Sunday October 03, 2021
https://www.facebook.com/Encountertexoma/videos/1037497667066042
INTRODUCTION: Every week at Encounter, we are given the opportunity to practice putting our attention less on ourselves and more on others.
I WANT YOU AND ME TO BECOME PRO’S AT SERVING!
I’ve been told several times that I need to protect the life that is in this church. That I need to protect the blessing here.
I’m about to show you how both YOU and ME can protect what God’s doing here.
A man named Paul rights a letter to the churches in Southern Galatia because he had a hand in planting those churches in his first missionary journey In your Bible it’s called the Book of Galatians.
Paul’s close relationship to these churches helps to explain the extremely strong tone he took with them from the very beginning of the letter.
Galatians exhibits Paul at his angriest, as he risked the good favor of the converts in those churches to make sure they were on the path of truth and not led off into deception.
WHAT MOTIVATED HIM TO RIGHT THIS?
A group of Judaizers—those who sought to make living under the Mosaic Law a requirement of the Christian faith—had gained an influence in the Galatian churches.
WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL WITH THIS
These Galatians sought to be justified by the Mosaic Law. In contrast, Paul reminded them that justification comes to people by faith in Jesus Christ and Jesus alone, not by their works under the Law.
Galatians 1:6-7- “I am shocked over how quickly you have strayed away from the One who called you in the grace of Christ. I’m astounded that you now embrace a distorted gospel! That is a fake “gospel” that is simply not true. There is only one gospel—the good news of Christ! Yet you have allowed those who mingle law with grace to confuse you.”
Galatians 3:1- “Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you….?
THIS GIVES US A PICTURE OF THE BOOK A GALATIANS
WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH BECOMING A PRO AT SERVING!
Then we go to chapter 5 where Paul starts talking about their freedoms in Jesus Christ.
Galatians 5:12- “I just wish that those troublemakers who want to mutilate you by circumcision would mutilate themselves.”
What Paul is saying is that he wants the mutilators to cut themselves away from the churches.
ALL OF THIS FOR THE NEXT FEW VERSES
Galatians 5:13-15- “For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.”
HOW DO YOU PREVENT THIS BITING AND DEVOURING ONE ANOTHER? (BY THE WAY THIS WORKS GREAT FOR A MARRIAGE AS WELL.)
YOU SERVE ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE! YOU BECOME A PRO AT SERVING!
(VERSE 15)- Both Aramaic and Greek manuscripts read “biting and devouring,” which is a metaphor for critical attitudes that will destroy the fellowship. These terms were often found in classical Greek literature to describe wild animals fighting each other in deadly conflict.
WHAT WAS PAUL SAYING:
Don’t allow this critical attitude to infiltrate your church family! INSTEAD, SERVE ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE!
Galatians 5:9- “This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough!
INSTEAD, “Let serving one another in love spread throughout the church!”
HOW DO YOU BECOME A PRO AT SERVING?
- Serve with an open heart
James 2:1- “My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?”
Don’t be prejudice, SERVE WITH AN OPEN HEART
2. Serve with a selfless attitude
Philippians 2:3-4- “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”
3. Serve with courage
NO FEAR!!!
2 Timothy 1:7- “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
4. Serve with Gladness
I DON’T HAVE TO, I GET TO!!!
Psalm 100:2- “Serve the Lord with gladness…”
5. Serve with Love
Galatians 5:14- “For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
It all begins with love! “For God so loved the world…”
WHAT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT SAYING TO YOU THROUGH THIS MESSAGE