“Amazing Grace” Series

“Baptism – Identity and Community” Galatians 3:27-29

Galatians 3:27-29

“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” 

I don’t have the actual data in front of me, but if I had to take a wild guess, I would say that one of the biggest things Baptists are known for is… (wait for it) – baptism. We didn’t invent it (theological spoiler alert – John the Baptist wasn’t actually Baptist), but we put a big emphasis on it because of all that it symbolizes.
 
Baptism by immersion (dunking) symbolizes our decision to die to ourselves (Luke 9:23), identify with Christ in his death (Galatians 2:20) burial and resurrection, and come into new life (2 Corinthians 5:17). It is an image of complete cleansing and a testimony of our allegiance to the King. 
 
Paul is also stating here that baptism, is like putting on Christ like a garment. This garment identifies us as part of his family, making us heirs with him and equal with one another. This was a radical statement in Paul’s time. Each comparison he used (Jews and Greek, slaves and free, men and women) had well-known hierarchies and separations in their culture. In the New Testament period, it was common for people of similar social classes or trades to eat together on a regular basis. The early church, once it understood and embraced the concept Paul explained here was unique in that believers from all walks of life (those mentioned above) would eat, fellowship and worship together. 
 
Early Christians were baptized as soon as they believed, not for salvation but a testimony of it. And we still celebrate today when a new believer is baptized into the fellowship for those same reasons – identity and community.   
 
While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions: 
  • Have you participated in the beautiful symbol of baptism? If not, what’s holding you back?
  • If you’d like to be baptized email us at sharon@mybelmont.org  

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

 

 

 
 

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“Saved from a Curse, by a Curse” – Galatians 3:11-14

Galatians 3:11-14

“Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.” 

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. Paul was referring here to Christ’s crucifixion. Crucifixion was created by the Romans not only for execution, but as a means of humiliation and prolonged torture. The fact that Jesus was willing to go through this terrible death to take our place is beyond our comprehension. 
 
In his book, No God But One, Nabeel Qureshi shares a conversation he had with a muslim friend who wondered how a perfect holy God could come to this filthy earth and sacrifice Himself. 
 

“Sahar, let’s imagine that you are on your way to a very important ceremony and are dressed in your finest clothes. You are about to arrive just in time, but then you see your daughter drowning in a pool of mud. What would you do? Let her drown and arrive looking dignified, or rescue her but arrive at the ceremony covered in mud? 

Her response was very matter of fact, “Of course, I would jump in the mud and save her.”

Nuancing the question more, I asked her, “Let’s say there were others with you. Would you send someone else to save her, or would you save her yourself?” 

Considering this, Sahar responded, “If she is my daughter, how could I send anyone else? They would not care for her like I do. I would go myself, definitely.” 

I paused for a short moment before continuing, “If you, being a human, love your daughter so much that you are willing to lay aside your dignity to save her, how much more can we expect God, if he is our perfectly loving Father, to lay aside his majesty to save us?” She consider this for a moment, and the conversation moved on.”

(A while later Nabeel went to lunch with a friend who wanted to introduce him to a new believer who had come from a Muslim background. The new Christian was Sahar!) “The message of God’s selfless love had overpowered her, and she could no longer remain Muslim. A few days after our dinner, she had accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior.” pp 91-92, Zondervan 2016. 
 
While using the HEAR method consider the following:
  • How does the metaphor of the mother rescuing the daughter speak to you of what Jesus has done for us? If it doesn’t, is there another metaphor that might? 
  • Take some time to meditate on the idea that the God of the universe became a curse to save us from the curse of the law. 

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
 

 

 

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“Give Me Liberty” – Galatians 3:10

Galatians 3:10
 
“For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 
 
Patrick Henry is famous for the quote, “Give me liberty, or give me death.” Personally, if I had to choose between the two, I don’t think it would take me long to decide. Seems a pretty obvious choice. Liberty please! Of course I understand what Henry meant, but phrased as two equal choices, the saying becomes absurd. 
 
Paul reveals that the Galatians are faced with a similarly ridiculous choice – between the blessing of God through faith (in verse 9) or the curse that comes when relying on the law. Paul explains that according to the law itself (Deuteronomy 27:26) that unless one was to follow every command completely and fully without error, then they would fall under the curse of it’s judgement. And as we saw in Romans 3:23, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Anyone choosing to live by the law would be backing a horse that had no chance of winning. When seeing what each of the two choices bring us, it is quite literally the choice between liberty and death. 
 
