Galatians 1

Preached this Sunday (slightly more briefly than usual) on Galatians 1, calling it 'A tale of two deliveries'. Hence Pat.

I talked about Paul's assertion that the message he was preaching had been given to him by Jesus and therefore any other 'gospel' was not really a gospel at all...

And that message was that Jesus is the Great Deliverer, the Great Rescuer. The word "deliver" that Paul uses in Galatians 1:4 is the same word used by God to describe His rescue of the Israel from Egypt (Exodus 3:7-8, referenced Acts 7:34), and Peter's description of God freeing him from prison (Acts 12:6-11).* This helps us to see how salvation is something done by God on our behalf, we being unable to save ourselves. That’s why Christians are free forever – because they’re aren’t trying to free themselves, they have been set free by Jesus.

Giving some points for application from this would have been entirely legitimate, and they are a vital part of working out our salvation, but on this occasion I just wanted the sheer grace of what Jesus did to stay with us so I said no more.

* Thanks to John Stott's commentary on Galatians for showing me this.