♪ theme music ♪
(Derek) Welcome to Hope Sabbath School,
an in-depth, interactive study
of the Word of God.
I'm glad you joined us we're in the middle
of a series on "The gospel in Galatians."
Actually, we just started,
but we're already learning amazing lessons
for our lives today,
The precious Good News,
and how when we try to share it,
sometimes people resist the truth
as it is in Jesus.
Our topic today: Paul's Authority and Gospel,
and there are amazing lessons for us.
So we're glad you joined us for Hope Sabbath School.
And hello to the team; we're back again.
The Gospel in Galatians,
what did we learn
from the first part of our series
about Paul being transformed?
What was the most important takeaway lesson for you?
Well, we'll share that as we study today.
I hope you were with us.
If you missed the first part of this series,
you can go to our website: hopetv.org/hopess.
You can watch part one
of "The Gospel in Galatians."
And we're always happy to hear from you.
You can write to us at sshope@hopetv.org.
Here are just a few emails.
You know, we know of 150 countries.
You say, "Derek, how do you know?"
Well, we have one Android app
that's being used in 150 countries,
so there's a lot of people joining us
for Hope Sabbath School.
And we've got an Apple app.
By the way, for those of you
who have an iPhone or an iPad,
you can download Hope Sabbath School.
It's free, and you can access the program.
Got an email just a few weeks ago
from someone who in China watched one program,
went back and watched 100 hours
of interactive Bible studies in our archives.
So it's there for you.
Here are a few notes.
One from Albert in Namibia,
that's former German West Africa,
you know, just north of South Africa,
and Albert writes, "It's so edifying
to watch and listen
to you explain the Bible so clearly.
My wife and I enjoy
your Bible study every Friday evening
in preparation for the Sabbath.
I am a teacher, and I gain
a lot of knowledge from your classes,
which I apply during my class," good?
That's what we want, download the outline.
"What I want to know is
whether your class is consisting
of all student pastors
because you all seem to know the Bible."
I guess you could tell, Albert, by the way
that everybody laughed
that they're not all student pastors.
"May the Good Lord continue blessing
and giving you spiritual wisdom
as you share the Good News
with the whole world," amen?
(Team) Amen.
(Derek) So what's the takeaway there?
And the answer is,
we can all do something for Jesus, right?
Whether we're teachers or counselors
or physicians or homemakers
or construction workers or pastors, right? Bible teachers.
We can all do something for Jesus.
Thanks for writing to us, Albert.
Here's a note from Kwasi in Ghana.
Anyone with Ghanaian roots?
Oh, Joshua! Ghanaian roots, all right.
Have a little wave here for Kwasi. Okay.
"I live in Accra," he writes.
"Your Sabbath School discussion
has made me an extraordinary Christian
and has blessed me.
It's built my personal relationship with Jesus."
(Team) Amen.
(Derek) "It's made me a Bible student!"
This is all good, isn't it?
"It's helped me organize
some children in my community
to share the Word of God with them."
It gets better and better, doesn't it, Mario?
"Every Sunday morning we do exercise
with the children also
to strengthen our physical bodies."
It sounds like a pretty holistic approach, right?
Teach the Word of God,
help them to be healthy.
"It's my desire that the Hope Sabbath School discussion
will be translated into different languages
around the world; the program is amazing."
Well, I want to tell you
that it's already happening
in different part of the world,
that Hope Sabbath School
is being broadcast in other languages,
also with closed captioning,
but you pray for us, Kwasi,
because we're praying it could go
to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.
Thanks for being part of the miracle.
Here's a note from Ludwig in Peru.
He's written to us before.
Ludwig says, "I'm always instructed
by your Friday evening Bible study.
I thank God for all of you.
This program is so didactic and instructive."
I think he looked up a few words there for us.
"Big hug to all of you,
and God bless you all," amen?
(Team) Amen.
(Derek) Thanks for writing.
I know, Ludwig, you said
you've been learning
a lot of English, too,
while you've been watching the broadcast.
