Walk - Part Two

Walk - a journey through Galatians • Sermon • Submitted 7 years ago

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Walking can be a great joy or a great challenge depending on the obstacles you face or the conditions around you. Our relationship with God has been often described as a WALK and moving forward in our faith requires us to take necessary steps and be mindful of obstacles to avoid. Paul wrote a letter back to a church that he helped plant in Galatia that gave them critical guidance for their walk. It’s truth and application is as meaningful for us today!

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Walk Series (Part 2) -

Summer 2017 | Spruce Hills Community Church

a journey through Galatians

Today talk about ‘Mixed Messages’; What is a mixed message? Any communication that is contradictory, inconsistent, or unclear, especially in its motive or intent.

Any communication that is contradictory, inconsistent, or unclear, especially in its motive or intent.

ILL - start with a funny story of sending wrong message

start with a funny story of sending wrong message /// maybe even autocorrect fails

ILL - autocorrect fails (PICS) How many have sent a text to wrong person?

It’s frustrating, disappointing, and sometimes even downright EMBARASSING when we send the wrong message on our phone but exponentially more when the message of my life sends a wrong message. It’s so import that our life’s message as Christ-followers is true, consistent and God-honouring.

Summer 2017 | Spruce Hills Community Church

GOD - * Walk through Paradigm Shift of /15 ; Then ; *Peter’s Pressure to People Please and how that led him to compromise his beliefs * Paul’s confrontation and emphasis that Peter’s life was sending mixed messages and distorting the gospel message

the importance of our life’s message as Christ-followers.

We’ve all been there, struggled with the inconsistency living something other than what we say we stand for and believe in.

YOU - * Your Life’s Message Matters * Be a Champion of Grace * Get Back Up

When we have stepped outside of the values we been raised in to give into peer pressure or pleasing people

When we say we trust God and worry our heads off

When we say we are Christ followers but live no different from anyone else

When we are more concerned with being liked or accepted than being obedient to God

Our summer series: Walk (through Galatians)

WE - Imagine the reach of the gospel when our lives line up with it’s message. /// S.O.A.P challenge for the week ahead

Walk

How many of you tracking your steps - Apple watch; fitbit? Cool to be able to track our progress, calories, heart-rate, sleep, STEPS!

Track our steps on this journey of faith. Our relationship with God has been often described as a WALK! Moving forward in our faith then requires us to track our steps and be mindful of our progress and obstacles we need to avoid.

Sunday afternoon walks - Red Cliff

Similarly, our relationship with God has been often described as just that … a WALK! Moving forward in our faith then requires us to take necessary steps and be mindful of obstacles that we need to avoid.

Series Description

Walking a girl home

Walking … WALKing can be either a great joy or a great challenge depending upon the obstacles you face or the conditions around you. Similarly, our relationship with God has been often described as just that … a WALK! Moving forward in our faith then requires us to take necessary steps and be mindful of obstacles that we need to avoid.

The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the churches that he helped plant in Galatia, giving them critical guidance for their Christian WALKs. The truth and application of this little book called Galatians is as meaningful for us today as it was for the Galatian people of Paul’s time!

Journey with us this summer as we unpack Paul’s letter to the Galatians and be better equipped for the walk ahead.

- Walking … WALKing can be either a great joy or a great challenge depending upon the obstacles you face or the conditions around you. Similarly, our relationship with God has been often described as just that … a WALK! Moving forward in our faith then requires us to take necessary steps and be mindful of obstacles that we need to avoid.

- The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the churches that he helped plant in Galatia, giving them critical guidance for their Christian WALK’s. Here at Spruce Hills we believe that it’s truth and application is as meaningful for us today as it was for the Galatian people of Paul’s time!

- SO we invite you today to journey with us this summer as we unpack Paul’s letter to the Galatians and become better equipped for the WALK ahead.

WE - we’ve all been there right (on the lighter side of life), but also in the areas that matter most. When we have stepped outside of what we believe/value to give into pressure/please people

What about our WALK of faith … what obstacles are in our way that we need to avoid? What things have distracted us from truly understanding what a deeply connected relationship with Christ can look like? What distractions in our lives and in our faith walks have led us astray from God’s plan for our lives and away from the true meaning of what it means to be a Christian? SLIDE 2

- What about our WALK of faith … what obstacles are in our way that we need to avoid? What things have distracted us from truly understanding what a deeply connected relationship with Christ can look like? What distractions in our lives and in our faith walks have led us astray from God’s plan for our lives and away from the true meaning of what it means to be a Christian? SLIDE 2

- As we will see in the case of the Galatians … “Another Gospel Is Not THE Gospel” … “Jesus + Nothing = Everything”

As we will see in the case of the Galatians … “Another Gospel Is Not THE Gospel” … “Jesus + Nothing = Everything”

BIG IDEA: Paul confronts Peter after he pulls a chameleon move in front of some prominent Jews. He then emphasizes that our New ID is rooted in justification by faith, not works!

GOD

BIG IDEA: Paul confronts Peter after he pulls a chameleon move in front of some prominent Jews. He then emphasizes that our New ID is rooted in justification by faith, not works!

