I was working at the prison and saw an inmate who was being set free. He had been back to prison seven times. He was the best tractor driver at the prison. He kept the grass in the fields around the prison cut. He told prison officers to leave the light on. He probably anticipated on coming back. He also requested a new tractor before he came back. Some people just enjoy being "locked-up".
Many believers are contented to live in a spiritual prison. The Apostle Paul delivered a message to the Galatians proclaiming freedom in Christ. We are not to allow religion to bring us into bondage. We are saved and set free totally by God’s grace.
We begin a series of messages in Galatians with the theme being this..."Living in the Freedom of God’s Grace". To live free in Jesus, we need to get an understanding about the gospel of Christ that sets us free. Being a good Baptist, Methodist, or Nazarene will not set you free. Only Jesus can set you free!
In Galatians, chapter 1, verses 1-9 we are looking at the Real Gospel which sets us free to serve God.
There is only one message we must always preach from this pulpit. That is the real gospel.
The gospel is by definition (see ICor 15:1-4) THE DEATH, BURIAL, RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.
We may be reading in Genesis...Exodus...Psalms...Malachi....Revelation.It’s all the GOSPEL. The word "gospel" means "good news".
To appreciate the good news, we must know about the bad news. The bad news is that we have all sinned. Sin leads to eternal damnation. The Good News is that Jesus came to deliver us from our sins.
The evil world loves bad news. It seems the
TV media are drawn to the bad things that happen.
We preach the glorious gospel of Christ.
1. The good news is all about Jesus Christ......GOSPEL OF CHRIST...
v.1, v.6 “from him” The bible is a HIM book. v.7 Jesus is not a new addition to the
Bible....He co-existed with God before the foundation of the world.
The Good news is about how Jesus came. He lived here on earth;taught God’s Word; performed miracles.
He laid down his life; died; was buried; rose again. He spent 40 days on earth after his
resurrection with his followers. He ascended back and sent back the Holy Spirit.Now He lives
forever more at the right hand of God making intercession for us. One day He will come back to get His church.
Good news is not about what denominations have done.....what great women/men of God
have done..It’s all about WHAT JESUS HAS DONE....IS DOING...AND WILL DO!!!!
O! What a Saviour! What a Mighty King! A Sovereign Lord! Blessed Redeemer!
O for a 1000 tongues to sing...blessed be the name of the Lord!
Great and mighty things he has done...
We could sing all day, all night....and never sing about it all.....
We could preach all day, all night....and never cover it all....
We could put on a play....and never be able to dramatize it all...
We could use the various colors available to us...and never be able to capture on canvass the magnificient of it all...
The Gospel is about Jesus and More specifically....The Gospel is Jesus Christ .
2. The Gospel of Grace...........
v.3 ,6,15
Three important words come to mind. (justice/mercy/grace) justice is getting what we do deserve. Mercy is not getting what we do deserve. Grace is getting what we do not deserve.
Grace...same as “gift” see v.4 “gave Himself for our sins that he might deliver us...”
Jesus giving Himself for us....Giving Us Forgiveness (See Ephesians 1:7)
G-God’s R- riches A-At C-Christ’s E-Expense
v.6 called into the grace of Christ v.15 called me by his grace
CALLED by grace--saved by grace Eph. 2:8 “for by grace....”
grow in grace--saving grace--growing grace---standing grace “wherein this grace you
stand” and then there is dying grace.
GRACE...GRACE....Marvelous Grace
It is not of works...
3. Gospel of Peace v.3
Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God.....
See Ephesians 6:15....preparation of the gospel of peace....
There is only one thing that will bring peace to a troubled soul......rest in Jesus.
Jesus said, “come unto me, and I will give you rest...”
Jesus said, “my peace I give unto you......”John 14:27
This world has never known peace. There are wars and rumors of wars. Bloodshed in the streets..in homes..in schools....there is not even peace in the comforts
of a mother’s womb....THE REAL PROBLEM.....NO PEACE IN THE HEART...
4. GOSPEL OF DELIVERANCE....V.4
This is a truth that is not being emphasized today.We have come to think that Jesus only
has power to save us and that’s it. HE HAS POWER TO DELIVER US FROM THIS PRESENT EVIL WORLD.
We have all kinds of programs...to help folks with addictions.....Thank God for the many
folks who give credit to the AAA programs, and the other programs designed to treat
some disorder.....but doesn’t Jesus have power to deliver.....
Deliver you from this present evil world....
The Same Jesus who raised the dead, delivered the blind, the deaf, the lame can help you too.
He Can bring deliverance to you!!!!!
To prevert the gospel we say that Jesus is not in the delivering work today.We say you need the help
of some man-made program to assist you.
Jesus can deliver from addiction to pornography.We must also get rid of the videos/ magazines...
put a block on TV program...satelite disk...let someone else put the block on
it to hold you accountable.There’s the problem on the Internet.
What’s got a hold of you? Jesus can and will deliver.......
Thank God....The Gospel is for REAL.. It is the..
Gospel of Christ
Gospel of Grace
Gospel of Peace
Gospel of Deliverance.
