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Grace and Mercy - A Parting Note

As the Hudson family moves on, I wanted to take a moment and leave a note here for those that read the blog whether they attend Clark Baptist or not.

The past 3 plus years have been a journey and a learning experience. I know I have learned a lot and I pray that God continues to use what He has taught me to share His message of grace and love. I pray that those who have attended Clark Baptist have learned a little more about what it means to be a follow of Jesus Christ.

It was great to see the handful of youth (most are mine) grow and mature. It was nice to see all serve in one form or another from special music, leading worship, or running the sound booth.

I have also enjoyed getting to know everyone who was their when we started, but also celebrated each time a guest came back. It was great to see a family join, another attend regularly for awhile, and a couple of individuals seem to make Clark Baptist their home church.

I was excited to see the everyone dig a little deeper as we grew the amount we gave to the various SBC, IMB, NAMB, and MBC offerings. We increased our goals and hit or exceeded them almost all of the time. That is one way we have seen the faith of those at Clark Baptist grow!

I do pray for Grace and Mercy over Clark Baptist. I pray that God works in the lives of everyone at Clark Baptist. That He helps them become exactly who they are meant to be and do what He has created for them to do. I pray that whoever comes after me is uniquely equipped to Pastor this church for the foreseeable future.

I also pray that God guides the path of the Hudson family. Our time in ministry at Clark has come to an end, but our life of ministry and service to others stretches out as a long road ahead of us.

Please join me in praying daily for the Grace and Mercy for all involved as we go through this transition.

If you want to keep up with pastor Robert, click on the link to my personal blog and follow me there. You can also shoot me an email at pastorrwh@gmail.com

May the Lord's abundant blessings be upon you!

Love,

Robert

Sermon - October 2, 2016 - Galatians 6 - Serve Others

A common theme throughout Galatians has simply been that we need to follow Jesus. Nothing else really matters. Rules, Law, rituals, traditions, who we used to be, who we are today, rich, poor, or the color of our skin, absolutely nothing else matters other than our faith in Jesus and choosing to follow Him.

Choose to follow Jesus, relinquish control, and let the Holy Spirit guide your life. Submit to Him, Depend on Him, and be who God created you to be. Kick the garbage out of your life and let the fruit of the Spirit grow.

It is fitting that Paul transitions from letting the Holy Spirit be your guide to being there for your brothers and sisters in Christ.

Galatians 6:1

“6 Brothers, if someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so you also won’t be tempted.”

So Paul is telling us that if someone is struggling with sin we are to beat them upside the head with a club until they change their ways, that should “restore” them to the way they should be. Oh wait, he goes on to talk about having a gentle spirit I guess beating them into submission is not the right approach.

Let’s look at this a little closer to see what he is really saying. First off the person who is ‘caught in any wrongdoing’ might be better translated as a person ‘who is trying to live righteously but is really struggling to turn away from sin.’ This verse is talking about someone who is trying to be who God created them to be. Someone who is trying to let the Holy Spirit mold them and shape them, but seems to be falling down. Think of those new Christians who are on fire for Jesus but struggle letting go of their past lifestyles.

Since we have already established that we are not be beat them upside the head or even kick them while they are down. If a brother of sister in Christ is struggling with sin we are supposed give them a helping hand. We are supposed to use the fruit of the Spirit love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control to help them and to keep ourselves from falling with them.

It is easy to do the exact opposite. We see someone fall of the wagon and start drinking again and what happens? People talk behind his back and think poorly of him. Too often when a person is seen to be struggling with something in their lives, others use it as an opportunity to elevate themselves. They say ‘I am better than that’ or ‘I would never do that’. That is really the same as beating them into submission. We need to let the Holy Spirit guide us. Be there for the struggling believer, offer them a hand up, a strong arm, or a shoulder to cry on. Assure them that their salvation is not lost and that you and Jesus still love them.

Galatians 6:2

“² Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

If you are submitting to the Holy Spirit, He will guide you to helping those in need. This principle applies to all burdens, struggles, shortfalls, etc… but Paul is specifically talking about those that are struggling with sin. If someone is in a spiritual battle, come along side of them and help them. Let the Holy Spirit comfort, encourage, bring joy, and love them through you.

John 13:34

“I give you a new command; Love one another. Just as I have love you, you must also love one another.”

Fulfilling the law of Christ is to love others as Christ has loved you. In other words, give of yourself to those who are in need. No matter what the need is, give however you can.

Galatians 6:3-4

“³ For if anyone considers himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴ But each person should examine his own work, and then he will have a reason for boasting in himself alone, and not in respect to someone else.”

