The Bible tells us, "In
the beginning was the Word,
00:00:01.33\00:00:03.57
and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God."
00:00:03.63\00:00:07.80
It says, "To
receive with meekness
00:00:07.84\00:00:10.17
the implanted Word,
00:00:10.21\00:00:11.67
which is able
to save your souls.
00:00:11.71\00:00:14.04
And to be diligent
to present yourself
00:00:14.08\00:00:16.28
approved to God
00:00:16.31\00:00:17.85
rightly dividing
the Word of truth."
00:00:17.88\00:00:20.92
Join us now for the
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
00:00:20.95\00:00:25.32
Our study today is
the Gospel of Galatians.
00:00:25.35\00:00:32.33
Hello and welcome to
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
00:00:32.36\00:00:35.33
My name is Jill Morikone
00:00:35.36\00:00:36.70
and we are delighted
that you've taken this hour
00:00:36.73\00:00:39.13
to open up the
Word of God with us.
00:00:39.17\00:00:41.34
As we journey
through the quarterly,
00:00:41.37\00:00:43.67
we are on the very last lesson.
00:00:43.74\00:00:46.91
I hope you've been with
us through this journey,
00:00:46.94\00:00:48.81
we have been
discussing Paul's letter,
00:00:48.84\00:00:50.81
his epistle to
the Galatian Church,
00:00:50.88\00:00:52.95
the Epistle of Galatian.
00:00:52.98\00:00:54.32
But if this is your
first time joining us,
00:00:54.35\00:00:56.82
we are glad you joined us.
00:00:56.85\00:00:58.19
And I know that the
Lord has a blessing in store.
00:00:58.22\00:01:00.86
We are studying the
gospel in Galatians.
00:01:00.89\00:01:03.39
This is the quarterly put out
00:01:03.43\00:01:04.76
by the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:01:04.79\00:01:06.76
You're always
welcome to stop by.
00:01:06.80\00:01:08.60
A local
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
00:01:08.63\00:01:10.40
they will give you a quarterly
00:01:10.43\00:01:11.93
and you can study
with the believers there.
00:01:11.97\00:01:14.17
But if you would
like to have access to it
00:01:14.20\00:01:17.04
right now or online
00:01:17.07\00:01:18.41
you can go to ABSG.Adventist.org
00:01:18.44\00:01:23.58
That stands for Adult
Bible Study Guide.Adventist.org
00:01:23.61\00:01:29.05
You can download it and
you can follow along with
00:01:29.08\00:01:31.35
what we share.
00:01:31.39\00:01:32.72
We are excited
about the last lesson,
00:01:32.75\00:01:35.99
boasting in the cross.
00:01:36.02\00:01:38.53
And I want to
introduce our panel at this time
00:01:38.56\00:01:40.56
before we go any further.
00:01:40.63\00:01:41.93
To my left is
Pastor C.A. Murray.
00:01:41.96\00:01:43.37
And it's just been a joy to
00:01:43.40\00:01:44.87
journey through the
Book of Galatians together.
00:01:44.90\00:01:46.74
It has, it's been fun.
00:01:46.77\00:01:48.24
It really has. Amen.
00:01:48.27\00:01:49.60
Sitting next to Pastor
C.A., it's Brother John Dinzey,
00:01:49.64\00:01:51.57
and thank you so much
for being here as well.
00:01:51.61\00:01:53.68
Great blessing to be here.
00:01:53.71\00:01:55.11
And, Shelley Quinn,
00:01:55.14\00:01:56.58
it's always a privilege
00:01:56.61\00:01:57.95
to open up the
Word of God and study.
00:01:57.98\00:01:59.31
Oh, we've had such a...
00:01:59.35\00:02:01.42
We really gained
insight from each other
00:02:01.45\00:02:04.32
I think this time and it's...
00:02:04.35\00:02:06.49
Can't wait to watch
these programs over.
00:02:06.52\00:02:09.56
And sitting next to you is
00:02:09.59\00:02:10.96
Pastor Tom Fergusson
of the Marion district.
00:02:10.99\00:02:12.79
And it's always
a privilege and joy
00:02:12.83\00:02:14.73
to have you with us as well.
00:02:14.76\00:02:16.20
And me too, I
really enjoyed being here
00:02:16.23\00:02:17.90
and being part of this.
00:02:17.93\00:02:19.27
Amen.
00:02:19.30\00:02:20.64
I, just speaking for myself,
00:02:20.67\00:02:22.00
I have learned so much
about the gospel in Galatians.
00:02:22.04\00:02:24.77
Before we go any further,
00:02:24.81\00:02:26.31
we want to go to
the Lord in prayer.
00:02:26.34\00:02:27.68
Pastor C.A.,
would you pray for us?
00:02:27.71\00:02:29.41
It would be my pleasure.
00:02:29.44\00:02:31.31
Father God, again we praise
You and thank You so very much
00:02:31.35\00:02:33.75
for the privilege that is
our to study the Word of God.
00:02:33.82\00:02:37.72
We are thankful for
the power in the Word
00:02:37.75\00:02:40.02
and the power that can
be transferred to our lives
00:02:40.06\00:02:43.66
as we consume the Word
00:02:43.73\00:02:45.36
and make it part
of our daily living.
00:02:45.39\00:02:48.00
We ask, Father, again
that Christ will be glorified
00:02:48.03\00:02:50.67
as we look at Paul's
care for this young church.
00:02:50.73\00:02:54.70
We see Your care for Your people
00:02:54.74\00:02:57.47
and for Your Latter-day Church,
00:02:57.51\00:02:59.47
teach us so that we will know
00:02:59.51\00:03:01.48
and then embolden
us and enable us to do
00:03:01.51\00:03:04.45
so that we are
made like Christ Jesus,
00:03:04.48\00:03:06.25
and we thank
You for Your promise
00:03:06.28\00:03:07.95
to hear and answer
the prayer of faith
00:03:07.98\00:03:09.32
in Jesus' name, amen.
00:03:09.35\00:03:10.79
Amen. Amen.
00:03:10.82\00:03:12.15
As I mentioned
we're studying the Epistle
00:03:12.19\00:03:13.76
to the Galatian believers.
00:03:13.79\00:03:15.39
Paul's epistle is
really a letter of reproof,
00:03:15.42\00:03:18.69
a letter of encouragement,
and a letter of appeal.
00:03:18.73\00:03:23.33
It's a letter of reproof
00:03:23.37\00:03:25.20
to those teaching
00:03:25.23\00:03:26.90
and those
believing in justification
00:03:26.94\00:03:29.27
by faith plus
works as we've discussed
00:03:29.30\00:03:31.94
if you followed the
Sabbath School Panel
00:03:31.97\00:03:34.14
and the lesson study
00:03:34.18\00:03:35.51
as we've
discussed from week to week.
00:03:35.54\00:03:37.05
And the Judaizers had come in
00:03:37.11\00:03:38.65
and we're teaching that
salvation, justification
00:03:38.68\00:03:41.72
was by faith plus works.
00:03:41.75\00:03:43.39
And Paul makes an
impassioned argument
00:03:43.42\00:03:46.12
throughout the
Book of Galatians.
00:03:46.15\00:03:48.26
Coming at it from
several different angles
00:03:48.29\00:03:51.13
but the argument is that
justification is by faith
00:03:51.16\00:03:55.00
in Christ alone.
00:03:55.03\00:03:56.67
That is where
our salvation lies.
00:03:56.70\00:03:58.83
He also gives a
letter of encouragement,
00:03:58.87\00:04:01.47
an encouragement that
having begun in the spirit,
00:04:01.50\00:04:04.81
we are to
continue in the spirit...
00:04:04.84\00:04:07.34
And not fall back to
those works of the flesh.
00:04:07.38\00:04:10.18
It's a letter of encouraging
us in justification by faith
00:04:10.21\00:04:13.98
and the work of
the spirit in our lives
00:04:14.02\00:04:16.02
as we saw in Galatians 5,
00:04:16.05\00:04:18.42
"The work of the spirit
00:04:18.45\00:04:19.82
as opposed to the
work of the flesh."
00:04:19.85\00:04:21.82
And finally it's a
letter of encouragement
00:04:21.86\00:04:24.13
about the
centrality of the cross.
00:04:24.19\00:04:27.46
The center focus of
the cross is everything
00:04:27.50\00:04:30.33
we believe as Christians,
00:04:30.40\00:04:32.50
as brothers and
sisters in Jesus.
00:04:32.53\00:04:34.97
And it's also a
letter of appeal.
00:04:35.00\00:04:37.17
You look at the
Old Testament books
00:04:37.24\00:04:39.67
and some of the
major and minor prophets
00:04:39.71\00:04:42.11
and their passion,
00:04:42.14\00:04:44.01
and appeal for God's people
who were turning away from God,
00:04:44.08\00:04:47.85
who were walking
in their own devices,
00:04:47.88\00:04:51.02
in their own choosing.
00:04:51.05\00:04:52.59
And they appeal
to come back to God,
00:04:52.62\00:04:55.42
I think one of
my favorite passages
00:04:55.46\00:04:57.46
in the Old Testament
Ezekiel 18, remember he says,
00:04:57.49\00:05:01.00
"Repent and turn again
to me for why will you die."
00:05:01.06\00:05:06.77
And that's what
Paul is doing really
00:05:06.80\00:05:08.77
to the Galatian believers,
00:05:08.80\00:05:10.54
it's an impassioned appeal
00:05:10.57\00:05:12.21
and sometimes
it's a little strident
00:05:12.24\00:05:14.41
but it is an impassioned appeal
00:05:14.44\00:05:16.08
to come back to the
centrality of the cross
00:05:16.11\00:05:18.91
and that's what we look at,
00:05:18.95\00:05:20.28
we have the last eight verses
00:05:20.35\00:05:21.68
to discuss today of Galatians 6.
00:05:21.72\00:05:23.62
Let's read our
memory text together.
00:05:23.65\00:05:25.52
We are in Galatians 6:14.
00:05:25.55\00:05:31.26
"But far be it from me to boast
00:05:31.29\00:05:34.40
except in the cross
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
00:05:34.46\00:05:38.50
by which the world
has been crucified to me,
00:05:38.53\00:05:42.77
and I to the world."
00:05:42.80\00:05:45.51
On Sunday's lesson, we
look at Paul's own hand.
00:05:45.54\00:05:48.51
Really what we're looking
at is Paul's closing remarks.
00:05:48.54\00:05:52.48
And the
similarities and differences
00:05:52.51\00:05:54.52
between his closing remarks
00:05:54.55\00:05:56.18
in the epistle to
the Galatian believers
00:05:56.22\00:05:58.49
as opposed to the other churches
00:05:58.52\00:06:00.62
that he wrote his epistles too.
00:06:00.66\00:06:02.99
There's certain common elements
in Paul's closing remarks.
00:06:03.02\00:06:07.30
He usually gives a greeting
to specific individuals.
00:06:07.36\00:06:11.17
He gives a final exhortation,
a personal signature,
00:06:11.20\00:06:15.10
he signs it himself
and a closing benediction.
00:06:15.14\00:06:19.21
Now I have here, it
seems like the first program
00:06:19.24\00:06:21.74
when we began I pulled out
Greg's letters for salutation,
00:06:21.78\00:06:25.78
but now I'm pulling them
out for the closing of them.
00:06:25.81\00:06:28.38
So I want to
take a look at this,
00:06:28.42\00:06:29.82
this is a letter he
wrote to me in 1999,
00:06:29.85\00:06:33.96
we were just kind of friends,
Pastor C.A., at that point
00:06:33.99\00:06:37.43
and the letter closes like this,
00:06:37.46\00:06:39.19
"Have a great day with Jesus."
00:06:39.23\00:06:41.73
That's a good close.
That is a good close.
00:06:41.76\00:06:43.10
That's a fairly...
Little antiseptic to me.
