Building Blocks - Week 2 - Pastor Nick Grim
Last week we started this series and Keith did a great job of discussing with us about not being ashamed of the Gospel and who are we following!
This week we will be looking at Galatians 2
Before we dive to far into our message hear this:
1. God has a message for you not the person that is not here.
2. Let God speak to you not me.
3. If God asks you to live differently today do something about it. Remember that little changes are what creates growth in Jesus
What in your past has defined you?
If I asked you to define yourself right now how would you do it?
What you do?
How you look?
What you have?
Who you know?
Would you define yourself as good or bad?
Where you are from?
What family you belong to?
What you earn or what you have accomplished?
What you dream to accomplish?
Paul in the end of Galatians 1 talks about his former life
Galatians 1:13-15 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.
He defines himself before his ministry
Then he defines himself for the next 23 verses by what God has called him to be, then he confirms his calling even to the place of correcting another Apostle
What should we define ourselves as?
Galatians 2:15-21 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.
Paul the apostle tells us nothing should define us but faith in Jesus Christ.
What faith is not:
1. Just obedience- we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
2. Just adding Jesus to your life
For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.
Faith is recognizing you are not alive but Christ within you is!
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.
If we try to live by doing the right thing we are doing it wrong
Should we still do good works?
Yes, but only because it is Christ at work within you
You are defined by Christ’s sacrifice, his grace and love for you
Why is this good?
Your worth has nothing to do with what people say about you or what you think of yourself and your worth never changes
How do we get there?
Philippians 3:12-16 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
How do we get there?
Recognize that it is a process not a moment
2. Forget what is behind:
Former sin
Former dreams
Former success
Former failures
Former image
Psalm 103:11-13 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.
3. Ask and follow God’s call in your life through Christ Jesus
4. Hold true to the grace of Jesus through His sacrifice
Nothing else defines us but Jesus