WEBVTT 00:00:00.640 --> 00:00:03.759 Thank you for tuning in to Newsong Churches Servant Podcast. 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:12.000 Newsong is a gospel centered community serving Anglican Church in Port Harry, Ontario, and the parish of the Anglican Network in Canada. 00:00:12.480 --> 00:00:13.759 We'd love to connect with you. 00:00:13.919 --> 00:00:19.679 If you'd like to reach out to us, you can find our contact information at newsong.ca. 00:00:20.320 --> 00:00:22.239 God bless you through the ministry of the word. 00:00:31.600 --> 00:00:33.039 Oh, foolish relations. 00:00:33.920 --> 00:00:35.359 Who has bewith you? 00:00:36.240 --> 00:00:42.000 It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as a crucifixion. 00:00:42.880 --> 00:00:44.960 Let me ask you only this. 00:00:45.359 --> 00:00:50.399 Did you receive the spirit by works of the law or by hearing the faith? 00:00:51.920 --> 00:00:53.280 Are you so foolish? 00:00:53.520 --> 00:00:57.920 Having begun by the spirit, are you not being perfected by the flesh? 00:00:59.359 --> 00:01:01.439 Did you serve so many things in vain? 00:01:01.840 --> 00:01:13.920 If you do not see what the spirit you are fearful to money, do so by works of the law or by fears of faith. 00:01:15.280 --> 00:01:19.599 Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness. 00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:26.879 Know then that it is that it is those of faith who are sons of Abraham. 00:01:27.920 --> 00:01:39.599 And the scripture, for seeing that God would justify the children by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, In you shall all the nations be blessed. 00:01:40.319 --> 00:01:52.319 So then those who are of faith are blessed alone with Abraham, a man who all they rely on works of the law are under you curse. 00:01:53.040 --> 00:02:00.879 For it is written, Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law and do them. 00:02:02.560 --> 00:02:07.680 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law. 00:02:08.080 --> 00:02:10.560 For the righteous shall live by faith. 00:02:11.680 --> 00:02:13.599 The law is not a faith. 00:02:14.240 --> 00:02:17.360 Rather, the one who does them shall live by them. 00:02:18.240 --> 00:02:24.000 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Lord by the coming and curse for us. 00:02:25.439 --> 00:02:30.960 For it is written, curse is everyone who is hanged on a tree. 00:02:32.319 --> 00:02:43.680 So that in Christ Jesus, the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of Spirit through the faith. 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:45.520 The word of the Lord. 00:02:51.840 --> 00:02:55.840 Heavenly Father, we now come to hear you speak to us through your word. 00:02:57.039 --> 00:03:03.840 Father, I just pray that any distractions from this week, whether good or bad, or just fall away. 00:03:04.159 --> 00:03:12.719 Father, it's hard not to feel like we live in a world of chaos, we live in a world of pain and turmoil. 00:03:14.000 --> 00:03:20.000 Father, help us just to come to you now and lay all our burdens at your feet. 00:03:20.560 --> 00:03:22.240 And praise in Jesus' name. 00:03:23.439 --> 00:03:24.639 Please be seated. 00:03:27.360 --> 00:03:35.919 So three weeks ago, Creden asked me to title the three sermons I'd be preaching during his vacation when we got back. 00:03:36.240 --> 00:03:37.360 The last one's today. 00:03:37.520 --> 00:03:40.560 So you may notice it says a tale of two cities. 00:03:41.120 --> 00:03:42.639 You can just scratch that out. 00:03:43.919 --> 00:03:47.439 That was me trying to be fancy and it's not going to work today. 00:03:47.520 --> 00:03:49.680 So just scratch that look at the quick notes. 00:03:49.759 --> 00:03:52.719 And the title is How to Live a Gospel Life. 00:03:52.960 --> 00:03:54.319 How do we do that? 00:03:54.560 --> 00:04:02.240 We hear week in, week out, me and Creighton are always saying, You need to follow, you need to believe in the gospel, you need to believe in Jesus Christ. 00:04:02.479 --> 00:04:05.039 But what does that mean practically? 00:04:05.360 --> 00:04:07.599 How do we do that practically? 00:04:08.080 --> 00:04:13.039 We talk about this plain truth, this truth that Jesus died on the cross and he rose again. 