As I mentioned earlier it is common for people to compare themselves to others, especially when that person is struggling. It is easy to kick them while they are down. If we are depending on the Holy Spirit, letting Him guide us, letting Him show us how to help others and serving others any way we can, something has to change. To submit to the Holy Spirit and serve others, especially when others are struggling, you must stop focusing on yourself. To truly be a servant to others you will need to remember that you are a sinner just like they are. You will need to remember that you will struggle in life, just like they are. You will need to remember to not compare yourself to others.

Romans 12:3

“For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one.”

Don’t compare yourself to others, instead look at your life to see if God is at work in you. That is what really matters. Remember we are all different with different callings on our lives and hence success or accomplishment will look different for each of us. Our true measure of if we are doing what we are supposed to be doing, is by understanding if you are letting God work in you or not.

Galatians 6:5

“⁵ For each person will have to carry his own load.”

The burden in verse 2, was an overwhelming burden that one could not carry on their own. Here is a burden that is rightsized for all believers.

Matthew 11:30

“³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Each of us were created to do something! It is not an overwhelming burden; it is something that was designed specifically for us. The question is, are you doing it? Are you carrying the load that Jesus has given you? Are you following the leading of the Holy Spirit? That is something that only you can answer, but please pray about it and ask God to guide you to the answer.

Galatians 6:6-8

“⁶ The one who is taught the message must share all his good things with the teacher. ⁷ Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows he will also reap, ⁸ because the one who sows to his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.”

Support the work of the Lord. Take the things that God has blessed you with and spread the blessing so that God’s work continues and can be a blessing to as many people as possible.

Don’t throw your resources towards the sinful things of the world. Don’t invest into the things of your flesh. If you blow your money at the bar with your buddies, that is feeding your sin. If you spend your money gambling at the race track, casino, and even the lottery you are feeding sin. Sowing to the flesh reaps the flesh. Giving to sin, strengthens the control that sin has over you.

Instead we are to sow, give, to the work of God. That is what is meant by sowing to the Spirit. Give of your time, money, resources, and strength to support the work of God and you will reap the benefits. Not only will you see the Holy Spirit work in your life on this side of Glory you will be able to spend an eternity with the true King of Kings. Take whatever you have been given and support the work of God. Starve the flesh and feed the Spirit.

Galatians 6:9

“⁹ So we must not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.”

Farmers sow and are able to watch their crops grow and a few months later it is harvest time. In serving God, sowing with the Spirit, it is not as easy to see when the harvest will come. As faithful believers we need to make sure that we do not become weary, make sure we keep doing what God has created us to do, so that we will reap the benefit when the time comes. We don’t know if that is going to be on this side of Glory or the other, so we need to make sure we keep doing what God created us to do.

Galatians 6:10

“¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, we must work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.”

As Christ followers doing the work that the Holy Spirit leads us to, we are to serve all people. Saved and unsaved, people we like and people we would rather not be around. When Jesus served the 5,000 both those who believed and those who did not believe were blessed. Our service needs to be to everyone, but we do need to make sure we take care of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Think of it this way, you family needs are to be met first and then you reach out to those outside of your home. Serve your brothers and sisters in Christ, sow your seeds in your local church first, and then move outwards from there. Be a blessing starting right here and then be a blessing wherever you go.

Galatians 6:11-13

“¹¹ Look at what large letters I use as I write to you in my own handwriting. ¹² Those who want to make a good impression in the flesh are the ones who would compel you to be circumcised—but only to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. ¹³ For even the circumcised don’t keep the law themselves; however, they want you to be circumcised in order to boast about your flesh.”

As is his custom Paul takes the pen from the scribe and finishes the letters himself and gives us a summary of his writing as only he could.

The false teachers in Galatia and the false teachers in the world today, are only interested in pleasing men. They are focused on what they are going to get out of it. More money, recognition, fame, etc… self-centered desires. The false teachers are sowing to the flesh.

We need to watch out for those that would lead us astray. The only way to protect yourself is to stay in the Word of God, talk to God constantly, and make sure what you are being taught is the Truth. Remember to Trust but Verify.

Galatians 6:14

“¹⁴ But as for me, I will never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The world has been crucified to me through the cross, and I to the world.”

Jesus and Jesus alone. Nothing else is needed, simple faith that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that you are a sinner, and that His death and resurrection paid for your sins as none other could. That right there is what is important and that is what we need to be taking a stand on.

Christians and Southern Baptist sadly are known for the things that they are against or the stances they take that have absolutely no impact on a person’s salvation. Before we take a stand on something to first make sure our motives are pure, our guidance comes strictly from the Bible, and however we move forward that it is done in love. Out actions need to glorify Christ.

Galatians 6:15

“¹⁵ For both circumcision and uncircumcision mean nothing; what matters instead is a new creation.”

