Sermon Tone Analysis

Years ago, a series of studies set out to determine how a fence and a boundary affected the behavior of children in the playground.

The researchers constructed a playground with no fences.

During the experiment, the children stayed in the center—almost in fear—and never ventured out beyond the playground structure.

Then the researchers put up a fence.

Immediately, the children's behavior changed.

Instead of fearfully staying in the center of the playground, they wandered with freedom all the way to the fence, exploring and enjoying the entire space.

The researchers concluded: "The overwhelming conclusion was that with a given limitation, children felt safer to explore a playground … With a boundary, in this case the fence, the children felt at ease to explore the space."

In other words, fences brought freedom.

It was the absence of fences that created fear and apprehension.

Limits to our Freedom is not just a good thing but a command in the scriptures.

We are not to use our freedom in Christ to sin.

Here in chapter 5 of Galatians we first saw the urging of Paul not to lose Gospel freedom.

Now we are being warned not to abuse Gospel freedom.

I. Freedom Limits

- Gospel freedom is not a freedom to sin, but freedom from sin.

A. So we have seen from the beginning of the letter the apostle urging the Galatians to recognize the deception of legalism and works righteousness.

But now he begins to move against the reality of intellectually believing the gospel but not living in a way that is powered by the Gospel.

B. What is this error.

License.

So we go from dealing with legalism to dealing with license.

If we fall into legalism we lose our freedom.

If we fall into license we abuse our freedom.

C. The language of freedom can be very misleading to people.

Paul is not a fool.

He knows that when you speak of freedom from the law, people now think that they can live according to their own standard of behavior.

The Anabaptists cornered John Bunyan in prison about his preaching of the Gospel.

D.

D. Do not use your freedom to satisfy or to indulge our sinful natures.

Freedom from the Law does not do away with Holy Conduct.

We are free not so that we can do what ever we want, but now we are able to do what Christ wants.

E. So you see we as Christians have a tendency to fall into legalism or license.

Legalism motivated by fear or gain.

License motivated by fear or gain.

How so?

F. Tim Keller talks about how Tertullian used a metaphor for this.

The two thieves on either side of Jesus.

For us its stealing our joy.

Legalism and License.

With legalism we lose the gospel and with license we abuse the gospel.

Neither of which will bring us the supernatural joy we are to receive from the truth of the gospel and its freedom.

G.

The Gospel calls us not to live either a guilty life nor an unholy life.

Both are wrong and that is what Paul is trying to get us to see in v. 13

H.

But he continues to tell us what we should be doing with that freedom.

Serving.

Contradiction?

I would rather use the term a paradox.

We are now free and what should we do with that freedom?

Serve.

The reason why this service is different from being a slave is that it is voluntary and from the heart.

I.

But a servant?

Why not our Lord did it.

And why should our attitude not be this way?

J.

And hey, if you guys are wanting to keep the law, then this is how.

Philippians 2

II.

Summary of the Law

- You cannot love God without loving your neighbor.

A. The Law is summarized here.

But some of us might think contradiction here, but it is not.

B. But you cannot fulfill the command to love God without loving your neighbor and you cannot fulfill the command to love your neighbor without loving God.

Right?

0-21

C.

But how can this be?

Because this is the summary of the 10 commandments and the 10 commandment are a summary of the whole law of God.

D. But once again the reason why it has to be motivated by the heart is because motivation is part of the fulfillment.

III.

Messiness in the Church

- But it is a mess worth making

A. The picture here is that of church people acting like wild animals.

Biting each other like dogs.

Paul warns that if you do this.

If you continue to to be mean and nasty to each other you will destroy yourselves.

You will consume each other.

B. The problem with dissension in the church is that ultimately everyone is going to suffer.

C. Why do you think that this happens all over the world?

D. “Each of us should become a Christ to the other.

And as we are Christs to one another, the result is that Christ fills us all and we become a truly Christian community.”

Wilson, T. (2013).

Galatians: Gospel-Rooted Living.

(R. K. Hughes, Ed.) (p.

193).

Wheaton, IL: Crossway.

The researchers concluded: "The overwhelming conclusion was that with a given limitation, children felt safer to explore a playground … With a boundary, in this case the fence, the children felt at ease to explore the space."

In other words, fences brought freedom.

It was the absence of fences that created fear and apprehension.