Before we unpack this second chapter of Galatians, let’s set the stage with some background information: Paul wrote to the churches in southern Galatia after having a hand in starting them on his first missionary journey to Asia Minor. Upon arriving back in Antioch from his first missionary journey after eighteen months on the road, Paul received a report that the churches he had started in Galatia had fallen into hard times—specifically, they had fallen into error. A group of Judaizers—those who sought to make living under the Mosaic Law a requirement of the Christian faith—had gained an influence in the Galatian churches.

Church is no stranger to controversy - if you come to faith thinking the church is perfect you’ll be sadly disappointed. God is preparing us to be that perfect bride but we all have a ways to go. ILL - almost church split over where we should pray before a service. Some controversies are trival; some are huge like poverty, justice, gender equality, racial divides. It was this last one that emerged early in the early church.

Paul wrote the book a few months before his attendance at the Jerusalem Council in AD 49, a meeting where the apostles would take up this very topic (). Paul’s letter speaks wisdom and clarity into the first real controversy that plagued the church in its early years—the relationship between Christian Jews and Christian Gentiles. Paul’s tone is aggressive because he was passionate that people embrace unity in Christ, no matter their racial distinctions. For him, this was no minor issue, as he went so far as to call the Galatians deserters of Christ, people turning from the truth toward a gospel contrary to the one they had received from Paul ().

Paul wrote to the churches in southern Galatia after having a hand in starting them on his first missionary journey to Asia Minor.

ILL - racism

Where are we?

Upon arriving back in Antioch from his first missionary journey after eighteen months on the road, Paul received a report that the churches he had started in Galatia had fallen into hard times—specifically, they had fallen into error. A group of Judaizers—those who sought to make living under the Mosaic Law a requirement of the Christian faith—had gained an influence in the Galatian churches. Paul wrote the book a few months before his attendance at the Jerusalem Council in AD 49, a meeting where the apostles would take up this very topic ().

When the Galatians fell away so quickly from the gospel of grace Paul had preached to them, they also made clear their disloyalty to Paul’s authority as an apostle. Therefore, Paul began the letter to the Galatians by spending two chapters defending that very issue. If they could discredit Paul they could discredit his message. Paul shores up his message and his God-given authority.

Why is Galatians so important?

In advance of the Jerusalem Council, Paul’s letter speaks wisdom and clarity into the first real controversy that plagued the church in its early years—the relationship between Christian Jews and Christian Gentiles. Paul’s aggressive tone shows just how important it was to him that the people embrace unity in Christ, no matter their racial distinctions. For him, this was no minor issue, as he went so far as to call the Galatians deserters of Christ, people turning from the truth toward a gospel contrary to the one they had received from Paul ().

In Chapter 1 - CODY: “Another Gospel Is Not THE Gospel” … “Jesus + Nothing = Everything”

What's the big idea?

Chapter 2 begins in vv. 1-10 with Paul outlining some of his personal journey as a leader of the early church and the false leaders that emerged to try and impose something other than the true Gospel on Gentile believers.

When the Galatians fell away so quickly from the gospel of grace Paul had preached to them, they also made clear their disloyalty to Paul’s authority as an apostle. Therefore, Paul began the letter to the Galatians by spending two chapters defending that very issue. Only in chapter 3 did he begin to get to the heart of their error; namely, that these Galatians sought to be justified by the Mosaic Law. In contrast, Paul presented his argument that justification comes to people by faith in Jesus Christ, not by their works under the Law.

Pick up the story in verse 11.

-Upon arriving back in Antioch from his first missionary journey after a lengthy number months on the road, Paul receives a report that the churches he had started in Galatia had fallen into difficult times—specifically, they had fallen into error. A group of Judaizers—those who sought to make living under the Mosaic Law a requirement of the Christian faith—had gained an influence in the Galatian churches. Paul wrote the book a few months before his attendance at the Jerusalem Council in AD 49, a meeting where the apostles would take up this very topic ().

When the Galatians fell away so quickly from the gospel of grace Paul had preached to them, they also made clear their disloyalty to Paul’s authority as an apostle. Therefore, Paul begins the letter to the Galatians by spending two chapters defending that very issue. Only in chapter 3 did he begin to get to the heart of their error; namely, that these Galatians sought to be justified by the Mosaic Law. In contrast, Paul presented his argument that justification comes to people by faith in Jesus Christ, not by their works under the Law.

- In advance of the Jerusalem Council, Paul’s letter speaks wisdom and clarity into the first real controversy that plagued the church in its earliest years—the relationship between Christian Jews and Christian Gentiles. Paul’s aggressive tone shows just how important it was to him that the people embrace unity in Christ, no matter their racial distinctions. For him, this was no minor issue, as he went so far as to call the Galatians deserters of Christ, people turning from the truth toward a gospel contrary to the one they had received from Paul ().