Another reminder that simple faith in Jesus is all that is needed. No rituals, no Law, no tradition, nothing but Jesus. It is through our faith in Jesus that our sinful self is wiped away. His blood cleansed us of our sins and made us Holy. We are a new creation in Christ Jesus, a child of God, a co-heir with Christ, and we have been grafted in to the promise given to Abraham. Simple faith leads to an eternity in Glory.

Galatians 6:16

“¹⁶ May peace come to all those who follow this standard, and mercy to the Israel of God!”

Peace and Mercy to all who believe that salvation is a gift that is given freely by our Lord Jesus to all who believe. Remember that we are saved by grace through faith. It is not something that is earned, but it is a gift freely given out of love.

Paul closes with this.

Galatians 6:17

“¹⁷ From now on, let no one cause me trouble, because I bear on my body scars for the cause of Jesus.”

Paul has been marked or branded as belonging to Jesus. Paul’s life belongs to Him and no matter what happens Paul will continue to serve God. If you are a child of God, His mark is on you. Serve Him at all cost, it will be worth it in the end.

Galatians 6:18

“¹⁸ Brothers, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.”

The letter to the Galatians draws to a close as well as our time here does. I pray that the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with each of you. May the Holy Spirit Guide you as you serve others.

God Bless,

Robert 

Sermon - September 25, 2016 - Galatians 5:16-26 - Walk by the Spirit

‘Love your neighbor as yourself’, words spoken by Jesus stating that loving others is the second greatest commandment second only to loving God. Last week as we looked at Paul’s letter to the Galatians we see him pointing out that we should be living our lives loving others. He also points out that how we live our lives is very important. If our words and actions are mired in sin, our ability to be a witness is ruined.

How we live our lives impacts the witness we share. What do people see when the look at you? Are you seen as someone who lives differently, who lives by their beliefs or are you seen as hypocrites who says one thing and lives another?  

Paul continues some of that some discussion as we pick up this morning.

Galatians 5:16-18

“¹⁶ I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

What is the answer to making sure you are doing what God created you to do? How do you make sure you are living a life that helps you to have a Godly witness?

Walk by the Spirit.

Becoming Holy is not something that happens in an instant. It is not something like flicking a switch to turn on a light. It is a life long journey, where you walk away from your old sinful life and walk towards the complete, fulfilling, life that Jesus has prepared for you.

I used to have a t-shirt that had a road construction sign on it that said, ‘Caution, God at Work, Still under construction’. I loved that shirt from the first day I saw it. It was a reminder to me, and everyone who saw me wearing it that I am not perfect just because I am saved. I am just as messed up as everyone else, but God is working on me. He will be working on me and everyone else who ‘walks by the Spirit’ until the day we join Him in glory.

‘Walk by the Spirit’ means we are to depend on the Holy Spirit to guide us. I need to emphasize that we need to DEPEND on the Holy Spirit. This is not automatic once you are a Christian, it requires effort on your part. You need to yield control of your life to Him. You need to let Him guide you. You need to pray that the Holy Spirit directs you steps, encourages you, strengthens you, and gives you the words to speak. Talk to the Holy Spirit and then listen for His guiding.

Depend on the Holy Spirit and He will guide you. Letting Him lead you will keep you from carrying out the desires of your flesh. You have to give up control, but when you do the Holy Spirit will keep you away from sin. Not 100% as we are sinful beings, but He will help us resist living in a sinful lifestyle.

Every believer has two natures. A sinful nature that comes from simply being human. This sinful nature has been with us since conception and it is the flesh that we battle. The other nature we have is the new nature we were given when we become God’s children.

2 Peter 1:4

“By these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires.”

By Jesus’ divine power and by our action of giving our lives to Him as our Lord and Savior, we are a new creation and through the work of the Holy Spirit we can escape the flesh, the evil desires that plague us.

Our fleshly nature is in constant battle with our new born again nature. Walking by the Spirit allows God to work in us and He will give us the strength and wisdom to turn away from the things that we might normally want to do. Depending on Him gives Him the authority to battle your flesh, block your sinful desires, and provide you an escape.

Walk by the Spirit and you are not stuck living a life that is under the rules and restrictions of the Law. Let the Holy Spirit guide you and live a Godly life. A life that portrays what God created you for, a life that shows the world that Christ followers are different than the word, a life that portrays the amazing witness that God has given each and every one of us.

Walk by the Spirit and let God lead you to the life He has created for you.

Galatians 5:19-21

“¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, ²¹ envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I tell you about these things in advance—as I told you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

All of us, no matter how long we have been Christians still have that sinful, fleshly nature in us. That same nature that existed before we were saved. With the help of the Holy Spirit we work hard to suppress it, but it is still there. There are times we will fall prey to our sinful ways, but if we depend on the Holy Spirit the we are less likely to do so.

