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Acts 14:21-28; Galatians 1:1-3:23<\/strong><\/span> Today we begin Paul\u2019s letter to the church in Galatia!\u00a0 Paul\u2019s letter was sent from either point #1 to point #2 or from #3 to #4 in the image below:<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n Wow. I have to share with you that Paul\u2019s words in Galatians chapter 1 verse 1 stopped me in my tracks today when reading them: \u201cThis letter is from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group or by human authority. My call is from Jesus Christ himself and from God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 The thing that struck me about this was Paul saying that he was not appointed by any group or by human authority to be an apostle of Jesus Christ.\u00a0 His call was from Jesus Himself!\u00a0 And this just made me think about our modern world today, where I am afraid that sometimes we will only maybe do bold things in our life for the Gospel \u2013 for the Kingdom of God \u2013 if we feel like we have been appointed by some group or by some human authority to do it.\u00a0 When, in fact the important thing is if we have been called by Jesus to do it!\u00a0 I hope humbly here I can share with you that there are probably a ton of reasons of why I \u201cshouldn\u2019t\u201d be leading an online Bible study like this one.\u00a0 I don\u2019t have a Seminary degree.\u00a0 I am not an ordained minister or pastor.\u00a0 Yes, I have been in a Bible study before, and I do a lot of studying each day for this ministry.\u00a0 But \u2013 no group or human authority has appointed me to do this.\u00a0 I have just done it because I do feel very called to it!\u00a0 And I share this with you not to pat myself on the back, but to encourage you.\u00a0 Maybe you\u2019ve never been to Seminary.\u00a0 Maybe you\u2019re not an ordained minister or pastor.\u00a0 Maybe you\u2019ve never done _____,\u00a0 ____, or ____.\u00a0 (fill in your blanks)\u00a0 But, maybe God is calling you to do something bold for his Kingdom, and the question becomes when will you do it?\u00a0 When will you stop relying on an old excuse of not being appointed by a group or human authority to do it? If God is calling you to something, please, please, do it!\u00a0 Our time is short.\u00a0 Your time is now.\u00a0 The water is fine.\u00a0 Please, dive in!<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span> We have great readings today in Galatians chapter 2 as Paul confronts Peter!\u00a0 I think this is a powerful lesson for us to learn.\u00a0 It is okay \u2013 in fact good \u2013 to confront other Christians when they are out of line.\u00a0 We should do so in the spirit of love.\u00a0 Speak the truth in love to our brothers and sisters who step out of line.\u00a0 But let us not be too meek in this area and let somebody we love slide by because we\u2019re too scared to say anything.\u00a0 Is there anybody in your life today that you are being led by God to speak the truth in love to?\u00a0 (there is someone in my life I\u2019m being led to do this\u2026 and I confess that I have been dragging my feet\u2026)\u00a0 Let us learn today from the example of Paul confronting Peter!<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span> \u00a0 <\/span> Paul\u2019s message in Galatians chapter 3 verses 6 through 9 is very good news to the 1st century Gentiles and to you and me today too! \u201cIn the same way, \u201cAbraham believed God, so God declared him righteous because of his faith.\u201d The real children of Abraham, then, are all those who put their faith in God.<\/em> What\u2019s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would accept the Gentiles, too, on the basis of their faith. God promised this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, \u201cAll nations will be blessed through you.\u201d\u00a0And so it is: All who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith.\u201d<\/em> Do you believe that you can share in the same blessing Abraham received?\u00a0 How?\u00a0 Are you a spiritual descendent of Abraham?\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 What do Paul\u2019s words \u201cfaith in Christ\u201d mean to you?\u00a0 Is this all very good news to you?\u00a0 Below is a painting from the year 1850 by Hungarian artist Jozsef Molnar of \u201cAbraham\u2019s journey from Ur to Canaan\u201d:<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Bible.org\u2019s commentary on today\u2019s readings in Galatians titled \u201cThe Cost of Changing Course\u201d<\/strong> is <\/span>at this link<\/span>.\u00a0 Below is a great image \u2013 nice take off from the \u201cIntel Inside\u201d graphic! \u2013 from Galatians 2:20 in today\u2019s readings:<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span> <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n Worship Video:\u00a0 <\/strong>Today\u2019s readings reminded me of the Third Day song \u201cYour Love is Like a River:\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
~ Click here to read today\u2019s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~<\/span><\/em>
~ Listen to today\u2019s Scripture with <\/em>The ESV Bible<\/em><\/span> ~<\/p>\n
~ Galatians ~<\/strong>
Author<\/span>: Paul the apostle
Place<\/span>: Unknown
Date<\/span>: A.D. 48 or 49
Content<\/span>: Paul had preached to the inhabitants of Galatia on his first missionary journey (Act 13:14-14:23). Shortly after his departure, a group of Jewish believers arrived to insist that the Gentile Christians submit to the laws of Moses in order to be saved. Paul writes to combat this error by showing that Abraham, who lived over four hundred years before the giving of the law, was saved by faith in the gospel \u2013 so how could it be argued that the law could either save a man or make a believer in Christ more perfect? Paul couples this with a vigorous defense of himself as an apostle and with a discussion of how a Christian ought to live.
