Motivation Matters

1 Corinthians 12:31-13:3

Christmas of nineteen ninety-six was shaping up to be a lean one. It was early in my and Gwen’s marriage, and finances were tight. We’d scraped together enough money to make sure that our son, Colin, got a few presents, but that was about it. Our parents were aware of the state of our finances, but we’d done our best to keep it to ourselves, making especially sure not to say anything around Colin because we didn’t want him to worry about us at Christmastime. We were cautious in shielding him from our financial reality, or so we thought.

We gathered at my parent's house on Christmas morning for our annual family gift exchange and noticed an enormous gift under the tree with no name on it, which we assumed was something my folks had gotten for Colin as a surprise. As was our family tradition it was the job of the youngest to pass out the presents and it was a joyous experience to watch Colin happily pass out the gifts one by one until only the big present was left. We were surprised when Colin brought that last gift to us with a huge smile on his face. By this time, we knew something was up because everyone was smiling and watching us, but no one was saying anything. We were so surprised when a bunch of helium balloons came floating out of the box, each with money tied to its string! Colin danced around the room shouting, “It worked, it worked!” He had saved up his allowance to create this gift and his only stipulation was that we couldn’t spend it on bills or groceries but on something fun for just the two of us. I can’t tell you how much money was in that box—I don’t remember—but I will never forget the love and joy of the little boy who gave it to us.

In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul writes a lot about gifts, Spiritual Gifts to be precise. God had given the people of the Corinthians many gifts; unfortunately, they used them for all of the wrong reasons. God had given them these gifts to build each other up and bring more people into the salvation that Christ offered, however, they chose instead to glorify themselves. Paul makes it clear in this passage that our motivations matter. Our “good deeds” don’t impress God, the condition of our hearts is what matters most to him! The Lord doesn’t need us to accomplish his will, he allows us to serve him for His glory and the transformation of our hearts. As we enter this season of giving, may we do so with the heart of Jesus.

In Christ’s Love,

Mike

Comparison is a Killer of Joy

Romans 12:14-21

The enemy often uses comparison as an attempt to lead us away from God. He whispers lies in our ears saying, “Look at what they have that you don’t. This must mean that God loves them more than he loves you.” It’s especially easy to believe these lies when you find yourself in a season of waiting for something: a spouse, a child, a job opportunity, healing from an illness, or the fulfillment of another prayer you have been praying for a long time.

When you start looking at other people’s lives and wishing you had what they have, it’s easy to lose sight of what God is doing in your life. He has you exactly where you are for a reason and will bless you with the things he has placed on your heart when the time is right. Lean into the season he has you in, spend time strengthening your relationship with Him, and stay faithful in prayer, expectantly waiting for God to move. Be genuinely happy for those around you and the way God is working in their lives – even when that includes seeing them experience things you wish you had. God has each of us on different paths but every single one of those paths is beautiful in its own way.

On the other hand, comparison can also cause us to exalt ourselves. It can be easy to lose humility and fall into the trap of thinking we know better than everyone else. It’s easy to think, “Well, I’m not perfect, but at least I’m not doingwhat they’re doing.” The truth is, we all fall short and are all a long way from perfectly reflecting Jesus. We really don’t have it figured out any more than the next person. We are constantly learning, and we shouldn’t look at ourselves as being better than someone else just because they are learning different lessons than us.

At the end of the day, it all comes back to love. We should love those who have the things we are so eagerly awaiting. We should love those who see things differently than us and are on different paths than us. We should love those who hurt us. The best revenge is prayer. Pray for those who hurt you and love them anyway. We are not called to condemn others or make them pay for their actions. God is the ultimate judge, leave it up to Him to do that. Our job is to forgive and treat those who hurt us with kindness. This is how we can reflect the character of Jesus and conquer evil by doing good.

Carmen K

Nikki's Reflection

Romans 12:9-13

One of my favorite artists is Jewel, who rose to fame in the 90’s. She is an Alaskan native who spent a year homeless at the age of 18. She has spoken of her experience seeing people greet a stray dog with loving kindness, but never even looking at her or much less welcoming her the way they did an animal. Her song “Hands” was written during this time and the line “in the end, only kindness matters” is a remembrance of those few who did show her kindness when many others looked so far down on her.  

I have been on a “downsize, declutter and reorganize” kick lately and as I was sifting through my stack of violin music, I came across two items that stirred my own memories from the 90’s. The first, a speech I wrote in High School, and the second, a letter from my little sister. 