00:06:43.13\00:06:47.40
It's just a
fairly, neutral close,
00:06:47.44\00:06:51.81
couldn't you say
that's a neutral close.
00:06:51.84\00:06:53.41
Now this one was in 2001.
00:06:53.44\00:06:56.64
And the close for this
one is a little different.
00:06:56.68\00:06:59.51
It says, "Have a
great day with the Lord."
00:06:59.55\00:07:01.98
Now that's similar
to the other close.
00:07:02.02\00:07:03.59
Then it says, "I
think about you a lot,
00:07:03.62\00:07:06.82
looking forward to
seeing you in a few days."
00:07:06.86\00:07:09.96
Now you can see the difference
in the close from the letter
00:07:09.99\00:07:12.73
I got in '99 versus
this letter in 2001.
00:07:12.76\00:07:16.60
Now I'm going to read you one...
00:07:16.63\00:07:17.97
Progress.
00:07:18.03\00:07:19.37
Progress, that was
progress, that's right.
00:07:19.40\00:07:21.77
The final letter
I'm going to show,
00:07:21.80\00:07:23.54
this is in 2002.
00:07:23.57\00:07:25.91
And it says,
00:07:25.94\00:07:27.28
"You are so very special to me,
I miss you with all my heart."
00:07:27.34\00:07:32.81
And so you see the difference,
00:07:32.85\00:07:35.45
the progression
and the relationship.
00:07:35.48\00:07:38.15
And you see in Paul's
epistle when he closes out,
00:07:38.19\00:07:41.82
you see almost his relationship
00:07:41.86\00:07:44.29
as it were with
each one of the churches
00:07:44.33\00:07:46.66
and the members
that he is writing to,
00:07:46.70\00:07:49.20
that he is appealing to.
00:07:49.23\00:07:50.70
As I mentioned there
is four common elements
00:07:50.73\00:07:53.40
in Paul's
epistles in how they close.
00:07:53.44\00:07:55.94
And it's
interesting of all the epistles
00:07:55.97\00:07:58.77
only the Galatian
believers, the Galatian church,
00:07:58.81\00:08:02.51
he does not give
any specific greetings.
00:08:02.54\00:08:05.45
Now the other
one, 2 Thessalonians,
00:08:05.48\00:08:07.98
he talks about the
Lord be with you all.
00:08:08.02\00:08:11.05
1 Corinthians he
says from the churches
00:08:11.09\00:08:13.32
in Asia and
Aquila and Priscilla.
00:08:13.36\00:08:15.92
We greet you with the holy kiss,
00:08:15.96\00:08:18.09
that showing affection,
00:08:18.13\00:08:19.46
that's reaching out before them.
00:08:19.49\00:08:21.83
Romans, I think
Romans takes the cake.
00:08:21.86\00:08:24.30
He greets 25 believers
00:08:24.33\00:08:27.70
in the Roman
Church in Rome by name.
00:08:27.77\00:08:30.37
Twenty five
different people he mentions,
00:08:30.41\00:08:32.87
and seven of his
friends send greetings
00:08:32.91\00:08:35.38
to the believers there at Rome.
00:08:35.41\00:08:37.78
In Colossians, six people
send greetings and he says,
00:08:37.81\00:08:41.38
"Please, greet those
people" in Colossians.
00:08:41.45\00:08:44.82
Philemon, "Five
people send greetings."
00:08:44.85\00:08:47.32
In Philippians, he says,
00:08:47.39\00:08:48.72
"Greet every
saint in Christ Jesus."
00:08:48.76\00:08:52.29
In Timothy and
Titus, the same thing,
00:08:52.33\00:08:55.00
"Greet those who
we love in the faith."
00:08:55.03\00:08:57.37
Now interestingly,
00:08:57.40\00:08:58.77
Galatians does not
close with any greeting
00:08:58.80\00:09:01.70
to any particularly person.
00:09:01.74\00:09:03.74
Now, I'm not a Bible scholar
00:09:03.77\00:09:05.71
so I couldn't speak for exactly
00:09:05.74\00:09:08.21
why that takes
place the lesson said
00:09:08.24\00:09:12.15
that it gives a
little evidence of possibly
00:09:12.18\00:09:15.85
the distance between
him and the Galatian Church,
00:09:15.88\00:09:18.82
I don't know if
anyone wants to chime in.
00:09:18.85\00:09:20.19
Strained relationship.
00:09:20.22\00:09:21.59
Strained relationship
between him and them,
00:09:21.62\00:09:24.56
whether it came about
00:09:24.59\00:09:25.93
because the Judaizers had
so infiltrated the church,
00:09:25.96\00:09:28.50
maybe turn them against Paul
00:09:28.53\00:09:31.20
and his laborers in the
church previously, I'm not sure,
00:09:31.27\00:09:33.80
but it gives evidence
00:09:33.84\00:09:35.20
that there's a little
strained relationship,
00:09:35.24\00:09:37.81
kind of like the
first letter just says,
00:09:37.84\00:09:39.71
"I greet you in the Lord
instead of I miss you so much."
00:09:39.74\00:09:42.98
There's a
difference there in that."
00:09:43.01\00:09:45.18
So there is the greetings,
00:09:45.21\00:09:46.98
the lack of greeting
in this Book of Galatians,
00:09:47.02\00:09:49.22
then there is
the final exhortation
00:09:49.25\00:09:51.09
and we'll get into
that and discuss that,
00:09:51.12\00:09:53.29
that's what our
discussion is this week.
00:09:53.32\00:09:56.06
Then there is the
personal signature,
00:09:56.09\00:09:57.93
let's look at Galatians 6:11.
00:09:57.96\00:10:01.26
Galatians 6:11, he says,
00:10:01.30\00:10:04.33
"See with what large letters
00:10:04.37\00:10:06.77
I have written to
you with my own hand."
00:10:06.80\00:10:11.71
Now it was customary,
00:10:11.74\00:10:13.64
Paul had his
letters written by a scribe.
00:10:13.68\00:10:16.34
And whether that was due
to the thorn in the flesh,
00:10:16.38\00:10:18.78
if it was due to poor
eyesight or something else
00:10:18.81\00:10:21.18
but he had his letters
usually written by a scribe.
00:10:21.22\00:10:25.92
But
interestingly all his letters
00:10:25.95\00:10:27.62
and you see that
in the other epistles
00:10:27.66\00:10:29.06
if you read the
closing he'll say,
00:10:29.09\00:10:30.43
see I Paul have
signed with my name,
00:10:30.46\00:10:32.53
or I have written, or I have,
00:10:32.56\00:10:34.03
so at the end he would
write a little postscript,
00:10:34.10\00:10:37.03
but in this case it
seems like he's so burdened
00:10:37.07\00:10:41.54
for the church of Galatia.
00:10:41.57\00:10:42.90
He's so burden
for what's going on
00:10:42.94\00:10:45.27
that he is writing a little PS,
00:10:45.31\00:10:47.61
a little postscript here
with his own handwriting.
00:10:47.64\00:10:52.01
In the office we get a lot
of different letters from you
00:10:52.05\00:10:55.68
who write it,
00:10:55.72\00:10:57.05
and any letter that
comes to Danny Shelton
00:10:57.09\00:10:58.95
would cross my desk,
00:10:58.99\00:11:00.39
and we would send a letter back.
00:11:00.42\00:11:02.32
And I put the letters once
they're printed on letterhead,
00:11:02.36\00:11:06.16
on Danny's desk for him to sign.
00:11:06.19\00:11:08.40
Now he comes in
and he looks at them,
00:11:08.43\00:11:10.33
in many letters he
signs his name Danny.
00:11:10.37\00:11:13.84
Some letters get a PS,
00:11:13.87\00:11:16.81
so there's the
typewritten portion
00:11:16.84\00:11:18.74
and then he might
write praying for you,
00:11:18.77\00:11:21.68
written with
his own handwriting.
00:11:21.71\00:11:24.81
Or he might write, thank
you or some other message
00:11:24.88\00:11:29.38
that would be at
the end of the letter.
00:11:29.42\00:11:31.15
So some letters
simply had the signature,
00:11:31.22\00:11:33.56
and I think some of
Paul's epistles had that,
00:11:33.59\00:11:35.62
just a simple
signature or Paul's signature,
00:11:35.66\00:11:38.19
but this one in
particular had extra,
00:11:38.26\00:11:42.83
he was so burdened with
what was going on at the church,
00:11:42.86\00:11:45.60
he shared just a little
extra with the believers there.
00:11:45.63\00:11:50.17
Now we jump over to
Monday, Pastor C.A.,
00:11:50.21\00:11:53.88
and you have
boasting in the flesh.
00:11:53.91\00:11:57.35
Picking up the trajectory that
you've kind of set us on, Jill.
00:11:57.38\00:12:00.62
He says in verse 11,
00:12:00.68\00:12:02.28
"See with large
letters I've written.
00:12:02.32\00:12:04.42
This is, I'm
writing with big letters
00:12:04.45\00:12:07.89
because I really
have a burden for you."
00:12:07.92\00:12:10.33
One of the things
we see in Chapter 6
00:12:10.36\00:12:14.83
as he's coming down to
the close of this letter
00:12:14.83\00:12:17.57
Paul, if I can use this term
is kind of in there pitching
00:12:17.60\00:12:20.00
right to the very end.
00:12:20.04\00:12:21.37
You know, he's
pressing his point forward.
00:12:21.44\00:12:26.81
All of us here
are church officers.
00:12:26.84\00:12:30.31
Couple of pastors, all of
us are certain church boards.
00:12:30.35\00:12:32.98
You know, when you're
dealing with church issues,
00:12:33.01\00:12:37.89
there's never really one issue,
00:12:37.92\00:12:39.79
there's always
layers and text and subtext.
00:12:39.82\00:12:42.82
And you know,
and when, when you,
00:12:42.86\00:12:45.26
pastor comes and
someone gives you a story,
00:12:45.29\00:12:47.76
you kind of want to hear
the other part of the story
00:12:47.83\00:12:49.93
before you make a decision.
00:12:49.96\00:12:51.77
You know, because you can,
00:12:51.80\00:12:53.13
you need to know that
dealing with human beings
00:12:53.17\00:12:55.50
is never really
that linear, that simple,
00:12:55.54\00:12:58.31
it can be very, very complex.
00:12:58.34\00:13:01.34
Paul here as we
come down to the end,
00:13:01.41\00:13:03.45
it's kind of
letting us know that this,
00:13:03.48\00:13:05.55
this is a complex situation,
00:13:05.58\00:13:07.52
this is a multilayered,
multifaceted situation
00:13:07.55\00:13:11.29
that he is wrestling with.
00:13:11.32\00:13:13.66
And so I'm going to
read verses 12 and 13
00:13:13.69\00:13:16.42
from the amplified version,
00:13:16.46\00:13:18.79
because it gives a nice culture
of what we're dealing with.
00:13:18.83\00:13:21.46
He says, "Those who want
to make a good impression..."
00:13:21.50\00:13:25.87
The New King James
says good showing in public,
00:13:25.90\00:13:29.00
and then amplified
adds before the Jews,
00:13:29.04\00:13:32.64
"Try to compel
you to be circumcised,
00:13:32.67\00:13:35.18
just so they will escape being
persecuted for faithfulness
00:13:35.21\00:13:40.05
to the cross of Christ.
00:13:40.08\00:13:42.15
For even the circumcised..."
00:13:42.18\00:13:44.59
The amplified
adds the word Jews,
00:13:44.65\00:13:46.69
"Themselves do not
really keep the law..."
00:13:46.72\00:13:50.29
The word really is added,
00:13:50.33\00:13:51.69
"But they want to
have you circumcised
00:13:51.73\00:13:55.96
so that they may
boast in your flesh..."
00:13:56.00\00:13:59.23
And then this is what is added,
00:13:59.27\00:14:00.87
"That is the fact
that they convinced you
00:14:00.94\00:14:04.37
to be circumcised."
