“freedom for the body”

Satellite
Nov. 12

We’ve been talking about freedom-freedom from the law and circumcision. Freedom that Christ offers as the atoning sacrifice that the Law demands. Last week we were talking about identity. We talked about our own identity, and who GOD says that we are. This week we come to a place in Paul’s letter that becomes a transitional thought from separating ourselves from the bondage of the law and grabbing hold of the freedom of life in the Spirit. Paul starts to talk in practical explanation of what it means to live by the Spirit. And in the remaining weeks we are in Galatians 5 we will try to unpack the philosophy of “living by the Spirit.”

As I’ve been studying in this series in Galatians I was reading about this really disturbing thing. I read that some believers who were circumcised heard Paul’s teaching on not being circumcised and sought out a surgical procedure to become uncircumcised again. How crazy is that? What surprised me about this was that the people who were doing this were ignoring Paul’s exultation to focus not on circumcision as a method of righteousness. They became so concerned with wanting to not be circumcised that it continued to be the focus.

This is the hard thing about once living in bondage and then trying to live in freedom. We continue to focus on the things that bind because that’s the life we’re used to. Remember the “throw-away kids” that I talked about last week. I think it would take them a while to truly live in their freedom because they lived their whole life as a slave to their identity as a “throw-away kid.” Let me remind you of this verse before we move on.
Galatians 5:6
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.


Scott McKnight is the author of a book called “The Jesus Creed.” In it he points to Mark 12 as a passage when Jesus establishes a simple creed that will sum up all other laws. Love GOD and love others. This creed becomes central to Jesus teaching on earth. All of the laws will fall into one of these two categories. Here’s that passage in Mark 12(nlt):
One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the discussion. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" Jesus replied, "The most important commandment is this: 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.' The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these." The teacher of religious law replied, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbors as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law." Realizing this man's understanding, Jesus said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God." And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.

I think the fact that Jesus summed up all of the five hundred sum law in two would be great news. Now, people living under the law had to worry about only two things. Are their decisions showing love toward GOD and people? And if they only had to worry about these two things then there is only four options, right?
1. love GOD and neighbor
2. love GOD, don’t love neighbor
3. don’t love GOD, love neighbor
4. don’t love GOD, don’t love neighbor
Did I miss any? I think those are our only options if we are trying to live by these two commands. Here in Galatians 5, Paul writes.
(NIV)
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

(NLT)
For you have been called to live in freedom – not freedom to satisfy your sinful nature, but freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." But if instead of showing love among yourselves you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.

Paul focuses on “love your neighbor as yourself,” because they loved GOD, but there wasn’t evidence of their love for each other. This creates a lopsided faith: Loving GOD at the expense of loving each other. This is like someone saying, “I love GOD, but I don’t care about anybody.” The “social gospel” movement of the 70’s was another example of lopsided faith. With the social gospel movement people were teaching the physical aspects of the faith, but neglecting the spiritual. They would put great emphasis on loving each other by serving the poor and afflicted and widowed but they wouldn’t want to pressure people about that “GOD stuff” so they just served because it was the right thing to do. That is good to do; serving people is the right thing to do, but if that is it then it is teaching morality not spirituality.

Paul is calling the Galatian church back to a balanced faith by loving GOD and loving their neighbor.
For you have been called to live in freedom – not freedom to satisfy your sinful nature, but freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." But if instead of showing love among yourselves you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.

I said earlier that these verses serve as a transitional thought from separating ourselves from the bondage of the law and grabbing hold of the freedom of life in the Spirit. A balanced faith is a crucial step in walking in freedom.

I also said that Paul starts to talk in practical explanation of what it means to live by the Spirit. A life lived by the Spirit is a life lived in freedom. After all, it’s for freedom that Christ has set us free. So what does this freedom really mean? Does this freedom mean that we can do whatever we want? Well, sort of. I think if our freedom lines up with the balanced faith of loving GOD and loving others, then yes. Do whatever you want to with in those parameters. This is our freedom in Christ. You see, if we are living in those parameters we can’t do anything that will disgrace GOD. I think that this is simple, but not easy. Simple rules, but very difficult to carry out. I love the words that Eugene Peterson uses in his translation:
It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don't use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that's how freedom grows.

