Galatians 1:1-10 - The Gospel, our declaration of independence

Last week I read this to you from the Declaration of Independence.

From the Declaration of Independence:

“We hold these truths to be self‑evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

The Declaration of Independence was written primarily by Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams,.

The Declaration of Independence was adopted at the second continental congress on July 4, 1776.

It was a unanimous decree by the 13 colonies who would become the first 13 states of what we today call the United States of America.

They listed 27 abuses that King of Great Britain in their words was laying too heavy a burden on and they wanted independence. Independence to be their own country.

The book of Galatians is the Christians Declaration of Independence.

Independence from the Judiazers who were heaping a burden too heavy to bear on the Christian who was free from the heavy burden of trying to keep the law in order to earn heaven.

The Declaration of Independence freed Americans from the British Crown and its impossible restrictions. The Liberty they earned came with a cost, and it did not mean that they wanted to become wicked people, as a matter of fact it was just the opposite. It was freedom to be responsible citizens. That is why it burns me when I hear people, “It’s a free country, I can do what I want!” and what they want is to be wicked to other people.

I want to look today at our declaration of independence from the law, sin, death, hell, and the devil.

THE GOSPEL

If you have a peace of paper and a pen would you be willing to write down your own definition of the gospel in your own words?

I remember in school we had to memorize the preamble to the constitution and parts of the declaration of independence. That is very good civics practice for children to get into. I don’t take that away from any teacher. Good teachers will have kids do that. BUT the declaration of Independence will one day turn to ash. I hope it isn’t tomorrow. I pray that it isn’t in my lifetime. But this great country will one day come to an end.

THE GOSPEL is eternal.

Revelation 14:6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—

That isn’t a put down of the D of I on the contrary to compare it to the gospel is a great compliment, but nothing truly compares to the gospel. It is the thing that gives eternal life. When all of this life is forgotten the GOSPEL will remain.

Introduction: Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ.

Galatians 1:1–2 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 brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia:

Paul establishes His authority in the first two verses of Galatians. This is important because He has to establish his authority over the Judaizers who were adding to the gospel to get to heaven. He says I am an apostle commisioned by Jesus Christ. The First paragraph of the declaration of Independence likewise states the authority and intentions of the founding fathers in drafting that document.

Jesus Christ is the true authority.

Ephesians 2:20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,

Every ministry, every work Jesus is the authority. The pastor is just the undershepherd, the deacon is just the servant of the LORD. Jesus is the one we all serve. No other demands our attention. In the declaration of independence King George the 3rd was a tyrant. His authority was being abused. In Paul’s day to give a little bit of a background the Judaizer I have used this term before. Was telling new Christians, in order to be a Christian on your way to heaven you have to be circumcised. You have to keep these parts of the Law and our customs. Paul fires back, NO! the gospel is liberty! It is by grace through faith alone, in Christ alone.

The same thing happens today in the church. People come to Christ.

There is a guy who gave this speech at the grammy’s jelly roll. What a name JELLY ROLL

I was raised traditionally, I grew up in the church. Now I don’t look like Jelly Roll, but hey I want you to watch this guy.

Some people say if you are going to be a Christian you have to dress like, sing like, eat like, sit like in order to get to heaven. I will tell you what I will watch Jelly Roll, I don’t know who this guy is or anything about him except this and I think I have heard one of his songs. I am going to pray for Jelly Roll. Wow that sounds so wierd to say. I hope that he has found Liberty in Christ. That comes with responsibility. Responsibility to be free from the slavery to sin. Grace is that God can save anyone. I hope this man makes it. In the past few years straight laced Christian Pastors Authors and singers have fallen into a life of sin. They need grace, but my point is it’s all by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

The Gospel produces Grace and Peace.

Galatians 1:3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,

Paul usually has elaborate introductions in his book. Not this one. He makes his intentions clear. I want you to have GRACE and PEACE. Just like the declaration of independence. Life Liberty and the pursuit of happiness. You know what I want in your life. GRACE AND PEACE! I don’t want you walking away from church saying, BOY am I good enough to go to heaven. No I want you to know AMAZING GRACE THAT saved a wretch like me. I want you to know the Peace that comes when the storm passes over when the thunder sounds no more.

Paul states the Simple Gospel

Galatians 1:4–5 (Jesus Christ) who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

There it is two verses. The most powerful message the world has ever had. When all is over this is all that matters. When this life is over and you stand before God. This is what stands between you the pearly gates and the lake of fire/

1 Jesus gave His life for us on the cross.

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

It was a sacrifice. He laid down His life. He paid it all. The center of the gospel is that it is all about Him and has very little to do with us.

2 Jesus delivered us from the world’s tyranny.

Colossians 1:13–14 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

We were in a dark dark world under the tyranny of sins, Jesus delivered us from the dark world. Removed us from that Kingdom and placed us in His Kingdom. Because of what Jesus did on the cross when He shed His blood.

By Grace alone through faith alone, in Christ alone.

3 Jesus won the battle.

Colossians 2:15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

The Gospel is victory in Jesus, my Savior for ever. He sought me and bought me with His redeeming blood. For all of eternity Jesus won and that is a great truth that we have in the Scriptures the cross won the victory over the devil.

Let’s go back to the declaration of independence. It cost people their lives. It still costs people their lives to keep us free and we should respect that. It means something because it removed us from the tyranny of being under King George’s British Empire (Kingdom) and into a better Kingdom. There are similarities and we should appreciate the country we live in but our Eternity is based on the GOSPEL!

The Gospel is Jesus fulfilling the will of the Father.