00:14:04.41\00:14:06.31
So if, and the lesson says
that there may be some doubt
00:14:06.34\00:14:10.18
as to their motives
00:14:10.21\00:14:11.71
in the early part of
the Book of Galatians
00:14:11.75\00:14:15.32
because it's kind of alluded
to in Galatians 1:7 and 4:17,
00:14:15.35\00:14:22.26
where Paul says, "They
want to pervert your religion."
00:14:22.29\00:14:26.43
Or 4:17, where he says,
00:14:26.46\00:14:30.73
"They want to
court you for no good."
00:14:30.77\00:14:33.70
You still may come away
with the idea that, well,
00:14:33.74\00:14:36.84
circumcision was something
they really believed in,
00:14:36.87\00:14:40.18
this is a benign kind of
thing, they want you to do well,
00:14:40.21\00:14:44.68
circumcision is
important to them,
00:14:44.71\00:14:47.15
so they want you
to enjoy this right.
00:14:47.18\00:14:50.09
But here Paul, he's
getting to the close now,
00:14:50.12\00:14:53.19
I don't have time to dance
with you or allude the things,
00:14:53.22\00:14:55.82
I'm telling you that
this is not good for you,
00:14:55.86\00:14:59.33
this is not something
that they want for your good,
00:14:59.36\00:15:02.40
they're doing
it for two reasons.
00:15:02.43\00:15:03.93
One, they want to be able to say
00:15:03.97\00:15:06.53
we got you to be like us.
00:15:06.57\00:15:07.90
Yes.
00:15:07.97\00:15:09.30
You know, not to be like Christ,
00:15:09.34\00:15:10.67
we got to do what we want.
00:15:10.71\00:15:12.04
And two, the subtext
is that there were those
00:15:12.07\00:15:18.18
who came from Jerusalem,
the Judaizers really want to,
00:15:18.21\00:15:24.22
and I'll use this term,
I'll invent the term here,
00:15:24.25\00:15:26.79
Jewishish your Christianity.
00:15:26.82\00:15:29.59
They wanted to
Jewishish your Christianity.
00:15:29.62\00:15:32.49
They wanted you to be as close
00:15:32.53\00:15:34.03
to what is
comfortable for them as possible
00:15:34.10\00:15:37.00
because they know one
that the cross is an offense.
00:15:37.03\00:15:40.67
So let's try to
work our way around that,
00:15:40.70\00:15:43.34
let's kind of
massage that a little bit.
00:15:43.37\00:15:45.54
And then two,
Judaism was religio licita,
00:15:45.57\00:15:51.25
it was a
recognized religion in Rome,
00:15:51.28\00:15:53.82
it wasn't celebrated but
at least it was tolerated.
00:15:53.85\00:15:56.75
Yes. Christianity
is religio illicita.
00:15:56.79\00:16:00.29
So let's try to
stay in good standing
00:16:00.32\00:16:03.22
with the legit religion
00:16:03.26\00:16:04.96
so that we
minimize the discomfiture
00:16:04.99\00:16:08.30
of being part of
this new religion.
00:16:08.33\00:16:09.76
So you've got all this
subtext, none of them are good.
00:16:09.80\00:16:13.27
And Paul is saying,
00:16:13.30\00:16:14.64
"None of these
are for your benefit,
00:16:14.67\00:16:16.30
they're looking
out for themselves.
00:16:16.34\00:16:18.21
They're not looking out for you,
00:16:18.24\00:16:19.77
they're not looking out
for your spiritual growth,
00:16:19.81\00:16:21.78
they're just trying to
have as little discomfiture
00:16:21.81\00:16:26.01
as possible for them."
00:16:26.05\00:16:27.48
So they can kind of keep
you close to classic Judaism
00:16:27.52\00:16:31.62
than it's to their benefit
00:16:31.69\00:16:33.22
because one they don't
have to deal with the cross,
00:16:33.25\00:16:35.19
and two, we don't have to deal
with all of this Roman stuff
00:16:35.26\00:16:38.16
because your religion is
illicita and not excepted.
00:16:38.23\00:16:44.93
The words he uses, I
like this idea that, he says,
00:16:44.97\00:16:50.04
"They're doing this to
try to make a good show
00:16:50.07\00:16:52.71
or a good impression."
00:16:52.74\00:16:55.24
The King James says, "A
fair show", the lesson says,
00:16:55.28\00:17:00.58
it's kind of
like putting on a mask
00:17:00.62\00:17:02.65
and looking at the Greek
00:17:02.68\00:17:04.02
as I was sort of
playing with it this morning,
00:17:04.05\00:17:06.22
the idea is that they're
trying to put on a smiley face.
00:17:06.25\00:17:09.69
You know, they're trying
to put a little smiley face
00:17:09.72\00:17:12.03
on this thing.
00:17:12.06\00:17:13.40
So that the world will
look at them positively,
00:17:13.43\00:17:15.26
and of course the
world here is the other Jews
00:17:15.30\00:17:18.33
who are part of this.
00:17:18.37\00:17:19.70
So Paul is saying, "The deal
is that it's not for your good,
00:17:19.73\00:17:26.24
they're really
looking out for themselves."
00:17:26.27\00:17:28.04
And of course Paul contrasts
this by begging the point,
00:17:28.08\00:17:32.78
I'm looking out for
your spiritual good.
00:17:32.81\00:17:34.22
Yes.
00:17:34.25\00:17:35.58
I'm looking out for your growth,
00:17:35.62\00:17:36.95
I'm looking out
for your security
00:17:36.99\00:17:38.72
where as they are
looking out for themselves.
00:17:38.75\00:17:45.69
There's something I want
to look at just in closing
00:17:45.73\00:17:49.73
here that the lesson
says, and I want to find it.
00:17:49.76\00:17:54.87
While you're looking, I'm
just going to say one thing,
00:17:54.90\00:17:56.57
remember the Judaizers
came down "from James",
00:17:56.60\00:17:59.64
it doesn't mean James sent them
but that because it just means
00:17:59.67\00:18:03.98
that they came from
the church in Jerusalem.
00:18:04.01\00:18:05.88
Precisely, yeah.
00:18:05.91\00:18:07.25
So this was after the
Jerusalem Council in 1849.
00:18:07.28\00:18:09.98
So they knew,
the Jerusalem Church
00:18:10.02\00:18:12.62
wasn't practicing this,
00:18:12.65\00:18:14.52
they knew that they
had told the gentiles,
00:18:14.56\00:18:16.83
"You don't have
to be circumcised."
00:18:16.86\00:18:19.43
So these Judaizers were
down there to stir the pot.
00:18:19.46\00:18:22.46
Precisely, precisely.
00:18:22.50\00:18:23.83
They didn't come
with good intentions.
00:18:23.87\00:18:25.20
Yeah, and that's why
they came from Jerusalem
00:18:25.23\00:18:27.04
and they came with that mindset,
00:18:27.07\00:18:28.40
let's try to keep things
as status quo as possible.
00:18:28.47\00:18:30.84
What is interesting though,
00:18:30.87\00:18:33.21
through all of this
you're in '49 or '50,
00:18:33.24\00:18:37.15
in within the next half century,
00:18:37.18\00:18:39.28
it is the Jewish community
that makes the official steps
00:18:39.31\00:18:42.18
to separate
themselves from Christianity.
00:18:42.22\00:18:44.55
The Christian church
was really jettisoned
00:18:44.62\00:18:47.92
from the temples as
opposed to walking away.
00:18:47.99\00:18:50.56
For many, many years, for
most of the first century,
00:18:50.59\00:18:53.19
Christians and
Jews worshiped together,
00:18:53.23\00:18:55.10
but it was the Jews
00:18:55.13\00:18:56.67
through enacting a
certain part of the ceremony
00:18:56.70\00:19:00.07
that really
smoked out Christians,
00:19:00.10\00:19:01.94
and by 100 AD they had
pretty much separated them.
00:19:02.00\00:19:05.61
You know, so these, these
attempts were kind of like
00:19:05.64\00:19:09.54
band-aid attempts
and they really...
00:19:09.58\00:19:12.38
The Christian church was
going to have to separate itself
00:19:12.41\00:19:15.45
if it was going to grow.
00:19:15.48\00:19:17.12
This was not just an
improvement upon Judaism,
00:19:17.15\00:19:22.22
this was a whole new
faith, this was a whole new,
00:19:22.26\00:19:24.66
a whole new way of
looking at the world
00:19:24.69\00:19:26.80
of the acceptance of Jesus,
00:19:26.83\00:19:28.50
and if you've got a
people who is rejecting Jesus
00:19:28.53\00:19:31.07
and your whole
religion is built on Jesus,
00:19:31.10\00:19:33.57
you cannot
coexist for much longer.
00:19:33.60\00:19:35.60
So Paul is trying
to get this church
00:19:35.64\00:19:37.44
to stand on its own two feet
00:19:37.47\00:19:39.17
and realize that these
attempts to Judaize you
00:19:39.21\00:19:42.21
to move you back
are not for your good,
00:19:42.24\00:19:44.38
in fact they are
for your detriment.
00:19:44.41\00:19:46.48
And that's what
he's trying to say.
00:19:46.51\00:19:48.22
Let me just say this.
00:19:48.25\00:19:49.75
Let's look at my time,
okay, "The Jewish leaders,
00:19:49.78\00:19:52.32
the Jewish religious leaders
00:19:52.35\00:19:53.69
still had
significant political influence
00:19:53.72\00:19:55.49
in many areas,
00:19:55.52\00:19:56.86
they had the
official sanction of Rome,
00:19:56.89\00:19:58.76
see, it was a
legitimate religion.
00:19:58.83\00:20:01.16
Hence many Jewish
believers were eager
00:20:01.20\00:20:03.40
to maintain good
relations with them
00:20:03.43\00:20:05.67
by circumcising Gentiles
00:20:05.70\00:20:07.40
and teaching them
to observe the Torah,
00:20:07.44\00:20:09.47
the troublemakers in Galatia
00:20:09.50\00:20:11.27
could find a
point of common ground
00:20:11.31\00:20:13.54
with the local Jew."
00:20:13.58\00:20:14.94
So they're trying to keep
the dust down for themselves,
00:20:14.98\00:20:17.68
not build up this community."
00:20:17.71\00:20:19.35
There's something I
want to say before I'm gone,
00:20:19.38\00:20:22.12
and I've got so
many piece of paper here.
00:20:22.15\00:20:23.69
"Whatever
situation Paul has in mind,
00:20:28.72\00:20:31.43
his meaning is clear,
00:20:31.49\00:20:33.26
all who desire to live godly
00:20:33.29\00:20:35.03
in Christ will
suffer persecution."
00:20:35.06\00:20:38.20
Yes.
00:20:38.23\00:20:39.67
That was true then, it
is definitely true now.
00:20:39.70\00:20:42.50
Yes. And it will not change.
00:20:42.54\00:20:44.64
There was something I
read the other day that said,
00:20:44.67\00:20:47.81
"Whenever we forget
about love and charity
00:20:47.84\00:20:50.81
and growth in Christ,
00:20:50.85\00:20:52.38
then our religion can
be used for any sort of,
00:20:52.41\00:20:54.95
any number of negative things,
00:20:54.98\00:20:56.85
it can be used
to keep people down,
00:20:56.89\00:20:58.85
it can be used
to keep people out,
00:20:58.89\00:21:00.76
it can be used to
turn people away from God.
00:21:00.79\00:21:03.39
It can become a
tool of oppression
00:21:03.43\00:21:06.46
as opposed to a
tool of freedom."
00:21:06.49\00:21:08.66
And I think Paul is so strident
00:21:08.73\00:21:10.57
and so strong and
risk alienating them.
00:21:10.60\00:21:14.57
He says, "I will
become your enemy,
00:21:14.60\00:21:15.94
I've got to tell you the truth."
00:21:15.97\00:21:18.84
Risk alienating them
00:21:18.87\00:21:21.18
because he wants them
to be on the right path.