00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:14.240 We need to believe in that. 00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:16.879 And then we say that it needs it transforms our life. 00:04:17.040 --> 00:04:18.399 But how does that happen? 00:04:18.639 --> 00:04:20.079 We talk a lot about it. 00:04:20.560 --> 00:04:26.800 Last week we talked, we looked at the text in Galatians where Paul says you're justified by faith. 00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:28.319 It's a very profound text. 00:04:28.480 --> 00:04:32.959 It's a great text to meditate on constantly, especially verse 16. 00:04:33.199 --> 00:04:35.759 And what does that mean though for us? 00:04:36.079 --> 00:04:40.480 You might be thinking, um, Matt, I believe I am justified by faith. 00:04:40.639 --> 00:04:44.079 I believe that I am truly a child of God. 00:04:44.319 --> 00:04:46.560 But sin keeps popping up in my life. 00:04:46.800 --> 00:04:47.680 It keeps happening. 00:04:47.759 --> 00:04:53.759 I keep feeling like I'm burdened by this sin that keeps happening in my life, no matter how hard I try. 00:04:54.160 --> 00:05:02.240 You may also think, well, isn't striving to get sin out of my life, to stop doing these things, isn't that, in a sense, following a certain law? 00:05:02.399 --> 00:05:03.360 Isn't that law? 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:10.079 You guys have been saying for the past couple of weeks that you don't follow the law, you believe in Jesus by faith. 00:05:10.399 --> 00:05:12.800 What does this law have to do with anything? 00:05:13.040 --> 00:05:15.680 I feel like I'm living a law trying to get rid of these sins. 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:17.040 I feel burdened by it. 00:05:17.360 --> 00:05:20.319 And you also might be thinking, how do I become more like Christ? 00:05:20.560 --> 00:05:23.600 How do I live a righteous life that it says in this text? 00:05:23.839 --> 00:05:25.439 Don't I need to speak good? 00:05:25.600 --> 00:05:26.879 But how do I do that? 00:05:27.040 --> 00:05:28.480 How do I do that? 00:05:28.639 --> 00:05:32.879 Well, the Galatian church, in a sense, is struggling with these same questions. 00:05:33.040 --> 00:05:40.079 And that's why Paul is writing this letter to them because he was there earlier and he showed them the gospel. 00:05:40.240 --> 00:05:41.680 He told them about the gospel. 00:05:41.839 --> 00:05:43.519 They believed in the gospel. 00:05:43.680 --> 00:05:53.199 But then he left to continue on his missionary journey, and then some other teachers came in and started teaching that yes, you need to believe that Jesus died and rose again. 00:05:53.439 --> 00:05:56.079 But you also need to do these other things to be right with God. 00:05:56.160 --> 00:05:59.519 You need to follow the law, the Mosaic law that was given to Moses. 00:05:59.920 --> 00:06:12.399 So that's why Paul is writing this, because there's such a time now that they're starting to turn away from the simple truth of the gospel and follow these Jewish laws in order that they feel like they can be right with God. 00:06:12.720 --> 00:06:14.319 So that's what's going on in the church. 00:06:14.480 --> 00:06:16.560 That's why Paul is writing this letter to them. 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:18.560 And that's also something in our own lives. 00:06:18.639 --> 00:06:25.680 We try, we make these laws where we feel like that if we just follow them, then we'll be right with God. 00:06:25.839 --> 00:06:26.959 God will accept us. 00:06:27.120 --> 00:06:28.560 So let's look at the text. 00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:31.600 So Galatians chapter 3, verses 1 to 14. 00:06:31.759 --> 00:06:35.920 And I don't have a timer because we're using it to record, so this might be a very long sermon. 00:06:36.480 --> 00:06:37.759 Or a short one, let's see. 00:06:37.920 --> 00:06:43.680 So Galatians chapter 3, verses 1 to 14, and we're gonna look at it in three points. 00:06:43.920 --> 00:06:54.000 And the first point is gospel focused, the second point is gospel centered, and the third point is gospel freedom, all in the sense of how to live a gospel life. 00:06:54.079 --> 00:06:55.360 That's how we're gonna look at it. 00:06:55.519 --> 00:07:01.600 So point one, gospel focus, verses 1 to 15, and we're gonna start with verse 1. 