Galatians 6:11-18
Boasting in the Cross
Well
Paul has reached the end of his letter This letter was different for Paul
according to verse11 Paul penned this himself
A)
According to 2Thess 3:17 Paul's custom was to dictate his letters through a
stenographer, then he'd personally sign them to assure
their authenticity.
B)
But this letter was an exception. Paul was so passionate about his message to
the Galatians,
1)
So concerned about the grace of God, that he wrote this letter with his own
hand. He penned it himself.{ He Wrote w/
Large letters
C)
Some people assume Paul wrote in large letters because he was having problems
with his eyes. His thorn in the flesh
1)
But it also could've been a attempt to make sure the Galatians were able to
read every word.
D)
At the bottom of the Declaration of Independence you find the words
"John Hancock" signed in abnormally large letters.
1)
Hancock said he used such large script to be sure King George saw his name.
E) That could be another
possible reason: Bold face print was used to stress a bold message.
1)
Galatians is a letter that Proclaims a bold message toward anyone who would
seek to undermine the grace of God Let them be accursed!!!!
Now
as Paul concludes this letter he sums up a few of his main points
Starting
w/ the Hypocrisy of the Judiazers / the Legalist { RD v.12-13
12 As many as desire to make a good
showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they
may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.13 For not even those who
are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they
may boast in your flesh.
A)
Paul declares in v.13 that the legalist were not serious about their message
-
1) There were areas of the law they
preached but didnt follow!!!
B) And that the real motive behind their ministry was to make a good
showing so they could boast in their flesh
C) The
legalists pretended to be motivated out of concern for the ones they
tried to bring under the law.
1) But Paul saw
thru their deception, he saw their motive was really selfish,
simply desiring
the honor and glory of a good
showing in the flesh.
D) They wanted
the Galatians to become circumcised so they could wear the
submission of these Gentiles as a badge of achievement.
1) Notches in
their belts of converts to Judaism
So Paul points out the Hypocrisy of the
Judaizers wanting to glory in the flesh and Contrast that w/ his motive
Glory in the Cross V.14
14 But God
forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by
whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world
A)There
are a lot of different things that People Choose to
Boast in today:
1)
Some seek to Boast in their Intellect Reject
the message of the cross and the existence of God because it seems foolish to
them
B)
They feel that they have life all figured out
they believe that we are the result of a big bang
C)
And yet if you tried to convince them that the new car in their drive was the
result of an explosion Rock & a snail colliding
think your mad
1)
Yet the Universe that we live in is a billion times more complex than any car /
plane or whatever man in his wisdom has created
Dwight D. Eisenhower said, It takes no brains to be an atheist. Any stupid
person can deny the existence of a supernatural power because mans physical
senses cannot detect it. But there cannot be ignored the mystery of first life
or the marvelous order in which the universe moves about us. All of these
evidence the handiwork of a Powerful Deity. That Deity is the God of the Bible
and Christ, His Son.
When
his trusted plane, Spirit of St. Louis, was midway on its transatlantic
flight between New York and Paris, Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh began to think
of the smallness of man and the deficiency of his devices, and the greatness
and marvels of Gods universe.
He mused, Its hard to be an agnostic here in the Spirit of St. Louis when I am so
aware of the frailty of mans devices. If one dies, all Gods creation goes on
existing in a plan so perfectly balanced, so wondrously simple and yet so
incredibly complex that it is beyond our comprehension. Theres the infinite
magnitude of the universe, the infinite detail, and mans consciousness of it
alla world audience to what, if not to God.
So
there are those who choose to Boast in their Intellect- while others choose
instead to boast in their religious affiliation
A) They are a 4th Generation
Baptist - they are Catholic / Episcopal
Calvary Chapel
B) That is the Basis of their confidence before God their religious
affiliation
C)
And for others it is their good works You ask them why God would accept them
classic answer Well I am a good person Im Honest
1)
If you could get into heaven by being a good person then why did God send His Beloved Son to die for your
Sins?
