Galatians 1:11-17

[0:00] Good evening. I just want it to be known that every one of these ladies that get up here and sing, not only is that a great blessing to me, I want y'all to know they're all braver than I am.

[0:17] Because they'll pick that mic up and put it right up to their mouth and mic scare the daylights out of me. I don't like microphones. But anyway, we'll be in the New Testament tonight in the book of Galatians chapter 1.

[0:35] So if I recall correctly, I preached from Ephesians the last time I stood. And I appreciate all the opportunities Brother Mike's been giving me to preach.

[0:47] That's a great blessing to me. And I pray that it is to you all as well. But if you back up one book from where we was the last time, from Ephesians to Galatians and Galatians 1.

[1:00] Galatians is a wonderful book, really and truly Galatians and Ephesians. If you want to know about salvation by grace through faith, read those two books. I mean, you can find it all throughout the Scripture, don't get me wrong.

[1:13] But it's really emphasized in those two books. Galatians, though, Paul, we know of at least three different times Paul went to the region of Galatia.

[1:25] You can read about that in the book of Acts. Paul went there. He preached. He addresses that here in this letter. In fact, in this very chapter that we're going to be in here tonight. Paul opens chapter 1 of Galatians with a formal greeting, with a pretty regular greeting that he greeted all the churches with.

[1:43] But if you notice, Galatians is different. It opens that Paul is writing to the churches, plural, in Galatia. Not the church in Galatia. So he was writing, more than likely this was going to go to one particular church, but it would have been passed around to the other churches that were in Galatia.

[2:02] I doubt that he wrote it several times over. They would have passed it around. He certainly didn't have a Xerox machine back then that he could have made copies of. But he did write this letter to the churches in Galatia, which is unique to the book of Galatians.

[2:18] But we see his opening. But Paul really cuts to the chase in this letter. So these people, they were obviously aware of the gospel.

[2:30] They were aware of how they were saved. They were aware that salvation is by grace through faith. They were aware of all these things. And they had accepted Jesus Christ.

[2:40] And they had accepted the gospel. They had accepted that they were sinners. God was the Savior. Jesus Christ was the way unto salvation. They had accepted all these things. But Paul, here in chapter 1, talks about how quickly they had fallen away from that.

[2:54] How quickly they had gotten away from the truth and the simplicity of the gospel. And then Paul reminds them. He says, it don't matter who it is.

[3:06] Even if it's an angel. It don't matter who it is. If they present another gospel to you, let them be accursed. Let them be anathema. Let them be underneath the curse of God.

[3:17] And Paul writes all these things in just the very first few verses of the book of Galatians. We're going to be reading tonight beginning in verse 11 from Galatians chapter 1. Really and truly though, this is a testimony of Paul.

[3:31] Of his conversion. And this isn't the only time you can read about that. You can read him doing the book of Acts as well. Talking about his conversion. And folks, if there's not been any other testimony in any of our lives.

[3:45] The day that we got converted. The day that we got saved. Or the night that we got saved. The evening. Whatever it was. I don't care if it was morning, afternoon, evening. 3 o'clock in the morning. Or 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

[3:56] It doesn't matter. Our conversion is a testimony. I've heard people say in churches. You know, the preacher will say, somebody testify. And I've actually heard people say, well, I really don't have a testimony.

[4:07] Well, if you ain't saved, then you won't have. But if you are saved, that's your testimony. And you can have other testimonies as well. As far as God healing, God helping, God doing for you when you didn't think that anything could be done for you.

[4:22] Those are testimonies as well. But really what we're going to be reading here is the testimony of Paul. Not only of his conversion, but, you know, what direction that conversion takes him.

[4:35] And folks, our direction should be no different. The direction that Paul was put on was the will of God. You keep that in mind. Not everybody's called to be a preacher. Not everybody's called to be a Sunday school teacher.

[4:47] Not everybody's called to do any number of things. But folks, the will of God is the direction that our conversion will put us on. Before that, we're all rebels, are we not? We're all rebels against God.

