Galatians 1:1-12 No Other Gospel

God Call Us into His Presence for His Worship to Bless Us.

Our Call to Worship ( From the Psalms)

Our Call to Worship is from Zechariah 1:3

English Standard Version (Chapter 1)

Therefore say to them, Thus declares the Lord of hosts: Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts.

SILENT PRAYER — Use these moments to prayerfully consider the Scripture meditation above, so you may properly give God the glory due to His name.

THE LORD CALLS US TO WORSHIP HIM

*God’s Word of Greeting

*Call to Worship……………...……………………………….…….Psalm 46:1–5 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.”

*Psalm of Praise…………..…..#119E Teach Me, O Lord, Your Way of Truth

*Invocation

INVOCATION:

Father we now call upon you to be with us and be in our presence.

And illuminate our minds by your Spirit and Word.

We thank you Father in all things in Christ name Amen.

OUR RESPONSE TO GOD’S CALL

Responsive Reading…………………………...Exodus 20:1-17, ESV p. 1049

Prayer of Confession and Repentance

*LET US PRAY

Prayer of Confession and Repentance

O most great, most just and gracious God,

You are the Holy One of love—the God of unbroken promises.

Throughout the Old Testament you promised to send the Messiah,

and in the New Testament the records have been made that he came,

that he died, and that he arose from the dead;

but now in language more clearly you have promised to send Him back to this world for His universal triumph.

That last long look of the apostles on the Mount of Olives was met by the assurance that He would come again and in like manner.

We confess that we were conceived in sin,

and are by nature children of wrath;

and have all sinned and come short of the glory of God.

In our baptism you took us into the bond of the holy covenant,

but we did not remember our Creator in the days of our youth,

with the fear, and love, and obedience which we owed you.

We did not please and glorify you in all things, nor walk with you by faith in a heavenly conversation,

nor serve you fervently with all our might;

instead we fulfilled the desires of the flesh and of the carnal mind.

We have neglected and abused your holy worship,

your holy name, and your holy day.

We have dishonoured our superiors, and neglected our inferiors.

We have dealt unjustly and uncharitably with our neighbours, not loving them as ourselves,

nor doing to others as we would have them do to us;

we have not sought first your kingdom and righteousness and been content with our daily bread,

but have been careful and troubled about many things, neglecting the one thing necessary.

You have revealed your wonderful love to us in Christ,

and offered us pardon and salvation in him.

But we made light of it, and neglected so great a salvation,

and resisted your Spirit, Word and ministers,

and have not turned at your reproof.

We have run into temptations, and the sin which we should have hated,

we have committed in your sight, both secretly and openly,

ignorantly and carelessly, rashly and presumptuously,

against your precepts, your promises, and threats, your mercies and your judgments.

Our transgressions are multiplied before you, and our sins testify against us;

if you deal with us as we deserve, you will cast us away from your presence into hell,

where the worm never dies, and the fire is not quenched.

But in your mercy, your Son, and your promises is our hope.

Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father. Be reconciled to us, and let the blood of Jesus Christ cleanse us from all our sins.

Take us for your children, and give us the Spirit of your Son.

Sanctify us wholly, shed abroad your love in our hearts and cause us to love you with all our hearts.

Make your face to shine upon your servants;

save us from our sins, and from the wrath to come.

Make us a peculiar people to you, zealous of good works, so that we may please you,

and show forth your praise.

Help us to redeem the time, and give all diligence to make our calling and election sure.

Give us the things necessary for your service, and keep us from sinful discontent and cares.

let us consider what manner of persons we ought to be,

in all holy conversation and godliness.

Help us to watch against temptations, and resist and overcome the flesh, the devil, and the world.

And being delivered out of the hand of all our enemies, let us serve you without fear, in holiness and righteousness before you all the days of our life.

Guide us by your counsel, and afterward receive us into your glory, through Jesus Christ our only Saviour.

Amen.

Assurance of Pardon……………..……2 Cor 5:21

English Standard Version (Chapter 5)

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

*Hymn of Thanksgiving ……....…#153 O Day of Rest and Gladness

Congregational Prayer

We make our prayers to you, O Lord God, most merciful Father,

for all people in general, that you will be known to be the Savior of all the world

by the redemption purchased by your only Son Jesus Christ;

for they have been held captive in darkness and ignorance for lack of the knowledge of the gospel.

We pray that through the preaching, and the clear light of your Holy Spirit,

That those who do not know you be brought into the right way of salvation, which is to know that you are only God,

and that he, whom you have sent, is Jesus Christ.