00:21:21.21\00:21:23.11
And if I've got
to be your enemy,
00:21:23.14\00:21:25.48
I'd rather risk being your enemy
00:21:25.51\00:21:27.58
than risk having you
lose your way to Jesus Christ.
00:21:27.62\00:21:30.39
That's the
balance I've got to tread,
00:21:30.42\00:21:32.12
and I'm willing to do that
00:21:32.15\00:21:33.49
but ultimately I want you saved,
00:21:33.52\00:21:35.82
I want you to understand
that you are now in freedom
00:21:35.86\00:21:39.26
and I don't want to see
you ever back in bondage.
00:21:39.29\00:21:41.60
And he's solid with it
and he's secure with that
00:21:41.63\00:21:44.97
because that's his
burden for this church.
00:21:45.00\00:21:47.00
You know, one of the
reasons I think he was so solid
00:21:47.04\00:21:49.50
in that is because he had
experienced freedom in Christ.
00:21:49.54\00:21:51.54
Precisely.
00:21:51.61\00:21:52.94
So once you have
experienced something,
00:21:52.97\00:21:54.98
you want to
share it with others.
00:21:55.01\00:21:57.51
Brother John, you
have boasting in the cross.
00:21:57.55\00:22:00.15
Yes, we move
over to Tuesday lesson
00:22:00.18\00:22:02.88
and it is entitled
boasting in the cross
00:22:02.92\00:22:06.65
which at first glance,
00:22:06.69\00:22:09.42
when we think of
the word boast today
00:22:09.46\00:22:11.66
sounds like a
negative type of thing.
00:22:11.69\00:22:14.83
But let's look
at Galatians 6:14,
00:22:14.83\00:22:18.67
in the lesson we
read Galatians 6,
00:22:18.70\00:22:23.24
actually from the
Bible, verse 14, it says,
00:22:23.27\00:22:26.31
"But God forbid
that I should glory,
00:22:26.34\00:22:29.84
save in the cross of
our Lord Jesus Christ,
00:22:29.88\00:22:32.68
by whom the world
is crucified unto me,
00:22:32.71\00:22:35.75
and I unto the world."
00:22:35.78\00:22:38.39
Now the title for Tuesday
00:22:38.42\00:22:39.82
is taken from the
New King James Version
00:22:39.85\00:22:42.62
and these are the
words found there,
00:22:42.66\00:22:45.26
but God forbid
that I should boast
00:22:45.33\00:22:47.13
except in the cross
of our Lord Jesus Christ
00:22:47.13\00:22:50.33
by whom the world
has been crucified to me,
00:22:50.37\00:22:52.70
and I to the world.
00:22:52.73\00:22:54.20
So this idea of
boasting in the cross
00:22:54.24\00:22:56.94
or glorying in the
cross really is a shock
00:22:56.97\00:23:02.44
when Paul
expressed himself that way
00:23:02.48\00:23:04.15
especially to the
Jews for a few reasons,
00:23:04.18\00:23:08.52
and we will take a
look at that as we move on.
00:23:08.55\00:23:13.02
I want to go to a scripture
found in the Old Testament
00:23:13.05\00:23:17.49
and this is found
in Jeremiah 9:23-24,
00:23:17.53\00:23:22.80
and I would like to
ask one of the kind souls
00:23:22.83\00:23:25.13
close to me.
00:23:25.17\00:23:26.50
Jeremiah what? Chapter 9:23-24.
00:23:26.53\00:23:30.01
Sister Shelley, you
look like you're near.
00:23:30.04\00:23:32.01
I'm almost there,
almost there, Jeremiah 9.
00:23:32.07\00:23:35.38
Oh, Pastor C.A.
has already got it.
00:23:35.44\00:23:36.78
C.A. has already got it.
00:23:36.81\00:23:38.15
Okay. Verse 23 and 24.
00:23:38.18\00:23:39.51
"Thus saith the Lord:
00:23:39.55\00:23:40.88
"Let not the wise
man glory in his wisdom,
00:23:40.92\00:23:43.62
let not the mighty
man glory in his might,
00:23:43.65\00:23:46.55
nor let the rich
man glory in his riches,
00:23:46.59\00:23:49.12
but let him who
glories glory in this,
00:23:49.16\00:23:52.49
that he
understands and knows Me,
00:23:52.53\00:23:55.13
that I am the Lord,
exercise in loving kindness,
00:23:55.16\00:23:57.77
judgment, and
righteousness in the earth,
00:23:57.80\00:24:00.60
for in these I
delight, says the Lord."
00:24:00.64\00:24:03.77
Thank you so much.
00:24:03.81\00:24:05.37
And so we see
here in this scripture
00:24:05.41\00:24:07.94
that we are being told that
00:24:07.98\00:24:11.11
we should not glory
in wisdom, nor money,
00:24:11.15\00:24:13.68
nor in any other
thing, but in the knowledge
00:24:13.72\00:24:17.59
they are going to
stand and know the Lord.
00:24:17.62\00:24:18.95
Yes.
00:24:18.99\00:24:20.32
So when Paul says
00:24:20.36\00:24:21.82
that he is
glorying in the cross,
00:24:21.86\00:24:27.20
we have to try to
get into his thinking
00:24:27.23\00:24:29.50
or understand what
he's trying to say.
00:24:29.53\00:24:31.80
He's really saying that
the cross helps him to see God
00:24:31.83\00:24:36.40
in a perspective
unlike ever before.
00:24:36.44\00:24:42.51
Because here we have John 3:16,
00:24:42.54\00:24:46.08
it says, "God so loved the world
00:24:46.11\00:24:47.65
that He gave His
only begotten Son
00:24:47.68\00:24:49.78
that whosoever believeth
in Him should not perish
00:24:49.82\00:24:51.92
but have everlasting life."
00:24:51.95\00:24:53.56
The cross reminds Paul
that God loved him so much
00:24:53.59\00:24:58.56
that He was
willing to become a man,
00:24:58.59\00:25:01.46
Jesus became a man and
died on the cross for us.
00:25:01.50\00:25:05.90
And so it is not just
the instrument of the cross
00:25:05.93\00:25:09.07
that Paul is thinking about,
00:25:09.10\00:25:10.44
he's thinking about
Jesus who died on the cross.
00:25:10.47\00:25:14.04
Amen.
00:25:14.08\00:25:15.41
And when Paul says that
he is the chief of sinners,
00:25:15.44\00:25:20.38
he's thinking wow, for
me Jesus was willing to die.
00:25:20.42\00:25:27.09
So for this reason Paul can say
that he glories in the cross.
00:25:27.12\00:25:32.46
Now again to the Jews,
it was a shock to hear what?
00:25:32.49\00:25:36.53
The cross, it was an
offense as Pastor C.A mentioned,
00:25:36.56\00:25:40.74
it was for them,
00:25:40.77\00:25:42.14
for the Jewish mind it
was an offense to think
00:25:42.17\00:25:44.37
that the Messiah
on a cross crucified.
00:25:44.41\00:25:49.18
No, God forbid,
because for the Jewish person,
00:25:49.21\00:25:54.68
the Messiah was
supposed to restore
00:25:54.72\00:25:57.09
the people of
Israel to prominence
00:25:57.12\00:25:59.12
and being on top
of the world let say.
00:25:59.15\00:26:02.96
But here is Jesus that
comes and dies on the cross.
00:26:02.99\00:26:09.43
This was a shock
to the Jewish person
00:26:09.46\00:26:12.57
and really they
did not understand
00:26:12.60\00:26:15.27
the gospel and that,
00:26:15.34\00:26:18.94
the things that was
mentioned by John the Baptist.
00:26:19.01\00:26:22.78
And I usually ask
myself, well, they really,
00:26:22.81\00:26:25.18
John the Baptist
understand when he said,
00:26:25.25\00:26:27.12
"Behold the Lamb of God
00:26:27.15\00:26:29.92
which taketh away
the sins of the world."
00:26:29.95\00:26:33.05
And so here,
Paul is shocking them
00:26:33.09\00:26:35.46
by saying that he
glories in the cross.
00:26:35.49\00:26:39.56
So the idea of this
is shocking to the world.
00:26:39.59\00:26:43.33
And even, even
to the Jewish mind
00:26:43.37\00:26:47.60
but even to the
Romans, the Romans,
00:26:47.64\00:26:51.61
to them the cross itself
was such a horrible thing
00:26:51.67\00:26:56.58
that it was not even lawful
00:26:56.61\00:26:59.31
for a Roman to
be put on a cross.
00:26:59.35\00:27:02.45
It was so repulsive that
it was not even mentioned
00:27:02.48\00:27:04.99
as a form of punishment
suitable for a Roman citizen.
00:27:05.02\00:27:08.69
Oh, no, this has
to be somebody else,
00:27:08.76\00:27:10.66
somebody that's not a
Roman that is put on the cross.
00:27:10.69\00:27:13.09
And so I want to
bring you another thought
00:27:13.13\00:27:16.03
that the Bible says, it says,
00:27:16.06\00:27:18.27
"Cursed is anyone that is, what?
00:27:18.33\00:27:20.57
Hanged on a
tree. Hanged on a tree.
00:27:20.60\00:27:22.97
So when the
scribes and the Pharisees
00:27:23.00\00:27:26.61
and the high priest
wanted to bring Jesus to death,
00:27:26.64\00:27:32.31
they were happy that He was
going to be put on the cross
00:27:32.35\00:27:34.95
because to them it was
a message to all the Jews,
00:27:34.98\00:27:39.35
this man is so bad the
He's being hung on a tree.
00:27:39.39\00:27:43.09
This man is so bad that
there's no hope for Him,
00:27:43.12\00:27:45.29
He's cursed.
00:27:45.33\00:27:47.30
And so that was a message
00:27:47.30\00:27:50.20
that the leaders were
trying to bring to the Jews,
00:27:50.23\00:27:54.47
don't follow this
man, he's cursed of God.
00:27:54.50\00:27:57.97
And so to them it
was a shock, the cross,
00:27:58.01\00:28:01.34
but today you see people there,
00:28:01.38\00:28:05.91
if you drive a few
miles north of here on 57,
00:28:05.95\00:28:09.82
there's a monument and
there's a big large cross.
00:28:09.85\00:28:12.85
That's right.
00:28:12.89\00:28:14.22
I think they call
it Bald Knob Cross
00:28:14.26\00:28:16.52
and it's lit up.
00:28:16.56\00:28:18.89
We're not to worship
the cross by the way.
00:28:18.93\00:28:21.53
We're not to worship the cross
00:28:21.56\00:28:22.90
but to remind us that a Savior
came and died on the cross,
00:28:22.93\00:28:27.10
that is Jesus Christ.
00:28:27.14\00:28:28.80
And so when I
think of what Paul says
00:28:28.87\00:28:32.44
that he glories in the cross,
00:28:32.47\00:28:36.95
I am reminded what
he says in Romans 1.
00:28:36.98\00:28:40.18
Romans Chapter 1,
00:28:40.22\00:28:41.55
and I'd like ask a sweet
kind loving Christian near me
00:28:41.58\00:28:47.32
to read Romans 1:16-17.
00:28:47.36\00:28:51.03
And who would do
that for us, please?
00:28:51.06\00:28:53.56
Who fills up to
that categories qualify.
00:28:53.60\00:28:56.70
Pastor Tom, please.
00:28:56.73\00:28:58.07
Hey, you want me to
read Romans 1 verse, what?
00:28:58.10\00:29:00.27
Sixteen. Sixteen and seventeen.
00:29:00.30\00:29:01.64
Okay.
00:29:01.67\00:29:03.07
"For I am not ashamed
of the gospel of Christ,
00:29:03.10\00:29:04.64
for it is the power of God
the salvation for every one
00:29:04.67\00:29:07.61
who believes for the Jew
first, and also for the Greek.
