Good News! Band of Survivors is in full swing (and has been for two days), and is off to a fantastic start! Each day, Band of Survivors does a Bible study (we call them RevoDevos) on the book of Galatians, and in order for you to follow along, you’ll be able to check back to MetroYouthNetwork.com to read them.
Also, be sure to head on over to BandOfSurvivors.com each day to read an informal report of the day written by a Survivor, as well as view a slideshow of photos from the day.
Monday, June 23rd
Read: Galatians 1:1-5
Spend a few minutes discussing questions you have about the passage. Here are a few to get you started:
What does it mean to be sent with a ‘human commission’ or sent by ‘human authority’?
Why does Paul emphasize the gospel story in the first sentences of his letter?
Why does Paul specify a source for the grace and peace- do grace and peace only come from God and Jesus? What other sources are there? What differences are there between these sources?
What other questions can you ask? Write them below, discuss them:
Who sends you?
It may be a more important question than you think.
Paul had lots of friends in high positions in the church, lots of people who could, and did, influence his decisions. But they did not send him. Paul was a wise man, gifted with the knowledge and wisdom that come straight from God. But he did not send himself. Paul and the apostles in all their giftedness, passion and knowledge—casting out demons, healing the sick and preaching the gospel—still lacked the authority to send. Think about it: these men were given authority to go out and preach, heal and deliver! In Matthew 10 “Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil (unclean) spirits and to heal every disease and sickness” and told them, “As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The Kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” Mountains melted before these powerhouses, prison doors were opened, blind received sight, men died, demons fled! But still, they could not send.
In fact, glancing at the Bible we see that the word “send” is used mostly to reference God sending people, angels, spirits, wonders, His Son, etc. Sending is something that a lord, a king, or a person in high authority does. When Paul recognizes that it is God who sends, he recognizes God as the highest power. When the apostles went out to heal, preach, and proclaim they didn’t go because they knew they could do miracles— they went because they knew God could do miracles, and that He had sent them to do miracles.
That’s why they had authority. That’s why they had boldness—because they knew that God went with them, that God had sent them. Jesus refers to Himself many times as one sent by God the Father. “The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” (John 8:29) Even Jesus knew His authority, because He had been sent.
If God sends you, if you hear His voice telling you to go somewhere, then you can go there knowing that He goes with you! “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be.” (John 12:26a) If we call ourselves servants of God, we go where God calls us. He does not send us alone. In fact when He sends us somewhere, we can be certain that He goes before us—that He is already there— where He is, His servants are as well. “As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.” (John 17:18)
Moses had a very good response to God when he and the Israelites were sent to the Promised Land: “Moses said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that You are pleased with me and with Your people unless You go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” And the LORD said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.” (Exodus 33:15 – 17) Moses knew what God had power to do when He sends people: He parted the red sea and called water forth from rocks! He knew that without God they would look like fools, but if God would be present with the Israelites in their endeavors, the world would know that they were the children of God.
Monday, June 23rd
Read: Galatians 1: 6-10
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel- which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let that person be under God’s curse! Am I now trying to win human approval, or God’s approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Spend a few minutes discussing questions you have about this passage. Here are a few to get you started:
To who does the phrase “the one who called you” refer?
What does it look like to try to please people/ or God?
What other questions do you have? Write them below, discuss them:
Sidenote: The Greek word euangelion is translated as ‘gospel’. The word gospel originates from a combination of old English ‘good’ and ‘spell,’ spell meaning news. In confusion, English speakers thought good was god, and the word then became godspell, then gospel. The Greek word euangelion is a combination of euan- good and gelion- news. Under Roman rule, this word was associated with news about the Empire. Thus, when Paul and other Christians began using this word they were appropriating a term that referred to a kingdom. It was the good news about the empire, and in Christian usage, the good news about Christ’s kingdom. Also, the word euangelion sometimes referred to the reward given to those who brought the good news.
No Other Gospel
Paul seems hurt and angry that the Galatians forgot so quickly what their purpose in life was. He had been with them when the Spirit was poured out upon these people, and after just a short period of time they started to turn away from the true gospel. The Galatians were allowing themselves to be lead astray, and beginning to practice beliefs that were not compatible with the gospel Paul had brought to them. Or maybe the Galatians had become confused by what other supposed Christians were telling them.
This is where we need to be very careful to discern truth from lies. We need to make sure that when people are giving us messages that those messages are from God. My advice on this is to pray and ask God to give us hearts and minds to know and understand Him. When we know who He is and what He is like, we will also know what He is not like and that will make it easier to know truth. Paul warns us about others preaching a false gospel—and he even goes as far as saying, in verse eight, that they should be eternally condemned. The key way to know God is to go to His Word. Spend time searching for God in the Bible. As you read, apply what you read to how you understand God.
God knows what is best. He knows what is in store for us. Though sometimes that means that we have to do something other than what is popular, He will take care of us and make our lives prosperous (though not in the monetary sense). Paul clearly states, in verse ten, that in order to be servants of Christ, we have to please only Him. This means we are not to try and please friends, but in all our actions seek his will for us. By doing His will, we are able to please Him.