Likewise, we pray that they whom you have already endued with your grace,

and illuminated their hearts with the knowledge of your Word,

may continually increase in godliness, and be plenteously enriched with spiritual benefits;

so that we may altogether worship you, both with heart and mouth,

and render due honor and service unto Christ our Master, King, and Lawmaker

We Pray for the Members of Living Stone Fellowship

Ruiz: Sandra’s pregnancy Burkes: Spiritual growth, discipleship, new work schedule

Mannings: healing for Julie’s back, upcoming appointment with surgeon

Judds: Jaron’s job prospects in new career field; wisdom in parenting

David Williams: increased mobility and communication with church family

Mark Sumpter and wife, Peggy, for comfort grieving the death of Mark’s mother

Brad Bell: internship at Covenant Abilene while finishing seminary

Covenant Elders: praise for new members, preparations for upcoming officers’ retreat

Church Planter for LSPC Wichita Falls; a man with gifts for service

Civil Magistrates: Wichita County Judge Johnson and Commissioner’s Court

Persecuted Christians in East Africa and the Ethiopian RPC

NAPARC: Korean American Presbyterian Church (KAPC)

OPC Foreign Missions: Hopp and Delfils families in Haiti

OPC Home Missions: Paul (Sarah) Mourreale at Covenant Reformed in West Plains, MO

OPC Christian Education: General Secretary Danny Olinger directing intern program

OPC Presbytery: Southern California and RHM Chris (Megan) Hartshorn

SW OPC’s: Christ Presbyterian (Flower Mound), Faith (Garland)

Father we Pray for _____________ and we ask for all these things in the powerful, glorious, majestic, and wonderful name of Jesus Christ Amen

THE LORD FEEDS US FROM HIS WORD

*Psalm of Preparation………………..…#25B Lord to you I lift my soul

OT Scripture Reading Psalm 56:1–13

To the choirmaster: according to The Dove on Far-off Terebinths. A Miktam of David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.

Psalm 56:1–13 ESV

Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me; my enemies trample on me all day long, for many attack me proudly. When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me? All day long they injure my cause; all their thoughts are against me for evil. They stir up strife, they lurk; they watch my steps, as they have waited for my life. For their crime will they escape? In wrath cast down the peoples, O God! You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call. This I know, that God is for me. In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me? I must perform my vows to you, O God; I will render thank offerings to you. For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.

1 Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me;

all day long an attacker oppresses me;

2 my enemies trample on me all day long,

for many attack me proudly.

3 When I am afraid,

I put my trust in you.

4 In God, whose word I praise,

in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.

What can flesh do to me?

5 All day long they injure my cause;

all their thoughts are against me for evil.

6 They stir up strife, they lurk;

they watch my steps,

as they have waited for my life.

7 For their crime will they escape?

In wrath cast down the peoples, O God!

8 You have kept count of my tossings;

put my tears in your bottle.

Are they not in your book?

9 Then my enemies will turn back

in the day when I call.

This I know, that God is for me.

10 In God, whose word I praise,

in the Lord, whose word I praise,

11 in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.

What can man do to me?

12 I must perform my vows to you, O God;

I will render thank offerings to you.

13 For you have delivered my soul from death,

yes, my feet from falling,

that I may walk before God

in the light of life.

HP No Other Gospel

Sermon Text……………Galatians 1:1–12 Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—

2 and all the brothers who are with me,

To the churches of Galatia:

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,

4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

No Other Gospel

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—

7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.

9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Paul Called by God

11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel.

12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

HP No Other Gospel

Let’s begin with a little background from our text

Pauls audience is the churches of Galatia

because they have some ministers that are misbehaving.

Becasue they are proclaiming a message that is contradicting the true Gospel.

A message which is contradicting what Paul is teaching in our text today.

Paul has been given the true Gospel of God

Paul is in the line of saints such as Ezra

In Ezra 7:10 we read

Ezra 7:10 “For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel”

Paul and Ezra did not what to add to or take away from the text

but rather to bring to light more of what Christ has spoken and revealed to men.

Regarding how one is made right with God.

And the true Gospel is coming from God’s Word

And God’s apostle Paul is his messenger in the book of Galatians.

And we see it come to light in verses 1-5

Verses 1-5 Paul Proclaims the true Gospel from God.

And once you understand the true Gospel you will Know there is “Know other Gospel.”

And once you are born again

Once you have been converted by God

Once God’s truth wakes you up from your sin darkened slumber

You instantly know that it is the truth.

And when you know the truth

You can then spot a lie.

and Spot a false Gospel.

And spot a false preacher.

And why is it so important to recognize the truth from a lie,

A true prophet from a false prophet.

Becasue our society is full of false gospels and false prophets.

Just as in the time of Paul.

And we are experiencing today the same thing as Paul was experiencing in his day.