While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions: 
  • When faced with the choice between faith and the law, understanding what each bring (blessing or curse) why would anyone choose the law? This is not a rhetorical question, as some Galatians were clearing being swayed. Why do you think? 
  • Blessing and curse are not simply eternal consequences. We experience the effects of either in this life as well. Can you think of times in your own life when you experienced the effects of blessing through faith or curse through works? 
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
 
 

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“Father Abraham” – Galatians 3:6-9

Galatians 3:6-9

“Just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.”

When I was little, we would sing a song in Sunday school called “Father Abraham.” It was repetitive in a way that is fun for kids, but annoying for adults – basically the church version of “100 bottles of beer on the wall.” It went, “Father Abraham, had many sons, and many sons had Father Abraham. I am one of them, and so are you. So, let’s just praise the Lord.” This chorus was repeated over and over and was accompanied by arm and leg swings, head bobs, and spins. And if you grew up in church, you probably hummed the tune as you read these words. At some point along the way, I remember questioning this song. Was I a child of Father Abraham? Head bobs and arm swings aside, I was pretty sure I fit squarely in the Gentile camp. 
 
To the Jew, being a child of Abraham was a real source of pride. They would trace back their lineage generation after generation showing that they were a part of the family. This family background separated them from the rest of the world. In fact, they saw the main breakdown of people types as 1-Jews, and 2-everybody else – aka Gentiles. Jesus took a shot at this arrogance when he said, (paraphrase of Matthew 3:9) “So, you’re children of Abraham. Big deal, God could make children of Abraham out of these rocks.”
And then Paul called into question with the words above, what it even meant to be a part of his family? And what made Abraham so special? See, the Judaizers had been trying to get the Gentile believers to be good Jews before they could be Christians, but Paul showed them from their own scriptures (the Old Testament) that they didn’t realize what actually made Abraham special. Abraham was considered right with God because of his FAITH, not his works! And we become children of Abraham (without all the initial membership fees like circumcision) through our faith, just as he did. 
 
Use the HEAR method to dig or drill a little deeper into this 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
 
Photo by Eric Ayon on Unsplash

 

 

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“An Easy Mark” – Galatians 3:1-5

Galatians 3:1-5

“O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—“ 
 
As long as there have been people, there have been the gullible, as well as those willing to take advantage of them. P.T. Barnum famously said, “There’s a sucker born every minute.” Sometimes the pranks and jokes that people play on others can be funny, but when the stakes are high, it’s not a laughing matter. Adam and Eve lost their beautiful home because they fell for the deceitful words of the serpent. Esau gave up his birthright and lost his blessing when Jacob pulled a fast one on his blind and trusting father. Gideon’s tiny ragtag of leftovers defeated the Midianite camp by posing as a much larger army at night armed with trumpets, clay pots and torches. And the Galatians were fooled into exchanging the grace of God, for a broken system of works. 
 
Paul was flabbergasted with the Galatians for being so easily duped. He called them “foolish” for seeing the movement of the Spirit of God, and knowing full well that this power came from the crucified and risen Christ. In this letter he is taking their hand, walking them through the evidence that they’ve already seen with their own eyes to get back to the point where they once were. 
 
How many times have we fallen for the lies of the enemy? How many times have we traded what is valuable for that which is temporary? How many times have we seen God work in our lives only to return to fear and doubt? And how many times do we go back to the old ways of trying to earn God’s favor by good works? 
 
Let us read the words of Paul as if he were giving us this stern talking to. I think I’m a sucker far more than I’d like to admit. Read the passage again substituting your own name in the place where the Galatians are referred to.   
 
While using the HEAR method, prayerfully ask God to speak to you the truths you need for 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 to respond?
 
Today’s post is by Jon Price, Associate Pastor
 
Photo by Max Letek on Unsplash
 

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“God So Loved” – John 3:16

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” 
 
Some people are great gift givers. They love giving gifts and really make an effort to pay attention, to listen, to search for just the right thing that will blow the recipient away. When I think of what makes a great gift, several things come to mind: 
  • the cost – how much money, time or effort went into the gift? 
  • the sacrifice – is it the widow’s mite or spare change? 
  • the rarity – is it a Flame Lily from Zimbabwe or a dandelion from the empty lot next door? 
  • the need – is it one more thing for your next garage sale or the missing puzzle piece to an area of your life? 
  • the significance – does the gift show that the giver really knows you like no one else? 

Any or all of these factors gauge the love that the giver has for the one receiving the gift, and display the lengths to which they have gone to communicate that love. When we read that “God so loved…” what follows is the evidence of how much His gift reveals about His feelings for you and me.      

While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions:  
  • What parts in John 3:16 meet the different criteria of a great gift? (cost, sacrifice..)
  • Are you a great gift giver, or not so much? Contrast your gift giving skills against God’s. 

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? 

Today’s post is by Jon Price, Associate Pastor
 
 

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