December 3, 2024: Tuesday Bible Study on Paul’s letter to the Galatians 1:10-17
May this season's Advent and Christmas Music fill your hearts with joy and hope,
It appears that the war in the Middle East is spreading with the renewing of rebel attacks in Syria, and a host of words coming out of Israel about how they may proceed after a cease fire agreement is reached. Few of them provide for the re-homing of the Palestinian people displaced by this war. We must continue our prayers for peace in both of these violent situations where so many are suffering. Today is the third day of Advent. I hope that you are allowing the coming Good News of Christmas to become a part of your busy lives. In our home we light our Advent Wreath nightly, and then we sing a verse of "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”. It is really just a few moments, and I know what a struggle it can be to pull your household together long enough for just those few moments. It means turning off the intrusiveness of the world for moments of peace and reflection. I hope that you will try it.
This morning, we are in chapter one, verses 10-17 of the Letter from Paul to the Galatian Church. It is in this portion of the first chapter that Paul continues to defend himself from the accusations being made by others who have come to the new churches of Galatia claiming that Paul has modified the Truth that he has claimed to bring to these new Christians so that what he is saying will seem more pleasing and less threatening to them. The apparent issue here is that those others who claim to be preaching the truth want anyone who is not a Jew to be circumcised, and that is a requirement for unity in the new church. As Paul's response unfolds, we hear him telling the people who are to receive this letter that, of all people, he is the one who had been just like them and was a severe persecutor of the Christian cult that was finding its way into the Jewish faith, and also the worship of the pagans who were hearing its message. Because of the behavior of Paul before his conversion, Saul (Paul’s old name), of all people, would have been one to agree as a specialist in Jewish law. But at the time of his conversion and vision of Christ, he is now new in Christ, as everyone can be when they also come to know the Christ of God as their Redeemer and Savior. In verse 10 Paul responds with an understanding of the only one who he really needs to please. It is not that he is trying to create a story of his own making. No, Paul is telling the truth that has changed his life, which has stopped him from proclaiming that kind of truth. Now Paul is a slave to Christ, not to anything that might please others. His hope is not in this world, but in the promise of the Risen Savior. Paul was done with being a Pharisee, a persecutor of all things in the world that had to do with Jesus the Messiah. In his former life, Paul murdered those who refused obedience to the Jewish law, knowing full well that no person could live solely by its guide in their life. Formerly he was like Elijah who called down fire on those who would not come to know his God, but not anymore. Elijah had headed off to Mt Sinai when he was depressed and uncertain about his role for the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Here Paul tells the reader that he headed off to Arabia for a time of contemplation and renewal after his conversion. Arabia is in all likelihood a referral to going to Mt Sinai to think and prepare for this new direction in his life. Paul's new work was to proclaim to a pagan world that God loved them just as much as He loved the Jews, His elect.
All of us need to know that from time to time it is good for us to reflect on our relationship with our God, that we might be renewed and restored in faith and in life for the work of proclaiming Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior. Our stories, like Paul's self-description as a Pharisee, are meant to be the very best conveyance of God's truth and love for all people. Others need to know that they are just like us, forgiven and saved! "We are who we were when". All of us have a history with Christ in it, but there must come a time, when we know the power of God's Grace and transforming love!
God bless you today and always.
In Christ's love, Pastor Kim
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