You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? Galatians 3:1-3 NIV
Pastor Jeremy Smith of Crosspoint Church in Niceville, Florida, continued the Sermon Series, Freedom, recapping Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Below are the links to the previous notes from this sermon series:
In this week’s message, we find Paul further explaining to the church about the freedom found in accepting Jesus alone for their salvation. He starts this portion of his message pretty seriously, calling them “foolish.”
I don’t know about you, but when someone starts a conversation with me using the word “foolish,” it generally gets my attention. And the use of the word “foolish” comes on the heels of me doing something stupid.
In this case, Paul was struggling with a church that he planted, and a group of “false” teachers came in behind him, telling the Gentile believers who accepted the saving grace of Jesus Christ that it was not enough and that they had to follow the Jewish laws and customs.
The same laws that Jesus came to set us free.
The same laws that they could not keep themselves.
I’ve worked in sales most of my working life. And there is a sales process that brings about the result of sales when followed. When sales start to languish, the one thing that we do is, go back to the basics. We review the process and follow the steps to bring about the sales we seek.
The only thing that is similar to our walk in the Christian faith is that sometimes we have to be reminded that it was the work of Jesus on the cross that has brought about our salvation. God even provides us with the faith to believe.
What Paul does with the Galatians; he brings them back to where God started to build the church with Abraham.
‘So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. ‘ Galatians 3:6-9
Even going back to the covenant between God and Abraham, the promise was always upon God’s strength, not ours.
‘Abram believed the Lord , and he credited it to him as righteousness. He also said to him, “I am the Lord , who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.” But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord , how can I know that I will gain possession of it?” So the Lord said to him, “Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.” Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half. Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. Then the Lord said to him, “Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. You, however, will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age. In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.” When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates— the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, ‘ Genesis 15:6-20
The practice was when two entities were to enter into a covenant; they would cut the sacrifice in two, as we see Abraham do with God. And the two parties that were entering the agreement would walk between the two halves to seal the covenant. But not in this covenant.
“When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with the a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram…”
The law is necessary to show us that we need a Savior. If we are guilty of one part of the law, we are guilty of all of the law. There was nothing we could do to live by the law with this being the case. And the only sacrifice that would ever free us from our obligation to the law is Jesus.
It is so important to know the promises of God. And it is His promises that we hang all of our hopes on. Not that we can live up to the perfect standard outlined in the law, that is impossible for us but not for Jesus.
‘For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. ‘ 2 Corinthians 1:20
God’s promises are “Yes” and “Amen” in Jesus Christ.
‘To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come. But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! ‘ Romans 5:13-17
People are rebellious by nature.
I remembered a Sunday a couple of years ago, I was sitting in church, and I had decided that I would mow the lawn and surprise my wife when I got home. My wife was out for the day, and I know that she would appreciate that I had taken the initiative to do this.
I got home, I made a sandwich, and I was going to get moving when I finished my sandwich.
I had my earphones in, getting ready to listen to a good message while mowing, and then the phone rang. My wife asked how I was doing, and she ended the conversation with this question, “Would you mind mowing the lawn today?”
From that question, I lost my willingness to mow the lawn. I was mad that she had asked me to do it.
I went from “willing” to “unwilling” with one question.
I think about that even to this day.
I ended up mowing the lawn, but when it was no longer my idea, I didn’t do it as willingly as I was prepared to do it.
I think that it is essential to keep the promises of God first and foremost in our minds, and that, coupled with gratitude for what Jesus did for us, allows us to serve God willingly through faith.
All of us are born in the image of God, but it is only through Jesus Christ that we become children of God.
‘Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ‘ John 14:6
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word and promise.
I pray that You will help me keep my heart submitted to Your Will in my thoughts, actions, and words.
I pray that with every thought, word, and action, Jesus shines through me.
I am grateful for the Pastors who faithfully preach the Word of God every week.
In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen!! 🙏❤️
