A Little Thing Makes A Big Difference, Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ. Remember earlier in Galatians. I said was all the glory of God. You know why mankind is added little bits of work in salvation. You got to be baptized God to the sacrament. You gotta be a good guy got in line for the glory I earned.

I did it see what I've done. I've done this God is insurable, not with anyone for joining us today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana. Let's join Pastor Bill got for now is once again he shows us how God's word meets nobody is more shocked by our spiritual and I have an idea possible. Verse six he jumps right in. I am amazed I am amazed King James Morrow NIV astonished. But if you read this that great word is an interesting word by Manzo, and I actually believe the best interpretation I could come up with is bewildered. I am bewildered. I am shocked. I am astonished why he says that you are so quickly deserting him I'm bewildered by that. How could you do certain Jesus Christ.

How could you be doing that were deserting as a military word. The idea of a military desertion or something else about it when he says, deserting that verb is reflexive is not passive.

It's not like I don't know what's happening. I'm just kinda drifting.

It means I'm doing voluntarily.

He said I am dessert wiring and I'm astonished by this.

How can you be deserting him.

It's only the beginning, tell you something 46 chapters, Paul is spitting mad is that bad the whole way through because of what is at stake here. The apostle Paul sees the problem here and he sees what's at stake. In fact, in every epistle he writes even to the Corinthians, which are the worst local church in the New Testament by a mile.

He says something nice about. He doesn't say one nice thing to the Galatians that one because of the nature what's going on there. Paul said, I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting him who called you by the grace of Christ for a different gospel a different gospel. Paul says they're coming in here not giving you a different gospel that you might be thinking were they trying to lead him into some kind of falling pagan deities when they trying to do something really crazy or out. No, no, no, not at all. You are the Judaizers said we believe Jesus is the Messiah. We believe Jesus is the son of God. We believe Jesus died on the cross for your sins. We believe all that and now you need to believe that Paul is right about that, but there's a couple other little things you need to do. Just little things we can believe in Jesus you will Paul call that a different gospel is a different gospel effectively give you an example of it.

Hold your place or just turn the chapter 5 the Galatians, you sorta get a little glimpse into it.

Paul writes it was for freedom that Christ set us free.

Therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery. Behold hi Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision. Christ will be of no benefit to you and I testify again to every man who receive circumcision, that he is under obligation then to keep the whole law. You have been severed from Christ, you are seeking to be justified by the law.

You are fallen from grace knows what he is saying here what were the Judaizers, saying what look you need to believe in Jesus everything the postage true but you also have to be circumcised. You see the covenant with Abraham is sealed through circumcision is the mark of Abraham a covenant and if you're going to get to heaven if you are going to be say people you need to be circumcised not believe in Jesus, that's fine, but you also need to be circumcised on top of that, and Paul calls that a different gospel. You see all they are doing to him is what's been done to so many of us they're saying it's Jesus Christ all yards Jesus Christ but just have to add to it. Just a little bit just add a little bit and all that is a somebody telling you that that is a king snake in your sleeping bag, but it's not. It's a coral snake.

A completely different snake and that snake can be deadly. So, can this gospel. Notice what he says he goes in verse seven, which is really not another because I understand the gospel means good news actually means. Best news is not really another good news is only one good news. There's only one best news. He said, but I'm just saying it's a different gospel. So he says, which is not really another only. There are some who are disturbing you know I love that there are some he says who are disturbing you know when you see this is kind of an interesting word. This idea being disturbed.

It literally means to shake you like this to sorta grab you by the shoulders and neck and shake you because I know what they're doing they are disturbing you. They are doing this to you and then he says this he says, and they want in his of the truth of it comes to distort the gospel of Christ.

They want to distort the gospel of Christ. That's with her after Jesus Christ plus circumcision your saved just Jesus Christ you're lost if you know anything about rudimentary mathematics.

What would cross out of the equation. Jesus Christ, you are saved by circumcision and screw the last 2000 years.

The churches try to do the same thing all if you're not baptized you not say you can't be said if you want but want you not say it only people who are baptized in water saved only people who take the sacraments are saved, you need to believe in Jesus. He is a son of God, but you gotta do this if you don't do this you not say you see you got believe in Jesus Christ, we have to show up in church, you have to give a certain amount of money have to be religious. Gotta be a good guy gotta be good lady whatever it is it's always Christ plus something Paul says that's a distortion of the gospel.

