The Case For Grace, Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ. Religion is no religion persecutes that even matter the religion report. One of the reasons people in our world become agnostic about God as they see what religion is God's will. The first children anything for religion do not fear not like my religion. I want to get in the history of Christianity is the religious churches persecuted believers 2000 joining up today on this additional fellowship in the work of Pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana. Let's join Pastor Bill Gebhardt now is once again he shows us how God's word are is the law of God is perfect. There's not a problem with the law. Guess who the problem you using the law is not a problem. Your problem on the problem we can keep the law is going to fumigate the lockers would had to come and because we could do it on her own but we can't be said for epilogue been given which is able impart life in righteousness would indeed have been based on the law.

But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe he says but before faith came, he said we were kept in custody under the law being shut up, the faith which was later to be revealed but we there were the Jewish people. He first talks about himself and he says we were we were caught up in the law. We were shut up by the law and we really didn't get it until Jesus Christ appeared into the Lamb of God came in the sin bearer was there and now we realize all this is the way that we get to God, he said.

Therefore the law has become our tutor, which leads us to Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith that were tutor is the word pedagogue is a great Greek word pedagogue was a particular kind of slave in a Greek household.

Their primary and only responsibility was the education of the children. If you want to pedagogue her job was to basically make sure that the children got to school.

Make sure that the children got back in school. Make sure that the children did the work. That's the pedagogue in affluent great family.

That's what they would they would have a pedagogue. He said that's the law was the law was the lead you to school. The law was the lead you to Christ. In other words, if I was using today's vernacular. I would say that the law was a school bus who drove us right to Jesus Christ.

We got on the school bus. We weren't going anywhere, but the school bus took us right, Jesus Christ. He said that's the law did the law pointed to write to Christ because the law gave you God's righteous standards and made you realize you can't do it. You need someone else to do it for you. That's what it did and so he then goes on and he says therefore the law became a tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now he said that faith has come, were no longer under the tutor will need a tutor. We got to school.

We went to Jesus he says, for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. That's how you become a son of God.

He said for all of you who were baptized, and that's not water baptism that Spirit baptism at the moment of salvation, he says, for all of you. He says who were baptized into Christ and remember I said before that when you become a believer you placed in Christ. That's why Paul wrote Galatians 220. I'm crucified with Christ. When Christ was crucified. I was crucified.

Is it makes great sense because I'm in Christ.

He said I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ lives in me.

What Christ was.

I was where I am Christ is. You see, that's what he is saying the identification through faith, he says, for all of you were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. Therefore there is no Jew or Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male and female.

You are all one in Christ to the Judaizers that you need to become one of us a proselyte like a Jew bus is absolutely not on the Christian.

I'm in Christ there is no distinction between Gentiles and Jews in Christ there is no distinction between slaves and free men in Christ there is no distinction between men and women in Christ, you see roaming in Christ.

That's what he is saying. He says, and if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendents and heirs according to the promise. So notice the logic. He solutions the logic of the Judaizers in order to be right with God.

You have to be a son of Abraham. I just made a good case that you are the sons of Abraham, you people who have faith. You are the sons of Abraham.

So easy was already a personal approach. The scriptural approach and a logical approach, but is not done now uses a historical approach what I call the family portrait approach in these first 11 verses of four is what he says. He says now I say as long as the heirs of child he does not differ from at all from a slave. Although was the owner of everything slaves don't have many rights or many possessions in all. Neither children, but the child Mondays going to be an air of everything you see. It's but you don't know what until the years comes up comes along the watch, he said, but he is under guardians and managers until the data set by the father. That's when you inherit pieces so also we the Jewish people. While we were children.

She's he says we were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world.

He said when we were just children. He's a before Christ came.

We got all tied up in the elemental things of the world. We became religious knowing, religious, and Paul is that we aptly thought we could work away to God.

We Axley thought we would be saved by God on the basis of our own religiosity, he said, but when the fullness of time came, God sent forth his son who was born of a woman and he was born under the law, so that he might redeem those who were under the law. That's us. He said that we might receive the adoption as sons. He said that's how a Jewish person becomes a son of God, accepting Jesus Christ exactly the same as a Gentile notice. We were adopted in the God's family. Now he moves to the Gentiles of the Galatians and he says you are sons.

He said because you are sons, God has sent forth his spirit of his son into your hearts, crying, father out to us that doesn't mean much to them and headed a lot of meaning into the Jew was extraordinary. It's used again by Paul, in another place in the New Testament, but what you're saying is I'm not just a son of God in a formal sense. He said I'm a son of God in the absence I was an Aramaic word but doesn't mean father Abba means daddy maybe brought before my household, we always said father I have accuse the Carbonite father maybe did that. That's had a formal but that's one image right, little girl just got our learning permit and she calls on his lap and says daddy is a difference you feel the difference is a tremendous difference.

There's an intimacy and that's what Paul likens us as we cry out Abba father will just say God the father's father, we can cry out Abba are daddy. He said therefore you are no longer slave, your son and if a son, then you're an air through God, he said.

