Lessons From Galatians
Galatians 1:9-10 (9/17/15)
September 17, 2015 • Benham Brothers
Paul had strong words for those who preached a “different” gospel. One that looked like the real thing but was just a counterfeit. He never said for pagans to be cursed, but for false teachers. How do you know they are false? Three tests: Sin - they don’t call it sin. Self - put self at center. Savior - Jesus is a good buddy. Reformers in the 1500’s were concerned about 2 issues: 1) Heresy - adding to the truth. 2) Apostasy - taking away from the truth. Verse 10 reveals why someone would preach a different gospel: Because they seek to please man and not God. A man-pleasing spirit is the spirit of our age.
Galatians 1:15-17 (9/13/18)
September 13, 2018 • Benham Brothers
* God told Paul to go to the Gentiles. If he conferred with others they may have tried to talk him out of it. * We can apply this passage in two ways: * 1) When God has clearly told you what to do don’t worry about what others say. * 2) We should spend more time reading God’s Word than other people’s words about God. * Paul knew men could distort what God was saying to him, so he cleared away the clutter to make time to listen to the Spirit. * Paul knew the Scriptures but he began to read them through a new lens - the lens of the Spirit. * So let the Bible be the foundation for all your reading. * And when God reveals something to you go do it.
Galatians 1:24 (9/15/16)
September 15, 2016 • Benham Brothers
• Paul was explaining how God called him. • He went from being a persecutor of Christianity to a propagator of it. • He said, “And they glorified God because of me.” • He did not say, “And they glorified me.” • People could see God “through” Paul’s life, just as he said in 2 Corinthians 12 where God could be glorified through his weakness. • Now ask yourself the same question - can others see God through you?
Galatians 2:4-5, 11-12 (9/17/15)
September 17, 2015 • Benham Brothers
Fear and Freedom go hand-in-hand. Freedom - vs 4-5: Paul fought hard so that the Galatians wouldn’t slip into the slavery of works-based salvation. He talked about the freedom they had in Christ. There are two types of freedom: 1) Internal - a gift from God and comes at the level of identity. 2) External - something that has to be fought for and affects the environment in which you live and work. Internal freedom in the 1500’s set the stage for external freedom today. Fear - vs 11-12: Paul had to rebuke Peter for leading others astray in works-based salvation. Paul started focusing on people instead of the Person (God). He didn’t want to offend. The greatest threat to freedom is fear - fear of man. The greatest asset to freedom is fear - fear of God. We can all fall into this same trap, but we have to fight to keep our focus on God and Him alone.
Galatians 2:11-14 (9/21/22)
September 21, 2022 • Benham Brothers • Galatians 2:11–14
* The greatest threat to freedom is fear. * When fear of man is bigger than faith in God you problems become bigger and God becomes smaller. * Your actions will align with whichever one is bigger! * Peter showed us what this looks like. * He was like a roller coaster: * Bold in garden / Sissy in the courtyard. * Bold at Pentecost / Sissy in Antioch. * But Pete had first-hand experience with Jesus. * He certainly remembered what was said of Jesus by His enemies: * Mark 12:14 - “And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone’s opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God.” * Four things about Jesus: * He lived the truth - “…we know that you are true…” * He spoke the truth - “…(you) truly teach the way of God…” * He wasn’t a people pleaser - “…(you) do not care about anyone’s opinion…” * He wasn’t a people worshipper - “…you are not swayed by appearances…” * Peter was there when this was said, but he forgot. * Courage isn’t the absence of fear - it’s doing what’s right in spite of it. * Peter’s life shows us the importance of letting our faith be bigger than our fear. * Paul’s reaction shows us how a leader should be dealt with whose fear has gotten bigger than their faith and is leading others astray. * Vs 11-13 - Pete knew God wanted him to go to the Gentiles, and he obeyed. * Until it got really hard - he was pressured by his Jewish buddies. * So he distanced himself. * His fear of people had grown bigger than his faith in God. * So Paul sprung into action. * Vs 14 - He rebuked him in front of everyone. Why? * Because Pete was leading people astray. His action were public. * The message of grace was extremely unpopular among Jews. * Paul then explained why Pete was wrong and why Pete’s actions were trampling the grace of God. * Peter’s reaction? Humility! * 1 & 2 Peter were written after Galatians. * 1 Peter 5:5b - “…clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” * 2 Peter 3:15 - “Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.”
