Sermon Tone Analysis

Text

Gal 3:6-

Review

Last week we took at look at a turning point in Paul’s letter.

After he outlined the description of the gospel and his defense of the gospel he went on to indite these Galatian believers for their disobedience to the gospel.

He called them foolish - strong language indeed!

He described them as “bewitched” - literally “seduced by these false teachers”

He asked them probing questions designed to help them see the error they were being seduced by - This is a valuable technique - asking questions “you can lead a horse to water but you cant make him drink” - Paul was leading them to the water but also helping them realize on their own that the water would quench their thirst!

We said that the gospel is something to believe but also something to be lived!

We do not start with the gospel and then go on to maturity in our flesh, which is what Paul is so stirred up about!

The heartbeat of his message can be found in chapter 3 verse 3:

We said that the gospel is something to believe but also something to be lived!

We do not start with the gospel and then go on to maturity in our flesh, which is what Paul is so stirred up about!

The heartbeat of his message .....

Introduction

What was being offered to these Galatians was a way to be accepted by God through the works of their flesh.

An idea that was repulsive to Paul.

An idea that he spends the next 2 chapters attacking and tearing apart.

He starts with an example - the example of Abraham and more specifically - Abrahams Faith!

Declaration: A life of faith is essential if we are to properly understand the Christian life

Proposition: Are we living our lives on the foundation of faith in God or are we being drawn away by our flesh?

Transition: As we look at this section of Paul’s letter we will notice 4 aspects of faith and how they will help us to live lives that are pleasing to God!

First notice ...

I.

The Origin of Faith

God’s Promise to Abraham

Why is Paul using Abraham as an example of faith?

Because the Judaizers were pointing to Moses - Paul was pointing to Abraham and ultimately to Faith in Christ which preceded even Abraham!

“and the scripture foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith”

Application - Nothing New

Whenever we are trying to understand something it can often times be helpful to look at the beginning.

While at times it can seem like ideas we are being presented with are new, it is often true that they are not new at all, just newly packaged or presented in a different way.

The Gospel is not a new truth and access to God did not originate with Moses, we find it all they way back to Abraham and it’s source is God and his word!

The Judaizers were trying to compel these Christians to get circumcised

Circumcision was an important rite of Jews and something they held in high regard as a badge of honor

God’s Promise to Abraham

So we have the origin of our faith…now lets notice

II.

The Opposition to our Faith

A. The opposition to our faith is the curse of the law

vs 10 “under the curse...cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written”

“cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written”

The law demands perfection and when that perfection is not achieved or maintained it brings a curse!

17:27

B. The opposition to our faith is continual weight of the law

Illustration: I hated School - When I was a boy I could not wait to get out of school!

We would either get on a bus in the morning or be driven there by our parents and the entire time we were there we were “under” their control.

We had lessons to learn, books to read, papers to write and problems to solve.

But....there came a day!

Graduation day!

The day when we walked across the stage and recieved our diploma - what a happy day!

After that day - we were no longer under a “schoolmaster”

In a similar way - the law of God brings us to graduation day - it brings us to the foot of the cross - to Christ himself and by faith we are delivered from its curse!!

The origin of our faith, the opposition to our faith and also...

III.

The Operation of our Faith

In other words - How does our faith work?

Illustration: The pieces of a Boeing 737 Jetliner - According to a press release bulletin, the newest generation 737 jetliner has over 600,000 individual parts that have to be assembled before you get a complete and functioning airliner.

It is one of the most complex pieces of modern engineering when taken into consideration all of the flight control systems on on board computers.

In contrast, the working of faith is a much simpler to put together...

A. The operation of our faith begins with a look inward

Vs 13 “…being made a curse for us”

We must first realize the personal nature of faith

It cannot be anyone’s faith but our own

The law opposes us as we just noted, it brings a curse

B. The operation of our faith begins with a look upward

Vs 13 “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us…Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree”

Christ became that curse for us and took our place

The blessing of Abraham - the promise made to him - is ours “through Jesus Christ”

The origin of our faith, the opposition to our faith, the operation of our faith and finally.....

IV.

The Outcome of our Faith

Gal 3:26

A. The outcome of our faith changes our family

“ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus”

Illustration: You cant change your family - This is the time of year when we get together with family we might not see regularly - and many times we are reminded of how difficult it can be to demonstrate the love of Christ.

Someone has aptly said “you cannot choose your family but you can choose your friends”

However, in the case of Christians, you can choose your family!

B. The outcome of our faith changes our frame

“baptized into Christ have put on Christ”

“neither Jew nor Greek”

“neither bond or free”

“neither male or female”

“for ye are all one in Christ”

C. The outcome of our faith changes our future

“…and heirs according to the promise”

We may not have control in this temporary world - but faith changes our future and we will reign with Christ

Conclusion

The Flesh & Fear vs FAITH

The real problem with religion in any form is that is promises results without God!

It does this in a subtle way by using scripture and crediting works to God himself while constantly pointing to men to the burden of the law.

Driving men to “do” when it has all been “done”!

The fear of man and the works of the flesh stand in direct opposition to a life of faith.

Christian, we are called to a life of faith!

This faith...

Comes from God and has always been the plan for redemption and righteousness

It has always been opposed by the religious and self righteous

It begins with a look inward at the one who is cursed by sin (you and me) and then looks upward to Christ who took our place

Finally - Faith has an outcome that changes our family, our frame and our future

Are we living by faith?