Paul writes about this pretty extensively in his letter to the Roman church. We find this in Romans 14:
Accept Christians who are weak in faith, and don't argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. For instance, one person believes it is all right to eat anything. But another believer who has a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. Those who think it is all right to eat anything must not look down on those who won't. And those who won't eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. Who are you to condemn God's servants? They are responsible to the Lord, so let him tell them whether they are right or wrong. The Lord's power will help them do as they should. In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. Each person should have a personal conviction about this matter. Those who have a special day for worshiping the Lord are trying to honor him. Those who eat all kinds of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who won't eat everything also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God. For we are not our own masters when we live or when we die. While we live, we live to please the Lord. And when we die, we go to be with the Lord. So in life and in death, we belong to the Lord. Christ died and rose again for this very purpose, so that he might be Lord of those who are alive and of those who have died. So why do you condemn another Christian? Why do you look down on another Christian? Remember, each of us will stand personally before the judgment seat of God. For the Scriptures say, "'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow to me and every tongue will confess allegiance to God.'" Yes, each of us will have to give a personal account to God.

So don't condemn each other anymore. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not put an obstacle in another Christian's path. I know and am perfectly sure on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong. And if another Christian is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don't let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died. Then you will not be condemned for doing something you know is all right. For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God. And other people will approve of you, too. So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up. Don't tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, there is nothing wrong with these things in themselves. But it is wrong to eat anything if it makes another person stumble. Don't eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another Christian to stumble. You may have the faith to believe that there is nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who do not condemn themselves by doing something they know is all right. But if people have doubts about whether they should eat something, they shouldn't eat it. They would be condemned for not acting in faith before God. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.

Here are a few key verses in this chapter. Verse 15 says, “And if another Christian is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it.” If our freedom is distressing another Christian we don’t love each other. Verses 17 and 18 stood out to me too. “For the Kingdom of GOD is not a matter of what we eat or drink but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please GOD. And other people will approve of you, too.” If we choose to focus on our freedom and in doing so live a life without goodness and peace and joy then GOD will not be glorified, and this will be a sign that we don’t love GOD.

So let’s talk about this. Find a few people around you and talk about this question:
How do we live in the freedom that Christ has given us while loving those who don’t feel free to live the same way you do?


Let me leave you guys tonight with I Corinthians 13. This is widely known as the love chapter. We find it right after Paul is writing about using our spiritual gifts for the edification of the body of Christ. He writes, “Do you want to know the best way to do this? Let me show you.”

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. (I would add: If I walk in the freedom that Christ has ransomed me for, but don’t love my neighbor in the process, the freedom is worthless.) Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protect, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

This is the type of freedom that Christ has redeemed us to. A freedom that is love above all else.

“'what's your identy?' or 'do you want to be really righteous?'"
Satellite Message
Nov 5

It’s been a tough week for me to prepare this message. Two times I’ve scrapped what I had because I felt as if I wasn’t saying anything of value. I didn’t feel as if I was catching anything new when I read these verses over and over again. These verses all make sense to me. This morning around 10:30 was when I started working on this again. I don’t say that as any sort of excuse, but to relate with those of you who try to study the Bible and just cant seemed to pull anything out of it. When I come to the place when I feel like I’ve been trying to study, but cant find anything new, when I get frustrated that I don’t “hear” GOD’s revelation through Scripture I usually find a place to still my heart…and rest my soul in silence. Silence is when I hear GOD’s voice the most. I spent about an hour in silence this morning. It’s a painful thing sometimes. I was meditating on the first verse of the chapter. “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” I let those words ring in my head. It is for freedom that Christ has set me free. Let’s just take a moment to let those words settle in your heads. “It is for freedom that Christ has set me free."



Galatians 5:7-12
You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough. I am confident in the LORD that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion will pay the penalty, whoever he may be. Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

I think one of the things that has made studying this passage so hard was that I feel as if Paul is saying the same thing over and over. I think to myself, “OK Paul, I think they get it now.” It wasn’t until after reading this passage over and over that I realized that Paul’s tone had changed a little. He is still speaking about the same thing. His focused has changed from the false teaching to the Galatians, themselves. He speaks specifically to those who have bought the lies. He tells them that they “were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.” Paul is talking about who they are; he’s talking about their identity. I think that this is such an important part of Paul’s letter. He’s reminding this church of who they are and who they aren’t.

