Steve and Lisa Rogers share stories from their June trip with the Honduras Vineyard Mission Partnership, highlighting the power of relationships for everything we do in life in ministry.

Galatians: The Gospel of Grace (week 6) July 4, 2021

Promise vs. Performance

Galatians 3:15-29

15 Brothers, let me take an example from everyday life. 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.   17 What I mean is this: 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.

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. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. 20 A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one.

21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 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 to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

"For a promise to bring results it needs only to be believed. For a law to bring results, it needs to be obeyed." -- Tim Keller

• Note vs 16 & 29 -- Abraham's Seed16 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....29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. 

• when you put your faith in Jesus, you were made right with God AND you became Abraham’s heir, receiving both the benefits and the responsibilities of God’s promises: To be blessed and to be a blessing
  

HOW • WHAT • WHEN • WHERE • WHY

Who – bless everybody, especially those for whom it is most difficult

Luke 6:27-36

27 "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

32 "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that.   34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

How      in word and in deed

IN WORD – remember: we humans tend to magnify the negative and minimize the positive.  If I tell you 9 positive things and 1 critical observation, you’ll focus on the 1 negative.

Ephesians 4:29-30

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

1 Timothy 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.

What     Be a blessing

When   At all times

Where  Everywhere

Why It is our calling, our responsibility, our privilege, and it is the means by which we inherit the blessing.

1 Peter 3:9

9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

The backstory of the letter to the Galatians.

Acts 13-14 ; Paul and Barnabus begin planting churches in the region of Galatia. The Judaizers undermine Pauls message with a false gospel of salvation by works. In response Paul writes a letter to the churches in the region of Galatia to remind them of the true Gosple of Grace.

Galatians 1:1-11

The Transformative Power of the Gospel

May 16, 2021

Notes:

“The Gospel is always relevant, always transformative, and is always our central message”

--Phil Strout, The Greatness of the Gospel Booklet

“The Gospel is the Good News that God intervened on behalf of humanity in the person of Jesus Christ. ‘The Gospel rests upon the history of Jesus Christ. His birth, obedient life, atoning death, physical resurrection from the dead, and His ascension into heaven.’  In the end, He will set all things right as it was intended.”                                                                       --Phil Strout, The Greatness of the Gospel Booklet

Romans 12:1-2

12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Galatians 5:19-25

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.

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. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.

2 Corinthians 5:17-18

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

John 3:3-18

3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."

4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"

5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

9 "How can this be?" Nicodemus asked.

10 "You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? 11 I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven — the Son of Man.  14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

Philippians 2:12-13

12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed — not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence — continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

Chaplain Jason DiPinto teaches on training for our Spiritual Battles

Matthew 24:1-8, 36-51 (ESV)

1 “Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2 But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” 3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
45“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Point 1: We must always BE READY for whatever our CALLINGS or our LIFE requires

Point 2: When we train, we crawl, walk, run.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Philippians 2:13

13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

I Corinthians 9:24-26

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.

Matthew 25:34-40

34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.

Point 3: Our Training and discipleship happen when were in community.

Easter Sunday Service at The River Gardens

Take Your Place

Look to Jesus on the cross, look to Jesus at the resurrection, and take your place.

The story arc of the entire Bible can be summarized in 4 chapters:

Chapter 1 – Creation

Chapter 2 – The Fall

Chapter 3 - Redemption

Chapter 4 – New Creation

Creation

Genesis 1:26-28

26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

27 So God created man in his own image,

in the image of God he created him;

male and female he created them.

28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

• It was always God’s intent that He would rule over creation through humans, made in His image, living in intimate relationship with Him, entirely dependent on Him.
• The world was perfect, beautiful, full of peace, there was perfect justice especially in the sense that there was no oppression, none of the corruption of power where the strong oppress those who are not as strong as they.
• This would all be blown apart in Chapter 2 – The Fall

The Fall

God had given them one rule – there are fruit trees everywhere.  They may eat any of the fruit.   But there is one tree they may not eat of – the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  If they eat of it, they will surely die, says God.

