Welcome to evening lunchtime talks.
!
We have a slight problem.
!
11. But did Cephas go up to the end of the chapter? That is the question. I was thinking
he did, but does anyone want to confirm or contradict? No? That's right, that confirms
I thought. Very good. Well, I will read and then pray. No, last week we did 2.11, the 21. So
we are starting at 3.1. Oh foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes
that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this. Did
you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish,
having begun by the Spirit? Are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many
things in vain, if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works
miracles among you do so by the works of the law or by hearing with faith? Just as Abraham
believed God, it was counted to him his righteousness. Know this then, that it is those of faith who
are the sons of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith,
preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying,
in you shall all the nations be blessed. So then those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham,
the man of faith.
For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse, for it is written,
curse be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law and do them.
Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for the righteous shall live by faith.
But the law is not of faith, rather the one who does them shall live by them.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.
For it is written, cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree,
so that in Christ Jesus,
the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles,
so that we might receive
the promised spirit
through faith.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, we thank you that you are
the one true God, you are our God,
our covenant God,
and we bless you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We thank you for
your words,
your scripture,
the word of life.
We thank you that you led
Paul
to oppose those who would add something
to faith,
because it is through faith
in your grace,
in Christ Jesus,
that we are made right with you
and we have a proper standing before you.
And so we thank you
that because of our Savior,
we can have ready access now
into your presence.
We come to the throne of the King,
the King of Kings,
and rejoice.
And we pray,
Heavenly Father,
it's time that you would bring
the King of Kings,
and we pray that you would bring
But we pray that in the meantime,
you may still bless your word to us.
As you bless the Galatians,
bless us in healing, we pray,
for Jesus' sake.
Amen.
I'm still looking for him.
Still not found him here.
So, well,
what has been,
Paul been doing?
He's been,
speaking to the Galatians
because of their foolishness
of going away from Christ
as their only hope.
They wanted to add
something to the work of Christ.
Circumcision.
And Paul is at pains
to tell them
that if you add something
to Christ,
you're not really being
put right with God
through what the Lord
Jesus Christ has done.
Another way you could look
at what the Galatians
were doing
was they were really
requiring new converts
to become not only
Christians through Jesus,
but Jews through circumcision.
And Paul was opposed
to this.
He is telling them
that he is the apostle
to the Gentiles
and he knows
that Gentiles are received
as are Jews
through faith
in Christ Jesus.
This is God's way
of dealing with us now.
And even today,
anybody who wants to say
you are received
on the basis
of Jesus and,
whatever that and is,
a common and,
for example,
would be a certain mode
or time of baptism.
No.
The way we are accepted
through the Lord Jesus Christ
is through him alone.
And this is what Paul
is teaching
teaching to the Galatians.
And to add to that,
he talks to them
about how they have received
the Holy Spirit.
He doesn't mince his words.
At the beginning,
he talked about
those who preach
another gospel
should be accursed.
and you couldn't
have stronger language
than that.
Here he calls
the Galatians foolish,
bewitched,
that they have been
led astray.
But he reminds them
of how they have become
Christians.
It was before your eyes
that Jesus Christ
was publicly portrayed
as crucified.
Now there are some people
who reading that
would say,
well,
they must have had
some big crucifix
or something
put up in the church.
But we know
that that wasn't the case.
The way that Jesus Christ
was publicly portrayed
to the Christians
was through the preaching
of the word of God.
And we don't need
images of Jesus,
paintings of Jesus
as aids to devotion
in any way.
That's actually adding
something to faith
in Christ alone.
No, we need
the eyes of our heart
to be opened.
We need the scales
of sin
to be taken away
so that we see
Jesus spiritually
portrayed to us
as crucified.
And Paul reminds them
it is through
the crucified Christ
that they have received
the Holy Spirit.
Did you receive
the Spirit
by works of the law
or by hearing
with faith?
Well, he's reminding them
that the way of receiving
the Holy Spirit
is through the work
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
we know
how the salvation
history goes.
Jesus comes
into the world
having left
the presence
of God
his Father.
He's born
as a little baby
in Bethlehem.
He grows up
about the age
of 30.
He starts
his work
when he is
baptized
he goes around
filled with the
Holy Spirit
teaching
healing
miracles
and then
he's up to
Jerusalem
to die
on the cross.
And after
he dies
then the third
day he's raised
again.
He shows himself
to his disciples
by many
infallible
proofs.