Are you familiar with the phrase “’throw-away’ kids?” I became familiar with that term when I was talking with a friend who spent some time in Brazil. She was telling me about the different social structures there. She was talking about orphans and these “throw-away kids”. When I asked her what the difference was she told me that the orphans were kids who were left in the care of an orphanage, but the “throw-away kids” were just abandoned in the middle of the city and left to survive on their own. They live in groups; knowing that their survival relies heavily on being with other people. They pick pockets, steal from stores and restaurants. They are known by the city as “throw-away kids.” Their identity is wrapped up in that phrase. What if I went down to Brazil and adopted one of these throw-away kids? I brought him up to the US and made him my son. Do you think that by telling him that he was my son would make him stop stealing? Do you think that he would still act like a kid that was forgotten? I think he would. It would probably be a hard transition for this kid to realize that he didn’t have to steal to survive any more. And until he really understood and believed that his identity had changed from a throwaway kid to my son, he probably wouldn’t change the way he saw himself.



Paul reminds the Galatian church about their identity in GOD when he write, “from the one who calls you.” These people are GOD’s people. They needed to be reminded of the GOD who calls them. Most of the people in the Galatian church were not Jews. The Jews were known as GOD chosen people. I think that the Judiaziers had gotten things backwards. They weren’t earning GOD’s chosen-ness by following the law or by being circumcised. They were GOD’s chosen people because GOD had chosen them.

1 Peter 2:9-10
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy but now you have received mercy."


Ephesians 2:19
"So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household."

I think that this is such an important part of Paul’s letter, because in the midst of this false teaching I’m sure they forgot who they were. These Galatians were GOD’s chosen people. They didn’t need circumcision to make them that. This happens to me too. I get beat up spiritually and forget who I am. Sundays are especially hard for me. I get so beat up by Satan; he speaks lies to me about who I am. I need constant reminders that GOD has called me.


Q: So, what’s your identity in GOD? Who has GOD called you to be? How do you separate things about you with your identity?



My favorite part of this passage is the last verse. When I read it I get the feeling that Paul could be at the height of frustration with these people. Paul write, “As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!” These are some harsh words. I like them. This seems like the kind of response that I would give. When I was reading this in a few commentaries it has this verse translated something like “I wish they would cut themselves off completely. If this is the way it’s translated I think that it’s easy to think that Paul is just wishing that these people would cut themselves off from contact with the church. While I’m sure that Paul would wish this too, I don’t think that it’s his primary purpose. Here’s what I think, Paul is so frustrated with people thinking that circumcision will lead them to a righteous life that he takes that thought one step further. If you think that cutting the foreskin off equates righteousness how righteous could you become if you cut off the whole penis? So Paul responds to these people by asking if they want to be really righteous. Go ahead and seek righteousness this way, cut the whole thing off.

Here’s the catch. Paul, a Pharisee of Pharisees, knows the law like nobodies business, starts leading them with this statement that makes enough of a reference to Deuteronomy 23:1. Does anyone know what that verse says? I didn’t either. Here’s what it says. “No one who has been emasculated by crushing or cutting may enter the assembly of the LORD." If you start with circumcision, then go the whole way and emasculate yourself! In doing so, you force yourself into the position of not being able to enter assembly of the LORD. Paul is once again reminding the Galatians that if they want to return to law as a method of justification, they should actually take the time to read what the Law says!

When I read this it sounds as if Paul is saying: “your attempts at righteousness will in the end send you farther from GOD. Here’s where I bring these two thoughts together. It’s not a complete thought, so you’ll have to help me. Paul wants the Galatians to remember that they are GOD’s chosen people. GOD has called them. GOD desires them. And by seeking righteousness outside of GOD they are forcing themselves away from the GOD who called them.

And for us:
I want you to remember that you are GOD’s chosen people. GOD is calling you. GOD desires you. And by seeking righteousness outside of GOD you are forcing yourselves away from the GOD who calls you.

“the only necessary things”
Satellite
oct 29

In Genesis 15 we find the account of GOD establishing a covenant with Abraham. The covenant involves Abraham walking blameless before GOD and GOD blessing Abraham with children beyond what he could count. When the covenant with Abraham was established, GOD gave Abraham a symbol of the covenant: circumcision. This symbol had become a “the seal of righteousness” because those who were circumcised were those under the covenant. The covenant declared that Abraham and his descendants walk blameless before GOD; this is the idea of righteousness. Circumcision became outward image of an inward commitment. Does this sound like anything we do within the church today?