00:07:01.920 --> 00:07:05.600 Oh foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you? 00:07:05.839 --> 00:07:07.360 Now just pause here. 00:07:07.839 --> 00:07:10.240 What is why is Paul talking like this? 00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:14.720 He last week he said Gentile sinners, and that seemed really intense. 00:07:14.959 --> 00:07:17.199 Paul seems to be very blunt in this letter. 00:07:17.360 --> 00:07:20.560 That's something I personally appreciate, because I'm kind of a blunt person. 00:07:20.639 --> 00:07:22.480 And he's very blunt, he gets right to the point. 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:26.480 He doesn't skirt around the issue or anything, he goes right for it. 00:07:26.639 --> 00:07:35.120 And a way to that we can um we can look at this uh text and think about why is he saying, oh, foolish Galatians, who's bewitched you? 00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:48.560 Um I haven't uh had a teenager yet, um, but I'm sure many of you have, and there's a time when teenagers act out, and there's points I'm sure as a parent you think about like who has bewitched you? 00:07:48.720 --> 00:07:49.680 What are you doing? 00:07:49.839 --> 00:07:51.439 Why are you being so foolish? 00:07:51.680 --> 00:07:55.439 I'm sure my mom could say a lot of that and reflect on that. 00:07:55.600 --> 00:08:03.680 There's something he cares so deeply about this church, the people of Galicia, that he's writing to them saying, What are you doing? 00:08:03.920 --> 00:08:05.759 Why are you being so foolish? 00:08:05.920 --> 00:08:18.240 And he uses the language that they're being so foolish, it seems like someone has cast a spell over them, that they're like they have been bewitched, that they're acting like they're just going off the rails. 00:08:18.399 --> 00:08:19.439 Why is this happening? 00:08:19.519 --> 00:08:20.720 Because he cares so much. 00:08:20.959 --> 00:08:24.720 And Paul is using this rhetorical skill that he has. 00:08:24.879 --> 00:08:41.840 If you read his letters, you notice that he is a great speaker, he is a great writer, that the way he asks questions, the way he uses certain things to make people think about certain things, is he has great rhetorical skill. 00:08:42.080 --> 00:08:48.240 It'd be like um, and they cast, and think about this spell, this idea of a spell that's being cast over them. 00:08:48.320 --> 00:08:54.240 It's almost like when a famous person walks into a room, there's this aura about them. 00:08:54.480 --> 00:08:57.600 Or someone who you really respect and look up to in your life. 00:08:57.679 --> 00:09:03.440 You finally meet them, and there's this aura, and you feel this almost bewitched about this aura about them. 00:09:03.519 --> 00:09:04.639 That's what's going on here. 00:09:04.879 --> 00:09:10.399 These people that came, these Judaizers, would probably be better speakers than Paul. 00:09:10.559 --> 00:09:16.080 They probably would have looked more the part than Paul looked, but what he proclaimed. 00:09:16.240 --> 00:09:22.480 They probably would have talked a certain way, used certain words to elevate themselves in a certain way. 00:09:22.720 --> 00:09:26.320 And then they taught a salvation plus works gospel. 00:09:26.480 --> 00:09:31.360 Now, this is something that you, if you they probably thought, oh, we can get our hands dirty of this. 00:09:31.519 --> 00:09:34.000 This is something that we can do for ourselves. 00:09:34.159 --> 00:09:35.919 It gives you this practical thing. 00:09:36.080 --> 00:09:37.600 It's practical, it's physical. 00:09:37.840 --> 00:09:39.440 That's probably what's going on here. 00:09:39.600 --> 00:09:43.679 But Paul taught a completely different gospel than this. 00:09:44.080 --> 00:09:48.879 He taught a gospel of justified by faith, the gospel of freedom. 00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:51.120 So that's what's going on in his text. 00:09:51.279 --> 00:10:01.279 That these that the Galatian church are becoming bewitched, they've started to go away, this spell has been cast over them in a sense, and then that's what went on. 00:10:01.360 --> 00:10:02.960 That's why Paul is writing. 00:10:03.360 --> 00:10:12.480 And we see in the second part of verse 1, he says, It was before your eyes that Jesus was publicly portrayed as crucified. 