Bulletins - Grace Church New Braunfels

Welcome/Prayer of Dedication
Music Ministry
“Everywhere I Go”
“Trust and Obey”
“Holy Spirit”
Message
I wonder how the early churches
Like the one Paul is writing to in Galatia
How would think if they looked back on their church today
From our state of knowledge
Would they “be proud”
Would they be more sad about them straying
Or would they be proud that they received correction and acted
Maybe they would decide to erase their history entirely
I hope not
We should always learn from our history
but to learn, we must know TRUE history
Based on how much society today seems to want to remove reference to past mistakes
Is there any doubt?
I have been focusing on the mistakes made in the early Christian church because we either learn from those mistakes
“Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” [Sir Winston Churchill]
Winston Churchill was no theologian
But he was certainly right
Good things that can come from bad things
Learning from our mistakes or the mistakes of others is an example
This is consistent with Romans 8:28
Romans 8:28 ESV
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
We cannot expect our local church at Grace or the greater church to improve and be MORE godly
unless we examine where we have failed
and repent from THOSE ways
Always moving to be more like Jesus’ example
Put simply, we have freedom of choice
In fact, what did we see at the beginning of our core text today? (13a)
Galatians 5:13 (ESV)
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers.
Like the Galatians, we are called to freedom
Let us not forget, as Paul Harvey would say.. “And now, The rest of the story”
Paul was calling the church to use their freedom from the legalism of the law
to fulfill the essence or heart of the law
The rest of verse 13(b)
Galatians 5:13 (ESV)
13 Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
Here’s a simple way of thinking about it
God frees Believers from slavery under the law
So the Believers can CHOOSE to serve one another
Imagine if you don’t HAVE to feed the hungry
No more taxes used for welfare programs
Would you still feed the hungry?
Would you still pay for their medical care?
Isn’t the church called to help provide for the needy?
That is one of the 5 purposes of Grace Church
Not by state mandate, but by God’s Word
Families often go through a tough time when kids go off to college
This is especially true in strict households
When little “Johnny” or “Jane” are about to leave the nest for school
They will go where they are not watched very carefully
Maybe no curfew
Plenty of opportunities to party without obvious repercussions
Thankfully, they have a credit card, you know, for emergencies
Like when they are starving to death and the need for pizza to help them study late
They have legal freedom
It is legal for them to stay out late and not study
It is legal for them to buy beer and pizza
after all they get to decide what an emergency is
It is also legal for them to use their freedom to honor their parents’ love and trust
They are free to study
They are free to use the emergency card for a flat tire or whatever
They are even free to use their freedom to witness to a classmate in need
Do you TRUST them to do what is right in the site of God?
That is the question
I want to call your attention to the “Jenga table”
Alora did a beautiful construction job using these blocks at a recent youth lock-in
In fact, the title slide for the service today used that image for the background
Here is what she built that day
I’m proud of Alora and her talent
When I was a kid and anyone did something
even something this spectacular
I would expect someone to pull out a piece
To knock it down
In fact, the game of Jenga starts with these blocks
You take turns pulling out one piece at a time
The goal is to pull out as many pieces as possible without the blocks all falling
You are FREE to pull out any piece
But, you lose if your action causes the structure to crumble
These are clear examples of freedom being dangerous
In Galatians 5:13, Paul calls on us to use our freedom to “serve one another”
This is much like in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, 1 Corinthians 9:19
1 Corinthians 9:19 ESV
19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.
Many of you here live this verse out and I’m proud of you for that!
Especially for those who have retired from your career in the workplace
Some of you have dedicated yourself to serving others in your retirement
I know it’s not the high wages you receive when you volunteer
Yet, you drive for Wheels on meals
Jim and Floyd, both dedicate untold hours preparing and teaching Sunday School and Midweek lessons
Making the AV magic happen every week
Mowing the grass at Grace and fixing all the things that break
Serving in Board leadership
Taking medicine or food to someone who is sick or in need
So many ways
No one MAKES you do these things
The hope is always that by serving in the community
Others will come to know the love of God through your efforts
Not for YOU to gain, but for the Kingdom of God to gain
You are all free to use your FREE time however you want
But, on judgement day, we want God to say “well done my good and faithful servant”
With this great freedom we have and our desire to hear God say, “Well done”
Wouldn’t you love to ask God what to do?
We don’t have to ask the question ourselves
When Pharisees tried to trick Jesus into telling them what the greatest Commandment was
That’s where we find how Jesus answered in Matthew 22:37-40.
Matthew 22:37–40 ESV
37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Love God with everything
Love God with all your heart
Love God with all your time
Love God with all your words
Love God with all your texts
Love God with all you social media posts
Love God with all your finances
Love God with all your time
Pretty simple, right?
God has ALWAYS shown you that He loves you
God has ALWAYS been there for you
God will ALWAYS continue to be with you
Then we come to the more difficult part for many
Love your neighbors, ALL your neighbors, as yourself
Love your neighbor with whom you disagree politically
Love your neighbor who has a crummy yard
Love your neighbor who plays their music too loud
Love your neighbor who hurt or disappointed you
You get the point, Love ALL your neighbors
That’s really what Galatians 5:14 says
Galatians 5:14 ESV
14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
This sounds like a New Testament stance, right?
It actually is connected to Leviticus 19:18
Leviticus 19:18 ESV
18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.
Truly, this Leviticus passage helps us to understand exactly what we need to do to
Live without seeking vengeance
Live without holding a grudge against others
Don’t fall victim to legalism and look for a loophole
Leviticus talks about not doing this to family, “sons of your own people”
Yet, Proverbs 20:22 confirms this is for all people
Proverbs 20:22 ESV
22 Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
We are FREE to hold a grudge or repay evil with evil
But we will pay a price
In fact, the cost of holding a grudge is HUGE
This doesn’t mean you won’t go to Heaven
Holding a grudge will raise your blood pressure
Holding a grudge will rob you from the peace of the present
If you think back on Proverbs 20:22, if you hold a Grudge, then the Lord will NOT deliver you
You will carry the burden
You will be in bondage of anger and lack of joy
The greatest price we pay for holding a grudge is much greater, though
Galatians 5:15 ESV
15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.
There is ONE enemy
His name is Satan
Do not let Satan convince you that your neighbor is your enemy
You spouse is not your enemy
Your family is not your enemy
Satan IS your enemy
Don’t give Satan room in your life or your heart
This is why Freedom can be so dangerous
If we don’t act in love for each other
Then we will devour each other
maybe not immediately, but in time
The cancer of division will take root
Division of our families
Division of our communities
Division of our church
We should all know that Satan attacks us by dividing us
That’s why Paul was so adamant about seeking unity for our faith family.
In his letter to the Ephesians 4, Paul invites us to join him in his spiritual walk
Ephesians 4:1–4 ESV
1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—
God made us free to choose
We can choose to allow Satan to divide our family
Divide our church
Divide our Community
Divide our country
Divide the universal church
This is dangerous for all our eternity
Instead
We choose to exclude Satan and all his influence
We reject Satan in the name of Jesus and reap the reward of a united family of faith
By being patient, kind and bearing with one another in love
Let us NOT
Pull out the very foundation of our faith which is unity of the Body through Christ
[Collapse Jenga structure]
Let’s use our freedom to be united in the Kingdom of God today and always
Amen!
Pastoral Prayer
Invitation:
“Spirit Lead Me”
Benediction: