CHARLIE BROWN – You reap what u sow, you get out of life what u put into it – no more, no less!
SNOOPY – I only hope there’s some margin for error!

SNOOPY’S PRAYER IS ANSWERED
We have been thinking about all the blessings of being a Christian. Gal 3:26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus– saved by faith
– Sons of God
4: 4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. – The Holy Spirit lives in us
6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, 6b the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; 7b and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.– Set free from slavery
5 : 1. 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.we are – saved by faith, we are sons of God and heirs of God, we have the Spirit in us, we have been set free from slavery to sin. That’s not God’s margin for error – that’s God’s grace!

When a person works an eight-hour day and receives a fair day’s pay for his time, that is a wage. When a person competes with an opponent and receives a trophy for his performance, that is a prize. When a person receives appropriate recognition for his long service or high achievements, that is an award. But when a person is not capable of earning a wage, can win no prize, and deserves no award–yet despite that he receives all these and much much more – that is God’s unmerited favor. This is what we mean when we talk about the grace of God. We could never be good enough for God. We could never earn or deserve our salvation – it’s all of grace! Praise God!

If someone brutally murders your son and you take things into your own hands, that’s revenge. If you’re content to allow the law and the courts to arrest and punish the offender, that’s justice. But if you pardon the murderer, adopt him, and take him home to live with you as your son, that’s grace! And that’s what God has done for us!! All we deserve from God is punishment for rejecting Him and running away from Him. But instead we are alive with Christ, raised up with him, seated in the heavenly realms with Him – THAT’s grace!!

BUT AT THE SAME TIME CHARLIE BROWN IS RIGHT!
Gal 6:7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.for Christians – challenge to live as children of God, as people who are truly filled with Holy Spirit, as people who are truly set free from sin! We saw these things last week.

God calls us to turn away from the sins which used to fill our lives before we knew Jesus.

5:16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. So many different kinds of sins to turn our backs on. So many different temptations to resist!

A visitor at a fishing dock asked an old fisherman who was sitting there, “If I were to fall into this water, would I drown?” “Naw,” the fisherman replied. “Fallin’ into the water doesn’t drown anybody. It’s staying under it that does.” Falling into sin doesn’t condemn anybody, but staying in it does.
16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. Instead God calls us to live according to the Spirit.

Gal 5:25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit
5: 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.If we are keeping in step with the Spirit we will become more and more like Christ, and our lives will be full of GOOD FRUIT!

5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.Filled with the character of Christ. And then Paul explains that this is not just about our attitudes but about our actions as well.

5: 13. …. do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.

1. Carry each other’s burdens
Galatians 6: 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.after 5 chapters teaching us that we are not under law but under grace – Paul talks here about `the Law of Christ”

DIFFERENT KINDS OF BURDENS – practical, emotional, spiritual – and in each we are called to HELP each other. This is practical pastoral care. But we make a huge mistake if we think that pastoral care is the help which the pastor gives. Pastoral care is the care EVERY Christian should give to each other. Bearing one another’s burdens is the duty and responsibility of EVERY Christian.

Several aspects of bearing each other’s burdens :- Giving help when somebody falls down
1. Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
The Christian church has the terrible reputation of being the only army which shoots its own wounded. If somebody falls into sin, we can so easily turn a blind eye, ignore it and act as if nothing has happened. They can even get the impression that we condone their actions. That isn’t showing grace, that is indifference. Or sometimes if another Christian falls into sin we go to the other extreme and turn our backs on them completely. That may be the ultimate last resort for somebody who stubbornly refuses to repent. But before things get that bad, when others fall into sin, it is the duty of their spiritually mature friends to help them see their errors and return to Christ in repentance.
1. Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.Servanthood demands humility!!
3 If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5 for each one should carry his own load.
1 Cor 10:12 If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!

On the way down from climbing Everest, Sir Edmund Hillary fell and Sherpa Tensing dramatically risked his own life to save his life. But afterwards Tensing refused any honours for this. Mountain climbers always help each other, he said. So should Christians! Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ. But then serving one another in love also demands
2 Support for the church and Christian work
6 Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.A verse very popular with ministers and missionaries of course. But also an aspect of Christian discipleship for us all to take very seriously. We all need to support Christian work. And in particular here there is a responsibility to support our own church, perhaps the church where we found faith, certainly the church where week by week we are fed and sustained in our faith. Give generously – and here is God’s promise.
2:Cor 9:6-11
6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written:
“He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures for ever.”
10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

Carry each other’s burdens – give to support Christian work, and

3. Do not becoming weary in doing good
9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
“Compassion fatigue” is a new term heard among some people of our affluent society today. It means “I’m tired of repeated calls to do good.”

Need to find our strength in the Lord ISAIAH 40:28-31
28 Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no-one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint
It is so easy to get weary and discouraged in doing good and helping other people. It is such hard work. So thankless. So exhausting. But we should press on.

Have you failed trying to accomplish something? The story of one young American can encourage us. He could have given up so easily.. He failed in business in ’31, he was defeated for the legislature in ’32, he was elected to the legislature in ’34. His sweetheart died in ’35, he had a nervous breakdown in ’36, he was defeated for speaker in ’38, he was defeated for elector in ’40, he was defeated for Congress in ’43, he was elected to Congress in ’46, defeated for Congress in ’48, defeated for Senate in ’50, defeated for vice president in ’56 and for Senate in ’58. But fortunately he was elected president in 1860. His name was Abraham Lincoln. Failure need not be permanent. DON’T BECOME WEARY in doing good!

Heb 10: 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another- and all the more as you see the Day approaching.ESPECIALLY persistence in evangelism + witnessing!!! ALPHA

Do good to all people

10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.As we have opportunity! NOW is the time to pray and to witness. Don’t waste the special opportunities this month is giving us! NOW is the time to seize the day! “Be very careful then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16)

Do good to all! John Wesley’s Rule for Christian Living
DO all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever… You can!

1 Tim 6:18-19
18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life

Do good to all me – but note especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
PRIORITY of Christian needs – obligation to household of faith – brothers and sisters in Christ

Sow to please the Spirit: = Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.
This means 1 Help when we fall down, 2 serving with humility!! 3 Support for the church and Christian work
Do not becoming weary in doing good – ESPECIALLY persistence in evangelism + witnessing!!! ALPHA
As we have opportunity let us do good to all people especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
In days to come especially to new Christians!!
And where does this “serving one another in love” happen best?
One-to-one-nurture, prayer triplets, Housegroups – to be good examples to new Christians:-

I owe a great debt to a Crusader Leader called Tony Bentall. Not only me – countless others such as my friend Neil who came to my Induction, who similarly came to faith in Christ despite having no Christian background. When we were teenagers Tony Bentall was a bachelor in his sixties. He owned a huge four storey house, called simply “13” and he had adapted half of it so that it could be a place where Crusaders could meet. There were teaching rooms and games rooms. Every Friday night he would host a games evening for all ages and every Sunday evening there was a Bible Study for the teenagers. It was a mark of Tony’s grace and love that on Sunday afternoons while he led the boys’ crusader class at a nearby church, Tony left his house in the hands of the girls’ class.

Tony was a very senior engineer working for GEC. I heard that in power stations which GEC built across the world there is quite an important bit named after him. But why I remember Tony tonight is that in appearance he quite resembled common portrayals of Friar Tuck. And he had a radiant and infectious smile. So we were not surprised to discover that at his place of work, Tony was known to everybody as “the Laughing Monk”.
Serving one another in love – bearing one another’s burdens – never becoming weary in doing good. Tony Bentall – the laughing monk! Tony was a real example to very many people of what it means to sow to please the Spirit.