The speech was about my trip with Encounter to DC and the letter was written by my sister as she adjusted with me being gone for a week or so. Both little pieces of paper tugged at my heart, and I was transported back to my youth. My speech described my first true brush with homelessness as I helped clean trash along the streets behind the White House. My eyes were opened to suffering I had never noticed before, and when I came back to Alton, I realized it existed here too, though like a shadow world, barely visible to passersby. 

During that time, my sister wrote about how she was bored, wondered what I was doing and told how she was looking forward to my return. When I came home she was happy to have me back, gave me her letter, and we fell right into the sisterhood rhythm; borrowing clothes without permission, teasing each other playfully while always knowing we have each other to share our lives with. Through perfectly woven moments of goodness, times of joy and holding on to hope during the hardest of times, we always know through the ups and downs of life we will hold space for one another.

Romans 12:10 states, we are “to love one another deeply as brothers and sisters." 

Love one another deeply. Did you know there are over 36 verses in the Bible that speak to Christ followers about loving one another? Peter, John, Paul and James have all written about loving one another as a fundamental teaching of Jesus. Jesus himself spoke about loving one another and in the Gospels there are many accounts of him showing us how to love one another through our words and actions. It is a major theme in the Bible. Yet it seems we fall short on loving one another.

As I reflect on my life I can’t help but ask “Can I greet a stranger on the street with the same loving welcome as when I greet my sister?” It is in Christ that we find this type of loving kindness. 

May our days be filled with the love from one another so joyfully described in this passage. 

Love Nikki

Grace and Faith

Romans 12:3-8

"A passage on spiritual gifts? That's great, Paul! I can't wait for you to tell me about all the ways that I can be used of God to serve others in the body of Christ."

We might approach this passage - Romans 12:3-8 - with the posture above. And while that is not an altogether wrong mindset, the apostle Paul wants to start somewhere else.

He does not want to start with our giftings.
He wants to start with us.

And more specifically, how we think about ourselves.

In other words,
before he addresses our "hands,"
he wants to address our "hearts."
And our humility.

He says in verse 3:

"I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think."

In 12:2, Paul had just spoken of a renewed mind - "... be transformed by the renewal of your mind."

And perhaps the primary way that this "transformed, renewed mind" shows itself is in how the believer thinks about *himself.* That he think humbly. That he NOT think highly of himself.

And furthermore, the very things that Paul emphasizes in these verses will help the believer do that very thing. Not think highly of himself.

Grace and faith.

1. Grace - two times in this passage (12:3, 6), Paul draws our attention to "the grace given to us."

What is grace? That God has been unbelievably kind toward you through Jesus Christ.

We would do well to remember that Paul is 11 chapters deep into this letter to the church in Rome. And "grace" has certainly been one of his themes so far!

     3:24 - "[we] are justified by his *grace* as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus"

     5:15 - "For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the *grace* of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many."

     8:32 - "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him *graciously* give us all things?

And many more examples so far in this letter!

And as Paul is beginning to instruct his readers about spiritual gifts - and first, how we think about ourselves - he first wants to say:

Don't get far away from grace.
Don't forget how unbelievably kind God has been to you through Jesus Christ.

2. Faith - Paul finishes out v. 3 - "... think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned."

What is faith? Looking AWAY from ourselves - our righteousness, our worthiness, our ability to save ourselves (of which we have none) - and looking TO Jesus Christ for those things.

So notice what faith is at its very essence. Faith is not thinking of ourselves highly, and thinking of Christ highly!

Even more than that, note that Paul says that our faith has been "measured" and "assigned" by God.

Even our faith - our own ability to look away from ourselves, and to Jesus - even that didn't come from us. It wasn't because we willed ourselves to believe on Christ. It's because God actually measured out and assigned that faith to us!

So whether it's prophecy, serving, teaching, exhortation, generosity, leading, or acts of mercy - don't forget where to start.

We start with the kindness God has shown us in Jesus.
We start with the fact that our faith has been measured out and assigned to us.

And may all that lead us to not think highly of ourselves. And to think highly of Jesus Christ.

- Joe

Formed

Romans 12:2

The ESV translates it as “the world”. “Do not be conformed to this world.” Through the years the church’s view of what is and isn’t of “the world” has morphed. What was worldly to our grandparents seems innocuous to us. Which “world” should we avoid being conformed to?

The Greek word for world, used here, is aiōni, meaning “a space of time, an age”. Another rendering of Romans 12:2 says “Do not be conformed to this age”.  This puts us in a predicament because no longer is the conversation only about outward conformity to an ever changing standard of behavior. And how can we resist being shaped by this age, by this period of time in which the Lord has ordained for us to exist? All people, everywhere have been formed and reformed by their family of origin, their culture, their life experiences, their passions and pains, their wealth or poverty. None can help but be shaped by their space in time, but church,  we can be transformed.

