Reveal

Yesterday, we read the opening of Paul’s letter to Jesus followers in the Roman province of Galatia. He encouraged them to not turn away from the message of Jesus. Today, Paul is going to talk about how that message was revealed to him.


Galatians 1
11 Dear brothers and sisters, I want you to understand that the gospel message I preach is not based on mere human reasoning. 12 I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ. 13 You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion - how I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it. 14 I was far ahead of my fellow Jews in my zeal for the traditions of my ancestors. 15 But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him 16 to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. When this happened, I did not rush out to consult with any human being. 17 Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to consult with those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went away into Arabia, and later I returned to the city of Damascus. 18 Then three years later I went to Jerusalem to get to know Peter, and I stayed with him for fifteen days. 19 The only other apostle I met at that time was James, the Lord’s brother. 20 I declare before God that what I am writing to you is not a lie. 21 After that visit I went north into the provinces of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And still the Christians in the churches in Judea didn’t know me personally. 23 All they knew was that people were saying, “The one who used to persecute us is now preaching the very faith he tried to destroy!” 24 And they praised God because of me.


Reveal. I know this idea of God revealing himself through Jesus has always been a part of the plan (check out Isaiah 53 and John 3:17 and Ephesians 1:4-5). What really struck me about this revelation was the why ... why God revealed Jesus to Paul. Did you catch it? God revealed Jesus to Paul so that Paul would reveal Jesus to others. This revelation wasn’t meant to be treated like a family heirloom ... stored in the attic and only brought out for special occasions. It was meant to be experienced; and more importantly, shared (check out what Jesus said to his first disciples Mark 1:16-18). Every night, before I put my daughter down for “night-night”, I spend some time rocking her. As I do, I pray that God will reveal Jesus to her. I hope (and pray) that God will include me in the process of revealing Jesus to her; but I also realize that there will be other people involved in the process ... maybe a friend or a sponsor in the student ministry or a teacher ... someone that will be revealing the same message and someone that my daughter will actually listen to when I cease to be cool. This is why it is so important to me that you are revealing Jesus ... every day, through what you say and what you do ... because that someone might be you.