00:29:07.64\00:29:11.38
For in it the
righteousness of God
00:29:11.41\00:29:13.98
is revealed from faith
to faith, as it is written,
00:29:14.02\00:29:16.95
the just shall live by faith."
00:29:16.99\00:29:19.25
Thank you so much.
00:29:19.32\00:29:20.66
So we see, I am
reminded of this one.
00:29:20.69\00:29:22.42
Paul says, I glory in the cross
00:29:22.49\00:29:24.66
because he's not ashamed
of what Jesus did for him,
00:29:24.69\00:29:28.70
he glories in the thought
00:29:28.73\00:29:31.03
that Jesus was
willing to die for him.
00:29:31.07\00:29:35.54
And so for me this is a
powerful, powerful message
00:29:35.57\00:29:38.37
that Paul is bringing out
that he glories in the cross
00:29:38.41\00:29:41.71
and whom died on the cross,
00:29:41.74\00:29:43.91
who died on the
cross, that is Jesus Christ.
00:29:43.95\00:29:46.15
And I want to bring
out another thought here
00:29:46.18\00:29:48.15
before we end and that is
the last part of this verse.
00:29:48.18\00:29:53.56
I will read again,
00:29:53.59\00:29:54.92
"But God forbid
that I should glory save
00:29:54.96\00:29:56.76
in the cross of
our Lord Jesus Christ."
00:29:56.79\00:30:00.13
He doesn't separate
the cross from Jesus
00:30:00.16\00:30:02.66
when he's saying he
glories in the cross
00:30:02.70\00:30:04.40
is because of Jesus.
00:30:04.43\00:30:06.23
"By whom the world is crucified
unto me, and I unto the world."
00:30:06.27\00:30:11.14
This is
connected by what he says,
00:30:11.17\00:30:13.58
to what he says
in the first part.
00:30:13.61\00:30:15.24
So what is the difference?
00:30:15.28\00:30:16.81
What difference is the
cross making Paul's relationship
00:30:16.85\00:30:19.61
to the world, to him he says,
the world is crucified unto me.
00:30:19.65\00:30:25.79
Amen.
00:30:25.85\00:30:27.19
He was not
attracted by the world,
00:30:27.22\00:30:28.72
he was not attracted
anymore to reach a high position
00:30:28.76\00:30:31.83
in the hierarchy of
the Jewish structure.
00:30:31.89\00:30:34.00
Amen.
00:30:34.00\00:30:35.33
He was...
00:30:35.36\00:30:37.57
He had crucified the world
and the things of the world
00:30:37.60\00:30:40.14
and the desires
of all the world.
00:30:40.17\00:30:43.07
So I would like to go
to 1 John 2, for this.
00:30:43.10\00:30:47.54
In 1 John 2, we have a message
00:30:47.58\00:30:52.18
that we need to bring out
00:30:52.21\00:30:53.55
before my time
is over in this one.
00:30:53.58\00:30:56.38
In 1 John 2, we're
going to read verses 15-17.
00:30:56.42\00:31:01.86
1 John 2:15-17,
"Do not love the world
00:31:01.89\00:31:05.89
or the things in the world.
00:31:05.93\00:31:07.23
If anyone loves the world,
00:31:07.30\00:31:08.60
the love of the
Father is not in him.
00:31:08.63\00:31:10.43
For all that is in the
world, the lust of the flesh,
00:31:10.47\00:31:13.67
the lust of the eyes,
00:31:13.70\00:31:15.04
and the pride of
life is not of the Father
00:31:15.07\00:31:17.37
but is of the world.
00:31:17.41\00:31:18.94
And the world is
passing away and the lust of it,
00:31:18.97\00:31:22.51
but he who does the
will of God abides forever."
00:31:22.54\00:31:26.41
Amen. Amen.
00:31:26.45\00:31:27.78
And so, for Paul, the
world is crucified unto him.
00:31:27.82\00:31:33.29
So he looked,
looked at this that way
00:31:33.32\00:31:36.86
because as we read
the lust of the flesh,
00:31:36.89\00:31:38.76
and the lust of the eyes,
00:31:38.79\00:31:40.13
and the pride of
life is not of the Father
00:31:40.16\00:31:41.46
but is of the world.
00:31:41.50\00:31:42.86
And the one that remains is God.
00:31:42.90\00:31:45.90
And so I see Paul saying
that he glories in the cross
00:31:45.97\00:31:49.74
because it reminds him
that Jesus died for him.
00:31:49.77\00:31:53.51
And I think most of
us can identify with Paul
00:31:53.54\00:31:56.11
when he says, "I am
the chief of sinners,"
00:31:56.14\00:31:58.21
and to think that for us
Jesus was willing to die.
00:31:58.25\00:32:01.88
Amen.
00:32:01.92\00:32:03.32
It's something that
we should rejoice in
00:32:03.35\00:32:04.75
and when he says,
I glory in the cross,
00:32:04.79\00:32:07.19
is that he rejoices,
00:32:07.22\00:32:08.79
he's happy to know
that Jesus died for him.
00:32:08.82\00:32:11.56
Amen. Amen, amen.
00:32:11.59\00:32:12.93
You know, I'm so glad
00:32:12.96\00:32:14.30
that we have this
epistle to the Galatians
00:32:14.30\00:32:16.46
because I know it
straighten them out
00:32:16.50\00:32:18.80
but it, it helps I
mean, it helps us so much.
00:32:18.87\00:32:23.47
And nobody else in
his own handwriting,
00:32:23.51\00:32:25.71
this is some of my favorite.
00:32:25.74\00:32:27.68
You know, and I have to
ask what Paul has written here
00:32:27.71\00:32:30.08
from verse 11 to 18,
00:32:30.11\00:32:32.88
it's so incredible in Chapter 6.
00:32:32.91\00:32:34.95
So as you just focused on,
00:32:34.98\00:32:36.72
Johnny, we saw that in verse 14,
00:32:36.75\00:32:40.39
he's emphasizing the
cross of Christ as the greatest,
00:32:40.42\00:32:44.93
most important
essential element,
00:32:44.96\00:32:48.36
the foundation of Christianity.
00:32:48.40\00:32:50.57
Amen.
00:32:50.60\00:32:51.93
But now he goes on to verse 15,
00:32:51.97\00:32:54.27
and now he is going to emphasize
00:32:54.30\00:32:56.77
the second fundamental tenet
00:32:56.81\00:32:59.77
that he is
promoting in this book.
00:32:59.81\00:33:02.44
And he says, "For
in Christ Jesus..."
00:33:02.51\00:33:05.21
I'm in Galatians 6:15,
00:33:05.25\00:33:08.85
"In Christ Jesus,
neither circumcision
00:33:08.92\00:33:12.39
nor
uncircumcision avails anything."
00:33:12.42\00:33:16.26
I mean, he's
basically saying circumcision
00:33:16.29\00:33:19.03
by itself is irrelevant.
00:33:19.06\00:33:20.76
And you know,
throughout this whole epistle,
00:33:20.80\00:33:23.63
he's used really
strong language against it
00:33:23.67\00:33:27.57
but he doesn't want...
00:33:27.60\00:33:29.67
I think he doesn't want
the Galatians to conclude that,
00:33:29.70\00:33:32.61
it's more pleasing to
God to be uncircumcised
00:33:32.67\00:33:36.14
than it is to be
circumcised because he's saying,
00:33:36.18\00:33:38.28
"Hey, this isn't what
matters, you know, don't,
00:33:38.31\00:33:41.12
we can just be just
as legally legalistic
00:33:41.15\00:33:44.95
about we do is
what we don't do."
00:33:44.99\00:33:47.06
So true religion is
not an external behavior.
00:33:47.09\00:33:52.23
What he says here is,
00:33:52.29\00:33:54.10
"Neither
circumcision nor uncircumcision
00:33:54.10\00:33:57.17
avails anything
in Christ Jesus..."
00:33:57.20\00:34:00.70
But now he's gonna
say what it's all about,
00:34:00.74\00:34:04.44
"But a new creation."
00:34:04.47\00:34:07.64
Hallelujah.
00:34:07.68\00:34:09.98
You know, I think
back to what Jesus said
00:34:10.01\00:34:13.58
to the Pharisees
when He told them,
00:34:13.62\00:34:17.72
you're nothing but
a whitewashed tomb.
00:34:17.75\00:34:20.32
In other words, externally
they obeyed all these laws
00:34:20.36\00:34:24.23
and all the rabbinical laws,
00:34:24.26\00:34:26.19
and they seem so
pious and wonderful.
00:34:26.23\00:34:28.83
But Jesus said,
"You're whitewashed tomb,
00:34:28.86\00:34:31.13
you look good on the outside
00:34:31.17\00:34:33.54
but you're full of
uncleaned dead men's bones
00:34:33.57\00:34:37.27
on the inside."
00:34:37.31\00:34:38.64
So true religion is a
condition of the heart,
00:34:38.67\00:34:42.94
it's a total transformation
to become a new creation,
00:34:43.01\00:34:47.65
so what does that mean?
00:34:47.68\00:34:50.09
Let's look at 2
Corinthians 5:17,
00:34:50.12\00:34:54.29
2 Corinthians 5:17.
00:34:54.32\00:34:57.36
Amen.
00:34:57.39\00:34:58.76
If he's saying that when
we live in union with Christ,
00:34:58.79\00:35:02.10
nothing else matters that would,
00:35:02.16\00:35:03.87
but that we
become a new creation.
00:35:03.90\00:35:05.90
So, Johnny, why don't
you read 2 Corinthians 5:17?
00:35:05.93\00:35:09.10
Oh, thank you very much.
00:35:09.17\00:35:11.11
"Therefore, if
anyone is in Christ,
00:35:11.14\00:35:14.28
he is a new creature."
00:35:14.31\00:35:16.91
Creature or
creation is used in some.
00:35:16.95\00:35:18.78
"Old things, wonderful news,
old things have passed away,
00:35:18.81\00:35:22.75
behold, all
things have become new."
00:35:22.78\00:35:25.39
Hallelujah, this is
something I claim all the time
00:35:25.42\00:35:27.96
as an affirmation I
speak that over myself,
00:35:27.99\00:35:30.33
and also I thank
you Father that I,
00:35:30.36\00:35:32.16
because of You
I'm in Christ Jesus,
00:35:32.19\00:35:33.86
thank you Father,
that I am a new creation,
00:35:33.90\00:35:37.07
and thank you that
the old things have passed
00:35:37.10\00:35:39.37
and the new things have come.
00:35:39.40\00:35:41.50
And you know what? I
don't always feel that way.
00:35:41.54\00:35:43.71
Sometimes I feel like
the old still hanging around,
00:35:43.74\00:35:46.01
but I'm going by faith.
00:35:46.04\00:35:47.61
See human effort cannot achieve
this idea of a new creation.
00:35:47.64\00:35:54.35
This is the divine act of God.
00:35:54.38\00:35:56.62
It is when the
Holy Spirit breeze,
00:35:56.65\00:35:59.92
God breeze on you and
there's this regeneration
00:35:59.95\00:36:03.86
by the Holy Spirit.
00:36:03.89\00:36:05.23
He breeze
spiritual life into someone
00:36:05.26\00:36:07.50
who is spiritually dead.
00:36:07.50\00:36:09.90
And you're justified by faith
00:36:09.93\00:36:12.00
and it's more than just
00:36:12.03\00:36:13.37
changing your
record books in heaven.
00:36:13.40\00:36:15.84
What happens is
you're completely changed
00:36:15.87\00:36:18.21
from the inside out
because he is beginning,
00:36:18.24\00:36:21.24
I mean, you died
to the old nature,
00:36:21.28\00:36:24.51
anyway I always say,
00:36:24.55\00:36:25.88
justification
is a legal process,
00:36:25.95\00:36:27.68
it's changing the record books,
00:36:27.72\00:36:29.52
but we've got to
realize this new creation thing
00:36:29.55\00:36:32.59
is that now you're
being sanctified as well.