What has shaped you? Is it the living and active word of God which is sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart? Or is it something else? What is at this very moment shaping you? We are Christ’s ambassadors. God is making his appeal through US, to the WORLD to be reconciled to Christ. This is part of God’s good, pleasing and perfect will.

There is only one way to be rightly formed. The Spirit of God must renew our minds with the Word of God to conform us to the image of the Son of God. In this age, this moment in time, I pray God will give us such a hunger for his word, that nothing lesser will ever satisfy.

-Natalie

How do you "Show Up?"

Every Monday morning I get to greet 4th-8th graders as they enter the school building.  I witness everything from smiles, to frowns, to grimaces, to sleepy eyes, to panicked stress (usually from students running late). 

People often “dread” Monday mornings.  Our culture has taught us to “live for the weekend” and to have a TGIF mindset, but is this the right way to “show up” for life?  What all might we miss when we live this way?

Paul offers an alternative way to “show up.”  “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1).

The “mercies of God” remind us that  God “showed up” in all the right ways when we were headed for destruction.  “God demonstrates his love for us in this: “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Paul is clear in Romans 12:1 that when we really “taste and see” the mercies of God it will change us.  It will change everything.  We will present (offer) our bodies (all of us - heart, soul, mind, will etc.) as a present (gift) to God in an act of full surrender (living sacrifice) in each present moment.  When we live this way we will “show up” to school, work, church, dinner, ball games, music recitals, coffee meetings etc. in a totally different way.

May we be those so moved by the mercies of God that it is our aim and our joy to “show up” standing in awe of God.  May we present (offer) our lives as a present (gift) to God in every present moment of every minute of every day.

In awe of Him,
Steven

The Crux of the Matter

Galatians 6:11-18

The major religions of the world are major for a reason.  People are created with a desire to worship God and will continually strive for a way to get right with God until they find it.  As we wrap our study in Paul’s letter to the Galatians, our text this week is in his final remarks.  Paul knew from experience that pride will be a major problem for the church.  Paul teaches that the only place for pride in the church is in the one thing that deserves our full attention – what God has done through the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.  While the cross of Christ has the power to humble us from our religious pride, it will offend anyone that doesn’t want to see their sin.  It will also offend anybody that thinks they can still save themselves from sin in some other way.  Those who don’t want to trust in the cross of Christ will rage against it.

The song “In Christ Alone” has lyrics that say “no power of hell, no scheme of man, can ever pluck me from his hand, til He returns or calls me home, here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.”  The gospel is the power of Christ on which God’s church will stand secure.  In the spiritual war of man-made idolatry, the matter is settled in my heart that the cross of Christ has solved the problem and saves me completely from it.  His cross displays to me His steadfast love which is everything I could ever want.  In His cross, I experience the peace and mercy of God almighty.  At His cross, I stand amazed by the grace of my God who saves as His anointed One took the curse for my sin on Himself so that it could be crushed with Him on that cross instead of me.  No more striving and no turning back because Jesus continues to win me over to His side through the cross He bore for me and the sins of the world!

At the cross, we can all be humbled by the grand gesture of our eternal and resurrected King’s sacrificial love toward us.  As a church, let us boast most about the cross of Christ because it settles the matter in our hearts for which we were made to worship God.  Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!  At the cross, the zealot, the cynic and anyone in between can be changed into a new creation – grateful and hopeful in our Lord Jesus Christ.  May it be so for us each new day!

Jon

From Doubt to Discovery

I was raised Christan, but after a family member was in a bad accident, I stopped going to church. After a while, I claimed to be an atheist. I would make fun of people who believed, because "Why would you believe in something not provable?" By the time I reached High School, I just walked through life, and the only thing exciting me would be debates.

I then discovered Cliffe Knechtle. He would go to colleges and debate people on the Bible; whether it is factual, or has contradictions, and he sparked something in me. I then started attending the youth group on Wednesdays, and I changed. I was smiling more, more energetic. I would say I'm still early in my journey, but I do see the gifts God gives people. I recently went on a retreat, and while there I experienced something I can't describe.

If you know someone who is like me, invite them, tell them to ask questions, invite them to listen. They might hear something or experience something like I did.

Sincerely,

Isaiah Moore

Don't Lose Heart

Galatians 6:7-10

Lately I have been reminded of the fact that living life as a Christian is not always easy. Choosing to follow Jesus in a world that normalizes sin is hard. People often don’t understand why you choose to live differently. I especially find this hard as a young adult.

