October 11, 2020
Morning Service

Joh 8:32 You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

          Last week we saw Paul pleading with the Galatian church to turn back to the path of truth that they had begun walking but had detoured from, we closed the message with this quote of Jesus.  The true faith based gospel message is one that sets us free to worship God, our Heavenly Father, as His children and not be under the bondage of the OT laws as His slaves.  Paul continued his point as he finished out chapter 4 by painting a picture of how the two sons of Abraham reflect God’s relationship with man.  His first son came from the bondwoman Hagar which he compares to those who are under the law and in bondage to it.  Isaac, however, was the son of Sarah and the true son of promise.  It was from him that the linage of Christ came, thus fulfilling the promise of freedom.  He closes the chapter with this:

 

  Gal 4:31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.

          We each choose to freely accept the salvation that Jesus offers to us.  There are no requirements, other than believing with your heart and confessing with your mouth to enter into His family (Rom. 10:9).  We are freed from our sins and also from the burden of living a perfect life to earn our salvation.  We are free to follow Jesus and serve Him because we want to, not because we have to.  As we begin chapter 5, Paul encourages us about liberty that comes with freedom.

 

Gal 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

          Paul calls us to “Stand fast” upon this liberty of freedom we have been given; let it be our foundation that we act upon.  We are not to get entangled with the gospel of works which will become our “yoke of bondage.”  Jesus died to free us not only from our sins, but also from the long list of rules and regulations that had to be followed to earn a relationship with God (law).  Jesus did not set us free to do whatever we want, fulfilling our own selfish desires, but He set us free to do what was previously impossible; live in a close intimate relationship with our Creator.  Paul is calling us to “Stand fast” on the knowledge that Christ paid the cost of our salvation in full and we have nothing required of us but to embrace it.  We must “Stand fast” against those who try to enslave us with methods or special conditions for growing in Christ and even being saved at all.  Listen to the Hebrew writer’s plea to us:

 

Heb 12:1-2   Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, (2) looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

          This “great cloud of witnesses” he speaks of here are the many he had just mentioned in chapter 11, which is called the “faith chapter” and also the “Faith hall of fame.”  These are the ones who believed God and it was accounted to them as righteousness and God used them to achieve many great things as examples for us to follow.  My point here is that we all need to look at our journey with the Lord as a race.  It is not a sprint that will be over in a couple of days or weeks, but it is marathon that lasts your entire lifetime.  We discussed this point last week as we were encouraged to step back and examine our lives in a spiritual mirror.  Today we are asked this: what weights are you carrying with you on this race that are slowing you down?  What sin in your life needs to be removed from your luggage?  What things in your life are pulling you away from God rather than drawing you nearer?  The writer asks us to simply “lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us.”  What part of your life are you not handing over fully to God? 

Our journey with God is a marathon and endurance is the key.  The longer we carry excess baggage along with us, the more likely we are to get pulled into bondage by it.  We are not freed from the cares of this world, but we are freed from the burden of carrying them with us along our journey.  Don’t let the things of this world, your circumstances, be a limiting factor in your relationship with your Lord.  God is good no matter what you are going through.  “Look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith!”  He not only wrote this love story of salvation, but finished it by His DBR.  “Stand fast” with your eyes upon your Savior and trust Him fully along your journey of life.  Peter made this point very clear as he wrote this:

 

1Pe 5:6-9 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, (7) casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.  (8)  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.  (9)  Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

          Humble yourself before God and accept His offer to help by “casting your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”  True faith allows us to lay our cares down upon the altar and fully trust Him to work things out.  We all too often try to do it all ourselves showing a lack of faith.  He is able to do all things and He will move on your behalf because He loves you.  Love is our motivation as well and it should drive us to stand fast, be sober, vigilant, resisting our enemy, be steadfast in our faith, and endure suffering along with our brothers.  Run the race before you with purpose and resolve to follow faithfully and be “In it to win it!”  If there is something that continually pulls you away from God, cast it aside and be free from it.  Don’t be burdened down with little things when your relationship with God needs to be your primary concern.  Listen to Paul as he continues to encourage us not to be entangled with the works.

 

Gal 5:2-12 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.  (3)  And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.  (4)  You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.  (5)  For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.  (6)  For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.  (7)  You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?  (8)  This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you.  (9)  A little leaven leavens the whole lump.  (10)  I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is.  (11)  And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased.  (12)  I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off!

          We have been set free from the burden of following the law.  Our salvation does not depend on the works that we do.  It is faith working through love in our lives that will naturally produce good works in our lives; NOT to earn salvation, but as a result of it!  Keeping the law does not give you special favor in God’s eyes, it actually makes His grace harder to access as we try to achieve it ourselves.  “Stand fast” brothers and sisters and don’t get entangled with works, or the cares of this world.  Cast your cares upon Jesus, for He cares for you!  “Stand fast” in the knowledge that you are loved and know that as you look back on your life your too will be able to say “There was Jesus!”

 

Heavenly Father grant us the endurance to run this race to the end, and give us the courage and strength to “lay aside” everything that hinders us along the way.