Freed by Grace

Start of a series - Galatians

Some of the highlights - Fruit of the Spirit

Paul’s testimony - I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me!

Who is the ONE that might need to hear this message?

Corporate - READ Galatians 1:1-5 - 1 and Galatians 6:11-18 - 11 

The Situation

Galatia - Southern area of Galatian - Roman Province

Roman rules, customs, gods, emperor, etc.

50’s AD - Paul

VS. 1-2

Purpose - call out false gospel message.

All Caps importance

VS. 3-5 and 11

A Church Being Swayed

Mix of Jewish and Gentile Christians.

Galatians 6:12-13 - Those who want to make a good impression in the flesh are the ones who would compel you to be circumcised – but only to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. For even the circumcised don’t keep the law themselves, and yet they want you to be circumcised in order to boast about your flesh.

What is Legalism

Grace and Peace as the start to the letter.

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

His final words are about grace.

Galatians 6:18 - Brothers and sisters, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen

Letter starts and ends with Grace. - Grace - spoken 100 times in his writings.Paul tells the churches in Galatia that Jesus Christ gave himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father. This is a pretty blunt statement. Shouldn’t we understand what it means to receive the grace that Jesus offers? YES

Paul’s call to bring the gospel to the gentiles - was going well.

But there were some who did not like that. Some who thought that that Paul’s message was not exactly right. Judaizers taught salvation through Jesus, but also that one needed to become a Jew before they could find salvation through Jesus.

Legalism

The doctrine that salvation is gained through good works. the judging of conduct in terms of adherence to precise laws.

Working in our own powerWorking according to our own rulesWorking to earn God’s favorAll of these tell Jesus that he isn’t good enoughThis is a letter that say look to Jesus. We all need to be reminded about that.Is there something in your life that you’ve added to Jesus? Jesus offers grace and freedom. We take Jesus and then say and…

Legalism destroyed

VS. 3-4 - The gospel is not invented by men

VS. 4 - The gospel is revealed by God

Things we add: Our nature is to add

Lie - add more so that the truth doesn’t come out

Food - supersize it - is that really a good idea

Traditions to the Law - Jesus called that a weight on someones neck.

Our 2 cents

We can easily add to the Gospel. Personal experience of prison ministry trip.

Generally, adding doesn’t work out well for us.

John 14:6 - Jesus tells us that no one comes to the Father but through him. Paul takes this pretty seriously.

A Cross Centered Ending for a Cross Centered Gospel

VS. 13 - A cross centered life boasts in the cross no self

VS. 14 - A cross centered life treasures Christ not the world

Galatians 6:14 - But as for me, I will never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The world has been crucified to me through the cross, and I to the world. KEY VERSE FOR PAUL

VS. 15 - A cross centered life values spiritual transformation not external ritual

VS. 17 - A cross centered life seeks to please Christ not man

2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:The old has gone, the new is here!

The issue of adding.

Generally, adding doesn’t work out well for us.

What have you added in your own life that competes with Jesus?Have you added anything to anyone else’s life that you thought would pull them closer but actually may be driving them away?Who is your one that needs a fresh take on the Gospel?

Communion

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Paul says that this is what was brought to him and now he is passing it on to us. Just like the Galatian church we have a choice to make. Will we accept the Gospel message that Paul and others have testified about.

Bread - cannot add / Drink - cannot addResurrection - we are a new creation in Christ