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Gal 1:11-24 (ESV)
Paul Called by God
11 For 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. 13 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 14 And 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. 15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, 16 was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother. 20 (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) 21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only were hearing it said, "He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy." 24 And they glorified God because of me.
When I was a kid, I loved reading J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. The stories captivated my attention, drawing me in as I got to know the characters. I wanted to know what would become of each of them as the narratives progressed. Would they all survive? Would they find the treasure? What would become of the ring? Will good ultimately triumph, and at what cost?
In this passage, we get a hint of Paul’s story and begin to understand his passion for Jesus and the Gospel. So, what do you think of Paul’s story as we get this glimpse into his journey of faith? It’s pretty awesome, especially the part where he states that he received the Gospel by revelation from Jesus Himself! We can only imagine how that meeting must have unfolded.
Paul also reveals a bit about his past, that he was a violent persecutor of the church (vs. 13), but all that changed when Paul encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9). He was going one way with one purpose (to arrest any followers of Jesus and drag them back to Jerusalem in chains), and then Jesus completely turned his life around.
One of the other interesting things to note in this passage is that this is Paul’s story; it’s not teaching about theology or doctrine, but simply Paul’s story.
This passage is one of those passages where it helps to know the background of the letter. Paul had gone on his first missionary journey and had established some churches, but then a group of people called the Judaizers came through after Paul and preached and proclaimed a different gospel. Theirs was a gospel that insisted that the new believers must first become faithful Jews before becoming Christians. It was a faith of Jesus PLUS observing the Law.
Paul sees this as completely opposed to the Gospel of Jesus and is battling against this teaching. Paul is adamant, it’s Christ alone and nothing else. Part of the Judaizer’s effort against Paul is to discredit him, saying that he really isn’t a true apostle, that Paul is just a “junior” to the true apostles who are in Jerusalem. Paul counters that clearly in this passage when he states that he didn’t learn the Gospel from any of the apostles. He states without equivocation that he received it from Jesus Himself.
But the part that catches my attention this morning is regarding Paul's wrestling with the Lord after his encounter with Jesus. Prior to his encounter with Jesus, Paul thought he had everything figured out. He was a zealous Jew, a Pharisee who persecuted the church violently and tried to destroy it (Paul’s words—verse 13). Paul thought he had everything figured out, but once he met Jesus, everything changed, and Paul needed to wrestle with the Lord about this course correction.
In his commentary about this passage, N. T. Wright remarked, “It is a central strand of most Christian living that everybody needs, from time to time, to wrestle privately with God and his will.”
What about you? Is there anything that you’re wrestling with as you pursue your relationship with Jesus? A relationship that needs to be reconciled, an old habit that needs to be addressed, an attitude that needs to be adjusted, a belief that needs to be reconciled to a teaching of Jesus, or a new direction that needs to be taken as you seek to follow Jesus.
My encouragement for you is to see these wrestling moments as opportunities to step out in faith, grow closer to Jesus, know Him more, and glorify His name as your story becomes part of His story, the story of the unstoppable progress of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
It’s okay if you’re struggling with something and are unsure how to resolve it. What’s needed, no, what’s necessary, is that you have that ongoing conversation with Jesus. Trust Him with your struggle and continue to have that conversation with Him. It’s amazing how things will change in light of your growing love for Him. Paul’s life is an excellent example to us.
God bless you and know that I’m praying for you constantly.
Scott
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