After 40 days
he ascends
into heaven
they see him
go up
into the clouds
now a man
in the presence
of God Almighty
and they have
a promise
of his coming
again
but also
they are told
to wait
in Jerusalem.
For 10 days
later
on the day
of Pentecost
then the Holy
Spirit
is poured
out
upon the church
and the
apostles
who till then
had been
fearful
and faint
they are
transformed
into bold
preachers
of the gospel.
Now how have
they received
the Holy Spirit
at that point?
Is it by some
works that they
did?
No.
It was through
the work
of the Lord
Jesus Christ.
Jesus
his father
have poured
out the Holy
Spirit
on the church.
So Paul
says what's
this about
adding something
to the work
of Christ?
Is it by
something you've
added?
You've received
the Holy Spirit?
Not at all.
And then again
he says to
them
did you suffer
so many
things in
vain?
Why were you
persecuted
if it was
indeed
to no point?
No.
God who
supplies the
Spirit to
you
and works
miracles
among you
he doesn't
do it
in response
to the good
works
that you
do.
He does
it in
response
the way
you respond
to hearing
the word
of God
with faith
and trust
in the Lord
Jesus Christ.
That's
something that
we
must
take to
heart
today.
We don't
get the
blessings of
God and
the gifts
of his
Spirit
because we
work for
them.
No.
We get
them through
faith in the
Lord Jesus
Christ.
It's 100%
God's grace
unmerited
on our
part.
I was just
actually reading
this morning
a critique
of a man
called
Creflo
Dollar
an American
evangelist
who
well
he preaches
a prosperity
gospel.
If you
do
what he
says
claim
by faith
certain
promises
then God
will reward
you.
God
will bless
you.
And he's
doing very
well from
his
prosperity
gospel
big house
or two
private
jet
Porsche
cars
etc.
But this
is wrong.
God
doesn't
bless us
because
we
give so
much to
this man
of ministry
or to
that good
work.
No.
God's
blessing of
us
is in
response
to our
faith
and trust
in the
Lord
Jesus
Christ.
So we
don't need
to earn
God's
favour by
any works
we do.
We need
to believe
in God
and believe
in God's
promises.
Paul
goes
right back
to the
father of
the Jews
Abraham.
He says
Abraham
believed
God
and it
was
counted
to him
as
righteousness.
Abraham
was a
man of
faith.
The man
who trusted
in God.
And we
read that
God
reckoned
Abraham's
faith as
his
righteousness.
Brother
Capers
welcome.
Welcome.
We have
read
to
verse 9
of chapter
3
and I've
done some
exposition
to
verse 6
but it's
all up to
you now
what you
want to
do.
I'm
so sorry.
So Paul
found it
necessary
to address
the
challenge
that the
Galatian
Christians
had found
themselves
now facing.
Previously
he contended
with the
Jews.
He
debated
with the
Jews
and he
argued
against
the fact
that they
wanted
to insist
on the
Galatians
to put
on
lifestyles
that were
contrary
to the
grace
that God
had revealed
to them.
And he
found them
now
going into
the same
error.
He found
them
after having
been helped
to understand
that they
did not
need
circumcision
to be
accepted
by God.
They did
not need
to observe
the dietary
regulations
of Jews
to be
accepted
by God.
He
was
afounded
that they
would now
have been
revealed
to the
fact that
it is
grace
that leads
us to
salvation.
He was
disappointed
that they
would go
back to
trusting
in their
own
self-effort.
And he
considered
that an
act of
foolishness
which he
referred to
twice.
And I
think it is
very serious
if Paul
would twice
have to
say you
are being
foolish.
And he
said it
was an
act of
bewitchment.
So the
challenge,
the important
thing for
us is
what we
see in
verse 3
where he
says,
having begun
in the
spirit,
are you
now being
perfected
in the
flesh?
Having
started our
Christian
relationship
and our
Christian
walk with
God by
faith in
Christ,
by believing
in what
God has
done in
our lives
and by
the work
of
sanctification
going on
by the
power of
the Spirit
of God,
should we
now begin
to rely
on our
efforts?
So the
question to
us as
Christians
today is
how do
we grow
in our
Christian
faith?
How do
we progress?
Is it as
people who
now feel
we have to
do something
to add
to the
faith,
to the
work of
grace that
we have
received in
Christ Jesus?
Or should
we continue
to rely
on the
help that
comes from
God?
And the
challenge many
of us
encounter is
that there
are times we
feel dissatisfied
with our
Christian
walk.
There are
times we
feel am I
doing enough?
Am I
praying enough?
Am I
reading the
Bible enough?