[4:58] We're rebels against His will. We're rebels against His word. But once we're converted, once we're saved, God begins conforming us. God consecrates us. He sanctifies us.

[5:09] Sets us apart for His service. And that service should be focused on His will and His will alone. Jesus Christ told the disciples when they were there with the woman at the well in John chapter 4.

[5:22] He'd sent them away to go get food and they came back. And they said, have you eaten anything? Or what did you eat? Or whatever the case was. And He said, my meat is to do the Father's will.

[5:33] And folks, that should be every one of our meat. That should be our desire. Our number one desire is to do the Father's will. So all these things being said, Galatians chapter 1 beginning at verse 11.

[5:45] Paul says, But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

[5:57] For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God and wasted it and profited it in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly exalus of the traditions of my fathers.

[6:18] But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by His grace to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the heathen, immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood, neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me.

[6:36] But I went into Arabia and returned again unto Damascus. Back to verses 11 and 12, actually. Back up to verse 11. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man, for I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

[6:58] And Paul begins this section here in Galatians chapter 1. But I certify you. This is an important word here that he uses. I certify you. He's not just saying, but I tell you now.

[7:10] He's not just saying, you know, hear me out for just a moment. He says, I certify you. In other words, what I'm telling you is absolute truth. This holds about the same weight as when Jesus Christ used verily, verily in the gospel accounts.

[7:23] He's saying, what I'm telling you is absolute truth. You can bank on it. You can count on it. What I'm telling you. And again, Paul had already been to these churches in Galatia. He'd already been around these folks.

[7:35] He had already preached unto them. But what had happened in the church in Galatia was that Judaizers had come in. And Judaizers were the Jews that infiltrated the church.

[7:47] And they were saying, Jesus Christ and the gospel is all great and all fine and all well. But you also need to keep the law in order to be saved. And particularly the law of circumcision is what they were truly pushing.

[8:00] These Judaizers were here. But Paul here says, but I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. In other words, man had nothing to do with the gospel.

[8:13] And folks, here we are 2,000 years later. And I will tell you now, church, I will charge you that Almighty God is still in complete control of the gospel.

[8:24] It is all still of God. It is all still of the blood of Jesus Christ. There has been no modification to it. There has been no updates to it. There has been no improvements to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

[8:37] For it needs no improvement. Folks, it is the simplicity of the gospel of Jesus Christ that saved you and saved me. It's the blood of Jesus Christ that saved you and saved me.

[8:48] It is not after the manner of man. And unfortunately, there's many men that want something to do with their salvation. There's many men that want something to do with them getting saved.

[8:59] They want to say, well, I did this or I did that in order to be saved. Folks, you did nothing and you contributed nothing to salvation except for the sin that made it necessary.

[9:10] The sin that Almighty God needed to forgive or that you needed forgiven. And you, God, is able to forgive that at the point that you believe the gospel of Jesus Christ.

[9:23] You repent of your ways and you trust in Him and Him alone for your salvation. This is the way of salvation. This is the way of grace and grace is completely, totally, utterly of God.

[9:37] Hallelujah. I did nothing to earn salvation. If it was up to me, folks, I'd still be out in the world and you would too. If it was up to me, I'd still be out there in my sin.

[9:49] If it was up to me, I'd still be doing all the things that I once did. But just as Paul told the church, that's where it has such word. Some of you folks, that was my past life. That's what I once did.

[10:00] Those are the things that I once did. Those are the places that I once went to. That's the way I once talked. And that's the way I once walked. But ever since salvation came in, ever since God forgave me of my sin, it has been a different walk, a different talk.

[10:16] And it's been a different path. Because the will that I follow is different. It's the will of God that controls my life. It's the will of God that I follow or do my best to.

[10:28] None of us will follow it perfectly. None of us will. But Paul here says, I certify you, brethren, that the gospel I preach. It wasn't of man. It wasn't of any doing of man.

[10:39] Man couldn't have done it. And man would not have done it. Because man wants something to do with salvation. Although we know that salvation is completely of God.

[10:50] Verse 12. For neither I received it of man. Neither was I taught it. But by the revelation of Jesus Christ. Folks, this to an extent is unique unto Paul.

