Preaching Administered Justification

Josh Bishop

FCC

Here We Stand • Sermon • Submitted 6 years ago

Galatians 1:11–12

Justification

Preaching

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The Preaching of the gospel as delivered faithfully through the proclamation of the scriptures, is as powerful if not more so than merely a physical revelation of the resurrected Lord Jesus. 

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Introduction

The Preaching of Justification by Faith Alone, in Christ Alone, which is the true gospel, is as powerful, dare I say, it is more powerful than a revelation of the physical resurrected Lord. Let me say that again;

The Preaching of the gospel as delivered faithfully through the proclamation of the scriptures, is as powerful if not more so than merely a physical revelation of the resurrected Lord Jesus.

In our text this morning we find an a statement that can glance off our minds as we rush past it to hear that Paul doesn’t receive his gospel from man but from God. But what we must see is that the dramatic explanation of the Gospel that comes from above, is that this gospel is doing something.

Read the text with me if you will. Galatians 1:11-12.

Galatians 1:11–12 ESV

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.

Now we come to this point in verse 12 and it begs us to continue reading. Next week, Lord willing, we’ll be taking a look at this larger portion of scripture verses 13-19 or really 11-19, but this morning I want us to zero in not on the main point of the entire pericope or entire unit of thought that Paul communicates, but take a very close view at one thing that he says that can be easily overlooked. Let me put it this way;

In verses 11-19 Paul walks the Galatians through his calling and early ministry as an apostle. By doing so he validates his message and makes an objective stance against those who would call it into question.

What we’re doing this morning is taking a look at just a simple statement that Paul makes while he’s ramping up into this testimony. The point I’m making this morning, just incase you miss it later on 😃 , is that the preached word of God carries with it the same, if not more power than what Paul experienced which was a bodily experience of the resurrection of Jesus Christ in the flesh. In short, The Revelation of the Word of God, is just as miraculous as the appearance of Christ Jesus in the flesh. We’ll be looking into this passage using the following outline:

Reminders: We’ll see the reminder that Paul expresses, but in short.

Recipients: We’ll note the recipients of this gospel of God, the Justification of Jesus Christ.

Revelations: Finally we’ll consider the two revelations that there are and notate the reality of my proposition.

Reminders:

Look at the text again with me. “For I would have you know, brothers…”

Who? Brothers

This part of the letter, despite what some might think, is for those who Paul confidently called “brothers”. That is, these were children of God––fellow Christians. That’s important since it would seem that Christians should know things like, what the gospel is, and where it came from. Earlier Paul described these people as those who were “being troubled”. Now they are not only called brothers, which is to call them saints, they are also among those we might consider to be guilty by association. These are the people that Paul feels needs to hear all these things.

Sometimes even though you’re a brother or sister. Even though you’re a saint of God, you need to be reminded of those things that make you a brother and sister. sometimes you need to be reminded that you’re a saint––because all you feel is that you’re a sinner.

What? The Gospel

What was it that Paul was reminding them about? The gospel. The Justification that is afforded to those who by faith, not by works, trust that Jesus is all they need. Those that believe that with all their issued, character flaws and sin, that Jesus’ striving was enough, it was all the striving they need.

Psalm 13 ESV

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Why?

Why does Paul feel the need to remind these people? Because the gospel is not man’s gospel, but God’s. Here’s what I think about that. I believe that Paul is battling this because;

First, there were those preaching a man centered and man originated gospel of works and legalism...

and yada yada yada. And So Paul was combating those specifics.

Secondly, I also think that the Holy Spirit intended this for the purpose of showcasing that we all create these same gospels.

You and I fall into times when we have either created for ourselves, or we buy into some good news that truly isn’t good news.

At Susanna and Demetrius’ wedding I made the comment that God is the author of marriage and as such He is the only one who has the right to govern it, and give it it’s purpose. I believe those words. I also believe the words of Paul in Ephesians 5, where he says that this mystery, marriage, is a picture of Christ and the church. The gospel is God’s. Therefore we not only cannot improve upon the gospel, we have no right to weigh it and judge it’s efficacy in our lives and decide arbitrarily to utilize it or not.

Recipients

Paul - The Damascus Road

Paul was able to give the gospel because he has first received it.

Maybe you are not a recipient of the gospel here today. If that’s true, then let me charge you to repent of your sins and believe on the Lord Jesus before another breath comes out of my lungs.

