October 6th - Galatians 3:15-25

Title: "The Promise, the Law, and Christ”

Introduction (5 min)

Quote on screen: “the law and the promise, must be diligently distinguished. For in time, in place, and in person, and generally in all other circumstances, they are separate as heaven and earth.…”

John R. W. Stott, The Message of Galatians: Only One Way, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, England; Downer’s Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1986), 86.

In 1996, I got the opportunity to participate in going abroad with an organization called Adventures in Missions or AIM. Before we headed to the country we would serve, we first went to a week of training. Really, it was a bootcamp in Bloomfield, Indiana in late July. 95 degrees with 100% humidity the entire week we were there.

One of the activities we did was an obstacle course. . We did the obstacle course everyday and it involved running, swinging over a river, going through a pitch black maze on our hands and knees in the mud….whew..that is a story for another time.

But we would cap the whole thing off with a wall similar to the army. This is as close a picture as I could find. Every member of our missions team had to get over the wall. The athletic and the non athletic. The scared of heights and the daredevils. Everyone was required to get over this wall.

Now I am a 15 year old kid who really wants to be a hero. In my head, I wanted to be the one to carry our team to a good outcome on this obstacle course. So, most of the week, when we got to the wall, I would, in my best leadership voice, trying to impersonate all those action heroes I idolized. Hey… Don’t worry guys. you can count on me. I will get us over this wall.

So I would hoist folks up, I would push em up, I don’t want to knock all of it, I can still remember a feeling of usefullness at helping everyone.

But there was a judge there in one of those lifeguard stations up really high overlooking the top of the wall. He was the one judging us. If we didn’t get over the wall in the time we were allotted, he would yell out…not fast enough. The first time, he yelled that out…one of our team members asked him…how do we do it. He responded…not my job. My job is to tell you not fast enough. Hey, not fast enough. Hey, too slow.

Our team…our hopes…crushed. But I doubled down…I will try harder.

Next day….same thing…not fast enough. not good enough. Not strong enough.

Perhaps you have felt that. In your walk, in your relationship with God, do you picture God dressed as a 50 year old in a YWAM Tanktop and Jean shorts blowing a whistle and pointing out all the ways you are inadequate?

Context Setting:

In a similar way, our text today in verses 15-25 reveals a similar feeling that Paul was combatting. Jesus plus something else. The judiazers were saying you have to become a jew first then…you will be saved. Paul through out this letter is saying…no.

There was a push to make the law, those 613 commandments including the 10 commandments as a prerequsite to following Jesus. But Paul is battling that notion by reminding them that faith has been the foundation to the arrangement from the beginning. Since faith is total confidence in what we hope for and holistically convinced of what we cannot see, it cannot be add on to your life, it is the foundation of your life, the lens in which you see all things.

Religion is man’s misguided attempt at earning his way into the favor of God. But a relationship is a response to grace of God. We want to flee from the temptation of religious earning through the law and embrace whole heartedly the relationship that God graciously offers.

Today we are going to look at the promise, the law, and the cure, that is Christ.

Big Idea:

Because the story of scripture revolves around a great and mighty God who makes a promise to save humanity. The law is introduced to reveal the sin, the trespass of humanity. However, Christ, not the law, is the cure to the sickness of sin. In Christ, we find the promise fulfilled and true freedom realized through the gospel.

Lets begin in Galatians 3:15-18

1. The Promise: God’s Unchanging Plan realized in Christ (vv. 15-18)

(Don’t Read)

Galatians 3:15 NIV

15 Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case.

Starting in verse 15, Typically, a covenant, is an formal agreement between two parties. The agreement can involve conditions or can be unconditional. In other words, no matter what, this agreement will happen. The confirmation of these covenants is by oaths, ceremonies or sacrifice. Breaking a covenant would call upon a curse if it was broken.

This is important because in verse 14, Paul references Abraham, the blessing, the promise given him.

In Genesis 12, God tells Abraham that through him and his descendants, all nations will be blessed. I love this because it is a blessing for all. We often forget it in our individualistic mindset. That the purpose of the promise of being set apart, was to be a blessing to all the nations and bring glory to God.

And we see this more clearly as Christ, God in flesh, is referenced in beginning in verse 16-18

Galatians 3:16–18 NIV

16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. 17 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

Here we see a full view of how Christ is the recipient of the promise. Paul is making the argument that the promise that God is making will come to pass to Abraham and his descendant, Christ who completes this covenant. When we look at the covenant in Gen 12, 15, 17 there we see a few things about this covenant. First, the covenant is everlasting. It never ends!

The promise involves a kingdom or a home and land, it involves a people and it involves a blessing.