[11:04] He received it. He did not receive it of man. Nor was he taught it of man. But he received it directly from Jesus Christ. We all should know the account in the book of Acts in chapter 9.

[11:17] When Paul was on his way down the Damascus road. He was on his way to persecute the church of the living God. He was on his way to have them cast into prison. To have them killed.

[11:28] To have them persecuted. Paul was on his way to do all of these things. But Jesus Christ himself confronted Paul in that road. Jesus appeared unto Paul as a great light.

[11:39] And Paul was blinded for three days. He was blinded. A man named Ananias had to help Paul. And had to reveal unto Paul what was going on. But Jesus Christ appeared to Paul.

[11:50] He revealed to Paul who he was. And who Christ was. And Christ saved Paul. Now we know from the scriptural accounts.

[12:02] That Paul went about three years away. We'll say. Now why Arabia? We read about that in the very last verse that we read about tonight.

[12:14] Why Arabia? Scripture doesn't particularly tell us. It doesn't explicitly tell us. Why Arabia? Why this happened? Why that happened? But we know that Paul left. Now. This being said.

[12:25] And directly after his conversion. Folks. He started preaching Christ. He started preaching Christ and Him crucified. He started preaching the gospel. Immediately. After his conversion.

[12:35] But Paul here. In verse 12 of Galatians 1. Says. For I neither received it of man. Neither was I taught it. But by revelation of Jesus Christ. Folks. Every one of us in here.

[12:47] Are saved. Because someone preached the gospel to us. I'm not saying that that someone saved us. But I'm saying that the gospel went forth. And the Holy Spirit done what He does. He.

[12:57] You read in John chapter 16. The Holy Spirit came. To convict the world of sin. And of righteousness. And of judgment. The Holy Spirit. When the gospel is preached. He convicts people of their sin.

[13:09] He convicts. He convicts. Or convinces them. Of righteousness. And He also convinces them. Of judgment. The Holy Spirit. Does all of these things. But when the gospel went forth.

[13:20] At some point in your life. If you're sitting here born again. This evening. The Holy Spirit. Done His job. He convinced you of your sin. Convinced you. That you were a wicked. Good for nothing. Dirty.

[13:30] Rotten. Low down center. And that God was a wonderful. And marvelous. And able. And willing. Savior. He convinced you of these things. He convicted you. Of these things.

[13:40] And then and there. Is where you might have accepted. Jesus Christ. As your Savior. Maybe it was the next day. Maybe it was two days later. Maybe it was a week later. It was three days for me. When that conviction.

[13:52] Set on me. But either way. It takes the gospel. It takes preaching. Does it not? How shall they hear? If a preacher isn't sent. Is what the scripture says. Faith cometh by hearing.

[14:02] And hearing. By the word of God. Is what the scripture says. But Paul's situation. Is unique. Is unique to Paul. Jesus confronted him. One on one.

[14:13] But folks. Really and truly. That's what happened to us. When Jesus came. And Jesus walked this earth. For three plus years. He was revealing almighty God. To mankind.

[14:23] He was revealing the will of God. He was revealing the grace of God. He was revealing all these things. Of God. The book of Hebrews. The writer to the Hebrews. Says in Hebrews. One in one.

[14:34] God who was hundred times. And in diverse manners. Used to speak unto us. By his prophets. And through visions. By heaven these last days. Spoken unto us. By his son. Jesus Christ.

[14:45] Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the last word. From God. He's the only word that counts. Is he not? He's the only one. He's the only way. Paul says.

[14:56] This wasn't revealed to me by a man. It was revealed to me by Christ. And folks. Christ was revealed to you. By the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit.

[15:07] Yes. He's a. He's a separate person. In the triune Godhead. But. When he comes. And Christ said it himself. He will testify of me. He will glorify me.

[15:18] If you. If you're listening to a spirit. That doesn't testify of Christ. And doesn't glorify Christ. You are listening to the wrong spirit. You're listening to the wrong type. Of spirit. The Holy Spirit testifies of Jesus Christ.

