The Pathway to Freedom

Intro

- Illustration- going the wrong way on moped in Vietnam

- This is Paul’s final admonition to the Galatian Christians

o V. 11- “See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.”

o Most likely the main body of the letter was dictated to a secretary, but it was common for the author to write the last few lines that summed up the important points of the letter

o This is Paul's "So What?"

o There are several theories on why he wrote with such large letters, but most likely it was to communicate the importance of what he was saying

§ Illustration of Richie's texts- all caps

§ Most people that heard the letter would not see the writing, so he told them

- Throughout this entire letter we have seen Paul lay out two ways of living, two paths to follow

o Faith vs. the works, Law vs. Promise, Freedom vs. slavery, Works of the flesh vs. fruit of the Spirit, sowing to the flesh vs. sowing to the Spirit

o And as he ends this letter with an emphatic closing argument, he again lays our two pathways for us

§ He does it by comparing the mission and motivation of the Judaizers with his own mission and motives

§ He is calling the Galatians to action, to follow him as he keeps in step with the Spirit

- We face a similar decision. Although we don’t deal with Judaizers and theological questions about circumcision, we do face our own dilemma, our own pull to follow the way of the world.

o But we must continue to fight the battle, to keep in step with the Spirit, and follow the way of the Cross

- Read 6:11-18

The Way of the World

A. Living to please people

1. V. 12- "those who want to make a good showing of the flesh"

a. They wanted to look good on the outside

b. This was simply about conformity

(1) The Judaizes wanted the Galatians to fit the mold, to play the part

(2) And there was little to no concern about the heart and inward transformation

2. Do we do this in our churches today?

a. The primary issue that the Judaizes were focused on was circumcision, but what "marks" do we elevate to the status of necessary for acceptance into our group?

(1) The clothes they wear, their hairstyle, the music they listen to, the translation they read

b. These are not always identified by what we do, but often times by what we don't do- I don't drink, smoke, gamble, go to movies, listen to that- what we think a Christian should look like and act like

c. When we get so focused on the outward, we miss what God really wants to change, our hearts- inward change

d. I think one of the most tragic things is when people are turned away from the gospel or, as new Christians, turned away from the church because they don’t fit the mold that we have created for them

e. We don’t try to change people so they are acceptable enough to bring to Jesus or to walk into church

(1) We bring people to Jesus so that he can change them from the inside out

(2) God is the one who does the work. Otherwise, we can have churches full of rule followers with unchanged hearts

B. Fearing persecution

1. Part of the Judaizers motivation was simply to look out for themselves

2. They didn’t want to take a stand for the cross of Christ for fear of persecution from their own people- zealous Jews

a. Usually when we think of people persecuting us, we picture people who are completely against us and hate our way of life, but often the most difficult persecution can come from those close to you

b. We can make a stand together against the enemy, but when the “enemy” is someone close to us, we are much more likely to compromise

(1) We don’t want to offend or to jeopardize the relationship

(2) We don’t want them to think poorly of us

c. But we cannot soften the gospel to appease others, no matter who they are

3. Paul is making a point that he could have easily avoided persecution from the legalistic Jews if he would have just required circumcision

a. It’s not necessary, but just go ahead and do it so these guys don’t get upset

b. Sometimes compromise can be helpful, Paul even talks about this when he says he becomes all things to all men so that he might save some

c. But compromise is never ok when it comes to the gospel

4. We don't follow Jesus in order to escape persecution. In fact, he says that following him invites it.

a. 1 Peter 4:12-14 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

b. If the threat of persecution of any kind shakes us from our faith, we reveal how shallow our conviction truly are.

5. God is with us, his Spirit within us, we need not fear

a. 2 Cor. 12:10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

C. Desiring greater influence

1. The Judaizers wanted to boast in the number of followers they had won to their cause

2. They were more worried about building their own group than the truth of the gospel

3. "Look how many gentiles we got to follow our regulations!"

a. We face this same temptation today

b. Illustration of Pakistan

c. Or we see a great emphasis on measurable statistics- this many salvation decisions, this many baptisms, etc.