Here's a note from Tammy in New Jersey
in the United States of America.
She says, "Thank you so much
for what you do; it's an encouragement.
I love Hope Sabbath School.
I watched the first episode
of Hope Sabbath School in December 2016
during a Sabbath school breakfast
I'd planned for our church.
I'd heard of Hope Channel,
but not having a television,
I'd never seen it before
and never seen Hope Sabbath School.
Well, I loved it, and I was thrilled
when I found out you could get it online."
It's easy; you can get the app,
or you can watch it online, hopetv.org/hopess.
And she concludes, "May God continue abundantly
to bless your ministry.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I love being a member
of Hope Sabbath School."
(Team) Amen.
(Derek) All right, and by the way,
she's involved in a children's ministry
there in New Jersey,
and so she can do
an interactive Bible study with us
as part of Hope Sabbath School.
One last note, from Trinidad and Tobago.
That's in the beautiful Caribbean.
Just a short note, Leslie Ann writes
and says, "I'm from the island of Trinidad and Tobago."
I guess that's considered one country, isn't it?
"I enjoy watching and doing the lesson.
I also enjoy watching Jason
sing the Scripture songs."
Well, Jason, why don't you wave to Leslie Ann,
and we're going to sing
the Scripture song right now, actually.
We've got a brand new song for this series
from the gospel in Galatians.
It's taken from Galatians, chapter 2,
which says, "I have been crucified with Christ,
and I no longer live,
but Christ lives in me," it's a miracle.
If you haven't learned the song,
go to our website, download the song,
the sheet music, so you can sing along.
We're going to sing it right now.
♪ music ♪
(Derek) There's so much included
in that one verse in Galatians 2:20,21.
The Son of God loves you
and gave Himself for you; isn't that awesome?!
I just want to pray
that Jesus would be lifted up today
as we study the gospel in Galatians.
Father in Heaven, thank You.
Thank You that God so loved the world
that You sent Your one and only Son
that whoever believes in Him should not perish
but have everlasting life.
We see sickness and death all around us.
We know that sin
brings death and destruction,
but I thank You
that You've given us hope in Your Word
even today, hope in Jesus.
And I pray as we study
the Gospel in Galatians,
as we study Paul's authority and gospel,
that You would work in supernatural ways
in each of our hearts,
Hope Sabbath School members
all around the world.
May lives be blessed today
to bring honor to Your name.
I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
(Team) Amen.
(Derek) Now before we go into Paul authority,
I want to go back
to our previous study, Nicole.
How could it be
that God could take a rebel
who was forcing people
to blaspheme and wreaking havoc
(you remember that word?) in the church
and call him "My chosen servant"
to be an ambassador
for the Gospel message?
How can that happen?
(Nicole) Because God loves each and every one of us and wants us all to be saved.
And so He uses us wherever we are to spread His Word to those He wants to save.
In terms of this case, He knew he was a Zealot, even if it was a Zealot
in the time before he was transformed, and he was doing evil things.
God knew that he was a Zealot and when he was actually changed,
he'd be a Zealot for Him.
And so God was like, "I know the end from the beginning, and so, therefore,
this person's going to be the person I need at this time to bring my Word
to those who need it."
(Derek) Is that encouraging?
That God sees the potential
even in the midst of all our stumblings?
We're going to talk about Paul
as he writes now.
Many think this was
one of the earliest documents
that we have in what we call the New Testament,
about 49-50 A.D.
And it's written because of a problem in the church,
but by then, even at that time,
we're going to see
that the Christian church recognized
the Holy Spirit working in this man,
name changed from Saul of Tarsus to...?
(Team) Paul.
(Derek) Paul the Apostle.
So let's start in 2 Peter, chapter 3.
We're going to come back to Galatians here,
but Jonathan, would you read for us
2 Peter 3, verses 15 and 16.
I want you to listen carefully as Peter,
in some ways a little humorous,
he says, "Paul is not always easy to understand,"
but there's a testimony
about the authority of his work.
