Galatians 6:11-18

Intro

Hey Y’all! how are y’all doing? Doing good? Any of you play wordle? It’s kind of fun.

Anyways,

Question for you, have you ever seen someone brag about something but they really had no reason to brag? Like you know, like imagine a a football team winning 3-0 and the QB is like “Yeah I can’t believe i was able to find a way to win!” and the defense and the kicker is looking at him like he’s lost his mind. You mean we? Us?

Or better yet, have you ever been in a group project where you did all the work and the other people are like good job guys. Or have you been that was just happy to be in the group. Like when I was in college, i took Astronomy, which had a lab aspect to it. Which when I signed up, I was like oh cool, i’ll get to use the telescope. Nope. we didn’t even see a telescope. Our lab was solving complicated math problems, which if you know me, numbering isn’t for me. So we were able to have a partner, and i lucked up, and picked a guy whose major was like applies mathematics or some super nerdy thing, and I was straight up with him, I said, man i am terrible at math but i’ll help how ever i can, this guy told me to just run the calculator. So my bad at math self is like “was that an 8 or 18 john?” My TI-84 was the real mvp of that class.

but I had no reason to brag or act like I did anything, it was just John and me punching numbers in a calculator.

So that is kind of what we are talking about tonight, we are finishing up Galatians tonight, and next week we are going to start something else. But tonight we are going to look at this idea of boasting. That there is only one thing we can boast in, the cross of Christ.

Through out this whole time in this letter, we have looked at this idea that the Christ came to fulfill the law so that we do not have to live following a dead law, but now we live following a risen Christ.

Context

So tonight we are going to be in Galatians 6:11-18 it’s the last and final thing Paul says in this letter. So go ahead and flip over to it, does anyone need a bible? I’ve got some. Y’all have gotten pretty good about bringing one. If you need one, throw a hand up.

And a good thing to remember when you read the bible is to look out for words or sections that you know the author was really trying to hammer home a point. Like when ever you see truly, or truly truly, or therefore, or then, or something like.

And here we see one of those things where we need to listen up, where we need to pay attention. Cause not only is this Pauls, “in conclusion statement,” it is but the way he starts this passage off he literally says, look at how big I am writing the letters. So Galatians 6:11-18, let me give you just a quick recap of the book.

Paul starts at the gospel, what the gospel is, that Christ came to die in our place, so we may have relationship with him.

There was this idea of Christ Plus something was pervasive in the church in Galatia, that Christ was not enough, that we need to also follow the law, and adopt Judaism on top of following Christ.

Paul talks about adoption, and what that means for us as Christians. How we are adopted in to the family of God. The we have gone from Slaves to Sons. How our life is no longer a life of legalism, but a life of freedom in Christ.

How we are sons and heirs of the king, joint heirs with Christ.

Paul then gets practical as gives us an idea to what the Christian life looks like, How we are set free, what will happen in our lives when Christ changes our desires. how we can tell if we are walking in the flesh or walking in the spirit, what a spirit led life produces, what following Christ will do to our hearts and our desires. Then how this works in community, how the Christian life is walked together, and not alone. What the point of discipleship is. Why the church is supposed to be the church.

and that leads us to this passage we are going to look at tonight. The last little bit of Galatians, and Paul is leaving them with kind of a summary account of the book. Paul really wants them to see why he wrote all of the previous parts of the letter. This is his “take this to heart” part of the letter. if you got nothing from the letter, please remember these things.

So that where we are going to be tonight.

So Galatians 6:11-18 lets read this whole thing, then we’ll break it up in to chunks, but before we do that, let’s pray for our time in the word tonight.

Galatians 6:11–18 ESV

11 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. 12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16 And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. 17 From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

Law Leads to Death

Alright so, whats going on here? First off see what Paul says to start this last bit off he says, “Look what large letter I am writing to you in my own hand.”

They didn’t have computers back then, duh, so you write everything by hand. Didn’t have a printing press or anything thing like that. You know if you are typing something and you want to emphasize what you are saying, you put it in bold and italics if you really want people to see it. But Paul didn’t have that, he hand wrote this thing, him saying look how large the letters are, you know I’m imagining him with that big sharpie, “Look how big these letters are!”

This is his bold font type, he is saying don’t miss this. All caps.

Why? What is he saying don’t miss? look at verse 12, Gal. 6:12

Galatians 6:12 ESV

12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

Paul is saying, they want you to submit to the law so that everyone plays by the same rules, they’re saying we know the Law, we don’t know Christ, we had to play by the law, you also need to play by those rules too.

did you know that the forward pass used to be illegal in football, like you couldn’t do it. Then after a rule change in 1906 only like one team really adopted that as the primary means for offense. St. Louis University became a passing offense. But other teams were just like, nah why would we do that? We’ve always done this. St. Louis went 11-0 that season and outscored their opponents 407-11. SO not only could they move the ball, they had a nasty defense.

But that is what is going on here, the people that want you to you to keep the law want you to stay under that law, they don’t want to accept the freedom Christ offers, they want the law cause they know they can be the gatekeepers of the law. The law is only for the jewish people, so it needs to stay jewish, Christ was jewish, he isn’t for the rest of the world.

They also knew if they accepted the freedom of Christ, if they followed Christ, they would persecuted for doing so. Remember Rome is persecuting followers of christ in this time, just for following Christ.

Paul is saying, don’t let them misguide you, don’t let them put the weight of the law on you. They do not even keep the law, they just want you to try and follow because they know they can follow it better than you can.

Don’t let them weigh you down with the Law.

They are boasting in the flesh, they are boasting in their own works. and paul is reminding them and reminding us that the Law leads to Death. so if you are writing things down write that down, The Law leads to death.