However, at that time when you did not know God. He said you were slaves to those things which were by nature know God you were pagans you worship idols. He didn't even know God you were pagans religious pagans, but you were pagans pieces but now he says that you have come to know God or rather be known by God. How is it that you turn your back again to the weak and worthless elemental things he says to which you desire to be enslaved all over again. How could you do this, how can you be free of religion come to Christ and want to go back under religion. How would you do that is why would you want to be a slave. Notice he says you observe days and months and seasons and years I'll know a church calendar you got a calendar special days, holy days.

Some days are holy we say something to you as a Christian, every day is holy, all the same. Paul wrote to the Colossians don't you dare start observing holy days don't you observe new moons and don't dare get involved in a kind of stuff you see someone simple don't want to keep the Sabbath. I sure do. And I keep it every day of the week. I rest in Christ. You see every day is a holy day to the Christian everyday's a Sabbath of the Christian. I don't work any day. Christ did the work for me.

You sooner know and it's interesting we want say we don't believe the holy days were too sophisticated, will call them holy days we call them the full God holidays.

It's just a holiday is not a holy day might be a connection you know what that's like you special days and and just empty religiosity.

You got to do things on a special day.

We have holy seasons holy seasons whole. A time to be holy. We have a whole season to give up chocolate. That's a whole season because God can be so impressed. No more Snickers for the whole time. That's just empty religiosity.

That's all that that is a systemic I can remember as a kid I grew up in a very superstitious and cut somewhat in religious home but very superstitious from a religious point of view and I can still remember my feelings about Eastern I really thoroughly enjoyed the pizza bunnies in the eggs.

I sure but I remember somehow on Easter.

My mother Mimi were close with the most uncomfortable new close a little boy could possibly work should put me in a pair shoes are hurt my feet and outselling the think is often no Easter all is a special day. God wants to hurt my feet today anything about that we do that and the reason were vulnerable to it is were incurably religious. That's why the Judaizers succeeded here, man is incurably religious. Notice these people were incurable pagans. They came to Christ and now they want to become incurable proselyte Jews.

Legalism is Mendez tremendous tugging us. We want to become religious pulses. I fear for you that I perhaps of labor for you in vain. He so upset he said Manna tried the personal and the scriptural logical and historical arguments so as any good teacher Paul decide to go emotional just want to go emotional is and maybe if I pill your emotions. Maybe notice how he says first forwards a big is it possible big you have to feel it, he said, I beg of you, brethren become as I he said Friday he says also, as you he said look to me. He said you have done me no wrong. You haven't done me wrong, you're not hurting me by becoming legalistic Judaizing Christians hurting you. He says you know that it was because of bodily illness that I preach the gospel to you the first time Paul was apparently going through Galatia. He might've been on away somewhere else. He became so in so much pain and discomfort.

He stopped and he said I preach the gospel here.

I believe it's pretty clear as will going to see it but I believe the thorn in the flesh that Paul had.

Remember he entreated the Lord three times take this on the fly for me. God said no. Paul when you're weak I'm strong what Perley that was the thorn in the flesh, and Paul was in so much pain he could go once we stopped and he preaches the Galatians and he says in verse 14, and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or load you receive me as an angel of God is Christ himself is a remember when you look to receive me openly. Now imagine if somebody's coming here is half on the most important thing in the world for you. Have a happy is like possible and he's in so much pain. He can barely speak to you, cautious. But what does this guy have, but they listen to one notice he says in verse 15, where then is that sense of blessing you had. He said, for I bear witness.

I bill you witness that, if possible, you would've plucked out your eyes and give them the me now. You kinda know what his infirmity was tremendous problems with his eyes apparently excruciating pain. Excruciating pain in his eyes as well be a gross I problems. By the way Paul dictated all his letters except this one.

He writes, at the very end of it. He said to see how big the print is that's me writing is that I'm so upset about this. I'm a writer myself, so Paul decides the right but notice you said you would've given me your eyes. He said so in conclusion, so have I become an enemy by telling the truth. I know your enemy. Spiritual father were saved by the grace of the grace of God through faith in Christ and now I'm your enemy. He said they eagerly seek you not commendably know what they wish to shut you out so that you will seek them.

He said look, the Judaizers are playing games assist flattery and threats with them, the way religion try to warn you in and try to make you feel afraid and guilty.

He then says but is it good always to be eagerly sought and commendable manner and not only when I am present with you is that II think it's great to be sought, but not when I'm just only present with you.

You should seek me even when I'm not present he's in my children with whom I said him again and labor until Christ is formed a new lease I can't stop this. I have to keep teaching you into your in the image of Christ. I can't.

I can't just let you get saved and leave you alone. I have to give this up. He says, but I could wish to be present with you now and the change my tone he said, for I am perplexed by you is that I beg you hands up. I am so perplexed by you see this great teacher says I am trying everything I can think of to teach at this point I've tried a personal approach in a scriptural approach and a logical approach and historical approach in all human emotion approach and I kinda believe right now probably Paul probably just dropped his head to the table that he was sitting at some more. That's all I got.

The logic would be the emotional approach that's all I got. I don't know how I just don't know how to teach them anymore, and perhaps at that moment the Spirit of God and whispered in his ear. Allegory thrown an allegory because he he goes to an allegory, but you think emotional ports would've been the last one since the strongest emotion, but he doesn't and he comes up with another one, and these the people of allegories.

