An Uncomplicated Gospel
Sermon
Sermons on the Second Readings
Series III, Cycle C
Object:
Dear John,
I have decided that I can no longer see you. Our relationship has ended, and I wish you well in your future.
Good-bye,
Jane
Whether you've ever written or received a "Dear John" or "Dear Jane" letter, the basic outline and intent is clear. It begins with a basic greeting -- not "Dear Johnny" or "Sweetheart" or some other form of endearment, but simply "Dear John." There is a very brief and to-the-point body of the letter that makes it clear the relationship is over. Then the letter writer signs off with his or her own name. The "Dear John" or "Dear Jane" letter is a variation on the standard letter format used in other personal letters and even business correspondence today. Each letter has a clear beginning, a middle, and an end.
In the ancient world, letters also tended to have a standard form. Instead of opening with a greeting to the recipient of the letter, ancient letters would normally begin with the name and brief description of the letter writer, then a greeting to the recipient, followed by a prayer for their well-being, and sometimes a few words of thanks. After the main body of the letter, there would be a few words of farewell, which often included additional greetings to other people.
The apostle Paul used this ancient form for his letters that would later become part of our New Testament. So for example, his letter to the Romans begins with his own name, "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ"; followed by the recipients of the letter, "To all God's beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints"; a wish for their well-being "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ"; followed by words of thanks, "I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you" (Romans 1:1-8). This basic letter form appears again and again in most of the letters of the New Testament.
It's not surprising then that our scripture text from Galatians 1 would follow the same form. The letter begins with "Paul an apostle"; is addressed "To the churches of Galatia"; and includes Paul's traditional prayer for their well-being used also in his letter to the Romans and elsewhere, "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (Galatians 1:1-3). But instead of the expected words of thanks, Paul goes directly to the purpose of his letter: "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel" (Galatians 1:6).
Unlike most of his other letters, there is no expression of thanks in the opening to Galatians. There are no words of thanks at all in the entire letter! What made Paul depart from his usual practice? Was there a problem in his relationship with this young church?
It seems as if Paul had a chip on his shoulder from the outset. In his opening words identifying himself, he immediately asserts that his authority is not from any human origin but comes directly from God. He is anxious to remind his readers that he does not rely on them or on anyone else, and this assertion is again repeated at the end of our text for today -- Paul received the gospel directly "through a revelation of Jesus Christ" (Galatians 1:12).
What's more, Paul addresses himself simply "To the churches of Galatia" without additional comment. They are not "beloved" or "saints" as he describes the church in Rome (Romans 1:7). He does not refer to them as "faithful brothers and sisters in Christ" as he describes the Christians of Colossae (Colossians 1:1). Paul's greeting is as bald and bare as any "Dear John" or "Dear Jane" letter -- only Paul does not wish to end his relationship with these churches, however strained their relationship might be. Instead, Paul writes them a stern rebuke that even includes a curse against anyone who would lead them astray.
Paul's great concern can be summed up in just one word: gospel. In the English translation of our text for today, the word "gospel" appears six times: in verse 6, it is "a different gospel"; in verse 7 "another gospel" in contrast to "the gospel of Christ"; in verse 8 "a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you"; in verse 9 "a gospel contrary to what you received"; and finally in verse 11 "the gospel that was proclaimed by me." Paul is so disturbed that his different expressions pile up one on top of the other, and the net effect is enough to make your head spin! Is the gospel really that complicated?
The word "gospel" is literally good news, and it's summarized in our text.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
-- Galatians 1:3-5
This is good news -- that God offers us grace and peace, that Jesus has set us free! That's the heart of the gospel that lies at the heart of Paul's concern and at the heart of all his many words. That's what he means by "the gospel of Christ" and "the gospel that was proclaimed by me."
For Paul, the gospel was God's grace in action. He often wrote the word "grace" in his letters, but it was much more than part of a standard opening or closing line. Grace was God's undeserved favor that transformed his own life and was freely available to all.
