Gal 5.1-15

INTRO

Loony Toons - run off a Cliff, dynamite, - Freedom / rules

Minecraft - Steve - Defeat the Ender Dragon - Freedom / rules

PRAYER

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MESSAGE

The Bedrock of our Freedom

[5:1-6]

Galatians 5:1 ESV

1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

Their liberty celebrated [1]

Who does not like freedom?

writing to slaves / while in prison

bondage in Egypt / bondage in Babylon / bondage in Asyria / bondage by Rome

American Revolutionary War / American Civil War

The Greeks had a roundabout way of securing freedom for a slave. A god supposedly purchased the manumitted slave. The slave provided the money, but, because slaves had no legal standing, he could not purchase himself. So his master paid the appropriate amount into the temple treasury on the slave’s behalf. A document bearing the words for freedom was executed. Then, because the slave was now the property of a god, nobody could enslave him again!

Jesus to people who thought they were free - slaves to sin… Jhn 8.33-36 “33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Stand Firm !

It would bring to mind the Roman way of waging war. When faced by wild, undisciplined enemy hordes, the Romans simply locked their shields together, planted their feet firmly on the ground, and presented to the charging enemy an iron wall of steel and resolution.

1 Cor 16.13 “13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”

Phil 1.27 “27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,”

Truth is truth / error is error

Yoke of slavery

Oxen are castrated bulls that they fix together to pull a heavy load

Their liberty censured [2-6]

the seriousness of this attack exposed [2]

Galatians 5:2 ESV

2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.

I - PAUL…

Christ will be of no advantage to you

If circumcision is all that is needed then Christ died for nothing !!

the seriousness of this attack explained [3-6]

Galatians 5:3–6 ESV

3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

Terrible Warnings [3-4]

Gal 5.3-4 “3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.”

Obligated to keep the whole Law

Severed from Christ

Fall From Grace!! - fallen star - a flower withered by the sun

James 2.10 “10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.”

Rom 3.10 “10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;”

Triumphant waiting [5] - - - - CONTRAST !!

Gal 5.5 “5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.”

we wait through the spirit, by faith, of He who will return to gather us

Rom 8.23-25 “23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”

We wait for the culmination of that which we were already promised !!

True Working [6]

Gal 5.6 “6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.”

See the BEDROCK of our freedom is Christ and He crucified, and He raised into glory… now to the second head

The Bandit of our Freedom

[5:7-12]

Their doctrine revealed [7-9]

Galatians 5:7–9 ESV

7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump.

Running well - hindered

Heb 12.1 “1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,”

But what if there were no signs? What if the obstructions were deliberate? What if they were set up maliciously, not to improve the highway but as traps for the unwary motorist?

Gal 5.8 “8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you.”

God through Christ has called us to run would He then too cause us to be hindered?

Satan - Demons - Legalists - RELIGION / Relationship

Letter to the American Church

God is not a vicious task master ! = talents

Gal 5.9 “9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump.”

The only way to stop the spread of the levin is to put it in the oven !!

Conviction —> Belief —> Opinion —> Options

Their doom revealed [10-12]

Galatians 5:10–12 ESV

10 I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. 11 But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!

Pauls confidence in their acceptance ....

Apostasy / Backsliding

Circumcision = a “do it yourself” message = not offensive… Gospel = we are filth = offensive

Paul used to preach this until he met Christ!!

Emasculate themselves …REALY strong words !!

Deut 23.1 = cannot enter the assembly of the Lord

amputate themselves from the body - - be done away with

So we see the BEDROCK of our freedom is Christ and He crucified, and He raised into glory… The BANDIT of our freedom is the self same serpent, ever was seeking to seduce us into a self righteous slavery… So lastly we must address,

The Boundaries of our Freedom

[5:13-15]

Galatians 5:13–15 ESV

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

We are not free to pursue carnality [13]

Gal 5.13 … Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh...

Jews = set free from the Law

Gentiles = set free from pagan ritual

John Stott

There are many such slaves in our society today. They proclaim their freedom with a loud voice. They speak of free love and a free life; but in reality they are slaves to their own appetites to which they give free rein, simply because they cannot control them.

We are not fee to pursue conflict [15]

Gal 5.15 … if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another…

We are free to limitlessly pursue compassion [14]

Gal 5.13 “13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”

Gal 5.14 “14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.””

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 “19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

John 13:13–17 “13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”

Mark 10:45 “45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.””

The BEDROCK of our freedom is Christ and He crucified, and He raised into glory… The BANDIT of our freedom is satan and sinful flesh… and lastly then the BOUNDARY of our freedom is limitless as long as it is lived out in a life of love!

Let us praise the LORD for our freedom in Christ !

PRAYER

Group Questions

Respond to this sentiment: Adding a little to the gospel is not a major problem, as long as we believe in the cross.

What does it mean to be set free by Christ?

Does eternal security give us freedom to sin without fear of the consequences? Explain. How do many in our culture define freedom? How does Paul define it?

What’s the difference between the kind of work that misses God’s grace and the kind that pleases Him?

Does the phrase “fallen from grace” (5:4) refer to losing your salvation? If not, then what does it mean?

If we are already made righteous in Christ, then to what does the phrase “the hope of righteousness” (5:5) refer?

Explain the difference between hope as the Bible defines it and hope as many people use the word today.

What was your reaction to Paul’s words in 5:12? Why do you think he said that?

Why should our freedom in Christ lead us to a life of love for one another and our neighbors?

Have you ever seen people in the church “bite and devour one another?” (5:15). What were the causes? How does this passage speak to this problem?