In advance of the Jerusalem Council, Paul’s letter speaks wisdom and clarity into the first real controversy that plagued the church in its earliest years—the relationship between Christian Jews and Christian Gentiles. Paul’s aggressive tone shows just how important it was to him that the people embrace unity in Christ, no matter their racial distinctions. For him, this was no minor issue, as he went so far as to call the Galatians deserters of Christ, people turning from the truth toward a gospel contrary to the one they had received from Paul ().

When the Galatians fell away so quickly from the gospel of grace Paul had preached to them, they also made clear their disloyalty to Paul’s authority as an apostle. Therefore, Paul begins the letter to the Galatians by spending two chapters defending that very issue. Only in chapter 3 did he begin to get to the heart of their error; namely, that these Galatians sought to be justified by the Mosaic Law. In contrast, Paul presented his argument that justification comes to people by faith in Jesus Christ, not by their works under the Law.

- When the Galatians fell away so quickly from the gospel of grace Paul had preached to them, they also made clear their disloyalty to Paul’s authority as an apostle. Therefore, Paul begins the letter to the Galatians by spending two chapters defending that very issue. Only in chapter 3 did he begin to get to the heart of their error; namely, that these Galatians sought to be justified by the Mosaic Law. In contrast, Paul presented his argument that justification comes to people by faith in Jesus Christ, not by their works under the Law.

- So, part of the problem that confronted the Galatians came in the form of the arguments made by the Judaizers. These false teachers suggested that to live by grace and in freedom meant to live a lawless and therefore degenerate lives. And so in the final chapters of the letter, Paul made clear that justification—an act of grace through faith—need not result in a sinful lifestyle. Because Christians have been freed from bondage to the sinful nature, we now have the path of holiness open to us.

Galatians 1 NLT

This letter is from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead. All the brothers and sisters here join me in sending this letter to the churches of Galatia. May God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. All glory to God forever and ever! Amen. I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ. Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed. Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant. Dear brothers and sisters, I want you to understand that the gospel message I preach is not based on mere human reasoning. I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ. You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion—how I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it. I was far ahead of my fellow Jews in my zeal for the traditions of my ancestors. But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. When this happened, I did not rush out to consult with any human being. Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to consult with those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went away into Arabia, and later I returned to the city of Damascus. Then three years later I went to Jerusalem to get to know Peter, and I stayed with him for fifteen days. The only other apostle I met at that time was James, the Lord’s brother. I declare before God that what I am writing to you is not a lie. After that visit I went north into the provinces of Syria and Cilicia. And still the churches in Christ that are in Judea didn’t know me personally. All they knew was that people were saying, “The one who used to persecute us is now preaching the very faith he tried to destroy!” And they praised God because of me.

Galatians 2:1–10 NLT

Then fourteen years later I went back to Jerusalem again, this time with Barnabas; and Titus came along, too. I went there because God revealed to me that I should go. While I was there I met privately with those considered to be leaders of the church and shared with them the message I had been preaching to the Gentiles. I wanted to make sure that we were in agreement, for fear that all my efforts had been wasted and I was running the race for nothing. And they supported me and did not even demand that my companion Titus be circumcised, though he was a Gentile. Even that question came up only because of some so-called believers there—false ones, really—who were secretly brought in. They sneaked in to spy on us and take away the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to enslave us and force us to follow their Jewish regulations. But we refused to give in to them for a single moment. We wanted to preserve the truth of the gospel message for you. And the leaders of the church had nothing to add to what I was preaching. (By the way, their reputation as great leaders made no difference to me, for God has no favorites.) Instead, they saw that God had given me the responsibility of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as he had given Peter the responsibility of preaching to the Jews. For the same God who worked through Peter as the apostle to the Jews also worked through me as the apostle to the Gentiles. In fact, James, Peter, and John, who were known as pillars of the church, recognized the gift God had given me, and they accepted Barnabas and me as their co-workers. They encouraged us to keep preaching to the Gentiles, while they continued their work with the Jews. Their only suggestion was that we keep on helping the poor, which I have always been eager to do.

Galatians

Galatians 2:11–21 NLT

But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile believers, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, “Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions? “You and I are Jews by birth, not ‘sinners’ like the Gentiles. Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.” But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.

Galatians 2

Why are these verses in Galatians? Paul was defending in leadership to the Galatians emphasizing his Gospel came directly from Jesus not human teachers and his message was the same message approved and proclaimed by the other apostles. But in case the Galatians or his opponents refused to accept his leadership or message he recounts an incident with Peter in Antioch when Paul issued the sternest of rebukes.

Peter - fisherman turned follower of Jesus; went from a denier of Jesus at the crucifixion to a powerful leader and preacher in the early church in . But some things were going off the rials by . The former fisherman was so drenched in his Jewish tradition that it was hindering his ability to fish for people. It took a spectacular vision and encounter with a centurion named Cornelius. Cornelius was a Gentile considered unclean by the Jews. No good Jew would defile himself by going to the house of a Gentile. But in Peter’s vision God spoke to Peter declaring that nothing or no one that God has created should be considered unclean. Peter became a huge proponent of this PARADIGM SHIFT - Gospel was leap frogging not only over regional barriers but social barriers. GREAT NEWS FOR US! This was a major turning point in the church and the understanding of what the Christian life was all about. Jews who would not even eat with Gentiles or even enter their homes could now embrace them as brothers and sisters.

