WEBVTT

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 Now, having reminded ourselves of those truths in Galatians, let's now turn to Galatians chapter 4 in our Bibles on page 1170.

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 And we're going to read from verse 8 to verse 20.

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 So just as we saw the heart of Moses, the spiritual leader, so we see the heart here of Paul, the pastor, as he urges the church in Galatia to choose the gospel of grace.

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 So Galatians chapter 4 and at verse 8.

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 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.

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 But now that you know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you're turning back to those weak and miserable principles?

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 Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?

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 You're observing special days and months and seasons and years.

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 I fear for you that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.

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 I plead with you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you.

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 You have done me no wrong.

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 As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you.

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 Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn.

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 Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself.

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 What has happened to all your joy?

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 I can testify that if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

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 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?

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 Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good.

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 What they want is to alienate you from us so that you may be zealous for them.

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 It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you.

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 My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,

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 how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone because I am perplexed about you.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 We'll leave our reading there.

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 Now, I don't know if you happened to see the news coverage of the Freshers' Week at Sheffield University.

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 There was one stall at Freshers' Week that drew media attention because it was a stall where people were giving advice to new students

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 on how they could take illegal drugs safely.

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 We're all going to have our opinions on that.

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 The logic seemed to be, well, it's happening anyway.

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 Let's be aware of that and let's try and keep our students from serious harm.

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 So you may well have your opinion whether you agree or disagree with that.

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 But the thing that struck me is that this was clearly not a policy designed by a parent.

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 Because if a parent was talking to a child, I would imagine that conversation would go very differently.

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 I hope it would.

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 Please don't do that.

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 It could wreck your life.

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 Don't play with what could kill you.

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 This is not something impassive and impersonal.

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 This is deeply, profoundly important.

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 So we come to today's Bible reading.

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 And we've been in this letter that Paul has been writing to the Galatians.

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 And here we come to a really personal section of the letter.

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 Here we find a reminder that this is written by Paul the pastor.

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 Not Paul the academic.

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 Not Paul who's simply a theologian.

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 Paul who cares.

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 He's got the heart of a loving father to children who are wandering away from truth.

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 Because they're wandering away from Jesus.

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 They're making terrible choices.

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 And so he is pleading with them.

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 Please don't give up on Jesus.

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 The Jesus who loves you and gave you everything.

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 He's pleading with them.

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 Don't follow ways of life and beliefs that will lead ultimately to your spiritual death.

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 So here we're being introduced to Paul's pastor's heart.

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 So that image is there's a shepherd and there's sheep.

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 And the job of the shepherd is to care for, to lead, to guide, to protect sheep.

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 And that then becomes the image of a pastor over a church.

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 So let's look at his heart.

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 Let this be a personal letter for us.

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 In effect, where we hear this message, this important message.

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 Choose Jesus.

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 The first thing that Paul the pastor brings to his church is this message.

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 Choose freedom in Christ.

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 Let's look first of all at his heart.

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 In verses 8 to 11, this is where we are.

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 We find Paul's heart in verse 11.

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 He says,

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 I fear for you that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.

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 So he has this genuine concern that his gospel ministry will be ineffective if they choose slavery.

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 And we'll think about what that slavery is.

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 Over freedom in Christ.

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 Now what does he mean by that?

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 Let's look at verse 8.

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 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.

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 Formerly.

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 He's talking about their pre-Christian past.

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 Before they knew Jesus, they were slaves to false gods and idols.

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 That was where their worship went.

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 They were making offerings.

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 They were bringing gifts to these idols, hoping to earn the favor of the gods, hoping to escape the punishment of the gods.

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 They were in slavery because they thought, well, I need to do these things in order for this god or these gods to be pleased with me.

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 But now, and this is where Paul is really concerned, is that they've picked up a new kind of slavery.

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 So the second half of verse 9.

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 How is it that you're turning back to those weak and miserable principles?

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 Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?

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 You're observing special days and months and seasons and years.

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 So this new slavery is the one that the false teachers have brought, where they've been told that you need to observe the whole law of Moses, including all the ceremonies, in order to be accepted.

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 So now they're slaves again because they're hoping that their obedience will bring them acceptance and salvation from the God of the Bible.

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 They've lost grip of the fact that Jesus has done everything.

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 He has made that once-for-all sacrifice that takes away sin, that brings us into God's family.

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 And so they've become slaves again.

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 Different kind of slavery.

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 When they were idol worshipers, they were very immoral people.

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 And now that they're slaves to the law, they've become very moral people.

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 But that swap from immoral to moral is not the way that we are saved.

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 That's one of the things that people maybe, if they misunderstand Christianity, they think, well, I need to become very moral and good and obedient.

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 That's what Christianity is about.

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 And what Paul is saying, that's actually a different kind of slavery.

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 Because at root, it's saying, well, I need to earn.

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 I need to perform.

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 I need to do this or that.

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 Whereas the message of Christianity is God has done everything for us in Jesus.

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 It's a message to receive by faith, not to work, to earn.

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 So why is Paul distressed and fearful?

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 He's distressed because he knows them.

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 He loves them.

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 They're a church that has believed the gospel, the good news of Jesus.

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 Just for a couple of moments, let's turn back to Galatians chapter 1, verses 3 and 4.

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 This is the kind of message that they heard from Paul that they had received.

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 What is the good news at the heart of Christianity?

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 Well, according to the will, the plan of God, he has sent his one and only son, Jesus, into our world to rescue us from our sins in order to bring us peace with God.

