“Amazing Grace” Series

“I’ll Take it From Here” – Galatians 3:23-26

Galatians 3:23-26

“Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.”

I remember before I was a teenager, my mom had to continually remind me to take a shower. Washing was a waste of my precious time, until the day came that I realized I liked girls – and girls don’t like guys that smell like a dumpster. Mom no longer needed to remind me because I was now motivated to cleanse. 

I wonder, as a teenager or adult, do you still need someone to hold your hand as you cross the road?  Does someone need to tell you not to touch a hot stove? Like most people, you no longer need a mom, dad, grandparent or nanny to remind you of these things because your own mature, moral conscience has taken over.

Paul says that the law was a guardian, or full time nanny who was a moral guide that took care of us until something else, something better took its place, which is Christ. The law showed us God’s moral design and kept us in a parameter (we weren’t good at following its guidance) until Jesus came and said, “Law, thank you for taking care of Stephen Williams and showing him the moral way to go, but I will take it from here.”  

You see, the law was good – but not good enough. As matter of fact, the law was never designed to make us righteous. The law could show us what is right and guilt us into compliance, but Jesus made us righteous through His blood and gives us the motivation for righteousness. 
 
While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions:  
  • What did you constantly have to be reminded of as a child to do (or not do?) Share in the comments below. 
  • How have your earlier lessons on behavior shaped the person you are today? 
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 
Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you respond? 

A big thank you to Pastor Stephen who provided today’s post



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“Plot Twist” – Galatians 3:22

Galatians 3:22
 
“But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.” 
 
“Soylent Green is People!
Soylent Green is People!” 
 
If you haven’t seen the 1973 Charlton Heston thriller, “Soylent Green,” I’m sorry to spoil the ending, but since it is supposed to take place in two years, consider yourself forewarned. Set in dystopian New York City 2022, resources are drained and poverty and overpopulation lead to daily riots. People are reliant on nutritional wafers called Soylent Green. Heston’s character, detective Thorn goes through the movie trying to figure out the source to this much needed and sought after nutrient, finally tracking it to a euthanasia center and discovering the terrible secret that what the public thought was a blessing that brought life, was actually a monstrous recipe created from death. 
 
In a similar fashion Paul is revealing the purpose of the law, “The law is a prison! The law is a prison!” What the Judaizers thought would bring life, actually trapped everyone because of their sin. This was the plot twist for those relying on the law. 
 
While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions:  
  • What have you relied on in the past that let you down or turned out to be something other than what you thought it was? 
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 
Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you respond? 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 

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“What ever for?” – Galatians 3:19-21

Galatians 3:19-21

“Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one. Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law.” 
 
When I was a kid, I remember asking my parents in all sincerity why God created ants and mosquitos, weeds and snakes, spiders and sharks, sickness and broccoli. All these, in my limited knowledge, served no other purpose than annoyance, pain or even death. Even as an adult, there are times when I wonder at the back of my mind if some things in our world have slipped past God’s attention, something that serves no apparent redeeming purpose – the suffering of a saint, terrorist attacks, The Bachelor.  
 
With all Paul’s ranting against the law, he finally asks the question aloud that every Galatian by this point must be asking. “Why then the law?” If it’s so bad, why did God even create it? 
 
Paul explains that the law was given to make man aware of his sin, that sin was an affront to God and would incur His wrath.  The law was not an avenue to righteousness, which made it subordinate to the blessing, and was only temporary until Christ came and made good on the promise.  
 
While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions:  
  • What’s something you’ve wondered about as to why it exists?  
  • Once you are made aware that something is wrong or against the rules, do you tend to steer clear or push the boundaries?  
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 
Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you respond? 
 
 

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“I Agree” – Galatians 3:15-18

Galatians 3:15-18

“To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.”
 
… I’m sorry, …what? 
 
Honestly, this is one of those passages that makes my eyes gloss over, like when I fully intend to read the legal agreement for an iPhone upgrade that goes on for 200 pages, and I only make it about 2 sentences in before scrolling to the very bottom and hitting the agree button. “Sign away my rights and privacy? Yes please, just don’t make me read that!” 
 
Since, Paul is writing this to a group of people he just called “fools” a few verses back, I have to assume that this would have made sense to someone in the group! So let’s break it down. 
 
