[0:00] One last time. Galatians chapter 6. We've been in Galatians now for a while. Six to nine months probably. Galatians chapter 6.
[0:30] Okay. Follow along with me as I read the last three verses, beginning of verse 16. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God.
[0:44] From henceforth, let no man trouble me by bearing my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
[0:56] As we've been going through this chapter, just forget the whole book of Galatians, just this chapter. I've mentioned every week. Verse 1.
[1:08] Ye which are spiritual, restore. Don't kick them while they're down. Don't hit them. Don't beat them up. Don't ignore them. You which are spiritual, restore those.
[1:20] Verse 2. We talked about being a blessing. Bear one another's burdens. Verse 7.
[1:34] Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Verse 9. Let us not be weary in well-doing. Verse 14.
[1:45] But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. This one chapter has had so many things in it.
[1:56] So much for us to stop and think about. And now Paul is closing this chapter up. He's giving a few last instructions as he does this today.
[2:08] He's going to conclude this letter expressing things about God's grace and the spirit that we should have. And he's closing with this wonderful reminder.
[2:19] He's done this throughout the whole book. But God's grace is so sufficient for everything that we need. And Paul is going to emphasize three different things in these three verses.
[2:31] And we're going to look at those this morning. Let us have a word of prayer first. Father, thank you that we get to come this morning and to hear your word. Lord, thank you that we have been able to go through this entire book.
[2:46] Looking at the fact that Jesus Christ has done everything needed for salvation. We do not have to do anything. We do not have to work.
[2:57] We do not have to come up with ideas of our own. We do not have to do anything other than believe that Jesus Christ is the Savior. Lord, I pray that you would help us as we finish this off this morning to be reminded of that again and again and again.
[3:14] Jesus Christ is sufficient. Jesus Christ alone is all we need. Lord, I pray that if there's anyone here this morning who's not saved, that they will hear this message.
[3:25] And know the fact that Jesus Christ is the answer to everything in life. But he's also the answer to what happens after this life.
[3:38] Lord, take this time together. Use it, I pray, in Jesus' name. Amen. The first thing he's going to tell us about, he's going to give us the prerequisite for peace.
[3:50] The prerequisite for peace. Look at verse 16 again. He says, And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them and mercy and upon the house of Israel.
[4:04] As many as walk according to this rule. What's the rule he's talking about? What has he just been talking about in this chapter? Circumcision is not necessary for salvation.
[4:18] He says, look, you don't have to do anything for salvation other than what Jesus Christ already did on the cross. He said in that verse 40, glory in the cross.
[4:30] And what Jesus did there for you. Nothing else is required. So this whole debate that we keep having about circumcision, he says, forget it. It's not necessary.
[4:42] He uses the word walk. To proceed in a row. To go in order. You know, just follow along the things that you know. The things that you've heard. Jesus Christ and him alone.
[4:56] I don't know how many times I will say that today because when I was going over this, I said it a lot. Jesus Christ and him alone is all we need. Those of you who like to take notes, you might want to see how many times I do that.
[5:08] Anyway, Paul addresses this. He says, look, you need to follow the gospel. What these Judaizers are trying to tell you about you need to follow the gospel and add this and this and this Jewish tradition.
[5:24] He says, no. Follow the gospel. Because it's Jesus and him alone. Philippians 3.16 says, Nevertheless, whereunto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule.
[5:41] Let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers together of me. And mark them which walk so as ye have us. For an example.
[5:52] Paul says, follow the examples we've given to you. Follow what we have shown you. Jesus Christ and him alone. Nothing else. I mentioned last week.
[6:05] You have to be saved and be baptized. Jesus Christ and him alone. You have to be saved and you have to speak in tongues. Jesus Christ and him alone.
[6:17] Are you starting to get it? It's Jesus Christ and him alone. He says, look. It's all about him. Colossians 2.6 and 7. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.
[6:34] Rooted. Built up in him. Established in the faith. That ye may be taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. He says, you receive Jesus.
[6:45] Walk in him. That's it. Walk in him. As I was mentioning in Sunday school. When we're saved, Jesus comes to live within us.
[6:57] His spirit comes to live within us. It's it. It's all that we need. He says, look. You want to walk in peace? Walk in Jesus. He says, you want to walk in order?
[7:09] Walk in order. He says, live by this rule. According to this rule, he says. The word rule there is the word cane. Like sugar cane and stuff. It means a straight reed.
[7:21] Or a rod. It means to a measuring rod. Or a rule. Or a standard. Or I like this one. A principle for judging, living, and acting.
