Grace Church
Midweek 04102024
- Welcome/Prayer of DedicationMusic Ministry“Everywhere I Go”“Trust and Obey”“Holy Spirit”MessageI wonder how the early churchesLike the one Paul is writing to in GalatiaHow would think if they looked back on their church todayFrom our state of knowledgeWould they “be proud”Would they be more sad about them strayingOr would they be proud that they received correction and actedMaybe they would decide to erase their history entirelyI hope notWe should always learn from our historybut to learn, we must know TRUE historyBased on how much society today seems to want to remove reference to past mistakesIs 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 theologianBut he was certainly rightGood things that can come from bad thingsLearning from our mistakes or the mistakes of others is an exampleThis 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 godlyunless we examine where we have failedand repent from THOSE waysAlways moving to be more like Jesus’ examplePut simply, we have freedom of choiceIn 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 freedomLet 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 lawto fulfill the essence or heart of the lawThe 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 itGod frees Believers from slavery under the lawSo the Believers can CHOOSE to serve one anotherImagine if you don’t HAVE to feed the hungryNo more taxes used for welfare programsWould 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 ChurchNot by state mandate, but by God’s WordFamilies often go through a tough time when kids go off to collegeThis is especially true in strict householdsWhen little “Johnny” or “Jane” are about to leave the nest for schoolThey will go where they are not watched very carefullyMaybe no curfewPlenty of opportunities to party without obvious repercussionsThankfully, they have a credit card, you know, for emergenciesLike when they are starving to death and the need for pizza to help them study lateThey have legal freedomIt is legal for them to stay out late and not studyIt is legal for them to buy beer and pizzaafter all they get to decide what an emergency isIt is also legal for them to use their freedom to honor their parents’ love and trustThey are free to studyThey are free to use the emergency card for a flat tire or whateverThey are even free to use their freedom to witness to a classmate in needDo you TRUST them to do what is right in the site of God?That is the questionI want to call your attention to the “Jenga table”Alora did a beautiful construction job using these blocks at a recent youth lock-inIn fact, the title slide for the service today used that image for the backgroundHere is what she built that dayI’m proud of Alora and her talentWhen I was a kid and anyone did somethingeven something this spectacularI would expect someone to pull out a pieceTo knock it downIn fact, the game of Jenga starts with these blocksYou take turns pulling out one piece at a timeThe goal is to pull out as many pieces as possible without the blocks all fallingYou are FREE to pull out any pieceBut, you lose if your action causes the structure to crumbleThese are clear examples of freedom being dangerousIn 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 9:191 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 workplaceSome of you have dedicated yourself to serving others in your retirementI know it’s not the high wages you receive when you volunteerYet, you drive for Wheels on mealsJim and Floyd, both dedicate untold hours preparing and teaching Sunday School and Midweek lessonsMaking the AV magic happen every weekMowing the grass at Grace and fixing all the things that breakServing in Board leadershipTaking medicine or food to someone who is sick or in needSo many waysNo one MAKES you do these thingsThe hope is always that by serving in the communityOthers will come to know the love of God through your effortsNot for YOU to gain, but for the Kingdom of God to gainYou are all free to use your FREE time however you wantBut, 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 ourselvesWhen Pharisees tried to trick Jesus into telling them what the greatest Commandment wasThat’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 everythingLove God with all your heartLove God with all your timeLove God with all your wordsLove God with all your textsLove God with all you social media postsLove God with all your financesLove God with all your timePretty simple, right?God has ALWAYS shown you that He loves youGod has ALWAYS been there for youGod will ALWAYS continue to be with youThen we come to the more difficult part for manyLove your neighbors, ALL your neighbors, as yourselfLove your neighbor with whom you disagree politicallyLove your neighbor who has a crummy yardLove your neighbor who plays their music too loudLove your neighbor who hurt or disappointed youYou get the point, Love ALL your neighborsThat’s really what Galatians 5:14 saysGalatians 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 19:18Leviticus 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 toLive without seeking vengeanceLive without holding a grudge against othersDon’t fall victim to legalism and look for a loopholeLeviticus talks about not doing this to family, “sons of your own people”Yet, Proverbs 20:22 confirms this is for all peopleProverbs 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 evilBut we will pay a priceIn fact, the cost of holding a grudge is HUGEThis doesn’t mean you won’t go to HeavenHolding a grudge will raise your blood pressureHolding a grudge will rob you from the peace of the presentIf you think back on Proverbs 20:22, if you hold a Grudge, then the Lord will NOT deliver youYou will carry the burdenYou will be in bondage of anger and lack of joyThe greatest price we pay for holding a grudge is much greater, thoughGalatians 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 enemyHis name is SatanDo not let Satan convince you that your neighbor is your enemyYou spouse is not your enemyYour family is not your enemySatan IS your enemyDon’t give Satan room in your life or your heartThis is why Freedom can be so dangerousIf we don’t act in love for each otherThen we will devour each othermaybe not immediately, but in timeThe cancer of division will take rootDivision of our familiesDivision of our communitiesDivision of our churchWe should all know that Satan attacks us by dividing usThat’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 walkEphesians 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 chooseWe can choose to allow Satan to divide our familyDivide our churchDivide our CommunityDivide our countryDivide the universal churchThis is dangerous for all our eternityInsteadWe choose to exclude Satan and all his influenceWe reject Satan in the name of Jesus and reap the reward of a united family of faithBy being patient, kind and bearing with one another in loveLet us NOTPull 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 alwaysAmen!Pastoral PrayerInvitation:“Spirit Lead Me”Benediction: