Sermon Tone Analysis

A Heartfelt Conclusion

Paul loved to close out his letters was a personal touch, a word of encouragement and words of grace and peace (1The5:28; 2The3:17-18; Php4:23).

The letter to the church at Galatia is a little more in depth.

He still has a little more to say.

Things to consider as we finish this writing of Paul tonight.

Why did Paul write an entire section to the church?

It seems that the Holy Spirit wants Paul to do a little more contrasting before closing out the letter.

Why with such large letters?

Some believe it was large so he could read it himself because the thorn in his side could be problems with eyesight.

It could be written large for emphasis purposes

Why different from other closings?

There are normal conclusions, done in a conventional way.

and add

2the3:

Paul’s writing her is conclusional not conventional.

He still has important things he wants to make sure the church there gets!

Paul’s writing here is conclusional not conventional.

He still has important things he wants to make sure the church there gets!

Markings on the legalist (Gal6:12-13)

Markings of Jesus Christ and the cross (Gal6:14-16)

(expand on this since it is Christmas night, spend a few minutes on the end result of the Christmas story is the fulfillment of the scripture in Christ Jesus as the D,B, R, A of Christ and the promised return)

Markings of the Apostle himself (Gal6:17-18)

What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?

You can see one more time Paul is drawing a contrast between the legalist and the Spirit filled Christian, those trusting in the flesh of works and those trusting in the works of Christ.

Several contrasts in the last 2 chapters are clearly shown in Paul making his defense in the Magna Carta of Christian Apologitics; between bondage or liberty (Gal5:1-12) flesh or spirit (Gal5:13-26) living for self or living for others (Gal6:1-10).

All this sets up one more contrast for tonight, are we living for the praise of men, or the glory of God (Gal6:11-18)

and

Everyone is marked by life in one way or another, in the closing of this letter you will see some markings:

Markings on the legalist (Gal6:12-13)

Markings of Jesus Christ and the cross (Gal6:14-16)

(expand on this since it is Christmas night, spend a few minutes on the end result of the Christmas story is the fulfillment of the scripture in Christ Jesus as the D,B, R, A of Christ and the promised return)

Markings of the Apostle himself (Gal6:17-18)

Marks of the legalist

Paul does not mince words does he?

He does not hold back and in the passage he does not hold back from four ways he uses regarding the marks of the legalist.

(Gal6:12-13; Gal5:11; 1Cor1:18-31; 2Cor7:10; 1Cor2:1-4; 2Cor4:1-5; Mt23:3; Gal5:1)

They are braggarts (Gal6:12)

They want to make converts of circumcision, the law, they want to make a good showing (v.12) in the flesh.

Boasting of works, things on the outside and not the inside which is what needs the circumcision

Nothing wrong with wanting converts isn’t that what we all want?

To share the gospel so people would be converted to Christianity that their souls may be saved

Nothing wrong with wanting converts isn’t that what we all want?

To share the gospel so people would be converted to Christianity that their souls may be saved

We want to see more people sharing in our ministries, not so we can count people but because people count as W. Wiersbe would say.

We want to see more people sharing in our ministries, not so we can count people but because people count as W. Wiersbe would say.

Their work was not for the glory of God, it was for self-glory, so that they may boast.

Their work was not for the glory of God, it was for self-glory, so that they may boast.

They are compromisers

They compromised with the flesh for something that had to be done in the Spirit.

They preached circumcision to avoid persecution for the cross of Christ.

The cross was not a symbol of victory in the 1st century, it was a symbol of shame.

It represented the worse kind of death that could happen and was the ultimate in humiliation.

Paul had some drastic life changes at and after the Damascus Road; He learned to trust Christ and identified with the cross of Christ and the consequences of the cross.

To the church at Corinth he wrote

The cross was foolishness to the Jew

The word of the cross is? _______________= foolishness

1Cor

The foolishness of the cross

To the Jew the cross was a _____________, to the Gentile it was ___________

Eventhough it is a stumbling block, and it is foolishness we are to _________ Christ crucified, why? (subjective question)

1cor

To those called, called by the gospel, called by the completed work of the cross by faith it is to the shame of the wise.

1Cor1:26-27

By the cross, the work on the cross, the work of Christ Jesus it is the wisdom of God, it is righteousness, sanctification and redemption!

Paul calls for him who boasts to boast of the Lord and he covers that in our passage tonight too.

1Cor1:30-31

Then it was circumcision for converts vs the shame of the cross.

Today it is ear tickling conversion by a prayer vs. true godly sorrow that brings repentance.

They are persuaders

They want to compel, want to convince believers hat legalism is the way for them.

Jesus is great, but circumcision is needed.

They were good salesmen, they were smooth talkers and many were being persuaded.

How are people today being persuaded when it comes to the gospel?

They are hypocrites

They want people to submit to the law the law they cannot even keep themselves (v.13)

They want to be able to boast by you agreeing to circumcision and obeying the law, so this is very similar to what JEsus said

The legalist is a marked man, see the markings, detect the markings and avoid them.

for Christ did to set you free!

Marks of Jesus Christ

The subject of the cross is a major issue throughout the book, you can look at many passages on that.

I think it is necessary to come to the cross again with Paul with a brief look back (Gal2:21) for from there Paul is able to glory in the Cross.

The wounds suffered on Calvary certainly make Christ a marked man.

His markings make liberty, make freedom available to us who trust in Him.

The Judiazers/legalists boasted in circumcision; Paul boasted in a crucified and risen Savior!

There are a few things we can know about Paul and we should know too for our personal faith journey.

He knew the person of the Cross (Gal6:14)

Jesus Christ, the person of the cross mentioned 45 times in this 6 chapter book.

1/3 of the verses reference Jesus.

It is the person of the cross that make the cross glorious to Paul.

What about you, you say you know the person of the cross, but how much do you reference Him?

He knew the power of the Cross (Gal6:14; Gal3:13; Gal2:20; Gal5:24)

Out of the question that the educated, above his contemporaries, persecutor of people of the Way would think that the doctrine of sacrifice on the cross would be acceptable.

As mentioned before the cross of the day was a place of shame, but it was also the place of curse, for cursed is the man who hangs on a tree (see Gal3:13).

But to Paul the apostle he understands the power of the cross, the necessity of crucifixion for he even considered himself crucified.

And those who are Christ’s too have crucified their flesh, how? through baptism (see Rom6:3-4)

In the death and resurrection of Christ the mark of freedom is released to give the believers deliverance and victory.

It is no longer about us, it is about Him who lives in us and through us.

He knew the purpose of the Cross (Gal6:15; Rom5:17; Gal6:16; 1Pt2:9

To bring a new creation, the church

To make us able to reign through Christ