[15:31] But Paul's situation was unique. But folks. Really not so much. Because Christ is revealed to us. When we're sinners. He is revealed to us. That he. Is. Is the savior. That he is the only one.

[15:43] That is able. That was able. To complete the work on Calvary. To. To purchase salvation. For you and I. Undeserving sinners. Fallen man. Christ died. That you and I.

[15:54] Could have life. Hallelujah. To the Lamb of God. That he done that for us. Verse 13. For you have heard of my conversation. In time past. In the Jews religion. How that beyond measure.

[16:04] I persecuted the church of God. And wasted it. And profited in the Jews religion. Above many my equals. In mine own nation. Being more exceedingly. Zealous of the traditions.

[16:16] Of my fathers. Back to verse 13. Again. For you have heard. Of my conversation. In time past. He's saying there. You've heard. Of my manner of life. You've heard of the way.

[16:26] That I walked. In my past life. You've heard these things. He's speaking to the churches. In Galatia. You've heard of my conversation. In time past. In the Jews religion. How that beyond measure.

[16:37] I persecuted. The church of God. And wasted it. Folks. This word here. Wasted. This has a serious tone to it. He's talking about. Destroying folks.

[16:47] And that is exactly. What Paul. Had set out to do. When he was still. Saul of Tarsus. When he was still. A Pharisee of the Pharisee. You read it. Over in Philippians. In chapter 3.

[16:58] You read another testimony. That Paul gives. Of what he used to be. As compared. To what he is. Right now. As he's writing. These letters. But he says. He says. You know.

[17:08] I was a Jew. I was. I was of the stock of Israel. I was of the tribe of Benjamin. I was circumcised. The 38th day. I was this. And I was that. Folks.

[17:19] He had credential. On top of credential. On top of credential. But he was still. A lost man. Without. Jesus Christ. You and I. Can be educated.

[17:30] Beyond our wildest dreams. We can read books. Till we're blue in the face. We can. We can go to all the colleges. We can get all the degrees. Or all the diplomas. All the certifications.

[17:40] That we want to. But folks. If we have not been born again. Jesus said it to Nicodemus. Two times. In John chapter 3. He said. You must be born again. He said. Margo.

[17:50] Not that I said unto you. That you must be born again. Folks. If you are not born again. All the education. Is for naught. Hey. Paul said. He counts it all. But lost.

[18:01] He said. I count it all. Done. As compared. To Christ. And that's all it is. Amen. Anything in our lives. Anything that we've done.

[18:12] And folks. We've got a lot of people. Unfortunately. In the church world. Right. We've got a lot of people. Dependent on a lot of things. Yes. Yes. Yes. And unfortunately. I'm also talking about born again Christians. Dependent on a lot of things.

[18:25] Dependent on conferences. Yes. Dependent on associations. Now listen. Those things in their own right. Are all fine and well. In their own right. But I have seen it with my own eyes.

[18:35] I'm sure brother Mike's seen it with his own eyes. Maybe some of y'all have seen it with your own eyes. People get haughty. People get prideful. And people say. I want that position.

[18:46] I want to be a moderator. I want to be a secretary. I want to be a president. I want to be a vice president. And they don't care who's head. They got to step on to get to the top. That's who they'll step on. And their wives will get right on board with it.

[18:58] Folks. I have seen it more than once. In conferences and associations. And it's shameful. And it's shameful. And the bad thing is. It don't get you a bit closer to Christ.

[19:10] Don't get you a bit closer to Christ. In fact. If anything. It drives you further away. From Jesus Christ. And folks need to repent. Of those things. Paul here says.

[19:21] He says. You've heard of my conversation in time. Fast. His conversation was the life that he lived. As a Jew. Persecuting. And trying to destroy. The church of the living God.

[19:32] The church of Jesus Christ. And he thought that he was doing God well. In doing that. And many folks today. Think that they're doing God well. In doing certain things.

[19:44] Y'all have heard me say. As I say before. I said it. Not too awful long ago. You know. You've got people. Within the churches. That'll say. You know. I do this. And I do that. I help with Sunday school.