The movie Seabiscuit gives a picture of grace in action. On one level, the movie is about Seabiscuit's rise as one of the greatest race horses in American history. It's a story about the Great Depression, about the possibilities and the triumph of the little guy in America. But on another level, it is very much a story about grace -- the trainer who rescued a horse that was going to be destroyed and somehow found himself as well; the horse Seabiscuit who was too small and thought to be too wild to ride but when treated well became a record breaker, a jockey who was too big and blind in one eye but was allowed to continue riding, an owner broken by the death of his son and the failure of his marriage but who found new purpose. A common thread runs through all these different parts of the story, illustrated by one line that is repeated in the movie: "You don't throw something away just because it's a little beaten up." That's grace. God didn't throw Paul away or throw the Galatians away, and God doesn't throw us away. Instead, God offers us grace and peace and sets us free in Jesus Christ. That's good news!
In the case of the Galatians, the people were in danger of deserting this gospel of Christ for something else -- for "a different gospel," "another gospel," a "contrary" gospel. They had received the good news of God's grace and freedom in Christ, but instead of continuing to rely on God's grace, they were in danger of distorting it and turning it into something else. It was becoming God's grace-and-circumcision, God's grace-and-the-law, God's grace-and-their-own-works.
Paul was so disturbed by this distortion of the gospel that he could hardly contain himself. He could not offer his usual words of thanks at the beginning of the letter or even later. Instead, he jumped directly to what he saw as a most grave and dangerous situation.
Now fast forward to our own day and age. Today, the heart of the gospel is still God's grace in Jesus Christ and the new freedom we have through faith in him. And today, we still have the same tendency as the Galatians to make God's good news into something else. Circumcision is no longer the flash point in our culture as it was for the Galatian church. The distortions of the gospel that we face are very different, but they are distortions just the same.
For some of us, it may be God's grace-and-going-to-church, God's grace-and-making-a-living, God's grace-and-family. In some parts of the Christian church, it may be God's grace-and-the-government and in other parts God's grace-and-protesting-the-government. It might be God's grace-and-good-works, God's grace-and-the-environment, God's grace-and-whatever our own pet project or concern might be. But is the gospel really that complicated even today?
Paul wrote to the Galatian church to recall them to the gospel of Jesus Christ -- not the gospel-and-anything-else. They were not to be confused by any other teaching. They were not to seek the approval of others by adding anything else. He used all the apostolic authority he could muster to convince them in his letter. In the same way, this text of scripture challenges us and recalls us also back to the heart of the gospel. We are saved by God's grace. We are set free by the work of Jesus Christ.
There are many good works to be done in this world, many urgent needs and situations that need to be addressed. But these are not the center of our faith. They cannot save us. They are not the heart of the gospel. Instead, all of the good works and urgent concerns that we might be tempted to add to the gospel are actually the outworkings of the gospel. They are an essential part of our response to God's grace and freedom, but they are not the same thing.
Paul's own life was a vivid example of this. Once he had persecuted the church, but soon after his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus, he became a tireless evangelist and church planter. During his ministry he experienced imprisonment, beatings, stonings, shipwrecks, and many other trials. Yet he knew that it was not his own efforts that absolved him of his past life. It was not God's grace-and-evangelism, God's grace-and-church-planting. It was God's grace that saved him and gave him this new ministry.
The words of the well-known hymn, "Amazing Grace," were penned by John Newton, a former slave trader who later became an ordained minister and wrote over 200 hymns. Leaving the slave trade did not save him, but it was an outworking of God's grace in his life. Becoming an ordained minister and writing hymns did not save him, but they were an outworking of God's grace in his life. For John Newton, it was not God's grace-and-anything-else, but "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me!"
We may not all experience a dramatic conversion like Paul or like John Newton. But God's grace and the uncomplicated gospel of Christ Jesus are still at the heart of our faith. At times we may be tempted to add to it, as if God's grace is not enough. At times we may be tempted to take it for granted, too pre-occupied with ourselves and other things to notice. Our text for today challenges us to recognize these things as distortions of the gospel and take hold again of God's grace in Jesus Christ.
Paul was so disturbed that he was not able to include a word of thanks in his letter to the Galatians. It was a marked departure from his usual practice that signaled the seriousness of the situation in the Galatian church. Today, let's take the opportunity to write a word of thanks into our own lives. That's really all that is left for us to do. God has already done it all!
Let us pray: Gracious God, we give you thanks for your will and work in our lives. When we act as if your grace is not enough, recall us to the heart of your gospel. When we are distracted and busy with many things, remind us of your amazing grace. Thank you ... thank you ... thank you.... Amen.
