![Galatians 6:11-18 A Grace-filled, Cross-Centered Gospel Goodbye, Pam Larson (4-24-2020)]()
April 23, 2020
A Grace-filled, Cross-Centered Gospel Goodbye
CONTEXT:
Paul’s grace-filled greeting (Gal 1:1-5) introduced us to the gospel that is from God and for God’s glory.
- Paul defended his authority and the one true gospel in chapters 1-2.
- He explained the gospel of grace and the glorious freedom it brings in chapters 3-4.
- And in chapters 5-6, he applied the gospel by commanding us to love and serve one another in everyday life.
Paul ends this letter (Gal 6:18) with “ … the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers.”
STRUCTURE:
The cross is the center of this passage, and it has been a central theme in Galatians.
- V12-13 The cross and circumcision (notice circumcision 3x in v12-13)
- V14 The cross- our only boast
- V15 A new creation not circumcision (notice circumcision 2x in v15)
OUTLINE:
1- The Cross Exposes Our Motives
- The Motives of the Judaizers (6:12-13) SELF-boasting
- Their pride
- Their persecution-avoiding
- Their Pharisaical actions
- The Motives of Paul (6:14-17) CROSS-boasting
- The power of the cross
- The purpose of the cross
- The Person of the cross
2- The Cross Defines Our New Life
![Galatians 6:1-10 Burden-bearing, Pam Larson (4-10-2020)]()
April 10, 2020
Galatians 6:1-10
Burden-bearing: our spiritual life as a believer, under grace not law, is evidenced by loving one another and persevering in doing good.
A. The Dangers/warnings are stark.
Temptation v1
Deception v3
Pride v3-4
Boasting v4
not sowing to the Spirit v8
weariness v9
B. The Commands are many:
1-Watchfully and gently restore v1
2-Lovingly and humbly bear one another’s burdens v2
3-Test your own work v4
4-Share all good things with your teachers v6
5-Sow to the Spirit v8
6-Do not grow weary; do not give up v9
7-Do good to everyone v10
C. The Stakes are huge according to verse 8:
We reap what we sow!
Galatians tells us what Jesus purchased for us on the cross. It is because of Jesus we have:
DELIVERANCE
FREEDOM
JUSTIFICATION
REDEMPTION
ADOPTION
THE SPIRIT!
IDENTITY: IN Christ
How specifically are we to be like Jesus in this passage?
GENTLY-RESTORING: Because Jesus has restored us
WATCH-KEEPING: (temptation): Because Jesus suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
BURDEN-BEARING: Because Jesus bore our burden at the cross and has given us the Spirit, we can care for one another, by bearing others’ burdens and doing good to all.
HUMILITY: Phil 2
SHARING & GIVING: Because Jesus gave His very life, we are to share with one another. Sacrificial giving, like Jesus gave.
DOING GOOD: Because Jesus is good, always good, we will seek every opportunity to do good.
NOT GROWING WEARY: Because Jesus never grows weary, we can turn to Him for more grace when we feel like giving up; Heb 12; 2 Cor 12:9
Benediction from Heb 13:20-21
Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
April 6, 2020
Barbara's original title was "Teaching the Gospel to Children." Sadly, many of us are not clear about the difference between moralistic behaviorism and gospel-centered teaching. We would never teach an adult that God’s acceptance of us is based on our behavior. But we often apply the Bible to children in this way. How easily we twist the beauty of the gospel of grace into the subtle deception of moralism. Come hear how to keep the gospel central as you talk with, discipline, and teach the children in your life.
As the corona virus pandemic swept the globe, Barbara adjusted her message slightly, "How to Teach the Gospel During a Pandemic!"
![Galatians 5:13-26, Our Freedom, Our Fight, Our Flesh and God’s Fruit in Our Lives, Pam Larson, 3.27.2020]()
March 27, 2020
Our Freedom, Our Fight, Our Flesh and God’s Fruit in Our Lives
Galatians 5:13-26 | Pam Larson | 3.27.2020
1-Our Freedom (13-15)
2-Our Fight (16-18)
- HOPE for the fight … 3 reasons ...
- 1-Because of A promise! the Spirit’s help! (16)
- 2-Because the battle is real and is hard!- but we have the Spirit (17)
- 3-Because if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. (18)
- So we have the Spirit living in us, we WALK in the Spirit, we are led by the Spirit and we plead for the Spirit’s help in fighting the battle.
- We also need the Word, God’s promises, to fight this battle against the flesh.
3-Our Flesh (19-21) (Paul contrasts our flesh with the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.)
4- God’s Fruit (22-23)
- Love, joy and peace all are “gospel overflows” of the saving grace of Christ in our lives
- Those lead to the sweet ways we then interact with others around us...with patience, kindness and goodness
- As the fruit of the Spirit ripens, our radical transformation manifests in faithfulness, gentleness and self-control...becoming more and more like Jesus.
