The Message Entrusted to Paul, and the Stewardship Entrusted to Us
Good morning. Today’s Bible verses are Galatians 1:11–12: “But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
In every dispensation, God appoints a watchman — a messenger who hears His Word and proclaims it faithfully.
Ezekiel heard God’s Word and warned Israel. The prophets heard God’s Word and pleaded with the nation. Jesus Christ Himself came as Israel’s final Watchman, declaring the kingdom and calling His people to repent and believe.
But Israel refused the message. They rejected the prophets. They rejected their Messiah. And the watchman’s cry went unanswered.
Yet God’s plans and purposes did not fail.
Though Israel was set aside for a time, God would speak again. He would appoint another messenger and make known a message that had not been revealed before.
On the Damascus Road, the risen, glorified Christ appeared to Saul of Tarsus and made him Paul — the watchman of this dispensation. Paul did not receive his message from tradition, from the Law, or even from the twelve disciples.
He received it from the mouth of Christ Himself.
In this passage, Paul is defending the origin of his gospel. He makes clear that the message he preached was not received from man or taught by men but revealed directly by Jesus Christ.
Jesus revealed to Paul a new message, a new stewardship, and a new proclamation.
The gospel of grace rests upon this truth: Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:1–4). Salvation is now offered by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone — apart from works, apart from religion, and apart from the Law. It is the power of God unto salvation (cf. Romans 1:16-17).
And the believer’s walk is also lived by grace, empowered by the Holy Spirit, not by the Law.
This is the message entrusted to Paul.
This is the message entrusted to the Body of Christ.
This is the message we are called to guard, to proclaim, and to hold forth until Christ returns.
We are not watchmen in the sense of Ezekiel, standing on the walls of Jerusalem. But we do have a stewardship. We have been entrusted with the gospel of grace, and we are called to proclaim it faithfully in a world that desperately needs the message Christ revealed to Paul.
The watchman’s role has not disappeared. The message still stands. And the privilege of faithful stewardship remains.
Dear brothers and sisters, we do not proclaim this message to prove ourselves faithful. We proclaim it because Christ has entrusted it to His Body, and His grace has made us witnesses of what He has revealed.
The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Ga 1:11–12.
Meditation:
Remember that the gospel of grace was revealed by Christ Himself, entrusted to Paul, and now held forth by His Body in the power of His grace.
Reflection Question:
How is God calling me to guard and proclaim the message entrusted to this age of grace?