Called by God

 

Called By God

Galatians 1:11-24

 

In Galatians 1:11-12 Paul tells us about the source of the gospel that he is proclaiming.

 

Paul says that the gospel that he preached was not human based but the gospel that God had given him. This is true of all of God’s word. 2 Peter 1:19-21 says, “And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed; to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shinning in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this, first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” The Bible is God’s word & it comes from God, not humans.

 

Raise the Roof & Remove the Walls is about trusting that the Bible is God’s word & it comes from God, not humans.

 

In verses 13-14 Paul shares about his former life where he persecuted the church & advanced up the ladder of religious authority in Judaism because of his zealous persecution of the church. A person can be religious & be sincerely devoted to following religious beliefs & still miss experiencing God in their lives. John 17:3 tells us that eternal life is knowing the only true God & Jesus Christ who was sent by God the Father. It is about a relationship with God, not a religious devotion to God, that He wants.

 

Raise the Roof & Remove the Walls is about experiencing the reality of the one true God in our lives every day.

 

In verses 15-17 Paul shares his transformation. Paul was set apart through God’s grace before he was born to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. This being set apart came through His encounter with Jesus. Paul spends three years with Jesus being discipled to prepare him to fulfill God’s calling in his life. God desires for each of us is to be transformed & set apart to follow God’s call through following Jesus as His disciple.

 

Raise the Roof & Remove the Walls is about allowing God to transform us & set us apart to follow Jesus as His disciples.

 

In verses 18-23 Paul shares about the beginning of his ministry. He went to Jerusalem & met with Peter. He then went to Syria and Cilicia. The disciples there did not know him personally, but they knew that the man who had once persecuted the church was now proclaiming his faith in Jesus. Just as Paul’s transformation from persecutor of churches to planter of churches, we need to be transformed from one who rejected Jesus to one who has surrendered their lives to Jesus as Lord.

 

Raise the Roof & Remove the Walls is about allowing the world to see the difference Jesus has made & is making in our lives.

 

Galatians 1:24 says, “And they gloried God because of me.” God had called & set Paul apart to proclaim the gospel & Paul had responded in obedience & the result was that God was glorified by people coming to surrender their lives to Jesus as their Lord. God has called & set apart each of us to serve Him & when we do, it will result in His being glorified & drawing people to Jesus to be their Lord.

 

Raise the Roof & Remove the Walls is about obeying God so that He can be glorified.

 

God had a plan for Paul’s life & He has a plan for each of our lives. When we obey God & follow His plan, it will always lead to His glory & our good.

 

Raise the Roof & Remove the Walls,

Joe