The circumcision that Paul is talking about here isn’t just the physical act, but rather philosophy that circumcision is equal to righteousness. The Jewish people in the first century had confused the covenant with the symbol and circumcision had become their righteousness. And because circumcision was linked to righteousness those who were uncircumcised were unrighteous. If you held this belief wouldn’t it make sense that you would want those who were uncircumcised to become circumcised? The problem was that the Judiesizers (people who wanted Christ-followers to become Jewish, too) held to this “Jesus and…” philosophy that allowed them to believe that salvation needed both Jesus and circumcision. This is much of what I talked about last week. I think it’s easy to look down on the Galatians for being captured by this belief, but I think if we take a look at Western Christianity we can see glimpses of “Jesus and…”.

Question: what are some things that we see or hear people add to salvation? What are the “Jesus and..” philosophies that we live with today?
Church? Baptism? Tithing?
Communion? Political Affiliation ?

Circumcision wasn’t bad. It wasn’t evil. But the method in which it was being used was degrading Jesus’ death. This is true today, too. If we believe that we must be baptized in order to be saved, we are falling away from the grace of the cross. If we believe that we must go to church to be saved, we are falling away from the grace of the cross. If we believe that we must take communion to be saved, we are falling away from the grace of the cross. This is the message of Paul in these verses.

Let’s Pray.
Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself though love.

Paul is speaking pretty boldly here. These statements are not likely to go unnoticed. “If you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all,” “you who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ,” “you have fallen away from grace.” These aren’t passing comments. Paul isn’t saying “hey guys, I should tell you this,” or “listen up guys, I should remind you of something.” No, he is declaring something; he’s making a statement that demands attention. We don’t necessarily see it here, in the NIV. The translation in the NIV writes: “I, Paul, tell you…” If you look into the Greek the word translated into “tell you” is the word “martyromai.” The root word for this is “martys.” This is the word from which we get the word martyr. In a sense, Paul is saying: Mark my words; I am willing to be martyred for this. I will hold this belief to my death.

This isn’t a passing comment made by Paul. This is something of great value, so when he writes that if you are circumcised Christ holds no value to you, he is stating that if you are choosing to go back to circumcision as a condition of salvation you are giving up the need for Christ. Paul is making the Galatians aware of what this decision means. And he continues with if your circumcised you are deciding that you want to follow the whole law.

It’s my guess here that the readers of this letter start to respond with frustration. My guess is that they know the weight of the law, and that isn’t a yoke that they want to bear again, but you can’t pick and choose which parts of the law that you want to follow. They were probably say “hold on Paul, we don’t want the whole law. That’s not what we’re talking about. We need circumcision not the whole law.” But Paul isn’t going to let them make the mistake of this statement.

If you want the law as a means of salvation you reject Christ. If you want circumcision as a condition of righteousness you reject Christ. If baptism is apart of salvation you are rejecting Christ. If going to church is part of your salvation you are rejecting Christ. The grace of the cross will not share its place. This is why Paul writes: You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. Falling away from grace doesn’t mean that you are loosing your salvation as some people translate it; rather you are choosing life away from grace.

Here lies the great mystery of grace. We find it in the words “you who are trying.” Grace will not let anyone try to obtain it. Grace must be accepted without condition. You cannot gain grace. You cannot earn grace. You cannot work toward grace. So if you are choosing to find righteousness under the law you cannot find grace there.

Paul writes a contrasting statement next to help prove his point. He writes: But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. This statement is in contrast to a life lived in the flesh (which is a statement that he had been writing about in the first part of his letter) and salvation gained out of the works of the law. This righteousness comes through Jesus’ death on the cross-not through the law. If we were able to obtain righteousness through the law we would be able to boast in ourselves. Paul wrote about this earlier when he wrote a letter to the Corinthian church.

I Corinthians 1:28-31
He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not-to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God-that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

If our righteousness comes from Jesus Christ then circumcision or uncircumcision, for that matter, doesn’t matter. Don’t stand on a pedestal because you are circumcised, and don’t stand on a pedestal because you aren’t circumcised. For both circumcision and uncircumcision do not lead to righteousness.

The only necessary thing is faith expressed through love. Or in Pauls words, “the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” This statement isn’t meaning that we can work our way to righteousness-that would contradict everything Paul just wrote about. Rather, the faith mentioned here is a faith in salvation through grace, not salvation through circumcision.