Peter - fisherman turned follower of Jesus; went from a denier of Jesus at the crucifixion to a powerful leader and preacher in the early church in . But some things were going off the rials by . The former fisherman was so drenched in his Jewish tradition that it was hindering his ability to fish for people. It took a spectacular vision and encounter with a centurion named Cornelius. Cornelius was a Gentile considered unclean by the Jews. No good Jew would defile himself by going to the house of a Gentile. But in Peter’s vision God spoke to Peter declaring that nothing or no one that God has created should be considered unclean. Peter became a huge proponent of this PARDIGM SHIFT - Gospel leap frogging not only over regioanl barriers but social barriers. This was a major turning point in the church and the undertanding of what the Christian life was all about. Jews who would not even eat wth Gnetiles or even enter their homes could now embrace them as brothers and sisters.

Somewhere after Peter’s great revelation and support for Gentile believers something went off the rails. Peter went from a great advocate for Gentile freedom to succumbing to pressure from some of these false leaders. When representatives came from the Jerusalem church came to Antioch they tried to impose the Jewish laws again on the Gentile believers. Peter and Barnabas were intimidated by their forcefulness and withdrew from the Gentiles. Maybe it was fear, wanting to maintain their image, or to be accepted - but whatever the motive they changed. Peter hadn’t gone all the way back into legalism but his actions were not consistent with his message. He was sending MIXED MESSAGES. He was blurring the message of the Gospel and obscuring the freedom it provides.

Paul recognized the GOSPEL and the FUTURE of the church was at stake so in v. 11 he opposed Peter to his face…got all up in grill in front of other people. “Peter, you’ve been eating ham sandwiches with Gentiles and now you want them to only eat kosher. You’ve been demonstrating freedom in Christ and now you want to demand bondage to the law. “

Paul calls Peter out on his chameleon move in front of some prominent Jews. He then emphasizes that our identity in Christ is rooted in justification by faith, not works!

In vv. 11-21, our text for today, Paul confronts Peter after he pulls a chameleon move in front of some prominent Jews. He then emphasizes that our New ID is rooted in justification by faith, not works!

Tracking steps - Apple watch; fitbit

We don’t know for sure how Peter responded but we do know that when they arrived at the Jerusalem Council, which convened to discuss this very issue of legalism and requirements on the Gentiles, it was Peter who spoke out clearly on releasing the Gentiles from the burden of the Law and to recognize them as equal recipients of God’s amazing grace!

Sunday afternoon walks - Red Cliff

Walking a girl home

In the former fisherman was so drenched in his Jewish tradition that it was hindering his ability to fish for people. It took a spectaulr vision and encounter with a centurion named Cornelius. Cornilies was a Gentile considered unclean by the Jews. No good Jew would defile himself by going to the house of a Gentile. But in Peter’s vision God spoke to Peter declaring that nothing or no one that God has created should be considered unclean.

Paul’s confrontation shut down Peter’s mixed messages:

It reset Peter’s perspective and put his leadership back on the right path

It reset Peter as

It reaffirmed Paul in his ministry so that he could continue to follow God’s call and plan to build the early church

It reminded the church that the Gospel, the message of the finished work of Christ, is the only thing that advances us towards holiness and releases us from hypocrisy

Paul confronts Peter after he pulls a chameleon move in front of some prominent Jews. He then emphasizes that our New ID is rooted in justification by faith, not works!

YOU

You

YOU - * Your Life’s Message Matters * Be a Champion of Grace * Get Back Up

How do we send mixed messages today?

We send MIXED MESSAGES when we TALK the Gospel but don’t WALK the Gospel

“As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.”

Gospel loses its power if we don’t live the gospel/present the TRUE Gospel

The Gospel message loses its power if we don’t live the gospel/present the TRUE Gospel

Paul confronts Peter, original Pope, hugely significant; challenges him to get a spiritual wheel alignment. Peter was preaching a Gospel of grace message but then living inconsistently. He was afraid of what others thought and instead of standing up to what was wrong he perpetuated it and led others astray with him. The hypocrisy sickened Paul and he confronted it.

Common accusation: Church is full of hypocrites. Response: Always room for one more :) There is some shred of truth - no one is perfect; But if we continually live inconsistent lives we send a mixed and confusing message to the world around us and become a huge turnoff to the Gospel

ILL - friend Mt Cashel

Walk - Sunday afternoon walks; Sunday afternoon walks - Red Cliff

Community is full of people who have been turned off by the inconsistent walk and talk of the church: Mount Cashel, Residential Schools, Tele-evangelists

We send MIXED MESSAGES when we impose RULES before RELATIONSHIP

Gospel loses its power if we impose rules

“I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down.”

We send MIXED MESSAGES when we impose RULES before RELATIONSHIP

“I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down.”

Gospel does not impose rules on people it infuses God’s love on people

ILL - Series: Walk - growing up; Sunday afternoon walks; Sunday afternoon walks - Red Cliff; walk but not run.