Just like any type of contract, once it’s been made and verified, you don’t add to it or declare it invalid. And the contract (covenant) Paul is referring to is the one made to Abraham and his descendant (singular) – referring to Christ. So the contract God made with Abraham (and it’s promise of blessing) was made 430 years before the law ever came about. Therefore, the law couldn’t cancel or change the covenant God had previously made with Abraham. This was just further evidence that the law didn’t bring the promise of blessing and inheritance. 
 
There is even more you can dig out of this passage and I encourage you to do so! But if you’re only scratching the surface today, you can just hit “I Agree” and be confident that the blessing of God’s grace is available to you just as it was to Abraham, and nothing is going to change that.  
 
While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions:  
  • Do you ever have a hard time understanding scripture (or is it just me)? If so, what are some different ways you go about trying to figure it out? (consider sharing in the comments below)
  • What is the illustration of a ratified contract supposed to do in encouraging the Galatians (and us)?   
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 
Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you respond? 
 

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“The Ending” – Matthew 5:17-18

Matthew 5:17-18

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”
 
With the rise of streaming media like Netflix and a dozen other platforms getting in on the action, there have never been more choices to binge-watch. Even in the time of COVID, we don’t have time to waste on bad TV. I am constantly on the lookout for shows that have a winning combination of great storytelling, perfect casting, seamless acting, and brilliant directing. But nothing will make or break a series more for me than the ending. Shows that start with real promise but then fizzle, are canceled too early, or just run off the rails into a ditch make me wish I hadn’t wasted my time in the first place. But give me a story with an ending that wraps everything up in a perfectly satisfying way, and I will usually watch it over and over. There’s satisfaction in the symmetry of a good ending. It shows that from beginning to end, the story was intentional and well woven. 
 
This week we will be looking at the purpose of the law. As we saw in last week’s reading, the law was not made to justify anyone (unless they could follow it completely – more on that in a second).  However, the law wasn’t worthless. And as we begin our look at this theme we stop for a moment to catch some of the words of Jesus in the sermon on the mount. He assured the crowd that he wasn’t coming to do away with the law and the prophets, but that his life and ministry would help to bring it to a beautiful ending. He was fulfilling the law by meeting all of its requirements perfectly. And as messiah, he was also fulfilling all of the Old Testament prophesies in regards to His role. There is symmetry here that reveals all I look for in a beautifully crafted, directed, and executed story. It’s why I can’t stay away. 
 
Share in the comments below a book, movie, or TV show that had a great and fulfilling ending for you. (No judgment zone!) What show failed to deliver when it came to its end?
 
Use the HEAR method to delve further into today’s passage:  
 
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 
Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond? 
Today’s post is by Jon Price, Associate Pastor
 
I leave you today with the image of a show that had so much promise, and yet…

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“Runaway Witness”

In my study for this week’s daily readings and sermon Sunday, I learned something that I really wanted to share with you. I didn’t want to put too much information into any one day, or lose the point of the individual passages with a second main point. So today is a spillover into the weekend. I hope you find it as interesting as I did. 
 
In chapter 3 of Galatians, Paul has shifted the focus of his letter from defending his authority (chapters 1 & 2) to defending his message – that justification comes through faith. To our untrained eyes, he has simply been laying out theological points to make his case. But the Judaizers saw that he was doing far more than that. Paul was shooting out the legs to the scaffolding of their argument – one by one. And he was using THEIR ammunition to do so! The references that Paul used were from the elements most sacred to the Jews – the patriarchs, the prophets, and the law. 
 
This is similar to a court scene where an attorney begins to cross-examine a witness from the other side. As the witness begins to share their story it becomes apparent that they are making a case for the opposition! The argument for the side that brought in the witness has just imploded and the trial is over. 
 
Take a few moments to look up the following verses from the Old Testament and see how Paul used them to make his case for faith. 
    • Genesis 15:6
    • Deuteronomy 27:26
    • Habakkuk 2:4
    • Leviticus 18:5
    • Genesis 12:3
    • Deuteronomy 21:23

Today’s post is by Jon Price, Associate Pastor

https://elements.envato.com/user/Pineapple_Studio

 

 

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