I would be lying if I said there haven’t been times where I’ve asked myself if it’s worth it. Am I missing out? Is this really how I want to live?

But each time these thoughts pop into my head, God sweeps in and covers me in His love. He reminds me that true freedom is not found in doing whatever we want, but in laying down our lives and living in a way that honors Him.

As Christians, we are supposed to be a light to others, showing them the joy and freedom that is found in the Lord. But how are we supposed to do that if we are living in sin?

The more time we spend with God, studying His word and getting to know Him, the more it is going to show in our lives. We are going to be able to love and serve others better. Joy and peace are going to exude out of us even when it doesn’t make sense.

Alternatively, if we choose to satisfy our sinful desires and live far from God, that is going to show in our lives too.

It’s not always easy to be obedient and choose God over sin, and sometimes it feels like it’s not worth it, but it is. Don’t lose heart! We will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. And although this harvest does not always come immediately, God is on our side and is always working. Choosing God and being obedient even on the hard days, is always worth it.

Carmen K

Agents of Restoration

Galatians 6:1-6

He was my friend—a volunteer youth leader, a Sunday school teacher, a husband and a father. He was also cheating on his wife. I don’t believe he intended to have an affair at first, but unresolved issues in his marriage led him to turn to another woman. What started as an emotional affair became a physical one that ultimately led him to leave his wife and children behind.

In the aftermath, I tried several times to reach out to my friend about the situation, pleading with him to remember his vows before God and to try and save his marriage. He chose to ignore me, shut me out, and let me know that my opinion wasn’t wanted or needed. In the weeks that followed, I spent many counseling sessions with his wife and children and my anger and frustration with him began to grow and consume me. I wanted to see him hurt the way he had hurt those he had walked away from. Thankfully, I was convicted by the Holy Spirit of my sinful attitude and I started to pray for God’s will for my brother, not my own; in so doing I was able to forgive him.

The first verse of Galatians 6:1-6 tells us, “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.” The words “caught in any transgression” describe a situation similar to an animal that slowly enters a trap only to realize too late that they have been caught… my friend, who likely hadn’t planned to have an affair, found himself trapped in adultery nonetheless. The scripture tells us that if we see a brother or sister trapped in sin we are to help “restore” them. The word translated as restore is the Greek word Kataritzo, which means to ‘put in order’ and so to ‘restore to its former condition’. In medical terminology, it describes setting a fractured or dislocated bone. If you’ve ever had a broken bone set or a dislocated shoulder put back in place you know how painful “restoration” can be, but without it, healing can’t begin. Paul also warns that in the painful, messy business of restoration, our emotions and passions can get the better of us and can even lead us to sin if we’re not careful. As messy and challenging as the ministry of restoration and reconciliation can be, it is one of the most important things Jesus calls us to do. He tells us in John 13:35, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” We are God’s chosen agents of restoration; may we carry out that calling in love.

In Christ’s Love,

Mike

The Fruit of Freedom

Don’t rely on the works of the law and put yourself under a curse.

Don’t act like a slave when you are an heir.

Don’t live like a child born of flesh, when you are a child of promise, born of the Spirit.

You are free. Free to love and serve your brothers and sisters. Free to walk by the Spirit who leads you.

Don’t live like the Jews, Paul has said.

But also, don’t live like the Greeks.

The Greeks believed pleasure was to be sought after. Hedonism was the highest good. Do what makes you happy!

Where Judaism of Paul’s day was overly concerned with circumcising the flesh, Greek culture was predominantly preoccupied with satisfying the flesh. In Galatians 6:19-20, Paul lists some works of the flesh; sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing and anything similar.

Legalism and licentiousness.

There is danger at either extreme.

You who are trying to be justified by the law are alienated from Christ and have fallen from grace. You who are practicing works of the flesh will not inherit the kingdom of God.

BUT.  (There is a better way.)

As you walk by the Spirit, neither under the law nor carrying out the desires of your flesh but living in the freedom Christ has secured for you, there will be fruit.

It’s the fruit that is produced by the Spirit as we abide in Christ, our lives lovingly pruned by the Father.

Love.

Joy.

Peace.

Patience.

Kindness.

Goodness.  

Faithfulness.

Gentleness.

Self-control.

Such desirable fruit, indeed.

Jesus said, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourself to be my disciples.”

Bridge Family, I pray we keep in step with the Spirit. Christ has set us free from being law keepers or law breakers and the Father has sealed us with his Spirit to guide us. We have been given everything we need to live lives that yield a harvest. May we be a fruity bunch, in all the best ways!

