Galatians:
Starting Over {Yet Again}
Anticipation
You are not under OT Law
You are under NT Grace
Law produces hypocrisy (Peter)
Pride and Insecurity
You can't live up to it
And weren't meant to
Doing religious things for God
And walking away from God
Produce the same result:
Works of the Flesh
- Galatians 5
Trusting Jesus
Following by faith
Empowered by his Spirit
Produces:
Fruit of the Spirit
How does church go wrong
When it comes to Community?
What does Grace look like
In Community?
Is it Performance-oriented?
Is it Performance-oriented?
Is it acceptance of
Self-destructive habits?
Is it Performance-oriented?
Is it acceptance of
Self-destructive habits?
Is it Condemnation?
God calls his church to be
People of Restoration
In Restoration Community
No one is Greater
But each helps the other
We approach Church
Not with expectations
To be lived up to
But anticipation of what
God will do. And our part in it
We were made to
Walk in Community
Not with expectation
But with anticipation
Brothers, if anyone is caught in
any transgression, you who are
spiritual should restore him
in a spirit of gentleness
Who is Paul talking to?
Who is Paul talking to?
Not just leadership
Brothers, if anyone is caught in
any transgression, you who are
spiritual should restore him
in a spirit of gentleness
No sin-sniffing Pharisees
Caught:
"Unable to escape on your own"
"Well, that's what you deserve"
There's no blame or
Fault-finding
The moment the church
becomes about what you
deserve
It's no longer the church of Jesus
…you who are spiritual should
restore him in a spirit
of gentleness
Walking with
Submitting to, Led by
Resume isn't the issue (Peter)
Resume isn't the issue (Peter)
Spitting verses & theology= No
Resume isn't the issue (Peter)
Spitting verses & theology= No
Number of years doesn't matter
Those who are Spiritual:
Led by God/discerning, Humble,
Looking to Restore
…you who are spiritual should
restore him in a spirit
of gentleness
(Probably not FB or Prayer Time)
Set it right (as they allow)
Restoration is always the goal
Creation, Fall, Redemption…
Engage: Community of Restoration
- Can't ignore that which hurts
Another person
- Won't look down on or
Force it on them
In the cross of Jesus,
We are forgiven of all sin
But we aren't free from the
Consequences of sin
And because we
Love God and Love People
We seek to restore
To help one another in the Faith
It's an obligation
…you who are spiritual
- Spirit-led so I can discern
- Loving enough to engage
- Restoration-oriented
- Gentle in Grace
And all of this comes from
What God's Spirit
Produces in me as I
Carry a cross and follow Christ
This…This!...is why
It's so important that we
Walk with Jesus daily
Rather than fake it on Sunday
Hey, Spiritual Dude- careful!
Keep watch on yourself, lest you
too be tempted. Bear one
another's burdens, and so fulfill
the law of Christ
Pride:
Loving the position of Helper
More than the person in need
Better than…holier-than-thou
Level ground, Same grace
Bear one another's burdens…
Carry the weight alongside
We don't just write
PrescriptionsWe walk together
Not just in areas of sin
Rejoice with those who rejoice,
weep with those who weep
- Romans 12:15
Bear one another's burdens, and
so fulfill the law of Christ
We are under Law
We are under Law
…the royal law found in
Scripture, "Love your neighbor
as yourself"
- James 2:8
OT Law:
600 +
To Jews
Blessings and Cursings (Land)
Impossible
Shows need for Jesus
NT Law:
1 Thing- Love. God and People
ALL People- who's my neighbor?
Not for approval, but from it
No cursings
By Christ's power and leading
Love
I will seek what is in
Your best interests
Whether you deserve it or not
Even if it costs me to do so
Bear one another's burdens, and
so fulfill the law of Christ
We were made to
Walk in Community
Not with expectation- receiving
But with anticipation- giving
Bear one another's burdens, and
so fulfill the law of Christ
Other's-centered living
For if anyone thinks he is
something, when he is nothing,
he deceives himself
"I don't need anyone!"
Why should I allow my pride
To cheat you out of helping?
"I'm the guy who sniffs out sin
And brings everyone back"
Jesus is hero
And everything I have
Comes from him
But let each one test his own
work, and then his reason to
boast will be in himself alone
and not in his neighbor
Pride and insecurity both come
From the same place:
Comparison
I'm the woman who
Fixes people.
I don't struggle with…
Like she does!
I can't believe I needed help.
How come everyone else
Seems so put together?
…when they measure
themselves by one another and
compare themselves with one
another, they are unwise
- 2 Cor. 10:12
For each will have to
bear his own load
Burdens= can't carry alone
Loads= can't share with others
True View:
- All I have is from God
- All my identity is in God
- I am fully accepted by God
Not because I'm awesome
But because God loves me
And sent his Son to die for me
We were made to
Walk in Community
Not with expectation- receiving
But with anticipation- giving
Do I approach Community
Looking to find problems?
Or praying and anticipating
For God to work in heartsAnd to involve me in it?
Am I known so that
Fellow believers can engage me
And help me as we both walk
In the grace of our King?
Next Steps:
- Get known in Community
- Pray for God to work
As we meet
And be available as he leads
Let's Pray…
Questions, Comments
Disagreements
Spaghetti and Candy!!!