Welcome to Delight in Grace, the teaching ministry of Rich Powell. Pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. Yeah. In Galatians 4, 1 through 7. Paul illustrates how Christ's redeeming work brings us out from under the law.
He contrasts the status and role of a child in ancient Roman law to that of an heir coming of age. Christ has made us heirs. Because of the Spirit Jesus places within His people, our hearts love and long to please the Father. eliminating a reliance on a moral code. What a deep, love and trust we can have in such communion with God through His Spirit.
We now follow the heart of our father. instead of a mere list of rules. Let's listen in. We're going to turn our hearts now to the reading of God's Word. If you have a copy of the scriptures, Turn to Galatians, the first chapter.
Beginning verse 11. If you don't have a copy with you, ask someone to pass you one of the. Bibles that are underneath the seats in front of you. You can use that for the service. If you don't have Your own Bible.
You're welcome to take that home. It's our gift to you. This is Galatians chapter 1. Beginning verse 11. Paul's speaking.
For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it. but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the Church of God violently. and tried to destroy it.
and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. But when He who had set me apart before I was born and who called me by His grace, Was pleased to reveal his son to me in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles. I did not immediately consult with anyone. nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me. But I went away into Arabia and returned again to Damascus.
Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother. In what I am writing to you before God I do not lie. Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia, And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only were hearing it said.
He who used to persecute us is is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy. and they glorified God. Because of me. Father, as we continue in this study of this Wonderful letter. Teach us, Father, that That former life Can be a former life for us.
That your word gives us hope in Christ. that all things can be new, Be with rich as he opens up the word.
Now, Father, by your Spirit. that you would lead him. And open our hearts and minds to receive. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Good morning, church. Galatians chapter 1. The title of today's message is They Glorified God. That's really kind of the whole point, isn't it?
So far, let's review for just a minute where we've come so far, still in the first chapter of Galatians. The exclusivity of the gospel. Paul gives his greeting, and immediately he goes into. Affirming the exclusivity of the gospel of grace in Jesus Christ. And he argues that this gospel is not from man.
He didn't learn it from man, and it doesn't have its origins in man. The gospel, frankly, is counterintuitive to what man. would think.
So it's not from man, it is in fact directly from Christ. and even for Paul himself as an apostle. He says, I received it directly from Christ. This so Paul continues in this paragraph we're going to be looking at today, verses 18 to 24. Paul continues his argument that the gospel he preached.
was not from men, but from Christ himself. In other words, he didn't receive it from the other apostles. He didn't go through a study session to learn the gospel. He received it directly from Jesus Christ. Remember Paul was a Pharisee, which means he had mastered the content of the Old Testament.
He had at least the Torah memorized, that's the first five books: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Number, Deuteronomy. Say it a little faster, I won't get it out. He probably had most, if not all, of the Old Testament memorized. That's fascinating, isn't it?
So he was a master of the content of the Old Testament. But his revelation from Jesus Christ and having received the gospel of grace in Jesus Christ. That was the basis of his confidence in his authority, which is why he could say what he did say in verse 8. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preach to you, let him be accursed. And then he repeats himself.
That's confidence. And he's not just conjuring that up in himself. He received revelation directly from Jesus Christ. That's the basis of his confidence. And so this whole first chapter is arguing that.
In fact, he even goes into the second chapter. And we'll see where he's leading towards in this time.
So last time we talked about after he encountered Christ. Three years after his conversion, three years after his conversion. Saul was on his way to Damascus. Saul, who became Paul, right? Saul, he was on his way to Damascus.
to arrest Christians. to take him back to Jerusalem for trial. And Christ confronted him. And he was blinded. And he surrendered to Christ right there.
And then he went into Damascus, and Ananias was called. Ananias go, there's a man named Saul. And you need to speak to him. And then I say, Lord, you've heard his reputation, right? Are you sure you know what you're doing?
Yeah. It sounds silly, doesn't it? But you and I do the same thing, don't we? Mm-hmm. Think about how silly that sounds.
the infinite sovereign God of the universe and we ask him if he knows what he's doing. May we learn from that this morning. But Ananias believed, he followed, he obeyed, and he went, and he healed Saul from his blindness. And immediately Saul gets up and he starts proclaiming Christ.