Am I
being a
sufficient
witness to
the grace
of God
enough?
Am I
shining forth
the light
enough to
people?
And when
those thoughts
begin to
come, we
become disappointed
and sometimes
it causes
frustration, then
we begin to
think we
have to do
something.
I must do
something to
kind of
satisfy first
myself that
I am being
good enough.
So for some
maybe, it's
a faithful
attendance of
healing lunchtime
talk, faithful
attendance of
Bible study
meetings, faithful
participation in
prayer meetings,
faithful going
about from
place to
witness, so
that when
you look at
a checklist
of those
things that
make you a
good Christian
and you
tick them
up and
you tick
them up,
then you
get to
feel good.
So for
some of us
then, our
salvation is
a factor of
how good we
feel about
what we are
doing and how
we are presenting
ourselves.
And Paul
says this is
also an act
that could lead
to foolishness.
Why?
Because we
didn't start
by works.
The salvation
that we have
received did
not come to
us because we
did anything
good.
Just like
Abraham didn't
have to do
anything good
before he
received of
the grace of
God.
So Paul
presents Abraham
as an example.
He says
therefore that
Abraham believed
God and
it was
counted to
him as
righteousness.
Not that
Abraham walked
hard for
the Lord.
Not that
Abraham impressed
God.
It was what
he did in
believing,
the only
walk,
we can call
it walk
of believing,
choosing to
place his
faith in
this God
whom he did
not have a
clear knowledge
of but whom
he had heard
and whom he
believed was
worthy of
submitting to.
So Abraham
believed God
and it was
accounted to
him for
righteousness.
In the same
way therefore
the apostle
Paul is
saying if
we, if the
Galatian
Christians for
instance would
find justification
and would
enter into
the walk of
being called
the children of
Abraham which
was the thing
that Jews
held as
something that
made them
peculiar because
they received the
covenant of
circumcision
from their
father,
they had
received the
covenant of
the different
promises from
their father
Abraham and
that made
them feel
they were
unique but
Paul was
telling them
no,
Abraham did
not become
a man approved
by God
because of
what he did,
it's because
of his faith.
so if you
want to be
children of
Abraham,
it is the
faith you
place in
God and
his finished
work for
you that
makes you
like Abraham
and it
compares to
what Abraham
did.
Abraham did
not find
approval by
works,
he found
approval by
faith,
therefore you
should struggle
to find
approval not
by works
but by
faith.
In verse
10 then,
he raises
what is
the problem
of trying
to depend
on the
law and
the things
we do.
He said,
for all
who rely
on the
works of
law are
under a
curse,
for it is
written,
cursed be
everyone who
does not
abide by
all the
things written
in the
book of
law and
do them.
Now,
this raises
the challenge.
If you
want to
believe in
works and
obedience to
the law as
the basis of
finding salvation
and grace,
then you
should be
ready to
obey
everything
that is
found in
the law.
Because in
Deuteronomy
27 verse
26 we are
told that
when Moses
presented the
law of the
Lord to
the children
of Israel,
he challenged
them that
everyone must
be willing to
obey everything
and they
answered
Amen.
So,
if we
will find
approval,
we should
be ready
to obey
everything,
every single
law.
But that's
quite a
difficult thing
to do because
whoever falls
short of
one law has
fallen short
of all the
laws.
And because
it's not
possible for us
to obey all
the laws,
Jesus now
became the
curse for us
because whoever
breaks the
law of God
becomes cursed
but Jesus
took that
curse on
himself and
died for
us so that
in him
we do not
need to
see the
obedience to
all the laws
as the
requirement of
acceptance with
God.
all we
need is
placing faith
in what
God has
done for
us in
Christ Jesus.
And when
you place
your faith
in Christ
Jesus,
before God
you are
now accepted
as righteous
in right
standing with
God,
you are
now no
longer held
to the
need,
you are
no longer
held by
the need
to obey
all the
laws because
in Christ
Jesus,
because you
place faith
in what
Jesus has
done,
you will
now become
accepted.
So,
whoever tries
to now
trust in
his works
to gain
salvation
is nullifying
like we
read last
week,
is nullifying
the grace
that has
come to
us by
virtue of
what Jesus
has done.
It's making
the death
of Jesus
of no
benefit.
It's making
the suffering
and the
sacrifice
of Jesus
of no
benefit.
But whoever
places his
faith in
Christ Jesus
and accepts
that,
he stands
accepted by
God only
by virtue
of what
Jesus has
done,
then you
will find
approval,
then you
will find
peace,
then you
will enter
into eternal
rest.