Galations 2:20 (9/19/14)
September 19, 2014 • Benham Brothers
This verse seems to contradict - He lives.......I live..... When Christ enters into our hearts He takes over. My dad had a dream - click listen above and you will hear what it is. Christ steps inside of our hearts and is now the source of our behavior. We behave, but He's doing it through us.
Galatians 3:27-28 (9/17/15)
September 17, 2015 • Benham Brothers
Paul was encouraging the Galatians not to fall back into following the law for salvation. Pharisees would thank God they weren’t like slaves, Gentiles, or women. But Paul said that in Christ everyone is equal - we are all one. Today we have government trying to erase distinctions in order to create equality, but they’re doing it apart from being “clothed in Christ” - this won’t work. Here we see what true diversity and equality is all about. It starts with being “clothed” in Christ - this means becoming Christian. Being clothed meant for the Romans that a child would no longer wear children clothes, but adult clothes. Diversity comes through the law - it perpetuates distinctions in race, political status, gender. The law created distinctions among people and nations. Equality comes through grace - all people were “one” in Christ. This meant that amongst Christians, race, political status, and gender didn’t matter. Key - equality does not remove diversity, it simply unites diverse people into one unified body, called the church. Only in Christ can you be fully diverse and fully equal at the same time. We are all equal in VALUE, as outlined in the Declaration of Independence. God gives us all equal opportunity but not equal outcomes - that’s determined by 1) how God made you, 2) what you do with it.
Galatians 4:9 (9/19/19)
September 19, 2019 • Benham Brothers
* Galatians 3:23-27 - the Law was their tutor until Christ came. * Galatians 4:1-7 - Just like the heir of an estate needs tutors, when he’s older and more mature he no longer needs them. * Living under the law after Christ would be like the heir of an estate who’s matured remaining under the tutors like a slave. * The law was made to prepare us to rule as SONS and DAUGTHERS of the King! * When the Holy Spirit enters your heart you don’t need law. * Why? * Because you have a brand new identity - you’re sons and daughters of the King and the King is powerful over all things. * You now have a relationship with God. You don’t have to be slaves to the Law. * The law defines the lowest you can go, but the Spirit demands the highest we can go. * Galatians 4:8-10 - Paul is telling them that since they are now free they don’t need to go back to the law. * But it was too easy for them to keep doing what they were doing. * Religion is always easier than relationship. * It’s easier to follow a set of rules than to engage in a dynamic relationship. * But religion thwarts relationship. * Imagine trying to talk to your dad like a Catholic recites a rosary. * We’re sons and daughters of the KING! * Now grow in that relationship.
Galatians 4:21-26 (9/17/20)
September 17, 2020 • Benham Brothers
In NT times, converting to Christ was a big deal. Why? • Judaism was accepted by the Romans but not Christianity. • Christianity was a radical departure from what they knew. • Jewish leaders tried to keep people in their religion. • The Galatians fell prey to drifting back into Judaism, which was religion. • Paul is urging them to live by the Spirit of freedom and not come under the domination of the law (slavery). • Their effort to please God was taking matters into their own hands. • He used the example of Abraham - he took matters into his own hands and you’ll see how it turned out. • Story: • God gave Abe a promise - he’d have a son. • Ten years later, no son. He took matters into his own hands and shacked up with Hagar - Ishmael. • This ended in slavery. • 25 years after the promise, he had another son with Sarah - Isaac. • Ishmael became the enemy of Isaac. • This son was the son of the promise, which resulted in freedom. • *** Paul used this to ask the Galatians whose son they want to be. • When Abe took matters into his own hands it ended in slavery. • When he trusted God and waited on the Spirit it ended in freedom. • When you operate by the Spirit you don’t try to open doors that God said He would open - you WAIT for Him. • God’s “yes” and “go” are two different things. • When you wait you become the person who can handle what He said “yes” to. • You have to harness your ambition and wait for God to move, otherwise you become like Abe with Hagar - it will end in bondage.
Gal 5:1, 16-25 (9/26/13)
September 26, 2013 • Benham Brothers
Christ set us free from sin, not Hell - Heaven is simply a by-product God freed you from your prison cell here on earth We tend to jump back into prison by our own choices God gives us the power to stay free The Spirit cannot sin - only the flesh can sin We get into the flesh when we stop walking by the Spirit You can only get in stride with God if you're in the same yoke with Him!
