Sermon Tone Analysis

Thankful

A few years back a pastor friend invited me to a FB page for pastors...

Sort of a conversational page with encouragement for one another.

To be honest I don’t frequent it, but do see posts that are made from time to time.

Recently I saw a pastor post that he was having surgery...

And, he was going to miss two Sundays in a row.

He was nervous about it.

He had never missed two Sundays in a row.

And, I tell you...

I felt sorry for the guy.

And, I think too many pastors feel that way.

I know I’ve felt that way before.

I know I’ve been on the short end of taking time off before.

But it’s wrong.

Pastors need to be careful for many reasons, but the core reasons are:

Their family needs uninterrupted time with them.

Their spouse needs them to take time off.

Their children need them to take time off.

And, really, the church needs them to take time off.

Pastors need to take extended time off.

And get away for their physical health, spiritual health, and family health.

Being a pastor is a calling that never clocks out.

It never allows for a free weekend to just unwind with the family...

Unless you purposefully take time off and get away.

So, I say that all...to say “Thank you” to this church for understanding that need.

And desiring your pastors to take that time off.

It pays great dividends in the long run and it is greatly appreciated.

And, I’m grateful that we have men that can and do, step in the pulpit and preach the word.

Read

Galatians 2:11–16 (ESV)

11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.

12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party.

13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.

14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

Opening Prayer

I want to get us caught up with where we are at...

And, since we’ve had a few weeks off I want to take some of the truths we’ve talked about...

And merge them with what we’re going to be talking about in the next week or two.

So, Paul states here in...

Galatians 2:15 (ESV)

15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners;

Paul is making a statement that implies an advantage.

What’s the Advantage for a Jew?

In Romans after Paul states that physical circumcision is not what makes a person a Jew...

Paul says it like this in...

Romans 2:29 (ESV)

29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter.

His praise is not from man but from God.

Paul continues...

Romans 3:1–2 (ESV)

1 Then what advantage has the Jew?

Or what is the value of circumcision? 2 Much in every way.

To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God.

So, the advantage to a Jew was knowledge...

They had the words of God.

They had the commands of God.

They had the religious instruction of God.

They had the ceremonial laws of God.

The ceremonial laws were intended by God for the purpose of reminding the Jews that they needed redemption.

They needed to be made clean in order to be justified before God’s sight...

And, in order to be allowed in His presence.

All of the culture that God gave the nation of Israel...

Everything God gave them in order to set them apart from other nations...

It was all intended to point them to God’s promises that would be fulfilled by/through the Messiah...

And, what He would do for them, on their behalf...

And, that could be laid hold of by faith in God.

So, if rightly understood the oracles of God teach what Paul states here in...

Galatians 2:16 (ESV)

16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

Why Not Works?

This is such a beautiful and gracious context for living.

An open, friendly relationship with the God of the universe.

All that humanity would need and more, infinitely more than needs are met here in creation.

All the beauty of creation:

Sunrises & Sunsets

Cloud formations & Sky colors

Leaf colors, Flower colors & fragrances

Mountain sky lines

Still lakes & flowing rivers

Reflections off the waters

Creatures in the sky, the sea and on ground

Ingredients for food…wonderfully designed

So, much more than needs met.

Innumerable beauties & delights that we get to enjoy in creation.

And, to top it off God gave us a way to show our gratitude.

To show our love of Him and our thankfulness for the bounty of creation...

And the wonderful relationship that He gave us with Him.

One simple command to show God our joy in Him...

And His gifts.

Just don’t eat the fruit of the one tree.

If you eat the fruit of that tree you will die.

So, why not works?

Because our sin declares that we are guilty of sin.

We have all disobeyed.

We’ve sinned against God.

We’re guilty before the Law.

And to be justified means to be blameless according to the Law.

And Law says that guilt comes from disobeying in an area of the law.

Innocence doesn’t come from being blameless in most areas.