(Jonathan) I'm reading from the New International Version:
(Derek) So, I've always read that
and though, "Oh, it's not always easy
to understand Paul," which is true.
Sometimes I read a text, and I go,
"What does that mean?"
Maybe I need to come
to Hope Sabbath School
and get a little help
from sisters and brothers.
But there were a couple of little phrases there
that showed that Peter,
one of the church leaders and apostle,
recognized the work of the Apostle Paul
as being from God.
What did you hear?
Laurel, did you hear something
that caught your attention?
(Laurel) It just was amazing that Peter,
who was part of the original 12 with Jesus,
recognized that Paul was also called,
even though he wasn't with Christ
when He was physically on Earth.
(Derek) That's right; He wasn't
one of the twelve, right?
So he has seen something in his ministry.
Didn't Jesus say, "By their fruit..."
(Derek, Team) "...you shall know them."
So he had seen something
from the fruit of his ministry
that said, "He's an apostle."
What does apostle mean, by the way? Do you know?
One who's sent out, right?
"He's an apostle of Jesus Christ," okay?
What else, even in the wording of the passage,
did you see something?
Christine and then Marcus.
(Christine) It says here in verse 15
that God gave Paul the wisdom and the knowledge...
(Derek) Aha, wisdom, I think the way Jonathan read it,
wisdom comes from God, all right?
Anywhere else, a little clue, Jason?
(Jason) In verse 16, he talks about those
who twist and distort the meaning,
and he's saying they do it
to their own destruction.
And so, you can deduce from that,
if you understand it correctly,
that's the way to salvation.
He's preaching the message of God.
(Derek) That's an interesting thought,
and actually there's another phrase attached to there
which is important, too.
Did you notice it, Peter?
(Peter) It says, "as the rest of the Scripture."
(Derek) Okay, so he's including Paul's testimonies,
not only as a wisdom from God like Christine said
but as part of Scripture, God breathed.
It's Peter who says all Scripture
is God breathed, right?
No private interpretation,
as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
All right, but that's interesting.
Also, implicitly he's saying,
"If you listen, it's for your salvation,"
that gives it authority.
"If you twist it,
it's for your destruction."
All right, so Paul is recognized
by at least Peter, but I think
we could say by the Christian community.
God's at work in him,
and God is speaking through him.
We're going to look at one of his letters in this series,
the gospel to the Galatians.
The standard format of a letter...
did you find this from your study?
What's the standard format of a letter
back in those times, Tricia Lee?
(Tricia Lee) I don't know about back then,
but I do know like when you're in grammar school,
you're taught that you start with a greeting...
(Derek) Okay.
(Tricia Lee) ...or some type of salutation,
and then you have who it's to
and then the subject of the message,
and you kind of end off with some type of, you know...
(Derek) Farewell or closing remark or?
Is that pretty much, Jason,
the way it looked in these letters
during the New Testament era?
(Jason) Largely yes, and you generally
start with the positive, too.
So you'll say, "Oh, you guys,
this is a nice thing about you,"
whether you're writing a letter now
or these letters of Paul.
They're always saying,
"This is a good thing that you have,"
"This is what I like about you."
(Derek) That would probably
still work today, right?
If you've got a problem with someone,
you can say, "Here's some things
I really appreciate about you, but,"
and talk about a problem.
And that's pretty much standard format,
greeting, some word of thanksgiving,
body of the letter,
and then some closing remark,
and typically with Paul
it would include, "the grace of the Lord
be with you," right, something like that.
Let's see how he begins
the letter to the Galatians.
Galatians, chapter 1, verses 1 and 2,
and, Alyssa, if you'd read that for us,
and then we'll compare that.
If someone could find Ephesians 1, verse 1,
and Colossians 1, verse 1,
let's see if they're similar
or if there are some differences.
By the way, all of those letters
were written by the Apostle Paul.
