Wolves in Sheep's Clothing
Galatians: SOAR! Faith Without Limits "The Gospel, Grace, Freedom" • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 42:24
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Dismiss children for children’s church
Matthew 7:15 Christ Jesus Himself states:
15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
Galatians 1:6-10
6 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; 7 which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! 10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.
Most here today would be aware of the danger looming if there was a herd of sheep that was being approached by a wolf who had dressed in sheep’s clothing!
It would allow this dangerous and powerful predator to creep in close
It would make distinguishing the danger more difficult
Sheep who were unaware and not alert would begin to be taken down by this sly approach of their enemy.
Paul is aware and very concerned with the wolves who have crept in to devour these baby sheep in the churches in Galatia.
His sling in out and ready so to speak
His eyes are alert and attentive to the danger he sees approaching and even present
He is now raising up a warning and aggressively protecting the truth of the Gospel of Christ
Paul starts by declaring to the churches plain and simple...
There is NO other gospel (good news)!
There is NO other gospel (good news)!
Paul is AMAZED!!! (Flabbergasted, in awe, in wonder)
Paul has just left them with the truth…Quickly!
It does not take long for false teaching to creep into a church.
Deserting - a military term. Leaving your post. Abandoning allegiance.
FOR WHAT??? A different gospel?
There is NO other gospel “which is really not another” NIV puts it… “which is really no gospel at all.”
ANYTHING… other than the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not good news!
It is dangerous and leads to death!!!
These people were disturbing them, there was no peace.
There was a distortion of the truth...
Changing it to something else all together, the idea of making it look similar but different all together.
You and I should never add to or detract from what God has done through Jesus Christ
You and I need to have a clear understanding of what the Gospel is… 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
We need to have a clearly defined understanding of the Gospel… Otherwise we could end up believing anything!
Paul gives a stern warning about knowing the truth!
Consider the Message over the Messenger
Consider the Message over the Messenger
Paul’s gospel message did not come from him but rather from Christ Himself!!!
If he changes the gospel or any with him do not be fooled!
If an angel comes… do not be fooled!
We have prominent religions out there today… in our area that have their roots in a religion that started with a message from an angel!
Don’t be deceived by the approach, by the lure of spirituality, the promise of new or enlightened revelation.
Paul goes and reiterates to them if ANY MAN gives a different Gospel be warned!!!!
If it adds to what Christ did beware!
If it detracts from what Christ did beware!
Church this is serious… Paul is waging war on those who teach false doctrine in the church!
Paul is a zealous champion for the purity of the gospel...
We are shocked when we read that Paul says, “Let them be accursed!” … ETERNALLY CONDEMNED
Paul is expressing the Word’s of God here… this is serious
Anything that teaches a false gospel is evil!
Psalm 97:10
Hate evil, you who love the Lord, Who preserves the souls of His godly ones; He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
Romans 12:9
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.
The churches problem is that we don’t know what is good anymore...
We cannot spot or recognize a counterfeit.
We place such an emphasis on the presentation, the style, the music,
We are more content with a TED Talk with some scripture thrown in, than the meat of solid doctrine and teaching from God’s Word.
Vince Lombardi is widely recognized as one of the greatest football coaches of all time. Legend has it that on one occasion, after a particularly tough loss for his team, he gathered his players in the locker room for the usual post-game speech. In a short but poignant statement the coach cut right to the heart of the matter. Holding up a football, Lombardi quipped, “Gentlemen, this is a football.” His point was not lost on the players: Their performance in the game that just concluded had evidenced an utter lack of competency in the very basic fundamentals of the game.
Church we need to get back to the fundamentals of our faith… a clear gospel
We need to be competent in handling God’s Word accurately so we can clearly understand and share the gospel...
All mankind are sinners in need of a Savior.
God sent His Son as our Savior.
Jesus Christ, the perfect Son of God, died for the sin of mankind, was buried, and rose again paying for sin once for all.
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Just as dangerous as a wolf dressing in sheep’s clothing, and infiltrating the herd, and is definitely a concern for Paul, is the sheep desiring to put on wolves’ clothing!
Why Hold to and Declare THE Gospel?
Why Hold to and Declare THE Gospel?
Because it can be so tempting to be man pleasers...
We can be tempted to put on wolves clothing and look like the world!
We want to be liked, desired, non-offensive
Popularity with man does not equate accuracy with the Word
Large church??? examine the message first
Popular in book sales??? examine the message
Paul says… if he tried to please men, he cannot serve God.
Paul was not a politician, he is an ambassador!!!
So are we who have placed our faith in Jesus Christ alone
Our home is not this world
Our message is not our own
Church beware of the wolves who come in with destructive message, don’t be fooled by the messenger, and please… as God’s sheep do not get sucked into the dangerous temptation to be sheep who put on wolves clothing!