- Transition- so you see, it is not simply enough to make sure our message is true, that we have good theology, yes that is vital, but we also must make sure we have right motives behind our message and our actions

o We can pursue good things with wrong motives- we want to boast in our accomplishments, we know what to say to give God credit, but we enjoy being in the limelight

The Way of the Cross

A. Boasting only in the Cross

1. The Jews were ashamed of the cross, so they tried to draw the focus back to the law because they were comfortable with the law

2. This is very different from boasting in the flesh

a. It is not prideful boasting

b. The world tells us that we should busy discovering who we are, defining who we are, living our true identity, building our ideal identity, etc.

c. What defines you? Who are you as a person? What do you boast in? my heritage, my accomplishments, my status

Illustration- Colorado Native sicker

d. Now many of these things are true and important to who we are- God has given us our own unique identity and story

e. But our primary identity, my only reason for truly boasting, is in my relationship with Jesus Christ because of what he has done for me on the cross

f. If anyone had a lot to boast in, spiritually speaking, it would have been Paul!

3. But Paul chooses to only boast in the Cross

a. Why the cross? What a gruesome object

b. we've had 2000 years to change how we view this device used for execution, but this was a hard thing for anyone in Paul's time to boast in

(1) Well-mannered Romans wouldn't even say the word cross in public

(2) So many of the Jews sought to take the cross out of the spotlight and return to an emphasis on keeping the Law

(3) If we deny or diminish the cross, we deny or diminish the gospel

(4) Because without the cross of Jesus, we have no hope of salvation

4. The cross is more than just a symbol of Christianity. It is a reminder to us of what is took to reconcile us to God

a. 1 Cor. 1:18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

5. Paul found only one legitimate reason to boast, and that was in the cross

a. NAC "When confronted with the infinitely amazing grace of God, the very thought of self-glorification, spiritual ego-stroking, vanishes away."

- boasting in the cross means more than just affirming that Jesus died on the cross for me. It means…

B. Participating in Christ’s death

1. 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.

2. V. 14 “by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

a. This is not speaking of the physical world around us, but rather the system of a world whose values and outlook is anti-God.

b. That way of living is dead to me- I am no longer enslaved to it

3. It all seems to fade away in light of what Christ has done for us

4. This means it’s a daily choice- 5:24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

C. Living as a new creation

1. We talk about participating in his death, but Jesus also brings new life!

a. This is the freedom that we have been talking about throughout this whole study

b. we have been freed from the path of death and destruction and given a new relationship with God and with others, given a new life that is led by the Spirit as we look forward to the certainty of our heavenly home

2. 2 Cor. 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

3. New life comes with new convictions and desires- this is the Spirits work

D. Resting in peace and mercy v. 16

1. This is a conditional blessing- to those how follow this rule- salvation by faith alone

a. If you don't, the curse from 1:8 still applies

(1) But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.

b. Paul is drawing them to a decision point

2. We have peace with God only because of his mercy

3. We can extend that same peace to others as we show them the love of Christ

4. Israel of God- believing Jews or… Galatian Christians because they are the true children of Abraham

Conclusion

- Paul has been attacked throughout his whole ministry, and the Judaizers were no exception. They sought to discredit him in the eyes of the Galatians

o In vs. 17 he lays out an additional credential, remember in ch. 1 how he defended his authority as an apostle, now he points to his own persecution as a mark of his loyalty to Christ and the sincerity of his message

§ He had been attacked by the Judaizers

§ He's saying, "Stop this. I've made my point, and in addition to that I bear the marks of what I believe on my body- branded

· Slaves were often branded- "I am a slave of Jesus Christ."

· Religious groups would mark themselves with tattoos

§ "I've suffered for Jesus, but I've also seen his saving power. These marks attest to it!" "I'm not a fair-weather Christian."

§ 2 Cor. 11:24-25 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea;

§ This doesn't mean that we have to seek out persecution in order to validate our commitment to Christ.

· 3:26-28 our identity is in him- we are marked by his righteousness

- So What?

o What path are you on? The way of the world, or the way of the cross?

o What are you boasting in?

o Are you living in fear of persecution or are you dying daily to your sinful nature?

- Paul ends with a final benediction in verse 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

o Not only a prayer for the church, but a final plea for them to follow the Spirit, knowing that true change is only possible by the grace of God

o This is my same prayer for us this morning