This faith in GOD’s grace is then supposed to express itself through love. The Greek word for “expressing” is the word energeo. What does that sound like? Energy. This is a active, action oriented faith. This is not a passive kind of faith. Let me give you an example. In my mind, a passive expression of this faith might look like this: a man who understands that salvation comes from Jesus’ death decides that he is going to share this faith with other people. So he stands on a corner yelling, “Jesus loves you,” or even worse, “You’re going to Hell.” His faith is what is compelling him to do this, but this isn’t the type of expression that Paul is urging us to. This is passive. This is just standing and yelling. This isn’t energy. Here’s an active expression of the same faith: The same man, moved by the understanding that his salvation comes through Jesus’ death decides that he is going to take fresh socks to some homeless people or take groceries to a family that he knows is struggling with money or visiting a friend’s friend in prison. This is the energy that Paul is writing about. This is the expression of faith that counts. This is the kind of expression we want to be know for. This is why we have a part of our ministry called one:twentyseven. It comes from James 1:27, Religion that GOD our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. This is why we are having people go to serve Hope House this weekend. This is the type of expression that will bring energy to your faith.

If you want something of value in your life don’t look to things to add to your salvation. Express your faith in the grace of GOD through an active, moving, powerful love to those who need it.

"yoke of freedom"
Satellite
oct 22

Judaizers had been teaching that the gentile believers could not be true Christian unless they submitted to the Jewish ordinance of circumcision, and the Law of Moses [(the twum lwe) the yoke of the commandments]

This becomes a “Christ and… “ philosophy. You need the cross, but you also need circumcision, or the law or whatever. This philosophy is a lie. We need Christ, period. But these Judaizers were teaching people that in order to be a follower of Christ they needed more than Christ.

Paul writes this letter to the Galatians to urge them that they do not need to submit to the law. As I’ve been reading through Galatians I’ve been struck with trying to understand how to understand “the Law.” For first century Galatians the law represents the religious system of the Jews. Here’s where I struggle: I don’t know any Jews that follow the law. So as I strive to understand what it must be like to be persuaded to resort to living under the law, I struggle because the law isn’t anything that’s apart of my life right now. I understand the historical law, but a modern or current law is something I’ve been thinking about.

QUESTION:
Is there a contemporary understanding to “the Law”?
I wonder if pluralism/relativism could be a contemporary law.

I think that this question is important as we look at this portion of the letter that Paul sent to this church. If we don’t understand that law that he is writing about then we risk taking these verses out of context, something we should always be careful of.

We’re going to be looking at Galatians 5, and I would encourage you all to spend some time reading the whole letter so you have some context to this portion. When we come to this part of the letter, Paul is preparing to make his boldest comments about not submitting to the law if you claim to be in Christ. I want to look at verse one tonight. It’s a simple verse with two main thoughts, but its implications are huge. So I’ll break it up into the two thoughts, but first hear the verse as a whole:

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Or in another version:

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free

This “freedom” or “liberty,” as other versions may say is something contrasting to the law itself. Were it not so, Paul would have no need to write it. The law was not established with freedom in mind. Listen to some verses regarding the law.


Hebrews 10:1-4
The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming-not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Hebrews 7:19
(for the law made nothing perfect)…

Romans 8:1-4
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, GOD did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.


Romans 3:21-24
But now a righteousness from GOD, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from GOD comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of GOD, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.


The law is something that binds people to itself. The law is a huge topic that could take years to talk about, and we don’t have that kind of time available here. Listen to what Jesus says:
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law of the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly no enter the kingdom of heaven.

Does this sound like something that gives freedom? It doesn’t to me. I believe that this is why Paul goes to this extent to say that freedom is why Christ has set us free. It almost sounds silly though, doesn’t it? It’s almost redundant, huh? Freedom is why we are set free. While this is redundant, I believe it’s something that the Galatians needed to hear. The law was not able to make them free. When Jesus became the fulfillment of the law there was freedom. Jesus blood became the atonement that the law needed to offer freedom. The sacrifices for the law were not able to offer redemption from sins; rather they offered appeasement to the law itself. It is by the blood of Jesus that we find freedom.

So, if the Galatians are accepting Jesus blood for salvation, yet turning back to the law, which cannot cleans them, it is as if they don’t truly believe that Jesus blood has set them free. Does this make sense? This is why Paul makes this redundant statement that “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.”


Stand fast therefore, and do not be entangled with a yoke of slavery again.

Judaizers had been teaching that the gentile believers could not be true Christian unless they submitted to the Jewish ordinance of circumcision, and the Law of Moses [(the twum lwe) the yoke of the commandments]


As I began to study through this verse I originally thought that this “yoke” that is used was more like a rabbinical yoke. A child desiring to be taught by a rabbi would find the rabbi that he wants to study under and if the child was found worthy then the rabbi would tell the child to “take my yoke upon you.” This yoke was a word that was used to mean the rabbi’s specific teaching about the law. Check out Rob Bell’s book Velvet Elvis for a really good understanding of the whole process.