God only
will
be
so
does it
require
that we
just sit
idle and
not do
anything?
That's not
what scripture
is saying.
But scripture
is also not
saying rise
and walk.
But we
have an
encouragement
in Philippians
2 verse 13
where Paul
himself says
it is God
who is at
walk in
us,
both to
will and
to do of
his good
pleasure.
Which means
as I
submit to
the Lord
and I
submit to
the Spirit
of God
with whom
I have
been sealed
from the
day I
repented,
from the
day I
placed my
faith in
Jesus,
as I
submit to
the Lord
in that
regard,
then it
is God
now who
will be
walking in
and through
me.
I do not
seek pleasure,
I do not
seek to
derive pleasure
or confirmation
by what I
do,
I only
avail myself
so that
the Lord
himself will
do what
he has set
out to
do in
and through
me.
We are
therefore
mere
extensions
of the
Lord,
we are
therefore
merely
instruments
that should
be made
available
to the
Lord,
so that
he can
walk in
and through
us.
When we
speak to
people,
it will
be the
Lord
speaking
through
us.
if we
do
anything
that
humanly
we
have
categorized
as
good
and
those
things
that
Christians
should
do,
we will
not be
seeking
approval
because we
have done
what Christians
should do,
but we
would be
acting in
grateful
response
by availing
ourselves
so that
the Lord
himself
will
honor
himself
in
and
through
us.
Therefore
we do
not put
confidence
in
ourselves.
Listen
to how
John
Piper
says
these
things
as he
addresses
the
challenge
of the
Galatians.
He says
the essence
of the
Galatian
heresy
is the
teaching
that you
begin
the
Christian
life
by faith
and then
you
grow
in the
Christian
life
by
works.
That
is
by
drawing
on
paths
in
yourself
to make
your
contribution
to
salvation.
One
modern
form
of
heresy
therefore
is
God
helps
those
who
help
themselves.
And this
is a very
popular
approach
that many
of us
have in
Nigeria.
In
Nigeria
the common
expression
would be
like
we say
it in
which
means
God
said
arise
so that
I will
help
you.
And
that
kind
of
falsifies
the
truth
of the
grace
of
God
because
whoever
receives
help
from
God
at
that
point
would
feel
I
contributed
something
at
least
I
did
the
rising
and
when
I
arose
God
saw
my
seriousness
God
saw
my
commitment
in
my
rising
and
he
went
on
to
help
me.
John
Piper
went
on
to
say
faith
is
the
only
response
to
God's
word
which
makes
room
for
the
spirit
to
walk
in
us
and
through
us
flesh
on the
other
hand
is the
insubordinate
self-determining
ego
which in
religious people
responds to
God's word
not with
reliance on
the spirit
but with
reliance on
self.
it
can
nullify
the
grace
of
God
and
what
the
Galatians
were
doing
here
in
now
beginning
to
think
what
should
help
them
is
they
were
making
useless
all
of
the
teachings
that
have
been
received
in
saying
circumcision
is not
the
basis
for
salvation
obeying
their
regulations
is not
the
basis
for
salvation
it
is
faith
in
Jesus
alone
that
helps
us
they
have
nullified
that by
beginning
to rely
on
their
self
effort
these
days
that's
the
same
challenge
we
have
that's
the
same
challenge
we
see
among
Christians
these
days
the
only
thing
many
of
us
have
to
boast
of
in
our
Christianity
is
the
fact
that
we
have
to
draw
people
to
our
churches
and
I
find
that
an
unfortunate
development
because
when
people
go to
evangelize
they
are
more
interested
in
getting
people
to
attend
their
churches
than
getting
people
to
develop
a
right
relationship
with
Jesus
and
to
seek
to
find
salvation
by
faith
and
several
think
it is
in
their
in
the
manifestation
of
their
spiritual
gifts
that
we
gain
a
right
standing
the
apostle
Paul
challenged
the
Galatian
Christians
when
you
receive
miracles
did
you
receive
miracles
because
you
walked
for
them
when
you
received
healing
was it
because
you
walked
no
it's
because
you
placed
your
faith
in
Jesus
brethren
if
the
Lord
will
be
glorified
in
our
lives
it's
not
going
to
be
through
the
obedience
or
through
the
walks
the
beautiful
wonderful
walks
we
do
it
will
be
because
we
have
chosen
to
place
faith
in
Jesus
and
we
have
allowed
Jesus
to
be
seen
and
to
be
experienced
by the
world
in
and
through
us
let
us
pray