Maybe I can teach this principle, with an allegory.

He said tell me he says you want to be under the law, do you listen to the law. I mean you really listen to what he said, for it is written that Abraham had two sons.

He says one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman, he said, but the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, the son by the free woman. Through the promise is going to create an allegory, Abraham and Sarah C. And Hagar know he's going to treat one as the flesh like the law and the other the spirit like grace. Now it's an interesting thing when you think about it. The promises given to Abraham in a seat right and so Abraham's told my mother told Sarah's going to have a boy in air and what the Sarah do she left no he was about 100.

She was about 90 so you're approaching that kind of funny that really is but she left and then did she get pregnant right away. No years go by.

So what are they thinking laid a minute, this isn't working. I know what will do will help guide will come up with our own plan. We always help guide me. Don't that wouldn't be make sense that we would help him over. That's way religion always works. God needs help and were God, but to give it to.

So we come up with a plan so it was her plan how, but if you take my maidservant Hagar and you impregnate her and she has a baby, how would that be. That's what Paul likens the law as man's plan is best plan how that worked out. By way, it's still not working out that is still been a mess and that part of the world ever since this great plan was launched.

So, notice what Paul then says this is allegorically speaking for these women are two covenants. One proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves is that she is Hagar know he said this Hagar is is says is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.

Paul always says this you want to put a yoke on yourself become religious because you become a slave to it and what you have to perform. If you don't perform your big trouble. You can escape. He views the law as slavery. He views grace as freedom.

He support is written. Rejoice, barren woman who does not bear break forth and shout.

He says you are not labor for more numerous are the children of the desolate than the one who has a husband he says and you brother like Isaac your children the promise, you're not like Ishmael you like Isaac and the children of the promise the Judaizers are like Ishmael, he said, but as at that time he was born according to the flesh persecuted him and was born according to the spirit and so would it is now also when the principal is prophetic religion always persecutes grace always always has. Religion is known for persecution religion.religion persecutes that even matter the religion you persecute one of the reasons people in our world become agnostic about God as they see what religion is done through all the centuries. All it does persecute one another kill each other anything for religion do not if you're not like my religion. I want to do and that's what it did in the history of Christianity, the history of Christendom is no better the religious churches persecuted believers for 2000 years is an amazing thing persecutes its threatened and so then he goes on and says this, but what does the Scripture say cast out the bondwoman and her son for the son of the bondwoman shall not be the heir with the son of the free woman. He said no Judaizers going in here when you inherit. He says so then brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman wing of the free and so he uses an allegorical approach. Think about that a personal approach a scriptural approach a logical approach in historical approach and emotional approach and allegorical approach all the teach one truth, the case for grace you're saved by faith and faith alone in Christ and Christ alone and is on the basis completely on the basis of God's amazing grace. That's it. That's what is trying to teach what they do about it much and we do look at that first verse of chapter 5. He says it was for freedom that Christ set us free. Therefore, here's what he wants of them keep standing firm do not subject yourself again in the over slavery keep standing firm now. What a given image for you when you imagine yourself as a person who is a recipient of the grace of God. How you keep yourself standing firm is just a picture but it can help. This is my part of the teaching.

I want you to imagine yourself as a sumo wrestler okay I want you to get the sumo diaper on and and I want you to think of yourself to 300 pounds bigger than you are okay now you seem so much right. What's the whole point of the sumo sea was the whole point. Stand firm must appoint a sumo wrestling try to move me you just try to move me. By the way is easy to move a sumo if you're not a sumo you have no chance to get across the mat run full speed to not move in a sumo everything about his training ebbing about a center of gravity. Everything about him is the stand firm. That's we should be when it comes in the grace of God we should be sumo their religious bullies in every generation and will do everything they can to move you off the spot pauses.

No no no, whatever it is you stand firm become us sumo wrestler. What a great teacher. The apostle Paul is the truth that he was trying to teach that we are justified before God by faith and faith alone in Christ and Christ.

Our salvation is only on the basis of God's amazing grace is what's neat about this morning versus any other morning you have to take my word for you have to interact with me. You have to get the car and go to lunch in Seattle that he was very clear because if you have a problem with this message, you don't really have a problem with me, you have a problem with the apostle Paul, one of the greatest teachers who ever lived.

The spring father. The apostle Paul saw this is so important that he devoted two chapters to just try to make his case. The distinction between grace and law between slavery and freedom between salvation and being lost between having a life of joy and a life of guilt and fear. Father I pray that the Galatians got the message.

The way I pray that we get the message. It appears to me father that they got it because never wrote a second Galatians and for us.

Father, I don't know but I do know that the tug of religiosity and the temptation of legalism is great and everyone of us. Father I pray that we allow this wonderful book of Galatians and especially his teaching of Paul.

The challenges to understand that there's not a thing that we can add the finished work of Jesus Christ.

And if we try we discredit his work in father that we are saved by your amazing grace that we are saved by putting our faith and trust in Christ. Christ pastoral gift card on the radio ministry of fellowship in the world.

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