The tempter says God is lying.  They will not surely die, he says.  Rather, they will become like God.  They look at the fruit, see it’s beauty, begin to look at it with lust in their hearts.  They make the fatal decision to disobey God, to try to do things their own way, to become like God themselves.

And all hell breaks lose.

And they who were created to be God’s vice regents over the earth, give rulership to the serpent, to Satan. 

And Jesus calls him the prince of this world, the ruler of this world.

Paul writes to the Ephesians:

Ephesians 2:1-10

2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

The Final 2 Chapters – Redemption and New Creation

• God already has a plan in place to redeem this broken world. He tells the humans that one day one of their offspring will crush the head of the serpent, but the serpent will bruise his heal.
• Out of the chaos God chooses a man named Abraham, and says he will give him a family, and through that family will bless all the people on the planet.
• God forms a nation from Abraham, a nation called Israel, and the Bible is the story of that people.
• God establishes that in a temporary sort of way animals, can be slain in sacrifice as a way to deal with their constant sinning. God gives them laws showing them how to live in love, peace, and justice.
• And God sends prophets to them telling them of a day coming when he will redeem the entire world through the work of special person called the Messiah. He will suffer and be killed in their place, taking upon himself all the combined sins and evil of the world.

Isaiah 53:2-6

He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,

nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

3 He was despised and rejected by men,

a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.

Like one from whom men hide their faces

he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he took up our infirmities

and carried our sorrows,

yet we considered him stricken by God,

smitten by him, and afflicted.

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.

Chapter 4 New Creation

Those same prophets also predicted that God would recreate the whole world and restore it to what it was at creation.

Isaiah 11:2-9

2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him —

the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,

the Spirit of counsel and of power,

the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord — 

3 and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.

He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,

or decide by what he hears with his ears;

4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy,

with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.

He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;

with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.

5 Righteousness will be his belt

and faithfulness the sash around his waist.

6 The wolf will live with the lamb,

the leopard will lie down with the goat,

the calf and the lion and the yearling together;

and a little child will lead them.

7 The cow will feed with the bear,

their young will lie down together,

and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

8 The infant will play near the hole of the cobra,

and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest.

9 They will neither harm nor destroy

on all my holy mountain,

for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord

as the waters cover the sea.

The New Creation is best described by the words of the Revelation:

Revelation 21:1-5

21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

5 He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

2 Crucial Things Took Place on the Cross.

And currently most Christians only emphasize one of them.  But both are crucial.

John 12:31-33

31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."  33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.

1^st – Sin has been dealt with.

Jesus is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

On the cross, Jesus took away

• The Penalty of Sin
• The Presence of Sin
• The Power of Sin

Hebrews 9:26

But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.

2^nd – Satan has been dealt with.  The powers have been destroyed.  The ruler of this world as been driven out.

Crucial truths from the Bible –

Colossians 2:15

15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Hebrews 2:14-16

14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death — that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

1 Corinthians 2:8-9

8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

In the Resurrection, New Creation has Begun.  Jesus’ resurrection is the first fruits of the resurrection of all of Creation.  Of the New Heavens and the New Earth. 

Chapters 3 and 4 – Redemption and New Creation – are overlapping.  Redemption is complete.  New Creation has started in advance before it’s consummation at the return of Jesus.

Revelation 1:4-6

Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father — to him be glory and power for ever and ever!

Revelation 5:6-10

6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song:

"You are worthy to take the scroll

and to open its seals,

because you were slain,

and with your blood you purchased men for God

from every tribe and language and people and nation.

10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,

and they will reign on the earth."

Because of the Cross, you can take your place.  You can live the life of purpose for which God Created You.

1 John 3:8b

The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.

At the cross:

                Sin has been dealt with.  Jesus has taken away its penalty, its power and its presence

At the cross:

                Satan has been dealt with.  He has been destroyed by the death of Jesus (that word means – rendered powerless and ineffective.  Jesus has disarmed the powers and authorities that are the force behind all the reign of wickedness and evil in this world

Easter – the resurrection of Jesus – is the inauguration of New Creation.

When we look in faith to Jesus, we enter into the experience of all of this – defeat of sin, defeat of Satan, new creation.

2 Corinthians 5:17-18

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Take your place