Galatians: Know The Maths

Galatians: Know The Maths

This morning I want to talk about maths. look perplexed

Actually, I don’t feel all that qualified!

I’m the only student to fail Maths 2 twice! pause

All our kids are really great with maths,

But Eileen and I are just utterly useless! pause & wonder

Don’t know where the ability comes from,

But I can say it is certainly not from us!

Today I want to talk about maths. pause

I think I should qualify this a little,

Or maybe more than just a little! long pause & look around

I want to talk about Biblical maths.

Is Biblical maths something new?

Not really, it’s something very old.

Something good. pause

One apple and one apple, hold up the ‘apples’, then put them down prominently

That makes two apples,

The result is something good. pause & explain

Two apples are twice as good!

Three apples are three times as good!

Four apples four times and so it goes. explain

That is standard basic mathematics,

That’s how maths works in the world.

We might even call it worldly maths!

Something bad. pause

One action and one action, say it slow, gesture God reaching down, reach up waving $20 note

That makes nothing good! pause

The result is something bad. pause & explain

One action plus no action, say it slow, gesture God reaching down & me accepting

Hits the Biblical jackpot,

Delivers all the goods.

Wins us the best prize.

Brings home the bacon.

Pushes the right buttons.

Produces a spot in heaven. explain

That’s the way eternity is, pause & explain

In terms of Biblical maths.

Results in something great. pause

God offers forgiveness of sin.

That is the Christian gospel.

That’s our Good News to all.

God offers and we receive it.

One action plus zero action.

But, some people want to take the simple maths,

And make it as complicated as they possibly can.

This is something that needs further elaboration,

And this is where the Book of Galatians comes in.

Galatians is the first of Paul’s Epistles, South Galatian theory

Almost certainly the second NT Book. after James 45 AD

Galatians was written in late 48 AD. explain

That’s just before the Council of Jerusalem, 49 AD, Acts 15:1 to 30

But after Paul’s First Missionary Journey. pause & explain, 46-48 AD, Acts 11:27 to 30

This is a mere 18 years after Pentecost! pause & explain

James deals with Christians behaving poorly,

With Galatians it’s Christians believing poorly, pause & explain

And all because they accepted worldly maths!

After a few personal comments,

And prayerful heart-felt greeting,

Paul gets right down to business.

Galatians 1:6 to 10

Isn’t this something quite shocking?

What Paul says is very confronting,

How Paul words this is quite blunt,

And the circumstances are chilling.

And do you see how Paul continues?

It’s not how we might have expected. explain

Paul doesn’t put on his kicking boots!

Paul doesn’t give them good theology!

These people are caught up by the world.

They are thinking the world’s thoughts.

They are off acting the world’s actions. pause

They’re out doing some worldly maths, pause & explain

So Paul goes and gives his testimony!!

When it comes to really important things,

Paul sits down and gives his testimony!

In matters of heaven, hell and eternity,

Paul sits down and gives his testimony!

In dealing with matters of life and death,

Paul sits down and gives his testimony! pause, look around & ask

What would we say in that situation?

Galatians 1:11 to 24

Read the rest of the testimony in chapter 2,

After you get home from our service today.

Paul is getting extremely upset about things.

O foolish Galatians!

Who has bewitched you? Galatians 3:1

You knew Jesus dead and risen from the dead.

You received full and free forgiveness of sin.

You received adoption into God’s own family.

You were no longer enemies but His children,

Now suddenly somehow everything’s changed! sadly shake my head

Galatians 3:2 to 5

All the way down through all history the Lord has worked though faith. explain

Abraham “believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” Galatians 3:6

God has said, “If you want to be Mine trust in Me alone.”

“I offer the gift of eternal life but you can’t buy Me off!

“If you want to go to heaven then it’s only on My terms.”

“I offer salvation freely to all but I will not be bought off.” pause, then say it authoritatively

“Never one act from you and one from Me equals heaven.” gesture mathematically

Galatians 3:10 to 14

“My way is totally different to the world’s way.”

“I am the King of the universe, what I say goes.”

“I am The Creator, you can never buy Me off.”