Galatians 1:13-19 July 24th, 2005 Sermon By Rev. Mao. Translated by Evelyn Lee
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Last week when I was reading the Bible, I recalled the church in my hometown. I remember at that time before the pastor gave the sermon; he led the congregation to read the scripture of the day. There were more than 500 people in the church service, the minister would read one verse and the congregation would follow with another verse. The sound was harmonious and loud and this gave me a deep impression. Let us now use this format to read Galatians 1:13-19 one more time. Let me read one verse and you follow with another verse. Let us prepare our heart and these are the words of God and we are reading the words of God. Let the words be kept in your heart. They will become your strength and guidance in your daily challenge.
It has always been our goal; learning and training to build a church “where every body serves”. For God’s word has told us only when every limb member tries his best then we will have the body of Christ. Only when every limb member serves, we then have a church. The purpose to have “every body serves” is to let God reconstruct our lives. From the training and serving, let Christ crush us, mold us, change us, guide us, and use us. This way we can please God and become His important instrument.
From today’s scripture reading, we can see that before God makes an instrument out of some one, He’ll prepare and guide him/her. From this preparation and guidance He reconstructs us from the dreadful and wretched lives. Before God makes an instrument out of a person, he must first be crushed and molded and reconstructed, only then He can use this person. Apostle Paul was this type of person. Do you admire Apostle Paul’s work?
From today’s scripture reading Galations 1:13-19, it tells us those three years prior to Paul’s conversion to Christianity, what did he do and what did he learn and how did he grow in Christ Jesus.
From the scripture reading, let us see how God reconstruct Paul’s life.
• God reconstructs some one who had persecuted His own church, so he may “struggled hard” for His church later. Colossians 2:1. Verse 13: “For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.”
• God makes arrangement for someone who was extremely zealous for the traditions of the Jewish forefathers to accomplish His ministry of gospel. God turned the enthusiasm of Jewish traditions as being a Pharisee (Acts 23:6) to an enthused gospel missionary. Verse 14: “I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
• God personally reveals His only son to Paul, so his life is connected to God. Through Christ’s power he abandoned his deeds of flesh and blood, so what he preached is no longer Jewish laws and traditions but that pertained to Jesus Christ. He not only preached the truth of Christ, but also the resurrecting Christ. Vs 15 and 16.”But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the gentiles, I did not consult any man.”
• To reconstruct Paul’s life, God led Paul to “Arabia” and not to Jerusalem, latter returned him to Damascus. The way Paul went to Arabia was like Moses went up to Mount Sinai. The purpose was to be closer to God; under the light of the gospel, he meditated and corrected his FAITH and LIFE. To Arabia means leaving behind the Jewish culture and the influence of religion. Not going to Jerusalem was to avoid the circle of social traditions and human interactions.
• God does not in a blink of a night convert a person, and in a blink of a night to reconstruct a person using His magical power. “After 3 years” v.18 this is the lengthy duration of training; “Then after 3 years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter and stayed with him for 15 days.”
From his conversion to meeting with Peter that was 3 years later. In this short time of period he would not have learned the truth of salvation from Peter. The reason for Paul to say this was because he wanted to prove his preaching was not the training from man but directly coming from God.
God only arranged for Paul to meet with James (brother of Jesus). This is an important indication. Vs 19 “I saw none of the other apostles – only James, the Lord’s brother. What do we learn from this passage of the scripture? What guidance does this passage give to our church? It has important indication for you and me in the reconstruction of the serving of God and reconstruction of our lives.
1. First step in the Reconstruction of life: CHANGE
I remember in the year of 2002, I went with some church co-workers to Louisville, Kentucky. We joined the PCUSA “Multicultural Church Conference.” The topic of the conference was “CHANGE”. For many churches, a small change can cause a big burden, because change in itself was a big challenge. Why do we need to change? Because a higher purpose is awaiting us. For an example, the Leaving of the Israelites out of Egypt was a big change. This change includes two things. One is the departing and the other is entrance. Without departing out of Egypt, they could not enter Canaan, a land of milk and honey .It took courage to change, and we have to pay a price. This is the first step of reconstruction of life. For Paul his first step is a leave the persecution and destroying of churches into the reconstruction designed by God.
2. Second step in the Reconstruction of life: ENTHUSIASM
Everybody has a certain enthusiasm in his or her life. This eagerness can be good and can be bad. If it is used correctly, it can lead the direction to success, if it is wrongfully used, it will bring disaster. This enthusiasm is the beginning step to success according to a survey; the first 500 CEO of big corporations, more than 50% has an average of c or c- in college. Many terms of American Presidents about 75% of them had below average score in schools. Among the. U.S. millionaires, over 50% did not complete university education. What were the reasons for ordinary people to reach such an achievement? The answer is enthusiasm.