00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:24.000 So Paul's recalling about this time when he was there, and he proclaimed Christ crucified so vividly to them that they could say, in the sense, that we were there. 00:10:24.320 --> 00:10:26.159 We saw Christ crucified. 00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:27.519 I know it's real. 00:10:27.679 --> 00:10:29.360 He's reminding them of that. 00:10:30.000 --> 00:10:38.399 And that's Paul's goal when you read his letters, is that his one aim in life is to proclaim Christ crucified. 00:10:38.559 --> 00:10:42.799 And that's a great thing for us to remember when we share the gospel with people. 00:10:43.039 --> 00:10:58.720 It's not about all this other stuff that's going on, it's about the simple truth that Christ died on the cross for you and me and for all in this world, and that they need to hear this great truth of the crucified Lord and Savior of our lives. 00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:02.559 That is what's going on, that's what Paul is reminding them of. 00:11:02.799 --> 00:11:08.080 It's like when you think of this vividness that Paul is talking about. 00:11:08.320 --> 00:11:16.559 When you read about paintings or history in books, and then you finally go to the place, and it's so much more vivid. 00:11:16.720 --> 00:11:17.679 That's what he's talking about. 00:11:17.919 --> 00:11:20.080 Creighton and Rachel were just in Germany. 00:11:20.240 --> 00:11:27.679 I know they're history buffs, and they were reading a lot about Germany before they went, especially in World War II, so I'm sure it was very way more vivid to them as they went. 00:11:27.840 --> 00:11:29.919 And we all can relate to this in some sense. 00:11:30.080 --> 00:11:33.279 Maybe we love paintings and we finally see the painting in person. 00:11:33.360 --> 00:11:34.879 It's so vivid to us. 00:11:35.120 --> 00:11:37.279 That's what Paul is talking about here. 00:11:37.840 --> 00:11:44.480 And for those who call themselves followers of Jesus, this needs to be our main focus: Christ crucified. 00:11:44.720 --> 00:11:49.360 Our only hope in life and death is Christ alone and nothing else. 00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:58.320 That is our hope, that is our aim in life, and that is the gospel that Jesus Christ is our hope and savior in life and death. 00:11:58.480 --> 00:12:05.679 And Paul continues his rhetorical skill by posing a question for them by two different perspectives. 00:12:06.159 --> 00:12:08.879 This is what he says in verses 2 to 5. 00:12:10.320 --> 00:12:12.240 Let me ask you only this. 00:12:13.200 --> 00:12:18.480 Did you receive the Spirit by works in the law or by hearing it with faith? 00:12:19.120 --> 00:12:20.559 Are you so foolish? 00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:25.039 Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 00:12:25.360 --> 00:12:29.440 Did you suffer so many things in vain, if indeed it was in vain? 00:12:29.840 --> 00:12:39.440 Does he, that's God, who supplies the spirit to you and works miracles among you, do so by works of the law or by hearing with faith? 00:12:40.320 --> 00:12:45.279 So the questions he's asking, is it you or the spirit that leads you in life? 00:12:45.519 --> 00:12:50.000 That works your spirit, that works out that works things out in your life? 00:12:50.320 --> 00:12:53.919 Or he's asking, did God give you the spirit or did you earn it? 00:12:54.159 --> 00:12:56.720 Have you taken your eyes off the cross? 00:12:57.039 --> 00:13:03.919 So what Paul is talking about here is that when you become justified by faith, it doesn't end there. 00:13:04.080 --> 00:13:05.360 Your life continues on. 00:13:05.600 --> 00:13:09.120 You don't just camp out in that one thing, you continue on. 00:13:09.440 --> 00:13:18.960 But this life that we live, a justified life by faith, is a life of continually surrendering to that great moment. 00:13:19.200 --> 00:13:21.120 The great moment when we come to faith. 00:13:21.279 --> 00:13:26.960 Is that we surrender to that justification by faith and we bring it into all areas of our life. 00:13:27.120 --> 00:13:33.840 So what's going on here is that the Galatian church are starting to use the law to justify themselves. 00:13:34.000 --> 00:13:37.919 They're forgetting about that great truth, the simple truth when they came to faith. 