[7:32] He says, you want to know how you're supposed to live? You want to know how you're supposed to act? You want to know the standard you judge by? It's Jesus and him alone. That's it.
[7:43] Do what he has asked us to do. And he says, look. Here's a two-fold thing for you. First of all, he says, walk according to the gospel that was given to you. Walk according to the gospel.
[7:55] That's it. What did we tell you for the gospel? Jesus Christ died. He was buried. He rose again. He ascended back into heaven. He's making intercession for you now, and he's preparing a home for you.
[8:07] It's all about him. It's all about Jesus. He says, according to the gospel. Paul said in Galatians chapter 1, back at the beginning of this book, verse 10. For I do now persuade men, or do I now persuade men or God?
[8:22] Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet please men, I should not be the servant of Christ. If I'm trying to please men by doing circumstances, if I'm trying to please men by being baptized, if I'm trying to please men by speaking in tongues, if I'm trying to please men by, he says, no.
[8:38] If I'm trying to please men by speaking in tongues, if I'm not the servant of Christ. Can I say it again? Jesus and him alone.
[8:50] That's all there is. Then he says, oh, so you walk according to the gospel, which is, basically, according to the glorying in the cross. According to the glorying in the cross.
[9:02] Back at verse 14 here, right there, we looked at it last week. But God forbid that we should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world.
[9:13] He says, the cross, the cross, the cross. See, remember he told us last week, these people were trying to avoid persecution. So they would distance themselves from the cross.
[9:23] Yes, I believe in Jesus, but yes, you should do this Jewish thing and this Jewish thing and this Jewish thing because it kept him from persecution. Paul says, you know what? No. He says, I will glory in the cross.
[9:38] It's the only thing. And because of that, Paul faced a lot of persecution. Others have as well. Many of you have heard the name George Whitefield. Even in, well, I don't know if they teach it in school now, but they used to.
[9:52] The first great awakening that happened in America just before the Revolutionary War. George Whitefield had a lot to do with that. And he was an English evangelist, what came over here.
[10:07] But he learned the importance of pleasing God versus pleasing men. He knew what he was doing was honoring to God. He knew coming over here and preaching the gospel was honoring to God.
[10:19] But he received a letter. And it was meant to discourage him. It was from people who were falsely accusing him of things.
[10:29] And he got this one vicious letter. And he answered the man. I want you to notice how he answered the man. I thank you heartily for your letter.
[10:41] As for you and my other enemies, what my other enemies are saying against me, I know worse things about myself than you will ever say about me.
[10:52] With love in Christ, George Whitefield. You can say everything you want to about me, but you know what? I'm a whole lot worse. But I'm doing what God has asked me to do.
[11:03] I'm doing what God called me to do. Paul is saying here, look. It's Christ and Christ alone. You preach Christ.
[11:14] You follow Christ. You do everything Christ tells you to do. Forget what everybody else says. Second thing for this part. You do it with Christ's reward.
[11:25] What does he say if you do that? He says, walk according to this rule. Why? Peace beyond them and mercy. Peace and mercy. I don't know about you, but in this world we live in, peace would be a nice thing.
[11:42] There are so many things going on. Chuck says he doesn't have a TV. He might be the smartest one in here. He doesn't watch the news and stuff that way.
[11:54] You know, you just watch the news. That will upset you for a while. Paul says, look. You can have peace. And you can have mercy.
[12:05] God will give it to you. God will take care of you. How does he do that? Romans 5.1. Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
[12:19] Faith in Christ. Just trust him. Do you know the way the world's going? Do you know what all the things are happening? Do you know what's happening in the Ukraine and Russia? Do you know what's happening in this country? Do you know what's happening in that? Do you know what's happening in our own country?
[12:31] Do you know what's happening in the Ukraine? Do you know what's happening in the Ukraine? Yeah. But I also know Jesus has it all worked out. Jesus has a solution. Jesus is coming again.
[12:43] And we have him. You know, there was this quote that I saw. And I was like, I'm not sure if I agree with that quote or not. Let me read the first part of the quote to you. It's up on the screen. Jesus is no security against life's storms.
[12:56] I'm like, wait a minute. I don't know if I agree with that. But then I read the rest of it. But he is perfect security in them. And then I started thinking about it. The disciples are in the Sea of Galilee.
[13:11] They're going through a storm. Jesus is asleep. They're all worried and everything. Jesus is asleep. They finally wake him up and say, don't you know what's going on?
