Galatians 5:1-15

Opening Statement: The Big Idea that catches the attention.

Hey Y’all! How are y’all? Y’all ready for Christmas break? Who is ready to go skiing? Who is ready to not have a history portfolio for Ap World?

Introduction Story: A story that invites the listener into that topic, creating credibility and connection immediately.

Okay cool, so, who in here has run a race before? Who likes running? I know there is some cross country people in here, you guys have to say you like running because y’all do it all the time. Also cross country runners, what is the longest race you have ever ran?

For me, if you can’t tell I am not a runner, I haven’t ran a race in a good long time, I used to play soccer but I am clearly not a runner. The only place I’m running to is probably waffle house.

But some of you run for fun and some of you that is your sport. For those of you that it’s a sport have you ever seen someone lose because they celebrated too early? Got too cocky, slowed up relaxed, lost. You may not have in person but we have probably at one point all seen that happen online somewhere.

I saw a video form the Peachtree road race in Atlanta where they guy decked out in USA stuff was about to win the marathon and he slowed up and then a guy from Great Britain came up behind him and beat him by like a step. Not only did this guy lose the marathon race, he let a guy from Great Britain beat him, on 4th of July.

No but we have seen someone some where celebrate too early and lose sight of finishing strong. Look at the falcons in the Super Bowl? or Georgia in the National Championship, or Georgia in SEC Championship that one time, or two times, or three times? He we beat Auburn that one time? But for real, think about it, how often do we see someone, or are that person who doesn’t finish strong?

Segue: How this message will tie into the introduction story.

It happens a lot, and that is the thing I want to be in the back of your head tonight.

Running a race is a metaphor that Paul uses all over the New Testament. It is a way the Paul explains the Christian life.

That is going to be part of what we are looking at tonight. How are you to live this christian life?

This whole time we have been looking at this idea of Christ setting us free from the law, to purse christ over pursuing the Law. Not adding the Law to what Christ did on the cross.

The Law says do all of these things, and you’re good. Christ says follow me and I will take you to who is good. The Law leaves you where you are, Christ transforms you and leaves your old self behind. Following the Law and not pursuing Christ is idolatry, when you become the one who makes yourself the moral authority, saying, I know what my good deeds are, I know what will make me righteous in my own power, is self worship.

So that is where we are going to be tonight. Looking at how the Christian life is walked.

Background: Explain the background of what is happening in the text we are about to read.

So we are going to be in Galatians 5 tonight, does anyone need a bible? Throw a hand up if you need one, we will get you one.

Okay cool we are going to be in the first 15 verses of this chapter tonight. We will have to finish up Galatians next year.

But let me give you some context before we jump in to the text.

We are nearing the end of Paul’s letter here and he is trying to get them to see how the Christian life works. he wants them to understand what the Christian life is really about, what did Christ’s death on the cross accomplish?

Paul uses this theme of running a race and of freedom verse slavery. The Christian life is freeing. it is not one of slavery but of freedom.

Text: Preaching Text for the day’s message. Just one major text.

So let’s read this text in chunks, and we can see exactly what is going on here, so read with me Galatians 5:1-7

Galatians 5:1–7 ESV

1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. 7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?

Okay so look at what Paul is getting at here, he starts off by say for Freedom Christ has set us free. What does that mean? What is he getting at here?

This first verse is really the microcosm of the whole book. You have been set free for freedom. Christ has set you free from the weight of the law, Christ’s death and resurrection his sacrifice on the cross is what gives us our freedom. It is what gives is our Hope. Paul is saying “you are free, live like you are free.” Don’t go back to being a slave.

So this is a weird thought, but my grandma used to keep the books from my grandad’s business. and She would do all the accounting work by hand, like she had a composition notebook with hand drawn spread sheets. Her and a calculator would be sitting there adding up everything doing all the accounting work by hand. Which to me was insane, and so my mom got here this really robust accounting program that would do all of the leg work for her, and free her up to do other things. But what she would do is do all of the accounting stuff on the computer, then also hand do it all, she didn’t trust the computer to actually do it for her. Like we might as well have not gotten the computer to do it. Because, she was still going to put it in the notebook. We shouldn’t have even got the computer for her, it just caused double work for her. it was wild.

