Galatians 5

Just got my one of your pain at at work this week like man become a geezer didn't know it. And so I said maybe why I like to have the tangible and I don't know where in Galatians chapter 5 and increase let us through Galatians chapter 4 last weekend and if we're looking at this as just there's a lot of meat here and

we're going to dig into it in my prayers that I do it justice and I do it right by God because I don't ever want to be caught mishandling his word and I'm going to ask you guys to pray the same with me as we go into this. We're going to read all of chapter 5 1st and will pray and it will go into our our sermon here. So we go chapter 5 verse 1 or Freedom Christ has set us free stand firm therefore and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Block I Paul say to you that if you accept circumcision price will be of no advantage to you. I testify again that every man who accept circumcision, but he is obligated to keep the whole law you are severed from Christ. You would be justified by the law. You have fallen Away From Grace. Or through the Spirit by faith. We ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness for in Christ. Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only Faith working through love. You were running well. Hinder you from obeying the truth. This persuasion is not from him. Who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump I have confidence in the Lord that you will take. No other View and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty whoever he is. But if I brother still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the Cross has been removed. I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves.

You were called to Freedom Brothers. Not own Army, you're called the freedom Brothers only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. But through love serve one another for the whole lot. Also filled in one word. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

But if you bite and devour one another watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

But I say walk by the spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh for the desires of the flesh are against the spirit and the desires of the spirit are against the Flash. These are opposed to each other. I keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident sexual immorality impurity sensuality idolatry sorcery immunity Strife jealousy fits of anger rivalries dissensions divisions Envy drunkenness orgies and things like these

I warn you as I warned you before that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace, patience kindness goodness, faithfulness gentleness self-control against such things. There is no law and those who belong to Christ. Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the spirit, let us also keep in step with the spirit. Let us not become conceited provoking one another envying one another. Would you bow with me, please?

Father in Heaven, I thank you. Thank you for your word. I think you for the letter that Paul wrote to the church in galatia. And I thank you that it is impassioned and said it is Eddie and then it is heart-wrenching. I pray Lord that is as we're in this part of scripture today that you would speak to our hearts. He would challenge us you would speak to us that you would put me aside. Let this be your message to your people.

I pray Lord. That is why we enter into this time of worship through the hearing of your word again are our hearts will be open and receptive and that you would begin a change in each of us the father. I pray you would start with me.

What this word? Soak and ice so that we know out of a serve you and know that Christ has set us free. In Jesus name I pray amen. All right. So relations chapter 5 it's is Chris and I were talking about this and kind of looking at this is like a very impassioned letter all's writing it and in a few if you're not careful, you can read the book of Galatians. Is it Paul's angry and it does kind of feel that way sometimes and I'm not saying that he's not but I don't think it's the same kind of anger. We get of just being mad. I think there's more to it here as we read we see it but really glacius chapter 5 starts back in about verse 28 of chapter 4, it is rude. What kind of All Sorts getting into this any any citizen in 2840 or 428 e says Brothers like Isaac are children. Eat like now you Brothers like Isaac are children of promise. But just as at that time, he was born according to the flesh persecuted him who is born according to the spirit. Also it is now but what does the scripture say cast out the slave woman and her son for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman so Brothers we are not children of the slave. But of the free woman always getting into this idea that that the Galatians have made themselves a slave to a new law that they've taken this idea of the circumcision party write these guys are in there saying that if you want to be a Christian, you also have to obey certain parts of the Jewish law settled if we we met we talked to Peter and I hash. Where was an argument between a SeaWorld in a reminder. I have reminded me we had a big fight and and we prayed it through and we've gotten this in no Gentile Believers don't have to be Jews than be Christians. That's not what's going on impulse starting this argument here with them at this beginning. To hear the end of chapter 4 in the beginning of five. He's calling us to the shut-off the slavery. That is the law right to get rid of it that the cast it out to get to into put it aside. Right that the law is good. Paul never denies the goodness of the wall. It is from God. He can't deny that if it is from God, it is good. But the goodness of the Lord is it is to point us to our need for Christ. That's what he's doing here and in so we cling to the law. That keeps us from having full freedom in Jesus Christ. The law is obedience to God out of obligation.

