Galatians 3

07-11-2021

Galatians 3

IF you thought we focused on the Law last week, check yourself again this week

Remember last week was about taking on the Sunday Best

That we are no longer under the Law

Paul is going to ask that question again only different this time

Where as in Galatians 2 Paul was focused on Peter and ensuring Peter knew that he was free from the Law because of what Jesus did on the cross

This particular chapter Paul focuses on the churches in Galatia

Galatians 3:1–2 NASB95

1 You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

Paul asks this question

Did you receive the Spirit from law, from works, or from hearing with faith

Church the same question must be asked of every church person here today

If you were to die tonight, and God were to ask you why should I let you into my heaven what would you say

Would you say look at everything I have done for you Jesus

Look I was involved in church life, I was a member of Maranatha Baptist Fellowship

Would you say My grandfather lead worship, or my father was the Pastor, or an Elder

Or would you say I say for 20 yrs and listen to kids memorize AWANA verses

Would you say that you know every word to the Worship Music

That is what Paul is asking the churches in Galatia and I believe this morning he is asking not only Maranatha Baptist Fellowship but the churches universal

How did you receive the Spirit

Church it is a question you need to be serious and ask yourself

If you answer is anything but Jesus, then its wrong

If it is I have gone down to the front and said a prayer when I was 7 it is wrong

Paul doesn't just leave them there

Paul explains

Galatians 3:3–5 NASB95

3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

Paul shares once again that you the churches in Galatia, the people who are saved are only saved by the Spirit, by Jesus Himself

It is not about the works of the law

See I think we almost have it backwards like the Galatians did

We think we have to be good enough to get into heaven so we do a bunch of stuff for Jesus

And when we slip up or mess up

Rather when we sin, we feel so bad that we think we must do extra so that our good and awesome works will overshadow the bad stuff we have done

Then after we have done the works for a while

Along comes a Pastor who says that you are not saved by what you do but you are saved by what Jesus did on the cross for you

See church it is no longer about what you do

Your salvation was decided on the cross and the grave some 2000 yrs ago

It is up to you wether you accept it or not

The Galatians it would seem had a hard time accepting that it was no longer about what they did and all about what Jesus did on the cross because of the church people of that day

Galatians 3:6–9 NASB95

6 Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. 7 Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. 8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.

Remember last week we talked about following the law

In that time period if you did not follow the law or were not a Jew then they believed there was no way that you could be saved

It would seem they skipped over the passage from

Genesis 12:3 NASB95

3 And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

God is telling Abrahm that through him all the families of the earth will be blessed

That not just his family will be blessed but all the families

Church all the nations will be blessed because of Abraham

It is not longer about what family you were born into, or if you follow the law

It about being blessed through Abraham

That is a promise from God

It is not because Abraham followed the law

Because as we see

Galatians 3:10–14 NASB95

10 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.” 11 Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “The righteous man shall live by faith.” 12 However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, “He who practices them shall live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”— 14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

We see Paul use scripture to share how the Law does not save you and I

We also see Paul share the Good News of Jesus once again

Church the Good News of Jesus is that Jesus came and took your place and my place up on the cross

Because of your sin and my sin we deserve death

We deserve death and eternal separation from God because of sin

But Jesus took that sin, your sin and my sin on himself and took our punishment for sin

So that you and I could have a personal relationship with God Himself

Paul is saying that it has nothing to do with what you can do or what you have done, but that it was all about what Jesus did on the cross

Jesus became your sin and my sin so that God could look upon us as if we have no sin

2 Corinthians 5:21 NASB95

21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Salvation is not a works based

Salvation is based in faith in Christ and Christ alone

This is the point Paul is writing to the churches in Galatia

These are church people, its not that Paul is writing to unchurched people telling them all of this

He is writing to the church

So church hello, are you listening this morning

The blessing of Abraham is not realized through the law but through Jesus Himself

Galatians 3:15–29 NASB95

15 Brethren, I speak in terms of human relations: even though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it. 16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ. 17 What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. 18 For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise. 19 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. 20 Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one. 21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. 22 But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.

I know this is a big chunk of scripture but it all goes together

Paul once again is saying that the promise given to Abraham is fulfilled through Christ not the law

Because the law came some 430 years after the promise

Then he goes into why the Law

The law was there because people were sinning

Vs 24

The purpose of the law is to show you and I that we are sinners in need of a savior Jesus Christ

Because Jesus is the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham to bless every nation, noth Jew and Greek

Paul is telling the Greeks that they are not blessed by God and can relieve righteousness all because of Jesus and not the Jewish Law

It is hard to live under the law and it is a lot better to live under the grace of God but that can only happen when and if we accept what Christ did on the cross

Most of you would say yes I have done that

Then start living like that

Stop reading, stop praying, stop attending church out of guilt or shame, or because you think this is what a good Christian does

Start dong those exact things because you are head over heels in love with the creator of the universe Your Savior Jesu Christ

This is as good of time as any to call of an invitation

That is church language for you to respond to what you have heard today

Please dont respond because you think its what I want, or because you think this is what everyone else is doing, or what the super duper spiritual people do

Respond because you are doing business with Jesus this morning

Maybe you are here and you do not have a personal relationship with Christ

I would invite you this morning to the front to speak with someone

Or maybe you are here this morning and like last week are continuing to wear the masks of happy little Christian

I would invite you this morning to the altar to leave it here

Spend sometime at the altar doing business with Jesus

The altar is open