A complete distortion is something else is a poison mushroom or coral snake is not a king snake or an edible mushroom. It is something else and it is dangerous. See Paul is saying this grace can be destroyed, but it can't be modified. You can't modify the grace of God's grace can be rejected but can't be changed. You can't make grace something else than what it is the free gift of God that you can receive. You can't make it something else and that's what they were trying to do on the surface it looks kind of benign, I mean come on, what's the harm they just want to be circumcised from not only does Paul say that there's nobody that should have a more authority in your life and I do, and that nobody is more shocked by her spiritual. I have even Paul. But here's what else pauses here. He says nobody who distorts the gospel of Jesus Christ will escape the judgment of God. Nobody who distorts the gospel of Jesus Christ can escape the judgment of God.

Notice what he says in verse eight he says. But even if we what you mean way he means him.

Paul says if I ever preach to you.

Another gospel than what I preached you.

I'm included in this group. Then he says or an angel from heaven if Michael the Archangel Gabriel the proclaimer, and they tell you I have a message and it's different than the gospel to Paul preach the Galatians. He said there including this group.

Notice what he says even we are an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed. There is no stronger word in New Testament anathema accursed. That's what he says is having dedicated to destruction.

If anybody comes preaching any other gospel. They are to be accursed. According to the apostle Paul. You see, his inference is clear no title gives anyone licensed to preach another gospel. No tradition gives anybody a license to preach another gospel. Nobody has that authority.

Nobody. That's what Paul was saying she would come up so often we say, but it's always been our tradition. That's the way the church is always seen it. That's why Luther this Catholic priest when he read the Galatians understood and finally he got it and that's why he came out he said Sola FITA faith alone saves that's it. Faith alone saves and you know what the response was we don't think so. Not all we say you must keep the sacraments, you must be a member of the church. That's what you must do so when Luther's response. Sola Scripture Laura the Scriptures alone have authority not you. You don't have authority.

The Scriptures have authority Sola FITA Sola Scripture you see. And the reason is that so important is because of what's at stake, the eternal destiny of people. So Paul says is strong language is a card if I do it. If an angel does it. He is to be accursed. Now you might.

When asked the question what what was the gospel that Paul preached. Well, let's hold you place your list of the couple passages. First let's go to look at the content in first Corinthians 15 first Corinthians chapter 15 now hear Paul writing to the Corinthians, says this now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you have received in which you stand. By which you been saved if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. That is the content for I delivered to you as a first importance what I also received that Jesus Christ or Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, he says, and that he appeared to Cephas and then the 12. After that, he appeared to more than 500 brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some are fallen asleep and then he appeared to James and all the apostles and last of all, he says, as it were, to one untimely born, he appeared to me also. That's the content he just said Jesus Christ dying on the cross and rising from the dead, but there's a dynamic to this as well. Look at Ephesians chapter 2 now the context of this is reminding me. Ephesians how they were saved and he wants in on them to understand where they came from. So that's why in verse one it says and you were dead in your trespasses and sins.

We all were all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The wages of sin is death, so he tells Ephesians, you were dead. Everyone was spiritually dead and then he says of the anniversary we were by nature children of wrath, but in verse four he says God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, he made us alive together with Christ you in a great he's made us alive and then he says them.

Explain how the dynamic by grace you have been saved and he raised us up with him and he seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus set out in the ages to come he might show the surpassing riches of his grace and the kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. And then these two great versus actually 34 by grace you have been saved through faith and that is not of yourselves is a gift of God is not a result of works, no one so no one can boast in any says we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Is there a place for good works in our lives.

Yes, post salvation. After we are saved. There's a place for us to live for God.

But before we are saved, absolutely not otherwise would boast otherwise would say we earned it. Remember earlier Galatians. I said that it was all the glory of God. You know why mankind is added little bits of work in salvation. You got to be baptized God to the sacrament. You gotta be a good guy got it.

You know why, for the glory.

I earned it. I did it see what I've done. I've done this God doesn't share glory, not with anyone you see that idea wanting some of God's glory is exactly why Lucifer fell. God doesn't share his glory is certainly not going to share with us well.

Back to Galatians verse nine, Paul says, as we have said before I say it again. Now if any man preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received. He is to be accursed that you might want to say this. Maybe Paul is using the word like in hyperbole. Maybe just means I don't like that guy now. It's a very powerful word. In fact, turn with me now to Romans chapter 9 Romans chapter 9 and Paul knows the definition of anathema. You see, Paul was criticized not only were they saying he wasn't really an apostle, but they Judaize her said Paul wasn't really a good Jew Paul relate to him that's fighting words know what Paul said, I'm Jewish. In fact, he and per infers that on the most Jewish man on this planet.

He said I was circumcised. See, I am so circumcised you all by the way, I also belong to the tribe of Benjamin, which is the best tried to belong to. They were the first in the battle but I'm not just a circumcised member of the tribe of Benjamin.

