Our Sermons

Bible Passage: Galatians 1:11-24
Pastor: Pastor Berg
Sermon Date:  June 30, 2019

What’s your story? Everyone has one. Whether you’re young or old, rich or poor, single or married. How did you get here? I’m not talking about what car you drove in or whether you walked or rode your bike. No, how did you get here? How did you find yourself in this place at this time?

For many, including me, the story starts at infancy. Your parents were excited to me you finally and even more excited to introduce you to your Savior. They brought you to Jesus through the water and Word of Holy Baptism. Your story with Jesus began there and continued as you were raised in the Christian faith. So now you’re here.

For others, your story doesn’t start so early. You may even remember how it started. You were a child. Someone invited your family to visit a place called church. Maybe you were invited to a Vacation Bible School or a Soccer Bible Camp where you learned about Jesus. Maybe it was a friend at school who told you the first time, who wanted you to meet Jesus. Your story with Jesus started and now you’re here.

For others still, your story didn’t start at infancy. Your story didn’t start at childhood. Your story with Jesus, the story that brought you here, started later in life. Was it as a teen or an adult? You can clearly remember what your life was like and where your story was headed before Jesus entered your life. What happened? Was it a loved one or a friend inviting you to “come and see?” Was it a relationship that was getting serious? What’s your story? Because you’re here.

The Apostle Paul has a story too. And as he’s writing to the Galatians, he’s sharing his story so that they will accept what he has to say to them. There were opponents of Paul who were trying to discredit his message by changing Paul’s story. But Paul can’t stand for this. In fact, this is so important to him he basically puts himself under oath in verse 20. “(Now about the things I am writing to you—look, I assure you in the presence of God that I am not lying.)” No, Paul’s story is a story of grace. How Paul was Called By God’s Grace to carry out the Lord’s work. Listen to Paul in his own words. 

“Certainly you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God to an extraordinary degree and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my own people, because I was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.” Paul was a “rising star” among the Jews. He was a scholar. He had studied under the famous Rabbi Gamaliel. His background was impeccable. He writes to the Philippians: “If anyone else thinks that he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; in regard to zeal, persecuting the church; in regard to the righteousness that is in the law, blameless.” Paul had a future that could have made him one of the greatest Jewish Rabbi’s of all time. 

Yet, his extreme zeal for the tradition of his fathers filled his heart with self-righteousness. He became so focused on the law, so focused on keeping every last point, of making himself righteous that he saw absolutely no need for a Savior. Sure, he knew the promises of Messiah. But he didn’t need him. When God saw how zealous he was, how diligent he was in keeping the Law, in surpassing everyone else, God would certainly be pleased. 

So when Paul first heard about Jesus of Nazareth, he was appalled! How could a man say he was the Son of God, the Messiah? Surely this Jesus was a blasphemer who was dishonoring God with these claims. And when the followers of this Jesus were spreading the news that Jesus had lived and died and rose again for the forgiveness of sins, that this Jesus was no ruling over all things, that this Jesus condemned the Pharisees like himself for their self-righteous teaching, it was too much for him.

So Paul started persecuting the Church. He watched with pleasure as Stephen was stoned. This only made him more zealous. He says in verse 13: “I used to persecute the church of God to an extraordinary degree and tried to destroy it.” Years later Paul would testify before Agrippa: “I too was convinced that it was necessary to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus the Nazarene. And that is what I did in Jerusalem. After receiving authority from the chief priests, I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. I often tried to make them blaspheme by punishing them throughout all the synagogues. Because I was so insanely angry with them, I even pursued them to foreign cities.” Paul’s hatred had him squarely on the path to hell. But then Jesus stepped in and called Paul by God’s grace.

On that road to Damascus, Jesus called Paul to use his zeal to share the gospel. He freed Paul from his self-righteousness and showed him the righteousness that only comes by faith. Paul says: “God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me, so that I would preach him among the Gentiles.” Paul certainly didn’t deserve this opportunity. He hadn’t earned it. Paul would have been the last person any of us would have chosen for this task. Yet he was called by God’s grace. God’s undeserved love for Paul choose him to preach the good news to the Gentiles. And the result? Paul tells us in verses 23-24: “The one who was once persecuting us is now preaching the faith that he once tried to destroy.” And they were praising God for what happened to me.” 

Think back on your story. No matter where your story started with Jesus, it started with a call, a call of God’s grace. From conception, you were a condemned sinner, corrupted with sin inherited from your parents. Left to yourself, you would have followed the path that so many have travelled to eternal death. But God called you by his grace. He called you to serve has his beloved child. Through water and the Word, God called you by his grace so that faith would be planted in your heart. He rescued you through Jesus and he revealed Jesus to you as your Savior through his Word and Sacraments. That’s why you’re here.

Even if your story with Jesus started later in life, the plot is still the same. God, in his grace, called you. He called you through the Gospel–the good news of a Savior who lived the perfect life you know you have failed to do, who gave his life as the payment for all that guilt in your past and what you’re still wrestling with in your present, who rose again to assure you that your sins are forgiven, to give you the peace that the world cannot give and to give you the sure and certain hope of heaven. That’s why you’re here.

No matter where your story with Jesus started, it doesn’t end with you just sitting here. Jesus called you by God’s grace to make you a witness who would bring glory to his name. You may not have been called to be an apostle, but you are equipped to share your story. Like Paul, you’ve been called by God’s grace. God has put you in a specific time and a specific place around specific people for a reason: to share your story. How awesome will it be when people can praise God because of what’s happened to you! How awesome will it be when God uses you as part of his plan to call another soul by his grace! AMEN