Today’s passage: Galatians 1:11-24

Helpful thoughts:

• Paul’s former desire was to become a great Pharisee and persecute the church.
• God set Paul apart before he was ever born and called Paul by grace.
• Paul was not taught how to preach or what to preach by the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem.
  • He was not trying to raise up the ranks of the church as he had among the Pharisees.
  • He was not coerced by any to teach for the praise of man.

Questions to consider:

1. What were some major changes in Paul from before to after his conversion?
2. Why would he want people to know that the fear of man was not affecting his preaching?
3. Even thought the fear of man certainly looks like we “care” about others, how is it actually more about us?

Today’s passage: Galatians 1:1-5

Helpful thoughts:

• An apostle is one who is sent with a commission.  The Apostles of the Church are those who were specifically sent by Christ Himself. Paul’s apostleship was unique in that his sending was after Christ’s resurrection on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19, 1 Corinthians 15:5-8).
  • The authenticity of Paul’s apostleship was going to be brought into question by those opposing the Gospel message in and around the churches in Galatia.
• Because Paul’s calling, commission and confidence was from God, he was not swayed by the pressure of the opinions of men.
  • This epistle is going to be about the doctrine of salvation, and also about the fear of man.
• Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God has given us grace (Unmerited, unearned favor) and peace (We are no longer at enmity with God or under His condemnation).
  • This Gospel message is unlike anything the world could offer or create religiously.
  • This occurred according to the will of God, not as a result of our desires or imagination.

Questions to consider:

1. Why would it not make sense for a person to call themselves and apostle today?  What is a person who calls themselves an apostle today saying about themselves and what they have seen, heard and/or are saying to their hearers?
2. Why is it so important that we know the message of the Gospel did not come from a person’s mind?
3. What are two things Paul writes that God the Father or Jesus Christ did in these verses that man could never do? (Hint: look at verse 1 and verse 4)  How does knowing who God is and what He is like help us to not worry so much about what people think?