3rd Sunday after Pentecost
June 29, 2003
Galatians 1:11-24

Paul Proclaimed the True Gospel

  Martin Luther loved Paul, that is Paul’s letters. For it was especially from Paul’s letters that Luther came to know the Gospel. From Paul he learned of the righteousness of God, that through faith in Christ, God credits to us the righteousness of Jesus Christ. We become righteous, good, holy and acceptable to God. Therefore, Luther valued Paul’s letters very highly.

  However, some people feel that Lutherans make too much of Paul’s letters. They say that Lutherans give so much attention to Paul that they neglect the rest of Scriptures. It’s like we have a Bible within the Bible, a Canon within the Canon and end up with a lop-sided faith. After all, Paul was a late comer to the scene. He had not been one of Jesus’ disciples!

 Just a few weeks ago, we read from Acts how the disciples chose Matthias to replace Judas. Although the choice was left to God, Peter and the other ten realized that it was necessary that this new apostle be one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection. Paul didn’t fit that requirement did he? How then could he, like these others, but a witness to the resurrection, an official spokesman for Christ? Since Paul had not been with Jesus, how did he know the Gospel, that is, the message about Christ? Was it possible that Paul was just an over enthusiastic convert who didn’t quite have his facts straight and so taught things that Jesus never said? Was it possible that there was some discrepancy between Paul’s version of the Faith and that of Peter and the others? Was Paul’s Gospel man-made? And to think that we put so much emphasis on the letters of this Paul! Have we been deceived? Not at all! The Gospel Paul proclaimed was the one, only and true Gospel revealed to him by the Lord Jesus Christ himself.

  For I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin; for I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

  Just like today, not everybody appreciated Paul in his day. In fact, there were some men who were challenging Paul’s proclamation of the Gospel and even his claim to be an apostle. They were saying in effect, that Paul had a corrupt version of the Gospel, that he didn’t have all the facts. They claimed that besides confessing Jesus as the Christ, to be saved, you had to be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses. From what Paul says, we gather that these men were trying to get people to practice a sort of Messianic Judaism. They likely also claimed the backing of Peter and the other apostles in Jerusalem for what they were saying.

  Now that may strike us as an old Jewish question of no real importance for today. But think about it. If that had been true then, if the Gospel of Jesus Christ meant that circumcision and some form of Judaism were necessary for salvation, it would still be true for us today! Therefore, it is of the utmost importance for our own assurance of salvation that Paul was right, that his teaching was not just a version of the Gospel but was the one and only Gospel of Jesus Christ.

  In this letter, Paul will explain how Peter and the other apostles in Jerusalem affirmed his teaching. But first he explains how he got the Gospel. I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. What made the12 apostles so important was that they had personally been with Jesus, heard the Gospel from his mouth and were sent by him to take his word to all nations. That was true also of Paul. He was not a second generation, second rate apostle! He too received the Gospel direct from Jesus. You have heard, no doubt, of my earlier life in Judaism. I was violently persecuting the church of God and was trying to destroy it. I advanced in Judaism beyond many among my people of the same age, for I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. But when God, who had set me apart before I was born and called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with any human being.

  He is of course referring to his experience on the road to Damascus which is related three times in the book of Acts. While on his way to Damascus to find and arrest Christians, Jesus appeared to Paul and blinded him with a brilliant light. We might have expected at this point for Jesus to destroy this enemy of the Church. Instead, Jesus commissioned Paul to preach the faith he was trying to destroy. It was an act of grace, of undeserved mercy. At this time Jesus taught Paul the Gospel. Paul neither made up the Gospel nor did he learn it second hand from other people: not from Ananias in Damascus, not from Barnabas, not from Peter. It was the work of God who planned it before Paul was born.

  Paul insists that this is so. I did not confer with any human being, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were already apostles before me, but I went away at once into Arabia, and afterwards I returned to Damascus. Then after three years I did go up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days; but I did not see any other apostle except James the Lord's brother. In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie! Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia, and I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea that are in Christ; they only heard it said, "The one who formerly was persecuting us is now proclaiming the faith he once tried to destroy." And they glorified God because of me.