Those who want to tell you the Gospel is all about “Your Best life now.”

Joel Ollstien and Kennith Copley are just some of the false prophets right here in Texas to only name two. And there are many more all over America and the World.

And this is obvious to us who know the true Gospel and defend it.

False Religions all fall into one huge category that Paul wont address in this mornings passage but later in the Book of Galatians

In Gal 2:16

Galatians 2:16 he says

English Standard Version Chapter 2

yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

Are their those in the church who present law keeping as a way that someone can become right with God?

Yes

And it is an error that many have to wrestle with because they don’t know the true Gospel.

The true Gospel does not nor has it ever had anything to do with you keeping the Law of God perfectly.

That is what the Judizers believed and that is what some in the early church of Galatia believed.

That is what many dispensationalist believe about the Old Testament saint in how they were made right with God.

But that is the lie.

So what is the truth

Lets read verses 1-5 again Galatians 1:1–5 “Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— and all the brothers who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”

The True Gospel is that

Christ was raised from the dead.

The Lord Jesus Christ,

gave himself for our sins

Christ delivered us from the present evil age,

Christ delivered us from our sins

And this wasn’t some random accident

this was done According to the will of our God Our Father,

He is all the elects father.

He is a personal God.

And it is to Christ and the Father

who we should give glory forever and ever.

From age to age

from generation to generation.

we should thank Christ for his sinless life that we could not walk on this earth.

And for his perfect sacrifice on the cross for our sins.

Praise God!

Forever!

Thats the true Gospel

And if God has opened your eyes up to this truth then you are one of his elect that he died for.

And this is the True Gospel

And their is “No other Gospel” that can save sinners from the wrath of God on judgement day

So Now that we know the true Gospel anything else

Anything contrary to it

is a lie.

Lets now look at what Paul was astonished by in verses 6-9

Verses 6-9 Proclaimers of a False Gospel bring Gods Judgement.

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—

7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.

9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

Those who would say that they are justified by the works of the law.

Are like some of these Galatians in our text today.

Those who exchange the truth for a lie.

They are also denying what the prophets of Old said about the Messiah.

About who he was and what he would do to accomplish our salvation from sin.

What Isaiah said in

Isaiah 53:5 “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.”

Not by our wounds

Not by our commandment keeping.

But rather his wounds healed us

his law keeping healed us

And isn't that comforting

So we should be astonished.

Are Jaws should drop.

When those who once confessed faith.

walk away from the church.

the church that Christ died for.

Or those who are reluctant to join the church

The church that Christ died for.

Thats what we are warned about in the book of Hebrews

Hebrews 10:25 “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

We should be careful in not doing anything or speaking anything that contradicts the expressed and revealed Word of God.

because then we begin to make light of the great work Christ did for us on the cross.

Let us be both truth speakers and doers and profess the true gospel to others.

Both in Word and deed.

How does that work.

Let us not profess we are greater than we are.

When we sin and brothers and sisters you know that you sin.

We are to confess those sins to Christ because he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins.

We are not to cover our sin and pretend that we are sanctifying ourselves.

Rather it is all of Christ.

He calls us

He Saves us

He Sanctifies us.

And to profess or pretend as those we are being sanctified on our own.

That we made the decision to follow Jesus all on our own.

Is to make light

Is to lessen what Christ Jesus alone did for us in his life and in his death.

So lets not pretend or profess another Gospel.

Because as Paul says in verse 7

Galatians 1:7 “not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.”

They may have said adherence to the law saves.

The Judizers may have said that New Testament believers now had to get circumsized.

That Believers in Christ had to conform to the sacrificial system which pointed to Christ finished work.

But If Christ finished the work then must we do the things of the sacrificial system any longer?

Of course not.

And so the blood of bulls and goats only pointed to the Messiah and his once only sacrifice for the sins His people.

Hebrews 10:4 “For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”

And that is why modern day so called Israelites who deny the Messiah has come are not of Israel.

Will they one day come to Christ.

I hope so.

Just as I hope and pray for all those who don’t know the true Gospel

The Living Gospel.

That Christ died for sinners

And as Paul said I say to you today

There is No other Gospel.

And according to verses 8 -9

Even if an Angel from Heaven preached to you another Gospel

You know the creatures that men have bowed down to mistaking them for God.

We are told what some of them look like in Revelation 10:1 “Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire.”

A face like the sun flaming legs that looked like pillars of fire.

Even if a creature like this preaches a gospel contrary To the true gospel.

That is contrary to what Paul has proclaimed and Scripture

And that is contrary to the gospel which has been verified in your minds by the Holy Spirit.

Paul says and I say

Let them be accursed.