Paul goes on to list 15 things that are works of the flesh. These are the exact opposite of how you should behave as God’s children. They hurt your ability to be a witness to the lost, they hinder your ability to love others, and are obvious signs that someone is not depending on the Holy Spirit. Let’s walk through these fleshly sins.

Sexual immorality – this is simply fornication of any type that is outside of what God has ordained. Homosexual, pre-marriage, adultery, pornography, etc…

Moral impurity – any thought, word, or action that would be considered unclean. Would easily apply to even thinking about acting on any of these sinful actions Paul has mentioned.

Promiscuity – Normally applies to someone living their sexual exploits out in the open for all to see, but also applies to any other sins that are proudly or unashamedly paraded for others to see.

Idolatry – The worship of any pagan gods, bowing to an idol, or putting anything where only Jesus belongs. Making something a higher priority than loving and serving Jesus.

Sorcery – Most think this is something like what is seen in the Harry Potter movies, but the reality is that it is the worship of evil beings such as Satan and demons.

Hatred – The opposite of the love we were created to share.

Strife – Conflict between friends, families, groups of people that is normally brought about by hatred.

Jealousy – Is the result of those who are self-centered, those who lack contentment with what God has given them.

Outburst of anger – Is normally the result of the hatred, strife, and jealousy. We are supposed to have peace that surpasses all understanding, not anger.

Selfish ambitions – This is not a knock at those of us who have ambitions to improve themselves, provide for their families, etc… it is referring to those who want to do those things at the expense of others. Pushing yourself ahead while pushing others down. Not a very loving behavior.

Dissension and Factions – points to what happens when people fight over issues, people, personalities that cause division. Think of how new denominations are formed or how church splits happen.

Envy – An evil feeling of wanting to possess what belongs to others. Probably one of the most destructive behaviors mentioned on this list, as it can be the driving force behind many of the items listed in these verses.

Drunkenness – Is the excessive use of alcohol, drinking to the point where you lose control, can’t think straight, or even today should include getting buzzed to a point that it impairs a person’s reactions.

Carousing – Other translations have the word orgies here. Basically drunken sexual relationships, which at the time would have been done to worship the god of wine.

Paul did end the list with the phrase ‘and anything similar’ to state that while this list was long, it was not all inclusive. It is a representative list of behaviors that are of the flesh.

Walking in the flesh, regularly practicing these or other sinful behaviors, will prevent someone from spending eternity in Glory.

Some have used this verse to say that a believer can lose their salvation if they fall into sin. That is not what is meant by Paul’s statement. It is stating that someone who continually lives their life in the flesh practicing these things is obviously not a child of God. If someone is walking in the Spirit, depending on the Holy Spirit, they may fall and stumble, they may temporarily get dragged into a sinful path but they will not embrace it and make it a life style. Depending on the Holy Spirit will allow a believer to pull themselves out of sin and back to the life they are meant to live.

Galatians 5:22-23

“²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, ²³ gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

A much different list than we looked at a few minutes ago. Walking in the flesh is embracing the first list. Walking in the Spirit is embracing that you need to depend on the Holy Spirit and He will bring these fruit or graces into your life. It is through His power that these fruit manifest in your life.

All of these fruit will be found in all who submit to and depend on the Holy Spirit. These fruit are how the life of Christ is lived out in His followers.

Let’s run through this list like we did the first.

Love – This is the foundation of all the other fruit, as it stems directly from God. God is love and He loves every part of His creation. It is that self-sacrificing love that sent Jesus to die for us. It is that same sacrificial love that come from the Holy Spirit if you depend on Him.

Joy – Is the deep sense of rejoicing that comes from simply being a child of God, regardless of your circumstances. Depending on the Holy Spirit gives joy even in the darkest of trials.

Peace – The peace that defies understanding. Peace that God is control regardless of the storm you are facing.

Patience – This is not the ‘my kids are driving me crazy’ kind of patience. It is the knowing that God has your back. Understanding that it is not your place to retaliate when you have been treated poorly. Simply be patient and depend on God.

Kindness – Have compassion for others, especially those in need. If God has blessed you, be a blessing to others.

 

Goodness – Depending on the Spirit leads to an upright character, but also it drives one to help others even if they do not deserve it.

Faith or Faithfulness– Walking in the Spirit leads to someone being trustworthy and reliable.

Gentleness – Submitting to the Word of God and considerate of others.

Self-control – the Holy Spirit will help us to stand strong and not caving into our fleshly desires.

This second list is only achievable through the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. Submit to Him, Depend on Him, and let Him change you.