D)
People have a number of Reasons that they choose to Boast
E)
Churches fall into that trap: Boast in their membership the # of people that
attend their services
1) Some boast in their wonderful
programs { greatest this or that
For some it is their Buildings or their Music
NOT
PAUL HE WOULD HAVE NONE OF THAT { Boast the Cross
A) Now what is interesting is from a
purely human perspective Paul had a lot that He could boast in.
B) Brilliant
mind : Modern day lawyers are astounded at his logic and arguing [
top notch first class]
C)
Paul was the top student of the famed rabbi Gameliel He was
in line to be his successor prior to his conversation
1)
Paul had awesome Pedigree & Past
Phil 3:3 For we are the
circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have
no confidence in the flesh,4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh.
If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so:5
circumcised the Eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a
Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee;6 concerning zeal,
persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law,
blameless.
D) That was Pauls Pedigree He was
Brilliant / He was religious{ Pharisee / He was good {Blameless in keeping
the Law
1) He was
Zealous he persecuted the Christians
E)
And because of all of that Paul was held in very high esteem with in the Jewish
Community but He was also very lost
So
for that Reason Paul went on to say: Phil 3:7 But
what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.8 Yet indeed
I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ
Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them
as rubbish, that I may gain Christ9 and be found in Him, not having my own
righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in
Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
A)Paul didnt boast in any of those
things but Choose instead to count them as dung that He might Have Christ
His Boast was in the Cross
B)
The Judiazers were embarrassed by the cross, but to Paul it was his source of
pride - he bragged about the cross.
1)
He gloried in the cross.
C)
Paul accomplished more for the cause of Christ
than any other human. Yet when he looked at his resume he found nothing in
which to boast.
1)
Paul was a product of the cross - so boast in the source, not the response.
D)
Think of it this way: Its hot day, your throat is parched, your desperate for a drink
of something cold and wet.
1)
You tip a big bottle of Gatorade and it quenches your thirst.
E)
Then you start bragging about the bottle - it don't make sense. You don't boast
in the vessel - you take glory in its contents!
Why did
Paul Glory in the Cross ? - 6 REASONS
#1 In the Cross Paul saw a
Matchless exhibition of the attributes of God
A)
The Cross presents for us a Beautiful combination of Gods Justice and mercy
seen side by side
B) The Cross depicts for us the Justice of God that He is a Just God who
cannot let sin go unpunished
C)
The Cross depicts the Love of God in His Desire to save Mankind
1)
And in His wisdom of God that He came up w/ a plan of how to deal w/ a plan as
to how His Love & Justice could Coexist { He would pay the Price
D)
JUDGE WHO CAME OFF THE BENCH TO PAY THE BILL
So #1 Paul gloried in the Cross because
it was a Matchless exhibition of the Attributes of God
#2
Paul gloried in the Cross because it accomplished the Removal of our sins 1 John 3:5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our
sins, Amanda Playing w/
Calculator- CLEAR !!!!!
Ps
103:10, 12
10
He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor
punished us according to our iniquities. 12 As far as the east is from the
west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
2 Cor 5:21 For God made
Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of
God in Him.
NKJV
A sin less Jesus became sin filled so that sin filled
people could be sin free
So the 2nd Reason
Paul gloried in the Cross was because it accomplished the removal of Sin
and Continues to do so !!
1 John 1:9 If we confess
our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness.
Reason
#3 Paul Gloried or Boasted in the Cross is because The Cross
removes not only our sin but our Guilt
A) Cross declares we are Justified Not
just forgiven / not Pardoned but declared righteous Removal of Guilt
B) Guilt plagues people Mental
hospital release ½ of my patients if I could just find a way to rid them of
their guilt
1)
Guilt works like an inescapable video-tape machine that refuses to forget the
mistakes we've made!!
C) Reason we feel Guilty is because we are Guilty we have sinned
1)
But because of the Cross Guilt is Removed
Rom 5:1-3
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ,2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace
in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Reason
#4 Paul gloried in the Cross because of the source of Rest it Provides to the
Believer
A) It is finished { Complete enter into
His rest It is finished
DONE NOT DO
Heb 4:9-10 There remains therefore a rest for the
people of God.10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from
his works as God did from His.
