In Christ Alone (Part 2)
Galatians 2:15-21
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Keith Hernandez (now retired) is one of baseball's top players. He is a lifetime .300 hitter who has won numerous Golden Glove awards for excellence in fielding. He's won a batting championship for having the highest average, the Most Valuable Player award in his league, and even the World Series. Yet with all his accomplishments, he has missed out on something crucially important to him -- his father's acceptance and recognition that what he has accomplished is valuable. Listen to what he had to say in a very candid interview about his relationship with his father: "One day Keith asked his father, 'Dad, I have a lifetime 300 batting average. What more do you want?' His father replied, 'someday you're going to look back and say, "I could have done more."'" - Gary Smalley & John Trent, Ph.D., The Gift of Honor, p. 116.
What a shame it is that a Father could not or would not accept his own flesh and blood. It is human nature to desire acceptance and approval.
Remember when you were a child and the team captains were picking their teams? You always wanted to be picked first, it was an honor for someone to recognize you abilities and desire that you be on their team. (Or you may have been like I was and you were just thankful when you weren’t the last one picked)
After High School graduation some of you applied to a certain college and you waited for months for that letter to come in the mail, everyday you ran to the mailbox as soon as it was delivered looking for that special envelope. Then one day it is there, you nervously open the letter and you see that you have been accepted…WHAT A GREAT FEELING!
When you submit an application for employment and make you way through the interview process and then are hired for the job, it is very fulfilling to be chosen by that employer.
Maybe you already have a job and your supervisor comes to you and says we have a job opening and we would like to promote you to fill that position because we feel that you would do the best job. It is a great feeling to be recognized and rewarded for you hard work.
* On the flip side, we have all suffered rejection at some point in our lives. You interviewed for that job and you weren’t hired… You applied for that promotion and someone else got it… You asked that guy or girl for a date and he/she laughed in your face! It is natural to despise rejection and to desire acceptance!
There is no greater joy than knowing that you have been accepted by God the Father. Listen to what Paul says about this in Ephesians 1:4 he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Not only have we been accepted… WE HAVE BEEN ADOPTED BY GOD INTO HIS FAMILY! And all of this happened… IN CHRIST ALONE! I would like to return to Galatians 2:15-21 and continue to examine the subject “In Christ Alone”
Paul is still sharing with the Galatian believers an account of a confrontation that he had with Peter concerning some hypocritical actions that took place at Antioch. In Part I of this sermon we examined the fact that “We Are Justified Through Christ Alone”. Intertwined in this truth is the fact that we could not be accepted by the works of the Law or works of the flesh.
> The law is the light that reveals how dirty the room is, not the broom that sweeps it clean. - Dr. Phil Williams, DTS, 1976.
If that is the case, then how are we accepted by God? Notice:
II. We Are Accepted Though Christ Alone - v16b even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
The works of the Law were not sufficient but Christ’s work was accepted by God. When it comes to salvation, Jesus has already completed the work! The Judaizers were attempting to add to the work that Jesus had already finished. And this is an issue that is still present today! Here in 2014, many still attempt to add to what Jesus has already done and in turn they are taking away from His work of Justification!
Instead of attempting to gain the father’s approval through good works we should be focused on Jesus Christ and HIS finished work. God the Father has already shown that He accepted the work of Jesus - Luke 23:44 and it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
As Jesus died the veil of the temple (which was made from the strongest possible tapestry) was rent into from top to bottom. This veil separated the Holy of Holies from the court of the priests. Through this act, God removed of the veil of the Jewish ceremonies. He cast down the partition wall… Now the Jews and Gentiles have equal opportunity to enter into the “Most Holy Place”
The most holy place is a type or picture of heaven. The rending of the veil signified that the way to heaven was now open to all. We have access onto the most Holy Place not by works, not by the Law, not by rituals but …THROUGH CHRIST ALONE!!!
Hebrews 10:19 And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus.20 By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, 22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
There is no greater privilege that being “accepted” into the family of God. Let’s look for a while at a few of the reasons that “We Are Accepted Through Christ Alone”
A. We Are Accepted Because Of Christ’s Sacrifice
As we have seen, the Old Testament Sacrifices were performed over and over, year after year. When Jesus came and gave His life as a sacrifice for our sins, He was that perfect ONCE AND FOR ALL sacrifice!
Back in Exodus 12, we see the people of Israel instructed to:
1) Select a perfect lamb, one without blemish and without spot.
2) Take that lamb into their home and nourish it and care for it for a number of days
3) During that time, that little lamb became like a pet lamb to that family.
After a certain period of time they were to:
a) Take that lamb and kill it
b) Apply its blood to the doorposts of their home
c) Roast the body and eat it
If the people obeyed this command, they would be spared when the Lord came to judge the Egyptians.
This Passover lamb was a picture of how God would judge His only Son at Calvary. Jesus, as a submissive lamb came into a world that would hate, reject & crucify Him. God placed His only Son on that cross in my place and yours so that we could be accepted into HIS FAMILY!! Jesus Christ came to die so that we might live FOREVER!!!
We are accepted because if Christ’s sacrifice, but also we find that:
B. We Are Accepted Because Of Christ’s Sinlessness
1 Peter 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
In order for the sacrifice we have just examined to be accepted, Jesus had to be sinless! We find in scripture that “Jesus was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”(Hebrews 4:15)
In Matthew 4:1-11 Satan came to Jesus and threw everything He had at Him.
1) He tried to get Jesus (who had been fasting for 40 days) to turn stones into bread.
2) He took him to the highest point of the Temple and said “if you are the Son of God…cast yourself down from here”
3) He took him up on a mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms and offered them to Him if Jesus would bow and worship Him!
Satan used the same temptations against Jesus that he was successful in using against Eve and every other human who has ever been born. He used the “Lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life”. If Jesus would have sinned, then his death would have no meaning and no power! But He did not! Jesus faced the temptation and remained sinless!
Jesus Christ was that sinless sacrifice sent by God to redeem mankind!And because of His Sinlessness we ARE ACCEPTED BY GOD!
> D.M. Stearns was preaching in Philadelphia. At the close of the service a stranger came up to him and said, "I don't like the way you spoke about the cross. I think that instead of emphasizing the death of Christ, it would be far better to preach Jesus, the teacher and our example." Stearns replied, "If I presented Christ in that way, would you be willing to follow Him?" "I certainly would," said the stranger without hesitation. "All right then," said the preacher, "let's take the first step. Jesus did no sin. Can you claim that for yourself?" The man looked confused and somewhat surprised. "Why, no," he said. "I acknowledge that I do sin." Stearns replied, "Then your greatest need is to have a Savior, not an example!" - (Sermonillustrations.com)
The Law couldn’t help us and our works couldn’t save us, we needed a Savior! And God provided us with one! His sinless Son, Jesus Christ! Jesus came as that sinless sacrifice and it is only because Him that WE ARE ACCEPTED!
* The process of our acceptance into God’s family doesn’t end there… Notice:
C. We Are Accepted Because Of Christ’s Success
Jesus was successful over sin and Satan at Calvary! Today, Jesus Christ is not in a manger… He is not on a dusty road in Galilee… He is not on a ship in a storm… He is not hanging in shame and agony on a cross…He is not lying in a cold, sealed tomb. - We see EXCATLY WHERE HE IS in - Hebrews 1:3 …when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
He is where He deserves to be. He is on the throne!!! He is glorified and exalted in Heaven! The reason that Jesus sat down because His work of redeeming sinners was complete. Jesus brought secured success over Death Hell & the Grave - Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Satan thought he had defeated Jesus at Calvary. All of Hell must have celebrated as the broken, bleeding, body of Jesus was removed from that cross and placed in that borrowed tomb. For three days, the demons and devils of Hell must have danced in delight as they celebrated what they thought was Satan’s victory over the Lord Jesus Christ. What Satan thought was his greatest victory was in fact his greatest defeat! On that third day Christ rose from that Tomb to live forever more!! Because of the success of the Jesus WE ARE ACCEPTED BY GOD!!!
Nowhere in the scriptures is it implied that we are accepted of God by the works of the Law. You will also not find where we are accepted of God by works of the flesh. But the entirety of the scriptures proves that we are accepted of God by faith in His Son, Jesus Christ!
* Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
* Also in -Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
> John Walvoord said - "If righteousness comes by keeping the law, the Cross was the biggest mistake in the universe."
> Paul puts it this way in verse v21 “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain”
> According to a recent poll] 88% of Catholics and a majority of Protestants who actively share their "faith", believe that "if people are generally good, or do enough good things for others during their lives, they will earn a place in heaven." - National & International Religion Report,
This mindset is widespread and it is just as dangerous a thought process as that of the Judaizers. The Judaizers professed allegiance to Christ, but they also taught that you must be circumcised and follow certain rituals in order to be saved. There is no biblical support for the mindset that you can get to heaven based on your “good works” In fact there is tons of evidence to the contrary!
Then there are some who do not believe that you are saved by works, but they believe that they are kept saved by works! Friend, if works can’t save you… THEY CAN’T KEEP YOU SAVED!
“No power of hell, no scheme of man”
”Could ever pluck me from His hand”
”Till He returns or calls me home”
”Here in the power of Christ I stand”
* John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Jesus Christ finished God’s redemptive plan once and for all! It is very dangerous to attempt to add anything to the righteousness of Christ! In fact it is a slap in the face to try and add to what Jesus has already accomplished! Jesus is the only acceptable sacrifice to God and through faith in Him we can be justified and accepted by God!
> John Flavel said that “Christ is no half-Savior. It is a hard thing to bring proud hearts to rest upon Christ for righteousness. God humbles the proud by calling sinners wholly from their own righteousness to Christ for their justification.”
By what means are you attempting to get to Heaven? If you are trusting in anything or anyone other than Christ, your efforts are futile. Concerning salvation, everything that you will ever need is found in Christ and IN CHRIST ALONE! The invitation is open and you can surrender to Him right here, RIGHT NOW!
(We are still not finished with this sermon. Make plans to join us next week as we continue to look at all that comes “In Christ Alone”)