Galatians 5:24-26

“²⁴ Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, we must also follow the Spirit. ²⁶ We must not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”

If Jesus Christ is your King of Kings, your Lord of Lord, your Savior, let the Holy Spirit live in you. Depend on Him so that your fleshly desires stay crucified. They died the moment you became a new creation through your acceptance of Jesus as Lord. There is no reason to bring them back, instead walk by the Spirit. Let Him guide you and let Him produce fruit and grace in your life.

It starts by choosing to Follow Jesus and it grows from there. Relinquish control and let the Holy Spirit lead. Submit to Him, Depend on Him, and be who God created you to be. A person full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control, be a person filled with the Holy Spirit. 

God Bless,

Robert

Sermon - September 18, 2016 - Galatians 5:1-15 - Love

As we wrapped up Galatians chapter 4 two weeks ago, Paul used the story of Hagar and Sarah to finish off his discussion about Law and Faith. If you remember Hagar and her son Ishmael represented the world and all its trappings. Sarah and Isaac represented Faith and the freedom that comes from it. Paul used their story to teach the difference between being a slave and free. The Law, the world, and sin rob us of the inheritance that God has prepared for us, but the freedom through Jesus gives us that blessing of eternity in Grace.

Let’s see what Paul has for us this morning as we open our Bibles to Galatians chapter 5.

Galatians 5:1

“5 Christ has liberated us to be free. Stand firm then and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.”

Starts with a nice summary of what we have covered for the last several weeks. We are free, liberated, given grace, and so much more through our faith in Jesus Christ. Which is followed up with another reminder to not fall back into bondage or slavery by submitting to the world, the Law, or any sin in your life. Stand firm, don’t be swayed.

Philippians 1:27

“²⁷ Just one thing: Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, working side by side for the faith that comes from the gospel,”

Stand firm in your faith. Stand firm knowing that you have been set free. Stand firm knowing that you are not a slave any longer and live your life accordingly. Let Christ be seen in the choices you make, the actions you take, and the love you share. Stand firm in your faith and let it change who you are.

Galatians 5:2-3

“² Take note! I, Paul, tell you that if you get yourselves circumcised, Christ will not benefit you at all. ³ Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to keep the entire law.”

Following the Law gets you absolutely nowhere except tied down to the Law. If you choose the Law over Jesus, you are obligated to keep the entire law.

James 2:10

“For whoever keeps the entire law, yet fails in one point, is guilty of breaking it all.”

Since it is impossible to follow every point of the Law, if you choose it, you are doomed. It is a curse that will pull you down. Which is exactly why we need a savior.

Galatians 5:4

“⁴ You who are trying to be justified by the law are alienated from Christ; you have fallen from grace”

Once again Paul is telling the Galatians that you cannot be saved by the Law. There is no way through the Law to salvation, it cannot justify you. Instead it tears down the bridge between you and God.

We need to remember that we are saved by faith. We are not saved by our works, repeating a confession, being baptized, or being a member of a church. Our salvation and justification come from believing that Jesus died for our sins, that He defeated death, and rose to the right hand of the Father. Saved by faith, not by any rules, rituals, or traditions.

Galatians 5:5

“⁵ For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.”

Through Jesus there is no doubt whatsoever if we are justified. We are grafted into the family of God. We become co-heirs with Jesus. We go from being a sinful being, to one that is made perfectly clean, bathed in the blood of the lamb, and completely conformed to God’s requirements.

1 Peter 1:3-4

“³ Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead ⁴ and into an inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.”

Through Jesus you are a new creation, born again, made Holy and you are able to enter Glory.

Galatians 5:6

“⁶ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith working through love.”

Jesus does not care about your past. He does not care about your background, what you have, or anything else. What really matters ‘is faith working through love’. These words are highlighted and underlined in my Bible as a reminder that my faith is demonstrated by my actions.

Ephesians 2:10

“¹⁰ For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.”

Our salvation comes through our faith, but we were created to do good works in Christ’s name. We are to feed the hungry, clothe the poor, help the homeless, and so on. That is what loving God and loving Others is all about. Loving others will drive you into action.

Galatians 5:7

“⁷ You were running well. Who prevented you from obeying the truth?”

Worded another way is ‘what is preventing you from following Jesus?’ Everyone here needs to answer that question. What is preventing you from following Jesus? What is keeping you from doing what God created you to do? What is stopping you from acting on your faith?

I have said it before and I am sure I will say it again. Coming to church is not enough. That is part of Loving God. Setting time aside, committing to God, singing His praises, studying His Word are all part of Loving God. We were also created to Love Others. What is preventing you for sharing God’s love with others? You need to pray about it and ask the Holy Spirit to show you what you should be doing. Pray for Him to break your heart for something that breaks His heart. Then do something about it.

Galatians 5:8-10

“⁸ This persuasion did not come from the One who called you. ⁹ A little yeast leavens the whole lump of dough. ¹⁰ I have confidence in the Lord you will not accept any other view. But whoever it is that is confusing you will pay the penalty.”

God is perfect and Holy. Anything that comes from Him will also be perfect and Holy. This false teaching about the Law did not come from God, it came from man. Sin and corruption come from man, not God.

One little false truth, one small hurdle put before believers, one teeny tiny requirement for salvation, beyond having simple faith destroys the whole thing. Yeast spreads through the whole loaf of bread, so does a single distortion of the truth. No matter how minor it is it will corrupt it.

The message of Jesus and His love and sacrifice for us, is as pure as it can get. Over the last 2,000 years that message has been corrupted by many. It is sometimes hard to tell if someone is speaking the truth or adding to in. Insisting on things like baptism, worshipping in a specific church, or on a specific day are manmade additions to the message of Jesus. Each one of these corrupts the truth, each manmade rule creates a stumbling block for believers.

We need to make sure we keep the message pure and Holy. As Paul stated at the beginning of his letter to the Galatians and is repeating here. Anyone who corrupts the message of God is cursed. Anyone who leads a believer astray will pay the penalty. We need to stay truthful to the message of Jesus and His cross. Nothing taken away and nothing added.

Galatians 5:11

“¹¹ Now brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished.”

Before Paul’s Damascus road experience, he would have preached the need for a man to be circumcised, after all he was an advocate for the Law and an enemy of those who followed Jesus. If he was still teaching the Law, these false teachers would not be attacking him and his teachings. Instead he is being persecuted for simply teaching the meaning of the cross.

1 Corinthians 1:23

“²³ but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles.”

The message of Jesus can be hard for people to grasp. If they believe that they are saved through rituals and rules this whole faith concept sounds ridiculous. They think they can earn their way to heaven, faith alone won’t be enough. Others think it is foolishness, a bunch of fairy tales, something made up to encourage the weak.

We see these same things today. People think they can be good enough to get into heaven, or they think the Bible is just a bunch of made up junk. Our job as followers of Jesus is to be a witness where ever we go in hopes that those who do not believe will see Jesus in us which will ultimately lead to them seeing the truth.

Galatians 5:12

“¹² I wish those who are disturbing you might also get themselves castrated!”

Now you can probably come up with some deep theological meaning behind this statement if you want. I think Paul was simply mad and expressing his desire for those who were corrupting God’s message to go away.

Galatians 5:13

“¹³ For you were called to be free, brothers; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.”

We are free from the Law through our faith in Jesus. We are free from the consequences of our sin through our faith in our Savior. We have been set free. But we are not free to return to sin, as being a slave to sin is just as bad as being a slave to the Law.

1 Corinthians 10:23-24

“²³ “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is helpful. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything builds up. ²⁴ No one should seek his own good, but the good of the other person.”

Just because we are free and have been saved by our faith, does not mean we should go off and do anything we want. Faith in Jesus is not a license to sin or as some call it, fire insurance. If we have a true faith, it changes what we believe, how we feel about things, and how we act.

Are we free to sin? Yes, but is helpful? Absolutely not. We are commanded to be witnesses, and living in sin destroys our ability to be a witness.

Instead of living in sin, we need to be loving others.

Galatians 5:14-15

“¹⁴ For the entire law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself. ¹⁵ But if you bite and devour one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.”

Paul reminds us of the second of the greatest commandments. We are to love others as ourselves. There is no greater visible manifestation of a person’s faith in Jesus than the love they show for others. The love they show for the lost, the poor, the down trodden, those that drive them crazy, the hungry, those in need, and so many more that are in need of our love and ultimately God’s love.

One day we will be standing in front of Jesus and He will ask us two questions. How did we act on our love for God and how did we love others as ourselves?

The question you need to ask yourself is, ‘if you were to answer those questions today are you happy with your answer?’ If not, what do you need to do about it.

It all comes down to Following Jesus, Loving God, Loving Others, and Being a Witness.

 Thanks for reading! God Bless!

Robert

Resignation

Below is my resignation letter.

September 18, 2016

Dear Clark Baptist Church,

            After lots of prayer I believe that God is leading me to resign as the Pastor at Clark Baptist Church. The years I have served here have taught me a lot and the lessons learned will carry me into the future. I do not know where we will go from here, but our last Sunday at Clark Baptist Church will be October 2, 2016.

In Christ’s Name,

Robert Hudson

Sermon - September 4, 2016 - Galatians 4:21-31 - Slave or Free?

Last week we saw Paul pleading with the Galatians to not turn back to their old life style. He did not want them to trade in one sin for another. He was afraid they would just put aside one idol and embrace another.