[13:23] He gets up. He walks up on top of the boat, looks around and goes, peace be still. He might not have prevented the storm, but he was with him in the midst. Later on, there's another storm.
[13:35] Remember? And Jesus comes walking across the water. They're in the midst of a storm. And they're like, whoa, we're going to die. And then Jesus comes walking across the water in the midst of the storm.
[13:49] He gets on the boat, storm stops. See, you may go through a lot of things. There's people here going through all kinds of things, medically and other things.
[14:00] You may go through those things. But he's the perfect security in those things. He is with us. Then the last part of verse 16, he says, You Jewish believers, God has forgiven you.
[14:18] God has shown mercy to you. God has shown peace to you. God has taken care of you. Rest in that. Don't worry about all the other stuff. Rest in that.
[14:29] Then the second thing is, notice the plea of the apostle. The plea of the apostle. Verse 17. From henceforth, let no man trouble me. For I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus Christ.
[14:44] He gives an immediate plea, first of all. He says, look, henceforth, from now on, for all the future, okay? Let no man trouble me. Don't keep bringing things up.
[14:55] Don't keep asking me about this. Don't keep doing these things. If you want to know how I feel about circumcision and being saved, read the letter to the Galatians.
[15:07] I'm done talking about it. You know, wouldn't it be nice if we could just say, go to the word of God and just do what it says? So many of our problems would be done away with.
[15:23] Just go to the word of God. What does he say about it? Paul says, just go there. And Paul had earned that right. Excuse me. Paul had earned that right, an earned plea.
[15:36] He says, look, I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul had preached the gospel.
[15:46] Paul had suffered because of preaching the gospel. He says, I know what I'm talking about. I know what you're facing. I've been through it myself. 2 Corinthians 11. You know this passage.
[15:56] I just put the reference up there. Beginning at verse 23 through verse 28. Are they ministers of Christ? I speak as a fool. I am more.
[16:07] In labors more abundant. In stripes above measure. In prisons more frequent. In deaths often. Of the Jews five times, receive thy 40 stripes, save one.
[16:19] Think about that one. They said, if you receive 40 stripes, it'll kill a man. Paul says, five times I've received 39. He bear in his body the marks of the Lord Jesus.
[16:32] He goes on. Verse 25 there of 2 Corinthians 11. Thrice was I beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Thrice I suffered shipwreck. A night and a day in the deep.
[16:44] In journeyings often. In perils of water. In perils of robber. In perils of mine own countrymen. In perils by the heathen. In perils in the city.
[16:55] In perils in the wilderness. In perils in the sea. In perils among false brethren. In weariness and painfulness. In watchings often. In hunger and thirst.
[17:06] In fastings often. In cold. In nakedness. Besides these, those things that are without. That which cometh unto me daily. The care of all the churches.
[17:18] He says, I have been through this, this, this, this, and this. You want to talk about persecution? I bear in my marks. I bear in my body the marks. Of the Lord Jesus. Jesus. And he says, on top of all those things.
[17:31] He says, I've got all these churches like yours. That are asking me all these questions. And I have to answer. And have to help them to understand the doctrine. He says, you think you got it rough?
[17:45] He says, look at what's going on here. Charles Spurgeon. In his bedroom. On his wall. He had a plaque. Isaiah 58. Isaiah 48.
[17:57] 10. I have chosen thee. In the furnace of affliction. I have chosen thee. In the furnace of affliction. And here's what Spurgeon wrote about that.
[18:08] He said. It is no mean thing. To be chosen of God. God's choice. Makes chosen men. Choice men.
[18:20] Let me read that sentence again. God's choice. God's choice. God's choice. Makes chosen men. Choice men. God has chosen you. God has chosen you.
[18:33] Beauty is marred. Beauty is marred. Fashion is destroyed. Strength is melted. Glory is consumed. Yet here. Eternal love. Reveals its secrets.
[18:44] And declares its choice. God has chosen you. And yes. You may go through some things. And yes. You may face some things. But God is working.
[18:55] God is with you. Christ is always there. And then he closes. Verse 18. He says.
[19:06] Brethren. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Be with your spirit. Amen. The grace of Christ. That's what we sang about this morning.
[19:17] Wonderful grace of Jesus. Grace greater than our sin. Amazing grace. Isn't the grace of God something else? Oh. The fact that he loves us so much.
[19:29] Second Corinthians. Eight. Nine. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. That though he was rich. Yet for your sakes he became poor.