Paul turns around and gives, so that others might receive, but he did so because the truth about Jesus changed him. Jesus is God and he came to live a perfect life because you can’t. Then because you can’t and that inability to be perfect is also called sin and deserves God’s wrath, Jesus also died. He died to substitute Himself for you. In this He took on your sin, and then gave you His own righteousness. Therefore all who trust in Christ are clothed in His righteousness and are Justified, declared righteous, by that faith and not by any works.

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Not Paul - The Non-Recipients

That is, those who might be claiming some apostleship or authority neither knowing Christ or being known by Him. So really These are “non-recipients”.

The Galatians - True Recipients

Lest we forget that the Galatians were recipients of this gospel and this message.

Revelations

Read the text with me again,

Galatians 1:11–12 ESV

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

Of Not By:

Paul received a revelation by Jesus appearing.

He says that this revelation was not about getting something from Jesus but rather by just getting Jesus Himself.

Revelation Not Information:

There is a difference between revelation and information. Information is data, cold, hard data.

I’m a data guy...

James 2:19 NIV84

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

Knowledge OR information isn’t enough to get you safely home. You need a revelation of Jesus Christ.

A Revelation includes information for sure but it’s when that information makes you a different person.

What this is not:

Dramatic Testimonies

Charismatic Hysteria

Nor, Stale & Lifeless

What this is:

Knowledge of Sin

Knowing Christ is Holy

Knowing You Have Insufficient Funds

Knowing Christ Paid the Debt on the Cross

Believing He Did that for You

Turning from EVERY Device You Use to Gain Your Own Peace With God.

Conclusion:

For the Lost:

This means that you are without excuse on the day of judgement.

You don’t need a miraculous experience to bring about the change you need in order to be redeemed. You simply and plainly need to trust that this gospel, is not man’s gospel and that you must be obedient to repent and believe.

For the Saved:

I wanted to create something that might drive this point home to us. I wanted to say something here that was so profound that you couldn’t help but remember it every day of your lives.

I’m not however, the most profound man, so I’ll turn to the cheese. I’d rather be cheesy and you have this next thought come to your mind often, than try to fabricate dome illaborate device that only sounds good in my own mind.

I’m sure we’ve all seen, walking through those home stores or Wal-Mart the signs or bumper stickers: Live, Laugh, Love. I want this to be a prompt for you that will ruin those signs for any other thought to pop into your head. And if you have one of these signs in your home and it’s taken on some other meaning, well good luck un-hearing me now.

Live: Justification by Faith

If you are a true believer it means that you’re alive because of this gospel of God. If you’re living because of this gospel, and yet you are not actively trying to resuscitate those dead people around you how is it that you’re able to claim that you’re obedient in any other area. The most basic of pursuits of all mankind is the pursuit of life. You’re sitting on a platinum mine with an endless supply of wealth and hoarding it all.

Live out the gospel you claim to have been brought to life by.

Laugh Because of Justification by Faith

Christian, if you know and believe all that the scriptures teach concerning this gospel, and you believe that this knowledge has changed you’re life––that is, you are not walking in rebellion but obedience to Christ… LAUGH! Be joyful!

Psalm 51:12 ESV

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

God delights in our temptations and yet hates them. He delights in then when they drive us to prayer; he hates then when they drive us to despair. - Martin Luther

Now that’s the quote I need to share, but here’s the one I share with you tongue in cheek.

Whenever the devil harasses you, seek the company of men or drink more, or joke and talk nonsense, or do some other merry thing. Sometimes we must drink more, sport, recreate ourselves, and even sin a little to spite the devil, so that we leave him no place for troubling our consciences with trifles. We are conquered if we try too conscientiously not to sin at all. So when the devil says to you: do not drink, answer him: I will drink, and right freely, just because you tell me not to. —Martin Luther

(Caveat)

Love: Justification by Faith

Love it enough to live in it, and not keep silent about it.

Laugh because of it, have joy because God is satisfied in Christ, therefore you need not worry about your peccadilloes.

Love it, because it is what has arrested the wrath of God on your behalf.

Titus 3:5 ESV

he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

Love the gospel of Christ, and the justification that it brings because by that justification,

Romans 5:1 ESV

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Love it because the gospel of God, that has been preached to you, even this very day, is the supply of all you need for life and godliness.

2 Peter 1:3 ESV

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,

Let’s take a short moment in silent prayer together to consider these things in our hearts and then I’ll close us corporately.