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 And this comes to us not because we earn it.

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 We're told here it comes as a gift of God's grace.

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 They had received that message or the message of chapter 2 and at verse 16.

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 They've been taught very clearly that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ.

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 How can somebody be accepted by God?

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 How can somebody be declared not guilty by God?

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 It's not by keeping the law.

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 It's by faith.

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 It's by trusting in the completed work of Jesus.

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 So they had known this and Paul is distressed because they are leaving it behind.

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 Swapping freedom in Christ for a form of slavery.

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 In verse 9, he reminds them and us of their freedom.

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 Now that you know God, or rather are known by God.

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 Now, knowing God is described in the Bible as freedom because that's what we were made for.

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 In Genesis chapter 1, we are made in the image of God so that we might know God.

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 We might share in his love.

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 We might enter into relationship with him.

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 So to know God is freedom.

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 And the hope of Christian freedom is not just that we know God, but that he knows us.

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 Which takes us back to last week and the adoption language.

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 We are known and loved by God.

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 He brings us into his family.

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 And in God's family, that's where true security is found.

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 And that's where real freedom is found.

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 J.I. Packer, a Bible teacher, puts it really well when he says this.

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 What matters supremely is that God knows me.

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 I am graven on the palms of his hands.

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 I am never out of his mind.

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 He knows me as a friend.

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 One who loves me.

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 And there is no moment when his eye is off me or when his care falters.

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 So here is Paul the pastor saying to his people, you have received your freedom.

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 You are known by God.

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 It would be crazy to return to slavery.

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 Some of you will have seen or read 12 Years a Slave, I am sure.

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 It's the true story of a man by the name of Solomon Northrup.

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 And it basically tells the story of Solomon as a beginning life as a free man in the northern part of the United States.

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 And then he travels south and he's kidnapped.

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 And he doesn't have proper papers.

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 So he's forced into slavery for 12 years.

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 And so the book and then the movie tells the story of his trials.

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 He's ill-treated by a variety of different people.

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 It tells of his fight to regain freedom until towards the end of the story, eventually he receives his relief.

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 It would be incredibly bizarre if having received that freedom, Solomon Northrup decided,

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 Do you know what?

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 I'm going to go back and find myself a different slave master.

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 Life was better as a slave.

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 If slavery was the happily ever after of that story, it would be a very strange story indeed.

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 And so Paul here is reminding his people, don't choose slavery.

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 Don't choose the slavery of trying to save yourself when Jesus Christ has already set you free.

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 Don't choose the slavery of trying to save yourself either by thinking true freedom comes from being really, really far away from God,

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 where you can just live as you please and do what you want,

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 or the slavery of thinking that you need to obey and perform before God will ever accept you.

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 Hear this call to enjoy freedom as a child of God by trusting in Jesus.

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 I came across a nice story this week of John Newton.

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 John Newton, who was a former slave trader, as it happens,

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 who is the author of the hymn Amazing Grace.

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 Became a Christian, became a pastor, became a hymn writer, wrote Amazing Grace.

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 And he lived in a small town called Olney.

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 And above his fireplace in that small town in Olney,

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 he had engraved words above his fireplace.

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 Words from Deuteronomy 15 verse 15,

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 which say,

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 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you.

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 Newton never wanted to forget that he had been,

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 a slave to sin,

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 and that Jesus Christ had set him free.

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 And so here again is this encouragement from Paul the pastor.

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 Never lose sight of the freedom Jesus secures for us at the cross.

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 The second section of this very personal part of the letter

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 encourages us to choose a gospel-centered life.

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 Verses 12 to 16.

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 So we see his heart again.

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 Verse 12.

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 I plead with you.

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 I plead with you, brothers, brothers and sisters,

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 those who are in the family of God.

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 And then he goes on to say words that are perhaps not easy to understand at first glance.

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 Become like me,

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 for I became like you.

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 What does he mean when he says that?

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 He's saying to them,

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 become like me in living out your Christian freedom.

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 Become like me to the extent that I am being transformed by the gospel of God's grace.

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 Become like me in the sense of letting Jesus direct your life.

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 And that's why he says,

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 become like me,

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 for I became like you.

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 So let's have a quick recap of Paul's story.

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 Paul was raised and educated as a very religious Jew,

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 trained to keep all the law of God very rigorously.

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 And part of that, part of his teaching, part of his culture,

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 was then to keep separate from those who are unlike him.

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 So people in the Jewish world who were more sinful than him,

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 he would avoid.

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 Gentiles would definitely be avoided as dogs and sinners.

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 But when Jesus met with him on the road to Damascus,

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 when Jesus saved him,

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 when Jesus changed his heart,

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 he gave him a new mission and a new understanding of the world.

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 He gave him a mission to bring the good news of Jesus to the Gentiles.

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 And so Paul can say,

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 I became like you because after meeting with Jesus,

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 Paul will live with Gentiles.

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 He will eat with them.

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 He will treat them as brothers

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 because the gospel had created love and unity

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 that crossed over those social, cultural, religious barriers.

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 Become like me in living out the gospel.

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 And I showed you that because I became like you.

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 And then the last little sentence of verse 12 is also important.

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 It says,

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 You have done me no wrong.

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 So he's going back to the past.

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 He's going back to the early days of when Paul

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 and the Galatian church met one another.

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 And he can say to them,

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 Remember that in the past,

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 you are most definitely living a gospel-centered life.