(Alyssa) In the New International Version it says:
(Derek) Okay, that's his greeting there.
Keep that in mind.
Does someone have Ephesians?
Joshua, chapter 1 and verse 1.
(Joshua) I'll be reading from the New King James Version.
The Bible says:
(Derek) All right, so that's to the church in Ephesus,
then he writes to the church in Colossae,
we call that Colossians, Marcus, verse 1.
(Marcus) I'll be reading from the King James Version:
(Derek) So what did they have in common,
those three opening salutations?
What did they have in common?
(Team Member) He's an apostle.
(Derek) Okay so, Paul, an apostle, gives his name
like we do even today, right?
Gives the name and says
he's an apostle of Jesus.
What was different, Mario?
What did you see different
in the Galatian intro?
(Mario) He expounds on that.
He says not by the will of man
but of God, you know.
So you can tell
that he needs to clarify something.
(Derek) Why would he have to do that, anybody?
He didn't do it to Ephesus or to Colossae.
Why would he have to do that for Galatia, Alyssa?
(Alyssa) This is still early.
Remember, he had to go to all those places
and represent himself anew
to each new church,
so maybe he was still kind of having to defend
that God did call him.
(Derek) Possibly, of course we haven't
read the letter yet, have we?
That is a possibility, though.
He's like, "You may not know me,"
but actually there's something else
going on here. Nicole?
(Nicole) His letter talks about false teachings,
so in this case he's saying, "Listen, I'm from God.
I'm an apostle of God.
I'm bringing you the truth and the Word
that you need to hear,
and I want you all to be careful
of what else is going on around you
that may draw you away from Christ."
(Derek) And implied (stay with me now),
implied is that these people
who are giving these false teachings
are saying what about Paul?
(Team) That he's not from God.
(Derek) He's not a true apostle, right?
Or he's sent by man and not sent by God. Jonathan?
(Jonathan) It seems like multiple times throughout this that he's
emphasizing this, that, "My authority doesn't come
based on other people; it's God."
It's the truth that matters and not the people.
(Derek) Well let's take a look
as we read on in Galatians.
Jason, if you could read
the first six verses,
it will include the initial salutation that we read,
verses 1 through 6.
He's going to go pass
saying thank you about anything,
and he's going to come right to the issue at hand.
Let's take a look, Galatians 1:1-6.
(Jason) I'll be reading
from the New King James Version,
Galatians, chapter 1, verses 1 through 6:
(Derek) Whoa! So something's up here.
We're going to get right to it,
but he has kind of given us the gospel message
right in those first few verses.
How would you summarize the gospel message
from those verses? Peter.
(Peter) The salutation that he gives there, grace and peace,
is very interesting to me,
and is actually used
almost in every letter,
and Peter uses it,
"Grace and peace to you."
""Grace and peace to you."
And it's almost like, the heart of God,
full of grace, brings something
to our hearts, peace,
and He does that through forgiveness,
and this is given to all men.
(Derek) So even in the greeting you're seeing a message.
Many Bible scholars would say
grace would be a more typical New Testament,
and shalom, or peace,
would be more from the Hebrew heritage,
but we're bringing both
in Christ Jesus, right?
What's the message?
What did you hear
in the first six verses, anybody? Yes, Alyssa?
(Alyssa) Christ died for us,
but in accordance that God the whole Trinity is working together.
Also he mentions that when we've been transformed by that message,
we give glory back to Him.
(Derek) Yeah, "He gave Himself for our sins,"
is the way my Bible translates it,
"that he might deliver us from..."?
(Team) Evil.
(Derek) "...this present evil age,
according to the will of our God and Father,
to whom be glory,"
and then he, like, "God is awesome."
You know, he kind of ends
his little statement there.
But he up front says,
"This is God's plan of salvation, through Jesus," right?
"...to deliver us from the present evil age.
What is wrong with you?!" (Thank you, Nicole.)
"Where did you get some other gospel?"