He said I'm a Pharisee is a Pharisee that separates me from everybody else. By the way, when all the Pharisees got together. I wasn't just a Pharisee. I was the Pharisee of the Pharisees. You see, that was his whole point pulses don't ever let anyone tell you I wasn't Jewish enough. I'm an extremely Jewish man and here he reveals his heart for Israel and for the Jews. He says in verse one of chapter 9 of Romans. I'm telling the truth in Christ.

I am not lying. My conscious testifies with me and the Holy Spirit. He said that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart.

The fact that the Jews rejected Jesus Christ as the Messiah breaks his heart and Paul says, for I could wish that I myself were accursed separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsman according to the flesh. Paul said, I love the Jewish people so much that if they would turn as a nation, the Jesus Christ I would give up my eternal life. How many people would do that 20 to give up your physical light.

But how about your eternal life post that I would do that I would become anathema I would become accursed. So when Paul says he has incredible anger in these words, I don't care if I say I don't care if an angel says I don't care if someone else comes preaching at anybody. Anybody who tries to sell you a distorted gospel. Let them be accursed. Let them be anathema if I want to use terminology.

I mean this in the right way.

In the context of a R English in our slang. Paul would say let them go to hell because that's where the you see this is important to Paul. This is imposing you know everyone has an opinion and am you will have that on little nuances can we all just get along.

Paul wasn't saying that at all when it comes to the gospel of Jesus Christ. It matters. That's why said no one should have more authority than I have.

When it comes to the gospel and none was more shocked than I am when I see how naïve you are and how easy your suede but understand nobody who distorts the gospel is going to be able escape the judgment of God. There's no wiggle room here. None. Paul realizes what's at stake, the eternal destiny of people.

If you believe the gospel that Paul preached to save if you believe the gospel that the Judaizers preached your lost. That's the eternal destiny of people that's important.

Secondly, he believes it's the essence of the Christianity is the essence of our faith is the essence of grace or something else Paul realized that it diminishes the greatness of Jesus Christ. That's why subset you see when you say what you need to believe in Jesus but you get to do something what you're doing you diminishing Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ a lot of stuff but not all enough. I'm nitpicking now and I'm gonna do a little that's diminishing Jesus Christ. Don't diminish Jesus Christ.

You see, it's Jesus Christ. He's the one okay and he's the one is live. He's the one who died. He's the one who was raised. He's the one who ascended. He's the one who gets the credit not you and not me, not our organization not a denomination, not our history, not our tradition. Jesus Christ gets it. Paul understands what's at stake if you have been exposed to Christ plus anything, let me tell you right from the word of God that is a different gospel. It is not the same. See you can't judge other versions of the gospel based on the similarities you can't hear this all the time. Well, they they believe in Jesus. They believe Jesus Christ was the son of God, they believe that great but also they believe while they believe that you have to do this to get saved. That's a different gospel listen Lucifer.

As I said he believes in Jesus the son of God not a member of the gospel group you see as a very different kind of thing you can't do that you can't change it to be like this. Your intensive care life hanging in the balance and the doctor comes in and says this is our only chance. He said I'm to give you an injection is going to give an injection of some medication now, you probably know that medication breaks down to some chemical formula that's what it is. It's gonna be some chemical formula is going to have hydrogen and oxygen cart. Whatever it is this good have molecules and atoms all I and it's going to have a formula, so he gives it to you. This is only a minute, wait a minute, I forgot to tell you this is in exactly the same as the one it would save your life. But it's close.

It's really close is just a couple out of the little things are done but it's close. It's almost the same as you feel about that. How would you respond in anger. I hope because when it comes your life closes in good enough becomes your eternal life close is not good enough. You see, that's the point of the apostle Paul anything else any gospel anything else is just like getting bit by a coral snake or eating poison mushroom the spring. Father, I fear that we live in a world that's so eclectic, so pluralistic that we want to believe that every path will lead to your presence and his wonderful thought is that his father we know it cannot be backed up in the Scriptures. Jesus Christ said I am the way the truth and the life and no one will come to the father but through me. Jesus also taught us is broad is the way to destruction, and narrow is the gate to find eternal life, and few are those who find it. Father I pray that as believers in Jesus Christ and we are very careful when we share his good news that we make it abundantly clear to those who hear his gospel that there is an anything they can add to his finished work on the cross but they can only receive the free gift of salvation by putting their trust in his person in his finished work on the cross. Father I pray that if somebody comes out of a tradition by which they were telling them our whole lives that you need to believe in Jesus, but you need to do something else. May they be challenged by your word, seek out the truth to stop listening to the tradition start listening to the word of God is pastor Bill Gerhart, the radio ministry of fellowship, nor if you ever missed one of our broadcasting or maybe you just like the message one more time. Remember, you can Google a great website called one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen the fellowship and the word online that website you will find on today's broadcast. So many of our previous audio programs as well at Fellowship in the Word.

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