B) Which is why Paul says in v. 15 For in Christ
Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new
creation
C) In Christ New
Creation old things have passed away all things become new !!!
Reason
#5 Paul gloried in the Cross because the poor sinner is made rich thru it
!!!!
2 Cor 8:9 For you know the grace of
our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became
poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
A beggar stopped a lawyer on the street in a large
southern city and asked him for a quarter.
Taking a long, hard look into the man's unshaven face, the attorney
asked, "Don't I know you from somewhere?"
"You should," came the reply.
"I'm your former
classmate. Remember, second floor, old
Main Hall?" "Why Sam, of course I know you!" Without further question the lawyer wrote a check for $4000.
"Here, take this and get a new start.
I don't care what's happened in the past, it's the future that
counts." And with that he hurried on.
Tears welled up in the man's eyes as he walked to a
bank nearby. Stopping at the door, he saw through the glass well-dressed
tellers and the spotlessly clean interior.
Then he looked at his filthy rags. he muttered as he turned away. "They won't
take this from me. They'll swear that I
forged it,"
The next day the two men met
again. "Why
Sam, what did you do with my check?
Gamble it away? Drink it up?"
No,"
said the beggar as he pulled it out of his dirty shirt pocket and told why he
hadn't cashed it. " "Listen,
friend," said the lawyer.
"What makes that check good is not your clothes or appearance, but
my signature. Go on, cash it!"
The Bible
says, Come to Christ made rich in Him { Access to God Jesus name is on
the Check - "Whosoever shall call
upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." That promise is a Check of infinite value. And as sinners, all we need to do is
"exchange" it by faith for eternal life.
Don't let the
"tattered clothes" of your past keep you from cashing God's
"check" of salvation.
Reason
#6 Paul gloried in the cross because of the effect it had on his life
V.14 Paul said that
the world has been crucified to me & I to the world
A)CHS called the cross The greatest
moral Power in the world
B) In other words the Cross in the
greatest motivator for living a moral life in the world
1)
See what Christ has done for me I was doomed to Hell / I was separated from
God / I was lost
C)
He rescued me the natural response is to live for Him
D) So in light of the Cross Paul said
this world has nothing to offer me
Everything
that this world says is important Wealth / Power / Prestige / Position is of
no value if I am not right w/ God !!!!
A) The world was crucified to Paul no
longer living for those things learned to be content w/ much or w/ little
as long as he had Christ
B)
Not only was the world Crucified to Paul but Paul was
also Crucified to it
1)
The very people who praised Paul for his religious Zeal for his great mind
turned against him when he turned to Christ
C)
His biggest
supporters became his biggest adversaries after he was saved- so often that is
the case !!!
Paul sums up
his thoughts - Gal 6:16-17
And as many as walk according to this
rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. 17 From now on let no one trouble me, for I
bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.
A)
The Judaizers not only questioned the legitimacy of Paul's message, they
also questioned the sincerity of his ministry.
B)
Finally, he takes off his shirt and there on his
stomach and back are a checkerboard of scars.
1)
His scars were the result of beatings
he endured to bring the Gospel to Galatia. His sincerity was seen in his
scars.
Adoniram Judson was a missionary to Burma. For seven
years he was imprisoned, and kept in leg-irons and handcuffs for preaching the
Gospel. His wrists and ankles bore the scars.
Upon his release he asked the king of Burma if he
might be granted permission to preach Jesus.
The king responded, "My people are not fools enough to
listen to anything a missionary might SAY, but I fear they might be impressed
by your SCARS and turn to your religion."
C) Pauls scars spoke of his sincerity
to the Cross of Christ !!!
Gal 6:18 Brethren, the
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
Paul
ends his letter the way he started it with grace
Let
me close with a quote that sums up Galatians, "Your worst days are never so bad that
you are beyond the reach of God's grace. Your best days are never so good that
you are beyond the need of God's grace."
We stand, and live, and grow - all through... amazing
grace.