Some other...what does the word gospel mean, do you know?
(Team) Good News.
(Derek) "Where do you find some other news
that isn't good news at all?"
So he obviously is dealing immediately with a challenge.
Now before we go into that,
a revelation about the Good News
was not only given to him, right?
Let's go back; in our first study in this series,
we looked at that amazing concise statement by Peter.
Do you remember that?
Guided by the Holy Spirit.
In Acts 10, verses 34 to 43.
I want to hear that again.
I'm always amazed, Nicole,
if you could it for us...
I'm always amazed at the brilliance
of this concise statement
about the Gospel message.
And we know it's not because Peter says,
"Well, I'm a great scholar."
No, no, he was a fisherman
who wholly surrendered his life to God,
and by the Spirit he's speaking.
So let's hear his testimony.
(Nicole) I'm reading Acts 10, verses 34 through 43,
and I'm reading from the New International Version, and it says:
(Derek) I love that; it's so powerful, isn't it?
And by the way, when he says, "as all the prophets,"
he kind of says that it's the testimony
of the whole Scripture.
It reminds me of a Bible study that Jesus gave.
Do you remember when that was, Tricia Lee?
(Tricia Lee) When they were walking to Emmaus.
(Derek) Right, first to Cleopas
and the other disciple
on the road to Emmaus,
but then with the disciples
in the Upper Room.
And He said all of these prophecies,
all of the Scriptures, what?
(Team) "Testify about Me."
(Derek) Yeah, they "testify about Me,
and not only about Me
but that I had to suffer." Why?
He suffered for our sins, right?
He bore our sins that He might...?
What was that wonderful word?
(Team Member) Deliver us.
(Derek) Deliver us from this present evil age.
Wonderful news, but all of that...
You say, "That's a great summary;
I'm going to write it down, Acts 10:34-43.
If anybody non-Christian come and says,
'Could you give it to me
in like just a couple of minutes?'"
You say, "Well, let me read to you
what the Holy Spirit said through Peter."
But we could get even more concise than that.
Someone have John 3:16,
would read it for us?
Anybody have John 3:16?
You say, "I'd like to repeat it."
John 3:16, got a volunteer?
Jason, read it for us, please.
(Jason) I'll be reading from the New King James Version, John 3:16:
(Derek) Well that challenges
the whole idea that it's
just for the Jews, right?
It says "whoever."
God so loved the...?
(Team) World.
(Derek) I mean it's right there
in that very simple statement.
So, I have a question for you, Mario.
Why do people make the Gospel message,
the Good News about what God has done
for us in Jesus,
why do people make it so complicated?
(Mario) Oh, wow, we have something inside of us
that wants to give out steps or processes to accomplish things.
I mean, in our jobs and in school,
there's this system that tells us, you know,
you have to do this and this and this,
and then you can get what you want.
So it's hard for us to conceive
that a God can love us
and give something to us
without us having to do something to earn it,
but that it is a gift
if we would just submit to His will...
(Derek) Now the New Testament
and especially the writings of Paul
are all about a new creation.
They're all about deliverance
from the present evil age,
but that is the fruit
of accepting the Gospel message.
Somehow we try to make it
more complicated than "whoever believes in Him."
We've got several hands.
Let's take a moment to reflect on this.
(Harold) One way, and we have seen this, actually,
throughout the New Testament,
what we studied last time, traditions.
At times we fall into a routine,
as Tricia Lee mentioned in a previous study,
that at times we are so ingrained...
we get so comfortable that we believe
that that's the way to go to be saved.
(Derek) That's maybe even
what the Bible teaches, right?
Because we've done it for so long,
or what our religious teacher told us.
(Harold) Yes, and Jesus even rebuked the Pharisees
because, "You come to Me,"
you know, with your mouth;
you're worshiping with your mouth and everything.
But yet you come to Me
by the commandments of men."
And this is found in Matthew, chapter 15.
(Derek) Right, so that could happen
for us, too, right?