00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:41.200 And it's something that we can do in our own lives. 00:13:41.360 --> 00:13:46.240 We can make these laws that we think about, that we think if we just do them, we'll get right with God. 00:13:47.039 --> 00:13:53.360 So there's these, there's this dynamic, there's this tension between law and grace that's going on here. 00:13:53.440 --> 00:13:54.960 And they're wrestling against each other. 00:13:55.039 --> 00:14:07.440 And that's what the people who come in are doing to this church, that they're twisting their gospel, they're making them forget about the simple truth that it's just about being justified, laying your life down to Christ. 00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:08.879 And then it continues. 00:14:09.120 --> 00:14:10.799 So gospel focused. 00:14:11.200 --> 00:14:12.879 Keep your eyes on the cross. 00:14:13.039 --> 00:14:14.720 That is how you live a gospel life. 00:14:14.879 --> 00:14:16.159 Keep your eyes on the cross. 00:14:16.399 --> 00:14:18.799 Second point, gospel centered. 00:14:19.120 --> 00:14:20.960 Verses 6 to 9. 00:14:23.279 --> 00:14:28.399 Just as Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness. 00:14:28.799 --> 00:14:33.440 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 00:14:33.679 --> 00:14:44.320 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, In you shall all nations be blessed. 00:14:44.639 --> 00:14:50.480 So then those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. 00:14:50.720 --> 00:14:53.519 And you might be thinking, well, why bring up Abraham? 00:14:53.919 --> 00:14:55.279 That was so long ago. 00:14:55.440 --> 00:14:56.879 Why are we bringing him up? 00:14:57.120 --> 00:15:00.960 Well, Creighton's going to talk more about him next week because the text lays it out. 00:15:01.120 --> 00:15:06.080 But just to talk briefly about it, Paul is doing a very clever thing here. 00:15:06.320 --> 00:15:14.000 He's using his rhetorical skill, and he's going right after the Judaizers here, who they hold to the law. 00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:20.000 And the thing about the law is that it came 400 plus years later, after Abraham. 00:15:20.159 --> 00:15:23.039 So Paul's, in a sense, is going right to the source. 00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:26.080 He's reminding them of where did you come from? 00:15:26.240 --> 00:15:31.360 And he goes right to Abraham because Abraham is considered the father of the Israel people. 00:15:31.679 --> 00:15:33.279 He goes right to the source. 00:15:33.440 --> 00:15:39.759 And the thing about Abraham, the story of Abraham, is that he was called out of Earth. 00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:41.519 Abraham was actually a pagan. 00:15:41.600 --> 00:15:42.879 And he was called out by God. 00:15:43.039 --> 00:15:44.480 God appeared to him. 00:15:44.720 --> 00:15:46.960 And God made these promises to him. 00:15:47.039 --> 00:15:54.559 And I'm just going to read chapter, Genesis chapter 15, verses, I believe, 5 to 6. 00:15:54.799 --> 00:15:57.039 Because it is a great moment in the text. 00:15:57.120 --> 00:15:59.039 And this is what he's referring to. 00:16:02.320 --> 00:16:03.600 This is what he says. 00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:12.399 So he's reminding them of this moment when God is interacting with Abraham, of this great promise that God gives to him. 00:16:12.559 --> 00:16:18.240 And the thing that's going on here is that Abraham wants an heir, and he hasn't had it yet. 00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:20.399 And him and his wife are becoming very old. 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:21.519 So he's getting worried. 00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:24.960 And God keeps promising, making these promises to him. 00:16:25.200 --> 00:16:26.399 And this is the promise. 00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:28.639 He reminds him of the promise that he made. 00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:30.080 And this is what he does. 00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:40.399 So Abraham says, or God says, This man shall not be your heir, because Abraham is talking about someone in this household that it's not his bloodline, not his offspring. 