Natalie

Love Others As You Love Yourself

Galatians 5:13-18

Author: Paul

To the Church in Galatia

“You have been given freedom: not freedom to do wrong, but freedom to love and serve each other. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: Love others as you love yourself.”

In the past, I struggled with the instruction to love others as you love yourself, because I wasn’t sure I even loved me. How can I love, if I am not sure what love is? Natural self-preservation could be a form of self-love, the will to survive, meeting all your Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. When your will to care for yourself is purely instinctual, can you call that loving yourself?

What is love? There are thousands upon thousands of poems, songs, books and movies about love. Most art in paintings and photographs depict some version, some interpretation of what love is or isn’t. There are books about the language of love and astrological star love signs. So if we aren’t sure what love is, or how to love, or even if we are loved; if we aren’t sure if we love ourselves, where do we go to find out?  

In the Hebrew and Greek language there are 4 words to describe love. Eros (romantic love), Storge (family love), Philia (deep friendship love) and Agape (Perfect love from God). Eros, Storge pronounced Stor-jay and Philia are straight forward. Agape, the perfect unconditional love from God teaches us and shows us what love is and how to do as Paul instructs in Galatians 5. Live in the freedom to love and serve each other.

Guilt, shame and false teaching lead me on a path of destruction. Looking back on it all and trying to write about my self-deprecating, self-hate seems ridiculous, cruel and unimaginable to me now and yet it was the underlying thought running through my head for so many years. “No one loves you; you are unlovable, you are nothing. You are a sinner. You’ll never be good, women can’t be good, you have no value. You are just to be seen, not heard.”

“And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” Psalm 50:15 and God did! He heard me cry out in my guilt, shame and grief and he led me to His word. He led me to repentance and freedom in the name of Jesus who died so that I may live!

Guilt can be used by Satan. “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly grief produces death.” In Genesis, guilt entered when Adam and Eve ate from the tree of knowledge. They hid from God. God out of love called to them, searched for them and then clothed them in animal skin. To provide them with animal skin, blood was shed. “Under law almost everything is purified with blood. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” Hebrews 9:22 “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

Repentance leads to Restoration. “Hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:5  “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:17 “There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!” Romans 8:1

Oh, what freedom I was given when God showed me His agape love! I am special to God, so special He clothed me!

Paul tells us to walk by and obey only the Holy Spirit’s instructions. How do we walk by the spirit? “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Walk in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Ephesians 4 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16

May God continue to show Agape love to us so that we can love one another as we love ourselves, the way God loves us. So that we can be free of what binds us and rejoice in all that is good! Praise God! 

-Nikki

Him Who Calls You

Galatians 5:7-12

In this paragraph, though Paul is speaking directly to the people of the church, he has some words for these False Teachers in Galatia.

* They are hindering the church from obeying the truth (5:7).

* They are troubling (5:10) and unsettling (5:12) the church.

* They are persecuting Paul (5:11).

* Paul's confidence is that they will bear the penalty (5:10).

* Paul's wish for them is that they would not stop at circumcision, and that they would CUT. THE. WHOLE. THING. OFF (5:12).

Whoa.

And Paul wants to point out that the church is being persuaded by these teachers, and not being persuaded by God Himself. He says in 5:8...

"This persuasion is not from him who calls you."

Note how Paul frames this. He doesn't simply say "This persuasion is not from God."

There's something about God, and what God has done for these Galatians, to which Paul wants to draw their attention.

He is the One "who calls you."

And Paul has used this verbiage in the letter already.

"I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel" (1:6).

God has *called* these Galatians.

Called them in grace and kindness.

Called them to freedom (5:13).

Called them "out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9).

Like Lazarus, called them out of the tomb, and to walk out, from death into life.

They were slaves, but God called them into freedom. 

They were in darkness, but God called them into light. 

They were dead, but God called them into life.

With this focus on calling, Paul is wanting to underline something. For both the Galatians, and us today.

That in our salvation, God is the One who does everything.

He is the Actor.

     We are the spectators. 

He is the Giver. 

     We are the recipients.

He does everything.

     We do nothing, but believe.

In what ways can God change us when we understand this? When we fully get our minds around this?

We will stop trusting in our own efforts to save ourselves, and earn righteousness from Him.

We will rest in the finished work of Jesus.

And we will rest in the One who has called us.

---

Remember how Paul described his own conversion, back in chapter 1?

"But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and *who called me by his grace*, was pleased to reveal his Son to me..." (1:15-16, emphasis mine).