00:36:32.62\00:36:37.13
So when we're
changed from the inside out,
00:36:37.16\00:36:41.46
it's death.
00:36:41.50\00:36:42.86
You know, Paul says,
00:36:42.90\00:36:44.23
"I've been
crucified to the world."
00:36:44.27\00:36:45.60
He's saying,
"Through Christ Jesus,
00:36:45.63\00:36:48.37
I have died to sin,
00:36:48.40\00:36:50.11
I've died to the world,
to the lusts of the world,
00:36:50.14\00:36:52.97
the world's dying to me."
00:36:53.01\00:36:54.78
And I just want to ask you,
00:36:54.81\00:36:56.75
and I ask myself
this all the time,
00:36:56.78\00:36:58.78
so I'm not pointing fingers.
00:36:58.81\00:37:00.28
If I pointed a
finger toward anybody there
00:37:00.32\00:37:02.95
before pointing back toward me.
00:37:03.02\00:37:05.15
But the point is, are
you crucified to the world?
00:37:05.19\00:37:10.76
Is the world crucified to you?
00:37:10.79\00:37:13.60
I ask myself this all the time.
00:37:13.63\00:37:15.53
You know, people get so attached
00:37:15.56\00:37:18.30
to worldly television programs
00:37:18.33\00:37:20.10
that they probably
shouldn't even be watching.
00:37:20.14\00:37:22.44
I heard a good
group of Christians
00:37:22.50\00:37:24.51
they were not from our church,
00:37:24.54\00:37:26.27
I was in a doctor's office
00:37:26.31\00:37:27.64
and they were talking about
00:37:27.68\00:37:29.14
how they had to
get home to see...
00:37:29.18\00:37:32.08
Something.
00:37:32.11\00:37:33.45
Yeah, something,
modern family is what it was.
00:37:33.48\00:37:35.58
And, and you know,
things that are promoting things
00:37:35.62\00:37:37.52
that are not so
godly, and it's something
00:37:37.55\00:37:40.02
that we can't let
the things of the world.
00:37:40.06\00:37:42.52
The devil does
something very interesting.
00:37:42.56\00:37:44.83
He will always, he
doesn't hand you sin
00:37:44.86\00:37:48.30
in a brown paper
bag like a garbage bag.
00:37:48.33\00:37:52.40
He wraps it up in shiny
foil puts this little bow on it
00:37:52.43\00:37:57.67
and he hands you
this beautiful package.
00:37:57.71\00:38:00.88
And it's nothing more
than gift wrapped garbage.
00:38:00.91\00:38:04.25
But now somebody read
for me please, John 3,
00:38:04.28\00:38:08.52
we'll read verses
5 and 6, John 3:5-6,
00:38:08.55\00:38:12.99
because as we die to self
00:38:13.05\00:38:15.82
and identify with
the crucified Christ.
00:38:15.86\00:38:18.83
When we're
being raised up again,
00:38:18.86\00:38:21.06
new life is being
communicated to us
00:38:21.10\00:38:24.33
through the spirit and the word.
00:38:24.37\00:38:26.10
C.A., John 3:5-6?
00:38:26.13\00:38:28.64
John 3:5, Jesus answered,
00:38:28.67\00:38:30.37
"Most assuredly I say to
you unless one is born of water
00:38:30.41\00:38:34.58
and the Spirit he cannot
enter the Kingdom of God.
00:38:34.61\00:38:38.48
That which is
born of flesh is flesh
00:38:38.51\00:38:41.88
and that which is
born of spirit is spirit."
00:38:41.92\00:38:45.29
So becoming a new creation
00:38:45.32\00:38:47.46
begins with being
born of the spirit.
00:38:47.49\00:38:49.59
I'm going to read Titus 3:4-7,
I've got to get this in here.
00:38:49.62\00:38:54.83
Titus 3:4-7.
00:38:54.83\00:38:59.30
And what Paul
writes to Titus is this,
00:38:59.37\00:39:03.14
"When the kindness
and the love of God
00:39:03.20\00:39:05.14
our Savior toward man appeared,
00:39:05.17\00:39:08.08
not by works of righteousness
which we have done..."
00:39:08.11\00:39:10.65
There's nothing we
can do to save ourself.
00:39:10.68\00:39:13.28
"But according to
His mercy He saved us,
00:39:13.31\00:39:16.69
through the
washing of regeneration
00:39:16.75\00:39:19.45
and renewing of
the Holy Spirit..."
00:39:19.52\00:39:22.72
This is a spiritual cleansing.
00:39:22.79\00:39:25.03
This is God's divine action
initiated by the Holy Spirit.
00:39:25.06\00:39:29.80
He says, so the
washing of regeneration
00:39:29.83\00:39:33.07
that, that means new birth,
00:39:33.10\00:39:35.57
it's through the spiritual birth
00:39:35.60\00:39:38.17
and the renewing
of the Holy Spirit.
00:39:38.21\00:39:40.61
"Whom He poured out on us
00:39:40.64\00:39:42.68
abundantly through
Jesus Christ our Savior,
00:39:42.71\00:39:45.45
that having been
justified by His grace
00:39:45.48\00:39:48.85
we should become heirs
00:39:48.88\00:39:51.35
according to the
hope of eternal life."
00:39:51.39\00:39:54.32
So when you're a new creation,
00:39:54.36\00:39:56.46
you're born again
by the Spirit of God,
00:39:56.49\00:39:59.43
but the word
plays an important part
00:39:59.46\00:40:03.77
because James
1:18, James says that,
00:40:03.80\00:40:08.44
"Of God's own will,
00:40:08.47\00:40:09.80
He brought us forth
by the word of truth."
00:40:09.84\00:40:14.11
And then in 1 Peter 123,
00:40:14.14\00:40:16.88
Peter tells us that
we have been born again
00:40:16.91\00:40:19.31
not of corruptible seed...
00:40:19.35\00:40:20.68
Yes.
00:40:20.72\00:40:22.05
But incorruptible
through the living
00:40:22.08\00:40:24.45
and enduring Word of God.
00:40:24.49\00:40:27.46
And then in Ephesians 5:25-26,
00:40:27.49\00:40:32.79
Paul writes that,
00:40:32.83\00:40:34.76
"Christ loved the church
and He gave Himself for her
00:40:34.83\00:40:38.70
that he might sanctify
or set her apart from evil.
00:40:38.73\00:40:43.57
And cleanse her
with the washing of water
00:40:43.61\00:40:48.48
by the word.
00:40:48.51\00:40:50.48
So when we become a new creation
00:40:50.51\00:40:53.75
and we're born again we,
00:40:53.78\00:40:56.25
you know, 2
Corinthians 130 says,
00:40:56.28\00:40:58.69
"Christ is our wisdom from
God, He's our sanctification,
00:40:58.72\00:41:01.72
our justification,
He is our righteousness,
00:41:01.76\00:41:04.16
our redemption."
00:41:04.19\00:41:05.83
We're just, we're
sanctified the Bible says,
00:41:05.89\00:41:08.40
by His blood, by His body.
00:41:08.43\00:41:10.33
It says, "The
Father sanctifies us,
00:41:10.37\00:41:12.27
says the Holy Spirit
sanctifies us unto obedience."
00:41:12.30\00:41:15.87
The Holy Spirit works
to sanctify us, John 17:17,
00:41:15.90\00:41:19.77
Jesus said that, "Oh, Lord
sanctify them by Your truth,
00:41:19.84\00:41:22.41
Your word is truth."
00:41:22.44\00:41:23.78
Amen.
00:41:23.81\00:41:25.15
So He is working to sanctify us,
00:41:25.18\00:41:27.98
He's washing us by
the water of the Word.
00:41:28.02\00:41:31.92
So this is, we've got
that washing of regeneration.
00:41:31.95\00:41:36.59
And that's what
baptism is symbolic of
00:41:36.62\00:41:40.16
when we've been born
again, we've been washed
00:41:40.20\00:41:42.33
by the Holy
Spirit this regeneration,
00:41:42.40\00:41:44.67
that's what baptism symbolic of.
00:41:44.70\00:41:47.14
But then the
renewable of the Holy Spirit
00:41:47.17\00:41:49.47
is it he takes the Word of God
00:41:49.54\00:41:52.17
and he's constantly washing
us by the water of that Word
00:41:52.21\00:41:56.01
to sanctify us and to
keep us pure and clean.
00:41:56.08\00:42:00.65
So I don't have time
for the rest of my notes,
00:42:00.68\00:42:03.45
but it's just
such a wonderful thing
00:42:03.49\00:42:06.52
to be a new creation in Christ.
00:42:06.55\00:42:08.46
You have to accept
it as Romans 4:17 says,
00:42:08.49\00:42:11.43
"God calls things that are
not as though they already were,
00:42:11.46\00:42:14.86
he's the God that
gives life to the dead."
00:42:14.93\00:42:16.87
You've got to believe,
00:42:16.90\00:42:18.23
this is God's
testimony about you.
00:42:18.27\00:42:19.60
You're a new
creation in Christ Jesus,
00:42:19.67\00:42:22.24
and do not ever let the
devil convince you otherwise.
00:42:22.27\00:42:27.14
Amen. Amen.
00:42:27.18\00:42:28.68
Wow, final
remarks, can we believe it?
00:42:28.71\00:42:32.65
Final remarks I had 14 lessons
00:42:32.68\00:42:35.82
before you have
the final remarks,
00:42:35.85\00:42:37.75
Jill, for us tonight today.
00:42:37.79\00:42:40.09
You know, as we
went through the panel
00:42:40.12\00:42:42.32
all I could think about
00:42:42.36\00:42:43.69
is how Paul was
forging new ground.
00:42:43.73\00:42:46.66
Yes.
00:42:46.73\00:42:48.03
He talked about the
culture of the Jews,
00:42:48.06\00:42:50.33
the culture in Rome and
how Judaism was accepted,
00:42:50.37\00:42:56.00
but then there was a season
00:42:56.04\00:42:57.37
where Rome
tolerated Christianity
00:42:57.41\00:43:00.41
because it was tied to Judaism.
00:43:00.44\00:43:02.61
And eventually they
were out on their own
00:43:02.64\00:43:05.31
because it was a unique path,
00:43:05.35\00:43:07.12
a new trail that
was being blazed.
00:43:07.15\00:43:09.72
And Paul received kick back
and persecution all the time
00:43:09.75\00:43:14.76
as a result of being
faithful to the call.
00:43:14.79\00:43:17.63
And I think
individual in our lives,
00:43:17.66\00:43:19.63
there's that kind of
a call to something new
00:43:19.66\00:43:21.66
and different in our
lives that sometimes people
00:43:21.70\00:43:24.03
that were closed to us
need to become acquaintances.
00:43:24.07\00:43:27.20
We need to align
ourselves with people
00:43:27.24\00:43:28.97
that are thinking
in the same manner.
00:43:29.00\00:43:31.87
But I'm also thinking about,
00:43:31.91\00:43:33.54
in Adventism
maybe there is a call
00:43:33.58\00:43:36.58
which is a remnant call,
00:43:36.64\00:43:38.35
which would be that fourth angel
00:43:38.38\00:43:41.02
that God is calling individuals
00:43:41.05\00:43:42.58
like he did to Apostle
Paul to forged the way.
00:43:42.62\00:43:44.72
I know there are some
that are actually doing that,
00:43:44.75\00:43:47.16
that we have in our,
in the Adventist faith.
00:43:47.19\00:43:49.62
And, but I want us to
turn back to Galatians 6.
00:43:49.66\00:43:54.03
And I have the last few
verses which kind of sum up,
00:43:58.30\00:44:03.34
finish up this letter
here and it says in verse 16,
00:44:03.37\00:44:06.57
"And as many as walk
according to this rule."