Freedom in Christ is obedience to God through faith in love. There's a difference right? And I think I think Paul addresses the Galatians here like their children in some regard and I and I can think of times as a child when I had a list of chores and I was going to be obedient not because I really was happy to do them, but because I was obligated to do that. My father had a certain way of saying things that kind of maybe you feel heavy we we didn't keep with the central furnace and our house. It was a wood stove and it was my job in the mornings to make sure the wood stove was up and going and it's my job to cut and split firewood and it was I did all that. Not a job. I loved to you but it was it was the job but I remember Dad saying things to me like he'd get up at 4 in the morning and go to work and he be in my bedroom. And blow out today, make sure your mother and brother don't freeze to death. Thank you. And that was how dad would address me getting that chore done making sure there's firewood in the house. Make sure your mother and brother. Don't freeze to death. Okay, that's obedience out of obligation, right? I love mom and my aunt Andy I still do but Making sure they don't freeze to death to wait a little bit heavier than I'm going to make sure Mom and my brother are warm and safe and cozy not that same kind of feeling here, right? But Papa saying that's what we do with the law or obedient to God. Because we feel like he's this wait on us. When he's actually the one lifting our weight. Right, and so we want to love and obey God because of the faith in the love we have for him. We see his grace and we want to we want to try to give a little bit of hat love back to him. We hope we can't give it all we try.

Verses 2 and 3 of of chapter 5 then Paul's kind of moving on about this idea of circumcision. He's reminding us of his battle against this false teaching of the circumcision party, right? The stuff popping up everywhere. I mean is it's a little bit in in Ephesians that shows up and in some other chat places. He's sometimes he calls them judaizers. There's these guys are popping up everywhere trying to do this sort of thing.

You got to stop and then Paul hears. He's writing and chapter and verses 2 and 3. There's just there's this hint that the circumcision party is playing a game of pick and choose with the law to And that's interesting right as you look at it. It's like except the circumcision. You got to keep the whole law bringing up the fact that you know, there's a whole lot of other stuff in that law to keep up. I mean a whole lot of stuff. I read through Leviticus this week. There's a lot of stuff in the law and he say no they're picking and choosing they were outward appearance. They don't want a a real. They want this external exterior symbol of your faith rather than an internal Art and Soul change. And we have freedom in Jesus Christ. We have a heart and soul change. We are made in the new people right? We're New Creation in Jesus Christ and end. These guys are like You got to start here and then work your way toward now. Jesus is like I will change you it will make you knew I will make you fresh. I will make you reborn when all these guys is circumcision party these judaizers. What are we going to call them? They are looking for an exterior external symbol. That isn't really about faith.

Bruce for this is Paul kind of Let it Loose like it's been building and building and building as we've been reading Galatians and instead of Galatians and here is kind of where the cork comes out. Paul is a very blunt writer and scripture. I am so To encourage that the Holy Spirit allowed Paul to remain that bowled that he had in his writing. Is this a spare used him to write scripture? I am so glad when I read scripture that the Holy Spirit told Paul to pull no punches and that he allowed his his deep passion for the word of God and for the people of God to come out and right here chapter 5 verse 4 about in the cork lets out and Paul really lets the Galatians have it if you sever yourself physically in the name of faith. You are actually severing yourself from Jesus Christ.

How do you saying if you're doing this thinking that this is your faith, this is your salvation This Is Where It Starts you're cutting yourself off from Jesus Christ all together. What are you thinking? Are you thinking? If you anchor yourself to the law. You may actually have never had a relationship with Jesus Christ to begin with. That's what he's getting at that if your anchor to this law. Did you ever know Christ? Is Harsh this is this is Brash. This is right there, but it's so necessary people being swept away and carried away by a false teaching that says You must do this this this this and this and that will take you to Jesus Christ. Or we know what we do is we come to Jesus and say I'm wrong I have sinned I Repent fix me Jesus.

