May I have a WORD with you?

References:

• Quick Review
  • Gal 5:16-26
    • The Spirit is our new guardian, not the Law
    • The desires of the sinful nature
    • The fruit of the Spirit
    • Stay in ranks and march with the Spirit
  • What’s Next?
• Gal 6:1-18
  • Vss 1-3
    • Restoration in meekness - πραότης (prah-ot'-ace)
      • Fruit - Gal 5:23; 1 Cor 4:21; Eph 4:2; Col 3:12
        • Adjective two forms- meek: πρᾶος, πραΰς
        • Mt 5:5; 11:29; 21:5; 1 Pt 3:4
      • Wisdom: see BLB on πραΰ...

References:

• Quick Review
  • Gal 5:1-15
    • Paul is turning from doctrinal arguments to ethical ones. True freedom in Christ, from the law, is not license to sin
    • Imagery
      • The race
      • Assiduously waiting
      • A little yeast
      • Castration
      • Biting and destruction
• Galatians 5:16-26
  • Vss 16-18
    • The new guardian - not the law any longer, but the Spirit
    • Walk by the Spirit - περιπατέω (per-ee-pat-eh'-o)
      • Rom 6:4; 8:4; 1 Cor 3:3
      • Not the...

References:

• Quick Review
  • Gal 4:21-31
    • Lesson from the Torah in allegory
      • Sarah, the mother of the promise, heavenly Jerusalem
      • Hagar, the mother of slavery, Mt Sinai, the Law
    • Being children of the promise, of freedom, of the power of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit
    • Remember the limits of allegory
  • What’s next?
• Gal 5:1-15
  • Vs 1 - for freedom Christ has set us free
    • Freedom from slavery to the law does n...

References:

• Quick Review
  • Gal 4:1-20
    • Being on guard against the elemental principles that reduce us to children of the universe rather than living in the power of the Spirit as children of God.
    • The true powerlessness and poverty that leads us to humbly receive the truth
    • The travail of childbirth that brings forth new children of promise
  • What’s next?
• Galatians 4:21-31
  • Vss 21-23
    • Genesis 15 through 18
      • Ch 1...

References:

• Quick Review
  • Gal 3:15-29
    • Seed vs seeds
    • Abraham vs Moses (heir vs slave)
    • Jesus our mediator & the law our tutor
    • Promise vs keeping the law
  • What’s next?
• Galatians 4:1-20
  • Vss 1-7
    • Heir, child, slave, guardian, manager
      • Remember the vineyard and tenants (Mt 21; Mk 12; Lk 20)
      • Consider 1 Cor 13:11 - gives new meaning
      • δοῦλος - servant, slave - very common in NT
      • Guardian = steward
    • Basic spiritual...

References:

• Quick Review
  • Gal 3:1-14
    • Vss 1c-4 - the picture of the Gospel and question - προγράφω (prog-raf'-o) - recall Rd to Emmaus
    • Vss 5-9 - faith before works, (promise before law)
    • Vss 10-14 - the curse and the removal of the curse
  • What’s next? The basis of Paul’s argument.
• Galatians 3:15-29
  • Vss 15-18 -  an example of a “last will and testament”
    • Vs 16 - σπέρμασιν vs σπέρματί
      • P...

References:

• Quick Review
  • Gal 2:11-21
    • Confrontation
      • Clarifying and righting the Gospel
      • Spiritual battle for the Body of Christ (including Peter and Barnabas)
    • Justification by faith
      • Mnemonic - justified = “just as if I’d” never sinned.
      • By grace through trusting God’s Word of promise
  • Going forward - hang on
• Gal 3:1-14
  • Vs 1a&b - “You crazy Galatians! Did someone put a s...

References:

• Quick Review
  • Gal 2:1-10
    • The question?
    • The ill-intentioned skeptics who want others to miss the goal (see Phil 3:14)
    • The right hand of fellowship
  • Recalling Acts 10
• Gal 2:11-21 - the core and foundation of the Gospel
  • 2:11-15 - Paul fights for Peter. (?)
    • Opposing him to his face - ἀνθίστημι (anth-is'-tay-mee)
      • This was the fourth of the five smooth stones series. 
        • (Ep 055 (S3E11) Five Smooth ...

References:

• Quick Review
  • Former Saul - Gal 1:13-14
    • See Acts 7:57-8:1
    • See Acts 26:9-11
  • Redeemed and restored Paul - vss 15-16a
    • See Eph 1:3-14
    • Compare 1:Pet 1:18-20
  • The Christians in Judea praised God because of Paul (1:22-24)
• Paul receives acceptance and recognition 2:1-10
  • Pre-2:1-10 background
    • Saul’s conversion (Acts 9:1-25)
    • Saul sent to Tarsus (9:26-31)
    • Barnabas and Saul team up (Acts 11:19-30)
  • ...

