Life At The Ridge

Allan McGuire brings the message for us our of Mark 6. This is another "Markin Sandwich" where Jesus teaches His disciples in how to handle those who reject you when you preach the Gospel.

As we begin a new chapter here in Galatians, Paul is going to defend his belief in the Gospel and the freedom it brings. The false teachers were saying that living a life of Gospel freedom would produce a life of unrestrained behavior where one could do whatever they wanted. However Paul is going to show us that the Gospel actually produces a life where a person is free to live for God.

As we wrap up chapter 4 today, Paul is going to use another story from the OT to prove his point about how we are brought into our relationship with God. Paul goes all the way back to Genesis again and retells the story of Hagar, Sarah, and the birth of each of their sons. It will be thorough this story from the OT that Paul will use to help the Galatian believers see that they need to reject legalism and cling to grace.

As we look at chapter 4:8-20 today, we will see the the pastor side of Paul. As he is giving the Galatian believers truth he makes a loving appeal. He’s pleading with them to remain free in grace and not attach all these laws in order to gain favor with God. With a bleeding heart, Paul begged the Galatians to stay firm in the gospel of grace.

As we finished chapter 3 last week we saw what faith is able to do. When we believe in Jesus by faith we become sons of God and we are part of the family of God. Paul is saying all these things because he is building on the relationship that we have with God because of our faith. We don’t earn a relationship with God through works. What the Galatian believers were caught up in and what we sometimes find ourselves in is this idea that our relationship with God is dependent on if we do or do not do certain things. We are saved by grace through faith alone, and our growth in Christ is by grace through faith. As we look at chapter 4 today Paul is going to continue the thought about our relationship with God that we looked at last week and stress the importance of God as our Father.

As we have been working through chapter 3 Paul has been giving us point after point that a person can only be accepted by God through faith in the gospel. Keeping the Old Testament law is not necessary, and Paul has been reaching back into the OT to prove this. If you have just joined us Paul is addressing the issue of legalism that one must keep the law to be accepted by God. It’s not Jesus + the law or Jesus + circumcision but rather Jesus + nothing. Pauls argument is: faith in Jesus and Jesus alone. Today, Paul is going to tell us what that faith does to us. What happens when we believe in Jesus alone by faith? When we truly believe, what happens to us?

Here in Marks Gospel we have the story of two women who were touched by Jesus. What do we learn about them and what do we learn about Jesus?

As we have been working through this letter that Paul wrote, If you haven’t noticed already the big question Galatians attempts to answer is: How do we relate to God? How do we engage with Him? Do we experience God as a reward for good works? Do we gain more of an understanding of God by keeping His laws of nature, conscience or Scripture? Or do we encounter God by His grace? Do we enjoy Him through faith in His promises? How do we relate to God? Paul was arguing for that we are justified by faith and not through the law. What is the purpose of the law then? What is the difference between law and grace?

If you follow any type of Christian media, or Christian based news you’ve probably even heard some end time prophecy things come up or even discussions amongst other Christians or your friends. When things like these world events come up people question - is this a sign of the End? We can look at Matthew 24 for direction and simply Jesus tells us "Don't be alarmed"

Paul has been giving the Scriptural arguments of why salvation is only through grace through faith and not through works. When We believe in Jesus just in simple faith like Abraham we are blessed. What are those blessings? Paul will tell us here in Galatians 3:10-14.

Beginning in chapter 3 Paul begins giving the Scriptural arguments of why salvation is only through grace through faith and not through works. To prove his point Paul is going to call in a star witness: Abraham. Abraham and his story were the perfect way to combat the false teachers. He predated Moses by some 500 years and Paul is going to show that Abraham was justified by God not became of what he did but by simple faith in God.

What kind of authority does Jesus have? What can He do? What can He do in our lives?

This Sunday we wanted to take some time and talk about deacons. We are seeking to have a man who could serve in that official office in this church. So we, the elders, thought it would be helpful to all of us to understand what a deacon is and what a deacon does.

In this portion of the letter Paul wants these Galatian believers to once more see Christ clearly. He wants them to focus their attention back on Christ. He wants them to look again over and over and over focusing on the Gospel. They had become deceived by another Gospel. This is what we need as well if we are going to grow in Christ and not be entangled with the lies of legalism.

What does a justified life look like? The Gospel does some pretty amazing things in a persons life. Paul lets his readers know what the Gospel does not do and what the Gospel always does.

What do you fear? We all have things that frighten us from time to time. We also find that we may find ourselves in a habit of fearful living or lives that are marked by anxiety. Jesus confronts our fears with the question "why are you so fearful?"

Paul has been stressing that we are not justified by faith. Salvation comes as a result of justification and nothing that we do in our own righteousness. What is justification and what does it mean to be justified by faith in Christ?

How are you growing in your Christian life? Peter tells us that we are to be adding certain things to our faith to help us grow.

Our Lords resurrection was definitely miraculous! Never has anyone said that they would die, and then say they will resurrect from the dead and actually do it. The resurrection is fundamental to Christianity. You can say that all of Christianity rises or falls on the reality of Christ rising from the dead. If you read through the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ resurrection in Luke and John you will find 7 questions that Jesus asked people that saw Him after He resurrected from the dead. We will explore two questions Jesus asked Mary at the empty tomb.

Why do you follow Jesus? On the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem there were many people who were shouting "Hosanna!" why were they calling out to Jesus to save them? Were they following Jesus for the right reasons?