00:44:06.61\00:44:09.88
Now, when you see that word rule
00:44:09.94\00:44:11.48
in the original language,
00:44:11.51\00:44:12.85
we're looking
at, it's a standard,
00:44:12.91\00:44:14.42
it is a measuring rod,
00:44:14.45\00:44:15.85
it is something that
he's trying to get the point
00:44:15.88\00:44:18.85
across as it's been
mentioned by the panel.
00:44:18.89\00:44:21.72
There is an
influence that the Judaizers
00:44:21.76\00:44:24.26
are having in the church,
00:44:24.29\00:44:26.03
and Paul comes and goes
or he's writing letters,
00:44:26.09\00:44:29.10
his influence is
only so go so far
00:44:29.13\00:44:32.17
in each and every church.
00:44:32.20\00:44:33.54
You know, pastors
know that experience,
00:44:33.60\00:44:35.00
there are
influences in the local church
00:44:35.04\00:44:36.97
and the pastor
has so much influence.
00:44:37.01\00:44:39.57
And if there are
these divisions taking place
00:44:39.64\00:44:42.24
or someone is in a
works program they're trying,
00:44:42.28\00:44:44.61
they have an influence on
a percentage of the members.
00:44:44.65\00:44:47.12
I hear Paul saying,
this is where I stand,
00:44:47.15\00:44:50.85
this is where I want,
00:44:50.89\00:44:52.22
this is the rule that I live by,
00:44:52.25\00:44:53.79
this is the rule
that Christ lived by,
00:44:53.82\00:44:55.19
this is the rule
that we all need to follow
00:44:55.22\00:44:57.69
as he's closing this up.
00:44:57.73\00:44:59.46
And he's saying, "Peace
and mercy be upon them."
00:44:59.49\00:45:02.80
So he's speaking
of blessing on them
00:45:02.86\00:45:04.90
if they follow that rule,
00:45:04.93\00:45:07.20
and upon the Israel of
God which is a spiritual name.
00:45:07.24\00:45:10.71
Yes, amen.
00:45:10.74\00:45:12.07
Which means what,
wrestle with God and prevailed,
00:45:12.11\00:45:13.44
right?
00:45:13.48\00:45:14.81
You think of Jacob.
00:45:14.84\00:45:16.21
And what is it
that they are to obey?
00:45:16.24\00:45:19.58
We read it before
in verses 14 and 15,
00:45:19.61\00:45:21.98
but I want to do it again.
00:45:22.02\00:45:23.35
"But God forbid," verse
14, "that I should boast
00:45:23.39\00:45:25.99
except in the cross of
our Lord Jesus Christ."
00:45:26.02\00:45:28.46
Amen.
00:45:28.49\00:45:29.82
By whom, by the way
Paul had a lot of gifts,
00:45:29.89\00:45:32.53
he had a lot of ability,
00:45:32.56\00:45:34.00
he could have been
building a franchise
00:45:34.03\00:45:36.90
of any kind around the world
00:45:36.93\00:45:38.53
because he had the goal,
00:45:38.57\00:45:39.90
he had the ability,
he had the intellect,
00:45:39.97\00:45:42.44
he understood
the Jewish culture,
00:45:42.47\00:45:44.31
he understood Roman culture,
00:45:44.34\00:45:45.67
he understood how to
interact in the world,
00:45:45.71\00:45:48.08
but his cause was for Christ.
00:45:48.11\00:45:49.61
Amen.
00:45:49.68\00:45:51.01
And so with that
strength God is using this man,
00:45:51.05\00:45:54.92
by whom the world
has been crucified to me.
00:45:54.95\00:45:57.69
The only way he can
be an effective witness
00:45:57.72\00:45:59.69
is if the world,
00:45:59.72\00:46:01.12
he was dead to the world
00:46:01.16\00:46:02.49
and no longer had a draw on him.
00:46:02.52\00:46:04.26
So important for all of us
00:46:04.29\00:46:05.89
and that's where
God is calling us too.
00:46:05.93\00:46:08.16
And I to the
world, for in Christ Jesus
00:46:08.20\00:46:11.07
there is neither circumcision
00:46:11.10\00:46:12.43
or uncircumcision avails nothing
00:46:12.47\00:46:14.67
but a new creation is what,
00:46:14.70\00:46:16.14
is what God is
calling for in all of us.
00:46:16.17\00:46:18.77
I invite us to turn to in
our Bibles to 2 Corinthians 4.
00:46:18.81\00:46:22.44
2 Corinthians 4:10.
00:46:27.58\00:46:33.49
And, Jill, would you
read that verse for us?
00:46:33.52\00:46:36.99
2 Corinthians 4:10,
00:46:37.06\00:46:39.36
"Always caring about in the body
00:46:39.39\00:46:42.03
the dying of the Lord Jesus,
00:46:42.06\00:46:43.97
that the life of Jesus also
may be manifested in our body."
00:46:44.00\00:46:48.94
In this verse he's saying,
00:46:48.97\00:46:50.77
always carrying
about in the body
00:46:50.81\00:46:52.41
the dying of the Lord Jesus.
00:46:52.44\00:46:55.08
He's really comparing
and contrasting himself
00:46:55.11\00:46:58.28
with the Judaizers.
00:46:58.31\00:47:00.28
In Galatians 6:12
which we read earlier,
00:47:00.32\00:47:03.35
it talks about the
Judaizers doing what Elder C.A.
00:47:03.39\00:47:06.82
has so
eloquently unpacked for us,
00:47:06.89\00:47:09.96
that the Judaizers were actually
00:47:09.99\00:47:11.69
trying to be politically
safe, politically sound and,
00:47:11.73\00:47:15.66
but because Paul
was not a politician,
00:47:15.70\00:47:18.10
instead he was
representing Christ.
00:47:18.13\00:47:20.14
Amen.
00:47:20.17\00:47:21.50
He was carrying
about in the body
00:47:21.54\00:47:23.00
the dying of the Lord Jesus.
00:47:23.04\00:47:24.37
He was
experiencing that crucifixion,
00:47:24.41\00:47:26.57
that persecution
that Christ went through,
00:47:26.61\00:47:29.74
that the life of Jesus also
may be manifest in our bodies.
00:47:29.78\00:47:33.82
So he's doing it
not only for himself,
00:47:33.85\00:47:35.38
but he's doing it for others.
00:47:35.42\00:47:36.79
You see again the
spirit of the law,
00:47:36.82\00:47:38.65
loving God with all
your heart, and mind,
00:47:38.69\00:47:40.36
and soul loving your
neighbor as yourself.
00:47:40.39\00:47:42.82
And, of course, Galatians 2:20,
00:47:42.86\00:47:47.23
"It's no longer I who live
but Christ that's living in me,
00:47:47.30\00:47:50.43
the life also we
manifest in our body."
00:47:50.47\00:47:52.37
Now let's go to
2 Corinthians 11...
00:47:52.40\00:47:55.44
24-28,
00:47:59.74\00:48:02.71
do we have a volunteer?
00:48:02.74\00:48:05.05
Chapter 11?
00:48:05.08\00:48:06.55
Yeah, yeah, Chapter 11:24-28.
00:48:06.61\00:48:09.98
All right
turning the page, 24-28.
00:48:10.02\00:48:14.59
"From the Jews five times
00:48:14.62\00:48:16.46
I received forty
stripes minus one.
00:48:16.52\00:48:18.79
Three times I
was beaten with rods,
00:48:18.83\00:48:20.60
once I was stoned,
three times I was shipwrecked,
00:48:20.63\00:48:23.43
a night and a day I
have been in the deep,
00:48:23.47\00:48:26.70
in journeys often,
in perils of waters,
00:48:26.74\00:48:28.84
in perils of robbers, in
perils of my own countrymen,
00:48:28.87\00:48:31.81
in perils of the Gentiles."
00:48:31.84\00:48:33.78
Through 28, "In
perils of the city,
00:48:33.84\00:48:36.31
in perils in the wilderness,
in perils of the sea,
00:48:36.34\00:48:39.41
in perils among false brethren,
00:48:39.45\00:48:41.32
in weariness and toil,
in sleeplessness often,
00:48:41.35\00:48:45.32
in hunger, thirst and fastings
often in cold and nakedness,
00:48:45.35\00:48:49.39
besides the other things,
what comes upon me daily."
00:48:49.42\00:48:55.66
Oh, yes, "My deep
concern for all the churches."
00:48:55.70\00:48:58.63
I love the last part,
00:48:58.67\00:49:00.07
I threw that in
there for this point.
00:49:00.14\00:49:02.04
But you know, the
forty stripes minus one,
00:49:02.07\00:49:04.81
the forty
stripes is from the Jews.
00:49:04.84\00:49:08.58
That had happened five times
00:49:08.61\00:49:10.21
and then three other
times he was beaten with rod,
00:49:10.25\00:49:12.11
that's a Roman thing to do that.
00:49:12.15\00:49:14.15
So he had it
coming from both sides.
00:49:14.18\00:49:17.35
Stoned one time
they were in Lystra,
00:49:17.39\00:49:19.82
you know, and what
did he do when that,
00:49:19.85\00:49:21.42
but by the way when
he recovered from that
00:49:21.46\00:49:22.79
because they
thought he was dead,
00:49:22.82\00:49:24.16
he went back and preached again,
00:49:24.19\00:49:25.79
that's a choleric for you.
00:49:25.83\00:49:28.26
With the
mission, with the mission,
00:49:28.30\00:49:29.90
with the God's mission,
00:49:29.93\00:49:31.50
and being
shipwrecked in journeys often,
00:49:31.53\00:49:34.97
in perils of
water, perils of robbers.
00:49:35.00\00:49:36.97
If you travel the
robbery was a very common thing
00:49:37.04\00:49:40.71
and you were actually
00:49:40.74\00:49:42.31
because he would take
risks where most of us say, no,
00:49:42.34\00:49:44.51
I think I'll stay in home,
00:49:44.55\00:49:45.88
I'm not going to
that neighborhood,
00:49:45.91\00:49:47.25
I'm not going there.
00:49:47.28\00:49:48.62
He went out anyway
00:49:48.65\00:49:50.02
and as a result of
course the enemy attacked.
00:49:50.05\00:49:52.42
And perils of my own countryman.
00:49:52.45\00:49:54.22
So his own people turned on him
00:49:54.26\00:49:56.69
and that will
happen as you follow Christ
00:49:56.76\00:49:58.99
because they don't
see as a matter of fact,
00:49:59.03\00:50:02.26
which you're following
is foolishness to so many
00:50:02.30\00:50:04.87
that might even
be in the church.
00:50:04.90\00:50:06.84
Perils among false brethren,
00:50:06.87\00:50:08.94
weariness and toil
and sleeplessness often.
00:50:08.97\00:50:13.01
One thing I've
learned about this group
00:50:13.07\00:50:14.71
is weariness and
toil and sleeplessness
00:50:14.74\00:50:16.95
is a common thing.
00:50:16.98\00:50:19.45
I came here and
recorded last time
00:50:19.48\00:50:21.22
and I was hearing
about the sleep deprivation,
00:50:21.25\00:50:23.22
I'm hearing it
again, and I'm experiencing
00:50:23.28\00:50:24.95
when I work with you, I
don't know what that is.
00:50:24.99\00:50:27.49
So they are pushing,
00:50:27.52\00:50:28.86
they have the pedals to
the metal for this group.
00:50:28.89\00:50:31.46
And that's one of
the things God calls us
00:50:31.49\00:50:33.80
to maybe not to
an imbalance in life,
00:50:33.83\00:50:35.90
but at the same
time to be committed
00:50:35.93\00:50:38.00
and sometimes you're
going to be suffering hunger,
00:50:38.03\00:50:40.50
he, you know, he actually
suffered physical hunger.
00:50:40.54\00:50:47.38
And we talked in
another lesson about the idea
00:50:47.41\00:50:50.71
that instead of
taking from the brethren,
00:50:50.75\00:50:52.28
he would be mending
tents or making tents.