[19:55] I help with Bible school. I do all the bake sales. I do this. And I do that. And I take up money. And blah, blah, blah. Folks. Outside of Jesus Christ. You're just looking for your own backpack.

[20:07] Outside of Jesus Christ. That's all you're doing. But if you're doing all those things. For the cause of Christ. And to the glory of the kingdom. That God Almighty has promised to come. If you're doing those things. For that reason.

[20:18] Then God is glorified. Then Christ's name is exalted. Then. Then Jesus Christ. Can look down upon our works. Not that we're working. For salvation.

[20:28] But we're working because. Of salvation. And Christ can look down on that. And we can receive reward. For things like that. But only if it's in Christ. Paul done none of the things he did.

[20:39] As far as persecuting the church. For the cause of Christ. It was quite the opposite. But folks. This gives great hope. That a man who persecuted the church. A man that persecuted the church.

[20:50] Just like I used to do. I used to talk bad about the church. I used to talk bad about the Bible. I used to talk bad about God. I used to do all those things. But God will still reach down. And save souls like that.

[21:03] That just. You get confirmation to the word of God. That Jesus Christ came. To seek and to save. That was lost. I was as lost. As lost could be. Paul was as lost.

[21:14] As lost could be. And Jesus Christ came to seek. And to save. Those which were lost. And save me he did. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. And profited the Jews.

[21:26] In the Jews religion. Above many my equals. In my own nation. Being more exceedingly zealous. Of the traditions of my fathers. Folks. That's where we'll get in trouble. Exactly what Paul is talking about here.

[21:38] Being more exceedingly zealous. Over the religion of the fathers. Folks. Religion will not save you. They had religion. For thousands of years.

[21:49] With the Jews. Judaism was nothing more than religion. Granted. It was a God ordained religion. But the Jews got out of it. And they started depending more.

[21:59] On the ordinances. Of the religion. Other than the giver. Of the religion. Right. And that's what got them in trouble. But folks. Tradition will get us in trouble. And you'll say.

[22:10] Well mommy and daddy said it this way. Well grandma and grandpa said it. Said it was that way. Hey folks. Did it ever occur to you? Mom and daddy might have been wrong. About something. And grandma and grandpa might have been wrong. About some things.

[22:22] Folks. Tradition will get us in trouble. Tradition and religion will get us in trouble. You look at the book of Ruth. Praise God. One of my favorite books in all of the scripture. But you look.

[22:33] There in the last. The last little bit. Of Ruth. What do we find? We see. We see. Ruth. And Boaz. He's wanting. He's wanting to redeem Ruth.

[22:44] But there was a kinsman that was nearer. Nearer to her than Boaz was. So Boaz. As per the law. Had to give that kinsman that was nearer. An opportunity to redeem her. But what happened?

[22:55] What happened when Boaz said. When Boaz said. But when you do this. When you redeem her. You've got to marry her. You've got to do this. You've got to do that. That kinsman said. I cannot redeem her.

[23:06] That kinsman. Was a beautiful picture. Of what the law is. And that. It was unable. To redeem. But Boaz. Stepped in as the kinsman redeemer. Hallelujah. Jesus Christ.

[23:17] As my kinsman redeemer. He stepped in. He said. Then I'll redeem her. I will redeem her. I will do this thing for her. And do it for her. He did. Hallelujah. Jesus Christ.

[23:28] Done the same thing for us. Folks. The law. Was never meant to save. You flip over a couple of chapters. In Galatians chapter 3. You'll read that there was never a law given. That was able to save. The law was never meant to do that.

[23:39] It was meant to be a schoolmaster. To drive us. To the Savior. That we have. In Jesus Christ. And once salvation comes in. Once grace.

[23:50] Saves us. Once the marvelous grace of God. Is shed abroad. Upon us. The schoolmaster. Do we have any more use for it? It's driven us.

[24:02] Now. That's not to say. We completely ignore the law. I'm not saying that at all. But folks. Christ is the Savior. Not the law. Not the law. I've heard too many people say.

