Gal 6: Christianity is a Lifestyle of Freedom...Are You Free?Righteousness or ritual will rule the royalty.
If you're in the resident congregation, turn off your electronic devices and put them away. Let this be a place where you aren't distracted by the world.
Welcome To BARAH MINISTRIES
Rory Clark Pastor-Teacher
Good Morning!
Welcome to Barah Ministries…an intimate, local Christian Church with a worldwide impact. My name is Pastor Rory Clark. Thanks for listening to this Bible lesson!
At Barah Ministries, we worship a Triune Godhead. There is One God who reveals Himself to mankind as three separate and distinct, co-equal, co-infinite, co-eternal Persons…God the Father…God the Son… and God the Holy Spirit.
GOD THE FATHER is the author of the Triune Godhead's plan for all creatures. God the Father encourages great human fathers to imitate Him in Luke, Chapter 6, Verses 35 and 36, when He says…
LUKE 6:35 …love your enemies unconditionally and do good…lend…expecting nothing in return,and your reward will be great…you will be sons of the Most High God and Father…for He is kind to ungrateful and evil men.
LUKE 6:36 Be merciful just as God your Father is merciful.
God the Father is the perfect role model for the conduct expected from loving fathers.
GOD THE SON (the Lord) volunteered to execute God the Father's plan…John, Chapter 1, Verse 14…
JOHN 1:14 And the Word (ho logos…the Lord…God the Son) became flesh (entering a new mode of existence…true humanity…as Jesus…the Christ…the Jewish Messiah)…and He lived in a physical body among us…and we (the apostles and the writer John) saw His glory with our own eyes…the glory of the uniquely born onefrom the source of God the Father…full of grace and full of truth.
Isaiah, Chapter 53, Verses 5 and 6 tell us what happened when the Lord came to earth as a man…
ISAIAH 53:5 Jesus was pierced through for our transgressions…He was crushed for our iniquities…the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him…and by His scourging (on a Cross) we are healed.
ISAIAH 53:6 All of us like sheep have gone astray…each of us has turned to his own way…but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.
In spite of our fallen state, and even because of it, the Lord came as Jesus Christ to reconcile us to a relationship with God the Father and the rest of the members of the Godhead. Acts, Chapter 4, Verse 12 says…
ACTS 4:12 "…there is salvation in no one else…for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved except the name of the Lord Jesus Christ."
When we place our confidence in Jesus for our salvation, we are saved.
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT is our Mentor and Teacher. He is the rudder of the Christian's life. He helps us in every aspect of the Christian Way of Living, including prayer…Romans, Chapter 8, Verse 26…
ROMANS 8:26 God the Holy the Spirit, the "first fruits" of our salvation, groans to help our weakness as believers in Christ…for example, we do not know how to pray as we should...but God the Holy Spirit Himself personally intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words during prayer...
Christianity is not a religion… it's a relationship…primarily with our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ…but also with the other members of the Godhead…God the Father…and God the Holy Spirit.
As Christians, we develop a deep, intimate, and personal relationship with the entire Godhead through the study of His Word…the Bible. Don't ever let anyone trick you into diminishing the importance of the Bible by suggesting that is just a book. The Bible is supernatural instruction directly from the Lord. Second Peter, Chapter 1, Verses 20 and 21 say…
SECOND PETER 1:20 …know this first of all…that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of any person's own private interpretation…
SECOND PETER 1:21 …for no prophecy of Scripture was ever made by an act of human will…but men directedfromthe Source…God the Holy Spirit (the One who leads us into all the truth)…spoke directly from the exact thinking of THE God...the Lord Jesus Christ.
Because we have the Bible, First Corinthians, Chapter 2, Verse 16 says…
FIRST CORINTHIANS2:16b …we have the mind of Christ.
God does not work in mysterious ways…He gives us His exact thoughts to guide our approach to life.
God has an enemy…Satan…whom God made 'the ruler of this world' for a finite period. He is the sponsor of evil, and he loves to deceive the whole world, including you and me. As believers in Christ, we have much to look forward to concerning Satan according to Revelation, Chapter 20, Verses 1 to 3…
REVELATION 20:1 Then I (the apostle John) saw an elect angel coming down from heaven…holding the key of the abyss (a compartment of Hades) and a great chain in his hand.
REVELATION 20:2 And the elect angel laid hold of the dragon…the serpent of old…who is the devil and Satan…and bound him for a thousand years…
REVELATION 20:3 …and the elect angel threw Satan into the abyss…and shut it and sealed it over him…so that Satan would not deceive the nations any longer until the thousand-yearMillennialReign of the Lord Jesus Christ on the earth is completed…after these things Satan must be released for a short time.