Religion provides you with a list of requirements to find God: attend, take the sacrament, be baptized as a baby or an adult, take a class, give money, abstain from certain vices. Not bad things at all. But when we impose these rules on people or even our expectations on people we rebuild the old system that Christ came to tear down.

Gospel is not about trying to do enough to be accepted by God. The Gospel is about the fact that what Christ has done for us is ENOUGH. The Gospel isn’t about doing enough to get to God its about a God who’s done everything to get to us. It’s not rules; it is relationship

Christian?

If I attend

If I take communion

If I am baptized as a baby or an adult

Not rules; it is relationship

We send MIXED MESSAGES when we ABUSE grace instead of APPRECIATE grace

“I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless.”

When we take the Gospel for granted (meaningless) we send a mixed message

How do we abuse grace?

If we use it as a license to disobey God or to follow our own desires over Gods plans

Paul addressed in Romans.

Romans 6:1–2 NLT

Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?

Grace doesn’t give us a license to sin; it gives us freedom to overcome our sin and grow to become more like Jesus.

Gospel

So with grace comes great RESPONSIBILITY but not a great list of RULES.

We has responsibilty to own our own spiritual walk

Great responsibility; not to abuse God’s grace

We have responsibility for influencing the faith journey of others

we have responsibility when we step into leadership to model Godliness and holiness

walk ; not to abuse God’s grace

Here come the rules again?

Responsibility - leadership

Great appreciation; personal walk with God

Philippians 2:12–13 NLT

Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

Another version: Work out your salvation with fear and trembling; “Work hard” - seems contradictory. Faith by works? No…work hard to show the results of your salvation!

Like Peter sometimes we are more concerned with what others are doing, saying or thinking about us that our own walk with God. If we would live our lives this this way, working hard at demonstrating the work Christ has done us, obeying God with deep reverence and fear we wouldn’t have to scream at people to convince them to smarten up. Our lives would be so attractive they would naturally want what we have.

Gospel is personally transformative

ILL - YC stage; personal issues

Need to worry about ourselves

We send MIXED MESSAGES when we impose RULES before RELATIONSHIP

“I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down.”

Gospel does not impose rules on people it infuses God’s love on people

ILL - Series: Walk - growing up; Sunday afternoon walks; Sunday afternoon walks - Red Cliff; walk but not run.

YOU - * Your Life’s Message Matters * Be a Champion of Grace * Get Back Up

Your Life’s Message Matters * Be a Champion of Grace * Get Back Up

Imagine the reach of the gospel when our lives line up with it’s message.

If we have been sending mixed messages with our lives know that your Your Life’s Message Matters

If we have been living by rules not relationship stop working and start resting…in Christ’s finished work.

If we have been imposing rules and expectations on others become a Champion of Grace

If we have blown it like Peter Get Back Up. Our failures are never fatal.

If we have blown it like Pter

PRAYER

/// S.O.A.P challenge for the week ahead

We want to take this opportunity to lead our people through feeding themselves the Word. One of the most practical tools for this is the S.O.A.P method. We are going to provide tools for Spruce Hill’ers to journey through Galatians devotionally between the weeks of messages.

If we have been living by rules not relationship

If we have blown it like Pter

We will have hard copies available and make a google doc downloadable for those who choose to participate.

You

YOU - * Your Life’s Message Matters * Be a Champion of Grace * Get Back Up

A Summary of Galatians - by Charles Swindoll

https://www.insight.org/resources/bible/the-pauline-epistles/galatians

Who wrote the book?

Galatians has always been among those Pauline epistles least challenged on the issue of authorship. Paul wrote to the churches in southern Galatia after having a hand in starting them on his first missionary journey to Asia Minor. Paul’s close relationship to these churches helps to explain the extremely strong tone he took with them from the very beginning of the letter. Galatians exhibits Paul at his angriest, as he risked the good favor of the converts in those churches to make sure they were on the path of truth and not led off into deception. In fact, to emphasize the seriousness of his purpose, he took the pen from his scribe and wrote the end of the letter himself in large letters ().

Where are we?

Why is Galatians so important?

What's the big idea?

When the Galatians fell away so quickly from the gospel of grace Paul had preached to them, they also made clear their disloyalty to Paul’s authority as an apostle. Therefore, Paul began the letter to the Galatians by spending two chapters defending that very issue. Only in chapter 3 did he begin to get to the heart of their error; namely, that these Galatians sought to be justified by the Mosaic Law. In contrast, Paul presented his argument that justification comes to people by faith in Jesus Christ, not by their works under the Law.

Part of the problem that confronted the Galatians came in one of the arguments made by the Judaizers. These false teachers suggested that to live by grace and in freedom meant to live a lawless and therefore degenerate life. And so in the final chapters of the letter, Paul made clear that justification—an act of grace through faith—need not result in a sinful lifestyle. Because Christians have been freed from bondage to the sinful nature, we now have the path of holiness open to us.

How do I apply this?