We to have idols in our lives. They can be hard to see and they may even look like a good thing, but we need to be asking the Holy Spirit to show us our idols. Once we find them we need to work on removing them from their throne and put Jesus back where He belongs. 

We need to toss them idols and follow Jesus. Everything else will follow if our eyes are on the one true King. If we are following Jesus, we will be loving God, loving Others, and being a witness.

As we dig back into Galatians chapter four we find Paul is using the Old Testament story about Sarah and Hagar and their children Isaac and Ishmael to wrap up his discussion about Law and Faith.

Paul uses the slave woman Hagar and her son to show that following the Law is slavery. Abraham’s wife, Sarah, and their son represent faith and freedom.

Galatians 4:21

“²¹ Tell me, those of you who want to be under the law, don’t you hear the law?”

Paul is using this story to compare and contrast those who are slaves to the Law and those who are free from it through their faith in Jesus Christ. The legalistic Jews and false teachers have continued to try to enslave the Galatians telling them that they need to keep the Law. If the Galatians had truly listened to the Law, remembering their faith they would have known that it contradicts what they were already taught by Paul. If they truly understand what the false teachers were saying about the Law, I mean really understood the ins and outs, they would never want to adhere to the Law. It was a burden that no one could bear.

Galatians 4:22

“²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and the other by a free woman.”

The Jews took a huge amount of pride in being direct descendants of Abraham. It seems at times that being related to Abraham was the most important part of their faith as if that in itself granted salvation. They thought being a child of Abraham was the be all to end all. Sadly, those who prided themselves on being children of Abraham seemed to forget that Abraham had another son. They were descendants of Abraham through Isaac but they would conveniently forget about Ishmael and his descendants.

If being a descendant of Abraham was what made the Jewish people special, they would be no better that the Ishmaelites or Arabs. The difference was that one group was born to a wife and free woman and the other group was born to a slave. One group was born to the Promise and the other was born through sin.

Galatians 4:23

“²³ But the one by the slave was born according to the impulse of the flesh, while the one by the free woman was born as the result of a promise.”

Ishmael was the product of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar taking matters into their own hands. He was conceived in sin and born in sin.

Romans 9:7-9

“⁷ Neither are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants. On the contrary, your offspring will be traced through Isaac. ⁸ That is, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but the children of the promise are considered to be the offspring. ⁹ For this is the statement of the promise: At this time I will come, and Sarah will have a son.”

Abraham and Sarah had received a promise from God that He would give them children.

Genesis 16:1-4

“16 Abram’s wife Sarai had not borne any children for him, but she owned an Egyptian slave named Hagar.² Sarai said to Abram, “Since the Lord has prevented me from bearing children, go to my slave; perhaps through her I can build a family.” And Abram agreed to what Sarai said. ³ So Abram’s wife Sarai took Hagar, her Egyptian slave, and gave her to her husband Abram as a wife for him. This happened after Abram had lived in the land of Canaan 10 years. ⁴ He slept with Hagar, and she became pregnant. When she realized that she was pregnant, she treated her mistress with contempt.”

Instead of waiting on God they sinned by doubting God’s promise.

In Paul’s recounting of the story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar; Ishmael represents the people who place all their hope of salvation in what they are to accomplish on their own. They put their salvation into things like the Law, or being able to earn their way into heaven. Sadly, we know too many people who believe that they do enough good to get into heaven. Which is exactly why we need to be witnesses to the world. We need to share God’s saving grace to those who know they need a savior and to those who do not yet realize they need Jesus.

Isaac, on the other hand, was the result of a miracle from God.

Hebrews 11:11

“¹¹ By faith even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age, since she considered that the One who had promised was faithful.”

God was able to turn Sarah’s dead womb into a living womb capable of carrying her son. Abraham could not do it. Sarah could not do it. It was the miracle that was promised by God, and only He could do it. Isaac represents those who put their faith in God. Those who have faith in the work of Jesus. Those who trust in the promises of God. Those who have simple life saving faith.

Galatians 4:24-25

“²⁴ These things are illustrations, for the women represent the two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery—this is Hagar. ²⁵ Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.”

These two women, Hagar and Sarah, represent the two covenants. The first through Hagar is that of the Law and the second through Sarah is of Grace. Paul begins with Hagar and points out that her and her children are slaves. They are slaves to the Law and slaves to the world. They are trapped trying to earn their way into heaven.

“The law, even when kept to the best of a person’s ability, is nothing but a prison, a death row cell where one waits for eternal execution.” – John MacArthur

Why isn’t the Law enough? Besides not being able to perform it perfectly, we were not made to know and love the Law. We were created to know and love God.

