Sermon outline February 13

Sorry for no audio. The person responsible for recording it screwed up the recording. And yes, that would be me.

“For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it; and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, ” (Galatians 1:13–16, NAS)
Forgivable History:

1. Prior beliefs:

   1. Apparently Scriptural:

      1. Paul acknowledged the Old Testament and all the Jewish Law

      2. Paul was zealous for the Law

   2. We come from various spiritual backgrounds

      1. Non-Christian

         1. Muslim

         2. Jewish

         3. Atheist

         4. Buddhist

         5. Hindu

         6. Cults

      2. Christian (though sometimes just in name)

         1. Catholic

         2. Methodists

         3. Protestants

         4. Baptists

   3. We have often come from these backgrounds having thought we were pleasing God within them

   4. Or we have had no interest in pleasing God anyway

2. Prior Behaviors

   1. Improper

      1. Immoral

      2. Unethical

      3. Whatever we chose

   2. Proper

      1. Moral

      2. Ethical

      3. Attempting to live a standard—whether based on misunderstood godliness or human efforts

   3. Either way: our lives were based in ourselves

3. We were called through His grace:

   1. First, unto salvation:

      1. We all need it: without faith, it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6)

      2. That faith is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9)

      3. So, we have not pleased Him, and we are His enemies

   2. Second, unto unity of service

      1. Notice the reference to Saul’s persecution of the “Church” of God, not the ‘churches’ like he addressed the letter to:

      2. We as God’s people should be unified in our service of God together

   3. Third, unto solitary mission:

      1. That the Son of God be revealed in us

      2. In our love

      3. In our action

      4. In our faith

4. Transition to invitation time

   1. Surrender

   2. Prayer

   3. Share

Thanks for taking the time to read! Doug Hibbard