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Feb 18, 2018

Free Spirit

Free Spirit

Passage: Galatians 3:1-14

Speaker: Brian Land

Series: Galatians

Category: Grace Brevard

Keywords: creation, curse, fall, hope, restoration, spirit

Humanity has been found guilty of the crime of treason and have been put under the “curse” (the judicial sentence), but on the cross Jesus became, took and paid for our curse while giving us His Spirit who invites and enables us to now live a freed life of faith.

FEATURED ILLUSTRATION

Order of Worship

Call to Worship: Psalm 119:34-37,40 ESV

Reading: John 14:15-16,18,25-27 ESV

Songs:

  • Come Thou Fount, Come Thou King - Gateway Worship
  • Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies) - Chris Tomlin
  • Lead On O King Eternal - (Sara Groves, Old Hymn)
  • Death Was Arrested - (North Point)
  • We Will Feast In the House of Zion (Sandra McCraken)

Prayer of Confession (adapted from The Service for the Lord’s Day)

ALL: Merciful God, We confess that we have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed.

We have not loved you with our whole heart, mind, and strength and have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.

In your great mercy, forgive us, renew us, lead us,

That we may delight in your will walk in your ways; find joy in your Word. Through Jesus Christ your Son. Amen

Central Text: Galatians 3:1-14

1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. 2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 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— 6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? 7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8 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.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. 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.” 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” 12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” 13 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”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

Message: Free Spirit (Click to download slides)

Benediction: Romans 5:18-19 & 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 ESV

Discussion Questions & Applications:

1) What kind of “curse” is all of Creation under (not just people but nature as well)? 

2) Why is there a curse? Does it seem to be too harsh?

3) How is it that Jesus “became a curse” for us? How is that even more than simply paying for our curse? (think about how becoming the curse impacted his relationship with the Father)

4) In place of the curse (which includes separation from God) we now have the Spirit given to us by sheer means of Grace. How is this the absolute opposite of the curse?

5) What’s your thoughts on who the Holy Spirit is and does?

6) What impact does it have that we have the Spirit absolutely inside of us? What does it mean for him to empower us on an everyday practical basis?

Docs & Quotes:

  • Until we receive the Gospel on a cellular level, the little mind processes reality in some form of “tit for tat.” As a result, people spend more time fearing and trying to control God than actually loving God. - Richard Rohr
  • Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better. - Samuel Beckett
  • Nothing that is possible can save us; we who must die demand a miracle. - W.H. Auden
  • The law is not up to the task it sets for itself.  If the law says, “Jump,” I sit. If it says, “Run,” I walk.  If it says, “Honor your father and mother, “ I move. . .to Portland.  If it says, “Do not covet, “ I spend all day on the Home Shopping Channel. - Paul Zahl, Grace in Practice
  • How Real Change Happens (an excerpt from Tim Keller’ book on Galatians 3:1-5)

Sermons:

Relying on the Law - Timothy J. Keller

Galatians 3:1-14

Adam, Christ and Justification by John Piper

Romans 5:12-21

The Comforter by Charles H. Spurgeon

John 14:26

O You Dear Idiot by Dick Lucas

Galatians 3:1

Media:

2.18.18 GBV Album