|
|
|
|
Boasting In What God Has DoneHave you ever been around a braggart? You know someone who is always one upping everything you talk about. If you have a dog they have a better one, if you climbed a mountain they climbed a taller one. The world of religion is full of these kinds of people. For the religious leaders of Jesus day, they would work very hard to make themselves look better then others. When they won a convert they would put that person through a huge rigmarole in performing religious duties and doing things that they themselves would not even do. Jesus exposed such things and call those people -- hypocrites. Matt 23: 4 They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. Matt 23:15 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are. The Apostle Paul dealt with similar things with the Judizers who had come to Galatia and tried to bring the Christians there under rules, regulations, and rituals that had nothing to do with their faith in Jesus Christ. The bible tells us that we are saved by grace through faith, and it has nothing to do with outward activities. A man/ a woman is not made right with God by what they do, or how they dress, or what rituals they partake of, rather it is all because of God's wonderful grace. So how can you brag about that? As we come to the closing remarks of this powerful book of Galatians, Paul wants to summarize his central message and he very carefully takes the pen from his secretary, and using his own handwriting pens out some final thoughts that point us to where our confidence is. For Paul, for me, for you-- if there is any boasting about our faith, it is a boasting not to boast about ourselves or our accomplishments. Rather we boast about what God has done. READ THE TEXT GALATIANS 6:11-18 “BOASTING IN WHAT GOD HAS DONE” Paul has finished his letter, he has laid out all he needed to tell these churches so he closes with powerful thoughts that can carry us on in our faith. Before we open up things for you all to share what God has been doing and shown you in, I would like you to see a few important thoughts that Paul leaves us with.
The cross of Jesus Christ, his atoning sacrifice for sin is the central theme of our faith. Christianity is not about things we do, nor is it about overcoming our problems in life. But the cross, that a man/ a woman is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ-- acceptance of the work of the cross. 1 Cor 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. Have you been around churches that do not talk about the blood of Jesus? Have you seen ministries that eliminate the preaching of the cross? Why do they do that? Oh they talk about God, they may even talk about Jesus but to point to the blood, to speak about the cross seems foolish to them. They say: “We've got to bring people in without overwhelming them, or we don't want to offend them.” My friends, I want to be offended. I want to offend you. I want my sin exposed, I want the Holy Spirit to speak to my innermost about my sin, I want God to convict you about how far you are from him. I want you to leave not with principles of how to overcome a husband who is demanding. But I want you to leave here knowing that God, provided a way for sinful people to be made right with him. And that way is the way of the cross. Legalists want to boast about how many people follow them. Legalists want to brag about those they have put under the bondage of their rules, circumcision and other things. Their logic is simply they are offended by the cross, its foolishness to them. Why? Because they do not know the Lord, they are perishing and misery loves company.
Nobody can keep the law of God. Nobody can keep rules to be made right with God. Nobody can live a life based on performance-- and keep all their rules all the time. You can not do it, they can not do it. When you hear their rap. “You have to accept Jesus then be baptized by us, married in our temple, knock on doors, go on a mission, wear certain clothes, worship on the Saturday, cut your hair, partake of our communion, eat only these foods, deny your flesh, light a candle, burn some incense, or bruise your body.” On first appearances all these things seem to have religious overtones, they all seem to mean something. But the main theme of this powerful book of Galatians stands in contrast to those things. Gal 5: 4 You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. Do you want to live by grace? Do you want to know God and to be a child of God? Or do you want to try to perform your way to God? Its as simple as that.
Truly the cross is the central theme of the bible. When Paul was ministering to a pagan group he made sure that everything he spoke about focused on the cross. 1 Cor 2:1-2 When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. Are you overcome by addictions? Are you stuck in sin? Are you in a tough marriage? We can give you some powerful steps to overcome those things, but those steps may or may not help you. But there is a place where a man / a woman can go that is more powerful then any other place. There is a “one step program” that takes a heart of stone and makes it a heart of love. For at the cross, when you consider Jesus Christ and him crucified-- that is the power of God. Power to overcome, power to be a new person. Look at the forth thing we see.
Gal 6:15 NLT It doesn't make any difference now whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we really have been changed into new and different people. Are you a different person? When Jesus Christ is your Lord, God takes that man/ that woman and they become born again. Born of the Spirit and so God changes the central theme of your life. No longer do you live for self, no longer do you desire the things of this world. Now your life is about pleasing the God who created this world. Now your life is about fellowship with God. 2 Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! Are you a new creation? Have you come to the cross? Have laid down your life/ your pain/ your issues/ and allowed them to be crucified with Christ? INVITE.
Paul reminds us that he has suffered for the Lord and even bore in his body the marks of Jesus. Beaten, stoned, arrested and sent to Rome, Paul understood what it meant to be persecuted. How much have you or I suffered for our Lord? It all means little compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Jesus and living for him. So Paul ends his letter with a blessings to the church. The churches in Galatia loved Jesus, they were born again but they were in danger of falling away from Grace. What about us? Look at Paul's blessings, for they are for you and for me. 1. Peace Peace in your life as God guides and directs you wherever you go. Peace in your heart that comes from the prince of peace. 2. Mercy. Mercy, not getting what you deserve. We are all by nature far from God, we deserve the wrath of God, the judgment of God but we get the love of God. Mercy to you my friends. 3. Grace. Grace, unearned, unmerited favor with God. GOD'S RICHES AT CHRIST'S EXPENSE! So as we open up our service to some of you, I say to you. Peace and mercy, love and grace to you from God our father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. SING. / OPEN In Galatians we have seen about the Spirit filled life. I know that God has spoken to many of us about following the Spirit. EARLY CHURCH .... 1 Cor 14:26 What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn , or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. 1 Cor 14:29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. Eph 5:19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Series: Galatians -Through the Bible |
(C) High Sierra Fellowship 2008 |