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 It was evident in the way that you treated me

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 that Jesus had changed your hearts too.

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 So he gives them some evidence that they could remember.

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 Verse 13,

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 As you know,

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 So it seems that we're never given the details,

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 but it seems like Paul had some kind of serious illness

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 that may very well have affected his eyesight

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 that might perhaps even have left him disfigured

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 because he says,

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 Well, I could have been treated with contempt or scorn

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 or made to be a figure of fun,

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 but that's not how they treated him.

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 Rather,

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 Verse 14,

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 He was welcomed with honor.

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 He was welcomed like an angel or like Jesus

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 because he brought the good news of Jesus to them.

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 And they loved him for it

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 and they served him because of it.

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 But something had changed.

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 Verse 15,

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 What has happened to all your joy?

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 I can testify that if you could have done so,

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 you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

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 So they loved and served Paul,

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 not out of duty,

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 but have a real sense of joy,

00:19:39.399 --> 00:19:41.539
 even though it was difficult for them

00:19:41.539 --> 00:19:46.319
 because they knew how much Jesus loved them.

00:19:46.779 --> 00:19:48.599
 Therefore, they loved Paul.

00:19:49.139 --> 00:19:52.899
 They understood from the message that Paul brought

00:19:52.899 --> 00:19:55.259
 that Jesus had come into the world

00:19:55.259 --> 00:19:56.539
 to serve them.

00:19:56.539 --> 00:19:59.539
 And so they were glad to serve Paul.

00:20:00.339 --> 00:20:04.440
 They heard about a Jesus who had suffered to save them.

00:20:04.579 --> 00:20:04.779
 Therefore,

00:20:04.879 --> 00:20:06.819
 they were willing to endure suffering

00:20:06.819 --> 00:20:09.339
 in order to serve Paul.

00:20:09.599 --> 00:20:11.819
 They would have torn out their eyes for him.

00:20:11.879 --> 00:20:13.980
 They would have done anything for him

00:20:13.980 --> 00:20:17.360
 in response to the sacrifice of Jesus

00:20:17.360 --> 00:20:19.700
 that he'd come to tell them about.

00:20:21.319 --> 00:20:25.460
 Paul came suffering as a servant of the Lord Jesus

00:20:25.460 --> 00:20:30.200
 and he brought them a message of the suffering Savior.

00:20:30.200 --> 00:20:32.819
 There is a connection there.

00:20:33.600 --> 00:20:35.600
 And that connection was then lived out

00:20:35.600 --> 00:20:37.360
 in the lives of the church in Galatia

00:20:37.360 --> 00:20:39.120
 because they were willing to suffer

00:20:39.120 --> 00:20:41.880
 in order to live out this message of grace

00:20:41.880 --> 00:20:43.299
 that they've come to believe in.

00:20:43.980 --> 00:20:45.640
 But now that they've moved away

00:20:45.640 --> 00:20:47.019
 from the gospel of grace,

00:20:47.480 --> 00:20:49.420
 now that they're listening to false teachers

00:20:49.420 --> 00:20:51.740
 who are saying it's all about law and law and law,

00:20:51.740 --> 00:20:53.500
 verse 16,

00:20:54.420 --> 00:20:56.019
 have I now become your enemy

00:20:56.019 --> 00:20:58.339
 by telling you the truth?

00:20:59.200 --> 00:21:00.539
 Now they're treating Paul differently.

00:21:01.259 --> 00:21:03.819
 Now the barriers are going up again.

00:21:04.339 --> 00:21:08.620
 Now they're unwilling to hear God's truth from Paul.

00:21:09.319 --> 00:21:11.440
 And so Paul, as their pastor,

00:21:11.700 --> 00:21:12.680
 pleads with them,

00:21:13.160 --> 00:21:17.220
 imitate me in making Jesus the center of your life.

00:21:18.339 --> 00:21:20.720
 Imitate me in letting his example

00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:24.480
 become your way of life.

00:21:27.380 --> 00:21:29.000
 He's calling them

00:21:29.000 --> 00:21:32.059
 to the kind of gospel apprenticeship

00:21:32.059 --> 00:21:33.740
 that they would have seen from him.

00:21:34.240 --> 00:21:36.759
 We know how an apprenticeship works.

00:21:36.860 --> 00:21:38.980
 You have somebody who is senior

00:21:38.980 --> 00:21:40.299
 who knows the job well

00:21:40.299 --> 00:21:41.500
 and you have someone who's junior

00:21:41.500 --> 00:21:43.980
 and they're there alongside them to learn.

00:21:44.360 --> 00:21:46.400
 So there is a process of listening

00:21:46.400 --> 00:21:48.460
 and watching and learning

00:21:48.460 --> 00:21:50.500
 and copying and reflecting

00:21:50.500 --> 00:21:53.839
 and Paul is encouraging them

00:21:53.839 --> 00:21:55.640
 to that kind of life.

00:21:56.660 --> 00:21:58.660
 He's encouraging them to remember

00:21:58.660 --> 00:22:01.500
 what we believe should inform how we behave.

00:22:03.380 --> 00:22:06.359
 So if Jesus is willing to forgive me,

00:22:07.160 --> 00:22:09.440
 then I must be willing to forgive others.

00:22:09.440 --> 00:22:13.599
 If Jesus spoke truth and not lies,

00:22:13.839 --> 00:22:16.599
 then I must be willing to resist gossip

00:22:16.599 --> 00:22:18.240
 and rumor and half-truth.