Unfortunately, the false teaching brought to the Galatian churches by the Judaizers has been extremely difficult to root out even today. We must walk a fine line—on one hand, we do not want to fall into the legalism that the Galatians struggled with, but on the other, we cannot just live as if anything goes. The Christian’s commitment to Christ is based on the free gift of grace through faith, but as Paul articulated at the end of Galatians, it also results in a life of walking by the Spirit.

Is the fruit of the Spirit evident in your life, or do you find yourself living according to the flesh or “the compulsions of selfishness” ( MESSAGE)? Too often we lose ourselves at the extremes, ending in a legalistic attempt to earn our salvation or a devil-may- care attitude about our sin.

Use Paul’s words in Galatians as an encouragement to pursue a life of holiness, not in your own strength but in the knowledge of God’s empowering grace in your life.

_____________________________________________________________________________________ Application

We will have hard copies available and make a google doc downloadable for those who choose to participate.

Galatians 2:1–10 NLT

Choosing to WALK

All Summer we are journeying through the book of Galatians (in the New Testament) together on Sunday mornings with a series called WALK.

But, we want to invite you and challenge you to go deeper in your own time with God by spending some time through the week in the scripture that is shared on Sundays.

The above picture outlines a simple, yet very effective devotional method that we are providing for you to use.

Here it is on a downloadable Google doc.

Take one day this week and read and another day to read . After reading that section, grab a journey or typing method and write out 1 or 2 verses that really spoke to you. Observe what Paul is saying in the text you read and then apply it to your life. End each time by writing out a prayer.

We will keep adding sections of scripture to this doc through the Summer and make some hard copies available on Sundays.

This is a great time to restart your time alone with God and to do so while journeying through a book together with your SHCC family.

Go Deeper!

Vantage Point: Mary Magdalene - Hope of the World

MEQHow many of you have Easter traditions/rituals?How many of you have had or will have an easter egg hunt?How many of you will find eggs months from now because you forgot where you placed them?ILL - home - Easter tradition - hide the eggs; find them months laterILL - forget where you left somethingILL - home - 5 to 1; 6 to 1 if include Tiny; grew up 1 sister; power very balanced. Today imbalanced.ILL - Easter - being in the wrong place WESeries: Vantage Point - a place or position affording a good view of something. We’re taking a fresh look at the Easter story through the eyes of some key players in that original narrative that changed the world.The vantage point plays from two angles. 1. it shines light on a perspective of a person(s) in the Easter narrative, but 2. also gives different vantage points from the gospel writers. Sarah - Week 1 - Disciples at Last Supper: Servanthood - Up is DownDean - Week 2 - This week: Peter and the God of the second chance.Erica - Week 3 - Barrabas - forgiveness ???????Today - vantage point of Mary MagdaleneGODWho was Mary Magdalene?Mary, of the town of Magdala, commonly known as “Magdalene” Mentioned 14 times in the Gospels.The most important of the women disciples of Jesus and is mentioned more often than any other woman in the New Testament.Some interpreters identify her as an apostle. Luke also identifies her as a financial supporter of Jesus (8:3), indicating that she was one of his patrons.In all four Gospels she is a leading character at the crucifixion and is the primary witness to Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.The crucifixion was not the end. Easter Sunday was a NEW DAY in many ways and would give Mary Magdalene a wonderful vantage point to see the power, love and grace of Jesus!

NLTEarly on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb. They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn’t go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings. Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed—for until then they still hadn’t understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead. Then they went home.

Note: John - the disciple who Jesus loved, self reference, now the disciple who reached the tomb first…faster runner, first believer. - Funny!

NLTMary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her. “Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?” She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.” “Mary!” Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”). “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message.

Let’s dive into Mary’s Easter vantage point.VANTAGE POINT - EQUALITYMary Magdalene was a woman! (thank you captain obvious!) The fact that a female is mentioned is significant!This was not the era of gender equality:Palestinian women were among the poorest in society in Jesus day.Hebrew women were not allowed to divorce their husbands, but could be divorced for anything from burning the dinner to adultery.Most Hebrew women had minimal property rights. They could inherit land, but in practice male heirs had precedence. Even if a woman did inherit property, her husband had the right to its use and its produce.Women and men were segregated for worship in the Jerusalem Temple. No evidence that first century Palestinian Jewish women led worship. Whether a woman should be educated in the Torah was hotly debated. As a rule, only the Rabbis' wives were so educated. Women were not normally accepted as witnesses in Jewish law. A woman's primary sphere was in the home where she led table prayers and festival candle lighting ceremonies. The Gospel is a Good News story for gender equality. Jesus loved women and treated them with great respect and dignity. All three of the Synoptic Gospels note that women followed Jesus, a highly unusual phenomenon in first-century Palestine.The New Testament’s teaching on women developed His perspective even more. The value of women that permeates the New Testament isn’t found in the Greco-Roman culture or the cultures of other societies and was really revolutionary.Things are much better now than in those time but even today society, businesses, employers, even the church may not treat females with the equality they deserve but look to the example of Jesus:

NLTThere is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.