00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:43.279 Your very own shall be your heir. 00:16:43.519 --> 00:16:49.600 And God brought him outside and said, Look towards heaven and number the stars. 00:16:49.759 --> 00:16:55.440 If you are able to number them, then he said to him, So shall your offspring be. 00:16:55.759 --> 00:17:03.039 And Abraham believed, believed the Lord, and it was counted to him as righteousness. 00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:07.200 So what Paul is doing here is that he's reminding them of this moment. 00:17:07.759 --> 00:17:15.440 Way back at the beginning in the Old Testament, Abraham, the father of Israel, was counted justified by faith. 00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:19.200 He was justified by faith before any of the law came in. 00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:26.160 He's reminding them that the gospel isn't just a New Testament, this new thing that happened later on. 00:17:26.319 --> 00:17:36.720 Is that the gospel has been proclaimed, has been taught all through the Bible, all through the Old Testament text, since the beginning, since Genesis 3, the gospel comes into play. 00:17:36.960 --> 00:17:38.559 And he's reminding them of that. 00:17:38.799 --> 00:17:44.559 He's showing that the people who are teaching the law, that grace plus works, is false. 00:17:44.720 --> 00:17:49.680 Is that they're teaching a thing that is later on after the righteousness by faith. 00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:53.119 That is what we need to remember, and that's what he's trying to remind them here. 00:17:53.440 --> 00:17:58.079 All nations, not just Israel, will be blessed through Abraham. 00:17:58.480 --> 00:18:00.319 Those who are faith. 00:18:00.559 --> 00:18:06.079 And the thing that you have to remember here is that he believed in God, not just of God. 00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:07.680 There's a big difference there. 00:18:07.839 --> 00:18:10.319 He believed in the promises of God. 00:18:10.559 --> 00:18:12.240 He remembered the promises. 00:18:12.559 --> 00:18:21.440 And that's for us, is that, and he's reminding them here in Galatians, is that you need to remember, you need to believe in the promise of the cross. 00:18:21.680 --> 00:18:25.680 The cross that was publicly portrayed to you of Jesus Christ crucified. 00:18:25.920 --> 00:18:30.960 You need to remember in that promise of why he went there, why he went to the cross. 00:18:31.119 --> 00:18:34.160 And that was so you could be saved by faith. 00:18:34.400 --> 00:18:35.680 It's a great promise. 00:18:35.759 --> 00:18:37.839 It's nothing that we can do on our own. 00:18:38.079 --> 00:18:39.920 And that's what he's showing them here. 00:18:40.160 --> 00:18:43.200 But you might be thinking, what does this have to do with gospel-centered? 00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:55.680 Well, as I said, is that to live a gospel-centered life is to live a life holding to the promises of God, holding to the promises of the Old Testament and the New Testament, that they all come together. 00:18:55.839 --> 00:19:00.079 And this is why we need to read and study the Old Testament together and on our own. 00:19:00.319 --> 00:19:02.000 That we shouldn't just read the New Testament. 00:19:03.039 --> 00:19:04.960 We need to read the entire Bible. 00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:13.039 Because it has this line, this thread running through it, of great hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:19:13.279 --> 00:19:14.960 The redemptive story of the gospel. 00:19:15.039 --> 00:19:16.720 And this is why Paul is doing it. 00:19:17.039 --> 00:19:21.519 He shows that Abraham was justified by faith and not by the law. 00:19:21.839 --> 00:19:24.400 And then Paul continues his argument to them. 00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:39.440 So we need to think about to live a gospel life is needed a gospel-focused life on the cross, a gospel-centered life, having our life centered on the promises of God, and then through that that leads to gospel freedom. 00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:41.599 Verses 10 to 14. 