It’s a strange way of starting a letter. We are left with no doubt that the Apostle Paul wrote it because he says he did. But the strangeness is that he begins with a defence of who he is, his calling, the work that he is involved in. Why is he beginning this way? We are going to find out.
“Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead” Galatians 1 v 1
Paul is clear. No one other than Jesus Christ and God the Father has raised him into the office and the work that he does, that of an apostle. He’s not one of the twelve but that does not matter. He doesn’t need to be. He has a Divine calling. Not only that. He has a definite message, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead by God the Father. We don’t know in this opening sentence why he feel he has to defend himself. Were people belittling him? Had he received accusations of compromising the gospel and of presenting something of an easier standard to live by? We will find out. But this opening defence is of a man who is not swayed by that. He is robust in who he was. It doesn’t matter what people said about him, he knew who he was and he knew what he was called to do. Yes, he was definitely called.
This is so important for us. Can you see what Paul was saying? “There is a story to my life, it was written by God and no other and the axis of it is the message that God raised Jesus from the dead.”
That’s not bad is it?
You can say the same. Though you may have been helped by other people throughout your life. They were not the ones to have orchestrated your life. It was Jesus Christ and God the Father. God has called you. God has sent you. God has worked through you.
Paul is obviously referring to his Damascus Road experience of the risen Jesus Christ. That is his credential. His encounter with Jesus was what authenticated him. Even if others were not convinced it didn’t matter. This was his confidence.
Whatever you are facing today the confidence you need is found in your story of God and the message of the resurrection. Jesus is alive. You know it because you have experienced Him.
Go into your today with that message loud and clear in your mind.
The Nigerian Gospel singer, Sinach, has written a beautiful song, I know who I am.
We all need to be able to say that lyric genuinely, I know who I am. In the face of perhaps lies against who you are or maybe you have been mistaken by others. Of course some of the greatest battles are those we have with ourselves. Doubts flood our minds and our souls rise with a self-reflection that disturbs our spirit. Life contains seasons when you simply have to defend yourself against others and even yourself. You can only do that if you are confident in who you are. “My name is x; I am here not because of others but because of God and my central message of my life is Jesus is Alive.”
Missions Paul 