Not just once but twice

Paul is emphasizing the importance that those who proclaim something contrary can’t save you and they are accursed.

So we covered that your works can’t save you.

the sacrificial System can’t save you.

what else can’t save you

People who proclaim a false gospel can’t save you.

and the false gospels they teach can’t save you.

The False Gospel of the Jehovah witnesses can’t save you.

The false gospel of the Muslims can’t save you.

The False Gospel of the Mormons can’t save you.

The false Gospel that if you say a sinners prayer can’t save you.

Only Christ’s perfect life and cross work can save you.

isn’t that easy children.

And so it is just as I said

Once you know the truth

The lie’s of Satan and his followers can just bounce off you like arrows.

when we no the truth we can withstand the fiery arrows of Satan.

Becasue we have put on the armour of God as Ephesians declares.

Ephesians 6:13–15 “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.”

The Gospel defends you against the false gospel and those that proclaim a false gospel.

But who has such authority to proclaim such a thing?

That Christ is the only way

And everyone that proclaims anything contrary is going to hell.

And is accursed.

Hell is where those who are accursed are headed according to the Bible.

Verses 10-12 tell us why we should believe Paul.

Verses 10-12 The true Gospel is from God and not man.

Lets read verses 10-12

Galatians 1:10–12 “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.”

So Paul starts out by saying this isn’t something that men will like to hear.

And he is not doing it for their approval

Rather he is proclaiming this message because it pleases God.

It is also pleasing to all those who have been born again.

If this message resonates with you you are a child of God.

And if it doesn’t resonate with you then you have not yet been regenerated.

you are not yet one of the kings kids.

because this message is offensive to all those who are not saved by Christ yet.

And it is pleasing to all those who are one of God’s Sheep.

And so Paul’s argument is sound.

Why would anyone proclaim the Gospel if they were trying to please men.

And if that was Pauls Goal

If he “Just wanted you to have your best life now” like Joel Olstein down in Houston

Then Paul is miserably failing.

But Paul is not failing because the Gospel he preaches is from God.

And it’s a Gospel that conflicts with the sin nature we all inherited by that one man Adam in the garden.

Because we all would hide from God and are repelled from God because of our sin apart from the saving work of Jesus Christ.

Paul’s message and my message and the message of all true preachers of the Word of God. is that Christ lived a perfect life and died for all his sheep.

Not one of them will he loose.

Paul will continue throughout the book of Galatians to prove his apostleship through the example of his life,

including how he personally persecuted the church and how he is now following and preaching the true gospel.

When a man changes his life, doing a complete about-face, and is now promoting the very thing he once persecuted,

bystanders should realize that he believes what he is preaching.

Believers and preachers come to faith the same way Paul did by divine intervention.

God divinely wakes us out of our sin-filled life through this gospel and changes our path to serve him in his church.

This glorious gospel, through the work of Jesus Christ and the Spirit of God, is what Paul experienced, and it is what we experience when the preaching of it turns us from darkness to light.

From looking inward at all of our sins

From looking inward at what we think we are doing like the rich young ruler.

To looking outside ourselves to the Gospel that says Christ did it all.

and we can do nothing but trust and rest in him.

as Psalm 146 tell us

It is the Lord who sets those prisoners of sin free

It is the Lord who opens the eyes of the blind.

It is the Lord who lifts up those who are bowed down

The lord loves the righteous who trust in Christ

The Lord helps the widow and the Fatherless

But the Way of the wicked

The way of those who believe or promote a false gospel

The Lord will bring to ruin the way of the wicked

All those who believe in a false gospel.

But I can say

and all those found in Christ can say

As the psalmist says and Paul says

The Lord will reign forever from age to age

To all generations

And the Godly can say “Praise the Lord!

Because the Gospel is True

Praise the Lord!

Because there is No other Gospel

Praise the Lord.!

For God converting sinners by his grace and truth.

Hallelujah, Praise the Lord.

No other Gospel apart from Christ.

Let us go to the Lord in prayer.

Father we thank you for this time to study and meditate on your Word

We ask that you would make this sermon meaningful in the minds of us your children.

Father we ask that we would be so on fire for you Lord that your Word and our time in it would be on our lips today

with our children and with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

We ask for all this in Christs name Amen

*Hymn of Response………..…………#51C God Be Merciful to Me

WE ARE DISMISSED WITH GOD’S BLESSING

*God’s Word of Blessing

WE ARE DISMISSED WITH GOD’S BLESSING

Numbers 6:24–26 “The Lord bless you and keep you This week and I will keep you in my prayers in the coming week.

Our Closing Hymn is number 567

*Closing Hymn………………………………………..…………..#567 Doxology