Video to come.
Morning Message Text: Galatians 5: 1-12
Freedom in Christ
1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.
3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.
4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.
5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?
8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.
9 “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”
10 I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty.
11 Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished.
12 As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!
Morning Message:
I like to think that I have evolved through the years as a person, as a Christian, and as a preacher. I have always been very mindful of my need to stay close to God in my preparation and preaching. By doing so I could trust that God would take care of any missteps or wrong turns that I might, on my own, take. I have never shied away from being bold and preaching God’s Word no matter how uneasy it might make me feel. Along the way God has taught me to be gentle and loving and tactful wherever possible. Preaching boldly as a Pastor is difficult because you also have to minister to your congregation after every message. The thought occurred to me that this maybe should be a two-person job, kind of a good cop – bad cop deal. One person to preach to you and the other to smooth out your feelings. I used to preach around before I became a Pastor. I didn’t realize how freeing that could be.
You are probably sitting there thinking to yourselves, “Man, he is getting ready to really let us have it.” That is not it at all. I am simply preparing you to understand the apostle Paul. He was a traveling preacher, and he was free to preach the gospel and express his convictions in the boldest of ways. I have always been a lectionary preacher, and that has served me well for many years, but I am finding now that God is leading me to other parts of his Word. The text for today was not supposed to start until verse 13, but I decided to read the first 12 verses, and I knew that this text was where God wanted us. I think that we need to hear this today. When we came to Jesus, we were set free from the Law; not from obeying it, but from the penalty associated with it. The Law of the Lord is perfect, but we are not. By accepting the payment that Jesus made by his death, burial, and resurrection, we are free from the penalty that comes from our disobedience. Biblically speaking, all human beings are enslaved to sin except those whom the Son of God has made free. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3: 23-24)
Paul is speaking directly to some teachers and preachers who have fallen back to a legalistic belief in God, and in doing so, are trying to lead people away from the truth about salvation. You can not work your way to God. Salvation is a gift that cannot be earned. Paul is saying that if you let yourself be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Now let’s understand what he is saying. He is not against physical circumcision; he is speaking to those who are teaching false doctrine and saying that along with believing in Jesus you must also adhere to the old Jewish customs and laws in order to be saved. Paul is saying something to them that we need to hear today. Jesus did all the work on the cross in order for us to be saved. We do not need and should not try to add anything to God’s perfect plan of salvation. When you try to work your way to salvation, not only do you find it impossible, but you alienate yourself from Jesus. You say to God, I don’t believe that your plan is good enough.
Here are five things that we should know about false teachers, people who try to subvert our faith.
1. They contradict the truth. False teachers plagued the church in Paul’s day, and they continue to multiply as we move toward the end times. In order to protect ourselves and each other from error, we must know the truth and be able to discern falsehood. How do we do that? How can you know what is true from what is false? I know, I can call the Pastor. Maybe I can look it up on my phone; you know just google it. Maybe, just maybe, you could learn God’s Word.
2. False teachers are contrary to God. The Galatians were not called by God to legalism and the Law, and neither are we. False teachers used the Old Testament in their attempt to undermine Paul’s teaching. Every cultist and false teacher tries to use the bible to support his or her heresy. We need to know God’s Word for ourselves; we should not trust someone else’s interpretation. You should question me.
3. False teachers contaminate the church. Paul says that when false doctrine enters the church, it will begin permeating every area of the fellowship until it takes control of the entire body. This has been the experience of every church, college, and seminary that has ultimately strayed from the truth of God’s Word. “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” This is one of my biggest regrets in my Christian life. I know that I am forgiven and when I get to heaven I will be welcomed with open arms by my Savior, but will He ask me the questions that I fear the most? Why did you not object louder? Why did you not take a stand for truth and righteousness in the church? My answer, that I know is not sufficient: I thought I could do good in spite of the wrong that I saw.
4. False teachers’ contamination is certain. After expressing his confidence that the Galatians will ultimately choose the right path, Paul promises that those who have troubled them will face the judgment of God. It is our responsibility to stand for what is right and oppose what is wrong, but judgment belongs to God.
5. False teachers criticize teachers of truth. Author, John R. W. Stott wrote in The Message of Galatians, “The gospel is grievously offensive to the pride of men. It tells them that they are … under the wrath and condemnation of God; that they can do nothing to save themselves or secure their salvation, and that only through Christ crucified can they be saved. If we preach this gospel, we shall arouse ridicule and opposition.”
We should keep this list close. As we approach the coming of Christ and the end of this age, we will need it. I wish that we could hear Paul as he is teaching these things. I get a sense that Paul is emotional and even a little angry about what is happening in the church. He makes some very bold statements and says some things that let you know exactly how he feels about these false teachers. I want you to listen to verse 12 and draw your own conclusions about what Paul is suggesting. I will not try to interpret this for you from the pulpit. Remember he is talking about circumcision here and in verse 12 he says, “As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!” You might need a dictionary.
In Christ’s Love and Peace,
Pastor Bob
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