Old Time Religion - New Time Faith
Galatians - January & February 2020
No Longer Servants
February 23, 2020 • Bill Williamson • Galatians 4:8–20
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation." (2 Corinthians 5.17) What does that mean? What does it mean to be a "new creation"? Perhaps it helps to consider who we were without Christ. We were not simply lost in our sin, but as a result, we were alienated from God. We were enemies of God. We were considered servants of God. We were not servants of God, but servants of our carnal flesh, our worldly desires, held captive by the temptations and enticements of all that was opposed to God. Yet, when we surrender to Christ, allowing His forgiveness to be released within us through the Holy Spirit, we are transformed. Jesus says in John 15.15, "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know what his master is doing." Whereas, when we were separated from God, we did not even consider the things of God, let alone know God, we now can know God. More importantly, as we will see this morning, "God knows us". He has called us, and in His calling, by the blood of Christ, God has adopted us into His family. So, yes, we are no longer servants to the world, but we are now servants of the One True God.
From Slaves To Siblings
February 16, 2020 • Dennis Whitcher • Galatians 3:23—4:7
The reality is that we really don't deserve our Christian families, do we? But God put us here with faithful “parents” so that we would learn about the inheritance of eternal life. The reality is we don’t belong in God’s family, but he makes us his children. We deserve to be like the rest of this world, locked up as a prisoner of sin and the law with the key thrown away, but Christ has come. Jesus Christ gave up his life so that he might destroy the power of Satan, that he would unlock the door to heaven so that we can enter freely anytime that he calls us home. Knowing all this we are thankful children. Colossians says that we are to live lives that are giving thanks: "Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves" (Colossians 1:12,13). Jesus, God’s own Son is our brother. God, Jesus’ Father is our Father. Heaven, their home is our home, our inheritance. We are blessed as children of God.
The Road To Salvation
February 9, 2020 • Bill Williamson • Galatians 3:15–22
The Road to Salvation is paved with the grace of God. From the beginning to the end, salvation has always been about grace. However, history shows us that mankind has not always followed the plans of God, let alone the road to salvation. God's road to salvation, his plan to redeem mankind, is also filled with promises, road signs that point our way in the right direction. When we are "prone to wander", God goes after us in our wandering, getting our attention through a variety of means, including even a burning bush, and gets us back on the right path. The amazing part of God's grace is that no matter how far we may wander, we are never out of its reach. The grace of God expands and wraps its arms around us, keeping us close to God, even though at times it may seem we have gone too far. The promise of God is that His arm is not too short that it cannot save us, rescue us, turn us back and lead us into His eternal ways.
Blow Up The Bell Curve
February 2, 2020 • Mike Johnson • Galatians 3:1–14
This morning we come to together to worship and to bring honor and glory to our God! We are honored once again to welcome Mike Johnson to Grace who will bring us the morning message – Blow Up The Bell Curve! The Gospel blows up our instincts about righteousness and rewards. There is no bell curve of righteousness. Rev. Mike Johnson is the CEO/Executive Director of Yakima Union Gospel Mission. After a decade as a non-denominational pastor, Mike was called to mission work in 2007. His wife of 28 years is Dena Johnson, a Christian counselor specializing in supporting families involved in foster care and adoption. Mike and Dena have adopted 7 children themselves, now ages 9-23. Mike is a former US Army Ranger, a mountaineer, a teacher and trainer, and is the President of the northwest district of Citygate Network, the 104-year-old nationwide association of roughly 300 gospel rescue missions. Next Sunday, you will hear from Keith Mathews and Bruce Drollinger how you can support the ministry of the Yakima Union Gospel Mission.
Solus Christus! Sola Fide
January 26, 2020 • Dennis Whitcher • Galatians 2:15–21
You may have heard someone describing their conception or rather their misconception of Christianity something like this: Christianity is taking the ten things you like to do most and stop doing them and taking the ten things you like to do least and start doing them. How can you explain this kind of misconception of a life of faith in Christ? It is most likely because they have received their idea of Christianity from the rulebook for Christians. They have come in contact with the kind of institutionalized religion similar to the legalism that Paul is writing against in Galatians. New Christians in Galatia were being persuaded that faith alone was not enough. They were being told by certain people that they needed to add certain works of the law in order to be saved. That was a step backward in their spiritual growth. Paul argued that if we could earn our way back to God by our own efforts, Christ would not have had to die for our unrighteousness. Adding human works to faith would be the same as setting God’s grace aside. It would be hypocritical. We can’t do anything to earn our salvation. We can’t be justified or declared righteous on our own merits. We are justified by faith. The law can’t give us salvation. Only faith in Christ can give us salvation.
That Was Then - This Is Now
January 12, 2020 • Bill Williamson • Galatians 1:11–24
We love God, because He first loved us. There is no reversal of that order. We know God, because He first knew us and called us by name. We cannot and do not come to a loving relationship with God except for Him having not only loved us first, but revealed His love to us. We may say "yes" to God, but it's only because He first said "yes" to us in Christ. We have faith, given to us by the Holy Spirit, only because God made Himself known to us. Many people may hear about God, think about God as they look at creation, get this sense that there is a God, but there is no faith, no belief in God, no love for God, until God, through the Holy Spirit, having our "hearts enlightened", that we may know the hope to which He has "called" us. (Ephesians 1.18) God calls us, opening the eyes of our heart, that we then might respond to His call and be united to Him through Christ. This morning, may the eyes of your heart be opened and ready to receive what God will reveal to you this morning.
Faith-Filled Habits
January 19, 2020 • Bill Williamson • Galatians 2:1–14
As we continue in Galatians, Paul runs into a situation where what is being preached is not being practiced. When it comes to practicing our faith, it's sometimes difficult to break old habits. We want to grow. We want to change. We want to live by faith and not by sight, but sometimes "sight" is so much better. Faith is not easy. Faith requires work. Faith requires trust. However, living by faith is a life filled with confident expectations and a sure hope that God is faithful. Hebrews 11.1 says, "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen." So, how is your faith? Where is your faith being challenged? Where is your faith growing? Where is you faith being lived out? It's an ongoing journey, because we are constantly being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
Religion VS Faith
January 5, 2020 • Bill Williamson • Galatians 1:1–10
We enter into 2020 by taking a look at the Book of Galatians. Paul fills the pages addressing the difference between slavery to the Law and Freedom in Christ, as well as the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. It boils down to the difference between works and grace. It’s what I’m call the difference between Old Time Religion and New Time Faith. On the very first Sunday of the New Year we have the privilege of celebrating Communion, which helps us recognize the old, while we welcome the new. There is the remembrance of Passover, as God spared His children from the angel of death in Egypt. There is the remembrance of the Pascal Lamb. Communion also reminds us that Jesus Christ was our Sacrificial Lamb. We are reminded by Jesus’ death that in His blood we are given a New Covenant. Our relationship to God, provide through the sacrifice of Jesus, is no longer based on works. Instead, as New Creations in Christ, we are reconciled and redeemed by grace and grace alone. So, as we begin the New Year, it may be time to consider letting go of the “old”, stop dwelling on the past, and by faith begin stepping into the “new” and focusing on what is still to come. “If anyone is in Christ they are a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5.17)