We reap what we sow!

A politician was visiting a prison where he found prisoners in their time-honoured occupation of sewing mail bags. Not knowing what to say, he asked one of the prisoners, “Are you sewing?”
“No” the man replied. “Reaping”!

We reap what we sow. So sow to please the Spirit!

There are many promises in the Old Testament about the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Some of them we like to remember – but there are others we prefer to forget. The very last promise in the Old Testament comes from the prophet Malachi and is the promise of a blessing nobody wants – the blessing of the Refiner’s Fire.

Malachi 3:1 ¶ … Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the LORD Almighty. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness,Billy Graham comments, “He is not coming to soothe you or comfort you, or to protect you, or to insure you against every calamity that may happen to you. He is coming to refine your life; he is coming to burn out the baser metals so that the silver that is there can shine. This is a painful process.”

The blessing of the refiner’s fire. Refining by the Spirit’s work. Refining by confession and repentance. Refining by the church. Refining by times of trial. And refining not just as individuals but as the whole church.

Refiner’s fire, My heart’s one desire Is to be holy, Set apart for You, Lord.
I choose to be holy,Set apart for You, my Master, Ready to do Your will.
Those words are so easy to sing – but so challenging if we stop to think about them. Is our one and only deepest desire really for God to refine us and make us like Jesus?

Here these words from AW. Tozer (1897–1963)
Do you want to be filled with a Spirit who, though he is like Jesus in his gentleness and love, will nevertheless demand to be Lord of your life? Are you willing to let your personality be taken over by another, even if that other be the Spirit of God himself? If the Spirit takes charge of your life he will expect unquestioning obedience in everything. He will not tolerate in you the self-sins even though they are permitted and excused by most Christians.… You will find the Spirit to be in sharp opposition to the easy ways of the world and of the mixed multitude within the precincts of religion. He will be jealous over you for good. He will not allow you to boast or swagger or show off. He will take the direction of your life away from you. He will reserve the right to test you, to discipline you, to chasten you for your soul’s sake. He may strip you of many of those borderline pleasures which other Christians enjoy but which are to you a source of refined evil. Through it all he will enfold you in a love so vast, so mighty, so all-embracing, so wondrous that your very losses will seem like gains and your small pains like pleasure.

Being refined and purified can be a painful process. But it’s worth it! The work of the Holy Spirit in our lives is to produce in us the character of Christ.
As Oswald Chambers (1874–1917) said
Sanctification is not something our Lord does in me; sanctification is himself in me.
Becoming Holy is simply about Christ living in us! Our old self is nailed to the cross and the Risen Christ takes over. The transformed to be conformed to the character of Christ. Which brings us to tonight’s subject – the fruit of the Spirit.

Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

These are simply the qualities of Jesus Christ Himself, reproduced in us! Christ is our example. But it is not just up to us to work hard to imitate Christ in our own strength. Because Paul says these are the qualities of character which the Holy Spirit Himself works to produce in our lives. They are the fruit of the Spirit not of our hard work. ONLY the Holy Spirit can make us like Jesus. Here is a valuable checklist which we can apply to our lives to see how far we are along the path to Holiness.
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
These are the fruit of the Spirit . Not the `fruits’ (plural) but the fruit (singular). Its all or nothing! We cant be satisfied with six out of nine or eight out of nine. ALL these qualities are part of a mature Christian character – part of the fruit the Holy Spirit produces, part of what a person will be become as the Refiner’s fire does His work. However wonderful some spiritual experience may feel at the time, if it doesnt produce more of the fruit of the Spirit in my life then I will be very suspicious of it! But if a spiritual experience brings more of this fruit of the Spirit into my life – then however strange the experience may at first appear, then I want MORE of that experience, because I want to be more like Jesus

Jesus said 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples

Jesus calls us to bear fruit. That fruit may be the fruit of new Christians, or of answered prayers. But most important of all that fruit will be the character of Christ, the fruit of the Spirit.

The first three virtues are habits of mind which find their source in God. Some of these Christ-like qualities very definitely demand human effort (e.g.patience, kindness, faithfulness, self-control). However we will usually find that the first three, love, joy and peace (in the sense that Paul means them here) are experiences which God the Holy Spirit brings into our lives rather than anything we can work at producing.

For each – number – marks out of 10 for how you are doing. Up arrow or down arrow for whether you are getting better or worse?
LOVE

Love ( agapē ) is listed first because it is the foundation of the other graces. God is love and loves the world (1 John 4:8; John 3:16 ). Such self-sacrificing love that sent Christ to die for sinners is the kind of love that believers who are Spirit-controlled manifest.

Matthew 22:37 “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’
John 13:34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

PAUSE FOR REFLECTION

JOY

Joy ( chara ) is a deep and abiding inner rejoicing which was promised to those who abide in Christ (John 15:11 ). It does not depend on circumstances because it rests in God’s sovereign control of all things (Rom. 8:28 ).

You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him, you trust him; and even now you are happy with a glorious, inexpressible joy. 1 Pet 1:8

PAUSE FOR REFLECTION

PEACE

Peace (eirēnē) is again a gift of Christ ( John 14:27 ). It is an inner repose and quietness, even in the face of adverse circumstances; it defies human understanding (Phil. 4:7 ).

Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.

PAUSE FOR REFLECTION

Strengthened by love, joy, and peace, the second triad of three gifts reaches out to others,

PATIENCE

Patience or longsuffering ( makrothymia ) is the quality of forbearance under provocation (2 Cor. 6:6 ; Col. 1:11 ; 3:12 ). It entertains no thoughts of retaliation even when wrongfully treated.
2 Cor 6:4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love

PAUSE FOR REFLECTION

KINDNESS

Kindness ( chrēstotēs ) is benevolence in action such as God demonstrated toward men. Since God is kind toward sinners (Rom. 2:4 ; Eph. 2:7 ) a Christian should display the same virtue (2 Cor. 6:6 ; Col 3:12).

kindness, – 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity Col 3:12-14

PAUSE FOR REFLECTION

GOODNESS

Goodness (agathōsynē ) may be thought of both as an uprightness of soul and as an action reaching out to others to do good even when it is not deserved.
goodness, HOLINESS – purity , not just a negative quality (absence of sin) but POSITIVE, overflowing!
Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

PAUSE FOR REFLECTION

The final three graces guide the general conduct of a believer who is led by the Spirit.
FAITHFULNESS

Faithfulness ( pistis ) is the quality which renders a person trustworthy or reliable, like the faithful servant in Luke 16:10-12 . “Good and faithful servant”

faithfulness, Keeping promises, reliability, – Let your yes be yes, your no be no – TRUTH-TELLING – We saw back in our studies in the letter to the Hebrews chapter 13 that God calls us to Faithfulness in brotherly love and hospitality, especially to those who are in prison or who are suffering. God demands Faithfulness in morality and sexuality, always keeping the vows we have made. And God expects Faithfulness in our use of money and possessions.

Luke 16:10 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?

PAUSE FOR REFLECTION

GENTLENESS

Gentleness or meekness ( prautēs ) marks a person who is submissive to God’s Word (James 1:21 ) and who is considerate of others when discipline is needed (“gently” in Gal. 6:1 ; 2 Tim. 2:25 ; “gentle” in 1 Cor. 4:21 ; Eph. 4:2 ; “gentleness” in Col. 3:12 ; 1 Peter 3:16).

Col 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience

gentleness, `muscular Christianity’ not always right. We follow Jesus Christ who is gentle and humble of heart. God came to Elijah not in earthquake nor in fire, but in gentle whisper, still small voice of calm!