But that is what Paul is getting at here, Christ freed you from the weight of the law, live like it, don’t submit to following a law that doesn’t save and does not give a new life. Don’t try to see the Law as a way to salvation, it only brings slavery. Don’t fall back in to pursuing the law instead of pursing Christ.

Then look at verses 2-4, if you accept circumcisions then Christ is of no advantage to you. If you accept the law the Christ died for nothing.

So let’s ask ourselves? What is the point of Christ dying?

Why did Christ die?

Did Christ die to make us good people? No.

Did Christ die to make descent citizens? Nope.

Did Christ die so that we could have a healthy and wealthy life? Nope.

Why did Christ die? He died so that we could have relationship with him, so that we could be made like him, transformed in to his likeness, so that we could know Him, and with our lives follow him. he died so that He could take the penalty of Sin and make a way for us to know him and know him deeper.

If you follow the law, you are going to be judged by the law. All of us are going to have to give an account for the life we have lived, so what Paul is saying is if you are living under the law you will be judged by the law, and we all know that know one can keep the whole law and you will be condemned. If we are living as a follower of Christ we are going to be judged not by what we have done, but by what Christ has done. We are given Christ’s righteousness.

Lots of times we here the phrase, only God can judge me. Anyone heard that one? Usually it is said by people who probably would not want God to judge them. Like you are right, only God can judge, but that should terrify you.

You are going to be judged by who and what you follow. Are you following the Law? Are you following yourself? The secret though is no matter what you are being judged by it will not be good enough, only Christ righteousness is good enough to be made right with God. That is why Christ died.

Look at verse 5-6, by faith are we saved, our hope is in our trust and faith in the promises of Christ. We are made right by the righteousness of Christ. That is all that matters. Faith working through Love is what matters in the Christian life, if you are following Christ this is what it looks like, this is freedom. Follow after Christ, if you are like Christ, you will be doing things like Christ not out of obligation to a set of rules but because you can’t help it.

You know what scares me as a pastor? Especially as a student pastor, because y’all are the future of the church, but you know what scares me? It is not the political left, it is not a socialist ideology, it’s not atheism, it’s not CRT it’s not any of that. What scares me is that the church gets tricked, and i’ve seen it, there are already churches who have been tricked. That we are tricked in to becoming just merely another community organization. That we would primarily be about making good people. That we would just join the ranks of the Kiwanis Club, or the Shriners, or what ever community organization you can think of. I’m not knocking against them, their good at what they do. But what scares me is that we would lose sight of what the church is supposed to be and what the church is supposed to to. Should we reach out and be in the community, absolutely, should we be something the community looks to, absolutely, should we be trying to change our community and make t a better place we sure should be. But if we ever forget that we are primarily supposed to be about bring people to see the transformative work of Christ, that we are supposed to be a place where brokenness finds restoration, that we are supposed to be more like jesus and that we are to be making disciples to be like Jesus then we will have stopped being the church and church will just be another thing you come to.

Okay, so lets keep going, read this next chunk with me 7-12 Galatians 5:7-12

Galatians 5:7–12 ESV

7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. 11 But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!

Alright, so there is a lot going on here in this passage. But the main question Paul asks is verse 7, Gal. 5:7 “7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?” You were running so well, what stopped you? Why did you slow up? Why did you run back?

Remember Paul uses the theme of running a race to show what the christian life is like, he uses this theme all over the new testament. But what is he trying to say here? He is telling us to keep running. What was going on in the church at Galatians was the threat of legalism, the idea of Christ plus something else. Following the Law over following Christ. We have talked about that a ton, but what is this verse saying to us?

It is telling us to keep running. Don’t stop running after Christ. If you are running a race, the goal is to finish the race, to not let anything stop you. If you were to just stop because something came along and tried to slow you down or it got hard, or it became uncomfortable then did you really set out to run the race or did you just like the idea of being in a race? Maybe you liked the shoes, but you don’t want to get them dirty.

