Sermon Central
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Galatians
Contributed by Tom Fuller on Apr 25, 2005 (message contributor)
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1. How Free Are You?
Contributed on Apr 25, 2005
As Christians we consider ourselves to be free - but in fact we fall into slavery very easily - slavery to legalism. What is legalism and its corallary labelism?
Do you feel free? Free in Christ? Did you know that you although you may feel free you may have enslaved yourself - to what you ask? To legalism. Not possible. Yes - it’s a lot easier than you think. Winning freedom over legalism is what Galatians is all about. We’re going to learn what ...read more
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2. Living By Trust - Not By Effort
Contributed on Apr 25, 2005
What happens after we are saved? Sometimes we treat salvation like a car wash - God cleans us up and then tells us not to get dirty again. But is that really grace?
I can’t lift very much - I don’t know how much I bench press - and even though I exercise fairly regularly, I don’t consider myself buff. But if I had a human exoskeleton I sure could be! This machine is designed to turn ordinary men into supermen - you wear it around you and is made of ...read more
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3. Attaining Your Goals
Contributed on Apr 25, 2005
How do you get where you want to be? Naturally we try hard and try to be motivated - and hope God approves of us. In reality we need to trust in the Holy Spirit instead of our own abilities.
What if you had to climb a really steep trail - and somebody came along and said, "here, use my brand new 2004 Dodge RAM SRT-10 with its 500 horsepower engine capable of 525 pound feet of torque - able to reach 60 miles an hour in 5 seconds and tear up that mountain trail!" So you say ...read more
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4. The Purpose Of The Law
Contributed on Apr 25, 2005
What is the purpose of the Law - its like an external supervisor. Grace gives us in internal partner to make us like God - not just obey external rules.
Why are there speeding tickets? They exist because people drive faster than the posted limit - they are a notice that you’ve broken the law and have displeased the authorities and must pay for it. If no one ever drove too fast there’d be no need for tickets. Or if you always rode in a bus ...read more
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5. Giving Up On Grace
Contributed on Apr 25, 2005
We like to do things our own way. God often times is much too slow for our schedule ? or He doesn?t do things the way we would ? so we short circuit His work by coming up with our own, much better plan - but that can mean giving up on grace.
Do you ever read The Family Circus? I always like the ones where the Mom and Dad tell their oldest son to go get the mail or something - and instead of walking out the door and down the driveway and back - he goes out his window, around back, through the garden, plays with the dog, jumps the ...read more
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6. Helping The Fallen
Contributed on Apr 25, 2005
What happens when you sin? Legalism tells us to look down on that brother because they "failed." But in Galatians, Paul gives us a new way to help those who have fallen.
We left off last week by comparing the acts of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit. Though we all want the latter, we often act in the former. Finding freedom from legalism and the condemnation it brings doesn’t mean you immediately cease from sin. Our goal is still to be like Christ - and we ...read more