So he goes into the Arabian desert and he was in for three years, in that area up there for three years. What happened in those three years? We talked about this, at least three of these things last time. Number one, communion. He was getting to know Jesus Christ.
in those three years. He was fighting against him before.
Now he's getting to know him. Because you remember Paul's ambition, as he says in Philippians, his letter to the Philippians, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings. Right. He was also Experiencing the illumination of the Holy Spirit now that he was in Christ. He was experiencing the illumination of the Holy Spirit.
He was taking his Old Testament mastery and now pouring over that under the illumination of the Spirit and showing how all of the Old Testament points to Jesus Christ. Because now he's going to be the premier preacher. of Jesus Christ. It was also, I'm sure he was meditating quite a bit. the life implications of this conversion.
the life implications of this now understanding of the revelation of God and how all of it fits together in pointing to Jesus and what Christ has done.
So in other words, Paul in his heart and mind is saying that this changes everything. Everything. There's not anything about me that this doesn't radically alter. It's a point of meditation. The fourth thing, and this is what I did not mention last week, the fourth thing that he was involved in in these three years was mission.
Paul now had all kinds of redemptive opportunities in front of him. All kinds of them. We find him in Acts chapter 9, referring to that a couple of times this morning, right? His conversion is recorded in Acts chapter 9, where Jesus confronts him. on his way to Damascus.
And immediately after, he goes and he proclaims Jesus in the synagogue. Why? Because Paul was a Pharisee, so they would expect to see him. It'd be no surprise to see Saul in the synagogue.
So he goes in and they welcome Saul the Pharisee. And they say, Saul, come on up and read scripture. And he reads Isaiah 53. And then he says, Let me tell you about Jesus. Can you imagine?
The ruckus that would have called caused? Oh my. It says he proclaimed Jesus in a synagogue, and he said, This is Acts chapter 9, he confounded the Jews. Proving that Jesus was the Christ. You see what I said last time?
God used his pre-Christ Equipping for him to be in Christ being Meeting his redemptive opportunities. His mastery of the Old Testament now in Christ under the illumination. And direction of the Holy Spirit, now he is confounding the Jews, proving that Jesus was the Christ. And he did it all from the Old Testament. Did you know you could do that?
That Jesus of the New Testament, you can prove that he is the Christ from the Old Testament. It's a wonderful thought, isn't it?
So this is what he was doing right after his conversion. What we begin with here today in verse 18, he says, Then after three years, so three years he was up in the Damascus, and then just southeast of Damascus was an Arabian desert. And we don't know exactly how long he spent there, but three years in that region, these four things going on. And then he says, verse 18, then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and that's Peter, right? And remained with him 15 days, but I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother.
What's the point he's making here? Let me just begin with that. Why is he mentioning this? Because he is affirming to his readers. and his detractors that Paul Saul did not receive this gospel of grace from the other apostles or anybody else.
He received it directly from Jesus Christ, hence his boldness in the gospel. and his authority in the gospel.
So he says, after three years I went down to Jerusalem to visit Cephas.
So Paul is now, he's now, he's still Saul, right? He's in Jerusalem visiting Peter. And that word is 15 days, he says, 50, a fortnight. He says that word visit is an interesting word. That's the word historeo.
It's the only time used in the New Testament there, but it's the word from which we get the word history.
So the sense of that word is getting acquainted. And the nuance of that word is storytelling.
So here you have You have two apostles. Saul and Peter. What do you reckon they were talking about? For over two weeks. What do you reckon they were talking about?
I'm sure they were not talking about NCAA bracketology. Everybody needs an anachronism, right? They certainly were not talking about the prospects of a looming economic recession or anything like that. No. I'm sure they spent a lot of time talking about the three years that Peter walked with Jesus.
They spent a lot of time about Saul and how he was confronted by Christ. and converted To Christianity, because he was personally confronted by Jesus Christ. I'm sure they were also talking about the mission of the gospel. This is all that's gone on. Look at what's happened.