[24:13] Folks. I've heard it for years. I heard it when I was lost. I've heard it since I've been saved. You need to quit doing this. You need to quit doing that. You need to quit your drinking. You need to quit your drugging. You need to quit your woman hopping.

[24:24] Or your man hopping. Or whatever the case is. You need to quit. No folks. What they need is salvation. You can quit sinning all you want to. As far as those specific things go.

[24:34] Hey folks. The drunk can quit drinking. And the drugging can quit drugging. All these things are possible. But folks. They need salvation. They need salvation.

[24:45] I know. The church of Missy and I. Attended for three years. Before coming here. I preached a sermon there one time. That. I've heard. I've heard similar situations.

[24:56] A couple of times. Grandmothers will tell me. And they'll say. Y'all pray for. Y'all pray for little Susan. Little Bobby. Y'all pray for them.

[25:07] They set up. They're living together. Y'all pray for them. Then they'll come in. A few Sundays later. A few months later. A year later. Whatever the case is.

[25:17] Hallelujah. They got married. They're still lost. Why are you singing the praises of God. When they're still lost. Yeah. Amen.

[25:28] You know what that is. That's grandma. That's grandma saying. Well that's not coming back on me now. They're married. They're married. They ain't just shacked up living together.

[25:40] That's what that is. Amen. It was hurting. It was hurting grandma or grandpa's pride. If that was happening. But anyway. That's a whole other sermon. Praise the Lord.

[25:51] For profited the Jews religion above many my equals. There was no one that knew the law as well as Paul did. Again you read that. Paul says that himself in Philippians chapter 3.

[26:03] He backs that up. He says. Profited the Jews religion above many my equals in my own nation. Being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my father's folks.

[26:14] Don't be zealous of the traditions of the church. Don't be zealous of the traditions of the denomination. Don't be zealous of traditions at all. You be zealous of the work of Jesus Christ.

[26:26] You be zealous of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus didn't save us to go out here and convert people into being Baptists. He didn't save us to convert people into becoming Methodists or Pentecostals or anything else.

[26:39] He saved us. That we could go into all the world and preach the gospel to every living creature. That they could be converted. That they could be grafted in. That they could be made children of God.

[26:51] Not part of a denomination. Not part of a denomination. But when it pleased God. Hallelujah. There's a day it pleased God to save me. But when it pleased God who separated me from my mother's womb.

[27:04] And called me by His grace to reveal His Son to me. That I might preach Him among the heathen. Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood. Back to verse 15 again. But when it pleased God who separated me from my mother's womb.

[27:16] And called me by His grace. Folks. He's not just talking about His physical birth here. Paul is not just referring to God separated baby Paul or baby Saul from His mother's womb.

[27:29] Folks. He is saying here that Paul had consecrated him to preach the gospel to the Gentiles or to the heathen. As Paul says here. He had consecrated him. He had set him aside before Paul was ever born to do this very thing.

[27:44] And folks. This again. This is unique. Under Paul. But folks. Really and truly it's unique. Under you and I as well.

[27:55] Folks. When I think about this. When I think about this line right here. And I think about my days out in sin. I think about my days out here. Painting the towns red. Running up and down the roads. Doing the things that I once done.

[28:07] And I think of God. Up in the heavens. Looking down upon me. Saying that boy right there is going to sing hymns one day. Instead of the ungodly music that he plays now.

[28:18] He's going to do for me one day. Instead of doing for himself. And all those around him. He's going to preach for me one day. Instead of preaching the ungodliness of this world.

[28:29] To the world. Folks. That's amazing to me. It's amazing to me. And it shows the long suffering of God. And it shows the patience of God. I have no idea exactly how old Paul was.

[28:41] When he was converted. I have no idea how many years. That he spent. And wrapped up in the Judaism. Learning the law to a T. All the things that he did. Not only the law.

[28:53] But the traditions of the fathers. The things that the Pharisees had added to the laws. Over centuries. Paul learned all of these things. And the whole time. God was up there. Saying.

[29:03] I have consecrated you. I have sanctified you. You're going to be set aside one of these days. You're going to preach the gospel of my precious son. Jesus Christ. And there's going to be many saved.

