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Mar 04, 2018

Freed to Love

Passage: Galatians 4:8-20

Speaker: Brian Land

Series: Galatians

Category: Grace Brevard

All humanity is in this together, even though we rarely act like it. God’s people are called to enter the “us vs. them” culture with a message and method of love. We are called to “incarnational” ministry where we relationally and honestly enter the real and raw world, loving people where they are, not treating them like “projects,” while also being a beacon to The Light of Christ in the heart of darkness. In doing this, we must find ourselves honestly, sacrificially and practically caring for the community while doing the same for fellow Christ-followers.

Worship Order

Prelude

Call To Worship: Deuteronomy 32:1-4

Songs:

O Love That Will Not Let Me Go (George Matheson & Albert Lister Peace)

Before the Throne of God Above (Charitie Lees Bancroft & Vikki Cook)

Revelation Song (Jennie Lee Riddle)

Reading: Matthew 5:14-16 ESV

Prayer: The Peace Prayer (by St. Francis of Assisi)

O Lord, make us an instrument of Your peace;

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is error, the truth;

Where there is doubt, the faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.

Grant that we may not so much seek

To be consoled, as to console;

To be understood, as to understand;

To withhold, as to forgive

To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;

And it is in dying that

we are born to eternal life. Amen.  

Central Text: Galatians 4:8-20

8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years! 11 I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain. 12 Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong. 13 You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, 14 and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. 15 What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17 They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. 18 It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, 19 my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! 20 I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

Sermon Illustration

Response: John 17:3,17-19,22 ESV

Song: No Longer Slaves (Jonathan David Helser & Melissa Helser)

Benediction: Jude 1:24-25 ESV

Discussion Questions:

1) How do you see an “us vs. them” mentality in our country?

   How about in Brevard or our immediate area?

   How about in churches?

   Why are we polarizing like this?

2) “I also have become as you are” -- Being “incarnational” literally means to be “in the flesh” with one another...entering somebody else’s world rather than trying to stay in yours and speak to the across the void.

   Have you seen this done before? What does it look like?

   Why is this so important?

   Why is it so difficult?

   How is this exactly what Jesus did at his birth?

   What if Jesus only spoke into our world instead of entering it?

3) “become as I am” - Part 2 of being Incarnational is being a gospel-light while also being relevant.

   What might this look like? What truth are we sharing? 

   Why is it difficult? (why don’t we do “part 2” well?)

   How is this what Jesus did with us?

Docs & Quotes:

"Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell." - C.T. Studd, 19th century missionary

“People won’t care how much you know until they know how much you care” - Theodore Roosevelt

Sermons:

Enslaved to Non Gods by Timothy J. Keller

Galatians 4:8-20

O That Christ Would Be Formed In You by John Piper

Galatians 4:12-20

Ministers and the People by Timothy J. Keller

Galatians 4:12-20

Media:

3.04.18 Album