I have decided that I can no longer see you. Our relationship has ended, and I wish you well in your future.
Good-bye,
Jane
Whether you've ever written or received a "Dear John" or "Dear Jane" letter, the basic outline and intent is clear. It begins with a basic greeting -- not "Dear Johnny" or "Sweetheart" or some other form of endearment, but simply "Dear John." There is a very brief and to-the-point body of the letter that makes it clear the relationship is over. Then the letter writer signs off with his or her own name. The "Dear John" or "Dear Jane" letter is a variation on the standard letter format used in other personal letters and even business correspondence today. Each letter has a clear beginning, a middle, and an end.
In the ancient world, letters also tended to have a standard form. Instead of opening with a greeting to the recipient of the letter, ancient letters would normally begin with the name and brief description of the letter writer, then a greeting to the recipient, followed by a prayer for their well-being, and sometimes a few words of thanks. After the main body of the letter, there would be a few words of farewell, which often included additional greetings to other people.
The apostle Paul used this ancient form for his letters that would later become part of our New Testament. So for example, his letter to the Romans begins with his own name, "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ"; followed by the recipients of the letter, "To all God's beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints"; a wish for their well-being "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ"; followed by words of thanks, "I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you" (Romans 1:1-8). This basic letter form appears again and again in most of the letters of the New Testament.
It's not surprising then that our scripture text from Galatians 1 would follow the same form. The letter begins with "Paul an apostle"; is addressed "To the churches of Galatia"; and includes Paul's traditional prayer for their well-being used also in his letter to the Romans and elsewhere, "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (Galatians 1:1-3). But instead of the expected words of thanks, Paul goes directly to the purpose of his letter: "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel" (Galatians 1:6).
Unlike most of his other letters, there is no expression of thanks in the opening to Galatians. There are no words of thanks at all in the entire letter! What made Paul depart from his usual practice? Was there a problem in his relationship with this young church?
It seems as if Paul had a chip on his shoulder from the outset. In his opening words identifying himself, he immediately asserts that his authority is not from any human origin but comes directly from God. He is anxious to remind his readers that he does not rely on them or on anyone else, and this assertion is again repeated at the end of our text for today -- Paul received the gospel directly "through a revelation of Jesus Christ" (Galatians 1:12).
What's more, Paul addresses himself simply "To the churches of Galatia" without additional comment. They are not "beloved" or "saints" as he describes the church in Rome (Romans 1:7). He does not refer to them as "faithful brothers and sisters in Christ" as he describes the Christians of Colossae (Colossians 1:1). Paul's greeting is as bald and bare as any "Dear John" or "Dear Jane" letter -- only Paul does not wish to end his relationship with these churches, however strained their relationship might be. Instead, Paul writes them a stern rebuke that even includes a curse against anyone who would lead them astray.
Paul's great concern can be summed up in just one word: gospel. In the English translation of our text for today, the word "gospel" appears six times: in verse 6, it is "a different gospel"; in verse 7 "another gospel" in contrast to "the gospel of Christ"; in verse 8 "a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you"; in verse 9 "a gospel contrary to what you received"; and finally in verse 11 "the gospel that was proclaimed by me." Paul is so disturbed that his different expressions pile up one on top of the other, and the net effect is enough to make your head spin! Is the gospel really that complicated?
The word "gospel" is literally good news, and it's summarized in our text.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
-- Galatians 1:3-5
This is good news -- that God offers us grace and peace, that Jesus has set us free! That's the heart of the gospel that lies at the heart of Paul's concern and at the heart of all his many words. That's what he means by "the gospel of Christ" and "the gospel that was proclaimed by me."
For Paul, the gospel was God's grace in action. He often wrote the word "grace" in his letters, but it was much more than part of a standard opening or closing line. Grace was God's undeserved favor that transformed his own life and was freely available to all.