Saul was reporting everything that he's done, how he goes into the synagogue, how he's treated by the Jews when he brings up the name of Jesus Christ. I'm sure they talked about God's manifest power. in the proclamation of the gospel. I'm sure they were talking about the lives that have been transformed. by the preaching of the gospel.
I'm sure all this was going on. And then to continue his point, He visited with Peter 15, remained with him 15 days, but I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord's brother. James, the Lord. This is not the James, the disciple, that walked with Jesus for three years. He's already been martyred.
Okay. This is James the Lord's brother. Who did not believe in Christ while he walked on the earth? This man is a life converted, a life transformed. And this James became probably the lead elder of the Jerusalem church.
And we glean that largely from Acts chapter 15. But it refers to it, it seems to say it refers to him as an apostle here, too, right? Which means that he probably was an eyewitness of the resurrected Jesus Christ. He says only James No other apostles yet. Again, why is he making this point?
I went down to Jerusalem. I was only there for 15 days, spending the time with Peter, and the only other apostle I saw was James. None of the other apostles. Like I said last time, Paul, Saul, did not have unilateral authority over the gospel. Right?
It was a gospel, his was the same gospel that was preached by all the other apostles. It wasn't a unique gospel. There is no other gospel. It was the gospel of grace. And so, and one thing I pointed out before was that because Paul was not the only one preaching this, and he had singular authority over this gospel.
But it was the same gospel preached by all the other apostles. And so if there had been apostolic affirmation, and there was apostolic affirmation of Paul's gospel, because it's the gospel that he preached, But at this time, this was not that time because Paul Saul only met with. Peter and a little bit with James. If this were the time that he were seeking affirmation from all the apostles, he would have met with the 12. That's the point he's making here, which is why he says In verse 20, in what I am writing to you before God, I do not lie.
He is. presenting an oath. to them. This is the truth. I did not receive this gospel from the other apostles or any other man or a course of study.
I received it directly from Jesus Christ. He's affirming. The authority and the confidence, the boldness that he has in Jesus Christ is, I'm not lying to you. This is exactly how it happened. I think it's important to point out here that he didn't go just to see Peter alone, he also saw James.
So there's witness, there's testimony there, and that's the whole point behind where two or three are gathered in my name. It gives credence, it gives weightiness to it, okay? Authority. You will remember that as we get into chapter 2. That this same Peter is the one who Paul himself had to confront about being inconsistent with the gospel of grace.
That's mind-blowing, okay? But again, that speaks to that, and that's where he's going. That speaks to the confidence and the authority that he had. It wasn't a singular authority. But it was an authority that he had as an apostle.
As a result of all this time, Saul to the Jews was persona non grata. They wanted him out of there, away with this man. He used to be fighting this way.
Now he's preaching Jesus as he's saying Jesus was the Messiah. We knew Jesus. We don't think he was the Messiah, and yet Saul would open up the Old Testament scriptures and prove to them. You take all the prophecies of the Old Testament. Look.
Lay it over the life of Jesus. Perfectly fits. Jesus is the Christ. The Messiah. To the Jews.
They wanted him to go away to the believers, though at this time he was still a threat. While he was down in Jerusalem, probably during this time while he was visiting Peter, he probably tried to get into some fellowships. Home churches and worship with them and they're like, nuh uh Mm-hmm. They were unconvinced. of his conversion.
Because they speak of him, Acts chapter 9, they speak of him as he who made havoc in Jerusalem. That's the reputation he had. You know, as we're talking about redemptive opportunities this year, maybe that might be a good ambition for some of us. He who made havoc in Winston-Salem or something like that. I don't know.
Russ, don't get carried away with that or anything. Maybe that's why he's going to South Africa. He's going to make havoc down there. As God wills. As God wills.
So, what does he do after he visits Peter for that amount of time and sees James also? Then he goes back to home turf. He goes, he says, back up to Cilicia and Caesarea. And turn the map up here. This is where he goes.
You can see Jerusalem right down there. See where Judea is on the bottom? And just above that is Jerusalem. And then, so that's where he was, where he met Peter, right? And then Syria and Cilicia are the yellow and purple regions up there.
