Galatians: Recent Episodes
Hope Presbyterian Church
Walk According to This Rule 1. God’s Goodness Promised2. God’s People Known3. God’s Benediction GivenGalatians 6:14-18Unlike the unforgiving culture of our day, God's mercy is true and faithful. There is never a moment in your life when you do not have an interest in the Saviour's love; there is never a moment when the lovingkindness of the Father is too far away. ~ Galatians 6:14
Christ’s Cross My Only Boast1. He Gives You a New Worldview2. He Makes You a New CreationGalatians 6:11-15The world has been crucified to me and I to the world. Christian, not only do you have a new worldview to govern your life; but this world now considers you dead to its values, thinking, and treasures. Don't be surprised when this world hates you; the truth of the cross is offensive to it. ~ Galatians 6:14
Sow to the Spirit1. Do Not Be Deceived2. Do Not Lose Heart 3. Do Good To All Galatians 6:6-10Christian, you are called to sow to the Spirit. You are not called to "let go and let God," you're called to do that which exalts God; to cultivate the presence of the Holy Spirit through the means of grace [God's Word & prayer], so you don't grieve the Spirit. ~ Galatians 6:8
Fulfill the Law of Christ1. Esteem One Another2. Bear One Another’s Burdens3. Do Not Condemn One AnotherGalatians 5:26 - 6:6the "Law of Christ" is not a new moral law by which we live, but a fulfilling of the Moral Law in the grace of Christ. Jesus took the commandment, "love your neighbor as yourself" and made it new with himself as the paradigm: "love one another as I have loved you." ~ Galatians 6:2
The Fruit of the Spirit1. Your Attitude before God2. Your Attitude before Others3. Your Attitude before YourselfGalatians 5:16-26Jesus spoke about bearing fruit to the Father's glory [John 15:1-16]; what is that fruit? It is the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. It is the very character of God in Christ being formed in us.
The Works of the Flesh1. They Are Evident2. They Are Contrary to God’s Kingdom 3. They Must Be OvercomeGalatians 5:16-26When you consider the works of the flesh are still within you, are you not grateful you have been justified by faith alone in Christ? Sin is yet at work in you, but thank God, His Spirit is warring against those fleshly works. ~ Galatians 5:16-26
Walk in the Spirit1) The Inward Conflict2) The Inward ResolveGalatians 5:16-26The basis of our sanctification, like justification and adoption, is still God's free grace. We are not dying to sin and living to righteousness, we are not being conformed more into the image of Christ all so we can earn favour and blessing from God - all this happens because God's grace is working in us. ~ Galatians 5:16-18
Marks of False Christianity1) Hinders Obeying the Truth2) Offends the Cross3) Serves the FleshIsaiah 37:21-28, Galatians 5:7-15Western Christianity has become more concerned with affirming culture and less concerned about offending God. The gospel has been changed to accommodate people in their sin, not proclaimed to redeem them from their sin. This popular graceless gospel lacks the truth of atonement and justification in Christ. ~ Galatians 5:7-15
Faith Working Through Love
1) Freedom Christ Purchased 2) Freedom and the Law 3) Freedom and Faith
Isaiah 61:1-7, Galatians 5:1-6
In the day of judgment, what separates the saved from the eternally damned is not the quality, quantity, or even the lack of good works; it is being found in Christ, having the righteousness which is from God by faith in Christ, that I may attain the resurrection from the dead. ~ Galatians 5:1-6
Living Free in Christ 1) The History Lesson 2) The Symbolic Point 3) The Real Freedom
Genesis 21:1-21, Galatians 4:21-31
What does God say? "You need to be born again; I will give you a new heart. You need to be cleansed of your sin; I will wash you clean in the blood of my Son. You need to be rid of your guilt; I will take away it by Christ's death. You need the penalty of death removed; I will give you eternal life through faith in my Son."