The movie Seabiscuit gives a picture of grace in action. On one level, the movie is about Seabiscuit's rise as one of the greatest race horses in American history. It's a story about the Great Depression, about the possibilities and the triumph of the little guy in America. But on another level, it is very much a story about grace -- the trainer who rescued a horse that was going to be destroyed and somehow found himself as well; the horse Seabiscuit who was too small and thought to be too wild to ride but when treated well became a record breaker, a jockey who was too big and blind in one eye but was allowed to continue riding, an owner broken by the death of his son and the failure of his marriage but who found new purpose. A common thread runs through all these different parts of the story, illustrated by one line that is repeated in the movie: "You don't throw something away just because it's a little beaten up." That's grace. God didn't throw Paul away or throw the Galatians away, and God doesn't throw us away. Instead, God offers us grace and peace and sets us free in Jesus Christ. That's good news!
In the case of the Galatians, the people were in danger of deserting this gospel of Christ for something else -- for "a different gospel," "another gospel," a "contrary" gospel. They had received the good news of God's grace and freedom in Christ, but instead of continuing to rely on God's grace, they were in danger of distorting it and turning it into something else. It was becoming God's grace-and-circumcision, God's grace-and-the-law, God's grace-and-their-own-works.
Paul was so disturbed by this distortion of the gospel that he could hardly contain himself. He could not offer his usual words of thanks at the beginning of the letter or even later. Instead, he jumped directly to what he saw as a most grave and dangerous situation.
Now fast forward to our own day and age. Today, the heart of the gospel is still God's grace in Jesus Christ and the new freedom we have through faith in him. And today, we still have the same tendency as the Galatians to make God's good news into something else. Circumcision is no longer the flash point in our culture as it was for the Galatian church. The distortions of the gospel that we face are very different, but they are distortions just the same.
For some of us, it may be God's grace-and-going-to-church, God's grace-and-making-a-living, God's grace-and-family. In some parts of the Christian church, it may be God's grace-and-the-government and in other parts God's grace-and-protesting-the-government. It might be God's grace-and-good-works, God's grace-and-the-environment, God's grace-and-whatever our own pet project or concern might be. But is the gospel really that complicated even today?
Paul wrote to the Galatian church to recall them to the gospel of Jesus Christ -- not the gospel-and-anything-else. They were not to be confused by any other teaching. They were not to seek the approval of others by adding anything else. He used all the apostolic authority he could muster to convince them in his letter. In the same way, this text of scripture challenges us and recalls us also back to the heart of the gospel. We are saved by God's grace. We are set free by the work of Jesus Christ.
There are many good works to be done in this world, many urgent needs and situations that need to be addressed. But these are not the center of our faith. They cannot save us. They are not the heart of the gospel. Instead, all of the good works and urgent concerns that we might be tempted to add to the gospel are actually the outworkings of the gospel. They are an essential part of our response to God's grace and freedom, but they are not the same thing.
Paul's own life was a vivid example of this. Once he had persecuted the church, but soon after his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus, he became a tireless evangelist and church planter. During his ministry he experienced imprisonment, beatings, stonings, shipwrecks, and many other trials. Yet he knew that it was not his own efforts that absolved him of his past life. It was not God's grace-and-evangelism, God's grace-and-church-planting. It was God's grace that saved him and gave him this new ministry.
The words of the well-known hymn, "Amazing Grace," were penned by John Newton, a former slave trader who later became an ordained minister and wrote over 200 hymns. Leaving the slave trade did not save him, but it was an outworking of God's grace in his life. Becoming an ordained minister and writing hymns did not save him, but they were an outworking of God's grace in his life. For John Newton, it was not God's grace-and-anything-else, but "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me!"
We may not all experience a dramatic conversion like Paul or like John Newton. But God's grace and the uncomplicated gospel of Christ Jesus are still at the heart of our faith. At times we may be tempted to add to it, as if God's grace is not enough. At times we may be tempted to take it for granted, too pre-occupied with ourselves and other things to notice. Our text for today challenges us to recognize these things as distortions of the gospel and take hold again of God's grace in Jesus Christ.
Paul was so disturbed that he was not able to include a word of thanks in his letter to the Galatians. It was a marked departure from his usual practice that signaled the seriousness of the situation in the Galatian church. Today, let's take the opportunity to write a word of thanks into our own lives. That's really all that is left for us to do. God has already done it all!
Let us pray: Gracious God, we give you thanks for your will and work in our lives. When we act as if your grace is not enough, recall us to the heart of your gospel. When we are distracted and busy with many things, remind us of your amazing grace. Thank you ... thank you ... thank you.... Amen.