The most important narrative in the history of the world, the death and resurrection story has in a lead role. a woman, Mary Magdalene; not a man, religious leader, celebrity BUT a female disciple to lead the way through the darkness of early morning to an empty tomb.Talk to the ladies:When the world says you are second class Jesus says the last will be first; you are not second class but first rate, first place, special daughters of God; When the world says take a back seat God says you are seated with Him in heavenly places. You don’t need to take a back seat to anyone; no matter what the world says or others think, take your place, lead, set the pace!When the world says you don’t fit in here God says you BELONG! When they say step aside God says step up.ILL - Pentecostal - strongest ministries and leaders; where would the church be? Alice GarrigusTalk to the men:If you want to be a real man, a man like Jesus - Respect, support, love and encourage. At times get out of the way and make a way for our leading ladies. In fact be their greatest advocates. Jesus’ ministry was revolutionary and led culture. The church should do the same. We need more female leaders, pastors, missionaries, entrepreneurs, business leaders, political leaders (MHAs, MPs), educational leaders…the world would be a better place. The gospel is inclusive! The Easter Story of the Resurrection breaks down every barrier and now includes not only Jesus disciples, is includes people from every gender, every ethnicity, and every economic level, it includes me and you! Through Jesus we all have hope!VANTAGE POINT - CONTROVERSYHave you ever been misunderstood or mislabelled? Someone say something about you that was untrue? Ever been the target of gossip or misinformation?The most commonly believed story about Mary is that she was a reformed prostitute. There is absolutely no evidence for this claimThe reason for this misconception seems to have come from Luke’s introduction of her immediately following a story of a prostitute (.), and readers have associated the two women. In the sixth century ce Pope Gregory I made this association in a sermon, and Mary has been identified as a prostitute ever since.She is also the center of much controversy. In recent years, because of the works like The Da Vinci Code, a number of ancient legends have resurged. These include the claim that she was Jesus’ romantic interest or even his wife but they are given little credence by scholars. What we do know of her history:

NLTSoon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with him, along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons; Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing from their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples.