The Christian life is like running a race, it isn’t going to always be an easy thing, it will get hard at points, but Christ has already made the way for you to follow, keep following close to him.

in this life suffering is going to come, and hard times will find you, keep running. Don’t stop because things are going this way, or life is hard. Christ is better.

Paul is asking them, why did you stop running, why did you go down a different trail that dead ends? What stopped you from seeing Christ for who He was.

He is telling them to not fall in to the trap that the Law is what Christ wanted you to follow. Look at verse 11 if you are preaching the law, then the offense of the cross bas been removed. If we fall in to this trap of preaching just that christ wants you to be a good person, or that you have to be a good person before you come to know Christ then there was no point of the cross. The Good News really isn’t good news if you can be righteous with Christ. The Cross means nothing if we are able to save ourselves through our own power.

Build: How does this story answer the question, solve the problem or relieve the tension that the Introduction Story began with? JUST ONE POINT, PEOPLE.

So what is Paul telling us with this whole passage? Keep running after Christ, don’t stop running after Christ. This also tells us that the Christian life is a daily thing, it is an actual life long pursuit of Christ. Once you start the race, you are in the race. It is not a one time deal between you and God where you go your own way after, no, the Christian life is a daily thing.

So how do you live the Christian life? If you were going to tell someone, “Okay here is what the Christian life looks like.”

Read with me this last part here verse 13-15. Gal. 5:13-15

Galatians 5:13–15 ESV

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

You are free walk in that freedom, you do not have to worry about keeping the law, follow Christ.

This means some things. It means that we do not do things to check off a box. It means that we do not have to have it all together, Christ is the one who keeps it together for us.

Now one of the questions this asks is, can I live how ever I want? The short answer is yes. You have freedom in Christ.

This gets us to ask a different question though, if you can live how ever you want, then how do you want to live. What desires do you have? Are the Christ’s desires. It’s almost a trick question, yes you can live how you want, but if you are in Christ then your desires are going to change and your life is going to look different, if you are following after Christ, you are going to desire the things Christ wants. Following Christ makes you more like Christ. You can tell how your close you are following Christ by what your actions and desires are. Even if you are reading your bible everyday because you are supposed to but when you get in to school or around your friends you are a completely different person, then you weren’t reading your bible to know Christ deeper, you were reading it to make yourself feel better. That doesn’t mean anything, follow Christ.

Look at verse 14-15, this is a warning to us and the Church. The Christian life is noted by how you love your neighbor. But if you are fighting amongst yourselves and aren’t loving others as yourself, you are missing the point. You will be know by your fruit of following Christ, if you see no fruit in your life you need to ask if you are really following Christ.

Statement: Same as opening statement. Some may refer to The Big Idea or Bottom Line. I don’t use those terms because I think they’re tacky.

So din’t stop running the race when things get hard.

Crescendo: How does The Gospel ultimately solve this problem? Preaching is about pointing to Christ & the Gospel, not good works, trying harder or moralism.

So, why are we talking about this? What is the point of all of this? Why talk about this?

Because it is really easy to be lulled in to the trap just going through the motions and checking off boxes. It is also really easy to fall in to a pattern where you think you have to be the one who to bring about your salvation, that you have to be the one who sanctifies you and makes you more holy. It is easy to fall on to the trap of thinking you have to run this race on your own power.

The gospel tells us that the christian life is a race that requires endurance, but Christ is the one out endurance comes from. Christ is who we are following. when we feel like we can’t run anymore Christ is going to be there to pick us up, we can’t live the Christian life under our own power. We have to have Christ be the one who sustains us.

So if you are a follower of Christ, this text is calling you follow Christ closer, to not lose sight of Christ. cling to Christ.

If you are not a follower of Christ or you do not know what you are. Think about who you are following. Think about what this life is about. If there is more to this life than just the here and now, then think about what comes after. Come to know Christ for who He is, follow after him. If you want to know what it means to follow Christ, come talk to me. Talk to one of the adults. Come know the Lord today, tomorrow could be too late.

Y’all pray with me