[29:14] Because of what? This man here. Who is ungodly. Who is religious. And who thinks he's doing me a favor. By persecuting the church. There's going to be many saved.

[29:25] By his preaching. And by my son. And it amazes me to think of that. In my own life. How many people have you affected. With your life since your conversion. God knew that was going to happen.

[29:38] God knew that was going to happen. Folks I ain't up here preaching Calvinism. That's not what I'm preaching at all. But if God is all knowing. And he is. He absolutely is. God knew who was going to be saved.

[29:50] God knows who will be saved. And God knows who is in that innumerable number. That we read about in the book of Revelation. That John saw. He knows every name that's there. He knows where they come from.

[30:01] He knows what tribe. And what kindred they are from. And what tongue. That they spoke while they were here. God is all knowing. And if God is all knowing. He knows. All of these things. Now.

[30:12] That being said. If you're here lost. Don't you sit back in the pew. And say. Well. That tells me. That if I'm going to be saved. It's going to happen. So I'm just going to live my life.

[30:22] How I want to. Until that day. That day comes. You be careful with thoughts like that. Right. People aren't saved. Because they can't be saved. People are saved.

[30:33] Because they reject. Or are unsaved. Because they reject the gospel. Right. They don't get saved. Because they reject. The way. Of salvation. Again. That's a whole other sermon.

[30:44] When it pleased God. Who separated me from my mother's womb. And called me by his grace. To reveal his son in me. He revealed Christ. In Paul. And folks. That is essentially what he does. With every believer.

[30:55] Again. This whole situation we're reading about here. Is unique to the apostle Paul. But really and truly. It relates to every one of us. When Christ saved my soul.

[31:05] I went from being ungodly. To being godly. I went from being unsaved. To being saved. I went from being unrighteous. To being righteous. And the only way. That that is possible.

[31:16] And the only way. That the world. Would ever know that. Is if Christ is revealed. In me. And the same goes for you. Right. And the same went for Paul.

[31:27] He said. That. To reveal his son in me. But not only just to reveal him. But that I might preach. Him. Among the heathen. Paul being the apostle to the Gentiles.

[31:38] Peter being the apostle to the Jews. As per the scripture. But Paul was sent. Out to the Gentiles. Now. That doesn't mean that Paul didn't preach to Jews. Paul preached to whoever was present.

[31:49] Right. Whoever was there. They heard the gospel. Right. When they come to Paul. If they were there. Jew. Gentile. Black. White. Yellow.

[31:59] Green. It didn't matter. Poor. Rich. Prison guards. Yeah. Freemen. Slaves. They all heard the gospel. If they were around. Brother Paul. He says.

[32:10] To reveal his son in me. That I might preach him. Among the heathen. Immediately. I conferred not with flesh. And blood. Folks. When it comes to the calling of God. In your life.

[32:21] And it comes to the calling of God. In my life. You don't need man's approval. And I don't need man's approval. Right. To do it. I've said many times. And again. I appreciate the opportunities.

[32:31] Brother Mike has given me. To preach. I appreciate other preachers. That have allowed me. In their pulpits. To preach. But folks. If I can't find a pulpit. I can promise you. You'll find me on a street corner. Somewhere.

[32:42] Preaching the gospel. Of Jesus Christ. Because that is what almighty God. That's the calling. That he has placed. On my life. And if that's the call. That I have on my life.

[32:52] That's what I need to be busy doing. Is preaching the gospel. To the world. To everyone that comes my way. Just as Paul did. It didn't matter who it was. Paul had different approaches to it.

[33:03] Sometimes he had to do that. When Paul. When Paul was preaching. To a mainly Jewish audience. Hey. He began with Genesis. He began. Or not with Genesis. He began with the law.

[33:14] But when he was preaching. To a mainly heathen audience. To the Gentiles. That's where he began with Genesis. He began with creation. Right. Because they didn't have the law. Gentiles didn't have the law. They didn't have the Old Testament scriptures.

