Wise Up Series

Wise up

Sunday sermon July 30, 2006 (Galatians 1:1-5, through Galatians part 1)

Intro: People do some of the dumbest things.

Here is a top 10 list of famous last words:

• Okay, Let it down slowly

• What does this button do?

• Step back a bit, I can’t get you in the picture.

• It’s OK, I saw them do it on TV

• What duck?

• Hey everyone, watch this!

• Well we’ve made it this far.

• The odds of that happening have to be a million to one!

• These are the good kind of mushrooms.

• I’ll get a world record for this.

People do a lot of really stupid things! / I don’t mean to be insulting; but it’s true.

Hopefully you have learned from your stupid mistakes.

We are starting a new series; we will be studying through the entire book of Galatians

The Galatians had begun down a very stupid path and Paul writes to them in an attempt to bring them back to their senses. They had accepted a very small looking lie, a very reasonable, seemingly beneficial lie. This “little” lie actually threatened their salvation.

They had given up their freedom in Christ and started relying on good behavior for their merit.

Our problem, as God sees it, isn’t our need to behave, our need is for freedom.

I invite you to join me on a journey from bondage to freedom in our study of Galatians.

• I suggest you read and reread and reread this book. In fact I hope you read it a dozen times over the course of the next few weeks.

• We need to take that knowledge and put it to use in our lives.

• As we go through this book we will be teaching and preaching on some the biggest concepts of Biblical truth.

o How to understand the difference between God’s Law and God’s Grace

o Sowing and reaping

o Christian liberty, faith and freedom

o Living by the flesh or living by the spirit.

• I also recommend Ted Haggard’s book on Galatians called “Foolish No More”

• The Book of Galatians is one of the most important books in all of the Bible:

Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe, has written about the freedom march of Galatians. He says, “The Galatian letter is not a book to be taken lightly. Galatians was Martin Luther’s charter of liberty during the Reformation. Luther’s writings, in turn, brought the truth of salvation by faith to John Wesley’s heart…It was Wesley whom God used in such a remarkable way to spearhead revival in the British Isles…that revival positively affected the entire English-speaking world. As we study Galatians, we are participating in a tremendous spiritual chain reaction that even today could result in another revival.

Dr. J. Vernon McGee wrote: “In a sense I believe this epistle has been the backbone and background for every great spiritual movement and revival that has taken place in the past nineteen hundred years. And, my friend, it will be the background for other revivals. I would like to see the Spirit of God move in our land today. I would like to hear the Epistle to the Galatians declared to America. I believe it would revolutionize lives.”

I pray that this study of Galatians will literally change your whole life. I pray that God’s Spirit will speak directly into your spirit. I don’t want this to be a simple academic exercise but a literal revival of your heart.

This study is for you if,

• If you have fought battle after battle to try and free yourself from the shackles of guilt and shame…

• If you have tried to measure up, but constantly feel that you fall short…

• If you feel that you could never be the man or woman that God wants you to be…

• If you are struggling with sin and find it hard to make good choices in life…

• If you are struggling with religious legalism,

• If you lack power to resist sin, if you feel condemned and guilty,

• If you don’t feel forgiven, then I have good news for you!

Galatians is for you! You can have freedom. You can experience it daily.

Text: Galatians 1:1-5 Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2and all the brothers with me, To the churches in Galatia: 3Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

I. Seeing Jesus changes everything!