In Paul’s life there were two kinds of enthusiasm. Before he reached 25 years of age he was zealous in Judaism and their traditions of the Jewish forefathers. And because of his enthusiasm he could not stand those Jews who were not enthused. Then the light of God shone upon him, let him realize the enthusiasm for the forefathers had nothing to do with God. His ministry last from age 26 to age 58 when he died as a martyr; he was full of enthusiasm and eagerness for the gospel. We pray for God’s light shine upon us so that our eagerness is used for the right cause. If our devotion is used on something that has nothing to do with God, nothing to do with gospel, not only we don’t benefit mankind but do harmful thing to society.
Paul’s enthusiasm for the Judaism traditions ended out persecuting the Churches was a living example. To-day God is reconstructing the churches, He must first revive our hearts so we are no longer cold and neither Luke- warm in heart. We pray God to give us the enthusiasm to preach gospel.
3. Life reconstruction third step: Set holiness apart from worldliness
Christians should understand one thing, that God set our lives apart from the worldliness. The most critical changing point in Paul’s life was when he remembered he was set apart from the worldly things Vs 15”But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace.” Similarly when God reconstructs our lives, He must first let us see our past, our present and our future which is holy set apart from worldliness.
4. Life Reconstruction fourth step: HIDING
May be you think when we believe in Jesus Christ, we are looking for a religion. But this is not true; we are personally moved by the Holy Spirit. Paul at age 25 after he believed in Christ, he worked very hard. The Bible told us he went to Arabia, because he wanted a hiding place. He wanted to be closer to God, just like Moses had to climb up to Mount Sinai where he stayed for 40 days and nights to be closer to God. A strong Christian is one who can hide in Jesus Christ. For God to reconstruct our lives, he must let us see the importance of leading a hiding life. To-day is the 4th week of July, in the past 7 months, how many chapters in the Bible have you read, brothers and sisters, are you still continuing reading the Bible? Your reading the Bible, your daily devotion is a “hiding” life. Paul went to Arabia; in that region he spent three years leading a hiding life. Today you only need to spend 15 minutes or 20 minutes reading God’s words. You are leading a hiding life. This will give you strength in your daily challenge.
5. Life Reconstruction fifth step: The Time of LIFE
Paul was converted a Christian at the age of 25, when he wrote the letter to the Galatians that was 13 years later. There are 13 letters written by Paul in the Bible. Why Paul could write such great letters, which still exists today? Other than moved by the Holy Spirit, it must be the “Hiding Life” we just mentioned. When God wants to reconstruct our lives, he must have His own timetable. We have to cooperate with Him. God does not leave us in one place for too long, or too short. He will give us time to accomplish that He wants us to do. God put Paul in Arabian region for 3 years, and then God led him to Damascus, then the missionary journeys, finally He put him in jail in Rome to finish God’s great mission…
6. Life reconstruction sixth step: Find the Right Spiritual Companion”
When God reconstructs our lives, He knows who are harmful to us that we must avoid. And who are beneficial to us that we must get close to. After Paul believed in Christ, many people were doubtful of his motives, so when he went to Jerusalem, he kept himself low key. He did not meet with too many people other than Peter for 15 days; he also met with James, Jesus’ brother. This is finding the “Right Person”, the right co-worker and spiritual partner..
Today God wants to reconstruct His own Churches, be it in Camarillo or other places. When He reconstructs His own Churches, He also reconstructs our lives. Jesus wants to take His Churches into glory, not only this is a big action, He is working on you and me, His words will come to reality in you, way from the beginning he had made arrangement in your life. Regardless of the past, regardless of your marriage and your service in the Church, regardless of your work, only if you are willing, God will send the Holy Spirit to work on you, to reconstruct you and make you a perfection of His PLAN.
CONCLUSION: The Unfailing LIFE.
Let me share a song by the name of “The Unfailing Life” from “My Heart Melody” third volume. My favorite verse is “My heart thirsts for thee and my soul longs to be with thee in your glory.” “You are in my heart, the only song in my heart. I want to sing to my heart’s content. I want to offer my true love. You are my only longing in my heart, throughout my life I want to follow you closely, let your hand lead me to heaven. Oh Lord only you know my weakness, my deepest thought. Regardless of time and place, you personally lead me forward. Besides you who will have in heaven, besides you who will I love on earth? My heart thirsts for thee and my soul long to be with you in your glory, OH Lord, OH Lord! You are my only unfailing love.” Melody and words by Gia Ching Zhao.
Rev. Szuhsing Mao 卯思興牧師 
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