  So Paul was the equal of the other apostles. He didn’t preach a different, second hand or man-made Gospel. And this is extremely important for all Christians, not just Lutherans. You see, the Gospels tell us about the life and ministry of Jesus. But it’s the book of Acts, which deals mostly with Paul, and Paul’s letters that tell us about the Church. Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles. God used Paul to take the Gospel beyond Palestine. He used Paul to explain the Gospel in terms that non-Jews could understand, how we non-Jews are also saved by Christ. He applies this good news to our lives, so far removed from Judaism, and tells us how we should live as Christians. Without Paul, we might not be Christians! And Paul’s Gospel was the very word of Christ, what Jesus himself wanted us to hear, and in perfect accord with what the other apostles taught.

  Because Paul knew his Gospel was the true Gospel he defended it with all his might. He did not defend himself and his teaching for his own sake, as a matter of pride. Rather he defended it so that you and I could know the truth. Any other so called Gospel or version of the Gospel is false. No other Gospel can save. That is why Paul made such strong statements in this letter such as we read last week. But even if we or an angel from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let that one be accursed! Let anyone who perverts the Gospel be damned! Why? Because by proclaiming a false Gospel, by telling us to do anything but put our complete faith in Jesus Christ, that person is damning us! Listen! I, Paul, am telling you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. Once again I testify to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obliged to obey the entire law. You who want to be justified by the law have cut yourselves off from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5:2-4. Anyone who adds or subtracts from Paul is not contradicting Paul, but Christ himself who gave the Gospel to Paul by direct revelation.

  Brothers and sisters, we must jealously guard the truth. We cannot play around with the Gospel, add to it or subtract from it, or we will lose the hope of eternal life. Let me give you an example. If you saw the movie Apollo 13, you remember that as the spacecraft came near the moon, there was a problem with the air filtration system. There was too much carbon dioxide in the air which was killing the astronauts. They would die unless they could reduce the level of carbon dioxide.

  Back on earth, the mission boss called together several engineers. Then he dumped out a box full of stuff on a table. He told them that this was all the stuff on the spacecraft from which the astronauts could possibly construct a carbon dioxide filter. If they could figure out how to make something from this pile of stuff then the astronauts would live. If not, they would die in a matter of hours.

  That pile of stuff on the table was like the Gospel. It was the only way the astronauts could be saved. The engineers could not add to it. They had to make a carbon dioxide filter using only those materials. Nothing else was possible.

  So it is with the Gospel Paul proclaimed. It is the word of Christ that alone fulfills the rest of Scripture and effects our salvation. It is the only thing we have to work with! Nothing else will work. But of course, unlike those engineers, we don’t have to figure anything out. Jesus did that for us! He made the filter that will save us, the filter that will eliminate our sin and save us from eternal death. As the Apollo 13 astronauts made it back to earth, so we will make it to our destination, heaven. But only if we cling to Christ!

  When I say, “Only if we cling to Christ,” I do not mean to imply that our salvation is doubtful. Quite the opposite! To cling to the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a great assurance of salvation. The word of Christ which Paul proclaimed says that we are completely forgiven and justified through faith in Christ. We don’t have to add anything to it. There are no conditions or strings attached. It’s God’s promise to us, not ours to him. And since God’s promise is given by faith alone, not works, it is guaranteed!

  Shall we then give up this great promise of eternal life because some people oppose it or criticize it? Shall we give up the word of Christ because someone thinks he or she knows better or wants something different? Shall we give up the Gospel because it’s too easy? Never! No matter what human opinion or experience may be, it cannot be more true than the Gospel revealed to Paul by Christ himself. No matter what some people may think of Paul—for example, that he has a bad attitude toward women—those opinions do not change what God revealed. God has determined to save us through Christ. We can add or subtract nothing. We don’t have to add anything! That’s the Good News!

  Yes, like Martin Luther, we love Paul. For Paul was the apostle whom Jesus sent to us non-Jews. Thanks to Paul we know the true Gospel that saves us from death and gives us eternal life. For I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin; for I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.