Monthly Archives: April 2009

Today an extended portion of Scripture recounting for us the resurrection of Jesus from the dead and some of the encounters He had with people before He left the earth.

John 19:31-37
31Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. 32So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. 33But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. 35 He who saw it has borne witness- his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth- that you also may believe. 36 For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” 37And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”

Mark 15:42-45
42 And when evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the Council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44Pilate was surprised to hear that he should have already died. And summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. 45And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph.

John 19:39-42
39 Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. 40So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. 41Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

Luke 23:55-56
55 The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. 56Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

Matthew 27:62-66
62The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” 65Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” 66So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.

Matthew 28:1-4
1 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.

Mark 16:2-8
2And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 4And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back- it was very large. 5And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 6And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” 8And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

John 20:2
2So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”

Luke 24:10-11
10Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, 11but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.

John 20:3-10
3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10Then the disciples went back to their homes.

John 20:11-18
11But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”-and that he had said these things to her.

Matthew 28:9-15
9And behold, Jesus met them [the women] and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. 10Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” 11While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. 12And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers 13and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.

Luke 24:13-32
13That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” 25And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

28So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” 33And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.36As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” 37But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. 38And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43and he took it and ate before them.

John 20:20-31
20When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
Jesus and Thomas
24Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

26Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
The Purpose of This Book
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John 21
1After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. 2Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. 3Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

4Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. 7That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. 8The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.

9When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 10Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
Jesus and Peter
15When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19(This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

20Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who had been reclining at table close to him and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” 22Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” 23So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”

24This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true.

25Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

I Corinthians 15:6
6Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.

Matthew 28:16-20
16Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Luke 24:44-49
44Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Acts 1:9-12
9And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” 12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.

I John 2:1-2

1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

(Don’t know the meaning of propitiation? Look it up here )

There is a growing understanding in some circles of the larger Christian community that whatever the cross of Christ was about, it was not about Jesus taking the punishment for sins that others deserved. The text shown above tells us that Jesus death causes God to no longer be angry with His people. There are other texts, some given below, that tell us that Jesus’ death on the cross was Him being punished by God for others.
The death of the Son of God for our sins is not cosmic child abuse. It is the eternal plan of the One great triune God to bring glory to Himself and defeat sin once and for all. The Son was not forced to come. He, in council with the Father and the Spirit, planned it.
Consider just two pieces of Scripture that testify to it.

Isaiah 53:5-10a
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned-every one-to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
8By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
9And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.

10Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him;
he has put him to grief;

Galatians 3:13
13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us-for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”-

The love of God for us in sending the Son, who willingly came, to die for us, taking the punishment that we should have levied on us, is a wonder that should make us bow down in worship. Some say it is below God to do such a thing. We know it is a plan far too high for us to fully appreciate. But we can live for the praise of His glory, knowing that we will never be punished for the sins that Jesus has already been punished for.

Declare the wonders of the Gospel to others. Tell them of a completely finished work by the God who does all things well. Bring them to church with you this weekend so that they can hear the biblical Gospel and know that they are in great need because of their sin and that Jesus Christ has met the need fully. And tell it with great joy.

A disc jockey on the radio this morning made the comment that Good Friday will be a great Friday because it is going to be 8 degrees and sunny. When weather is a greater cause for happiness than the Son of God guaranteeing the eternal salvation of a numberless multitude of people we have slid down a great distance. I know, I know, we shouldn’t expect sound theology from morning show hosts. But let’s just see a few texts that tell us why the death of Christ makes Good Friday very good.

Matthew 20:28 (ESV)
even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

John 1:29 (ESV)
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

John 3:14-17 (ESV)
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, [15] that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”
[16] For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
[17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Acts 20:28 (ESV)
Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

Romans 4:25 (ESV)
who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Galatians 1:4 (ESV)
who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

Galatians 4:4-5 (ESV)
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, [5] to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Col. 2:14-15 (ESV)
by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. [15] He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

1 Thes. 1:10 (ESV)
and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

1 John 1:7 (ESV)
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

1 John 2:2 (ESV)
He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

These are just a few texts that tell us why Jesus died. The sin that Jesus died for on Good Friday is a great tragedy. The fact that sinners hated Jesus and put Him to death is horrifying. But the love that sent Him into the world to die for sinners makes Good Friday very good.

Today, meditate on what the cross was for, what it accomplished, and who was required to accomplish it. And then bow down in wonder and worship.

Galatians 2:1-10

1Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. 3But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. 4 Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in-who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery- 5to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. 6And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)-those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. 7On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised 8(for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), 9and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.

It is very remarkable that part of Paul’s account as he is defending himself against the false charges that have been levied against him is this request from the Apostles in Jerusalem that he remember the poor.

Paul’s purpose in writing the Galatians is to prove that the Gospel is salvation by grace through faith plus nothing. To add anything to the Gospel is to deny the whole Gospel and be eternally condemned. But this never means that we do nothing once we are saved.

The Gospel of grace always, always, always produces good works (See Ephesians 2:8-10). The striking thing here is that the only good work that Paul was encouraged to do was help the poor. Poverty is not one of a list of concerns that Christians are to make as some project in their lives. Helping the poor in the Bible is a top priority for all who are able to help in any way they can. Out of all the social concerns that the Apostles could have mentioned to Paul as needing his attention, the only one they mentioned was poverty relief.