As parents we like to celebrate our children’s accomplishments. But we don’t tend to celebrate when our children learn the most basic household rules? While that may be nice, that is not what gives us a sense of joy and fulfillment. What we truly love seeing is those first smiles and giggles, I remember those first big open mouth baby kisses, and now I love seeing how my children are growing in their faith, their accomplishments, and I am look forward to seeing who they will become as adults. My fulfillment as a parent comes from watching them grow into who they were created to be, not that they have learned to turn off the light when they leave a room, flush a toilet, or pick up after themselves.

God is just like a parent. He is not looking for us to blindly follow rules. He does not get enjoyment out of us coming to church on Sunday if our heart is not in it. What He is really looking for is to know us. He longs for us to Love Him above anything and anyone else. He longs to see that Love come alive in our words and our actions.

Those who embrace the Law failed to see that the cross of Christ was the end of the old covenant and the beginning of the new covenant. They failed to believe that God the Father accepts them simply on their faith and were stuck trying to earn their way into glory.

We need to be praying for our friends and family that believe this way. We need to write their names on our prayer lists, asking for God to break down the barriers that are preventing them from seeing the truth. We need to ask for the Holy Spirit to open their eyes so that they will see that Jesus loves them. We want them to realize that God loves them more than He cares about what they do. We need to pray that they realize they cannot earn God’s love and they cannot earn the gift of salvation, it is something that is available to them by simply having faith.

Love is not something you earn; it is something that is given. And that is especially true for God’s love for you.

Galatians 4:26

“²⁶ But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.”

The Jerusalem above, or the mother of God’s children is free. Anyone who believes in God’s promise, the promise made to Abraham, the promise that brought Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob salvation by having faith, and that promise that brings us salvation through our faith in Christ Jesus, sets us free.

John 8:36

“³⁶ Therefore, if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.”

Through Jesus Christ, the Seed of Abraham, you are truly 110% set free from the bondage of your sin. That means you are set free from the sin you have committed and the sin you will still commit. Through Jesus there is nothing left to hold you back, tie you down, or get in your way. Following Jesus opens doors for you to be His Witness.

Galatians 4:27

“²⁷ For it is written: Rejoice, childless woman, who does not give birth. Burst into song and shout, you who are not in labor, for the children of the desolate are many, more numerous than those of the woman who has a husband.”

Paul is applying this verse to Sarah. While she spent the majority of her life as barren she would ultimately give birth to a son whose decedent would be the One and Only perfect Man to walk this earth. It was through her child that eventually God would bring salvation to a lost and broken world.

Galatians 4:28

“²⁸ Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.”

Paul is reminding the Galatians that through the promise given to Abraham and their faith in Jesus, they are true children of God. Not little children that need their hands held, but as true co-heirs with Christ. It is one more way Paul is reminding them that they need to be living in faith and turning away from the burden of the Law.

Galatians 4:29

“²⁹ But just as then the child born according to the flesh persecuted the one born according to the Spirit, so also now.”

When Isaac was young, both Hagar and her son Ishmael mocked and humiliated him. Sarah was furious and had Abraham cast both Hagar and Ishmael out into the wild. The child of the flesh was persecuting the child born to the Spirit, or Promise. In the Galatian church the true believers were having their beliefs attacked by the false teachers. Today, Christ followers are persecuted all around the world. What we see in this country is minor to what our brothers and sisters are facing around the world. Those trapped in sin attack those who have faith.

Galatians 4:30-31

“³⁰ But what does the Scripture say? Drive out the slave and her son, for the son of the slave will never be a coheir with the son of the free woman. ³¹ Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.”

Hagar and Ishmael represented the world and all its trappings. They had to be cast out. Law and Grace cannot be mixed. Salvation through works conflicts with salvation based on faith. It is only through faith that one is saved, which is exactly what Paul means by ‘we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.” He and the believers in Galatia are no longer bound to the world in sin, instead they have been set free by their faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul used this story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar to explain the difference between being a slave and being set free. If you are a slave to sin, the Law, trapped in bondage of any sort you cannot share in the inheritance that has been promised. The inheritance of life and eternity in glory is freely given to any who choose to Follow Jesus.

It does not matter who you are. Male, female, Jew, Gentile, rich, poor, addict, sober, young, old, or somewhere in between. You can share in God’s inheritance. All who trust in Jesus as their Lord and Savior become children of God, Heirs with Jesus, bondage no longer holds you down, sin is no longer keeping you away from the King, the Law no longer applies to you. Instead you have God’s Grace, Freedom in Christ.

You have a choice to make. Are you going to live as a slave or are you going to be free and follow Jesus? Is something in this world going to hold you back or are you going to be set free? Once you have been set free, how are you going to spread the Word? How are you going to share God’s love?

Thanks for reading!

Robert