Sermon: Easter 3 - Galatians 1.1-11, April 19, 2026
Scripture: Galatians 1.1-11
Preacher: Ryan Slifka
Sermon: Easter 3
This morning we are beginning our sermon series on the book of Galatians, found near the back of your New Testament. Galatians being one of the many letters written by Paul, the Apostle, to the many churches he helped found, all around the Eastern Mediterranean Roman empire.
This letter is unique, in that it’s written not to a single congregation, but a letter intended to be circulated among several churches in Galatia in modern day Turkey. It’s the difference between St. George’s receiving a letter, and a letter addressed “to the United Churches of Northern Vancouver Island.” There’s some scholarly debate as to whether the letter was for the more rural churches in northern Galatia–i.e. Port Hardy, or the southern, more metropolitan cities–i.e. Courtenay-Comox.
Regardless of the exact region the letters are intended for, though, we know that Paul knows the Galatians he’s writing to. If you’re familiar with the book of Acts, you’ll know that Paul helped establish multiple churches around various Greek and Roman cities in southern Galatia. Paul, in fact, has been instrumental in spreading the earliest Christian message here among the largely gentile–meaning non-Jewish population. Elsewhere in the letter he refers to himself in motherly terms. He’s given birth to these folks. They’re his spiritual babies. He’s nursed them, and encouraged them into faith. Helping them to make their very first steps towards Jesus Christ.
Without him, though, it appears that–in Paul’s eyes–have stumbled. Rather spectacularly, in fact:
“I am astonished,” Paul writes. “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Jesus Christ and are turning to a different gospel.”
Normally, Paul’s letters open with a greeting, and then a thanksgiving for that congregation. But here Paul’s astonished. He’s flabbergasted, he’s blown away by how quickly the Galatians have turned away from their spiritual upbringing. It’s like the Galatians are singing him some Merle Haggard: “Mama tried to raise me better/but her pleading I denied.” They’ve not only turned away from the gospel–the Christian message–that Paul proclaimed to them. In doing so they’ve turned away from God. The very God who called them into grace–the unmerited, one-way love of God in Jesus Christ–in the first place. And towards a “different gospel.” A different message entirely.
Now, what about this exactly has Paul, our metaphorical mama bear, in such an uproar?
You’ll note that he says that it’s not a whole other message. These folks haven’t shaved their heads for Hari Krishna, or donned turbans marking Sikh baptism, nor have they wandered down the spiritual dead-end of atheism. No, he says. “Not that there is another gospel… but some who are confusing you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.”
Some of you might remember that great Coca-Cola ad campaign–the one that said “accept no substitutes”--an obvious dig at Pepsi. Well, here Paul’s saying that there are some teachers who have filled the vacuum of Paul’s absence, and they are misleading the Galatians. Their gospel looks like the gospel Paul preached to them. It has most of the same ingredients as the gospel Paul preached to them, it might even smell like the gospel Paul preached to them. Hold them up side-by-side and your average person might not be able to tell the difference. But these teachers are just serving Pepsi and calling it Coke. It’s a substitute. A perversion. The Galatians are being fed just another knock-off of the real deal.
So what’s the difference between the two? Well, according to Paul, in the substitute gospel the Galatians have been slipped an extra ingredient: that ingredient being… circumcision. Circumcision. In order to become part of the church, in order to be counted as one of God’s people, even in order to be saved. The Galatians are being told that the men among them must undergo some minor genital surgery.
Now, we might hear this and think to ourselves, like, the option with circumcision is the popular one? I’m pretty sure I know which of the two options I’d take if—as an adult—I were given the choice. But it’s not so obvious to the earliest church.
You see, Jesus is a Jew. Jesus is a Jew who is believed to be the Jewish Messiah–the one sent by the God of Israel to set the world right. The Jewish Messiah who in his life, death, and resurrection, the earliest Christians claim, fulfills promises made in the Jewish scriptures.
This, should, of course, be no shock, and the great Christian bulwark against anti-Semitism (but I digress).