And that's why we come to Jesus.

That's where we're at.

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all reminds us that the none of the stuff really matters is far as this goes this idea of circumcision is If you are you are if you're not you're not.

It's not a matter of a physical exterior symbol.

No, nobody's nobody's checking for that at the door when you come in to worship. You know, that's not how this works. and is really getting tear that all that matters is our faith working through love.

verse 6 He says Frank Christ, Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything but only Faith working through love. Are genuine faith in and are genuine love of Jesus Christ brings the righteousness. We desire there is nothing.

Can emphasize this or not? There is nothing you or I any one of us could ever do to bring any righteousness upon ourselves. This is not happening I could. Give all my salary to the poor.

Help the poor out. Doesn't bring any righteousness to me I could. preacher million sermons

doesn't ring any righteousness to me. It's about whether or not I am showing my faith and I'm working it out through love in Jesus Christ, and then Jesus Christ bestows righteousness onto me. Still a gift from him. Nothing I can do. And that's where we start to see Paul's. Anger shift a little bit there. There is definitely anger in this letter, but it's again not anger. Like I think of just mad at people. Paul is writing to the Galatians here. Cuz this is a church. He helped form. He helped start. This is a plant that he did and here he's just he's heartbroken is it this isn't anger of heartbreak. This is Paul looking at children. He loves bierley. That know the right thing and yet have chosen to not do the right thing. And he's not sure if he's mad at them. Is it going to read it as much as he's mad at the people who led them astray? It's one of those kinds of moments in in life.

Is disappointed in the Galatians that word as a kid was the worst right not angry at you. I'm highly disappointed. Please be angry and get this over with right is highly disappointed in the Galatians, but he is angry at the circumcision party. And that her to Moon back, there's some of us have had that conversation with a parent right? I'm disappointed in you, but I'm mad at your friends. Oh boy right here in verses 7 through 12. He's he's got heartbreak and I said we got to be cautious as we read this letter to not read. It was just an usher angry tone. But but to read it in a tone of frustration that a father has for his child into in this child. Not just a little way we're but this child knows better. right still following the wrong crowd. Yeah, there's anger but the anger is a righteous anger that is directed more toward those who led the child astray.

with heartbreak and genuine sadness the child who was led astray. And that's were Paul's at you were running well.

Who hindered you? obeying the truth

the verses 8 and 9. It is Paul's continuing this he's he's saying that this is not the gospel. You know, this is this gospel that you've heard. This is not it you learned the gospel a true gospel in the beginning and the scary thing is just a little bit a little drop false teaching goes a long long way. And then he sang the song remind them that it did just spread so quickly.

Am I in my science classes with my old 5th graders I used to do this thing about bacterial growth and we would show how bacterial growth of working you do all sorts of crazy stuff. And one of the ones that specifically speaks to this is I would take corn syrup with warm water and one package of baker's yeast and I have some fun fun fun science equipment that I have gathered up over the years. I have a 10000 ml beaker. You guys know that that's cutest 10 leaders write this as 5-2 L soda bottles will fit inside of this one Beaker and I would put a liter of water.

A cup or so of corn syrup and one package of baker's yeast. One package just like half an ounce right is all of the sins baker's yeast. I put it in there and I'd startup. We just step back and let it watch and Justin just watch what would happen. It was amazing to watch this yeast bubble and form and grow and fill a 10000 ml beaker. With all of these yeast cells worth from half an ounce.

In the. Of one school day. Normally would happen between getting to school in the morning and lunch cuz I wanted to get that thing out of my classroom cuz it smelled really rough. Let's get rid of this thing. All saying that's what's happening here this half ounce of false teaching and now you guys have run wild with it. How in the world did that happen? It's little things like that. So we've got a guard our hearts against guard ourselves against stay in the word so we know the truth, so we recognize falsehoods right away, and he's telling us adverse tenis I have confidence in God is going to turn you around. I am not worried about this that much. I'm frustrated by it, but God's going to turn you around and I'm going to see why God is going to punish the fools who brought you this false message. I am sure of it.