I thought that Paul was talking about a way of teaching, but as I looked into the wording that he used it seems more likely that he is using the word yoke as if he were talking to animals. The words Paul uses throughout this sentence give us some direction.

The word entangled, or burdened, comes from the Greek word Enecho. This word means ”to be held in or by,” to be entangled in something,” to be subject to.” In it’s literal translation the word means,”to have it in for.” Literally, this yoke of slavery was something that has it in for those who are under it. This isn’t the rabbinical teaching. This is something that binds, captures, entangles, and ensnared. This is why Paul must warn people to watch out for it.

In the book of Acts we see a similar warning about the law. Peter is speaking to the council in Jerusalem. There were people here who were teaching that people must be circumcised if they were going to follow Chirst.

Acts 15:10-11
Now then, why do you try to test GOD by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.

This yoke of the law is not a yoke of freedom; it’s a yoke of bondage. But here’s our hope. We are not slaves to the law. We are not subject to the law. Christ has become the atonement for the law, and He offers us a yoke of freedom. Jesus make his yoke visible to us in the gospel of Matthew. Jesus says:
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for you souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Did you hear it? Jesus is telling those who are burdened and weary, those who are entangled, and those who are subject to and under the authority of the law that he has a yoke that give freedom. This is a yoke that will give you rest and peace and will help carry your burden. This is the yoke that the Galatians needed to be reminded about. This is the yoke that we need to be reminded about..

"will programs get us there"
Satellite
oct 15

Recap of the vision for our church:

100 fold church-
Matthew 13:1-23
We desire to be a group of people whose heart is penetrated by GOD’s word
And in turn, multiply-not 30x, not 50x, but 100x
Externally focused/Kingdom minded-
Matthew 25:14-30
GOD is in the business for a profit
We cannot be Kingdom minded if we aren’t externally focused
Bold in Truth and Abounding in Grace
Matthew 13:44-46
Who do you say that Jesus is?
Socially Concerned and Culturally Transforming
Matthew 25:31-46
Sheep and goats
The culture will be transformed when we become socially engaged!


So what now? What does this do for us? What do you remember from these messages?


What’s our response to this? Are these just new catchphrases for us to use? Are we going to drop these phrases into our vocabulary and use them in conversations to make us feel better?
Or maybe we can create some new programs: we could have “the 100 fold church ministry,” or the “bold in truth and abounding in grace hour.” That seems to be the quick answer for the modern church. “We’ll just create a program that fits our new image.” If this sounds like a good idea, well, I’ve got bad news for you: We can’t program our way into becoming this vision. We cannot put programs in place to make us become these visions for who we desire to be. It doesn’t work that way. There aren’t 12 steps that can get us there. If people could “program” their way to transformation then shouldn’t this country visibly be a “nation under GOD?” I don’t intend to be political here, but what I’m saying is that in this country we have the greatest resources and programs for “being a Christian” in the world, yet the United States doesn’t have the largest churches in the world. In fact the US has a shrinking church growth rate. Check out barna.org if you want some stats.

We’ve adopted a “if we build it they will come” model for ministry believes if we have the biggest and best building then people will flock to the church. There are even statistics that say that within the first year of a new church being built in an area there will be “x%” of growth in the church attendance. Churches look at those numbers and say “if we just build a new building then this many new people will come to our church. The same people who give those statistics will be quick to say that the growth that happens because of a building is not the kind of growth that lasts. If we are going to keep people in our new church building we’ll need to entertain them. So we start programs after program to entertain people. Our programs are filled with bright lights, loud noises, and shiny people.





What “programs” have you seen put into place that is supposed to be the next big thing?
Why don’t you think they work?



It seems easier to establish something outside of ourselves, rather than desire change within us. This isn’t a new problem. People have been putting their trust and expectations in programming for years. Don’t hear me say that programs are evil. I’m not saying that. What I am saying is that programs cannot fix anything, what they do is allow people an opportunity to change. Look at family life. Family game night doesn’t automatically make a family love each other.





Satellite programs-
• Sunday nights
• HomeTeams
• one:twentyseven
• Engage
• Emerge

Allow us a place to meet those around us, take the Gospel to them, and show the GOD who can transform their life.


If we focus on the program we loose of Christ.

Isaiah 58- fasting
Joel 2:13-14-mourning
Galatians 5:6-circumscision