00:19:43.680 --> 00:19:54.400 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse, for it is written, Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law and do them. 00:19:54.640 --> 00:19:59.839 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law. 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:06.960 For the righteous shall live by faith, but the law is not of faith, rather, the one who does them shall live by them. 00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:12.319 Christ redeemed us from the law, or from the curse of the law, by becoming a curse for us. 00:20:12.400 --> 00:20:25.279 For it is written, Curse is everyone who is hanged on a tree, so that in Christ Jesus, the blessing of Abraham might come to go to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised spirit through faith. 00:20:26.160 --> 00:20:27.440 You notice the four. 00:20:27.599 --> 00:20:37.599 So when you see four or now or therefore in the text, it means that this is a very defining moment in the scripture that we need to really focus in on. 00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:39.119 And that's what Paul writes here. 00:20:39.279 --> 00:20:48.480 So Paul quotes Deuteronomy chapter 27, 26, where it says, Curse be anyone who does not confirm the words of the law by doing them. 00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:52.079 And then he quotes Leviticus chapter 18, 5. 00:20:58.559 --> 00:21:08.720 So what Paul is talking about here, he's showing them that this law that God brought into the picture in Exodus is something that cannot be done. 00:21:08.880 --> 00:21:11.440 It cannot be achieved on your own merit. 00:21:11.680 --> 00:21:19.680 That the whole point of the law was to make them depend on God for their salvation, being right with God. 00:21:19.920 --> 00:21:27.519 But then they started to strive by the law, and then if you continue on in the Old Testament, you see how that plays out, which is not great. 00:21:27.759 --> 00:21:33.519 So what Paul is showing here is that you can never be made right by the law. 00:21:33.759 --> 00:21:35.519 It puts you under a curse. 00:21:35.680 --> 00:21:42.880 You become cursed by the law if you only try to follow it, and your heart is not toward the Lord, not given wholly over to the Lord. 00:21:43.119 --> 00:21:53.279 And another spot in Deuteronomy, it says that anyone who does not follow the law to a T faces a divine rejection. 00:21:53.519 --> 00:21:56.079 That's what it talks about, or a divine curse. 00:21:56.319 --> 00:21:59.759 So after someone really does not follow the law. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:15.039 While it does something extremely bad, the people of Israel were meant to stone them to death, and then to show this image of divine rejection, they would hang them on a tree outside to remind people of what happens if you don't follow the law to a T. 00:22:15.279 --> 00:22:17.680 They became very serious about it, and that's what's in the law. 00:22:17.920 --> 00:22:27.519 So that's why it says here that Jesus took that curse, the curse of the law, that we can never do, and put it on himself. 00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:32.240 He took our curse and put it on himself, and that he was hanged on a tree. 00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:35.680 That's what Paul is alluding to here, that he was on the cross, wood. 00:22:35.839 --> 00:22:37.359 He was hanged on a tree. 00:22:37.599 --> 00:22:44.559 So what happens is that Jesus took our curse upon himself and hung from the tree, hung from the cross. 00:22:44.799 --> 00:22:48.720 That's why, and he experienced this divine rejection. 00:22:48.880 --> 00:22:52.400 That's why he yells out, Why have you forsaken me, my Lord? 00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:53.119 Why? 00:22:53.440 --> 00:22:58.160 And he did that for you, for me, and for all who put their faith in him. 00:22:58.400 --> 00:22:59.839 That is the gospel message. 00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:07.279 That is the great truth that anyone who believes in Jesus is no longer under the curse, but that they are justified by life. 00:23:07.440 --> 00:23:09.039 They're justified by faith. 