Gracepointe we say…Hallelujah because Jesus Christ fulfilled this covenant. Galatians is referencing this right here. How does Christ fulfill this promise. The first way is through

Land/Kingdom:

Abraham understood that the home he longed for was not merely a physical one but a spiritual reality. The NLT writes of Abraham In Hebrews 11:10 (NLT), it says, "Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God."

In Christ, we live on the promise of one day Jesus making all things right.

Our home, our land is in Christ. He is our promised land, the one in whom we are rooted and built up like it says in Colossians 2:7. or what about 1 Peter 1:4 An inheritance that never perishes, spoils or fades and is kept in heaven, a kingdom set for those who have faith in Christ.

People

While the people of Israel was the physical nation promised to Abraham, Christ formed and continues to form a spiritual nation—a holy priesthood as it references in 1 Peter 2:9. We are the people of God because of Christ…fulfilling the promise. The church, the people of God gathered together. John 1:12 reminds that We are adopted into the family of God, we are the children of God through faith in Christ

Blessings

Finally those in Christ have a blessing. Why? Because they are in Christ. Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere. Truly, better. What are the blessings….well let’s just start with Forgiveness of sins, the peace and presence of Christ, the Holy Spirit and it’s fruit which we will see later in Galatians. Unending fellowship with God as we are His people and He is our God as we see in Revelation 21:3-4. Too often we look out at those living without Christ, we see external things that look nice but they can all be gone in an instant.

Our external conditions are not perfect…far from it. but the eternal condition of our soul are now been made right with God. True blessing that can never be taken away.

The First Promise stands

In light of that, we now see Paul’s insistence in verse 17 and 18 that we do not abandon the promise given to Abraham and his descendent for the promise given to Moses 430 years later with the law. The law does not replace or alter the promise.

Comparison of Law and Promise (Moses and Abraham)

Before we move on, we should look at another comparison of the promise and the law is how they were given. With the Abraham covenant, it was unilateral. A unilateral covenant is an agreement made between two parties, in which only one of the parties has responsibility to act. Typically both parties would engage in the ritual of confirming the covenant but only God…God alone took on the full weight of responsibility for this covenant.

Other covenants would divide a sacrifice and walk between it. The symbolism of the act was that if we break this covenant, we will suffer the same fate as this sacrifice. But God alone walked through the sacrifices.

Jump 430 years to the Moses covenant. Moses is a mediator between Israel and God. He is the go-between. Both sides in this case have obligations to fulfill. The law requires human participation but the promise of God to Abraham and those in Christ is based solely on His grace and not on human actions.

This is important as we talked about for a few weeks. Earning our way into God’s approval reveals a shadowed view of God’s love. Roman’s 5:8 says that God demonstrated his own love for us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Don’t throw out the promise because of a second thing of the law The first one still stands.

2. The Law: Its Role and Limits (vv. 19-22) (10 min)

But that raises a great question. Paul asks it in verse 19. Why is the law given at all?

Galatians 3:19 NIV

19 Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator.

There might be a swing of the pendulum to think…maybe the law doesn’t matter at all?

Here Paul explains the purpose of the law: it was added because of transgressions — to reveal sin and its consequences. The law, both the Old Testament and how Jesus reframes it in the two great commandments, its purpose is to reveal how we cannot do it.

Rom 3:20 in the NLT says it plainly “For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.”

As I thought this week about the law of God, I realized it was a lot like a diagnostician. Someone who diagnoses issues. It reveals the areas where we fall short of God’s perfect standard. The law simply shows how sinful we are. How we are not good enough. It reveals the issue.

STORY: A decade ago, at the doctor just a couple of weeks before Christmas and the nurse asked if I wanted to get a chicken pox shot as they realized that I had never had the chicken pox. I said sure because I had family members get the chicken pox as adults and that sounded worse than death! I get the shot.

Fast forward a week and I am having horrible shooting nerve pain down by back and legs. During our christmas eve services here! I got through our services and then went to urgent care.

I wait a while. Fill out the forms. 30 min wait. Finally get it. The doctor takes 2.5 seconds to look at my leg and back and says “ you have shingles. Have you recently had Chicken pox?” No..but I got the vaccine. She raised an eyebrow and said well…looks like you got shingles form the chicken pox vaccine. unfortunately this looks to be a few days into it which means we can’t do anything. But yeah you got shingles. I was in and out in under 6 minutes. I won’t tell you what my bill was because I get to fired up about it!

I was diagnosed but there was no cure. The law is the same way. The law does not heal, cure, or save you from sin…it shows your need for a Savior.

The law for Israel was a pragmatic example of all humanity. The human heart reacts to the law in a similar way….eventually we want to figure out a way to break the law.

If the speed limit sign says 60, we gradually find ourselves justifying that the flow of traffic means I can go 72. If there is a sign that says “don’t touch”…..there is a drive to do just that.

Romans 7:7 points out that I would not have known the sin if not for the law. The law said don’t covet. I realized…ooh I am coveting. The law just points out….you are not fulfilling the law. It diagnoses your problem but doesn’t fix it. The law is not the cure.

