Sermons 3-13

 

Morning Audio Link Here

Evening Audio Link Here

Morning

““For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God. “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.” ” (Galatians 2:19–21, NAS)

We must understand some truths here:

I. We do not have a life any longer

a. Our life was, by law, forfeit for our sins

b. We deserved death

c. When Christ went to the cross, we are supposed to count ourselves as having gone as well

II. The life we have now is not our own

a. Christ lives in us

b. We live in the flesh

c. Yet that life in the flesh is to belong to Christ

III. Why?

a. Because He loved us

b. He gave Himself up for us---

i. (Can give without loving, but not love without giving—Amy Carmichael, missionary)

IV. What does our love return to Him?

a. The life we have now

b. Not merely a life of Law

c. But a life of righteousness, given by Christ

V. Attempting to live in obedience does not undo the Gospel of the Cross

a. Righteousness does not come through the Law

b. Righteousness comes from being crucified with Christ

VI. Christ did not die needlessly

a. Yet you might live needlessly

b. Surrender to Him

c. Live in Obedience

Evening:

“But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews? “We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified. “But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be! “For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor. ” (Galatians 2:11–18, NAS)

Two separate points to grasp here:

I. Rebuking leaders

a. Basics:

i. Recognize, first of all, that even great lights of the faith can make mistakes

ii. Recognize that there are none who have overcome sin perfectly (except Christ)

iii. Recognize that Peter was capable of making a mistake

b. For those who lead

i. If Peter can falter, so can you

ii. If Peter can take correction, so can you

iii. If Barnabas could be led aside, you can lead others aside

iv. If Barnabas could be led aside, you could be led aside too

c. For those who notice the sin

i. Public sin that leads people astray requires public repentance

ii. Public sin that threatens the Gospel must be addressed

iii. Public sin may require the uncomfortable role of public rebuke

iv. This is not being judgmental if it’s obvious

d. What to do?

i. Be clear on the Gospel

ii. Stand clearly for the Gospel

iii. Speak clearly the truth

iv. Address---actions, attitudes, appearances

v. Not---motivations or the unseen

vi. Passionately but under control

II. Racism/Culturalism

a. This cannot be overstated from this passage:

b. No one culture or race is preferred by God

c. The Law condemns all

d. Grace extends to all

e. Separating over preferred culture and ethnicity is sinful

f. We dare not treat anyone as if Christ did not die for them because of their ethnic background