00:23:09.359 --> 00:23:16.640 Now you might be thinking, how does the gospel, how does this tell me how to live the good life or live the gospel life? 00:23:16.880 --> 00:23:31.440 Well, you so the gospel focus is on the cross, gospel center on the promises of God, and your gospel freedom is when you truly put your faith and trust in that great hope of the cross, that you are free from the law. 00:23:31.599 --> 00:23:34.000 You're no longer under the curse of the law. 00:23:34.240 --> 00:23:39.759 See, when you're justified by faith, you're instantly made right with God, and His Spirit enters you. 00:23:39.839 --> 00:23:41.759 That is the moment you're justified. 00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:44.400 But the Christian life is a pilgrimage. 00:23:44.640 --> 00:23:45.759 It continues on. 00:23:45.920 --> 00:24:02.640 As we live this life following Jesus, taking up our cross, is that when we get through these parts in our life where we where we experience sin or these recurring things in our life that we know we shouldn't do keeps happening, and we feel totally burdened by them. 00:24:02.880 --> 00:24:10.000 Is that we take the gospel that you're justified by faith, and we apply them to all the areas of our life. 00:24:10.240 --> 00:24:14.480 Is that we no longer try to strive to stop doing them? 00:24:14.720 --> 00:24:25.119 Is that when but when we take the gospel that we are justified by faith and put into these areas, we remind ourselves is that I don't need to strive to do this. 00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:31.200 I just need that the gospel to come into my life more and more and to be transformed by the gospel more and more. 00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:37.359 When sin pops up, we need to ask God to show us what haven't we surrendered to Jesus? 00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:39.599 What are we holding on to? 00:24:39.839 --> 00:24:42.160 What we need to apply the gospel to that. 00:24:42.400 --> 00:24:50.000 Anything that takes our eyes off the cross, that no longer makes us gospel focused, we need to lay at the feet of Jesus. 00:24:50.480 --> 00:24:54.240 Anything we strive to fix on our own will lead to bitterness. 00:24:54.480 --> 00:25:00.799 It leads to bitterness, insecurity, jealousy, but gospel living sets you free from all that. 00:25:00.960 --> 00:25:08.000 When you know that you can't do it on your own, that it is only through the work of the Spirit within you that does it for you. 00:25:08.240 --> 00:25:10.960 That's the great truth, and that is how you live a gospel life. 00:25:11.119 --> 00:25:20.400 And we bring that to all areas of our lives, to our work, to our family, to our identities, that we are set free, we are justified by faith. 00:25:20.640 --> 00:25:22.880 That is the great truth of the gospel. 00:25:23.200 --> 00:25:31.680 That the gospel transforms all areas of our lives as we let it come into our lives more and more and stop striving to make ourselves right with God. 00:25:31.839 --> 00:25:34.880 And that's what Paul is talking to the Galatian church here. 00:25:35.039 --> 00:25:47.200 Is that he keeps reminding them that it is not by the works of the law, even if it makes you feel good about yourself, it is just about trusting in the cross of Jesus Christ, Christ crucified. 00:25:47.359 --> 00:25:49.119 And that's what he reminds them of. 00:25:49.279 --> 00:25:50.400 Let's pray. 00:25:54.079 --> 00:25:58.319 Heavenly Father, we thank you for the great truth of the cross. 00:25:58.559 --> 00:26:03.119 We thank you for the great truth of Christ Jesus crucified, Lord. 00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:24.640 And Father, we ask you as we continue this pilgrimage of this Christian walk, that your gospel would grip our hearts more and more deeply, that your gospel would transform all the areas of our life, that even the areas that we hold on to so dearly that we think will make us right with you. 00:26:24.799 --> 00:26:30.319 Help us to let go of that Lord as we trust in the finished word of the cross. 00:26:30.559 --> 00:26:31.759 In Jesus' name. 00:26:37.680 --> 00:26:38.960 Thank you for listening today. 00:26:39.359 --> 00:26:44.720 We follow a generous God who calls us to give willfully, cheerfully, and sacrificially towards gospel ministry. 00:26:51.440 --> 00:26:58.720 If you'd like to learn more about how to give towards Newsong's ministry, you can do just that at newsongperry.ca giving. 00:26:59.119 --> 00:27:01.279 God bless you and give you today and every day.