06 May Jesus’ Grace + Nothing = Salvation (Galatians 1:1-10)
Did you know that not only is God at work in your life right now….but so is Satan? Everything God creates for good, Satan counterfeits for your evil. In this sermon you will learn the key to total transformation – how Jesus works for you, in you, and through you! And, you will learn five questions for counterfeits to help you not settle for anything less than a real relationship with the real Jesus that really works.
I counterfeited my birth certificate, worked 7-11, taught to detect counterfeit ID & $
- Anything valuable counterfeited – autographs, sneakers, $
- Most valuable – relationship w/God
2 Protestant Reformation books – Romans (gospel is) Galatians (gospel is not)
Galatians – 149 verses, 20 minutes
Luther: “The Epistle to the Galatians is my Epistle; I have betrothed myself to it; it is my wife.”
“the battle-cry of the Reformation,” “the Christian declaration of independence”
God Creates – Satan Counterfeits
Gospel of Jesus Christ-False gospels; God given redemption-Man made religion
Truth-Lies; Shepherds-Wolves; Church-False spirituality; Kingdom-World
God’s grace-Man’s works; Angels-Demons; Spirit-Flesh; Love-Hate; Life-Death
Gospel wood boat carry God’s people home; barnacles– drag, rot , sink – little 1 @ time
3 Ways Jesus Works
Galatians 1:1-5 Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— and all the brothers who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
1. Jesus works for you
“the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age”
“Jesus Christ…raised from the dead”
Grace & Peace
“Grace to you and peace from God”
Grace – someone needs to do something = Jesus not you “it is finished”
Worship leader conversation
Grace – brings peace
College gal every week
Why is grace hard? We earn everything (desert, grades, points, $) no – free ride/lunch
2. Jesus works in you
Paul – Php 3:4-9 If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith
- Walked upwards 20 miles day
- Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, possibly Latin
Paul Barnett “1st theologian in the early church, & arguably the greatest in the history of Christianity”
Chrysostom “Put the whole world on one side of the scale & you will see that the soul of Paul outweighs it
Martin Luther “the wisest man after Christ.”NT – 13/14 of 27 books, Acts 13-28; Luke
- NT – 13/14 of 27 books, Acts 13-28; Luke
- From religious terrorist to apostle
- If God can use Paul He can use you
From religious terrorist to apostle
If God can use Paul He can use you
3. Jesus works through you
“God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”
- Fruit – not saved by good works, but saved to good works
- Planted church Galatia, left, false teachers came in (sheep, shepherds, wolves)
- Urgency – no welcome, prayer
- People are the product of their teaching
Kids & diet
5 Questions for Counterfeits
Galatians 1:6-10 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Context: Gentile Christians – religious people show up to add Culture/Tradition to Gospel
Motive: upgrade, improve, fix gospel
1. Is there a “new gospel?
Jesus’ grace + nothing = salvation
Jesus grace + human works = salvation
Galatians = circumcision
- Mormons & JW’s – another book
- Islam – Mohammed & Koran
- Hinduism – suffer & repay
- Purgatory – die & repay
Varsity XN – speak tongues, baptized, tithe, fast, missions trip, Bible trans, right church
My HS friend – KJV, missions, street witnessing, poverty, intense & died
2. Is there suspicion or rejection of other Christians?
Rejected “Paul” & “all the brothers who are with me”
Galatians intense, Turkey trip (like military, athlete)
3. Is there demonic revelation?
“an angel from heaven” “preach a gospel contrary” “accursed”
- Largest cult – Mormonism Maroni & Joseph Smith atop buildings
- Largest non-XN religion – Islam Muhammed Gabriel & others
= legalism is demonism
Summer boating – algae brought in on 1 boat & ruining the lake & dam
4. Is the dominant mood love of God or fear of man?
“am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
5. Has grace (what you get to do because God saved you) become law (what you have to do so God will save you)?
You don’t have to be perfect, Jesus was perfect
You don’t have to pay God back, Jesus paid your debt.
We’re gonna (worship, sing, take communion, unburden, forgive others) because we GET TO!
