Slippery Slope

Re:Verse passage – Galatians 5:1-15 (day seven)

A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. vs. 9

One bad apple spoils the barrel. It only takes a few degrees to get off course. We have heard these idioms time and time again, but the truth of the message is important to hear often. If we allow ourselves to compromise on our ideals in even minuscule situations, it begins a slippery slope that could lead to total corruption. We are not saying that going 75mph down 281 on my way to church this morning will lead me to apostasy, but it is a calling for us to think about the places where sin and other disruptors have a foothold into our lives. The Galatians in this instance found themselves immersed in a battle with legalism that threatened their entire trajectory as a church. It is important that we look for these areas in our own lives and solidify our theology, so that we do not fall into corruption individually or corporately.

Hope in New Jerusalem

Re:Verse passage – Galatians 4:21-31 (day seven)

But the Jerusalem above is free. vs 26

Did you know that you belong to a Kingdom that is not of this world (John 18:36)? Through the New Covenant, you belong to the New Jerusalem. In this Jerusalem, “there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain” (Revelation 21:4).  As Pastor Chris said last week, we have hope because we know the end of the story. When the trials of this world seem too much, we have hope because we know Jesus is with us. When it seems like we will never be good enough, we have hope because Jesus is enough. When it seems like there is no one we can trust, we have hope because Jesus is King.

Even when the old Jerusalem is surrounded by chaos, we have hope because we know that the New Jerusalem will resound with praise. King Jesus, let Your Kingdom come quickly! In the meantime, we pray for the peace of Jerusalem and the salvation of all.

Be Like Me

Re:Verse passage – Galatians 4:12-20 (day seven) 

 I beg of you, brethren, become as I am. Galatians 4:12

Comments like this from Paul used to unnerve me. In my naivety as a young bible college student, I did not understand how Paul could be so arrogant as to tell us to act more like him. Why doesn’t he just tell me to act more like Jesus? Now that I am wiser (a little bit at least), I get it. Paul was a walking example of Jesus to people who never saw Jesus in real life. He got to be Jesus to them through the Holy Spirit working inside him. The truth is, the young Rick was not as unnerved by Paul as he was his own lukewarm faith. I was not confident that if people became like me that they would look more like Christ.

No matter where we are at in our faith journey, we get to be Jesus to people who have never seen Him. That cashier at the grocery store, the waitress at the restaurant, the co-worker in the break room; this week, maybe even today, someone will cross your path who has never met Jesus. Will you have the confidence to say, “Be like me”? Will your actions point them to Jesus?

Slaves to Something

Re:Verse passage – Galatians 4:1-11 (day seven)

When you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods. Galatians 4:8

For by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. 2 Peter 2:19

We are all slaves to something. The question is what are you enslaved to? Technology, work, hobbies, finances, schedules? It may seem like a poor comparison to use such a belittling human experience to explain the effect that these things can have on our life, but if we can all be honest, there is likely something that is running our life that is not divine. It consumes our time, thoughts, and money. It could even be a litany of things. Yet, when we truly look into what’s going on in our life, it is quite likely that we have fallen back into captivity, and the things that are holding us captive are no gods. Which is why our God reminds us again and again; the Father sets us Free. He says, “Come to Me all who are weary and I will give you rest.” We do not have to be enslaved to the things of this world, because we are a child of the King.

I’m no longer a slave to _____. I am a child of God.

Tutoring

Re:Verse passage – Galatians 3:15-29 (day seven) 

Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ. Galatians 3:24

I prided myself on my GPA. I was an excellent student, and most subjects came naturally to me. That was until I decided to add a business minor to my degree and was forced to take accounting. I was taking Greek and accounting at the same time, and Greek made more sense to me than accounting. So what did I do? I sucked up my pride and went to tutoring. At a small school like Howard Payne, I was able to meet with the professor directly as my tutor. He saw my effort and offered me a compromise; he would tell me the solution, so long as I could do the work to prove that the solution was true.

