Sermon Tone Analysis

It was on March 23, 1775, a group of men met at St. John’s church in Richmond VA to decide whether or not to go to war.

They were like men of all times—fathers, husbands, brothers, sons.

But they were also men who stood at a crucial crossroads of history.

Most of them were peace-loving people, and some were willing to do almost anything to keep the peace—even if it meant compromise with a tyrant.

But one man, a son of Scottish immigrants, hears enough of this kind of talk, and finally stands and addresses the assembly with these bold words: “There is a just God who presides over the destines of nations… The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave…Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?

Forbid it, Almighty God!

I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death.”

/These words, spoken by Patrick Henry, ignited a thirst for freedom that would eventually bring liberty to the new nation called the United States of America.

This Friday will be another celebration of our freedom that Henry was willing to give his life for.

It is a good time to thank God for the freedoms we enjoy because we are citizens of this great country.

/

/But it’s also a good time to remember there is more to being free than just being an American.

Our freedom as Americans was bought by the blood of patriots who lived out Patrick Henry’s motto, but there is a greater freedom bought by the blood of Christ, a freedom that is worth fighting for, a freedom not to do what we want, but to do what is right.

It is this freedom I want us to take a closer look at tonight, because this freedom is part of the abundant life Jesus says He came to earth to give us.

The apostle Paul writes about this freedom in a passage which has been called the Bible’s “declaration of independence” found in *Gal.

5:1-15.

*Let’s begin in *vs.

1-6* and see what God’s Word tells us about living in liberty.

/

*PRAYER*

/            /Living in liberty begins by understanding that

*I.              **CHRIST GIVES US LIBERTY (v.

1-6)*

The liberty we enjoy as a nation is a gift, given to us by those who have proved Patrick Henry’s words with their lives.

From the patriots of the American Revolution to the men and women fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, our freedom is a gift purchased with blood.

Paul writes that our spiritual liberty was also purchased with the blood of Christ when he writes in *v.

1* about /…the liberty by which Christ has made us free…/

 

 

The Bible makes it clear Jesus Christ gave His life to liberate us from the penalty and power of sin, so we can enjoy the freedom of forgiveness and the freedom from slavery to sin.

But in the book of Galatians, Paul focuses on the fact that Christ died to liberate us from the law.

The problem in the church at Galatia was a group of false teachers who want to mix a recipe for salvation which includes faith, grace, and law.

/Yes, it’s important you receive salvation as a gift from God, /they say, /yes it’s important that you believe the Gospel, but it’s not enough.

You need to also be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses.

/Basically, they were saying /you must become a Jew before you can be accepted by God.

/

            Paul uses some very strong language in *vs.

2* & *v.* *4 *to reject these teachings.

His words sound a little extreme, especially coming from a former Pharisee!

Yet Paul has learned one very important thing: /Salvation is not based on what we do, but on what Christ has done.

/

/            /He’s not saying what you do doesn’t matter, but he is saying your relationship with God is not based on your performance, but on His grace.

Christ died on the Cross to liberate us from a works-based religion so we can live in a faith-based relationship.

Over and over the Bible backs Paul’s words here.

*            Jn 6:28-29 */28//Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” 29Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”/

*            Ro 6:23* /For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord./

*            Eph 2:8-9 */8//For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not of works, lest anyone should boast./

/            /All these verses make it very clear that we cannot earn God’s acceptance by our performance.

But that doesn’t keep us from trying.

So many want so badly to add something we can /do/ to earn God’s acceptance.

/You’ve got to be baptized.

You’ve got to join the church.

You’ve got to keep our list of rules and regulations if you want God to love you, if you want to go to heaven.

/

Nothing wrong with any of these things, /unless you use them to try to earn God’s grace.

/It is then they become chains that will keep you from experiencing God’s love for you.

Jesus died to set you free from all your frantic attempts to earn God’s acceptance.

He says /God accepts you because of His grace and your faith.

Period.

/Nothing more, nothing less.

You are free to enjoy God’s salvation and love not because of what you’ve done for Him, but because of what He has done for you.

A theologically incorrect tale makes this point well:

A man comes to the gates of heaven and is met by St. Peter.

"What do I have to do to get in?"

Peter says, "It takes a thousand points to get into heaven.

What have you done?"

The man begins to recite his accomplishments: "I went to church every Sunday, attended every prayer meeting and fellowship dinner, read my Bible each morning and shared the gospel with everyone I met.

What is more, I tithed 10% of all I made, sang in the choir, cooked Thanksgiving turkeys for the Senior Citizen's dinner and I even taught the 7th grade boys’ VBS! "

For two hours he went on reciting an awesome list of all he had done for God.

Peter looked at with love and said, "That's very impressive!

All of that adds up to one point."

The guy is flabbergasted!  "You mean to tell me that everything I've done, the sweat I've poured, money I've given and time I've spent is only worth a SINGLE POINT??

And it takes ONE THOUSAND to get into heaven?

At this rate the only way I’ll get in is by the grace of God!”

“Now you’re on the right track,” Peter says.

Jesus Christ died to liberate you from the law and give you the freedom of His grace.

But while we live on earth, this

*II.

**LIBERTY MUST BE DEFENDED.

(v.

7-12)*

People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.

- George OrwellThere always seems to be a King George, or an Adolph Hitler, or an Osama bin Laden who would love to enslave free people.

I suppose that’s why somebody once observed that the price of liberty is constant vigilance.

Freedom must not only be enjoyed, but defended.

I think that explains why Paul goes on the attack in these verses.

First he confronts the true Christians in *vs.

7*./You were running well.

Who got you off on the wrong track?

You can be sure it wasn’t the Lord! /Even the best of us can be led astray if we’re not careful.

/A little yeast leavens the whole loaf.

/(*v.

9*) This kind of heresy can spread quickly, and infect the whole church!

You must deal with it quickly and thoroughly!

Nip it in the bud!

Stop the infection before it makes the whole body sick!

/Reject their heresy, and leave God to deal with them!

/Turn away from this false teaching, and let God straighten them out---even He has to cut them off!

You need to connect Paul’s words here with the idea of circumcision to understand how forcefully he is condemning these false teachers.

Paul leaves no room for compromise when it comes to Christian liberty.

/This means war! /If you’re not willing to stand for your liberty in Christ, you will fall into deception and slavery.

/You and I must be willing to defend our liberty!

/

One of the jobs of a pastor is to defend his flock from false teaching—including the heresy of legalism.

This heresy is just as alive today as it was in the first century and we cannot be spiritually healthy if we allow it to blossom in our midst.

But preachers aren’t the only ones called to defend our freedom in Christ.

You have the same responsibility.

You have a responsibility to defend your liberty against those who want to lead you into spiritual slavery.

Don’t fall for the lies, no matter how spiritual they seem.

Legalists can sound so spiritual, so holy, so sincere, but they are still wrong.

Don’t let them get you off track.