So right up there, that armpit area right up there, that's his home turf in there, all right?
So Tarsus, you can see over there in the purple, the middle of the purple, Tarsus, that's his hometown.
So that's his old stomping ground.
So that's where he goes. He spends 14 years up in that area before he starts his. public ministry as an apostle.
Okay, 14 years with the blessing of all the other apostles.
So, and he says, during this time, he says, I was unknown in person to any of the churches in Judea. Again, why is he saying this? He's making the point, I didn't receive this from men. I didn't go through a course, a discipleship course with the other apostles. I received it directly from Jesus Christ.
And so he's saying, of those 14 years after my conversion, Chapter 2, verse 1, okay, of those 14 years. I spent 15 days in Jerusalem and I spoke with only Peter. And James briefly.
Okay. So that's the point he's making. He says, but during that time, During that time, he says, and I was still unknown in person to the churches in Judea that are in Christ. They only were hearing it said, He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.
Now, when that first happens, you can imagine. Remember, Paul tried to get into the fellowships in Jerusalem, and they say, no. No, we're sorry, we're not going to trust you. They didn't believe his conversion was credible. They were afraid this might be a pretense to get inroads to try to find out who the actual believers are and arrest them.
But here it's like Paul is presenting an alibi. Right? It's presenting an alibi. He says they kept hearing reports of his long obedience in the same direction. What do I mean by that?
Year after year, month after month, week after, they kept hearing reports. This saw. Who once was trying to destroy the way of Christ, now he's preaching Christ as a Messiah. People are coming to faith. And they kept hearing that and hearing that.
Do you realize how powerful that is? What do we want to see? The evidence of a transformed life. What we need to see, listen to me. Church folks, please listen to me, okay?
We can all make decisions, we can all turn over a new leaf. But you really want people to believe that your life is transformed, they need to see a long obedience in the same direction. Yeah, okay. When it comes to matters of church discipline, when it comes to matters of discipleship, we can all make decisions. We all know how New Year's resolutions go, right?
And for a lot of people, that's how a spiritual conversion can be. It's like a New Year's resolution. Listen, what we need to see, what the church needs to see, is a long obedience in the same direction. Because it's a manifestation of genuine transformation in the heart and mind of a person converted in Jesus Christ. He is preaching the gospel, and he keeps preaching the gospel, and people are being transformed, lives are being transformed.
So I ask the question again: where is Paul going with all of this as he's presenting this? He's making the point: this is not man's gospel. This is not man's gospel. In its origin, it is not man's gospel in its origin. Man didn't come up with this.
I'm not preaching you a gospel that I came up with. But also he said in its in his source himself personally he did not learn this from any other man Except Jesus.
Okay. So He's going to this, he's saying this is not man's gospel, but this is divine grace that transforms. That's his whole point. In this gospel, divine grace that transforms. Because you remember, the churches of Galatia are backing off of this.
Life-transforming grace. They're now moving back towards keeping the law code. They're backing away from the grace. And Paul is making the point: this gospel of grace in Jesus Christ is divine grace that transforms a life. Anyone can keep a code.
Anybody can do that. But only God can transform a life. at the level of heart and desire. at the level of attitude and affection. That's what God can do.
And Paul is arguing here also that it was revealed to him directly from Jesus Christ. And that then is the basis for his authority and his boldness in the gospel, which is why he could say, if you hear me or anybody else or even an angel from heaven, let them be accursed if they preach to you a different gospel. Because this is it. And that's not, in other words, what he's saying, that's not my opinion. This is an objective fact, it's an objective reality.
I'm Where is Paul going with this? He's going to chapter 2 and verse 20. That's where he's going. His whole point, his whole point is this. You're going back to the law where you have to keep the codes.
You have to keep the laws. He says, I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live. but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.
That's a powerful truth. I strongly recommend every one of you to memorize that verse. and let that become your testimony. Memorize that verse. Listen, Paul had the Old Testament, the whole Old Testament memorized, so we should get along with one verse, right?