It's great to know the Lord Jesus Christ still controls history, and nothing happens in the universe without His permission. He has complete control over the devil and his activities, and as believers in Christ, we are the objects of His provision and protection.
TODAY'S BIBLE LESSON Christianity is a Lifestyle of Freedom…Are You Free?
LESSON INTRODUCTION
For the last few months, we have been studying Paul's letter to the churches at Galatia. Today,we'll conclude our study, andwe'll reflect on the critical things the Lord is teaching us through Paul in this wonderful letter.
OPENING SONG INTRODUCTION
Let's hear some music. A lot of things we experience in life can be quite confusing because Satan has emissaries…false teachers who introduce false teachings to confuse us. Despite Satan's deceptions, to which we often fall prey, we place our faith in God's promise in Romans, Chapter 8, Verse 28…
ROMANS 8:28 And we believers in Christ know that God the Father causes all things to work together for the good of those who love God the Father (us believers)…to those who are called according to God the Father's purpose.
Here's June Murphy to remind us in song that GOD WORKS ALL THINGS TOGETHER FOR GOOD.
MUSIC OPENING SONG Let's Sing the Lord's Praises
GOD WORKS ALL THINGS TOGETHER FOR GOOD June Murphy
OPENING PRAYER Let us pray...
We're grateful, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…
Father, thank you for the guidance of God the Holy Spirit, who gives us the discernment to spot false teachers and false teaching…thank you for the apostle Paul and his ability to illuminate Your thoughts…thank you for the freedom of Christianity…we can make mistakes knowing that You have forgiven us in the past and we stand forgiven forever, so we never have to have a guilt reaction because of our mistakes…
…help us to reflect on what you have been teaching us as we close our study of Paul's letter to the Galatian community…
…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ's name...Amen.
TODAY'S BIBLE LESSON Christianity is a Lifestyle of Freedom…Are You Free?
LESSON PART ONE
Galatians Chapter 6 is a whole divided into three parts. Let's hear the third part of Chapter 6, the final passage of study in the letter to the Galatians…
GALATIANS 6:11 See with what large letters I (Paul) am writing to you with my own hand.
GALATIANS 6:12 Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for the Cross of Christ.
GALATIANS 6:13 For those who are circumcised do not even keep the Mosaic Law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh.
GALATIANS 6:14 But may it never be that I would boast, except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
GALATIANS 6:15 For neither is circumcision anything, nor is uncircumcision anything, but a new creation is everything.
GALATIANS 6:16 And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
GALATIANS 6:17 From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus.
GALATIANS 6:18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethrenAmen.
Let's look at this passage verse-by-verse as Paul summarizes his letter to the Galatians…
GALATIANS 6:11 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.
Paul takes over the task of recording the letter in writing from his transcriber (known as an amanuensis…a person who takes dictation). Paul's handwriting would reassure his Galatian congregation that the letter was not a forgery. His congregation in Thessalonica had received forgeries in the past.
Next, Paul gives final parting shots to the false teachers and their false teaching.
GALATIANS 6:12 Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for the Cross of Christ.
Circumcision was never a prerequisite for salvation, as the false teaching Judaizers proposed. The Lord made it clear how to be saved in John, Chapter 3, Verse 3…
JOHN 3:3 Jesus said to Nicodemus, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again (the spiritual birth), he cannot see the kingdom of God."
Circumcision was merely a sign, much like water baptism is a sign today. People describe water baptism as an outward sign of an inward commitment. Isn't it interesting that, as human beings, we always gravitate to outward things designed to impress others? It is the inward decision that matters…the decision to believe in Christ.
The false teachers had a tough time accepting that Christianity supplanted Judaism. In Judaism, all the rituals and all the signs pointed ahead to Jesus as the Messiah and to His work on the Cross on behalf of the human race. The Cross changed everything.
Jesus described Judaism as old wine in Luke, Chapter 5, Verses 37 to 39…and He highlighted the problem people have with new things…
LUKE 5:37 "And no one (who is smart) puts new wine (Christianity) into old wineskins (Judaism)…otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined."
That's what the false teachers wanted to do…they wanted to mix Christianity with Judaism.
LUKE 5:38 "But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins."
LUKE 5:39 "And no one, after drinking old wine (Judaism) wishes for new wine (Christianity)…for he says, 'The old wine (Judaism) is good enough.'"