Our Ongoing Fight (24-26)
- An imperative- walk by the Spirit/keep in step with the Spirit
- An indicative- Because you are crucified with Christ, and have crucified the flesh, keep crucifying those fleshly desires, walking by the Spirit, living by the Spirit, keeping in step with the Spirit
We are free from sin and death, free to love, fighting our flesh in the power of the Spirit and walking, living, being led by the Spirit. This means we are continually directed by and influenced by the Spirit, and His fruit.
March 16, 2020
The False Gospel of Feminism (ADRIEN SEGAL)
How does our having our identity rooted in Jesus give us the tools to discern and confront the subtle worldly influences that surround us? Adrien will share how she has grown in understanding the Bible’s high calling for women and the joys promised to us.
![Galatians 5:1-12 Christ is All or Christ is Nothing (Pam Larson)]()
March 13, 2020
AIM: See the clear choice—Christ is all or Christ is nothing! We can’t add to Jesus’ work on the cross.
The math:
- Christ + anything = NOTHING
- Christ + nothing = EVERYTHING
1--Christ is nothing
A. IF-- Circumcision accepted (v2-4)
- No advantage (2); obligated to keep the whole law (3);
- severed from Christ (4) and fallen away from grace
B. THEN--Continued warnings (v7-12)
- hindered you from running well (7)
- NOT from him who calls you! (8)
- leaven (9) is legalism ...clean it out! “Cast out” (4:30) the false gospel of legalism.
- will face penalties!
- And a word of hope here: Paul is persuaded that the false teachers will NOT ultimately win the Galatians over to their view….why? Paul has His confidence in the LORD!!)
- troubling you (10) … the false teachers will face penalties!
- Persecuted you (11)
- take away the offense of cross by preaching salvation is Jesus plus circumcision (11)
- Unsettled you (12)
- emasculate themselves (12)
2- Christ is all! (v5-6)
- through the SPIRIT
- by FAITH
- HOPE!
- in CHRIST
- only FAITH
G.R.A.C.E.—God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense
G.R.A.C.E.—God’s Rescuing And Caring Exertion (John Piper)
Cross-references: 1 Corinthians 15; Romans 5; Romans 11:29; John 8:31-32; Jeremiah 32:40; 1 Corinthians 1:8–9; Philippians 1; Jude 24; 1 Thess 5:23-24; Romans 8:30; 1 John 2:19; Hebrews 3:14
March 5, 2020
Galatians 4:21-5:1
My aim for us this week is that we would understand our identity in Christ as children of promise, and that because we know our identity we would walk in the freedom that Christ purchased for us on the cross.
- vv. 21-23: Paul engages the Galatians with a contrasting analogy related to Abraham
- vv. 24-30: Paul explains the analogy to the Galatians
- vv. 24-25: Hagar represents slavery to the law
- vv. 26-28: Galatian believers are free/children of promise
- vv. 29-30: Like Isaac, the Galatian believers are being persecuted by those who are born according to the flesh
- 4:31-5:1: Paul encourages the Galatian believers by reminding them of their identity and exhorts them to stand firm in grace/freedom.
February 27, 2020
Become as I am!! In Christ ... Christ in you!
1- IN Christ (Become as I am! … I am IN CHRIST.)
- How? (12)
- Why? (12c-14) Remember…..
- 1- He was WEAK (13)
- 2- But they WELCOMED him (14)
- 3 theories
- What? (15-16) But now? …..
- Contrasting motives (17-18)
- Motherly pain (19-20)
2- Christ in you (Until Christ is formed in you!)
“Christ being formed in us is the same as our being formed in Christ. For we are born that we may be new creatures in him. And he, on the other hand, is born in us so that we may live his life.” (Calvin, John, John Calvin's Commentaries On St. Paul's Epistles To The Galatians And Ephesians, p86)
- Col 1:27-29 Christ IN me!
Become like Paul who is IN CHRIST, free and not under the law.
Become like Christ! … Christ IN you!
February 20, 2020
VV.1-7: You are no longer a slave, but a son
- VV.1-2: Paul explains the heir/child/slave dynamic
- VV.3-5: Paul applies the model to their situation
- VV.6-7: Paul gives evidence of their adoption to remind them of their status
VV. 8-11: Don’t go back to slavery!
- V.8: Paul reminds the Galatians of their previous status
- V.9-11: Paul contrasts God’s choosing of the Galatians with their wandering
February 13, 2020
Galatians 3:15-29
Promise and Law: Leading Us to Jesus
A. Promise and Law (15-18)
B. WHY the Law? (19-25)
- The law was added “because of transgressions.” (increased sin, 3:19, 24)
- The law was temporary. (In force only until Christ, 3:19)
- The law was inferior. The promise is BETTER! (intermediary 3:19-20)
- The law was not contrary to the promise. (3:21)
- The law could not give life. (3:21-25)
- Imprisoned
- Captive
- Guarded
6. The law pointed to Jesus!
C. Trace OFFSPRING
- Genesis 3:15
- Gal 4:4
- WHO is the promise made to? (16)
- Mediator? (19)
- NOW who are we? (29)
D. Trace CHRIST
- Promise to Christ (16)
- Law until Christ (19)
- Both fulfilled in Christ (22-25)
- Identity in Christ (26)
- Identity in Christ leads to Unity in Christ (26-29)