The Law gives us a path to the Solution. The Law tutors us by pointing us to Jesus. It is our job to do the work to prove that The Solution is true. I am as guilty as the next of skimming over the Law, but it is the Law that lays the foundation for our salvation. Maybe I need to spend more time in tutoring! What about you?

Clicks and Cliques

Re:Verse passage – Galatians 3:1-14 (day seven) 

You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? Galatians 3:1

I think this letter could easily have been written to us:

You foolish Americans. You have such a strong foundation on your faith, why would you allow this kind of heresy to infiltrate your churches. It seems like someone has put a spell on you, because there is no reason for you to be acting this way.

We could say this for numerous heresies in our culture today, but what was the issue in Galatia? It was about inclusion. This wouldn’t be an issue for us would it?  We wouldn’t show favoritism to certain people would we?

It is natural for us to be drawn to people who are like us. There are people that we just seem to click more with. The issue is these clicks can easily turn into cliques. What we need to realize is the thing that allows us to “click” more than anything in this world is the Holy Spirit living inside of each of us. Today there will be over a thousand people on our campus. Go outside of your normal rhythm, maybe even sit in a different pew or seat, and see if you can connect and click with someone new.

 

Teachers of Sins

Re:Verse passage – Galatians 2:11-21 (day seven)

The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. Galatians 2:13

Peter, what are you doing? We know that you of all people know the importance of including the gentiles. Acts 10 and 11 showed us your vision where God told you to include them. This feels like a drawback to the Peter who would rebuke and deny Jesus rather than the one on whom the church was built. Yet, this is what makes you so relatable. You remind us of… ourselves! Two steps forward, one step back.  Even when we have been made new (vs 20), it seems like it is the same old sin that comes crawling back in. Satan knows to attack where we are weak. That is exactly why we need to be on guard, especially when we are in positions of power and influence.

“The sins of teachers are teachers of sins.” – John Trapp

Unity in Dissension

Re:Verse passage – Galatians 2:1-10 (day seven)

They only asked us to remember the poor—the very thing I also was eager to do. Galatians 2:10

Even in the midst of dissension, we can usually see that we are on the same page. The end goal and purpose are usually the same and that is enough to keep us together. However, our culture would tell us that the dissension is irreparable. We have become so consumed with being right, that we can’t look through theological differences to join together for the greater good and the furtherment of the kingdom. I am right, you are wrong, so we can’t be friends. This is what the world is telling us.

This is not to say that we should compromise on our beliefs, but time is too short for us to waste time drawing lines in the sand when we could be drawing up battle plans. If there is opportunity to find unity in the midst of dissension, that is where our focus should be.

Set Apart

Re:Verse passage – Galatians 1:11-24 (day seven)

But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace. Galatians 1:15

Paul is telling us about himself, but he is also giving us insight into our relationship with God:

You are chosen. The Psalmist uses similar language saying, “You knit me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 119:13). Before the beginning of time, God had a plan for you. He created you unique and perfect. In that perfection, He set you apart for a specific purpose… or purposes.

You are called. God extends to you an invitation to join Him in this work that He has set you apart for. Every person has a calling. For some, it is to come into a relationship with Him, but His calling doesn’t stop at salvation. Being set apart is synonymous with sanctification, and we know that sanctification is the process of our spiritual maturation on this earth. The calling may be different, but it will never stop. He is always calling His chosen ones to join Him in His work.

When the prophet Isaiah heard this calling, He said , “Here I am. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8) The Lord has chosen and called you for a specific purpose today. Will you be able to say, “Send me!”?

Present Age

Re:Verse passage – Galatians 1:1-10 (day seven)

who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age. Galatians 1:4a

Have you ever heard someone attempt to discredit the Bible due to its age?  They try to say that a book written by men thousands of years ago should not govern or provide morality for the present age. The problem with this logic is that the Bible is not some book written by men; it is the inspired Word of God.

Paul addressed this particular book to the churches in Galatia, clearly intending for it to become a circular letter that was passed around the region. We can know that God intended for it to circulate all the way to you and me in 2023. Why? Because He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. His Word is not outdated. It is more than capable to rescue us from this present age. How is the Word speaking to you today?