[19:40] That ye through his poverty might be rich. He says. Look. Jesus Christ came from his throne in heaven. To be born in a manger in a stable.
[19:53] He went from the richest. To the poorest. And he did it. For us. So that we might be made rich.
[20:04] He did it so that we. Could have. A life in heaven. With him. He says. Look. Salvation. Once again. Is all.
[20:15] Of grace. It is not. Of works. Jesus. It is. Jesus. Jesus. And Jesus. Alone. That takes care of it. Most of you probably know. John Bunyan.
[20:26] He wrote Pilgrim's Progress. And some other books. And stuff. As a preacher. He was thrown in jail. Much like Paul. For the things that he preached. This is something he wrote.
[20:38] So John Bunyan. Thou son of the blessed. What grace was manifested in thy condescension. The fact that you left heaven. And came down here.
[20:51] Grace. Brought thee down from heaven. Grace. Stripped thee of thy glory. Grace. May thee poor and despicable. Grace. May thee bear such burdens of sin.
[21:03] Such burdens of sorrow. Such burdens of God's curse. Grace. As are unspeakable. And yet Jesus. Did that. For us.
[21:14] Because of grace. He said. I'm going down. To them. And I'm going to make a way of salvation. For them. You know. We often say. God's riches.
[21:26] At Christ's expense. Or God's redemption. At Christ's expense. That's exactly what grace is. He came down. So that we could have. Eternal life. You know. So.
[21:37] His spirit. Now lives within us. This spirit. He talks about here. Is the human spirit. Brethren. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Be with your spirit. When we have Christ.
[21:48] Living within us. When we have his spirit. Living within us. It changes our spirit. How can I be happy. In the midst of all kinds of things. I have Jesus.
[21:59] How can I be happy. In the midst of. The way I see the world going. I have Jesus. How can I be happy. When this is happening. And that's happening. And you go through this. When I went through heart surgery. And all that stuff. How can you be happy.
[22:10] I have Jesus. And I know that whatever happens to me. I'm going to be with Jesus forever. Bonnie and I were talking.
[22:22] Mom's. My last real friend. In this world. Passed away this week. And so mom's over there. We're starting to talk about her moving over this way.
[22:34] Finally. And she. You know. We were talking about a friend. And she asked me. She said. Do you think you could do my funeral? I said yes. I said really?
[22:47] I said yes. Bonnie was asking me about it this morning. She said. You really think you could? You say that. But you know. I said. I know my mother believed. I know where my mother is.
[22:57] I know where she's going. And I know what she's. Where she's going to be. And I'm going to see her again. So yes. I could do that funeral. Do you know. Where you're going.
[23:08] And what you're going to face. When it comes to the end of this life. Jesus. Was talking to Nicodemus. There in John chapter 3. In verse 3.
[23:19] He says. Jesus answered and said to him. Verily. Verily. I say unto thee. Except a man be born again. He cannot see the kingdom of God. Except the person. Give up the life that he has.
[23:31] And take the life that I'm offering to him. Through myself. Jesus Christ. Coming into your life. And taking over. He says. You can't see the kingdom of God.
[23:43] So here's the apostle Paul. He's closing this letter up. He's finishing it. And he reminds them. Where they started. It's all about the grace. It's all about what Jesus has done for us.
[23:54] And that grace of God. Is sufficient. For us. That grace of God. Is sufficient for them. In the future. It is sufficient for them. Right now.
[24:05] He says. You follow Christ. You keep your eyes on Christ. It is Christ alone. Nothing else. For us as believers. He says.
[24:16] Look. Be assured. God's saving grace. Changed your life. God's saving grace. Will continue to change people's lives.
[24:27] Because God's saving grace. Is sufficient. For everything we need. We need to be reminded. Of God's great grace.
[24:40] And what he has done for us. So this morning. We are going to have our Lord's table. We are going to have communion. We are going to take time. To remember. As we finish this book.
[24:51] And as Paul has told us. Over and over and over and over again. Jesus Christ. And him alone. We are going to remember. What Jesus did for us. On that cross.
[25:03] So. Over in 1 Corinthians chapter 11. It says. That. We should examine ourselves. So we are going to take time.
[25:13] Right now. To stop. Spend some time in prayer. Examine yourself. God. I want to come to this time.
[25:24] I want to remember what you have done. And I want to come clean. I want my sins forgiven. I want everything taken care of. I want to have a perfectly open. communion with you.
[25:35] As we do this. So take some few moments. And spend some time in prayer. As we get ready to do communion. Thank you.