Galatians 5:7 (9/28/22)
September 28, 2022 • Benham Brothers • Galatians 5:7
* When you make your peace with God, Satan declares war on you. * Satan wants to rob, kill, destroy - he wants to rob you of your freedom. * Paul was talking about freedom in Christ. * He didn’t want people going back into the bondage of religion. * He taught Relationship over Religion (rules). * The ceremonial law was abolished in Christ. * EX: Asking a marriage counselor for a list of things to do (that’s not love). * Vs 4 - “You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.” * Don’t leave the grace system for the law system. * Vs 5 - “For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.” * We await “His” righteousness. * Conformity to God’s standards that puts us in “right relationship” with Him. * How do we know we have it? * Vs 6 - when we operate in love toward others. * “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” * True faith expresses itself in true love. * When we operate like this Satan targets us. * He often brings people around us to influence our thinking. * Vs 7 - “You were running a good race. WHO cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?” * WHO told you something that stopped you from expressing faith in love? * To get to the true root, asking “why” and “what” are important… * …but “WHO” is the only way you’ll truly overcome. * 3 R’s - recognize, renounce, replace. * EX: Adam - “Who told you that you were naked?” * Vs 8 - “That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.” * Do the ideas you have draw you closer to God? * Vs 9 - “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” * A little idea can ruin a lot of you. * Even good people can have bad ideas (Peter). * We are to express our faith through love for others while refusing to believe the lies that come our way. * If you can’t spot the agenda, you’re not mature enough to listen or watch. * This is why we need “church” - wisdom comes through others.
Galatians 5:13-25 (9/21/14)
September 21, 2014 • Benham Brothers
Backdrop 1 - The Galatians were converted but were trying to keep parts of the law as well, so Paul was reminding them that it was for freedom that Christ set them free - they didn't need to obey the law in order to be saved. Backdrop 2 - When you got saved your spirit was reborn - now you're a brand new person. But your brain doesn't feel like a brand new person. It's like being set free from prison only to want to walk right back into the prison cell because I'm so used to it. Backdrop 3 - It's difficult to walk like an Egyptian unless you're an Egyptian. Picking on the Madeira's again - I can try to walk like Brian but it's fake. Brody, however, walks just like him because he's got Madeira in him. Twice Paul encourages the Galatians to WALK in the Spirit - vs 16 & 25. How do we walk in the Spirit? Verse 14 - LOVE your neighbor as yourself. Two greatest commandments - Love God & Love others. The two greatest commitments are the same - to God and to others. Apart from both the vertical and the horizontal we don't have a full picture of the cross. How do we do love others? See every person as family: 1) Mother or Father - older people. 2) Brother or Sister - people our age. 3) Son or Daughter - younger people. When we love others the Holy Spirit will live freely in us and exhibit FRUIT through us - verses 22-23.
Galatians 5:19-21 (9/15/16)
September 15, 2016 • Benham Brothers
• Paul was explaining the importance of walking in the Spirit. • Then he explains who the people are that won’t inherit God’s kingdom. • “….those who LIVE like this will not….” • He didn’t say, “those who’ve sinned like this will not.” • When we surrender to a certain sin and make it our lifestyle, this is the person Paul was referring to. • We gain our identity by whatever or whoever we surrender to. • If you’re putting up a fight and you sin, then you can still inherit the kingdom. • But if you surrender to it you are rejecting God and you cannot inherit His kingdom. • The key is in the fight! • If you don’t make it your lifestyle and you keep the fight active, the kingdom can still be yours.
Galatians 5:22 (9/20/18)
September 20, 2018 • Benham Brothers
* I have news for you - your poop is whispering to you! * It’s a subtle voice telling you what’s going on inside your body. * It’s saying, “This is the way, walk in it!” * Since we have the University of Bristol Poop Chart we see the 7 different types and which one is the best. * Your poop is the Check Engine light for your body. * The same is true spiritually - what’s coming out of you reveals what’s going on inside you. * We have 9 fruits to see (better than 7!). * vs 6:7-9 - another way to say it is “you reap what you sow.” * Whatever you plant and water will grow. * Are you sowing to the spirit or the flesh? * Pay attention to your decisions. * Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see good fruit right away.