[The following is the manuscript of my sermon delivered on the 2nd of August, 2015. Look for the video on our Vimeo channel, http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]
The first two Sundays this month, we looked at freedom and liberty. We didn’t focus so much upon freedom as a nation but freedom as a people, as saved people. We learned that true freedom is granted by Jesus through our belief in Him as the Son of God.
And last Sunday, like many Sundays before, we looked at what it really means to love others as Jesus loves them – as He loves us. We spoke of agape love, sacrificial love, the love that Jesus has and showed for us – the love made evident at the cross.
This week, the Apostle Paul will show us how those two combine and work together within us to help us grow and mature. Listen and follow along as I read from the New Living Translation of Paul’s letter to the Galatians, chapter 5, verses 13 through 24…
And last Sunday, like many Sundays before, we looked at what it really means to love others as Jesus loves them – as He loves us. We spoke of agape love, sacrificial love, the love that Jesus has and showed for us – the love made evident at the cross.
This week, the Apostle Paul will show us how those two combine and work together within us to help us grow and mature. Listen and follow along as I read from the New Living Translation of Paul’s letter to the Galatians, chapter 5, verses 13 through 24…
13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.
16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the Law of Moses.
19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to His cross and crucified them there.
--Galatians 5:13-24 (NLT)
Let us pray… Father God, move Your Holy Spirit throughout this room and touch each heart hearing or reading these words that we might better understand what You would tell us this morning. Open our eyes that we might see, open our ears that we might hear, open our hearts that we might receive Your message today. In the glorious name of Your Son Jesus we pray. Amen.
California-based researcher George Barna authored the book The State of the Church: 2002. For this in-depth report on the church, Barna conducted a survey of self-pronounced Christians and here’s what he found out about their knowledge of the Bible. Now remember: these are Christians.
Barna noted that, "Americans revere the Bible, but by and large they don’t know what it says. And because they don’t know it, they have become a nation of biblical illiterates."
Just like the people in this Barna poll, Christians today are far too ignorant of the Word of God. It’s no wonder 21st century Christians are failing to finish their marathon race. No wonder Christians by the thousands are falling prey to the false teachers of our day. They are being fed junk food and don’t feed themselves on the true Word of God. They are desperately in need of a solid diet of good food, of Scripture. We need to get into "spiritual shape"! And you know what happens when all we eat is junk food. We grow, but in all the wrong ways.
Our scripture passage this morning opens with the application of a concept we have been looking at recently, and closes with the expected results of following through on that application. And all in between are ways we can make this work, paths we can follow to smoothly go from verse 13 right to verse 24. There are also some warning signs of paths we should avoid at all costs.
Basically, what we’re talking about here, is a plan for growth, and for growth in a right and proper direction. This is the same type of plan we try to lay out for our children, so they can grow to be good people. But what Paul gives us here is a plan for spiritual growth.
Jesus spoke of this earlier, giving a clue as to what Paul would provide us. Listen to what He tells us in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 9, verses 23 and 24…
California-based researcher George Barna authored the book The State of the Church: 2002. For this in-depth report on the church, Barna conducted a survey of self-pronounced Christians and here’s what he found out about their knowledge of the Bible. Now remember: these are Christians.
- 48% could not name the four Gospels.
- 52% cannot identify more than two or three of Jesus’ disciples.
- 60% of American Christians can’t name even five of the 10 Commandments.
- 61% of American Christians think the Sermon on the Mount was preached by Billy Graham.
- 71% of American Christians think “God helps those who help themselves” is a Bible verse.
Barna noted that, "Americans revere the Bible, but by and large they don’t know what it says. And because they don’t know it, they have become a nation of biblical illiterates."
Just like the people in this Barna poll, Christians today are far too ignorant of the Word of God. It’s no wonder 21st century Christians are failing to finish their marathon race. No wonder Christians by the thousands are falling prey to the false teachers of our day. They are being fed junk food and don’t feed themselves on the true Word of God. They are desperately in need of a solid diet of good food, of Scripture. We need to get into "spiritual shape"! And you know what happens when all we eat is junk food. We grow, but in all the wrong ways.
Our scripture passage this morning opens with the application of a concept we have been looking at recently, and closes with the expected results of following through on that application. And all in between are ways we can make this work, paths we can follow to smoothly go from verse 13 right to verse 24. There are also some warning signs of paths we should avoid at all costs.
Basically, what we’re talking about here, is a plan for growth, and for growth in a right and proper direction. This is the same type of plan we try to lay out for our children, so they can grow to be good people. But what Paul gives us here is a plan for spiritual growth.
Jesus spoke of this earlier, giving a clue as to what Paul would provide us. Listen to what He tells us in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 9, verses 23 and 24…
23 Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow Me. 24 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for My sake, you will save it.”
--Luke 9:23-24 (NLT)
“Take up your cross daily and follow Me”. He’s telling us not to stick with our old ways, our old life. If we do, we won’t gain eternal life in the end. Isn’t that a good plan for spiritual growth – to follow Jesus daily?