00:22:18.240 --> 00:22:21.359
 If Jesus held nothing back

00:22:21.359 --> 00:22:23.319
 to be the suffering servant

00:22:23.319 --> 00:22:25.859
 who would die to save me in love,

00:22:25.940 --> 00:22:28.440
 then I must be willing to suffer loss

00:22:28.440 --> 00:22:30.259
 to serve others.

00:22:30.940 --> 00:22:33.779
 Paul had given them that pattern of life

00:22:33.779 --> 00:22:35.559
 and he wants them to return

00:22:35.559 --> 00:22:37.180
 to that kind of life.

00:22:37.180 --> 00:22:43.200
 There's a challenge for us in verse 12.

00:22:43.940 --> 00:22:45.640
 Because on one level,

00:22:46.039 --> 00:22:47.720
 you know, we can understand and appreciate,

00:22:47.880 --> 00:22:50.660
 here's an apostle saying to a church,

00:22:51.200 --> 00:22:52.340
 become like me.

00:22:53.140 --> 00:22:56.140
 But there is a sense in which every Christian

00:22:56.140 --> 00:22:58.940
 should have that kind of faith

00:22:58.940 --> 00:23:00.480
 that we can say to another,

00:23:01.060 --> 00:23:04.200
 become like me in the way that I follow Jesus.

00:23:04.200 --> 00:23:06.240
 Let me help you, let me teach you,

00:23:06.340 --> 00:23:10.080
 let me train you how to live for Jesus,

00:23:10.220 --> 00:23:11.779
 to live out your faith.

00:23:12.660 --> 00:23:13.799
 And that's a challenge for us,

00:23:13.840 --> 00:23:15.220
 first of all, because it requires

00:23:15.220 --> 00:23:16.840
 a faith that is real,

00:23:16.940 --> 00:23:17.900
 a faith that is growing,

00:23:18.019 --> 00:23:19.180
 a faith that is visible.

00:23:19.980 --> 00:23:23.460
 It requires relationships that are open,

00:23:24.000 --> 00:23:26.059
 where we have to make ourselves vulnerable

00:23:26.059 --> 00:23:28.680
 so people can see how we live out our faith.

00:23:28.680 --> 00:23:31.019
 And that's difficult for us.

00:23:33.060 --> 00:23:34.779
 It's the kind of thing that we do

00:23:34.779 --> 00:23:37.259
 in a family, I think, instinctively.

00:23:37.900 --> 00:23:39.519
 You know, we say to our children

00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:41.420
 when they're trying to learn a new skill,

00:23:41.539 --> 00:23:43.299
 well, watch me do it first

00:23:43.299 --> 00:23:44.400
 and then try and copy.

00:23:45.480 --> 00:23:46.980
 Or we try and help our children

00:23:46.980 --> 00:23:49.720
 to reflect on how things have gone in their day,

00:23:49.799 --> 00:23:52.039
 how they've responded to challenges.

00:23:52.160 --> 00:23:54.060
 How should you have acted in that situation?

00:23:54.180 --> 00:23:55.600
 Okay, you made this choice.

00:23:55.599 --> 00:23:56.719
 What would have happened

00:23:56.719 --> 00:23:58.679
 if you made this kind of choice?

00:23:58.759 --> 00:24:00.679
 So we do it in a family.

00:24:01.219 --> 00:24:02.759
 We're discipling our children.

00:24:02.959 --> 00:24:05.899
 We're training them up to live well in the world.

00:24:06.399 --> 00:24:08.339
 And we pray that we're training them

00:24:08.339 --> 00:24:11.379
 to follow Jesus Christ as Savior.

00:24:12.159 --> 00:24:14.679
 But that kind of show and tell quality

00:24:14.679 --> 00:24:16.519
 that we have in our families

00:24:16.519 --> 00:24:20.319
 should be true of all of our disciple making.

00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:22.879
 And so there is a challenge for us.

00:24:22.919 --> 00:24:24.039
 Here is Paul saying,

00:24:24.039 --> 00:24:25.059
 you can imitate me.

00:24:25.059 --> 00:24:26.579
 You saw the way that I live.

00:24:27.279 --> 00:24:28.599
 But all of us are called

00:24:28.599 --> 00:24:33.500
 to have that kind of gospel-centered life also.

00:24:34.940 --> 00:24:37.319
 The last section that we're going to look at this morning,

00:24:37.480 --> 00:24:39.359
 verses 17 to 20,

00:24:40.720 --> 00:24:42.879
 Paul here as pastor

00:24:42.879 --> 00:24:48.179
 is calling them to choose to become more like Jesus.

00:24:49.240 --> 00:24:51.919
 In almost every section that we've been looking at,

00:24:51.920 --> 00:24:55.080
 we're reminded that the underlying this letter

00:24:55.080 --> 00:24:57.259
 is the problem of false teachers.

00:24:57.900 --> 00:24:59.940
 Those who are coming in

00:24:59.940 --> 00:25:02.140
 and bringing a different message,

00:25:02.539 --> 00:25:06.300
 claiming that unless a person becomes Jewish,

00:25:06.519 --> 00:25:08.779
 essentially, they cannot be saved.

00:25:09.400 --> 00:25:10.519
 It's causing problems.

00:25:10.600 --> 00:25:12.660
 How does Paul feel?

00:25:14.259 --> 00:25:15.240
 Verse 19.