Paula so upset by these false teachers and the lies they have spread the Holy Spirit. He allows I love this the Holy Spirit really allows Paul to express his anger fully here.

He just wishes.

Wishes that the people who are saying, they desire circumcision. We just cut it all off if that's what you felt was really want to believe go whole-hog, right? I wish I would have masculate themselves way scripture rights it just take it all off boys. Not just the foreskin get rid of all of it. If this is how you're going to play this game. Play it right Paul. Is that upset with these these false teachers? any should be False teaching leads people so far from where the Christ really is in her life and so far from what Christ has for them that it does do just that it distorts everything. It keeps them from understanding bully who crisis keeps him from anything that is truly Godly and he should desire that they be wiped out. If they go as far as Paul says and hopefully they can't make any more of these false teachers that way.

That's where he's at.

First 13 he comes back though. He brings us back to freedom in Christ. Our freedom in Christ should cause us to love one another and serve one another. I'm for you were called to Freedom Brothers. One suspect that Paul warns is here about the slavery to the law and it's I think about this and then I died. We got to be cautious of wanting to do things to honor God not the because we want to do things, but we got to be cautious of our motivations. Where's our heart at when we going to do this Is It Love is it face? Is it desire to give back or is there an obligation? Are we said that obedience to God of in the law? It is out of obligation obedience. And freedom in Christ is is his faith in love and then we want to watch out for this year. He's he's warning us that there's a a slavery to the law and it's really kind of a fundamentalism. Right that he's he's taking us back. And there's this disk connect in this disk content among the faith family because of this. Denny's pull them into this like be cautious of this now.

There are certain practices that we have that are good practices. I'm not wanting to say that there's not there's a difference between a fundamental istic and fundamentalism. and good spiritual disciplines Paul saying here to is. My spiritual disciplines might look just a little bit different than Russell spiritual discipline.

It's because of where we walk on our own face all really wanting us to understand that our faith in Jesus Christ is not a checklist faith. We don't have a checklist Christianity. Rain today read my Bible today. I went to church on Wednesday went to church on Sunday went to Sunday school right? Not a checklist Christianity. Those things are good. They're not bad inherently by themselves. But when we say that this is what I've been doing in this has become my salvation. We're in trouble. It is no longer faith-based salvation is no longer a grace alone salvation. It's now something distorted from that and that's what pause when is to realize here that this is not. About a checklist that would get you into heaven even the law. As many things as it wasn't as good as the law is was not a way for you to sit back and go check check check check check hebra ham was kind of righteous because of his faith. The law didn't exist.

The law was still there as a guide for your faith. Not this way and Paul would have known is a Pharisee. He understood this.

Play moves on in verse 15 and he starts to give us a call to action if you think about.

This chapter of Galatians is maybe a sermon a fiery sermon that Paul is is preaching out that here. It is verse 15 through the end of chapter 5 is his called action. This is his invitation if you would and he's calling us to action to walk by the spirit and walking by the spirit is how we put aside our fleshly desires. I don't want to be any of that the circumcision party. Was preaching a type of early fundamentalism. They were trying to convince Believers at the rules and regulations. They professed would keep them from the works of the flesh that sexual immorality the impurity the sensuality idolatry the sorcerer the Infinity The Strife to jealousy the fits of anger the rivalries dissensions divisions Envy drunkenness the orgies all of that. They said if you do this check list, you'll be kept from all of that.

And he reminded them that no one living that way is going to inherit God the kingdom of God, but put those checklist Christianity doesn't keep you from that.

