FEBRUARY 6TH,
2005
I.
Paul was dedicated to his
religion before he was saved
(13-14).
A.
How did Paul show his
dedication to his religion before he was saved?
1.
He persecuted “the
2.
He “wasted” the
3.
He “profited in the Jews
religion”, referring to human earnings.
4.
He was more “zealous” in
following the traditions of his religion than many others who were zealous
themselves (14).
B.
Paul was a man of dedication
and zeal BEFORE he was converted.
1.
We shouldn’t assume that
Paul’s zeal as a Christian was a new characteristic given to him at the moment
of salvation.
2.
Much of Paul’s determination
to serve God AFTER his conversion was a redirection of the energy he exercised
BEFORE his conversion.
3.
God will use your natural
strengths for His glory if you surrender your strengths to Him.
II.
God had a plan for Paul
before He was born (15-16).
A.
Paul was “separated” and
“called” to be an apostle before he was born (15).
1.
Paul taught that Christians
live according to Divine appointments.
2.
In Hebrews 9:27,
(assuming Paul wrote Hebrews), he stated that human life ends by appointments.
3.
The Lord Jesus referred many
times to particular hours when events would occur – (John 4:21, 5:28, 12:23,
17:1, and 18:37).
B.
God’s plan for Paul’s life
is spelled out in verse 16.
1.
Paul was to reveal the Lord
Jesus in his own life.
2.
Paul was to carry the Gospel
to the heathen.
3.
Paul repeatedly states that
this call is not form natural man.
C.
After Paul was saved on the
1.
It is believed that this
three year period was between Acts 9:25 and 9:26.
2.
This brief time of aloneness
with God can be compared to the 40 years of wilderness preparation in the life
of Moses (Exodus 2-3).
3.
Paul and Moses were prepared
for their leadership roles in the desert.
III.
After three years, Paul
revealed himself to two of the apostles in Jerusalem (18-20).
A.
He stayed with Peter and
James for 15 days.
B.
In Acts 9:26-28, we
learn that Peter and James were afraid of Paul at first, and didn’t believe
him.
C.
Paul boldly preached the
Gospel, drawing persecution from Grecians, and the Apostles saw that Paul was
genuine (Acts 9:28-29).
IV.
Paul began to reveal himself
to the churches in Judea, and began trevelling in Syria and Cilicia (21-24).
A.
The Christians in Judea did
not know Paul by face (22).
B.
The Christians in Judea did
know Paul by reputation (23).
1.
The great persecutor is now
a great preacher.
2.
Paul is now preaching the faith that he once
destroyed.
C.
As Paul would have it, God
was glorified (24).
-
If the Jewish Christians in
Judea believed Paul, then the false teachers in Galatia had a problem.
Conclusion: The majority of this chapter
has been spent by Paul emphasizing his
Apostolic authority.
Next week: Galatians 2