Now this is also a growth plan based first and foremost on faith, faith in God and faith in Jesus as His Son. A little earlier in his letter to the Galatians, in chapter 3 verses 8 and 9, Paul gives us a hint of how God views our faith and the reward we can expect from it…
Now this is also a growth plan based first and foremost on faith, faith in God and faith in Jesus as His Son. A little earlier in his letter to the Galatians, in chapter 3 verses 8 and 9, Paul gives us a hint of how God views our faith and the reward we can expect from it…
8 What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would declare the Gentiles to be righteous because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9 So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith.
--Galatians 3:8-9 (NLT)
It is crucial that we note and pay attention to one very common thread in each of the scripture passages I’ve read to you so far: we have an active role to play in this growth plan.
For us, the easiest part is in what I just read in Galatians chapter 3 when Paul instructs us that we must put our faith in Christ in order to share the blessing Abraham received because of his faith. We have faith in Jesus, don’t we?
The more difficult role is what Jesus gave us in the Gospel of Luke: to take up our cross daily and follow Him. That means to accept our burden and obey Jesus as our true Lord and Master – not just to be church-goers but to be the actual hands and feet of Jesus Christ on earth!
And then we have verse 24 in today’s reading of Galatians chapter 5 for what I think can be the most difficult task for us. If we truly belong to Christ, we must take all our worldly passions and desires, all our sinful ways, and nail them to that cross. We must crucify the flesh, the old self, the person we were, before the new person can be born.
When we accept Christ, we spiritually become like children once again, and that’s why we need this spiritual growth plan. We need a plan that takes us from what we were to what Jesus wants us to be. In his letter to the Ephesians, chapter 4 verses 11 through 16, Paul puts it in just those terms…
Family, it’s time we grow up. It’s time we stop acting like children. Everything we’ve looked at so far this morning requires definite action on our part. Having and keeping faith in Jesus, following Him, leaving our old selves behind, crucifying our old ways to that cross we carry, quit allowing ourselves to be deceived by people who just tell us the things we want to hear, love everyone around us with a true, sacrificial love – these are all purposeful acts.
None of this just happens to us like magic. These are all things that we must do on purpose. If we want to live a life that’s filled with meaning, we have to learn to live life on purpose. We have to be the new person, with a new nature that God is creating within us. As God creates that new person, our bad habits get replaced with good ones.
Just as change comes with aging, integrity comes to us slowly, event by event through the choices we make in life as we keep our priorities right with God. Webster defines integrity as adherence to moral and ethical principles, a soundness of moral character, honesty, the state of being whole or entire, a sound, unimpaired, or perfect condition. Perfection comes slowly, with each choice we make, growing only with those right and righteous choices.
And what better example of perfection can we hold before ourselves than that of Jesus our Christ? We need to keep our hearts full of love and free of unforgiveness. We must move beyond the conditional love that the world knows and emphasizes, and move toward the unconditional love that Jesus shows.
All of this points to the truth that when we accept Jesus, the transformation into the “new person” probably won’t be instantaneous. Scripture tells us that when we acknowledge Jesus as our Lord and Master that we are “made into a new creation”. But making something is a process. Even God took six days to make the world and all that is in it.
When we accept Jesus, when we confess Him as the Son of God and proclaim Him our Master, we become a work in progress. There are things we have to do to help that process along. The choices we make can advance that progress, or detract from it. We have free will - we can choose as we’d like. But to move in the right direction, toward perfection, we need to choose wisely.
First and foremost, we must practice unconditional love, unconditional forgiveness. And then our “fruit trees” of the Holy Spirit will start to bloom and bud and bear good fruit.
What fruits do others see in us? Lusts of the flesh? A bickering and quarrelsome nature? Jealousy and selfishness? Fits of rage and outbursts of anger? Putting other things before Jesus and God? If so, then we need to increase our output of love. We need to be more patient and kind, more generous and good, more faithful and in better control of ourselves.
We need to grow up, starting right now. But remember: this won’t happen overnight. And that’s OK…
We’re a work in progress.
Amen.
Let us pray… Lord Jesus, we are a work in progress and You are the role model we should all try to emulate. You set the example for us. If we ever hope to come even close to perfection, then we must follow You. We cannot sit back and wait for You to perform a miracle and make a shining new creation out of us, for our Father God has given us the free will to do as we please. We know what most pleases You, Lord. Please help us be pleased by what pleases You.
Help us, Lord, to be more loving, as You love. Help us to be more forgiving, as You forgive. Help us to see others as You see them, as beautiful and beloved creations of our heavenly Father. Help us take control of our lives and live them by Your example, making the choices that are right in the eyes of God and growing toward the perfection that is You, Lord Jesus.