But one of those promises made in the Jewish scriptures is that the Gentiles–non-Jews–would stream to Jerusalem to learn the true path to life from the God of Israel, and would become part of that God’s chosen people. And you know what one of the ways that the Hebrew scriptures say you become one of God’s chosen people? Just as God told Abraham, the Father of the faith, you and your male children are circumcised.
We’ll hear more about Abraham and his children later on in this series. But not only does God in the scriptures say do this–a good reason to do it if there ever were one–but circumcision is the visible sign of the covenant, the special relationship God’s people to have with God. So requiring it makes plenty of sense! I mean, it might be painful, but if you wanna be part of God’s special people, you gotta do the special thing. The one God said to do.
And yet, taking all of the above into account, Paul still says their gospel’s Pepsi. A substitute.
“But even if we,” says Paul. “Even if we, or an angel should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let that one be accursed!” I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, if anyone proclaims to you a gospel contrary to what you’ve received, let them be accursed!”
Even though it contains that which is traditional, that which is biblical, that which is commanded by the Lord himself in the book of Genesis, even. Paul says this substitute gospel is is worse than even Pepsi… it’s poison! Poison not only to the one who laps it up, but the one who pours it out. Bad for the body, worse for the soul. Anathema! Accursed! Worthy of permanent cancelation.
Now, from our 21st century liberal, progressive vantage point this sounds kinda crazy. Like, we know all about the religious wars of the 16th century, we know how divisive and dangerous religion can be. We live in a multicultural, pluralistic society.
After all the folks who are spreading this gospel are Christians! They’re most certainly Jewish, yes. But they believe in Jesus–his resurrection, his nature as the Messiah. If you can’t get along with fellow Christians, who can you get along with? So slap one of them Co-exist stickers on your bumper, Paul. Though I’m not sure there’s a family-friendly symbol for circumcision out there. They share their gospel, you share yours. Like, can’t we just agree to disagree? Can’t we just all get along?
If we’re honest, it’s hard to put ourselves in Paul’s shoes. And yet, for Paul, this issue is life and death. Why?
First, let’s make this clear: circumcision itself is not the main problem here. Like I said, it’s Biblical, so it can’t be bad, exactly. Later on, Paul will say this: “circumcision is nothing, uncircumcision is nothing.” It’s neutral. It’s what we would have called “things indifferent” in the theology business back in the day. It’s like singing songs with an organ or a full rock band–it might cause a local church to blow up, but nobody’s saying one or the other’s an offense to God. Circumcisions’s not good. Not bad, either. So, again, Paul, why the issue?
Well, the thing is–that’s the issue exactly. The teachers in Galatia have made something unnecessary completely necessary. The issue here is addition.
Let me put the pro-circumcision side like this: You want to be right with God? You want to be saved? You wanna be part of the community of God’s people? You need to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, rose from the dead, etc. Which Paul all believes—by the way–he starts the letter out sending his greeting as an Apostle sent neither by human commission or authorities, but “through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead.” They’re in agreement on that part. But, they say, you need all that, they say and.... AND you gotta be circumcised. Among other requirements laid out in the scriptures. Jesus… AND!
It’s here where we get to the true heart of the matter. It’s the AND that’s the problem. It’s the AND that’s got the little vein in Paul’s forehead popping right out. AND. Jesus AND. Jesus PLUS. Jesus, but ALSO. Snip snip.
And what’s the problem with that, exactly? Well, that’s because for Paul, Jesus isn’t just another form of religion. A set of practices, do this, do that, you get right with God, maybe make it to heaven. Business as usual. If you read verses 3 and 4 you’ll know that.
“Grace to you and peace,” he writes. “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory for ever and ever.”
When we think about the gospel, the Christian message, a lot of us think about the first part—he gave himself for our sins. That Jesus died as a great act of cosmic forgiveness. 100% true. The forgiveness of all sins, full stop. The past, as they say, is past. But that’s not where Paul leaves it. He says for the forgiveness of sins “to set us free from the present evil age.” To set us free from the present evil age.