[33:26] They couldn't have cared less. About what. About what the law said. Right. But they knew there was a creation. Yeah. They knew. That they walked. And lived upon a creation.

[33:36] And many of them recognized a creator. But it was their own creator. You read about that. In the book of Acts. As well. When Paul preaches his wonderful message. On Mars Hill. He says.

[33:48] And he tells him. He tells him a bunch of heathens. He says. He says. You've got gods for this one. You've got gods for that one. He says. You've even got an altar. To the unknown God. Let me tell you who that God is.

[33:59] All these gods that you know. That you supposedly know. And the unknown God. Is the one that you need to know. He is the creator. He is the master. He is the maker.

[34:09] Of everything that we know. And Paul preached that God to them. And preached Jesus unto them. Paul preached to the heathen. But he conferred not with flesh and blood. Folks.

[34:20] Regardless of what the call is on your life. And again. I've already said it. Not everybody is called to teach. Not everybody is called to preach. But. If God saved you. He saved you for a purpose. And it wasn't just to sit in a pew. And keep it warm.

[34:32] God saved you for a purpose. He saved you for his glory. He saved you to go out. And do his. His work. And do his bidding. And if you are positive.

[34:44] That God has laid something on your heart. That God has something in store for you. You go out and do it. And you don't seek the approval of man. To do it. There are many. There are many folks out there.

[34:55] Don't think that I should be preaching. But I know what God has laid on me. Therefore I will preach. And again. Whether it's in a pulpit. Or a street corner. I will preach. Because that is what God.

[35:07] Has laid upon me to do. Conferred not with flesh and blood. Neither went I up to Jerusalem. To them. Which were apostles. Before me. He said. I didn't go to man.

[35:18] I didn't go. I didn't confer with flesh and blood. I didn't go to anybody. Ask him their approval. I didn't go asking permission. I didn't do anything. And I didn't go to the apostles.

[35:29] That were at Jerusalem. Those were apostles. That were apostles before. And said. I didn't immediately run to Peter. I didn't immediately run to Barnabas. I didn't immediately go. To these people. Why?

[35:39] Because Christ had revealed himself. To Paul. And Paul was 100% certain. Of the calling. That was placed in his life. Again folks. If you are 100% certain.

[35:50] You go for it. If God is calling you to the mission field. You go for it. If God calls someone to preach. You go for it. I can't stand it. I've heard a few preachers say it before. They say.

[36:00] I had a young man in my congregation. Came to me. Saying that he felt like God was calling him to preach. And I told him. If he could find anything else to do. That he needed to do it.

[36:11] I say. If God's laid it on their heart to preach. Tell him to go and preach. But be certain. Be certain that's the call. Be certain that's the call. Because I'm telling you now.

[36:21] There's no glory in it. There's no glory for us in it. All glory goes to God. All glory goes to God. Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me.

[36:32] But I went into Arabia and returned again unto Damascus. He didn't go to the apostles. And again. He didn't go anywhere seeking man's approval. Because he knew what God wanted him to do.

[36:46] Therefore he went and done it. Church. Pray. Pray. If you feel like God has laid something on your heart. Pray on it. Be certain of it. And once you are certain of it.

[36:58] Go for it. Go for it like Brother Paul did here. There was no holds barred when Paul went out into the world to preach the gospel. When he went out to preach to the heathen.

[37:08] No holds barred. When he preached to a mainly Jewish audience. No holds barred. He went and he preached cross. And he preached him crucified. He went out to all these different regions.

[37:20] Went on his different missionary journeys. He went here. And he went there. And he preached the gospel. If God has a calling on your life folks. Do it. Do it. Be certain that is what God wants you to do.

[37:32] And go and do it. Don't seek my approval. Don't seek Brother Mike's approval. You might seek prayer from brothers and sisters in the cross. And that's all great and fine and well. But folks. Do it.

[37:44] If God has laid something on your heart. And on your mind. And you are certain that's the will of God. In your life. Do it. Don't seek man's approval.

[37:55] Or anyone else's. Folks. That's the message. For this evening. I appreciate y'all's attention. Yes. Yes, Yes Yes