Living in the Grace of God: A New Life of Fruit and Grace

April 12, 2015

Living in the Grace of God

A New Life of Fruit and Grace

Galatians 5:16-26

(Advance Slide #1)

Introduction

Once a man prayed this prayer:

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"So far today Lord, I've done alright. I haven't gossipped. I haven't lost my temper. I haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or overindulgent. I'm very thankful for that!"

"But in a moment Lord, I'm going to get out of bed and from that moment on I'm going to need your help!"

This is us right?

Generally speaking before we get out of bed we are doing pretty good.

• However, what happens when we get out of bed?
• Our lives can be disastrous!
• Sure some days we are considerate to other, loving, serving, helpful, kind and patient.
• Then there are other days.

(Advance Slide #3)

This is not how life is suppose to be.

• In Christ...because of His grace...we can have a new life filled with fruit and grace!

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Text

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. Galatians 5:22-26

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These 'fruits' do not appear in a particular order although some have proposed it.

• One scholar suggested that in these nine 'fruits' that there are three groups:

1. Attributes to God
2. Attributes to others
3. Attributes to self

(Advance Slide #6)

Paul describes the 'flesh' in terms of 'works', while he sees the Spirit's work as 'fruits.'

• With this change in terms we move from human responsibility to our divine guidance.
• It's interesting that Paul shoulders the responsibility of the Spirit’s fruit onto the Christian:
• “have crucified their flesh” (v. 24)
• “let us keep in step” (v. 25)
• “let us not become conceited” (v. 26)—not to mention verses 13, 16, and 18.

(Advance Slide #7)

While “love” is not the only “fruit” of the Spirit, it is the most important to Paul.

• It summarizes the demand of God’s law (Gal. 5:14).
• It endures forever (1 Cor 13:13).
• It unites all the virtues of life (Col. 3:14).

As we look over this list, we observe the reverse of the list of the works of the flesh.

• The flesh destroys fellowship; here the Spirit creates fellowship, unity, and holiness.

In an effort to summarizing his whole point, Paul says that:

1. Those who have surrendered themselves to Jesus Christ “have crucified the flesh” and so should not be involved in the works of the flesh.
2. Those who have been given God’s life by the Spirit and Christ (cf. 2:20; Rom 8:9–11) should march according to the Spirit’s orders (Gal 5:25).
3. Those who live in the freedom of the Spirit should not be conceited and so fight with one another (v. 26)

Lesson

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How do we live this new life of grace?

• Paul describes it involving a conflict, a crucifixion, and conformity.

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The Conflict - vs. 16-23

What is the 'conflict' we have?

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• The truth of the matter is that there is a WAR inside each of us.
• It is a daily battle that we all fight...Paul did too!

"For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate." Romans 7:15

• We have a darkside don't we?

In vss. 19-21 Paul describes the dark side, the conflict...our 'sinful nature.'

• Just take a look at that list of sin.
• The warning in the end is that those who do "such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."

Paul then contrasts this 'life of sin' with a new life with the fruits of the Spirit.

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• Which of these lives will win?
• Which of these lives will we choose to feed?

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A Crucifixion - vs. 24

For this new life to happen there must be a crucifixion.

• The sinful nature of man must be put to death.

(Advance Slide #13)

Do you realize that at every baptism that we witness we are also witnessing a death.

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"We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." Romans 6:4

• Your 'buried' with Christ
• Your own wills and desires are buried too.

Before your buried what needs to take place?

1. BELIEVE - in Jesus; as the Son of God; His death for our sins.
2. REPENT - turn away from your old life; putting to death your wills and desire!

(Advance Slide #15)

Our Conformity - vs. 25-26

After our death there is a conformity of His ways in our life!

• The world wants us to conform, doesn't it?

(Advance Slide #16)

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind..." Romans 12:2

EX.

I read of a road that had a bump going across it.

• Instead of fixing the bumps the roads dept. just decided to put up signs.
• Signs would fade and newer signs replaced the old ones.
• Why not just fix the bump?

We proudly show off the 'bumps' in our lives don't we.

• We don't want to rid ourselves of them...instead we make excuses for them.
• We fight with all that is within us to not conform to His will.

Do you know the difference between paint and stain?

• Paint covers while stain goes deeper!

Conclusion

(Advance Slide #17)

There was a young painter who became extremely unhappy with his painting.