00:25:15.240 --> 00:25:17.259
 He calls them,

00:25:17.259 --> 00:25:19.960
 my dear children.

00:25:22.259 --> 00:25:25.940
 And he picks up the imagery of motherhood.

00:25:26.500 --> 00:25:27.420
 Here is Paul,

00:25:27.620 --> 00:25:28.120
 and he's saying,

00:25:28.539 --> 00:25:29.759
 he's like a mom.

00:25:29.839 --> 00:25:31.240
 He's worried for kids

00:25:31.240 --> 00:25:33.400
 that are making bad choices.

00:25:35.259 --> 00:25:37.039
 Maybe some of you, you know this.

00:25:37.120 --> 00:25:39.599
 You know what it is to have sleepless nights

00:25:39.599 --> 00:25:42.019
 or to have that kind of sense of heartache

00:25:42.019 --> 00:25:44.299
 because you're desperately worried

00:25:44.299 --> 00:25:46.639
 for one of your children.

00:25:47.740 --> 00:25:48.319
 He says,

00:25:48.439 --> 00:25:49.539
 my dear children,

00:25:49.679 --> 00:25:52.359
 for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth

00:25:52.359 --> 00:25:55.379
 until Christ is formed in you.

00:25:55.919 --> 00:25:57.559
 One image for Paul to use.

00:25:57.659 --> 00:25:58.579
 Paul the apostle.

00:25:59.059 --> 00:25:59.240
 He says,

00:25:59.319 --> 00:26:00.659
 I'm like a pregnant woman

00:26:00.659 --> 00:26:02.639
 enduring labor pains

00:26:02.639 --> 00:26:04.119
 because I'm desperate.

00:26:04.659 --> 00:26:05.759
 Just like a mom

00:26:05.759 --> 00:26:07.680
 is desperate for the baby

00:26:07.680 --> 00:26:09.019
 to arrive and to live

00:26:09.019 --> 00:26:09.640
 and to breathe

00:26:09.640 --> 00:26:10.960
 and to grow independently.

00:26:11.539 --> 00:26:11.940
 Paul is saying,

00:26:12.059 --> 00:26:13.039
 I'm desperate

00:26:13.039 --> 00:26:14.660
 that you'll live out

00:26:14.660 --> 00:26:15.680
 your freedom in Christ,

00:26:15.779 --> 00:26:18.819
 that Jesus will be formed in you.

00:26:20.319 --> 00:26:22.400
 He's concerned for them.

00:26:22.779 --> 00:26:24.359
 He's distressed for them

00:26:24.359 --> 00:26:26.599
 because they're being pulled away from that.

00:26:27.559 --> 00:26:28.019
 Pulled away

00:26:28.019 --> 00:26:30.420
 because the misplaced zeal

00:26:30.420 --> 00:26:31.799
 and devotion

00:26:31.799 --> 00:26:32.579
 and commitment

00:26:32.579 --> 00:26:33.819
 of the false teachers.

00:26:34.660 --> 00:26:35.660
 So verse 17.

00:26:36.220 --> 00:26:37.720
 Those people are zealous

00:26:37.720 --> 00:26:39.579
 to win you over

00:26:39.579 --> 00:26:41.379
 but for no good.

00:26:42.079 --> 00:26:42.700
 What they want

00:26:42.700 --> 00:26:44.619
 is to alienate you from us

00:26:44.619 --> 00:26:47.000
 so that you may be zealous for them.

00:26:47.839 --> 00:26:48.839
 So it seems like

00:26:48.839 --> 00:26:50.559
 these false teachers are coming

00:26:50.559 --> 00:26:51.059
 and they're bringing

00:26:51.059 --> 00:26:52.160
 the kind of message

00:26:52.160 --> 00:26:53.000
 that obviously

00:26:53.000 --> 00:26:54.599
 they wanted to hear.

00:26:55.079 --> 00:26:56.140
 A very pleasing

00:26:56.140 --> 00:26:57.879
 man-centered message

00:26:57.879 --> 00:26:59.779
 because they are zealous.

00:26:59.940 --> 00:27:00.539
 They're devoted

00:27:00.539 --> 00:27:02.640
 to gaining followers.

00:27:03.559 --> 00:27:04.359
 They're devoted

00:27:04.359 --> 00:27:05.599
 to pulling this church

00:27:05.599 --> 00:27:06.619
 away from Paul

00:27:06.619 --> 00:27:08.799
 and away from Paul's message.

00:27:09.219 --> 00:27:10.399
 They're therefore devoted

00:27:10.399 --> 00:27:12.039
 to pulling this church

00:27:12.039 --> 00:27:12.979
 away from trusting

00:27:12.979 --> 00:27:14.219
 in Jesus Christ alone

00:27:14.219 --> 00:27:15.199
 for their salvation.

00:27:15.699 --> 00:27:16.939
 So they're devoted

00:27:16.939 --> 00:27:17.539
 in effect

00:27:17.539 --> 00:27:18.240
 to pulling them

00:27:18.240 --> 00:27:19.019
 out of freedom

00:27:19.019 --> 00:27:20.879
 to drag them back

00:27:20.879 --> 00:27:22.839
 into slavery.

00:27:24.459 --> 00:27:25.539
 And when you look

00:27:25.539 --> 00:27:26.539
 at how Paul speaks

00:27:26.539 --> 00:27:27.339
 the difference

00:27:27.339 --> 00:27:28.719
 between the false teachers

00:27:28.719 --> 00:27:29.439
 and Paul

00:27:29.439 --> 00:27:30.799
 is clear.