PAUSE FOR REFLECTION

SELF-CONTROL

Self-control ( enkrateia); this noun is used in the NT only here and in Acts 24:25 ; 2 Peter 1:6) denotes self-mastery and no doubt primarily relates to curbing the fleshly impulses just described. Such a quality is impossible to attain apart from the power of God’s Spirit (Gal. 5:16).

self-control. – saying no to sin and yes to God!

The fruit of self-control (or temperance in the King James Version) means self-restraint not only from becoming drunk but from all the other “acts of the sinful nature”. Gal 5:19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

PAUSE FOR REFLECTION

The story so far. We are saved by grace through faith, not by keeping God’s law. We are saved by believing God’s promises, and when we believe God’s promises God makes us part of his forever family. We are not God’s servants but God’s beloved children, all one in Christ Jesus, sons and heirs of God’s love.

4: 4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. God makes us His children by putting His Holy Spirit within us.-
6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, 6b the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; 7b and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.So How should we live ????? We should live a new life in the strength of the Holy Spirit!

16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.

There is a battle going on within each of us. To do what God wants or to do what our old sinful human nature wants. The starting point for living in the strength of the Spirit is to realise that we have the choice. We are no longer slaves to sin. We have been set free!

5 : 1. 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.

In 6 short chapters of Gal one word comes again and again. 11 times – free / freedom! We are SONS , not slaves!

Do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Gal 5:1. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. WHAT does this mean? WHAT KIND of freedom is this Christian freedom????

George MacDonald. Christian Freedom is not licence to do whatever takes our fancy – freedom does not mean I am able to do whatever I want to do. That’s the worst kind of bondage. Freedom means I have been set free to become all that God wants me to be, to achieve all that God wants me to achieve, to enjoy all that God wants me to enjoy. `Free will is not the liberty to do whatever one likes, but the power of doing whatever one sees ought to be done, even in the very face of otherwise overwhelming impulse. There lies freedom indeed.’ G.Macdonald

A bird is free in the air. Place a bird in the water and he has lost his liberty. A fish is free in the water, but leave him on the sand and he perishes. He is out of his realm. So the Christian is free when he does the will of God and is living his life to please God. This is as natural a realm for God’s child as the water is for the fish, or the air for the bird.”

Freedom to do God’s will
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.Faith expressing itself in love for GOD. St Augustine “Love God – do what you like.”

Faith expressing itself in love says Paul, so serve one another in love.

13. 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.
Faith expressed in LOVE for each other Do we ever SERVE each other ?? Do we EVER “in love become servants of one another!” ??? So let us learn how to serve, and in our lives enthrone Him. Each other’s needs to prefer. For is it Christ we are serving!

14 The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” 15 If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

I once had the privilege of meeting John Stott. What impressed me most about that man was not his intellect or his wisdom but his humility – a great SERVANT of God.

Faith expressing itself in love, serving one another in love.

A French fable: One day the King’s best personal servant was walking in a dense forest near the palace. There he stumbled and fell down a hill. He awoke, looked around, and found at his feet the proverbial magic cup, which, when rubbed, released a genie.
The genie said, “Your finding this cup was no accident. You’ve worked hard all your life. So you may receive one wish. But make it carefully because you can have only one.”
The man replied, “All my life I have been in positions requiring that I serve others. In fact, I’m known as ‘The Servant of the Kingdom.’ In the future, I want people to wait on me and serve me. Yes, that’s it. I want the tables turned. I want servants to do everything for me.”
Sure enough, when the man returned to the castle, the door was opened for him. His food was cooked, his meals were served, his dishes washed, his clothes cared for by others.
He was not allowed to perform his usual work — everything was done for him.
For the first month, the newness of the experience amused him. the second month, it became irritating. During the third month, it became unbearable.
So the man returned to the forest and searched until he found the genie again. He said, “I’ve discovered that having people wait on me isn’t as pleasant as I’d thought. I’d like to return to my original station and once again be ‘The Servant of the Kingdom.'”
The genie replied, “I’m sorry, but I can’t help you. I had the power to grant only one wish.”
The man said, “But, you don’t understand. I want to serve people. I found it far more rewarding to do things for others than to have all those things done for me.”
The genie just shook his head.
The man begged, “But you must help me. I’d rather be in hell than not be able to serve others.”
The genie said sorrowfully, ” My friend, where do you think you have been for the last ninety days?”

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. We don’t have to keep on doing things which offend God any longer. We are free to let our faith express itself through love, We are free to serve one another in love! And we are free NOT to do the sinful things our human nature would lead us to do

So we should Live by the Spirit

16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.
Battle inside us – will be choose to be led by Spirit? or led by our old sinful nature?

Live by the Spirit – Things not to do = Do not gratify the desires of the sinful nature

Gal 5:19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; – sexual sins:

idolatry and witchcraft; – worshipping false gods
a quarter of a million registered witches in USA – approx 10 MILLION witches in the world today
– few years ago debate about whether witches and spiritual healers should have same rights of access to patients in hospitals as chaplains and ministers

hatred, Love blinds us to faults, but hatred blinds us to virtues. Anger is a weed; hate is the tree. (Augustine)
A famous criminal lawyer, once said, “Everyone is a potential murderer. I have not killed anyone, but I frequently get satisfaction out of obituary notices.”

discord, jealousy, fits of rage, – division between individuals

ANGER – Satan’s most successful maneuver in churches and Christian organizations is to get people angry at one another; to attack and insult our brothers and sisters, thus splitting the body of Christ. (James Dobson)
The man who loses his temper quickest is the one who finds it quickest. The man you need to beware of is not the man who flares up, but the man who smoulders, who is vindictive and harbors vengeance. O Chambers

selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; – division between groups
– wars around the world – wars in church as well – often due to selfish amibition:-
– Chinese proverb: “He who sacrifices his conscience to ambition, burns a picture to obtain the ashes.”
– Personal ambition and empire building are hindering the spread of the gospel. John R. W. Stott (1921– )
-Richard Foster: The fruit of the Spirit is not push, drive, climb, grasp, and trample. Don’t let the rat-racing world keep you on its treadmill. There is a legitimate place for blood, sweat, and tears; but it should have its roots in the call of God, not in the desire to get ahead. Life is more than a climb to the top of the heap.

drunkenness, orgies, – damaging patterns of behaviour

So many different kinds of sins.
21. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

If we are living by the Spirit we will NOT do all these things which belong to our sinful human nature any longer!

A scorpion, being a very poor swimmer, asked a turtle to carry him on its back across the river. “Are you mad?” exclaimed the turtle. “You’ll sting me while I’m swimming and I’ll drown.” “My dear turtle,” laughed the scorpion, “If I were to sting you, you would drown and I’d go down with you. Now where is the logic in that?” “You’re right,” cried the turtle. “Hop on.” The scorpion climbed aboard and halfway across the river gave the turtle a mighty sting. As they both sank to the bottom, the turtle, resigned, said, “Do you mind if I ask you something? You said there is no logic in your stinging me. Why did you do it?” “It has nothing to do with logic,” the drowning scorpion replied. “It’s just my nature.”

We are saved by faith, we are sons of God, we have the Spirit in us, we have been set free from slavery. Challenge – to live according to the Spirit, led by the Holy Spirit, not controlled by our old sinful nature. Here are the things we do NOT do – Paul goes on the point us to the things we should do!

Keep in step with the Spirit

Gal 5:25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit

5: 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.If we are keeping in step with the Spirit we will become more and more like Christ, and our lives will be full of GOOD FRUIT!