Called by His grace.

Set apart before you were born.

Pleased to reveal the Son to you.

Believer in Jesus, rest in the freedom of this today.

- Joe

Fallen From Grace

Galatians 5:1-6

When I type “fall from grace” in my search bar, I see it’s often paired with the phrase “means I can lose my salvation”.  Is it possible to fall from grace? And if so, what could one do that would be so terrible that it would result in a fall from grace? In our culture, when we talk about someone falling from grace, it’s because they have done something reprehensible that’s led to a loss of position, respect, or popularity. It seems logical then, that a fall from grace in the Bible would be caused by some grievous sin. But the terrible sin that would lead to this fall, isn’t unrighteousness as much as it is self-righteousness (which is also quite unrighteous, if you think about it.)

In Galatians 5:1, Paul proclaims triumphantly, “For freedom, Christ set us free. Stand firm, then, and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.” We are free at last! After centuries of unsuccessfully kind-of-trying to obey all of the law, Christ has set his people free by imputing to them (and us!) his perfect record of obedience. Now we are sons and daughters! You know what circumcision accomplishes? Nothing! You know what uncircumcision accomplishes? It’s not a trick question- also nothing! Only Jesus is able to accomplish anything of saving merit, which he has done. Paul told the Galatians then, and it applies to us now, “If you are trying to be justified by the law, you are alienated from Christ. You’ve fallen from grace.” Have you ever met someone who said “If there’s a God, he could never forgive me because I’ve done so much wrong”? Have you ever met someone who said “If there’s a God, he could never forgive me because I’ve done so much right?” We would think that’s weird. Doing the right things is supposed to earn us favor, not alienate us from the One we are striving to please. But Paul says, that’s just what it does. We fall from grace anytime we think we need more (or less) than the grace that’s already been given to us.

We now live in a time-in-between: declared righteous, but not yet fully so, we eagerly wait with hope for that day. Until then, what matters, is faith working through love. In the next two months as we finish Galatians, we will see what freedom in Christ looks like and how faith working through love should be demonstrated both internally and in community.

Before we get there, let’s ask some hard questions. Have you fallen from grace? Do you find in yourself a tendency to believe the Father is pleased with you because of all you have done in his name? Or are you able to rest in the finished work of Christ, knowing you are just as loved on your bad days as you are on your good? Do you need to repent for trying to earn a love that’s already been lavished on you? If so, may today be the day you are restored to grace.

I pray that we will ever be growing in both the grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, our only Righteousness.

Natalie

Don't You Listen to the Law?

Galatians 4:21-31

"Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them. So shall your offspring be."

God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 15 had now been in the rearview mirror for some time. And yet Abram and Sarai still had no son.

No offspring.

No heir.

Promise (seemingly) unfulfilled.

So Sarai and Abram together did something very human (yet still sinful).

They stopped trusting God.

And they took matters into their own hands.

They resolved to have a child - not through God's divine, miraculous work - but through their own human effort.

So Sarai gave Hagar, her Egyptian servant, to her husband Abram. And with Abram, Hagar conceived a son - Ishmael.

Fast forward through the years.

God, of course, keeps His promise.

God does what He said He would do.

Even in old age, Sarah bears a son - the son of promise - Isaac.

Ishmael and Isaac.

One born of a slave.

One born of a free woman.

Two sons born to Abraham.

But two very different ways of getting there.

In a way, Ishmael was a representation of what human effort can do. And Isaac - a representation of promise - that which only God can do.

-—

As the apostle Paul looked at his Bible - the Old Testament Law, specifically here, the books of Moses - he saw in this Genesis account a perfect illustration for what was happening with his brothers and sisters in Galatia.

In a similar way to Abraham, the Galatians were wanting to relate to God based on their effort.

Their works.

Their law keeping.

Rather than resting as sons and daughters, they were trying to work for a Master. 

Rather than living in the joy and freedom of sonship, these Galatians were relating to God in a way that leads only to slavery. Just as Ishmael was a son of Abraham through a slave.

It brings to mind another story of two sons in Luke 15.

Upon seeing the kindness of the Father toward the younger brother, what was the retort of the older brother?

"Look, these many years I have served you, and never disobeyed your command."

Obedience.

Serving.

Human effort.

Law-keeping.

Slavery.

And we do the same. We relate to God based on how "good" or "bad" we've been.

How much (or little) I've read my Bible and prayed. 

How much I've shared the gospel.

How much I've given to the poor.

How well I've loved my spouse and children. 

All of these disciplines have great value, no doubt.

But our position as sons and daughters of God is not based on them one bit!