We can do that, so let's do it. And he says here, verse 24. And there, he's talking about the churches in Judea. That's down in the Jerusalem area there, all of those churches, because the church was almost exclusively Jewish up to this point, right? But all the churches in Judea, all these Jewish churches, now followers of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, they hadn't met him in person yet, but they kept hearing about his conversion and about his preaching of the gospel of grace.
And he says, they glorified God because of me. Stop and think about that for a minute. Think about all the interactions that you have in the course of the week. at home. at work.
On the ball court. In the gym. On vacation. and people you encounter. They glorified God because of me.
That's a high calling, isn't it? That's a high privilege. Very high privilege. The people in the Judean churches kept hearing reports of Saul's preaching of the gospel. And they became convinced, because of his long obedience in the same direction, they became convinced that this was not pretense.
With a view towards infiltrating the church to try to arrest them. That's not what this was anymore. He was genuinely preaching the gospel. He was not a wolf. dressed as a lamb.
He was a man who had been truly transformed by the grace of God. And if God can transform Saul of Tarsus, listen to me, he can transform anybody. Nobody's beyond that. Let's be convinced of that. In other words, what they were saying is, he said, they glorified God because of me.
It's like the people were saying, look what God has done. That's what it means to glorify God. If people glorify God because of you, they walk away from their interaction with you thinking, look what God has done. That's amazing. That's what it means to glorify God.
Only God could do something like this. Romans 1:16, I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. And what they were affirming was that Paul's life was the power of God on display. And to the believers. This was a joyful encouragement.
God is in the business of transforming lives. To the unbelievers This was a mystery. How could this happen? What exactly happened? Right?
They can't figure out what's going on with this Sol guy. In conclusion today, let's talk about the greatest apologetic. The greatest apologetic for the gospel of grace in Jesus Christ. Because this is what Paul is presenting here. And by apologetic, I don't mean I'm sorry for the gospel.
By apologetic I mean apologia, a defense of the gospel. This is why the gospel is true. This is the reasoning why we believe the gospel, the greatest apologetic. for the gospel is this, the gospel lived by one who has been transformed by it. Listen, you can't argue against that.
You can also not Pretend that. Right. Can't be done. Because if it's nothing but pretense, They will see right through you. But the greatest apologetic for the gospel is the gospel lived by one who has been transformed by it.
Think about what that looks like for just a minute. Just a few. I get to know Jesus Christ. I'm indwelt with His Holy Spirit. I'm consuming his word in huge volumes.
And the consumption of His Word, my fellowship with Jesus Christ, my delight in Him. is changing. The things I love. And it's changing. The way I think.
I find myself now thinking. God's thoughts. I'm convinced in what God thinks and says of me. and his judgment of me. His justification of me in Jesus Christ.
So I'm free. I don't have to worry about. being under his judgment. I'm forgiven. And you know what?
He's my master, which means I don't have to care anything about the opinions of others about me. That's right. And so, as I'm thinking God's thoughts after him, and I start to love. I begin more and more to love the things that God loves. and hate the things that he hates.
I become more and more. like Jesus Christ. And people can't help but notice that. That's what I mean by the gospel lived. Yeah.
I want to make a contrast here because this is the contrast that Paul is making, the very reason for writing this book. We all talk about obedience in any faith system, of course, we'll talk about obedience. But is your obedience a matter of duty? or is it a matter of love and grace? Let's contrast that for just a minute now.
Because duty is what the law is all about. God's people were required to keep the law. And there were consequences if you did not. Let's take that to a modern example, all right? You're driving down the road and I would just use myself as an example.
I was driving through um Historic Bathabra. You know where that is, where that one-lane road is? Go like this if you know what I'm talking about.
Okay, we have some people who are aware here today. Yeah, I'm going through and and I have our suburb this is a while ago a long while ago. This is ancient history. Yeah. Our suburban, 1994 green suburban.
All of our family in it. And there's a stop sign on either side of that. single lane road, right? You've seen it, right, Sat Mm-hmm. Yeah.
I saw it. I did not stop. There was not a car in sight. The only car that was there that was not in sight. Was a police officer.
And here I am and driving this suburban, my whole family in the car, and all of a sudden these lights are flashing behind me. Mike, you've got to be kidding me. Young man, half my age. How are you doing, son? No, I didn't do that.
Um Very kind, very cordial. Wrote me a ticket. I broke the law. I broke the law. And I had to pay for it.
Have I been more obedient? To the law, driving through Bethabra. Let's see, how can I put this? Yes Do I obey that law because I love that trooper and we have such a close relationship? You think that's funny.
You understand. That's why you're laughing, right? That's not why I'm obeying the law. I'm obeying the law because I want to escape judgment. That's duty.
And is not based in relationship. This is what Paul is arguing. This is what a moral code does. It's nothing but conformity. I'm conforming to the law because I don't want to receive the judgment for breaking the law.
And this is what Paul talks about. You know my former way of life. It was the duty to tradition. I was zealously. defending the traditions of my fathers.
passionately. And how this plays out, listen, some of you come from churches like this.
Some of you might still think like this. We're working it out of you. But some of you think you know when you leave your house you're you're checking yourself over and and all of that and you're checking your attitude because you know when I go out I need to here it is watch my testimony Yeah. And you some of you might be thinking, Rich, what's wrong with that? Mm.
It's duty. That's duty. That's not anchored in love. That's duty. That's the words I will never forget from a young man, a friend of mine at Moody Bible Institute, my first year in undergraduate studies.
We were going out in Chicago. It was great downtown. We were going out somewhere, and I don't know what I was pointing out or of his behavior or whatever, but I was still kind of a fighting funny in those days. I said, I don't even remember his name. Isn't that sad?
But I said. But the one thing I do remember is I said, You need to watch your testimony. And he said to me.
Okay, you watch mine and I'll watch yours. I've never forgotten that statement. And it has rescued me from thinking legalistically.
Now let's contrast that. Is your obedience to Christ, is it... This is the contrast that Paul is making. Is it out of duty to the law? Because that's the way that's the direction they were going.
They were reverting back to that. He says, is it duty out of law duty to the law? He says, or is it out of love and grace? And think of this example in terms of pleasing your spouse. I hope you and your spouse are not at the place where you just simply please each other out of duty.
If I bring flowers home to Andrea, Oh, honey, they're beautiful. Why'd you do that? I have to. I'm your husband. She will smack me across the face with those flowers and then throw them in the trash, right?
Duty doesn't work there. It does not work. My desire to please her and do what she asks me to do is born out of love and delight in her. And by the way, gentlemen. Ladies, actually this is a statement for you.
If you ask your husband to do something for you, He will do it. Don't nag him. You don't have to remind him every six months.
Some of the guys are still going, huh? This is the argument that Paul is making. Remember Galatians 2.20, Christ who lives in me. Paul's walk of faith now, listen to this. This is the key, folks, and this is what we really, really present strongly in Grace Distinctives, which is.
It's next Sunday night, isn't it, Adam? That's next Sunday night. Yeah. We present this really, really strong. Paul's presenting here a passionate pursuit of Jesus Christ.
Not duty to do what you're supposed to do. If you think Well, I'm doing what I'm supposed to do. I'm doing this because that's what a Christian ought to do. You're resorting Technically. illegalism.
It is much higher. And much more convincing, and much more freeing, and much more beautiful to say, I do this because I love Jesus Christ. But it has to be genuine. You can't put that on. That's not a facade.
I missed a point up here, and I really, really... Hate that. Because it's the main point of... Ha ha. It's the main point of all that we're saying right here.
So, if you can go back to that, buddies, you know what I'm talking about, right? Here it is. Here it is. If you're a Christian, walk. of faith.
is just a keeping a moral code. you have missed the point and the power of the gospel. What you have done is you've relegated your Christian walk of faith to the same level of every other merit-based faith system. This is why Paul is arguing so boldly and adamantly and authoritatively to the Galatians. In fact, what he argues in this book later on, he says, listen, if you keep the law, Jesus died for nothing.