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
The fruit of the Spirit are the qualities of Jesus Christ Himself! He is our example. But it is not just up to us to work hard to imitate Christ in our own strength. Because Paul says these are the qualities of character which the Holy Spirit Himself works to produce in our lives. They are the fruit of the Spirit not of our hard work. ONLY the Holy Spirit can make us like Jesus. And they are the fruit, not the fruits – all or nothing. Here is a valuable checklist which we can apply to the lives of anybody – to see how closely they are in step with the Spirit.

love, – Serving each other in love

joy, – the second mark of the Christian
8 You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him, you trust him; and even now you are happy with a glorious, inexpressible joy. 1 Peter 1:8
peace, – God calming us even when He doesn’t calm the storms around us.

patience, – NEEDED!!!!!!

kindness, – 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity Col 3:12-14

goodness, HOLINESS – purity , not just a negative quality (absence of sin) but POSITIVE, overflowing!

faithfulness, Keeping promises, reliability, – Let your yes be yes, your no be no – TRUTH-TELLING –

gentleness, `muscular Christianity’ not always right. We follow Jesus Christ who is gentle and humble of heart. God came to Elijah not in earthquake nor in fire, but in gentle whisper, still small voice of calm!

self-control. – saying no to sin and yes to God!

These are the nine-fold fruit of the Spirit . Not the `fruits’ (plural) but the fruit (singular). Its all or nothing! We cant be satisfied with six out of nine or eight out of nine. ALL these qualities are part of a mature Christian character – part of the fruit the Holy Spirit produces, part of what a person will be like if they are in step with the Spirit.

We are God’s children. We have His Holy Spirit inside us. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. So we should serve one another in love, turn our backs on the acts of the sinful nature, and pray for God to fill us to overflowing with the fruit of His Holy Spirit.

There are many names for Christians in NT – disciples, believers, followers of Christ. For Paul the most important is this: We are God’s children

Galatians 3: 26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
26 You are all sons of God
Christianity is RELATIONSHIP with living God – we are God’s children

how do we receive these blessings?
26b through faith in Christ Jesus, – all received by faith – this is the whole point of Paul’s letter to the Galatians.
Gal 2: 16 We know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no-one will be justified.
when do we become God’s children?
27 for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

clothed with Christ – we are God’s children because our lives are intimately wrapped in in life and death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, THE Son of God
2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.baptism – is the outward sign of the inward reality of new birth which comes as we trust in God and turn from our sins

We are God’s children. This reminds us that the heart of the Christian life is the personal relationship we each have with God as our loving heavenly Father. The heart of our Christian life are our personal prayers, and our reading of the Bible, and our worship of God, not only corporately on Sundays but more importantly our service as living sacrifices in every part of our everyday lives. We have a solemn responsibility to live out that relationship with God our Father from day to day. But more important, if we don’t pray, if we don’t read our Bibles, if we don’t involve God in our day-to-day lives , then we will miss out! We will be the losers. What’s the point of the immense privilege of a relationship with Almighty God if we live as though we don’t know Him?!!

But here in Galatians Paul gives us two more implications of being God’s child:
1. United in God’s Family
There was a daily Jewish prayer which Paul as a good Pharisee would have prayed every day. “God, I thank you that I was not born a Gentile, but a Jew: not a slave, but a free man: not a woman, but a man.”
Here in Galatians 3:28 Paul was deliberately contradicting each phrase of the prayer which he had been taught to pray in his childhood.

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

28b for you are all one in Christ Jesus. This is the slogan of the KESWICK convention – no place for Divisions between denominations –
We are first and foremost not evangelicals, or fundamentalists, or charismatics, or ecumenists, or Baptists, or Catholics, or Protestants; we are children of God.

Jesus prayed for us, for those who would believe as a result of the apostles’ testimony, in His High Priestly Prayer in John 17. He gave us

v. 21 “That all of them may be One , just as You are in Me and I am in You” v. 22 “that they may be one as We are one”Here is the MEANING of Church Unity: THE ONENESS OF THE CHURCH IS TO BE A MIRROR OF THE ONENESS OF THE HOLY TRINITY – Father Son and Holy Spirit. God in Himself is Unity in Community, and the church is called to be one as God is one. Unity in relationships one with another. Unity in community, unity in diversity, not mere uniformity. Then Jesus prayed:

v. 21 “May they be one even as we are one. May they also be in Us, … I in them and You in Me”Here is the MEANS to Church Unity: THE ONENESS FOR WHICH CHRIST PRAYS WILL ONLY GROW AS WE EACH ABIDE IN CHRIST AND GROW UP INTO CHRIST

Our unity comes from Christ and our participation in Him! It is the gift of the Holy Spirit living inside us who makes us the church. Oneness of the body of Christ is supernatural, spiritual. NOT of human origin.. The of Christ body grows and builds itself up in love only and inasmuch as each one of us grow up into Christ.

Finally Jesus prayed
v. 21 “So that the world may believe that You have sent Me” : 23. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.Here is our MOTIVE for Church Unity: THE ONENESS OF THE CHURCH IS TO BE OUR WITNESS TO THE WORLD.

God’s purpose is that the church should be His visual aid to the world of the difference that His love and forgiveness makes. But we give a very poor example of reconciliation if the world sees the church divided and arguing. God commands us to show His kind of sacrificial love to this sin-spoilt world, but He gives us other Christians to practice on. If we can’t even love each other, how can we begin to seek and save the lost?!

God has made His church to all be one in Christ Jesus. Sometimes folk give up working for the visible unity of church just because it seems like too much hassle with not enough benefits. What WE get out of church unity doesn’t matter. It isn’t even that division within body of Christ grieves Holy Spirit of God, that division grieves Christ the Head of the Body, that division grieves the Father heart of God. We don’t need Unity for its own sake. We may not feel we need unity for our own sake. We may not care about unity for God’s sake. But unity in the church is VITAL for the sake of the world, that the world might believe.
Unity within the Body of Christ, the oneness of the church, is right at the centre of our witness to the world .
v. 23 “may they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me

EVERYTHING Jesus prayed for His Church in Gethesmane applies to the relationships between different denominations and different congregations. And it also applies just as much to that congregation which is called North Springfield Baptist church as a fellowship.
1. THE ONENESS OF OUR CHURCH IS TO BE A MIRROR OF THE ONENESS OF THE TRINITY
2. THE ONENESS FOR WHICH CHRIST PRAYS WILL ONLY GROW AS WE EACH ABIDE IN CHRIST AND GROW UP INTO CHRIST
3. THE ONENESS OF OUR CHURCH IS TO BE OUR WITNESS TO THE WORLD.

And the apostle Paul similarly worked and prayed for unity and was totally opposed to divisions within any church or congregation:-

NO RACIAL divisions – 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek,

I often smile at those churches which describe themselves as an “international church”. I wonder whether we should change our name to North Springfield International Baptist Church. Because we ARE an international church! There were folk worshipping this morning from Africa and from India and from the West Indies – not just from Essex. We must make sure that there is no hint of division due to racial prejudice!

Mahatma Ghandi said in his autobiography that during his student days he was interested in the Bible. Deeply touched by reading the gospels, he seriously considered becoming a convert. Christianity seemed to offer the real solution to the caste system that was dividing the people of India. One Sunday he went to a church to see the minister and ask for instruction on the way of salvation and other Christian doctrines. But when he entered the sanctuary, the ushers refused him a seat and suggested that he go and worship with his own people. He left and never went back. “If Christians have caste differences also,” he said to himself, “I might as well remain a Hindu.”