00:27:30.799 --> 00:27:33.159
 these teachers

00:27:33.159 --> 00:27:34.119
 are zealous.

00:27:34.279 --> 00:27:34.859
 They're devoted.

00:27:35.019 --> 00:27:35.539
 They're committed.

00:27:35.680 --> 00:27:36.319
 They're dedicated.

00:27:36.519 --> 00:27:36.960
 Yes.

00:27:37.839 --> 00:27:39.480
 But to the wrong things

00:27:39.480 --> 00:27:41.200
 and in the wrong way.

00:27:41.899 --> 00:27:42.539
 They're in effect

00:27:42.539 --> 00:27:44.299
 saying to the Christians

00:27:44.299 --> 00:27:46.779
 become like us.

00:27:47.480 --> 00:27:48.500
 Not become like Jesus.

00:27:49.440 --> 00:27:51.099
 Become like us.

00:27:52.039 --> 00:27:52.559
 Paul says

00:27:52.559 --> 00:27:53.319
 there's absolutely

00:27:53.319 --> 00:27:53.799
 nothing wrong

00:27:53.799 --> 00:27:55.000
 with being zealous.

00:27:55.099 --> 00:27:55.740
 Just be zealous

00:27:55.740 --> 00:27:56.619
 for the right thing.

00:27:57.619 --> 00:27:58.759
 So sometimes people

00:27:58.759 --> 00:28:00.379
 will say,

00:28:00.519 --> 00:28:00.679
 you know,

00:28:00.919 --> 00:28:01.979
 you're a Christian.

00:28:02.139 --> 00:28:03.479
 You're a fundamentalist.

00:28:03.500 --> 00:28:05.199
 As if to be fundamental

00:28:05.199 --> 00:28:05.779
 about anything

00:28:05.779 --> 00:28:07.359
 is a bad thing.

00:28:08.019 --> 00:28:08.979
 But Paul is saying

00:28:08.979 --> 00:28:11.359
 having fundamentals

00:28:11.359 --> 00:28:12.679
 is a good thing

00:28:12.679 --> 00:28:14.099
 if your fundamentals

00:28:14.099 --> 00:28:15.359
 are tied up

00:28:15.359 --> 00:28:16.139
 to your identity

00:28:16.139 --> 00:28:17.479
 in the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:28:18.059 --> 00:28:18.939
 If our fundamental

00:28:18.939 --> 00:28:20.539
 is I want to follow

00:28:20.539 --> 00:28:21.500
 the Jesus

00:28:21.500 --> 00:28:22.859
 who loved

00:28:22.859 --> 00:28:24.000
 the outsider,

00:28:24.779 --> 00:28:25.399
 who cared

00:28:25.399 --> 00:28:25.979
 for the poor

00:28:25.980 --> 00:28:26.440
 and the weak

00:28:26.440 --> 00:28:27.180
 and the needy.

00:28:27.960 --> 00:28:29.059
 If my fundamental

00:28:29.059 --> 00:28:30.860
 is I want to be humble

00:28:30.860 --> 00:28:32.140
 and serve people

00:28:32.140 --> 00:28:32.599
 like Jesus

00:28:32.599 --> 00:28:33.500
 then that's a good thing

00:28:33.500 --> 00:28:34.019
 for us.

00:28:34.519 --> 00:28:34.980
 It's a good thing

00:28:34.980 --> 00:28:35.339
 for our church.

00:28:35.400 --> 00:28:35.860
 It's a good thing

00:28:35.860 --> 00:28:36.620
 for our society.

00:28:36.740 --> 00:28:37.579
 So there's nothing wrong

00:28:37.579 --> 00:28:39.000
 with being fundamental.

00:28:39.920 --> 00:28:40.660
 It just depends

00:28:40.660 --> 00:28:41.420
 what they are.

00:28:42.099 --> 00:28:43.079
 So for Paul

00:28:43.079 --> 00:28:44.660
 he's distressed

00:28:44.660 --> 00:28:45.960
 because these false teachers

00:28:45.960 --> 00:28:47.059
 are zealous

00:28:47.059 --> 00:28:47.819
 that the people

00:28:47.819 --> 00:28:49.120
 would become like them

00:28:49.120 --> 00:28:50.279
 whereas Paul

00:28:50.279 --> 00:28:51.000
 is desperate

00:28:51.000 --> 00:28:51.799
 for what?

00:28:52.799 --> 00:28:53.660
 I'm in the pains

00:28:53.660 --> 00:28:54.420
 of childbirth

00:28:54.420 --> 00:28:55.300
 until Christ

00:28:55.300 --> 00:28:56.259
 is formed in you.

00:28:56.340 --> 00:28:56.920
 He's desperate

00:28:56.920 --> 00:28:57.320
 for them

00:28:57.320 --> 00:28:57.960
 to become

00:28:57.960 --> 00:28:59.100
 like Jesus

00:28:59.100 --> 00:29:00.400
 to grow

00:29:00.400 --> 00:29:01.360
 in the likeness

00:29:01.360 --> 00:29:02.039
 of Christ.

