#326 - Sermon - The Traditions of my Fathers - Galatians 1.11-14
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- Most traditions are good and harmless, but the problem starts when a tradition picks up authority and sits next to the Bible as its equal.
- Paul was originally zealous for the traditions of his fathers and used them to train his conscience and persecute the church.
- Paul's gospel did not come from human tradition at all, but directly through the revelation of Jesus Christ.
- The Pharisees added to the Word of God until their protective fence practically became the law itself.
- The Sadducees threw out parts of the tradition and lost the Word anyway by cutting pieces out of Scripture.
- When tradition and God's Word disagree, the Word wins every time with nothing added and nothing taken away.
Everybody has traditions. Tamales on Christmas Eve. The same seat every Sunday. Most are good, harmless, even precious. The problem starts when a tradition picks up authority and sits next to the Bible as its equal.
Paul was zealous for the traditions of his fathers. His world had two camps. One added to the Word. The other cut pieces out of it. And Jesus answered both of them the same way. He opened the Scriptures.
When tradition and God's Word disagree, which one wins?
1. The Source. Paul's gospel didn't come from tradition at all. It came by revelation of Jesus Christ.
2. The Fence. The Pharisees added to the Word until the fence became the law.
3. The Scissors. The Sadducees threw out the tradition and lost the Word anyway, by cutting.
4. The Sword. Tradition trained Saul's conscience and put a sword in his hand.
Tradition is what's handed down. Scripture is what God handed over. When the two disagree, the Word wins. Every time. Nothing added. Nothing taken away.
Download the full notes and all other resources for Galatians at https://www.brianoverturf.com
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the focus of Galatians 1:11-14 in this sermon?
This passage focuses on the apostle Paul's zealous background regarding the traditions of his fathers and how his gospel came by the revelation of Jesus Christ rather than human tradition.
How did the Pharisees and Sadducees mishandle God's Word?
The Pharisees added extra rules to the Word until their traditions became the law, while the Sadducees cut pieces out of the Scriptures, yet Jesus answered both camps by pointing them back to the true Word.
What is the difference between tradition and Scripture?
Tradition is simply what is handed down by people over time, whereas Scripture is what God actually handed over to us as the ultimate authority.
Where can I find full notes and resources for this Galatians sermon series?
You can download the full sermon notes and all other resources for the Galatians series by visiting brianoverturf.com.