People don't like change, and the Judaizers were no exception. They had a deep desire to continue their Jewish traditions. They resented Christianity because of its simplicity. They said, "All you have to do is believe in Jesus to be saved. No way. That’s too easy!" They're right. Salvation is very easy. The Judaizers preferred to ignore the impact of the Cross and brought swift destruction upon themselves.
Paul continues "outing" the Judaizers…Galatians, Chapter 6, Verse 13…
GALATIANS 6:13 For those who are circumcised do not even keep the Mosaic Law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh.
The Judaizers wanted to collect Christians as if they were trophies…seducing them to follow a false gospel. Then they could boast about the number of converts they racked up, much like megachurches boast today. Paul says…
GALATIANS 6:14 May it never be that I would boast…except to boast in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ...through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Once you become a Christian, you are dead to the world. Galatians, Chapter 2, Verses 20 and 21 remind us…
GALATIANS 2:20a "I (as a believer in Jesus…the Christ…the Jewish Messiah) have been crucified with the Christ…and it is no longer I who live…but Christ lives indwelling me…
GALATIANS 2:20b …and the life which I now live in my physical bodyI live by faith alone in the Son of God (the Lord Jesus Christ)…who loves me unconditionally and who gave Himself up as a sin substitute for me."
GALATIANS 2:21 "I (Paul and truly all believers in Christ) do not nullify the grace of God (by thinking we can be saved by our works) …for if absolute righteousness comes to us through keeping the Mosaic Law…then Christ died needlessly at the Cross."
Christ died for a purpose…the salvation of the whole world. All of us are spiritually dead at the moment of physical birth. Those who have chosen to remain spiritually dead by rejecting a relationship with the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ think they will be granted access to heaven because of their self-righteous deeds…going to church…tithing…helping little old ladies across the street… "giving back"… keeping traditions…engaging in rituals…and following religious practices.
What really matters is being born again. Outward symbols mean nothing, as Paul points out in Galatians, Chapter 6, Verse 15…
GALATIANS 6:15 For neither is (physical) circumcision anything…nor is uncircumcision anything… but a new creation is everything.
There are so many things Satan uses to distract us from the essence of what it means to be a Christian…faith in Christ alone for everything. Little else matters.
GALATIANS 6:16 And those who will walk by this rule (the law of Christ)…peace and mercy be upon them…and upon the Israel of God.
GALATIANS 6:17 From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus.
What brand marks of Jesus has Paul endured? Second Corinthians, Chapter 11, Verses 24 to 27 highlight a few…
SECOND CORINTHIANS 11:24 Five times I received from (his own people) the Jews…thirty-nine lashes.
SECOND CORINTHIANS 11:25 Three times, I was beaten with rods…once I was stoned…three times I was shipwrecked…a night and a day I have spent in the deep (the ocean).
SECOND CORINTHIANS 11:26 I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren (wolves in sheep's clothing)…
SECOND CORINTHIANS 11:27 I (Paul) have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.
As I reflected on twenty-five years of teaching the Word of God, I thought about my own brand marks of Jesus. They are not physical…they have been mental and emotional…heartbreaking things. A parade of faces crossed my mind…the false friends…the users…who inflicted hurt…mostly Christians in the parade of faces…those who claim to be believers. Yet conditional love is not the fruit of the Spirit.
It's a pleasure for me to teach the Word of God…to pick up my cross to follow my Lord…to bear the scars of living for Him…because there is a core of people whom I love and who love me…and they are the fruit of this ministry and the fruit of my life They, too, have the brand marks of Jesus in their own lives…clearly visible hurts…too many hurts to count I am grateful for these faithful friends who endure the same hardships of suffering.
I am proud of my imperfection because it screams of my dependence on Christ.
Paul concludes his letter with a blessing…
GALATIANS 6:18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethrenAmen.
When we return from the break,we'll have a special offering announcement, and then we'll summarize what Paul's letter to the Galatians has taught us.
FIVE-MINUTE BREAK NOBODY Casting Crowns
TODAY'S BIBLE LESSON Christianity is a Lifestyle of Freedom…Are You Free?
OFFERING INTRODUCTION
An anonymous donor has offered Barah Ministries a matching grant of up to ,000 between now and the end of the year. Whatever we raise between now and the end of the year, up to ,000 will be matched dollar for dollar by the donor. So, if we raise ,000, the donor will match our raise of ,000 with a ,000 contribution. This is a great opportunity to get 2024 off to a great financial start.
If ten people contribute one thousand dollars each, we provide the possibility for the donor to match our fundraising effort. Because Barah Ministries is a not-for-profit corporation under the government's 510 (c) (3) provision, your contributions to Barah Ministries are deductible under section 170 of the IRS code.