00:29:02.940 --> 00:29:03.960
 Here is

00:29:03.960 --> 00:29:05.220
 in a nutshell

00:29:05.220 --> 00:29:05.720
 I think

00:29:05.720 --> 00:29:07.320
 a pastor's heartbeat

00:29:07.320 --> 00:29:09.279
 to see

00:29:09.279 --> 00:29:10.980
 people in churches

00:29:10.980 --> 00:29:13.060
 make spiritual progress

00:29:13.060 --> 00:29:14.840
 to grow

00:29:14.840 --> 00:29:15.800
 to enjoy

00:29:15.800 --> 00:29:17.259
 their privilege

00:29:17.259 --> 00:29:19.120
 in the Lord Jesus Christ

00:29:19.120 --> 00:29:20.740
 to persevere

00:29:20.740 --> 00:29:21.440
 in faith

00:29:21.440 --> 00:29:22.880
 and to mature

00:29:22.880 --> 00:29:23.600
 in faith

00:29:23.600 --> 00:29:26.420
 to see Christ

00:29:26.420 --> 00:29:27.440
 formed in people.

00:29:27.940 --> 00:29:28.480
 John Calvin

00:29:28.480 --> 00:29:29.240
 puts it well

00:29:29.240 --> 00:29:30.200
 if ministers

00:29:30.200 --> 00:29:30.940
 wish to do

00:29:30.940 --> 00:29:31.720
 any good

00:29:31.720 --> 00:29:33.360
 let them labor

00:29:33.360 --> 00:29:34.980
 to form Christ

00:29:34.980 --> 00:29:36.640
 not themselves

00:29:36.640 --> 00:29:38.279
 in their hearers.

00:29:39.559 --> 00:29:39.860
 Let me say

00:29:39.860 --> 00:29:40.380
 as your pastor

00:29:40.380 --> 00:29:41.660
 I get this.

00:29:42.799 --> 00:29:43.700
 The times

00:29:43.700 --> 00:29:44.380
 where I stop

00:29:44.380 --> 00:29:45.160
 and reflect

00:29:45.160 --> 00:29:46.500
 on the last few months

00:29:46.500 --> 00:29:47.580
 or the last year

00:29:47.579 --> 00:29:49.939
 without fail

00:29:49.939 --> 00:29:50.819
 that the cause

00:29:50.819 --> 00:29:51.679
 of joy

00:29:51.679 --> 00:29:53.240
 is always

00:29:53.240 --> 00:29:54.500
 reflecting

00:29:54.500 --> 00:29:54.980
 and seeing

00:29:54.980 --> 00:29:55.559
 how people

00:29:55.559 --> 00:29:56.299
 are growing

00:29:56.299 --> 00:29:57.079
 to be more

00:29:57.079 --> 00:29:57.699
 like Jesus.

00:29:58.339 --> 00:29:59.039
 Seeing how people

00:29:59.039 --> 00:29:59.759
 are walking

00:29:59.759 --> 00:30:00.619
 with God

00:30:00.619 --> 00:30:01.359
 and enjoying

00:30:01.359 --> 00:30:02.000
 their faith

00:30:02.000 --> 00:30:03.799
 but then the opposite

00:30:03.799 --> 00:30:04.699
 what causes

00:30:04.699 --> 00:30:05.460
 sorrow

00:30:05.460 --> 00:30:06.439
 and discouragement

00:30:06.439 --> 00:30:07.939
 is to see people

00:30:07.939 --> 00:30:08.720
 grow cold

00:30:08.720 --> 00:30:10.339
 is to see people

00:30:10.339 --> 00:30:11.819
 walk away

00:30:11.819 --> 00:30:14.139
 because

00:30:14.139 --> 00:30:15.399
 the desire

00:30:15.399 --> 00:30:16.159
 of a pastor

00:30:16.159 --> 00:30:17.359
 the desire

00:30:17.359 --> 00:30:17.939
 of Paul

00:30:17.939 --> 00:30:19.079
 is to see

00:30:19.079 --> 00:30:20.039
 the image

00:30:20.039 --> 00:30:20.740
 of Christ

00:30:20.740 --> 00:30:21.779
 in others.