Checklist Christianity has to guide people to find back doors. loopholes ways around Works around

Weird Al walk in the spirit is in the fruit of the spirit here is is love joy peace, patience kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness self-control. and

I want us to think about this a second. Cuz I know growing up I heard a few sermons in the end. They weren't bad. I'm not saying they were but it was. Almost as if I was being told in a few of those sermons that I had to work my way to those fruits of the spirit. when I look at this in context of everything the Paul saying Mike the fruits of the spirit are just going to be a natural outpouring of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit In Me. It is it is the holy spirit is in my life and I am living by faith and I'm living in love him Jesus Christ, but I'm going to start to have those fruits of the spirit. They're just going to pop up and I'm going to start to pour out of me that that is my spiritual disciplines my prayer time that is first time because I want to spend quality time with God my study time because I want to know his word not out of obligation, but because I want to know him I desire him. That's all going to be part of what's Happening Here inside of me. These are natural expressions of the Holy Spirit dwelling me. That's what's going to be the freedom. It's just going to happen. I think it's interesting.

their fruits of the spirit You're not even really mine are not fruits of Michael. All right. It's at these are still a gift from a holy and just God poured into my life so that I make then glorify him and raise him up. They were fruits of Michael. I'm using the wrong way. every time how it is.

This this is what freedom of Christ in your life is going to open up for you. Belonging to Jesus Christ, we crucify the crucify the Flesh and we keep in step with the spirit and to just walk with the spirit everyday finding ways, whether it's pits times of prayer through times of meditation through times of scripture reading through times of fellowship with fellow Believers talking about the things of God being open and honest sharing struggles and in prayer concerns sharing. The things that we don't like to share because we know we need somebody who's a Believer they're praying for us and interceding on our behalf. These what are going to be important to us. In our walk with Christ.

understand this and I've said it a couple times already. I think what what Paul is talking about as being a slave to the law is not the same thing as having these good spiritual discipline. I understand that but we're not saying don't pray don't read the Bible. No, no, no, I'll never say that.

What Paul is talking about is this check list of do's and don'ts? right Cuz the problem with the check list of do's and don'ts as they make us look righteous. Right and make it look like we're doing the right thing. They make us look pious.

but it's it's kind of like slapping a coat of paint on a termite infested house. Me look good, but it's crumbling inside. Paul wants us to look good all the way through Earth Crisis making us a new but I'm going to crumble on the inside.

Fact check list of do's and don'ts does not lead you to a closer fellowship with God a checklist of do's and don'ts doesn't leave you to a a closer fellowship with one. Another is Believers in Christ.

And this is where are called action is is from right here with Paula said am I a slave? Is there something in my life that I've got sit down with that I got to do a checklist for Again, not as a spiritual discipline. But I feel obligated to do this not out of love. And not out of faith.

Is there something in my life that I'm doing the try to keep up some sort of spiritual appearance? It doesn't necessarily draw me closer to Jesus Christ.

You know. The Joneses might be lost to I don't know. Believers in Christ were to walk in step with the spirit not to keep up with the Joneses in this manner. Your spiritual disciplines are where somebody else's are and and you have a little bit of Envy in that your thought about just having a conversation to how did you get to this point? What what did God do in your life work you to where you can pray 3 and 4 hours a day at a time where you can read a book of scripture night. How did you get there? That conversation working out. What are they done? Ask yourself today? What have you allowed yourself to be anchored to the keeps you from if you are out of step with the spirit. You see the fruits of the spirit is a natural part of your walk with Christ, or are they attached or you have to work for?

Open up the altar of the group's going to sing and pray. Those are the questions. I should ask yourself today. Azure is pondering what we've read through the whole book of Galatians, but even just today and just chapter 5.

Am I a slave to certain law? Is there something that I know? I do not because it's have Love & Faith, but I do it out of obligation.

Is there something I'm doing to keep up spiritual appearances? It's keeping me really from having true walk with Christ.

Is there something I'm anchored to the keeps me out of step with the spirit?

Are the fruits of the spirit just pouring out of me because of my walk with Christ.

Are they attached or that I got to work for? pray these things and ask God to open up your heart to father

thank you for tough passages of scripture. Thank you for pointing out where? We need to seek you rather than a checklist.

Father I ask that as we enter into our time of all the action invitation. That you would speak to our hearts. It would challenge us you would.

Invictus Pour into us what we need.

Father let us be. Read the slavery of the law.

Be sold out for you through Jesus Christ.

It's in Jesus name. I pray thee sing.

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