonstration of Gospel life in today's world. The levels of anxiety and fear and anger IN Christians do not reflect the freedom found in Jesus....and that is another talk for another time.
Galatians 1:10
Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? IF I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of God.
The fear of man is real.
Opinions and reputation can be a serious hinderance to our lives with God IF we value them more than what He says and thinks about us...
This is it for today. Who knew how much you could think on 10 verses, right?
I find this incredibly convicting and encouraging. Paul says, "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of CHRIST." (My emphasis)
Wow.
What is Paul motivated by? Grace, Peace and Love. That is the context to which he reaches out to his friends and those that have trusted him to teach and equip them in the Gospel. I want to make this clear because this verse does NOT give anyone the freedom to say anything they want in the name of being a servant of Jesus. Yet, coming in grace and peace and love to those that you care about does give you influence and access to say and do the things God LEADS you to.....and often- at least in my experience- those times that the Lord speaks truth through you to those you have influence and access to causes friction, anger, conviction, defense, pain.
We talked about communication and connection and relationship....sometimes hard conversations take place not because one side wants to be right, but because they have truth that will benefit the other. And that person, in their own process, needs the truth to be able to move in a greater degree of freedom.
Sharing the Gospel, demonstrating the Gospel, being in the will of God WILL cause conflict at times. Sometimes, that emotional and circumstantial fallout is not for you to navigate. I'm using a lot of "sometimes" because in our process of becoming better communicators with people AND God, that process gives us as the ones sharing the Gospel a learning curve as well. God has a way and words for all situations- we aren't supposed to be rogue even with truth.
Exhale.
We are living in amazing times. I don't believe this is an era to be feared, but an era to welcome eagerly with excitement as we lean into understanding God's plans and desires for us and creation. Galations feels more relevant than ever as some become Paul's to a body of believers that has been persuaded away from the true Gospel. We have the opportunity to step into a level of freedom and access that I don't think the world has seen yet- I truly believe that. Jesus said that He no longer calls us servants, but friends.....and yet, a friend that doesn't serve another friend from a position of grace, peace and love is no friend at all. We are servants to Christ because we love, not because He requires anything from us- we serve Him because we get to....what can mere mortals do to us or say about us that matters at all in relation to that?
I'd love to know your thoughts!!!
Lyns
"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly more than we can possibly ask for or imagine according to the power at work within us"
Ephesians 3:20
Do you know Jesus?
If you haven't met Jesus yet and you have questions, please contact me!
Comentarios