00:30:22.740 --> 00:30:23.639
 So my regular

00:30:23.639 --> 00:30:24.139
 prayer

00:30:24.139 --> 00:30:25.460
 every week

00:30:25.460 --> 00:30:26.179
 every day

00:30:26.179 --> 00:30:27.019
 pray different things

00:30:27.019 --> 00:30:27.439
 for the church

00:30:27.439 --> 00:30:28.179
 but my regular

00:30:28.179 --> 00:30:29.259
 prayer for us

00:30:29.259 --> 00:30:29.779
 as a church

00:30:29.779 --> 00:30:30.299
 is that we would

00:30:30.299 --> 00:30:30.980
 know joy

00:30:30.980 --> 00:30:32.000
 in Jesus

00:30:32.000 --> 00:30:33.460
 as we follow

00:30:33.460 --> 00:30:34.359
 Jesus together

00:30:34.359 --> 00:30:35.460
 that we would

00:30:35.460 --> 00:30:36.200
 love to read

00:30:36.200 --> 00:30:36.579
 the Bible

00:30:36.579 --> 00:30:36.899
 but it wouldn't

00:30:36.899 --> 00:30:37.399
 just be like

00:30:37.399 --> 00:30:38.019
 a dull thing

00:30:38.019 --> 00:30:38.460
 that we have

00:30:38.460 --> 00:30:38.740
 to do

00:30:38.740 --> 00:30:39.740
 we'd have joy

00:30:39.740 --> 00:30:40.339
 because we get

00:30:40.339 --> 00:30:40.859
 to discover

00:30:40.859 --> 00:30:41.399
 more of the

00:30:41.400 --> 00:30:42.100
 glory of God

00:30:42.100 --> 00:30:42.800
 as we read

00:30:42.800 --> 00:30:43.440
 in his word

00:30:43.440 --> 00:30:45.280
 that we would

00:30:45.280 --> 00:30:46.000
 love to be

00:30:46.000 --> 00:30:46.780
 praying together

00:30:46.780 --> 00:30:47.560
 again not just

00:30:47.560 --> 00:30:48.400
 as a routine

00:30:48.400 --> 00:30:48.980
 but because

00:30:48.980 --> 00:30:50.280
 we have access

00:30:50.280 --> 00:30:50.940
 to our Father

00:30:50.940 --> 00:30:51.580
 in heaven

00:30:51.580 --> 00:30:52.480
 the one who

00:30:52.480 --> 00:30:53.180
 loves us

00:30:53.180 --> 00:30:54.740
 that we'd be

00:30:54.740 --> 00:30:55.900
 sharing together

00:30:55.900 --> 00:30:57.660
 about Jesus

00:30:57.660 --> 00:30:58.500
 how we're growing

00:30:58.500 --> 00:30:59.160
 in our faith

00:30:59.160 --> 00:31:00.120
 sharing our struggle

00:31:00.120 --> 00:31:01.040
 sharing our fear

00:31:01.040 --> 00:31:02.080
 sharing our joy

00:31:02.080 --> 00:31:03.740
 that we'd be

00:31:03.740 --> 00:31:04.440
 serving our

00:31:04.440 --> 00:31:05.440
 communities together

00:31:05.440 --> 00:31:07.220
 speaking to people

00:31:07.220 --> 00:31:08.440
 about Jesus

00:31:08.440 --> 00:31:10.580
 that's my prayer

00:31:10.579 --> 00:31:11.960
 what amazing

00:31:11.960 --> 00:31:12.339
 prayer

00:31:12.339 --> 00:31:13.139
 this one

00:31:13.139 --> 00:31:13.399
 would be

00:31:13.399 --> 00:31:14.099
 this prayer

00:31:14.099 --> 00:31:14.960
 to turn this

00:31:14.960 --> 00:31:15.679
 into a prayer

00:31:15.679 --> 00:31:16.579
 these words

00:31:16.579 --> 00:31:17.019
 of Paul

00:31:17.019 --> 00:31:17.519
 that we'd be

00:31:17.519 --> 00:31:18.399
 praying for one

00:31:18.399 --> 00:31:19.399
 another to see

00:31:19.399 --> 00:31:20.539
 Christ formed

00:31:20.539 --> 00:31:21.139
 in each other

00:31:21.139 --> 00:31:22.240
 in ourselves

00:31:22.240 --> 00:31:23.379
 first but also

00:31:23.379 --> 00:31:24.419
 in one another

00:31:24.419 --> 00:31:25.359
 to see Christ

00:31:25.359 --> 00:31:26.139
 formed in the

00:31:26.139 --> 00:31:26.740
 people that we

00:31:26.740 --> 00:31:27.179
 love

00:31:27.179 --> 00:31:29.019
 and what a

00:31:29.019 --> 00:31:29.879
 wonderful aim

00:31:29.879 --> 00:31:30.480
 to devote

00:31:30.480 --> 00:31:31.659
 our lives to

00:31:31.659 --> 00:31:32.579
 lots of things

00:31:32.579 --> 00:31:33.240
 pulling on our

00:31:33.240 --> 00:31:33.879
 time and our

00:31:33.879 --> 00:31:34.539
 energy but

00:31:34.539 --> 00:31:35.720
 to be devoted

00:31:35.720 --> 00:31:36.439
 to knowing

00:31:36.440 --> 00:31:37.820
 Jesus and

00:31:37.820 --> 00:31:38.240
 to becoming

00:31:38.240 --> 00:31:39.340
 more and

00:31:39.340 --> 00:31:40.680
 more like

00:31:40.680 --> 00:31:40.960
 him

00:31:40.960 --> 00:31:43.380
 so let me

00:31:43.380 --> 00:31:44.279
 invite you to

00:31:44.279 --> 00:31:46.059
 reflect on

00:31:46.059 --> 00:31:47.140
 these words

00:31:47.140 --> 00:31:47.720
 of Paul

00:31:47.720 --> 00:31:48.840
 to think for

00:31:48.840 --> 00:31:49.180
 yourselves

00:31:49.180 --> 00:31:50.500
 am I choosing

00:31:50.500 --> 00:31:52.279
 to enjoy

00:31:52.279 --> 00:31:53.080
 freedom in

00:31:53.080 --> 00:31:53.400
 Christ

00:31:53.400 --> 00:31:56.320
 is the gospel

00:31:56.320 --> 00:31:57.279
 is the good

00:31:57.279 --> 00:31:58.220
 news of Jesus

00:31:58.220 --> 00:31:59.620
 what shapes

00:31:59.620 --> 00:32:00.900
 and directs

00:32:00.900 --> 00:32:01.779
 my life

00:32:01.779 --> 00:32:03.279
 do I want

00:32:03.279 --> 00:32:04.000
 to become

00:32:04.000 --> 00:32:05.759
 more like

00:32:05.759 --> 00:32:06.180
 Jesus

00:32:06.180 --> 00:32:07.619
 day by day

00:32:07.619 --> 00:32:07.940
 you