We continue our Galatians sermon series in chapter 2, where Paul reveals the key to running his race with endurance. We look at the life of Gideon as a type and a shadow of the New Testament Christian who realizes that they are nothing without the supernatural power of Christ. Jesus wants to tear down the stronghold of fear and unbelief that keeps us from fully surrendering to His grace.
The second chapter of Galatians is like our Emancipation Proclamation. Through the examples of Barnabas and Titus, we see that Jew and gentile alike were free to worship Christ. Barnabas, as a religious man, was tempted to slide back into law and works. While Titus on the other hand, as a gentile, was being tempted to add religious performance to his faith. The freeing grace of Jesus Christ alone is a enough. Let us not try to add our own righteousness to it; and let us contend and defend the gospel.
As we continue our sermon series in the book of Galatians, we see in Paul a man who got his revelation directly from Christ. Like Paul, we should receive firsthand revelation from God—not just secondhand revelation from pastors, teachers and books. We should also see a shift from our lives being about ourselves to being all about Jesus. The gospel is Christ-centered, not man-centered. Paul also understood that he was set apart by God. It wasn't a decision or choice that Paul made, but a work established by God.
As we continue our series in Galatians, we see Paul exhorting the church not to be deceived and dissuaded by a distorted gospel. They weren't deserting the church and religious activities, but had lost their passion for Jesus. Rather than relying on the free gift of grace, we often feel that we need to, or can, add something to Christ's completed work. We are to contend for the gospel—that it remain Christ-centered.
In the first week of our new sermon series, Pastor Gary Wilkerson sets the historical and cultural context in which the book of Galatians was written. We see that it was Paul's credo that it is through Christ and Him alone that we are set free from all things. We are not to let anything supersede the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Adultery and divorce seem to plague the church as much as the world. Where has our power gone? Why doesn't the church have a greater testimony than the world around us? In Genesis, we see the first broken relationship—between God and man. When sin enters a relationship we feel vulnerable and unprotected. In response, we go into self-preservation mode—trying to cover and hide our guilt and shame. The same thing that restores our right relationship with God is the same thing that can restore our other relationships: the holy righteousness of Christ.
The message of grace is not easy for many to receive. There are misconceptions that it excuses sin, downplays holiness and dismisses repentance. It's just not so. We see in scripture that there is a righteousness and perfect obedience required by God. His law is a holy standard that must be kept in full. The bad news is we can't do it. The good news is that Jesus did.
We are a generation of people who will know a spiritual awakening. Suddenly God will begin to stir us with the fact He is still God and we are His people. Awakening begins when God brings back His people to a place of spiritual authority in the prayer closet. If you have forgotten who you are in Christ get back into the prayer closet until the Holy Spirit begins to stir your heart again.
In King Amaziah, we see a man who "did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, yet not with a whole heart" (2 Chronicles 25:2). Many in the church today are doing the right things, but their hearts are not fully given to Christ. Is there some area of your life and heart that you have fully surrendered to Jesus? If so, how do we obtain this wholeheartedness that God talks about?