Take a few minutes to catch up and pray that God would bless you through the reading of His word.

Read Galatians 1:11-24

[1:11] For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. [12] For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. [13] For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. [14] And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. [15] But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, [16] was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; [17] nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
[18] Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. [19] But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother. [20] (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) [21] Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. [22] And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. [23] They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” [24] And they glorified God because of me.

Observation:

• What does Paul want his readers to know (v 11)?
  • How did Paul receive the gospel that he teaches (v 12)? 
  • How did he not receive it?
• What did Paul do in his “former life” (v 13)? What characterized his involvement in Judaism (v 13-14)?
  • What happened to Paul before he was born (v. 15)?
  • By what was Paul called (v 15)?
  • Who was revealed to Paul (v 16)? For what purpose (v 16)?
  • What did Paul not do after he was called (v 16)? Where did he not go (v 17)? Where did he go (v 17)?
• Where did Paul go after three years (v 18)?
  • Who did Paul see there (v 18-19)?
  • Where did he go next (v 21)?
• Did the churches in Judea know Paul in person (v 22)? 
  • What did they know about him (v 23)?
  • What did they do as a result (v 24)?

Interpretation:

• How do v. 13-17 demonstrate the point that Paul wants to make in v. 12? 
• We know that the there were some in the Galatian churches who were challenging Paul’s credentials. 
  • How would it damage his authority if he had been taught the gospel by Peter or another apostle?
  • How did it help him to point out that he learned the gospel directly from the risen Jesus?
• Paul is clear that his salvation, his ministry, and his gospel all came to him at God’s initiative. Are the things that Paul says in v. 15-16 true of all believers, or just Paul?

Application:

• Do you think of your salvation the way that Paul did (being set aside by God before birth…)? If you did, how would that embolden you to serve God? 
• The churches in Judea glorified God because of Paul’s conversion. What is there in these verses that would lead you to glorify God?

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