The Gospel & Men | Richard Caldwell | Galatians 1:10-12

Scripture

• Galatians 1:10–12

About this sermon

The gospel was being perverted, and the messenger of the gospel to the Galatians — Paul the apostle — was being attacked. To protect the Galatians, to rescue them from these wolves, Paul must do two things. He must clearly remind them of what the gospel is — identifying all the perversions for what they really are — and he must remind them of who HE is, and how he came to be the one who brought the gospel to them. And that is what he does from the very beginning of this letter. He is vigorously defending the gospel and defending his calling. In his introduction he included the seeds of what he unfolds over 6 chapters (vs.1-5). And then he rebukes the Galatians for having been moved away from the gospel and pronounces destruction on anyone who would distort the gospel message. It is in this context that he begins to lay out an autobiographical defense of his apostleship and ministry. But before he lays out the details of his own life, HE ISSUES A STRONG ASSERTION ABOUT HIS MESSAGE. And that is what we focus on tonight. I want us to look at the gospel that Paul preached, that we preach, and its relationship to men. I. THE GOSPEL DOES NOT AIM TO PLEASE MEN (vs.10) A genuine servant of God does not aim to be a man-pleaser. You cannot serve as Christ’s bondservant and have a desire for man’s applause and approval at the same time. And that truth not only has to do WITH A BELIEVER’S MOTIVES — IT HAS TO DO WITH THE NATURE OF THE MESSAGE THE BELIEVER HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED. THE BELIEVER’S MOTIVES MUST BE WHAT THEY ARE BECAUSE THE NATURE OF THE GOSPEL GOD HAS GIVEN HIM. The gospel is not a message that aims to please men. Indeed, the message we proclaim is at odds with natural man in every possible way. A. A STRANGE SITUATION Now this points to a strange reality when it comes to the gospel. The very word “gospel” εὐαγγέλιον means good news. GOOD TIDINGS, GLAD TIDINGS, GOOD NEWS. Indeed, the gospel of Jesus Christ is the BEST NEWS that sinful man could ever hope to hear. It is the good news that men can be forgiven of their sins and reconciled to holy God through faith in His Son. It is the good news that God has done everything necessary for the salvation of the sinner through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son. It is the good news that God is willing to be gracious and merciful and to save all who will come to Christ as Lord. B. A SINFUL SITUATION And the reason why man’s response to the gospel is a STRANGE RESPONSE, is because it is a SINFUL RESPONSE. The Bible is crystal clear that BECAUSE OF SIN the natural man does not regard the good news of the gospel as good news. NAU 1 Corinthians 2:14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. ESV John 17:14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. NAU 1 Corinthians 1:18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1. THE NATURAL MAN HATES THE GOOD NEWS 2. THE NATURAL MAN SCOFFS AT THE GOOD NEWS 3. THE NATURAL MAN OPPOSES THOSE WHO BRING THE GOOD NEWS This is a matter of record in the gospels, the book of Acts, and the New Testament letters. And it is also on display throughout the Old Testament.