Please join us in contributing what you can so we can take advantage of this donor's generosity.
Let's welcome up Deacon Denny Goodall with one of his always inspiring offering messages.
THE OFFERING Deacon Denny Goodall
OFFERING VERSE
SECOND TIMOTHY 2:8-9 Remember Jesus Christ…risen from the dead…a descendant of David, according to my gospel…for which I suffer hardship…even to imprisonment as a criminal… but the Word of God is not imprisoned.
OFFERING SONG THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU Instrumental Version
TODAY'S BIBLE LESSON Christianity is a Lifestyle of Freedom…Are You Free?
LESSON PART TWO
What did we learn by studying Paul's letter to the Galatian believers?
PAUL'S LETTER TO THE GALATIANS Lesson One-Don'tTurn Christianity Into a Prison!
GALATIANS 5:1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free…therefore, keep on standing firm in freedom and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery.
Reject legalism harshly whenever you encounter it.
PAUL'S LETTER TO THE GALATIANS Lesson Two-Don't listen to liars!
GALATIANS 3:1a You foolish Galatians…who has bewitched you?
Identify the false teachers in your life and avoid the snares of their false teaching.
PAUL'S LETTER TO THE GALATIANS Lesson Three- Listen to God…Not to Men!
GALATIANS 1:11 I (Paul) would have you know, brethren (Galatian believers in Christ)…that the gospel which was preached by me is not a gospel that originates from a man (a human being is NOT the source of this gospel message).
PAUL'S LETTER TO THE GALATIANS Lesson Three- Listen to God…Not to Men!
GALATIANS 1:12 For I neither received this gospel message from man…nor was I taught this gospel message by a man…but I received this gospel message through a revelation directly from Jesus Christ.
There are many who teach as doctrines the precepts of men.
PAUL'S LETTER TO THE GALATIANS Lesson Four-Don'tFall For a False Gospel!
GALATIANS 1:9b …if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received from me,…he is to be accursed (he should be eternally condemned in the Lake of Fire)!
Buying a false gospel can make you doubt your God, doubt your salvation, and it can fill your life with mental misery. Next, remember…
PAUL'S LETTER TO THE GALATIANS Lesson Five-The Cross Changed Everything
JOHN 3:36 "He who believes in the Son has the resurrection life right at that moment…but he who does not obey the command to believe in the Son will not see the resurrection life…instead the wrath of God (the Lake of Fire) abides on him."
It's faith in Christ alone as the ticket to eternal life.
PAUL'S LETTER TO THE GALATIANS Lesson Six-Your Works Cannot Save You
TITUS 3:5 The Lord Jesus Christ saved us believers in Christ…not on the basis of deeds which we have done in self-righteousness…but according to His mercy (not giving us the wrath of God that sin deserves) …by the washing of regeneration and through renewing by God the Holy Spirit…
PAUL'S LETTER TO THE GALATIANS Lesson Seven-Royalty Does Not Require Rituals and Religious Practices
FIRST PETER 2:9 "But you believers in Christ 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…"
Act like the royalty you are as children of the Almighty God.
There are many more lessons in this letter…but these are the key lessons. Spend some time reviewing what you learned and see how it applies to your life.
THE GOSPEL MESSAGE The Good News of Jesus Christ's Salvation Offer to the Human Race
The closing moments of our lesson today could be the ten most important minutes of your life.
GOD WANTS YOU! He Wants You Make the Most Important Decision of Your Life
The Lord Jesus Christ gave you a powerful weapon and a perfect gift from the moment of your physical birth…CHOICE: You get to choose the life you want to live. The life you are living right now is the sum of all the decisions you have made so far.
The Lord Jesus Christ, the Sovereign God of the Universe and the Savior of all mankind says there are only two choices for your eternal future…either heaven (the small gate and the narrow way) or the Lake of Fire (the wide gate and the broad way)…described in Matthew, Chapter 7, Verses 13 and 14…
MATTHEW 7:13 "Enter through the narrow gate…for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction…and there are many who enter through the wide gate."
MATTHEW 7:14 "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to the resurrection life…and there are few who find the small gate."
Which road will you choose for your eternal life?
Those who are on the broad way that leads to destruction may think there is salvation in numbers, yet it is not true. Believing what everyone else believes does not save you. Placing your confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ saves you.