References:

• Quick Review
  • The churches of Galatia to whom Paul was writing are the subject of Luke’s telling of Acts 13 & 14
    • Antioch of Pisidia - near modern day Yalvaç, Turkey
    • Iconium & Lystra - near Konya, Turkey
    • Derbe - near Karaman, Turkey
  • Paul starts the letter with both barrels blazing
    • I’m shocked! You are abandoning the true Gospel
    • for a twisted one, a false Gospel
    • Curses! Anathema!
• 1:...

References:

• Geographical and Ethno-Historical Context
  • Who were the Galatians?
    • The cities of Galatia
      • Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, etc.
      • Modern day Turkey
    • The people of Galatia
      • Stereotyped as brave, impulsive and superstitious
      • Foolish - ἀνόητος (an-o'-ay-tos) 3:1
  • Acts 13-15 - a new world for God’s Chosen people.
    • 13: Consider Saul’s (Paul’s, vs 9) command of the Scriptures
      • Acts ...

References:

• Romans 1:16-17
  • Gospel - εὐαγγέλιον (yoo-ang-ghel'-ee-on)
    • A reward for good tidings - see 2 Samuel 4
    • Good tidings - 2 Samuel 18
    • Mark 1:14-15 - the good news about
    • Philippians 1:5-27 - 7X in 22 vss
  • Not Ashamed - ἐπαισχύνομαι (ep-ahee-skhoo'-nom-ahee)
    • The world’s opposition to the Gospel
    • Unashamedness
• Galatians 1-2
  • Another Gospel?
  • False Gospel μεταστρέφω (met-as-tref'-o)
    • turning 2X - Acts 2 ...

References:

• The Command - Isaiah 55:6-7
  • Seek - imperative (command)
  • Call - also imperative
  • Steps of repentance
    • The urgency of “while you can find Him,” and “while He is near.”
      • If you feel far from God, who moved?
      • He will never leave or forsake
    • Forsaking of wicked ways - see ESV
    • Banishing of evil thoughts - see NLT
    • Receiving the abundantly generous forgiveness
• Our Transcendant God - Isa 55...

References:

• Grief, suffering, hardship, pain… These are not signs of God’s abandonment or condemnation.
  • Romans 8:35, 37-39
    • Counter cultural 
    • The promise that allows people of faith to grieve differently
  • Paul’s last letter, near the end of his life (martyrdom)
• 2 Timothy 2:1-14
  • The reality of discipleship
    • What witness do you bear when you are suffering?
    • Endurance - κακοπαθέω (kak-op-ath-eh...

References:

• Still being in the season of Easter I wanted to share with you some powerful insights the Lord laid on my heart that I shared with people at our late Good Friday Service.
  • Reading the Passion According to St John 18:1-19:42
  • Three images of power
    • John 18:3-9
    • John 19:5-11
    • John 19:25-27
• The display of worldly power met by True Power
  • As the contingent arrived with torches, clubs and weapons, Jesus “st...

References:

• The Passover is a time when Jewish households do a thourough cleaning of the home to be sure all leaven is removed.
  • Deep Cleaning: Homes are thoroughly cleaned, including searching for and removing all crumbs of chametz.
  • Symbolism: This process represents cleaning out the spiritual "leaven" (pride or sin) from within.
  • Bedikat Chametz: A ritual search for the remaining leaven occurs on the night before Passover, foll...

References:

• The “Holy”
  • Holy - ἅγιος (hag'-ee-os): most holy thing, a saint
    • 229 times in 219 vss in NT
    • Often associated with the Spirit (Holy Spirit)
    • Sometimes with places
      • The holy city, being Jerusalem
      • The Holiest place in the tabernacle 
      • The Holy of holies in the Temple (Heb 9)
  • Hagiography vs damnatio memoriae
  • The Holy “Triduum” -  not a Biblical word. Latin for three days (Maundy ...

References:

• Review
  • Setting and background/context of Joel
  • Structure
    • Poem 1 - 1:1-20
    • Poem 2 - 2:1-17
    • God’s response - 2:18-27
      • God will defeat the invaders - 2:20-21
      • God will restore the land - 2:22-26
      • God will dwell with His people - 2:27
    • THE Day of the Lord - 2:28-3:16
• THE Day of the Lord in three mirrored parts begins with God’s presence
  • God with us - 2:28-32 (Chapter 3 in the Hebrew text)
    • &ld...

References:

• Review
  • Setting and background/context of Joel
  • Structure
    • Poem 1 - 1:1-20
    • Poem 2 - 2:1-17
    • God’s response - 2:18-27
    • THE Day of the Lord - 2:28-3:16
• Joel 2:18-19 - God will take pity
  • A turning point - upon repentance God shows love for the land and His people
  • Answered prayer - grain, wine, oil = satisfaction
  • Shame removed - the surrounding nations that once mocked Israel will be silenced
• God’s...