NO CLASS divisions – There is neither … slave nor free,
We don’t have slaves in England any more – but we do still have some sense of class identity and class divisions. North Springfield Baptist Church is a socially diverse church. We still have our professionals, our business people, our wealthy members, our academically qualified. And we have members who are unemployed and looking for work. We have members with disabilities. The fringe of the church has single parents, and folk in complicated families which are not just mum and dad married to each other with 2.4 children. We must make sure that EVERYBODY is made to feel equally welcome to North Springfield Baptist Church. No social divisions!

NO GENDER divisions – There is neither … male nor female,
Paul wrote in a male dominated society. In many places women, like slaves, were treated simply as property. We must make sure that we welcome and respect women equally with men!

In fact in this day and age we must make sure that the opposite is also true. We must make sure that we welcome men equally with women! What I mean is this. The last 30 years or so have seen the feminist movement sweep through Western Society, and the church as everywhere else now works very hard to affirm women, and to elevate women to positions of leadership. Some sociologists are now writing of the “feminisation” of the church. Using traditional stereotypes, church life was once very rational and objective. Now it has become much more emotional. So much so that some men are actually scared away by the touchy-feely language and expression of feelings in some worship and some expressions of fellowship. Women and indeed also children have an assured place in the lives of churches – and it is now some men who can feel embarrassed and excluded. We must retain balance – to make sure there is neither male nor female in our church life together. No gender divisions.

All one in Christ Jesus. There are just two other situations in the church where we must watch out for divisions. If Paul were writing to churches today I believe he would also say

“There is neither old people nor young people – for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

We must be sure to welcome and affirm our young people as much as we welcome and affirm adults in the life of the church. Children and young people are not tomorrow’s church. They are a valued part of today’s church and we must never forget that. As far as I can see North Springfield Baptist Church are brilliant in helping our children and young people to belong and to play their part in the church’s life. But we must always be vigilant in that area. No age gap!

But then if Paul were writing to churches today I believe he would say one more thing.
There are neither long-standing Christians nor brand new Christians – for all are one in Christ Jesus.

The majority of our membership have been Christians for 20 years or more. The majority of our members were brought up in Christian homes immersed in church life. But I believe God is going to bring New Christians among us again soon – new believers. These will be folk who have never gone to church before, never believed before! They won’t have the background in Bible knowledge and church customs we all have. And yet they will be just as much a part of God’s forever family, just as much a part of the body of Christ as any of us who have been saved for years and years. If there is a real risk of division in the church it will be between established Christians who are familiar with everything that goes on and new Christians who are completely lost, learning things and facing situations for the first time. We must bend over backwards to welcome these new Christians into the church, to take care of them and support them in their new faith – because we are ALL ONE in Christ Jesus!

All one in Christ Jesus – but then more briefly Paul gives us a second wonderful implication of being God’s children:-

2. Sons and heirs

3: 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

3:14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit
ALL the blessing OT promised – and more – belong to us!how did we become God’s children
4: 4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. all through JESUS Son of God

full rights – at least 2 things
6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,
We begin to inherit now – the Holy Spirit is the first instalment, the firstfruits of heaven, the deposit, guaranteeing our inheritance. He is 6b the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”

The Holy Spirit mediates our relationship with God – the Spirit IN us means whenever we pray God hears – priesthood of all believers.
But having the Holy Spirit in us also means that God can speak to each one of us directly – prophethood of all believers.

2nd right we have as God’s children: 7b and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. In Romans 8:17, Paul writes: “Now if we are [God’s] children, then we are heirs–heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ…” (NIV) By our faith in Christ we become his adopted brothers and sisters–adopted sons and daughters of God. As fully adopted and accepted children, we share the same inheritance as God’s Son, Jesus.

Most people inherit things when somebody else dies – only a Christian inherits when he or she dies!

The best is yet to come! When we are struggling in this life with discouragement or illness or opposition, we need to remember, the best is yet to come. When we are mourning the loss of a loved one, remember the best is yet to come.

I wonder many times how a child of God could have a sad heart, considering what the Lord is preparing for him. Samuel Rutherford (1600–1661)

We are all Children of God, We are United in God’s Family, We share a wonderful inheritance which begins now and will continue throughout eternity – if you are a Christian, if you’ve put your trust in Christ this is YOU – PRAISE GOD!!!!

How can we release the saving power of God in our lives? And once we have become Christians, how can we know more of the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives? These are the questions Paul answers for us in Galatians 3. And his answer is a continuation of his argument in Galatians 2. We are saved by faith, not by obeying the Jewish Law. And we receive the Holy Spirit, by faith, not by obeying the Law.

We saw last week that Paul is convinced that Christians are not bound to obey the Jewish Law, the Law of Moses, the Law of the Old Testament. We are set free from that Law by our faith in Christ.
LAST TIME: Gal 2: 16 We know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no-one will be justified.For Paul we are saved by faith. We do not live out our Christian lives by obeying the Jewish Law but by FAITH in Christ who was crucified for us and is risen for us:-
Gal 2:19 For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
This gospel of grace received through faith is the gospel Paul is defending. And he actually gives the Galatians 4 knock-down arguments to prove that his gospel is indeed the true gospel.
First week – Gal 1 – Paul received his gospel on Damascus Road by revelation from Risen Christ Himself
Consequently we know that gospel is true because that gospel has released the transforming power of God into our lives too – we have all, to a greater or lesser extent, had our own Damascus Road experiences!
Last time – Gal 2 – Peter, James and John, leaders of Jerusalem church, approved Paul’s gospel when he checked it out with them

This week Paul offers his fourth defence of the truth of his gospel. Gal 3 – the Galatians have proof that Paul’s gospel is true in their own experience – they received the Holy Spirit when they believed Paul’s gospel!

It is God the Holy Spirit who brings to Christians every experience of salvation, from first to last! It is all the work of the Holy Spirit!
2 ,,, Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? 5 Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?Can you see what Paul is saying here. His whole argument rests on the presumption that
receiving the Holy Spirit, being born again and beginning the Christian life is a VISIBLE experience – something so evident, so dramatic, that it can be used by Paul to demonstrate that HIS gospel is true. That was true of Paul on the Damascus Road. It was true of very many believers in the Early Church. When the Holy Spirit came into their lives it was evident by speaking in tongues or words of prophecy or overwhelming joy or a peace which passed understanding in the midst of persecution and suffering. The work of the Holy Spirit was very often spectacular and public .

ACTS 8 Samaritan Christians:
14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptised into the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit…..Everybody knew that something was wrong when Samaritans were baptised but evidently did not received the Holy Spirit – that’s why they sent to Jerusalem to the Apostles for help! They expected expressions of the Spirit’s arrival – and those signs were missing. Until the apostles prayer and laid on hands and the Holy Spirit was given.

18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19 and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
Even an unbeliever like Simon Magus could see when the Spirit was given – and received! It was that obvious to everybody.

Ephesus:-
19 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”……When Paul arrived the Ephesians were disciples of John the Baptist. They were not Christians. But for Paul the external evidence that they were not Christians was that they had not received the Holy Spirit – and THEY knew they had not received the Holy Spirit!
5 On hearing this, they were baptised into the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.Here again, the coming of the Holy Spirit was something visible, evident to all. For Paul receiving the Spirit is something people would recognise and point to! Paul even links receiving the Spirit and the working of miracles. He slots them in the same sentence almost as if they are referring to the same events in the experience of the Galatians.
5 Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?In the early church the arrival of the Holy Spirit is often expressed in miracles of healing and of deliverance from the demonic. Such events were frequent and normal. So everybody would know when somebody had received the Holy Spirit!

Life changing encounters with God! Miracles. Are our experiences of Holy Spirit like that? Some Christians expect too little from God Holy Spirit, 3rd person of Trinity. We give Him too little space in our lives to surprise us!