---

In what way will you live your life today?

Will you relate to God based on your own effort and works? The bad you haven't done, or the good you have done?

Or will rest in the One "who loved me and gave himself for me" (Gal. 2:20)?

And that your position as a son or daughter is based completely on Him?

Will you experience the joy and freedom found in this rest?

"Now to the one who works,

His wages are not counted as a gift

But as his due.

And to the one who DOES NOT work

But believes in him who justifies the ungodly,

His faith is counted as righteousness."

(Romans 4:4-5, emphasis mine)

Joe

An Appeal to Return

Galatians 4:8-20

Galatia was a Roman province where Paul founded churches in the Southern cities. The inhabitants were known as Galatians, whose ancestors were Celtic and migrated from what is now France. Before their Christian conversion, they were idol worshipers of non-existent pagan gods typically

In Galatians 4:8-20, Paul tries to counter the undermining by the Judaizers who had success getting people within the churches to fall back into the bondage of Judaism law (performance-based following Mosaic laws or Jesus Plus) and not faith alone, in Christ alone. And this backward step also excluded people, which contradicts the Gospel message Paul preached.

In verses 10-11, Paul notes the "weak and worthless elemental things…You observe days and months and seasons and years." He warns against legalistically observing the Jewish calendar as if the rituals and observances would curry favor with God or be required for salvation. It may have also been a warning about falling back into paganism idol worship of their past with non-existent, non-spiritual gods grounded in the naturalism of the world.

Paul then changes direction and discusses his illnesses and that the Galatians received him despite his infirmities and did not hinder his message about Jesus Christ nor their acceptance. He noted the blessings or happiness they enjoyed with Paul, and yet, some turned on him, lost their prior goodwill with him, and treated him as an enemy just because he was "telling you the truth." [v.16]

The Truth.

Paul used the same Greek word for 'truth' John used in his gospel, writing in his gospel that Jesus Christ is the source of Truth and that Jesus emphatically stated he was the Truth. Truth means real, factual, and genuine and correlates to a reality outside ourselves—a reality that leads to the source of all Truth in the incarnation of God — Jesus Christ.

C. S. Lewis, in works such as his novel, Till We Have Faces and essays about Middle Age poets, followed Paul's arguments that we are to work vertically upwards to God, who revealed Himself in the person of Jesus Christ. Central to Lewis's point and Paul's warning to the Galatians is our forgetting, ignoring, or diminishing the vertical aspect of spiritual life - the direction in life that can only encounter our Savior and the Truth of life. Instead one could be beholden to living a solely horizontal life grounded in materialism, the paganism and false gods of old, or the laws and ways of Jesus Plus that Paul admonished. And not grace alone, and faith alone solely in Jesus Christ, which leads to one's life being redeemed and reset.

Though perplexed, Paul used the affectionate phrase 'little children' in verse 19. He likened himself to a mother in labor because he suffered on the Galatians' behalf, wanting to rescue them from their backsliding and false doctrine and transform them into Christ. Paul sought to bring the Galatians back to the likeness of Christ, the goal of salvation and a sanctified life—a life Paul amplified we should all pursue.

-Dan Nickel

Oh, How Rich We Are

Galatians 4:1-7

“God sent him [Jesus] to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law so that He could adopt us as his very own children.” Galatians 4:5 (NLT)

What a beautiful picture it is to think of ourselves as adopted children of God. When God sent Jesus to die for us on the cross, he gave us the best, most undeserved gift we will ever receive. This act in itself is the most incredible thing anyone has or will ever do for us, yet God didn’t stop there. He chose to go a step further and adopt us into his family as His very own children, promising to love us unconditionally and never leave us. That’s how much God loves us. We were once slaves, bound to the law, constantly feeling unfulfilled and unworthy. But through Jesus, God turned that around, showing us the infinite amount of love and freedom we get to experience as His children. Because of Jesus, we have an eternal inheritance and get to experience God’s presence and promises for the rest of eternity. In a world that often chases after material wealth, this is what true wealth looks like. No matter how much money, things, or experiences we have in this life, because of Jesus, all of us are rich! <3

Dear God, thank you for being a God who goes the extra mile, who never stops showing us how much you love us. Help us to see ourselves as you see us – as your beloved children and help us to never lose sight of the great inheritance we have in you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Carmen K

Nothing separates us from each other when we have Christ in our lives.

Galatians 3:23-29

“We are no longer Jews or Greeks or slaves or free men or even merely men or women, but we are all the same-we are Christians: we are one in Christ Jesus.”