Really? Think about it. Does it make sense? That Jesus would die for you and take the penalty for your sin and rise again so that you could live in newness of life, just so you could just continue keeping the law? Keeping a moral code.
You are not new creations just for the sake of. keeping your duty to a moral code. You are new creations with a view towards your life being transformed. as the outflow of your communion and delight in your creator and your redeemer. That's the gospel of grace.
That's what Paul is arguing for here. Because he speaks in Galatians 2:20, the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. Do you hear that? That coming from the apostle, he would have never said that as a Pharisee. He loved me and gave himself for me.
What is that? That's grace. He gave himself for me, that in itself is grace. And so, as I passionately pursue this one who loves me and gave himself for me, as I walk with him, listen to this: the more I walk with him, the more I become like him. That's how grace works.
So you will hear me say all the time. If you leave here thinking, I just need to be better at doing this and this and this, you've missed the point. The point is I call you today. To be in passionate pursuit of Jesus Christ. Then, if that makes you squirm, I'm going to say it boldly: get over it.
He is your hero. Walk with him. Walk in his steps. Commune with him. Because that's what will transform your life, and that will rescue you from mere duty.
to delight. And that changes everything. Guaranteed. And then when somebody encounters you. They will be able to walk away and say, He loves God.
Wouldn't that be awesome? The encounters you have with others, when they walk away, they can say, He loves God. I will never forget. You know, Scott and Debbie Kashanik, they have four kids and their d one daughter, Allison. She was here last Sunday, wasn't she?
Visiting. And um She went to North Carolina School of the Arts. It's a dark place. And she went there pursuing her master's degree. And she made friends.
And she made friends with people who were going into and through alternative lifestyles. in deep sin. Never heard of it.
Some of them had never heard about Jesus Christ except maybe a curse word.
Some of them had rebelled against it. But do you know what they called her? And some of them were just down to the dark underbelly of culture. Do you know what they called, do you know what her name was to them? Allison was the girl with a tattoo who loved God.
That's powerful. That's what the gospel of grace and her influence on their lives. Introduce them to the transformation of God's grace in Jesus Christ. Uh someone. Those are the redemptive opportunities we have because of the gospel of grace in Jesus Christ.
We are not calling anybody to become like us and follow this moral code. May God rescue us from thinking like that. May God move you this morning from thinking your walk of faith is duty and move you into understanding delight. And all of your obedience to Christ is out of delight in Him because you have been walking with Him and communing with Him. That was Paul's.
Passion. He bears it out here. He bears it out very much in Philippians, right? This is why he said with all boldness, Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death. Don't care what you do to me.
I don't care what you think of me. I am passionate about Jesus Christ. Because I know him. And he is absolutely deserving and worthy of my adoration and worship. And obedience.
That, folks, is the gospel of grace in Jesus Christ. Let's do it. Stand up.
Okay. Father, we are Indeed grateful. That you have given us your Son, the Lord Jesus. And because Of the propitiation for our sins, the reconciliation, justification that He's accomplished. through his sacrifice on the cross.
He's brought us back to you. And you, Father, have given us the awesome gift of the indwelling presence of your Holy Spirit. Father, you have given yourself to us so that we can know you and walk with you. And so, Father, I pray that you would draw us into that because of the power of the gospel of grace in Jesus. Rescue us, Father, from simply thinking in terms of mere duty and escaping judgment.
Father, transform our hearts and our minds this morning, I pray. And if there's anyone here this morning, Father, that does not know you, I pray that it would be your goodness that would lead them to repentance, that they would recognize that they need you. They need your forgiveness.
so that they can have eternal life in you. and bring them back to the Father. Lord, we are grateful for this high calling that is ours. May we leave here cognizant of that high calling, the high privilege, the high status that is ours in Christ. Not because we're so special, but because Jesus is.
and because of what he's done. And so thank you, Father, for what you have done and for what you will do. This all this we ask in Jesus' name. Amen. We're so glad you've joined us today.
This message titled, No Longer a Slave But a Son, was first preached on June 8th, 2025. Come here, the next message in this Galatians series: Our Freedom in Christ. Mondays, here at delightingrace.com.