Think about the Book of the Acts of the Apostles. It should really be called the Book of the Acts of the Holy Spirit. A few months ago I preached on the Book of Acts – not just a few verses or a chapter or two – because throughout the book of Acts you find the same message whichever chapter you turn to. The witness of the early church was very simple. Time after time God did something extraordinary in their midst, the people around asked “how did that happen?” and the first Christians simply replied, “God did that!” Pentecost and all these people praising God in languages they had never learned. God did that! The healing of the crippled man at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple. God did that. The amazing generosity and the bold preaching in the face of fierce persecution. God did that. Ananias and Sapphira struck dead for lying. God did that. Stephen’s triumphant witness as he was stoned to death. The persecuter Saul transformed into the apostle to the Gentiles Paul. God did that. Peter and later Barnabas and Paul miraculously released from prison. All kinds of signs and wonders. God did all these things! That was the witness of the Early Church – “God did that!”

And that is the principal witness of Christians in the world today. Not just pointing back to the saving life and death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. But testifying to events in our own lives and in our church where we can say “God did that!” Answers to prayer. Miracles of healing and deliverance. Transformed lives. God speaking to us not only through His Word but also in dreams and visions and words of prophecy and knowledge and wisdom and discernment. God did that! The ongoing work of God the Holy Spirit in the lives of his children even today. Tonight when you get home, take a little time to reflect. What has happened in your life and in this church which we can point to and say “God did that”? Consider – and be thankful! God did that!

This wonderful salvation and this gift of the Holy Spirit, Paul argues, does not come from obeying the Jewish Law. Instead it comes by faith, as we claim God’s promises in our own lives. Salvation rests on God’s promise – received by faith
6. Consider Abraham: `He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. ‘(GEN 15:6, ROM 1,4)
7 Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. 8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.In Paul’s gospel FAITH not just intellectual assent to some doctrines, but putting our trust and confidence in God. It means going out on a limb and believing that God’s promise to us can be trusted. Paul is arguing that God’s original promise to Abraham is channelled to us through Jesus Christ
15 ,,, Just as no-one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say “and to seeds”, meaning many people, but “and to your seed”, meaning one person, who is Christ.
So Paul is saying that God’s promises to Abraham of blessing and security are fulfilled in Abraham’s greatest descendent, Jesus Christ.

17 ,,, The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.
Abraham did not receive God’s blessings by obeying the Law. That was only given to the Israelites centuries later, to show them how to live in ways which are pleasing to God. Abraham was saved by his faith, and we are saved and receive for ourselves God’s promises to Abraham, through our faith in Christ’s death on the cross for us!
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”
As an aside, it is very interesting to see what Paul identifies as the content of God’s promises to Abraham. The original words concerned blessings and descendents and Land. But Paul sees those blessings transformed through Christ.
14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
So in Paul’s eyes, all the blessings of land and descendants that God promised to Abraham, and the whole Jewish nation, all these blessings and much besides, are given to US all wrapped up in gift of Holy Spirit! The Spirit is the fulfilment of the promises, not land, not descendents, not some `nation state of Israel’ , but the gift of the Holy Spirit.

So if all of this comes to us through faith in Christ, what was the purpose of the Jewish Law?

The Jewish Law never saved anyone!!!
10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” 11 Clearly no-one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.” 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.”Law only brings condemnation. Not even the most pious Jews could have been saved by obeying the Law, because none were holy enough, none lived up to God’s standard of perfection – and its same today! Noone can live a good enough life to be acceptable in God’s eyes, which are too holy even to look upon sin!
Rom 3:23 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.We are saved by grace through faith, not by obeying the law!

19. What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come.

Law cant save anyone – but it has two purposes.
1. it LIMITS wickedness
2. and 2. it shows up sin – pointing us to our need of a Saviour
John Wesley – Before I can preach love and grace I must preach sin, Law and judgement!
22 But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. 23 Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. 24 So the law was put in charge (our custodian/guardian) to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.
Purpose of law is not to save anyone but to LEAD US to Christ so that we can be saved through faith in Him by claiming God’s promises. Once the Law HAS led us to find salvation in Christ, Law has NO hold on us as Christians at all! So the Judaisers, circumcision party in Galatia were wrong!

And as Christians WE are not bound to obey Jewish Law in the least- its part in
salvation history is complete! We are no longer under law, but under grace.
25 Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law. (Law is no longer our guardian/custodian)
This is the true gospel, says Paul – salvation by accepting the promises of God through faith, not by obeying works of Law. Paul’s argument in Galatians 3 is that the Galatians KNOW this gospel is true because it was that message which released the transforming power of God’s Holy Spirit into their lives when they believed it!

And so the letter to the Galatians says to us, WE will know this gospel is true because of the Spirit’s power it brings into OUR lives too! Because of all the blessings we have received. Because of all the occasions we can point to in our own lives and say, “God did that!”

2 ,,, Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? 5 Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?

And here is a sad truth. We know that we are saved by faith. But so many Christians seem to think that will only know the power of Holy Spirit if we live according to God’s Laws. So many Christians seem to think and lives as though we need to EARN the gift of the Spirit by living good lives and doing good works! That is not true.
5 Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?Here is an ONGOING PROCESS – we continue to receive Spirit by our faith in God! By claiming God’s promises. We will continue to release God’s Spirit in miracles of healing and deliverance through faith, not through good works!

A while ago I saw an interesting item available for sale on the internet. “Disposable Guilt Bags”. For £2 you get a kit of ten ordinary brown bags on which are printed the following instructions: “Place the bag securely over your mouth, take a deep breath and blow all your guilt out, then dispose of the bag immediately.” They have sold thousands! If only we could dispose of our guilt so easily. But there is nothing on this earth powerful enough in itself to dispose of our guilt. We cannot fix ourselves, which is what many people are trying to do. But we CAN be saved! The thing, the only thing, which makes it possible to be forgiven, to be cleansed, to be healed, that which makes it possible for us to receive our life back again, fresh and clean and new, is the power of God’s Grace in the Cross of Jesus Christ.

And this is the message of salvation which Paul is defending in his letter to the churches in Galatia. Paul is defending the gospel he preaches against distortion and misunderstanding and false gospels. We saw last week from Galatians 1 that in Paul’s eyes (and the rest of the Bible agrees) there is only one true gospel. Everything else is false hopes and lies and heresy. And last week Galatians 1 gave us two very persuasive reasons for believing that Paul’s gospel is indeed the one true gospel!

We saw that the gospel Paul preached came from his own dramatic experience of the transforming power of God when he encountered the Risen Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus. The first reason we have for believing Paul’s gospel is true is that we also have experienced the transforming power of Christ, that power which saves from the guttermost to the uttermost. We have seen God’s power change other people’s lives and we have experienced that power in our own lives. To a greater or lesser extent we have shared the a Damascus Road conversion experience ourselves. So we are inclined to be confident in the truth of Paul’s gospel, especially when he gives us a second reason.

That second reason we are certain Paul’s gospel is true because Paul’s gospel was revealed to him by God
Gal 1:11 I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.That encounter with Christ on the Damascus Road not only changed Paul’s own life, but it led on to God’s commission to be the apostle to the Gentiles.

Acts 26:15 “Then I asked, `Who are you, Lord?’ “`I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. 16 `Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. 17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’The life changing Damascus Road experiences which we have shared. God’s direct revelation to Paul. Now our reading this week in Galatians 2 begins by giving us a third reason why we can be certain that Paul’s gospel is indeed the one true gospel.