Nothing divides us from each other when we accept Jesus into our lives. Paul makes this clear and it is a theme throughout all of Galatians, that the only way is Christ and Christ alone. Nothing separates us from each other when we have Christ in our lives, we are equally yoked with Christ.

Through Christ and our adoption into the Kingdom, we have all of God’s promises as we are also true descendants of Abraham. In Genesis 12:1-3, God tells Abraham he will bless him and make him a great nation and we are that nation through Christ, the covenant.

What other promises is Paul speaking about that belong to us?

Matthew 11- Our burdens are lifted at Calvary.

John 10- Abundant life to those who follow Jesus. God will hold us securely “No one will snatch them out of my hand”.

John 4- Eternal life for those who trust Him.

Acts 1- Power from on high.

John 14- Jesus will return for us and from then on, we will be with Him always.

Hebrews 1- All of God’s promises find fulfillment in Jesus “the radiance of God’s glory.”

2 Corinthians 1- No matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ.”

All of the above is set aside for us when we join the covenant and follow Jesus.

All united in love!  

~Nikki

The Man of His Word

Galatians 3:15-22

As a young boy, I was taught by my dad not to say “I promise” or “I swear.” Instead, he instructed me to concentrate on being a man of my word so that when someone heard me say I was going to do something then they could believe it would most likely be so. Oh, how many times since I was that young boy learning those lessons have I struggled or even failed to hold true to my word! Still yet, I seek to be a man of integrity that people can trust for my “yes” to be “yes” and my “no” to be “no”. And I’ve found I’m better suited for such things when my concentration is on THE man of His Word. Christ Jesus is the Word of God personified. On His word everyone can fully rely because He is the only One that has kept His word perfectly every time.

In our text this week, Paul writes using a human example to show the instability of man-made promises. Paul is reminding humans of our inability to keep the law which creates instability for any covenant we base on our own efforts to keep. But God is faithful and will keep all of His promises. Paul reminds us of the stability of a covenant made by God because it is based on His ability to keep the promise He has given. God is the provider for the way of Salvation that we need. Our part is to believe in Him to do it. Those who believe in Jesus as the Christ are assured of God’s blessing because He always keeps His promises. He has revealed Himself as both fully human and fully God. And at each twist and turn Jesus has fulfilled every part of God’s Law as fully human and proves Himself to be a man of His Word as fully God.

May our hearts be emboldened by the covenant God has graciously given to those who trust in His Word and Way for eternal salvation. May we walk in the promise of His blessing as we live by His Spirit. Let us be quick to turn from any religious idols or man-made appeals before God. Instead, let us concentrate fully on the only One who is able to keep His Word fully – Jesus Christ. He will do it!

Grateful & Hopeful in Christ,

Jon

Paid

Galatians 3:10-14

My first job right out of high school was as a bagger at Schnucks. Every so often someone would come through the check-out lane only to discover that they didn’t have enough money to pay for their groceries. These situations were always awkward and tense, the customer was embarrassed, the people in line behind them were frustrated, and it often made extra work for the employees. I always felt so bad for those people. More than once since then, I have been the one standing in a checkout lane coming up short—usually when I’ve forgotten that I already spent the money that I thought I had. It’s one of the worst feelings in the world sensing the eyes of the people around you as you’re caught off guard, scrambling to figure out how this happened and what you’re going to do about it.

Checkers would often say that they wished that they could just let the people who were struggling financially go through, but of course, they can’t because then their till would have a deficit. The debt has to be paid, with no exceptions. However, there are times when the person behind you, in an act of unsolicited kindness, steps in and covers your debt. It becomes hard to contain the gratitude felt for this act of grace. I have also found that when someone does this for me, I want to pass it on to the next person when I get the opportunity.

In this week’s Scripture passage, Paul makes it clear that if you’re going to try to justify yourself before God by following the Law then you have to follow ALL of the Law. God’s word teaches that the price of our sin is death, and the only way to get out from under that debt is to be sinless, i.e. following all of the Mosaic laws and commandments. Unfortunately, our sinful nature always gets in the way of obeying the Law of Moses. Simply put, on our own we can’t pay what we owe. Fortunately for us, there is someone who can, and did, cover our debt on a cross. How foolish it would be if someone found themselves in a checkout lane unable to pay for their groceries but stood there frantically trying to find a means to pay with empty pockets or a maxed-out credit card. It would be especially foolish if they continued to do so after someone offered to pay what they owed. Friends, our debt has been paid.  Let’s try to live with the joy of that knowledge and accept God’s free gift of grace.

In Christ’s Service,

Mike Solomon