Remember, why was the law given? To show that you can’t follow the law, and that you need a savior, it is a mirror that shows you your sin. The Law says, you need saving. If you try to keep the law you will die by the law and miss God in the process. Legalism kills. the law is heavy, the law is burdensome, Christ shoulders the weight that we can’t and we get to walk in his righteousness.

Christ leads to Life

So let’s keep going look with me at just verse 14 Gal. 6:14

Galatians 6:14 ESV

14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

We talked about boasting earlier, I told you i was just the guy punching numbers on a calculator. Wasn’t anything I did.

That is us to Christ, there is nothing that we can do to make us right with God under our own power. There is no amount of good deeds, good works, we cant vote right enough, we can’t give enough money, there is nothing we can do to get to God. We are just people following Christ. We are walking in the path he has already set before us. He takes this law and shoulders it himself.

When I was little, and some of you may have done this same thing, did you ever ride on the lawn mower with your mom or dad or grandparent? they’re out there cutting grass, and you’re just on it, but in your mind you are having a great time cutting the grass, but it’s your mom or your dad who is actually controlling the wheel, actually cutting the grass.

That is us with Christ, he is the one making the way, we are just following behind him, stepping where he steps, in doing this, our hearts and desires will change. They will be made more like Christ, because we have been crucified with Christ and we have crucified the world, our fleshly desires and wants were put on the cross for good.

We have no reason to boast in anything that we have done, it is only what Christ has done. All we have is the cross.

And what Paul is saying is actually a wild statement, we only have the cross to boast in. When we hear that we thing of the cross in a good light, we decorate walls with it, people create art with the cross, we put it on top of church buildings, we wear necklaces and earrings with the cross. but that would look crazy to a first century person. The cross was something you would’t boast in, the cross was a place of shame, the cross was a place of execution.

Paul says boast in that, because you were crucified in Christ. Christ died so you could live. Christ leads to life. if you are writing things down, write that down, Christ leads to life.

Christ is the only way that leads to life, the only way that leads to life everlasting, that leads to a life with joy everlasting.

Boast in Christ, he is the only thing we can boast in.

Made new in Christ

Let’s keep going.

Let’s look at this last chunk here, look at verses 15-18 Gal. 6:15-18

Galatians 6:15–18 ESV

15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16 And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. 17 From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

Keeping the law, not keeping the law, this means nothing to us because we are new creations. The Law counts as nothing because we are new creations.

Walk towards Christ, Christ has made us new, we are made new in Christ, if you are writing things down, write that down, we are made new in Christ.

This is the point that Paul is trying to make in this entire letter, Christ is what makes us new, there is no law that can produce genuine fruits of the spirit. The Law is full of obligation, the law is full of you must and you must not. Following Christ takes us and makes us new, he takes our heart and desires and makes them like his.

We then act in a christ like manner, not because we are supposed to do these things, but because we can’t do any other. our wills are changed to reflect the will of Christ. Our life will be one marked with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self control. You can’t truly love out of obligation, it’s not love it obligation.

We can’t just go through the motions of the Christian life. You may when you start following christ know what the motions are, but eventually stop going through the motions and start to follow Christ because it becomes your nature.

Think back to when you were little, and you were learning to play a sport. I think back when I was little playing baseball, i knew that you were supposed hit the ball with the bat, you were supposed to run, you were supposed to throw the ball. You didn’t really know how to hit, or catch or throw, but in starting out by learning to play, you eventually stop learning how to play and start playing, you start learning the finer points of the game.

You don’t see many double plays in tee ball.

This is what it is like to start following Christ, you know this is what a follower of Christ does, but eventually you stop thinking about what a follower of Christ does and it becomes what you do, because you can’t do anything else.

Then look at verse 17, Gal. 6:17 “17 From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.”

Paul is not saying no one is going to trouble him, or he won’t be troubled. He is saying there is no amount of suffering in this world that would take him away from Christ. He bears the marks of Jesus, he is prepared for anything because Christ is all that matters.

As followers of Christ we all bear the marks of Christ, we are going to share in the suffering, but we have Christ and that is all that matters.

We are made new, and we will keep being made more like Christ until the end of all things and Christ is with us, he we are his people and he is our God.

point to Christ

Okay, so, what is the point of all of this? Why are we talking about this tonight? Why does this matter?

This is our last week in Galatians, I hope that this study has shown you that following Christ is not a set of rules and regulations, it is not a set of do’s and don’ts but is about following the risen King. That following Jesus is about real life change, that following Jesus makes us a new creation, that following Jesus takes our desires and wants and makes them like Christ. That in following Christ we become more like Christ.

Christ in not interesting is legalism, He is interested in so much more. He wants your life, he wants to take your life and make it new, he wants you to follow him and to point this world to him, not to the Law but to him.

We don’t find our worth in good deeds but in Christ.

So if you are a follower of Christ this text is calling you to see following Jesus as a not something you do, but something you are. That following Jesus is your identity. This text is calling you to evaluate if you are just going through the motions or are you actually following christ? Stepping where he steps. This text is calling you to see Christ as not an after thought but as the thing you hold most dear. This text is calling you to see Christ as more than a good idea, or an ideal to shoot for, but as the Risen King.

If you are not a follower of Christ, this text is calling you to see Christ for who he is for the first time. to see Christ as more that a list of rules. Iff you have always thought of following Christ as just a list of things to do, or boxes to check, this whole letter should blow that thought up, There is nothing that you can do to keep the law, there is nothing you can do to get to God. Christ is the only way to come to God and know him deeper. So if you aren’t a follower of Christ or you want to know more about what it means to follow Christ, come talk to me, talk to one of the adults in here, talk to one of your friends. Talk to someone, ask them to tell you how to follow Jesus.

Come see Christ as Lord, come see Christ as king,

y’all pray with me.

pray