The Lord Jesus Christ is 100% God… that's why we call Him Lord…and He is 100% Man…true humanity like you and me… that's why we call Him Jesus…the Christ…the Jewish Messiah Jesus says HE is the small gate, which makes Him your guide to heaven…John, Chapter 14, Verse 6…
JOHN 14:6 Jesus said to the doubting apostle, Thomas, "I am the way (to salvation) … and I am the truth (through the gospel message in the Word of God) … and I am the resurrection life (eternal life) …and no one comes to God the Father (in heaven) but through believing in Me."
God the Father's plan for your life is simple…BELIEVE in His Son, and it is your ticket to eternal life. Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31 says…
ACTS 16:31 "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved by God, you and everyone in your household who also believes."
Those on the broad way that leads to destruction place their confidence in liars. The Lord Jesus Christ warns about them in Matthew, Chapter 7, Verse 15…
MATTHEW 7:15 "Beware of the false prophets (false teachers) … who come to you in sheep's clothing (appearing harmless)… who inwardly are ravenous wolves (out to destroy your eternal future)."
As ravenous wolves, false teachers want to rip to shreds your chance for a great eternity by deceiving you with a false gospel message. Proverbs, Chapter 14, Verse 12 illuminates the issue…
PROVERBS 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man (saving yourself by thinking good deeds will earn your salvation)…but its end is the way of death (the second death in the Lake of Fire).
The Lord Jesus Christ offers the true gospel message and an invitation to be saved in John, Chapter 3, Verse 36…
JOHN 3:36 "He who believes in the Son has the resurrection life (eternal life) right at that moment…but he who does not obey the command to believe in the Son will not see the resurrection life…instead the wrath of God (the Lake of Fire) abides on him."
RIGHT, WHERE YOU SIT…RIGHT NOW…you can tell God the Father that you are believing in the Lord Jesus Christ for your salvation, and that is the moment of eternal life for you.
Who is this God who saves you? The apostle Paul describes the Lord Jesus Christ…in First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verses 3 and 4…
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:3 For I (Paul) delivered to you as of primary importance the gospel message I also received from God…that it was Jesus Christ who died for our sins according to the Old Testament Scriptures…
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:4 …and that He was buried…and that He was raised from the dead on the third day…according to the Old Testament Scriptures…
God's enemy, Satan, is the sponsor of false teachers, false teaching, and a false gospel message. You have to be able to discern the difference between God's truth and Satan's lies…John, Chapter 8, Verses 31 and 32…
JOHN 8:31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word (the Word of God from a true teacher), then you are truly disciples of Mine…"
JOHN 8:32 "…and you will know the truth (the true gospel message)…and the truth will make you free."
Another warning for those who choose the broad way is Matthew, Chapter 7, Verses 21 to 23…
MATTHEW 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven…but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven (by obeying the gospel message) will enter heaven."
MATTHEW 7:22 "Many will say to Me on that day (of judgment), 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name…and in Your name did we not cast out demons…and in Your name did we not perform many miracles?'"
MATTHEW 7:23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you…depart from Me (into the Lake of Fire)…you who practice (a lifestyle of) lawlessness.'"
Don't wait until it's too late to consider what road you are on. Mark, Chapter 1, Verse 15 says…
MARK 1:15 "The time is fulfilled…and the kingdom of God is at hand…so repent (changeyour mind about having a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ)…and believe in HIS gospel message."
The will of God the Father is that you believe in His Son so you can have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who choose the narrow way have decided that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone is the ONLY ticket to heaven. Get yourself on the narrow way that leads to eternal life in heaven right this minute.
CLOSING SONG INTRODUCTION
Let's close with music. It's easy to be grateful when we are blessed in a way that we desire. It's a challenge to accept the things we consider hard that come into our lives as blessing because it's easy to forget to have faith in the Lord in ALL things. First Thessalonians, Chapter 5, Verse 18 is a reminder…
FIRST THESSALONIANS 5:18 …in EVERYTHING give thanks…for this is God the Father's will for you who are in union with Christ Jesus.
Here's Don Moen encouraging us in song to GIVE THANKS for all things.
MUSIC CLOSING SONG Let's Sing the Lord's Praises
GIVE THANKS Don Moen
CLOSING PRAYER Let us pray...
Almighty God and Father…
…thank you for the Bible…our source of truth…help us continue to study it…to put it into practice…and to reflect Your unconditional love, forgiveness, and grace to all we meet…
…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ's name...Amen.
DISCUSSING THE LESSON AND PRAYER CIRCLE
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GOT BIBLICAL QUESTIONS?
Ask the Pastor pastor@barahministries.com
KEEP ON STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD!
Thanks for coming! Thanks for watching! Thanks for listening!
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