Paul’s gospel was confirmed by the rest of the early church
Galatians 2 1. Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. 2 I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did this privately to those who seemed to be leaders, for fear that I was running or had run my race in vain.
6 As for those who seemed to be important- whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearance- those men added nothing to my message. 7 On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews. 9 James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognised the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews.So Paul claims that the leaders of the Early Church confirmed that the gospel he preached was true. And we can rely on this claim for al least two reasons:
A – if some meeting like that had not happened at some point then the apostles or other church leaders would certainly have stood up and opposed Paul publically – Paul would never have been accepted into the Early Church;
B – if Paul’s gospel had not been confirmed, then letters like Galatians would never have been widely read and collected and added into the New Testament. If Paul’s gospel was not true then his letters, like so much other rubbish floating around in 1st and 2nd Centuries, would have been condemned by the churches as heretical and gathered up and burned.

But in fact alongside the four records of Jesus’s life by Matthew Mark Luke and John, Paul’s letters formed the heart of the faith of the growing churches. So we need have no doubts – the gospel Paul preached is indeed the true gospel!

But WHAT IS Paul’s gospel ?

In a nutshell it is the gospel of salvation by faith alone, not by observing the Jewish Law

Gal 2: 16 We know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no-one will be justified.
Converting to some other religions can be very demanding. “Conversation to Hindu Faith Is Tortuous.” The article stated, “A West German businessman has completed his conversion to the Hindu faith by piercing himself through the cheeks with a 1/4-inch thick, 4- foot-long steel rod, and pulling a chariot for 2 miles by ropes attached to his back and chest by steel hooks. Others walk through 20- foot-long pits of fire, don shoes with soles made of nails, or hang in the air spread-eagle from hooks embedded in their backs.”

BUT WE are saved by faith!

Gal 2: 16 We know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no-one will be justified.
Saved by grace alone through faith alone. But this then led to controversy among the early churches. Are Christians also obliged to keep the Jewish Law – or has Christ set us free from the demands of the Law? The `Circumcision party’ or `Judaizers’ wanted all Christians to have to adhere to the Jewish law.

There have been legalists in every age. Believers who are always anxious to know what is expected of them. They want to do only what is necessary to make themselves look respectable. They look for specific rules so they can know precisely how to behave. They plod along hoping that someday their efforts will pay off. According to the New Testament such people are legalists; they are using the law to establish their righteousness.

Even the apostle Peter was led astray by this error!
Gal 2: 11. When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. 12 Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.
The truth is – we are saved by faith alone! Not by keeping rules and regulations.
This is no historical irrelevance – but a vital issue even today because it concerns the nature and means of our salvation. Are we saved by Christ – and putting our trust in what He has done for us – or are there other things we have to do as well?
Does a Christian have to PRAY in order to be saved?
Does a Christian have to COME TO CHURCH in order to be saved?
Does a Christian have to READ THE BIBLE in order to be saved?
Does a Christian have to LIVE A HOLY LIFE in order to be saved?
Does a Christian have to WITNESS FOR JESUS in order to be saved?
Does a Christian have to LOVE OTHER PEOPLE in order to be saved?
These are all good things to do, things we would expect a Christian to want to do! But does a Christian HAVE to do these things in order to be saved? NO! NO! NO!

Does a Christian have to KEEP THE 10 COMMANDMENTS in order to be saved? NO!
Does a Christian have to KEEP THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS Jesus emphasised – love the Lord your God with all heart, soul, strength, mind, and Love your neighbour as yourself? NO!
Does a Christian have to KEEP THE NEW COMMANDMENT – that we should love one another as Christ has loved us?

A person can fall as far as to break every one of the 10 commandments – to lie, steal, commit adultery, even commit murder, even worship false gods – and still be saved! They can do these things even after they have become Christians and still be saved! Its very unlikely – but it could happen! Because we ARENT saved by living good life or obeying Jewish law – but by what Christ has done for us!

Gal 2:16 So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no-one will be justified.We are saved by what Chris has done for us – NOT by what we do in response. There is NOTHING we can do to earn or deserve our salvation – NOTHING. And we all STILL sin after we are saved. The difference is we used to be sinners running AFTER sin, but now that we are saved we are sinners running AWAY FROM sin!

So as a consequence, does a new Christian have to fit in to OUR way of being church in order to be saved? NO! Do new Christians have to fit into our culture, or our patterns of worship, or our ways of witnessing, in order to be saved? NO! Can Christians go to clubs, wear outrageous earrings or provocative clothes, get drunk, live together without being married, and still be Christians?? YES!!!! because salvation does not depend on these things! I’m not suggesting such things are in the least good, of course not! We may not like the way other Christians live their lives. But we dare not condemn them! We must NEVER forget that if salvation depended on faith AND living a perfect life then NONE of US would be saved either! We are saved by what Christ has done for us – NOT by obeying the Jewish Law, or any other rules and regulations!

Chuck Swindoll : The bite of legalism spreads paralyzing venom into the body of Christ. Its poison blinds our eyes, dulls our edge, and arouses pride in our hearts. Soon our love is eclipsed as it turns into a mental clipboard with a long checklist. Rigidity is the trademark of legalism, the archenemy of any church on the move. Let legalism have enough rope, and there will be a lynching of all new ideas, fresh thinking, and innovative programs.

But if we are saved by faith and not by obeying the Jewish law, just how does our salvation work???

It is the gospel of sharing Christ’s death.

Gal 2:17 “If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! 18 If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a law-breaker.All the Jewish law does is show everyone who has ever lived that we are all sinners. No-one has ever or could ever live a perfect life – except Jesus Christ the Holy Son of God. The Jewish Law shows us God’s perfect standards, but the Law can’t save anyone – nobody apart from Christ can live up to it!

Gal 2:21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”The Law shows us our need of a Saviour – it prepared the way and points us to Christ. When he died he paid the full penalty of the Law’s demands – `sin pays its wage = death’ . But Christ had no penalty to pay – he lived a totally perfect , sinless life – so the penalty He paid wasnt for his own sin but for OUR sin.

So our salvation comes as we share in Jesus’s death.
And once Jesus had died, the law had no claim on him at all – because he was dead! So once we share Christ’s death the law has no claim on us either – because we are dead with Him. God’s law has no power over us – we are no longer living under law but under grace.

Gal 2:19 For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.We live because Christ has died and risen – we share His death, and by faith we share His resurrection life. We dont have a life of our own! Only Christ’s life which He shares with us! That’s Paul’s gospel – the one true gospel! And we’ll be thinking more about that in the weeks to come.

20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

6. I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel- 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.

The word `gospel’ appears 13 times in Letter to Galatians. Paul writes to Christians in Galatia to defend the gospel, to stop them from missing the point or being sidetracked.

What is this gospel??? “The gospel is neither a discussion nor a debate. It is an announcement.” And what does it announce ??? Not what but WHO???

Gal 1 v. 1 Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead-

Gospel is the message about Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus the Christ, the Messiah. There can only be one gospel because there is only ONE Jesus – the Son of God who was raised from the dead!

Napoleon (cited by Vernon C. Grounds, The Reason for Our Hope) said: “I know men; and I tell you that Jesus Christ is not a man. Superficial minds see a resemblance between Christ and the founders of empires, and the gods of other religions. That resemblance does not exist. There is between Christianity and whatever other religions the distance of infinity…. Everything in Christ astonishes me. His spirit overawes me, and His will confounds me. Between him and whoever else in the world, there is no possible term of comparison. He is truly a being by Himself. His ideas and sentiments, the truth which he announces, His manner of convincing, are not explained either by human organization or by the nature of things…. The nearer I approach, the more carefully I examine, everything is above me — everything remains grand, of a grandeur which overpowers. His religion is a revelation from an intelligence which certainly is not that of man…. One can absolutely find nowhere, but in Him alone, the imitation or the example of His life…. I search in vain in history to find the similar to Jesus Christ, or anything which can approach the gospel. Neither history, nor humanity, nor the ages, nor nature, offer me anything with which I am able to compare it or to explain it. Here everything is extraordinary.”