Theme<\/span>: Paul energetically defends the truth of the gospel, which is that man is saved by the grace of God through faith in Christ and nothing else. Any other teaching is a perversion of the truth of God (Galatians 1:7). We are made right in the sight of God by faith (Galatians 2:16) and become the people of God (sons of Abraham) in the same way, by faith (Galatians 3:7). Because we are free in Christ, we must never allow anyone to drag us back to the idea of working for our salvation, but must live out of the gospel. This involves submission to the Spirit of God (Galatians 5:16) and loving our neighbor as ourselves (Galatians 5:14). (Above commentary is from Tyndale Publishers \u201cThe One Year Bible Companion\u201d pp. 25-26) <\/em>More great commentary on Galatians is <\/strong><\/span>at this link<\/span><\/p>\n
Bible.org\u2019s commentary on today\u2019s readings in Galatians Chapter 1 titled \u201cGiving Up the Gospel\u201d<\/strong> is <\/span>at this link<\/span> and \u201cWas Paul a Man-Pleaser?\u201d<\/strong> is <\/span>at this link<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n
I have to tell you, for some reason the parenthetical point from Paul in verse 6 today really stood out to me \u2013 \u201c(By the way, their reputation as great leaders made no difference to me, for God has no favorites.)\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 This is really a profound thing for each of us to realize!\u00a0 No one is above you!\u00a0 No one is below you!\u00a0 God has no favorites!\u00a0 I really really love thinking about this.\u00a0 This means we should respect all, but fear none.\u00a0 God is the only one we should fear.\u00a0 You, your pastor, your president, the homeless person on the street corner are no more or no less favored by God comparatively.\u00a0 God has no favorites!\u00a0 And \u2013 if God has no favorites, what do you think this should mean to us.\u00a0 Should we have favorites?\u00a0 Should we give more respect to those who we think are in better social standing than others?\u00a0 Should we love the pastor more than the homeless person?\u00a0 Should we love the celebrity over the waiter?\u00a0 This really is something for us to think about\u2026\u00a0 Paul said people\u2019s reputation as great leaders made NO difference to him.\u00a0 Should people\u2019s reputations in our world today make any difference to us?<\/span><\/p>\n
Bible.org\u2019s commentary on today\u2019s readings in Galatians titled \u201cWas Paul a Man-Pleaser?\u201d<\/strong> is <\/span>at this link<\/span> and \u201cPeter\u2019s Capitulation and Paul\u2019s Correction\u201d<\/strong> is <\/span>at this link<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n
Today in Galatians chapter 3 verses 10 and 11 we read: \u201cAll who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: \u201cCursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.\u201d Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, \u201cThe righteous will live by faith.\u201d\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 What is Paul saying here?\u00a0 Why would those who rely on observing the law be under a curse?\u00a0 Do you rely on the law?\u00a0 And, no, I\u2019m not asking about this type of law below\u2026 \ud83d\ude42<\/span><\/p>\n
Bible.org\u2019s fantastic commentary on today\u2019s readings in Galatians titled \u201cWhat the Law Cannot Do\u201d<\/strong> is <\/span>at this link<\/span>.\u00a0 Below is a powerful image for Galatians 3:13 from today\u2019s readings \u2013 <\/span><\/p>\n