Hear us now, please Lord, as we speak to You silently from our hearts, giving You our thanks, repenting of our sins, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help…
Father God, You gave us Your only Son that we might be saved. He is perfect, Father, and He set the example we must follow to some blessed day attain perfection ourselves. Help us stay true to the path He laid as we follow Him through this life. This in the blessed name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
For us, the easiest part is in what I just read in Galatians chapter 3 when Paul instructs us that we must put our faith in Christ in order to share the blessing Abraham received because of his faith. We have faith in Jesus, don’t we?
The more difficult role is what Jesus gave us in the Gospel of Luke: to take up our cross daily and follow Him. That means to accept our burden and obey Jesus as our true Lord and Master – not just to be church-goers but to be the actual hands and feet of Jesus Christ on earth!
And then we have verse 24 in today’s reading of Galatians chapter 5 for what I think can be the most difficult task for us. If we truly belong to Christ, we must take all our worldly passions and desires, all our sinful ways, and nail them to that cross. We must crucify the flesh, the old self, the person we were, before the new person can be born.
When we accept Christ, we spiritually become like children once again, and that’s why we need this spiritual growth plan. We need a plan that takes us from what we were to what Jesus wants us to be. In his letter to the Ephesians, chapter 4 verses 11 through 16, Paul puts it in just those terms…
11 Christ chose some of us to be apostles, prophets, missionaries, pastors, and teachers, 12 so that His people would learn to serve and His body would grow strong. 13 This will continue until we are united by our faith and by our understanding of the Son of God. Then we will be mature, just as Christ is, and we will be completely like Him.
14 We must stop acting like children. We must not let deceitful people trick us by their false teachings, which are like winds that toss us around from place to place. 15 Love should always make us tell the truth. Then we will grow in every way and be more like Christ, the Head 16 of the body. Christ holds it together and makes all of its parts work perfectly, as it grows and becomes strong because of love.
--Ephesians 4:11-16 (CEV)
Family, it’s time we grow up. It’s time we stop acting like children. Everything we’ve looked at so far this morning requires definite action on our part. Having and keeping faith in Jesus, following Him, leaving our old selves behind, crucifying our old ways to that cross we carry, quit allowing ourselves to be deceived by people who just tell us the things we want to hear, love everyone around us with a true, sacrificial love – these are all purposeful acts.
None of this just happens to us like magic. These are all things that we must do on purpose. If we want to live a life that’s filled with meaning, we have to learn to live life on purpose. We have to be the new person, with a new nature that God is creating within us. As God creates that new person, our bad habits get replaced with good ones.
Just as change comes with aging, integrity comes to us slowly, event by event through the choices we make in life as we keep our priorities right with God. Webster defines integrity as adherence to moral and ethical principles, a soundness of moral character, honesty, the state of being whole or entire, a sound, unimpaired, or perfect condition. Perfection comes slowly, with each choice we make, growing only with those right and righteous choices.
And what better example of perfection can we hold before ourselves than that of Jesus our Christ? We need to keep our hearts full of love and free of unforgiveness. We must move beyond the conditional love that the world knows and emphasizes, and move toward the unconditional love that Jesus shows.
All of this points to the truth that when we accept Jesus, the transformation into the “new person” probably won’t be instantaneous. Scripture tells us that when we acknowledge Jesus as our Lord and Master that we are “made into a new creation”. But making something is a process. Even God took six days to make the world and all that is in it.
When we accept Jesus, when we confess Him as the Son of God and proclaim Him our Master, we become a work in progress. There are things we have to do to help that process along. The choices we make can advance that progress, or detract from it. We have free will - we can choose as we’d like. But to move in the right direction, toward perfection, we need to choose wisely.
First and foremost, we must practice unconditional love, unconditional forgiveness. And then our “fruit trees” of the Holy Spirit will start to bloom and bud and bear good fruit.
What fruits do others see in us? Lusts of the flesh? A bickering and quarrelsome nature? Jealousy and selfishness? Fits of rage and outbursts of anger? Putting other things before Jesus and God? If so, then we need to increase our output of love. We need to be more patient and kind, more generous and good, more faithful and in better control of ourselves.
We need to grow up, starting right now. But remember: this won’t happen overnight. And that’s OK…
We’re a work in progress.
Amen.
Let us pray… Lord Jesus, we are a work in progress and You are the role model we should all try to emulate. You set the example for us. If we ever hope to come even close to perfection, then we must follow You. We cannot sit back and wait for You to perform a miracle and make a shining new creation out of us, for our Father God has given us the free will to do as we please. We know what most pleases You, Lord. Please help us be pleased by what pleases You.
Help us, Lord, to be more loving, as You love. Help us to be more forgiving, as You forgive. Help us to see others as You see them, as beautiful and beloved creations of our heavenly Father. Help us take control of our lives and live them by Your example, making the choices that are right in the eyes of God and growing toward the perfection that is You, Lord Jesus.
Hear us now, please Lord, as we speak to You silently from our hearts, giving You our thanks, repenting of our sins, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help…
Father God, You gave us Your only Son that we might be saved. He is perfect, Father, and He set the example we must follow to some blessed day attain perfection ourselves. Help us stay true to the path He laid as we follow Him through this life. This in the blessed name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
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