Jesus Himself was unique. But so was His glorious resurrection. Dead people stay dead – thats the way it works! But God raised Christ from the dead to DEMONSTRATE his uniqueness.
Romans 1:1-4
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God, by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
Gospel brings us
Gal 1:3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,

Euangelion (which we call gospel) is a Greek word, and signifies good, merry, glad, and joyful tydings, that makes a mans heart glad, and makes him sing, dance, and leap for joy. William Tyndale (C.16th)

The gospel brings us Peace – not just an absence of conflict but a deep inner wholeness and contentment

And it’s all by grace:- free gift of God

“Did you ever hear of the mother who visited Napoleon on behalf of her condemned son? The emperor told her the young man had committed the same offense twice, and justice demanded the death penalty. ‘But Sire,’ she pleaded, ‘I don’t ask for justice — only for mercy.’ ‘He doesn’t deserve it,’ said Napoleon. ‘No, he doesn’t,’ she admitted, ‘but it would not be MERCY if he deserved it.’

Grace and peace come from “the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins”

Oswald Chambers: We say that Jesus preached the gospel, but he did more. He came that there might be a gospel to preach.
The gospel is not only about who Jesus IS and what He has done for us – but HOW He has accomplished such a great salvation. – by His death on the cross.

Some people preach an anaemic Christianity. They leave out the cross – they ignore Christ’s blood poured out as a sacrifice for you and for me. But Christ’s CROSS is the centre of gospel! Christ gave himself for our sins.

Isaiah 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Christ died, Paul insists, to rescue us from the present evil age. Whether people realise it or not we ALL need rescuing!!! And gospel is the the only lifeline we have!
How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation!!!! Africa in particular is at a time of decision. “A hundred million animists in Africa alone will decide in our lifetime whether to become Christian, muslim or agnostic.”

according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory for ever and ever.

Gospel is God’s perfect masterplan of salvation – the will of the Father – so that all the glory and praise goes to Him! And gospel of Jesus Christ is the ONLY way of salvation.

6. I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel- 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!

This gospel which Paul preached and Galatians had gladly received is ONLY way of salvation – for them OR for us! It is good news of Jesus Christ who is alive today, risen from dead, Jesus who died for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age, to offer us grace and peace – if only we will accept it!!.

But where did Paul get this gospel to preach? Did he hear it from other Christians? Did he make it up? NO – Paul’s gospel came directly from his Damascus Road experience.

Paul insists
Gal:1 11 I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
The revelation from Jesus Christ = the Damascus Road experience.

Paul’s experience -> figure of speech “Damascus Road Experience” in all areas of life – especially when a politician wants to change his mind!!

Hallucinations. Epilepsy. And even lightning. That is the latest theory to explain the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. Dr. John D. Bullock, from Dayton, Ohio, delivered a paper on his theory at the American Academy of Opthamology and Otolaryncology Convention held at Dallas recently.
Dr. Bullock’s main theory, which is one of many, contends “the light from heaven” was a bolt of lightning that struck the corner of Paul’s eyes causing scar tissue to obstruct his vision.
When someone told the famous London preacher Dr. Joseph Parker that Saul’s conversion was caused by epilepsy, the London preacher replied: “Fly abroad, thou mighty epilepsy!”

When we think about the Damascus road there are two truths we need to hold in tension:

Paul’s Damascus Road Experience was UNIQUE

1. Only person to be converted going along Damascus Road mid 30s AD by seeing vision of Risen Christ! HISTORICAL PECULIARITY

2. Only person who met ONLY the Risen Christ – 1 Cor 15:3-9
All the other apostles, all the other historically significant eyewitnesses to the resurrection of Jesus had also been with Jesus during his earthly ministry.

3. Damascus Road not only changed Paul but gave him the gospel he preaches:-

Paul insists
Gal:1 11 I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
In the first part of Galatians 1 Paul has outlined “his” gospel. It is very important to recognise that the gospel Paul preached came directly from his vision of the Risen Christ on Damascus Road:-

Acts 26: 13 About noon, O King, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions.
14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, `Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
15 “Then I asked, `Who are you, Lord?’ “`I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied.
16 `Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. 17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’Paul’s gospel came from his encounter with Christ on the Damascus Road.

This is IMPORTANT because of two objections we hear to the gospel today –

1 The Christian gospel, some say, especially Moslems, is not gospel Jesus preached but Paul’s gospel. But that objection is empty – because Paul’s gospel CAME FROM GOD

2 We only read in Bible ideas of early church – God didnt “write” the Bible
TRUE – but this bit – Paul’s gospel did come DIRECTLY from mouth of God – from his vision of Risen Christ. Indeed we don’t know how much of Paul’s other teaching also came from his experience of the Risen Christ, or from any of the other visions and revelations Paul experienced – I guess, quite a lot!

Paul’s experience was unique! So we shouldn’t impose that pattern of conversion on every new Christian!!
There are no 1st class and 2nd class conversions = Damascus Rd VS pilgrimage of faith. It is true that NOT ALL CHRISTIANS will have a dramatic conversion as Paul did!

2nd truth – in tension with 1st

Paul’s Damascus Road Experience was TYPICAL

– a type, a pattern, a paradigm = Damascus Road DOES show us the difference Jesus makes to a life

A long time ago Derek Tidball once told me about a Deacon in his church – awkward, meddling, disbelieving – went into hospital for a serious operation – came out most humble, believing, helpful, evangelical, charismatic ! I asked `Is that operation available on national health? cos half our diaconate are i urgent need of it! The Damascus Road operation.

Paul’s Damascus Road experience is indeed a pattern for the difference God makes through the transforming power of Christ.

BEFORE 13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man
,
AFTER 22 I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.’ 24 And they praised God because of me.Sinner to saint. Opponent of Christ turned into missionary! Because the Risen Christ gave Paul a job to do. He sent him on a mission!

Acts 26: 15 “Then I asked, `Who are you, Lord?’ “`I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. 16 `Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. 17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Through his Damascus road experience Paul realised TWO vitally important truths.

1. That JESUS IS ALIVE AND therefore 2. that JESUS DIED FOR SINS

Paul had been wrestling with a problem. Jesus had been crucified. That meant that he was cursed by God and therefore Jesus could not have been the Messiah, NOT the CHRIST.

But solution to that mystery lay in the RESURRECTION Jesus is RISEN from the dead. Therefore Jesus IS LORD, therefore Jesus died for OUR SINS not His own, Jesus IS CHRIST!

This Double Whammy- the resurrection (implying that Jesus is Lord) and the cross (where Jesus died for our sins) transformed Paul’s life.

And the Realisation of the cross and the resurrection should turn OUR lives upside down as well.

Encounter with Risen Christ changed Paul – and will change our friends and neighbours, if they see Jesus alive in us – and if we explain to them resurrection and cross!

So Paul’s Damascus Road Experience was both UNIQUE and TYPICAL – typical because NOT all but MANY christians have had similar exncounters with Risen Christ, and lives changed in similar ways to Paul’s.

These countless Damascus Rd experiences of other Xns are evidence that helps us trust in the reality of Paul’s experience, and truth and certainty of gospel he proclaimed and we proclaim. THIS is the gospel entrusted to us – a gospel which can change lives as Paul’s was changed , even today. this is the gospel we believe! So let’s PROCLAIM it!!!!