• Somehow he talked a famous painter to let him borrow one of his brushes.
• But the brush of the famous painter didn't make a difference!
• A friend suggested to him, "Its not the Master's brush you need...it's the Master's Spirit!"

How true is that?

A brush would be nice to cover things up.

(Advance Slide #18)

• But the 'blessings' of His Spirit's fruit are far greater!
• "Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control"

Living in the Grace of God: Freedom!

April 5, 2015

Living in the Grace of God

Freedom!

Galatians 5:1-16

(Advance Slide #1)

Introduction

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“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”

Ice Road Truckers…

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• It is a TV show that follows a group of seasonal truck drivers.
• They deliver supplies to oil rigs and companies in Alaska.
• Here is the catch...the roads they travel are frozen lakes.
• There is only a 4 month span when they are able to deliver supplies this way.
• As the spring time comes, the roads melt and become unsafe for the weight of the trucks.

Paul is telling the Galatians that spring has come to the people of God.

• The old frozen route to salvation (i.e. the law) is not there, it has gone away.

(Advance Slide #4)

• The ‘spring time’ is good and the new way through the blood of Christ!

While not a perfect example it might help us to understand what Paul is talking about.

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Text

1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. Galatians 5:1-6

Your way to salvation is no longer available!

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• If you choose to go back to the old way (i.e. circumcision) then you are obligating yourself to the entire law.
• This is an absolute choice...you can’t have both.
• Christ’s gift is not beneficial if you chose the old way!
• You have “fallen away from grace.”
  

(Advance Slide #7)

It is through the Spirit….BY FAITH that we wait for the “hope of righteousness.”

• This is faith that is working through love.
• It is not a matter of ‘flesh’ but of heart & soul!

True faith does not bare credence to a set of beliefs.

• True faith, seen as we live in God’s grace, is not through the law.
• If is a faith that through love we serve one another!

Lesson

(Advance Slide #8)

On March 3, 1775 Patrick henry gave a speech convincing the Virginian House to commit troops to to the Revolutionary War.

• During that speech he made this statement, “Give me liberty or give me death?”
• The outcome was that Virginia did enter the war and it ended with England’s defeat and the establishment of the United States.

We want freedom...in fact we seek out freedom don’t we.

• Freedom of religion, freedom of speech, etc.
• In our society, the worst punishment a person can receive is to have their freedoms removed through imprisonment.

We like to think that we live in a land that is free.

(Advance Slide #9)

• But do we know what freedom really is?

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The Believer’s Freedom

It is Christ that sets up free.

• But what does this mean?
• We are free to be alive to live the way God intended from the start.
• True freedom is a freedom that serves one another under the guidance of God.

How does God guide us?

• Scripture indicates that that God is watching us:

“The Lord preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.” Psalm. 145:20

• Jesus taught that we too need to be watching:

“Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” Mark 14:38

(Advance Slide #11)

One Direction

The more that we follow God the better our relationship is with Him.

• The more prepared we become for the grace filled life we are called to live in!
• This is a ‘perfect life.’

How are we perfect?

• Instead of trying to never sin, which is impossible, Jesus said “I’ll make you perfect!”
• “I’ll get rid of your sins; I’ll forgive them; Completely erase them and rid you of the guilt.”
• I will set you free!
• This is part of our freedom in Christ.

(Advance Slide #12)

Embracing Freedom

We must cherish the freedom that we have in Christ.

• What do you do with something that you cherish?
• We protect it!

In an effort to live in the grace of God and better embrace or freedom we should avoid selfishness.

• Instead of selfishness we should try to serve one another in love.

“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” - vs. 13

It is ironic that our society places so much emphasis on personal freedom.

• To do what we want we we want to do it...exactly how we want to as well.
• This is not the freedom that God designed...it is not to indulge ourselves.
• It is summed up in this:

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” - vs. 14

(Advance Slide #13)

This is living in the grace of God!

Conclusion

On a day when most American remember the resurrection of Jesus it is important for us to remember…

• The freedom that we can experience in Christ can only happen ‘because He lives.’

(Advance Slide #14)

• The grace of God that we can live in can only happen ‘because He lives.’

God Sent His Son;

They called Him Jesus;

He can to love, heal and forgive!

He lived and died to buy my pardon;

An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

We can have freedom...real freedom today...why?

• Because of Christ.

(Advance Slide #15)

• Because He died, but also because He lives.