We know her as a woman Jesus had released from the domination of not one but seven demons (); an indicator of extreme suffering. Whatever led to Mary’s demonization, when she met Jesus she was firmly in the grip of evil spirits. However, the most powerful evil spirits are powerless against the Son of God, and Jesus cast them from her.With her demons exorcised she was set free and in her freedom she chose to be an incredible follower of Jesus. She is noted as a supporter of his ministry, including financiallyShe appears at the cross identified as a follower of Jesus right up to the end.She is among the most faithful and honored disciples of Jesus.This vantage point is important bcause it reminds us that no matter what our past is like, no matter what we have done or what has been done to us there’s a place of acceptance and a place to be used by God in incredible waysLike the story of the Peter, our past, our sin, our failures are not FATAL. They are opportunities for God to show His power and to use us for His glory. Through Jesus we all people have HOPE!ILL - WPC Youth group revival - Paul, drug dealer, dark demeanor, new look and a new life.VANTAGE POINT - TRAGEDYEarly on that first Easter Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb. She was one of the last at the scene of the cross and the first to the scene at the tomb.Why did she leave early to get there first? Not stated but I think her immense grief and trauma from the days before still fresh in her mind yet still wanting to demonstrate her love and loyalty to her Lord.She found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. In her confusion and disappointment, Mary jumped to the conclusion that someone had stolen Christ’s body. Her grief at the death of Jesus now magnified with the missing body. She ran to tell Peter and John and they run quickly to find the vacant tomb and the empty grave clothes. What did the men see in the tomb? They saw the burial wrappings lying in the shape of the body, but the body was gone! The graveclothes lay like an empty cocoon. The napkin (for the face) was carefully folded, lying by itself. It was not the scene of a grave robbery, for no robbers could have gotten the body out of the graveclothes without tearing the cloth and disarranging things. Jesus had returned to life in power and glory and had passed through the graveclothes and the tomb itself! Verse 8 tells us that the men believed in His resurrection because of the evidence that they saw. Then the men left for home. But what become the proof of new life for the 2 disciples became an even greater tragedy for Mary.Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her. “Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” Grief so great…not even floored by these angelic beings.She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?” She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.” But the next word changed her life: “Mary!” Jesus said and instantly she knew who it was. tragedy turned to triumph, deaht to life, hopelessness to hope renewed.Mary Magdalene then left to find the disciples to tell them she had seen the Lord and to deliver the message Jesus had delivered to her .Jesus turns her incredible grief into indescribable comfort and her new comfort into a new commission. She was commissioned as history’s first witness to Jesus’ resurrection; She is first to the tomb, the first to hear the news, and the first to see the resurrected Jesus! The Resurrection give hope for us all. It is a good news that is inclusive for all humanity no matter who we are, what our history was, or what our present circumstances dictate to us. The resurrection secures forgiveness from our past and gives the world hope for the future.YOU VIDEO - HEART MATTERS??? final textWEThe story of Jesus is more than a fable it is a fact and those fact changes everything and it can change our lives. Jesus is ALIVE! And because Jesus came out of the tomb we can come out of our tombs:tombs of limitations we place on ourselves or the limitations others try to place on us.tombs of past that continue to haunt us and hold us back.tombs of our present that cause us to live beneath who we are and who we were created to be. PRAYERCHORUS Imagine if we lived as people full of resurrection hope?Christ is risen!”…“He is risen indeed!” For thousands of years the Christian church has used this phrase as a customary greeting of joy at Easter and throughout the Easter season. Instead of “hello” or “good morning,” a person greets another with “Christ is risen!” and the appropriate response is “He is risen indeed!” This is our hope. •John Ortberg: People have not gathered for the past 2,000 years to say, “The stock market has risen. It has risen indeed.” They have not gathered to say, “The dollar has risen. It has risen indeed.” Or, “the employment rate has risen.” Or, “the gross domestic product has risen.” Or, “General Motors has risen.” (Or, “The value of your 401(k) has risen.”) Here’s the one hope that has held up human beings across every continent and culture for two millennia of difficult times of poverty, disease, pain, hardship, death itself: “Christ is risen. He is risen indeed.” •I love Easter. As a pastor, we live for Easter. Every other Sunday is practice for Easter. We come out of the betrayal of Thursday night, the gloom and despair of Friday, through the doubts of Saturday into the hope of Easter Sunday. This weekend we will sing resurrection songs. We will celebrate the resurrection of Christ and we will listen to His call… to come out of our tombs. Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. ILLUSTRATION - A couple had two little boys, ages 8 and 10, who were excessively mischievous. The two were always getting into trouble and their parents could be assured that if any mischief occurred in their town their two young sons were in some way involved. The parents were at their wits end as to what to do about their sons' behavior. The mother had heard that a pastor in town had been successful in disciplining children in the past, so she asked her husband if he thought they should send the boys to speak with the pastor. The husband said, 'We might as well. We need to do something before I really lose my temper!' The pastor agreed to speak with the boys, but asked to see them individually. The 8 year old went to meet with him first. The pastor sat the boy down and asked him sternly,'Where is God?’ The boy made no response, so the pastor repeated the question in an even sterner tone, 'Where is God?' Again the boy made no attempt to answer. So the he raised his voice even more and shook his finger in the boy's face, 'WHERE IS GOD?’ At that the boy bolted from the room and ran directly home, slamming himself in the closet. His older brother followed him into the closet and asked what had happened. The younger brother replied, 'We are in BIG trouble this time. God is missing and they think we did it.’ Three churches in town were overrun with squirrels. After much prayer, the elders of the first church determined that the animals were predestined to be there. Who were they to interfere with God's will? They did nothing, and the squirrels multiplied. The elders of the second church, deciding that they should not harm any of God's creatures, humanely trapped the squirrels and then set them free outside of town. Three days later the squirrels were back. The third church succeeded in solving the squirrel problem. The elders simply baptized the squirrels and registered them as members of the church. Now they only see the squirrels on Christmas and Easter. ILL - EASTER DEEP THOTSHave you ever noticed on Easter how adults tend to hide the Cadbury Creme Eggs where only they can find them? Have you ever wondered, since eggs become so much more appealing to kids when you color them and hide them, if that would also work for broccoli? Did you ever wonder why we always leave cookies and milk out for Santa Claus, but we never leave a salad out for the Easter Bunny A Sunday school teacher was asking her six-year-olds about the meaning of Easter. “Children,” she said, “Do you know why we celebrate Easter?”A little girl raised her hand.“Yes Jenny,” said the teacher.Jenny said, “ Is Easter when we put on costumes and go trick-or-treating?”“No, Jenny. That’s Halloween. Does any one else know?”A little boy yelled, “It’s when we set off fireworks!”“No Jimmy, that’s Independence Day. Anybody else?”A shy little girl in the back said, “Easter is when Jesus died.”The teacher replied, “That’s right, Shauna. And what happened to Jesus that makes Easter special?”“Well, he died and got buried. And every Easter he comes out. And if he sees his shadow there’s 6 more weeks of winter.”

Tweets

All excited for Easter. The cross is up and completely decorated. - Albert Brooks ‏@AlbertBrooksThis year, teach your kids the true meaning of Easter by trapping them in a stone tomb for three days. - Bridger Winegar ‏@bridger_wI want to be as historically accurate as possible. Does anyone know exactly what time Jesus handed out all the chocolate Easter eggs? - Aristotles ‏@AristotlesNZFound about 1,000 eggs already. Trying to explain to this cop it's not my fault if Whole Foods did a bad job hiding them. - Guy Endore-Kaiser ‏@GuyEndoreKaiser I can't believe it's already Easter. It seems like just yesterday it wasn't Easter. - Bridger Winegar ‏@bridger_w The deeply religious meaning of Easter is not lost on me but can I just say that I totally love spiral cut ham, you guys. - prontopup ‏@prontopupHoping my Easter guests will help me take down the tree. - Just Bill ‏@WilliamAder Make the Easter eggs extra hard to find by putting them inside your kids' shoes that they can never find when it's time to go somewhere. - John Lyon ‏@JohnLyonTweets Holiday family dinners are complicated enough without introducing a "spiral-cut" ham into the mix. - Just Bill ‏@WilliamAder

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