Notice there that Paul refers to the law being temporary and served a specific purpose, to outline sin, to define sin, to diagnose sin. But not cure….not give life as he says in verse 21. (Don’t Read)

Galatians 3:21–22 NIV

21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22 But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

The law is not opposed to the promises of God but it doesn’t supply the promises of God. In the same way that a person diagnosing a problem or an illness gets in the way of the cure but it isn’t the cure.

This is very much part of our life today. We turn our effort into earning very very quickly. We don’t even know we are doing it.

Did you know that the love of God is forever. Religion is man’s misguided attempt at earning his way into the favor of God. But the promise of God from the very beginning was based on His character not yours.

When you are in Christ….you have never been more loved than you are right now. His love is eternally constant, regardless of time, circumstances, or human actions. Of course there are consequences and justice but all of that is out of love for humanity. In Christ, you are loved….period.

Contrast that with the fact…the law never gives life. It reveals the need for a life giver.

This idea of the law, the 613 commands and rules, it doesn’t get easier when Christ comes. Did you know that….Christ actually reframed the ‘law’. in His ministry, Christ made the law "harder" by focusing on what is in our hearts instead of just our actions. He taught that being angry is like committing murder and that looking at someone with lust is like committing adultery.

He called for radical love and forgiveness, even towards enemies.

If you thought the law was hard in the old testament, imagine everything being rolled into Loving God with all that you are and loving your neighbor as yourself. All the law and prophets are found in those two things. That is not easier, that is harder because it’s open ended. Now the law is diagnosing not just your actions but your thoughts. And wouldn’t we all be found guilty, we all would come up short.

This highlighted how impossible it is for anyone to perfectly follow the law on their own, emphasizing our need for grace and pointing to the true cure found in Christ.

3. Christ is the Cure (v23-25)

Galatians 3:23–25 NIV

23 Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

in verse 23, Paul is explaining that the law was a temporary taskmaster. A temporary mirror that reveals our sin. Some translations say tutor but more accurate is a temporary warden.

Paul is painting this picture of the the law as a prison, confining people and revealing their sinfulness but not providing a way to true freedom or righteousness. An inmate knows they are an inmate as everything around them declares that.

The law points to our inability to live up to the perfect standard of loving God and loving others perfectly.

But in verse 24….It was until Christ came so that we may be justified by faith. Declared righteous through faith. the promise of Abraham is fulfilled and the law’s demands are perfectly fulfilled! In Christ.

Whosoever believes in Jesus Christ will not perish but will have everlasting life. They Will take part in the promise of a kingdom marked by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness. Christ is the cure to our problem of sin!

But our need to take it on ourselves…To be heros in our own story. Is a deadly temptation. To save ourselves.

Application:

I want to take you back to that 15 year old kid with his rag tag group of high schoolers who are trying to make their way through this obstacle course. Climb this wall. Not hear those words “not fast enough. Not good enough”.

After a 3rd day of coming up short. Of not succeeding. One of the other students in the group asked timidly…”maybe we should ask for help”. We all argued that the leaders wouldn’t give it. We had to do it on our own. What would be the point if we got help? Would it be cheating? Would it matter less?

We finally agreed to ask for help and so we timidly asked our group leader, an older guy named Dan. We asked him if our team could get help. He said “why do you need help”. We didn’t know what to say so we said…”we can’t do it alone. It is impossible”.

He smiled and said “no problem, we will have some help for you tomorrow”. The next day, Dan and two other adults helped us through the obstacle course. When we got to the wall, one of the adults who was super strong, sacrificed himself by physically lifting each of us over the wall. He was the foundation that we all used to overcome that wall.

As we climbed over the wall, Dan was sitting on a high look out chair and he told us one by one…good job.

A third adult asked us questions to help us see how our team worked well together and areas we could improve on. Dan came over and told us that the point of the exercise was for our team to realize that, in this life, we are all in need of a savior. The wall represents our sin. We can’t overcome it and we have to ask for help. Once you ask for help, God begins to lead guide direct out of His love for you. It is only the sacrifice of another, Jesus, that we claim freedom and the promise of God.

Conclusion

The urge to make it on our own is built in to our very nature. May we not go back to the prison of the law but rather remember, we are free. Jesus Christ has set us free and we are free to respond with our lives built on Christ. To love and live like Jesus.

The band is going to play one more song and I would encourage you to dwell on Christ’s fulfillment of both the law and the promise. If you are here today and you feel like you keep trying to do it on your power rather than in Christ, let me invite you to freedom. Let me invite you to remove that weight. Embrace the grace found in Christ. We all are broken and yet in Christ, we are both saved by Christ and being made into His image. Surrender your striving and let Him build your life on Christ.