Ephesians 3:10–11 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,

The Gospel was always God’s plan A it is no plan B and we need to understand that. The Gospel is simple and Jesus fulfilled the will of the Father and the gospel is the central event in all of human history. Don’t look too much on anything that you miss the gospel.

There is only one gospel, so beware a different gospel.

Galatians 1:6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,

You were saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. So why are you adding to what it takes to get to heaven. No one has to look like me sound like me or talk like me to get to heaven. They need the redeeming power of Jesus Christ in their life. That is all. Please don’t interpret my words to say that Christians can come to church on Sunday and live like the devil on Monday. Remember the Gospel is Liberty. That is freedom from Sin and tyranny and the responsibility to live right before God and men. But God’s commands are not a burden.

This different gospel is too much.

Matthew 23:4 For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

this is the person who says that in order to get to heaven you must do do do do.

NO! Because Jesus Christ has done done done.

There is only one gospel, so beware a perverted gospel.

Galatians 1:7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.

trouble - disturb or agitate, to shake back and forth.

These people were stirring up the pot. They would say you, you aren’t a good Christian. You aren’t doing A,B, C, D.… I have said this before when something is convicting to you. don’t point across the aisle and say Jim needs to hear that. I imagine a church, in which someone comes in with ripped jeans. and someone says to me pastor you need to tell that person how to dress. Balony, Now I will tell you this, I wear a tie and coat to church. Some Sundays Bob and I are the only ones wearing a neck tie. I personally have the attitude that I will wear my best for the LORD and some of you feel the same way but a neck tie is not a part of wearing your best for the LORD. Don’t add to people there gospel by disturbing the waters about your own convictions. Imagine if I said to you. You want to come to this church be a good Christian and be on your way to heaven, where a tie. No that is what freedom is all about, in America and in the Church.

Perverted - opposite

A Perverted Gospel, don’t think about this as the way we tend to use the word pervert, but this word means opposite.

Salvation is by Grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

Don’t bring things into it that are the opposite.

“We are just destroying this church, a deacon didn’t wear a tie to do communion.” Come on, did the apostles wear ties in the first century. Will you lose your salvation if Children’s ministry isn’t the same as it was in the 70s. This church will succeed if our main focus is the gospel.

There is only one gospel, so beware false teachers.

Galatians 1:8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.

This is my personal warning. I have been asked to preach other things. There are a few people who are no longer here because they asked me to change the message. I refuse. The message is the GOSPEL, I am not ashamed of it and I will not deviate from it. Your challenge is to hold me accountable to that. If the altar calls stop coming. If I start telling you that you have to earn your way to salvation. If I start telling you that there is more to this Christian thing than just Christ at the center of it.

Some of you would like me to talk about the second coming, Great as long as it centers on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It can easily do that.

Some of you would like me to talk about Israel. I love to talk about Israel, as long as it centers on the Gospel. It can eaily be done.

Politics, Sports, Clean living, Leadership, Christian Duty and Service, Missions, History, Love, relationships all fine topics as long as the gospel is the key and it is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. ]

The devil wants to pervert the gospel.

2 Corinthians 11:13–14 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

Whenever I see these verses, I think about the various cults around the world which recieved their message from an angel of light. I won’t name them but a lot of people around the world in the middle east in Utah follow these other gospels that of course make your meritt a part of getting to heaven. They are not about Grace alone, by faith alone, in Christ alone. When you aren’t going to please God if you don’t pray 7 times a day and give a certain amount and pray in a certain direction. You have problems.

There is only one gospel, let anything else be accursed.

Galatians 1:9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

Accursed - (anathema) to be set aside for destruction.

This is a great warning. There is a place in hell for those who would add to the gospel message. I think about that verse in revelation, don’t add or take away anything from the book. Don’t add or take away anything from the gospel. WOW that is a warning for me. for this church. Liberty is important to God and your relationship. I think we should take it seriously as Americans that would take away our freedoms. We have recently seen people come into the political arena who are chipping away at those freedoms. That is one reason I wanted us as Christian Americans to look back at our roots this year. It is important,. But it is of more importance for us to do that with our Christian heritage

There is only one Gospel, it is all about Jesus.

1 Corinthians 12:3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

If you are grounded on Jesus Christ and the gospel you can’t go wrong. Some people may try to make you feel like you aren’t a good Christian that God can’t accept you. Well if you have Jesus, if you love Jesus. That is enough. The Gospel is simple. Getting to heaven is all based on Jesus is it liberating. Don’t worry about others. Worry about the LORD. If someone wants to scare you that you aren’t good enough to go to heaven. You aren’t spiritual enough. Tell them get behind me Satan.

Please God!

Galatians 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

I am not concerned with making you happy. I am concerned with making Him happy. Don’t worry about pleasing Pastor. Worry about pleasing the LORD. Dont come to church dressed to please Bob, Come to church dressed to please Jesus. Don’t sing to impress, Linda. Sing to the LORD! Remember The Gospel is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

The declaration of independence was written because the King was a tyrant. America wanted to be free they had 27 abuses of power and the wanted to be Liberated to live right before God and there neighbor free of tyranny.

Galatians is the same thing.

The Law, Sin, the Devil, Death and World are tyrants.

This book has a list of abuses by each. The law can’t save you, it condemns you. You can’t be good enough to save yourself. The Devil wants to destroy you, death will end you, sin will enslave you and the world will seduce you. You can’t please any of them. Just worry about God and the gospel, it should be the most liberating feeling in the world. Every one here should feel that they are finding GRACE AND PEACE!

Be Free in Christ.

John 8:36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

The gospel is our declaration of independence.

Jesus did it Himself, He did it for us, He satisfied the Father and won the Victory.

It is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. ARE YOU FREE IN CHRIST!