The Impact of Legalism 1. Truth Becomes an Enemy 2. Zeal Becomes Misdirected
The problem with being an affirming Church is you are allowing people to walk in the bondage of sin. The problem is not that we are unaccepting of who they want to be, but that they are not accepting whom God created them to be - a man or a woman. Truth has become an enemy, but only truth will set them free ~ Galatians 4:12-16
The Impact of Legalism 1) Faith Becomes Vain 2) Truth Becomes an Enemy 3) Zeal Becomes Misdirected
Isaiah 57:15-21, Galatians 48-20
Eclessia reformata semper reformanda is not about the Church changing her worship and doctrine to be relevant and innovative to society. It is about the reformation the church needs to be true in maintaining the authority of Scripture, the truth of the gospel, the purity of worship, and contending earnestly for the faith. ~ Galatians 4:8-11
From Slaves to Sons 1. God Sent Forth His Son 2. God Sent Forth the Spirit of His Son
Genesis 22:1-19, Galatians 3:26 – 4:7
Immediately upon His resurrection, Jesus wanted his disciples to know their adoption in Him: go to my brethren and say to them, "I am ascending to my Father and your Father...". What Jesus enjoys and experiences as God's Son, He wants you to enjoy and experience. ~ Galatians 4:4-5 / John 20:17
The Purpose of God’s Law
- The Law Exposes Our Sin
- The Law Condemns Us
- The Law Leads us to Christ
Galatians 3:19-25
God does not make us any promises because of our worthiness, our merits, or our good works; but for the sake of his own goodness and mercy in Christ. ~ Martin Luther [on Galatians 3:21]
The Covenant of God in Christ 1. The Unchangeable Covenant 2. The Seed of the Covenant 3. The Inheritance Is by Covenant
Genesis 17:1-14, Galatians 3:15-18
Your salvation is not based on your performance, but solely on Christ's: in His life of obedience Jesus accomplished ours; in His death, He paid the penalty for our guilt; in His resurrection, He gained eternal life for us; in His ascension, He secured our reign with Him forever. In Christ, all God's promises were purchased for us ~ Galatians 3:15-18
Christ Became a Curse for us 1. The Law Cannot Justify 2. The Law Is Not of Faith 3. Only Christ Removes the Curse
Galatians 3:10-14
God's Law can only bring us under its curse; it cannot justify us. Not that there is a problem with the Law, the problem is with us. God, in all His majestic holiness and righteousness, requires consistent and constant absolute obedience, and we cannot give that as sinners. But Christ did!
The Gospel According to Abraham
Genesis 12:1-9, Galatians 3:1-9
The Gospel According to Abraham 1. The Blessing of Abraham 2. The Blessing of the Gospel
A praying man...has the ear of God: the Spirit within to compose; a Friend in heaven to present; and God Himself to receive his desires as a Father. It is a mercy to pray, even if i never receive the mercy I prayed for. ~ William Bridge
Believing Christ for Righteousness 1. Who Has Bewitched You? 2. Who Is Perfecting You? 3. Why Was Christ Crucified?
Genesis 15:1-21, Galatians 3:1-9
Legalism is a lure. The sinful heart loves legalism. Not because we believe ourselves to be righteous in and of ourselves as Christians, but because legalism and the righteous things that we try to do, covers the sinfulness of sin; to make us think we are better than we really are. -Galatians 3:3, Psalm 14
Crucified with Christ 1. I Have Died to the Law 2. I Now Live By Faith in Christ 3. I Do Not Set Aside Grace
Isaiah 53, Galatians 2:15-21
"It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me." The old fallen man, Adam, is now dead; I am no longer identified with him as a sinful rebel. The new creation man, Christ, is now alive in me; I am identified with Christ as a beloved saint. ~ Galatians 2:20
The Battle for the Gospel 1. The Doctrine of Justification 2. The War Against Justification
Daniel 1:1-25, Galatians 2:9-16
To be justified is more than just to be declared, "Not guilty." It also means to be declared righteous before God. It means God has imputed, or charged, the guilt of our sin to His Son, Jesus Christ, and has imputed, or credited, Christ's righteousness to us. ~ Jerry Bridges
The One Gospel is for Everyone 1. Gospel Truth Does Not Change 2. Gospel Truth Must Be Maintained
We plant the seeds of compromise to the truth of the gospel when we are afraid to tell our children that someone who has died without Christ as Saviour, is not in heaven. They need to know there is no other name given by which we must be saved. Galatians 2:5
Galatians 2:1-10, Jonah 3:1-4:2
Our Freedom in Christ 1. The Gospel Proclaims Freedom 2. The Gospel Maintains That Freedom
Galatians 1:18 – 2:5
How do you know if Christ Jesus has set you free from sin's bondage? When sin is revealed, and your response is humility, sorrow and repentance; not anger, resentment, or the justifying of the sin. Liberty in Christ is being set free from sin's guilt & shame. ~ Galatians 2:4
The Gospel According to Jesus 1. A Grace-less Life 2. A Grace-filled Life 3. A Grace-changed Life
Jeremiah 31:23-34, Galatians 1:10-24
All our personal self-righteous goodness does is blind us to the real repugnant nature of sin, and harden our hearts against the need of Christ's righteousness. We need the gift of the Holy Spirit to do the washing of regeneration in the grace of Jesus Christ. ~ Galatians 1:15
Only One Gospel 1. Turning from the Gospel 2. Tampering with the Gospel 3. Tempting the Grace of Christ
Jeremiah 2:5-13, Galatians 1:6-10
The Glory of the Gospel 1. Christ Died for Our Sins 2. Christ Died to Deliver Us 3. Christ Died According to God’s Will
2Kings 7:1-20, Galatians 1:1-5