00:50:52.31\00:50:54.75
You realize that he was going
00:50:54.78\00:50:56.38
like everyone
around this table is going
00:50:56.45\00:50:58.05
and then he would make
tents and sell them on the side,
00:50:58.09\00:51:00.59
everything just go, go, go.
00:51:00.62\00:51:02.16
And sometimes he
didn't have the time
00:51:02.19\00:51:03.83
to make the tents
00:51:03.86\00:51:05.19
and he was hungry,
fastings in cold and naked.
00:51:05.23\00:51:08.40
Fastings were not
the religious fastings,
00:51:08.43\00:51:10.67
these were things were, okay,
00:51:10.70\00:51:12.03
I think I'm going to be fasting
now for spiritual reasons
00:51:12.07\00:51:15.90
and also for circumstances.
00:51:15.94\00:51:18.01
And he just went without,
he was cold and he was naked,
00:51:18.04\00:51:23.01
and the theologians think
00:51:23.04\00:51:24.61
that maybe that's
because he got robbed
00:51:24.65\00:51:26.68
and they took his
clothes and there he was,
00:51:26.72\00:51:29.28
that's possible
to what happened.
00:51:29.32\00:51:31.45
But just not
being properly garbed
00:51:31.49\00:51:34.46
with the weather conditions,
00:51:34.49\00:51:35.82
besides the other things
00:51:35.86\00:51:37.19
what comes upon me
daily in spite of all of this,
00:51:37.23\00:51:39.49
this is why I want
to throw that verse in,
00:51:39.53\00:51:41.03
his deep concern
for all the churches.
00:51:41.06\00:51:44.37
I'd say when God
has you on a mission.
00:51:44.40\00:51:47.54
It doesn't matter what
the enemy throws at you.
00:51:47.57\00:51:49.94
You first of all, if you weren't
00:51:49.97\00:51:51.47
and if God wasn't in control
00:51:51.51\00:51:52.84
you wouldn't be doing it anyway,
00:51:52.87\00:51:54.74
right, you'd be
doing something else.
00:51:54.78\00:51:56.11
Amen.
00:51:56.14\00:51:57.48
And when you press on,
you realize on your heart
00:51:57.51\00:51:59.65
and on your mind
are those churches,
00:51:59.68\00:52:01.08
are those people.
00:52:01.12\00:52:02.45
Yes. Yes.
00:52:02.48\00:52:03.82
And as a result
of that faithfulness
00:52:03.89\00:52:06.15
God with His, His
man Paul, the gospel,
00:52:06.19\00:52:10.49
the true gospel was
spread around the earth.
00:52:10.53\00:52:13.19
Now we know there
is a remnant message.
00:52:13.26\00:52:15.60
In that remnant
message is exactly
00:52:15.63\00:52:17.70
what Paul was trying to hammer
00:52:17.73\00:52:19.97
and get across to the church
00:52:20.00\00:52:22.27
that should have
known and didn't get it,
00:52:22.30\00:52:24.94
it's fulfilled in
Christ and Him crucified.
00:52:24.97\00:52:27.41
Amen. Amen, well
said. Thank you so much.
00:52:27.44\00:52:30.08
What a joy it has been to travel
00:52:30.11\00:52:32.61
through the Book of
Galatians with each one of you,
00:52:32.65\00:52:35.02
and what a joy to travel
with you at home as well.
00:52:35.05\00:52:38.79
I'm going to read a quote
here from Ellen White about Paul
00:52:38.82\00:52:42.02
that I really like
but before I do that,
00:52:42.06\00:52:43.99
I'm going to do something
maybe you should not do
00:52:44.06\00:52:46.13
when you're hosting, I'm going
to put you all on the spot,
00:52:46.16\00:52:49.06
I'm going to ask
you all a question
00:52:49.10\00:52:51.90
and then I'll read the quote
00:52:51.93\00:52:53.27
so you have a little
time to think about an answer
00:52:53.34\00:52:55.27
and then we'll come
back to the question.
00:52:55.30\00:52:56.94
The question is: I want to see
00:52:57.01\00:52:58.67
if you can
summarize Paul's teaching,
00:52:58.71\00:53:01.64
this would be in your own words.
00:53:01.68\00:53:03.35
Summarize Paul's teaching
00:53:03.41\00:53:04.81
and I'm going to give you
each a different teaching, okay?
00:53:04.85\00:53:07.55
This is from the Book of
Galatians from our study,
00:53:07.58\00:53:10.02
Pastor C.A., I'll give you
Paul's teaching on the law.
00:53:10.05\00:53:13.79
Brother John Dinzey,
00:53:13.82\00:53:15.19
Paul's teaching on
justification by faith.
00:53:15.22\00:53:18.99
Shelley, Paul's teaching
on the old and new covenant.
00:53:19.03\00:53:23.47
And Pastor Tom,
00:53:23.50\00:53:24.83
Paul's teaching
on the work of Christ
00:53:24.87\00:53:27.17
in the believer.
00:53:27.24\00:53:28.57
So obviously we
don't have much time
00:53:28.60\00:53:30.54
just 30 seconds or so for each.
00:53:30.61\00:53:32.67
But first I want to
read you this quote.
00:53:32.71\00:53:34.51
This is from Review
and Herald, May 29, 1900.
00:53:34.54\00:53:38.78
"Paul was a living example
00:53:38.81\00:53:41.48
of what every true
Christian should be.
00:53:41.52\00:53:44.49
He lived for God's glory.
00:53:44.52\00:53:47.29
His words come sounding
down the line to our time:
00:53:47.36\00:53:50.86
"For to me to live is Christ."
00:53:50.89\00:53:53.29
"God forbid that I should glory,
00:53:53.33\00:53:54.86
save in the cross of
our Lord Jesus Christ,
00:53:54.93\00:53:57.43
by whom the world
is crucified to me,
00:53:57.47\00:54:00.27
and I unto the world."
00:54:00.30\00:54:01.87
He who was once a
persecutor of Christ
00:54:01.90\00:54:04.94
in the person of His saints
00:54:04.97\00:54:07.08
now holds up before the
world the cross of Christ.
00:54:07.11\00:54:10.55
Paul's heart burned
with a love for souls,
00:54:10.58\00:54:13.55
he gave all his energies
for the conversion of men.
00:54:13.62\00:54:17.12
There never lived
a more self-denying,
00:54:17.19\00:54:20.36
earnest, persevering worker.
00:54:20.39\00:54:22.56
His life was Christ, he
worked the works of Christ.
00:54:22.59\00:54:26.23
All the blessings
he received were prized
00:54:26.26\00:54:30.03
as so many advantages to be
used in blessing other people."
00:54:30.07\00:54:34.67
What a legacy is
the Apostle Paul's life.
00:54:34.70\00:54:37.37
So, Pastor C.A., if
you were to summarize
00:54:37.41\00:54:40.04
in a few
sentences Paul's teaching on
00:54:40.08\00:54:42.58
in the Book of
Galatians on the law,
00:54:42.61\00:54:44.38
what would you say?
00:54:44.41\00:54:46.25
Law, good,
trying to keep law, bad.
00:54:46.28\00:54:49.82
Righteousness, good,
righteousness, freedom.
00:54:49.85\00:54:54.42
Trying to keep law, bondage.
00:54:54.46\00:54:56.59
Jesus,
everything. Amen, well said.
00:54:56.62\00:55:00.23
Brother Johnny, what
about Paul's teaching
00:55:00.26\00:55:02.33
on justification by faith?
00:55:02.36\00:55:05.23
One of the places I
would go is to Ephesians 2,
00:55:05.27\00:55:08.10
where he says, "By grace
are you saved through faith
00:55:08.14\00:55:12.11
and that not of yourselves
it is the gift of God,
00:55:12.14\00:55:14.78
and for Paul to say that
00:55:14.81\00:55:16.75
he had come to an understanding
that was revolutionary."
00:55:16.81\00:55:20.88
Amen.
00:55:20.92\00:55:22.25
Shelley, Paul's understanding
on the old and new covenants?
00:55:22.28\00:55:25.19
His understanding
on the old covenant
00:55:25.22\00:55:26.82
was that it was something,
00:55:26.86\00:55:28.59
it was progressive of revelation
00:55:28.62\00:55:30.29
of what God was doing,
00:55:30.33\00:55:32.09
but it was
something temporary with
00:55:32.13\00:55:34.66
it did not replace
the covenant of Abraham,
00:55:34.73\00:55:37.73
it was added to
00:55:37.77\00:55:39.17
because the people
had been living in bondage
00:55:39.20\00:55:41.87
and sin for 400 years.
00:55:41.90\00:55:43.74
Now, it was no longer in place
00:55:43.77\00:55:46.91
but it is the new
covenant Jesus Christ
00:55:46.94\00:55:49.84
that has taken its place.
00:55:49.88\00:55:51.21
Amen.
00:55:51.25\00:55:52.58
And, Pastor Tom,
00:55:52.61\00:55:53.95
Paul's teaching
on the work of Christ
00:55:53.98\00:55:55.32
in the life of the believer?
00:55:55.35\00:55:56.75
Pre conversion,
Paul was a killer of God.
00:55:56.82\00:56:01.26
He was under the
spell of the enemy
00:56:01.29\00:56:03.29
and he would kill
anyone that followed God.
00:56:03.32\00:56:06.66
Post conversion, he
was dead to the world
00:56:06.70\00:56:09.96
and alive in Christ.
00:56:10.00\00:56:11.33
Amen. Amen. Well said.
00:56:11.37\00:56:12.70
And as church members,
00:56:12.73\00:56:14.07
we need to be dead to the
world and alive in Christ.
00:56:14.10\00:56:16.07
Amen. Amen.
00:56:16.10\00:56:17.44
On behalf of
thank you, Pastor Tom,
00:56:17.47\00:56:19.47
Shelley Quinn, John
Dinzey, and Pastor C.A.,
00:56:19.51\00:56:22.68
thank you so much for sharing
00:56:22.71\00:56:24.68
not only your
study of the Word of God,
00:56:24.71\00:56:27.35
but your heart for souls
and your heart for ministry.
00:56:27.38\00:56:30.62
It's been such a blessing.
00:56:30.65\00:56:32.15
And we thank you for joining us.
00:56:32.19\00:56:33.79
We want to encourage
you, this is not the end.
00:56:33.82\00:56:36.09
It is the end of this quarter
on Galatians but next quarter
00:56:36.12\00:56:40.23
we will continue our
study of justification by faith
00:56:40.26\00:56:44.27
by studying the Book of Romans.
00:56:44.30\00:56:46.60
They're studying
the Book of Romans
00:56:46.63\00:56:48.20
for the fourth quarter
00:56:48.24\00:56:49.57
so we will continue
this journey of justification
00:56:49.60\00:56:52.44
by faith.
00:56:52.47\00:56:53.81
I want to make a
special appeal to you at home.
00:56:53.88\00:56:56.14
If you feel like
you are in bondage,
00:56:56.18\00:56:58.81
if you feel enslaved to sin,
00:56:58.85\00:57:00.98
maybe you feel in
bondage to the works of the law,
00:57:01.02\00:57:04.82
Christ came to set us free.
00:57:04.85\00:57:07.39
We are saved by
grace through faith
00:57:07.42\00:57:10.79
and that not of ourselves,
it is the gift of God.
00:57:10.86\00:57:13.73
Not of works, lest
any man should boast.
00:57:13.76\00:57:17.17
You know that we love
you and that we pray for you,
00:57:17.20\00:57:19.10
and I want to close today a
little different than normal,
00:57:19.13\00:57:21.84
with the last
verse from Galatians 6.
00:57:21.87\00:57:24.91
This is really the benediction
00:57:24.94\00:57:27.01
that Paul gives to
many of his epistles,
00:57:27.08\00:57:29.48
"Brethren, the grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ
00:57:29.51\00:57:32.95
be with your spirit."
00:57:32.98\00:57:35.02
Amen.
00:57:35.05\00:57:36.38