It is a great, great encouragement that this comment is made in a Book of the Bible which has as its theme the Gospel of salvation plus nothing as a means of salvation. You cannot read the Book of Galatians and come away thinking that we contribute in any way to our own salvation. But neither can you read it and come away believing that there is nothing to do as Christians to help others and prove out the validity of our faith.

Are you truly saved by grace? It is going to show in how you live. It will show in good works. And be sure to remember the poor.

Psalm 30

1I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up
and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
2O LORD my God, I cried to you for help,
and you have healed me.
3O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;
you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.
4Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints,
and give thanks to his holy name.
5 For his anger is but for a moment,
and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.

6As for me, I said in my prosperity,
“I shall never be moved.”
7By your favor, O LORD,
you made my mountain stand strong;
you hid your face;
I was dismayed.
8To you, O LORD, I cry,
and to the Lord I plead for mercy:
9″What profit is there in my death,
if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it tell of your faithfulness?
10 Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me!
O LORD, be my helper!”

11You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
you have loosed my sackcloth
and clothed me with gladness,
12that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

Psalm 310:1 – “I will extol you O Lord for you have drawn me up”. There it is – the truth of everything. We can worship, want to worship, are received by God in our worship, because He has drawn us up. We have not climbed up to Him. We did not seek Him out. “He loved me ere I knew Him and all my love is due Him…” The hymn gets it perfectly right. We won’t even know that we owe God our love if not for the fact that He opens our eyes to see it. It is all of grace. And when we talk of grace we are talking about Jesus Christ coming uninvited to rescue all that the Father would give to Him. We worship Him because He has drawn us up. What a great truth. All other truths we will imbibe into our hearts will trace their understanding back to this – He came to us. Thank you Lord for your life giving grace.

Follow the line of thinking in this Psalm:
verse 1a – God draws us up
verse 1b – He draws us up to protect us from our enemies – in our case the enemy of our souls
verse 2 – When He drew us up we called upon Him. This is the call for mercy, for salvation
verse 3 – Now we are saved from hell and from participating in the lifestyle of those who are bound for there.
verse 4 – This produces, and will always produce, worship from the heart shown in praise and thanksgiving.
verse 5 – the believer’s life is still fraught with much trouble
verse 6 – the troubles do not cause us to forsake our God. He keeps those He saves
verse 7 – the testimony of the saints will be that God has done great things for them
verse 8 – the troubles keep coming all throughout our lives and we keep calling upon God to help us – and He does.
verse 9 – the purpose of our preservation is to praise God
verse 10 – so we keep calling to Him for help
verse 11 – and we find help from Him and therefore continue to praise Him.
verse 12 – the response of the believing heart is eternal praises to our God. We look forward to an eternity with Him that is free of sin and trouble. This is our hope and it will not be disappointed.

Galatians 1:11-12

11For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. 12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

Paul states in 1:11-12 that the Gospel he preached was not a Gospel that he received from men. This is something that many people who believe they have a message from God also say. The world is full of people maintaining that God has a message for the world and they are His spokesmen. Psychiatric wards also have many in them who receive regular revelations from God for the world. Why should we believe Paul’s claim any more than these others?

1)The most basic answer is the Gospel of Grace. Paul was declaring a Gospel that is unlike any other that has ever been preached. Salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ. You will find that nowhere else in any so called prophet or apostle who claims to have a revelation from God.

2) Paul is addressing people who have been saved from sin. They know the power of the Gospel and are being threatened to give it up for something that is much less.

3) 1:13-14 – Paul had been a persecutor of the church and changed to become one who is persecuted. There was a genuine change of heart.

4) 1:17 – He did not make a big deal of himself when he was first converted. It was not Paul’s original desire to make a big noise. He retreated for a lengthy period and grew.

5) 1:18-20 – He submitted himself to the testing of the Apostles in Jerusalem. Paul was no loner insisting on getting his own way. He visited the Apostle Peter as a brother in the preaching of the Gospel.

6) 1:22-24 – The very people who Paul used to persecute now rejoice in him. Paul is no isolationist with no regard for the opinions of others. He was approved, taught, and received as one who taught the truth and who guarded against heresies. None of the false teachers of the day could have withstood such scrutiny.

When you read that Paul defended himself by saying that he got his message from God, don’t lump him in with the thousands of others who make great claims. Paul’s is not the same.

The revelation of God to people today is the Word of God. You will never get a message that deviates from it. It is able to equip us for every good work. We need nothing more.

Galatians 1:13-17
3For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 14And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. 15But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, 16was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; 17nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

When defending himself against those who oppose him, Paul does not do what we would expect. He does not try to show himself as one who is great. He gives the truth of his story as a persecutor and great sinner for the sake of demonstrating the grace of God.

Our lives are meant to be a testimony to the grace of God in Jesus Christ. Our story is about His work in our lives. Whether we have been saved out of what is considered to be horrendous sin or lived quite a normal life without great sin, it took the cross of Christ to redeem us for God. Like Paul, we must be careful to always deflect attention upward to Christ for God’s glory and not to anything else, especially ourselves.

This ought not to be difficult for the real Christian. Real Christians are thrilled that God has done what they could not. They are so taken up with the work of Christ by grace that they do not want to be seen as much as they want Him to be seen. Salvation is by grace so that “no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:9). God calls people who are nothing in the eyes of the world so that no one may boast before Him (I Corinthians 1:29).

Learn from Paul’s testimony – focus on Christ.