A Different Gospel – 08/17/2025

Podcast

Welcome and Prayer: Jim Calhoun

Come Lord join us here today.
Thank you for all the good in our lives
And thank you that our lives are ever changing
That people come and go
That situations arise and are resolved
That nothing is forever
Except for you.

For those among us who are tired and sick
Grant comfort
For those anxious and afraid
Grant peace
For those hurt and wounded
Grant healing
For those who are lonely
Grant companions

Lord grant us
the courage and strength
We need to follow you
Grant us
the humility and wisdom
to listen when you speak
Grant us
the patience and hunger
to wait on you

We are full of gratitude
for all you give
We look forward
for all to come
Knowing some days will be glorious
And some will be difficult
Trusting you and
Your great love
Amen

Morning Talk: chuck smith, jr.

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? Galatians 3:1-6

Intro: Do I need to mention that Paul does not try to hide his frustration with the Galatians?

To our ears, his language–“foolish” and “Who has bewitched you?” sounds offensive
– later on he will say, if they’ve truly taken this wrong path,
“You are severed from Christ . . . you have fallen away from grace” (Gal. 5:4)
• he doesn’t mince words, because he’s terrified for their sake
◦ he wants to make the strongest possible impression on them
• and this is just the beginning
– we’re going to spend some time in verse 1
• first, because the truth in it is so rich and enlightening
• second, because here Paul constructs a foundation for everything else

Paul begins laying into the Galatians with a question: “Who?”

Later in his letter he will press this question on them again
“You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?” (5:7)
– someone did this to them, cast a spell over them, was pulling their strings
• Paul isn’t demanding that they give him names
◦ he’s simply saying the Galatians did not come up with this on their own
◦ that is, others told them they were not true believers because did not follow the law
• he is alerting them to the fact that others had done this to them
◦ had influenced them, deceived and manipulated them
– when religious leaders manipulate vulnerable believers,
• it’s for one reason: that is, to control them
◦ perhaps Paul’s question could be a wake-up call for millions of American Christians
“Who did this to you? Who programmed you?”
• who caused you to become so terrified, so paranoid?
◦ of secular humanists? of New Age gurus? of Evolution?
◦ of liberated women? of immigrants? of a communist take-over?

Contrast the current worry and fear with Jesus’ instruction,
“Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul” (Mt. 10:28)
and Paul’s confidence that,
“in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Ro. 8:37)

At any rate, the answer regarding who bred these fears in believers is that it’s been going on for fifty years from Christian organizations that discovered fear is a stronger motivation than love for raising tax-free contributions
– so every newsletter they mailed us was peppered with warnings
• “Your freedom is being taken away, unless you support us”
◦ “They’ve taken prayer our of schools, and next they will take God out”
(as if such a thing were even possible)
• conspiracy theories have become profitable for the people who spin and publish them
– that is Paul’s first question, “Who has done this to you?”

Paul then reminds them of where their faith began and who it’s about

Now this is a fascinating claim that Paul makes
– the Galatians lived far from Jerusalem and most likely never been there
• yet the crucifixion of Jesus had been played out before their eyes
◦ this is a critical factor in being exposed to the Christian faith
◦ the truth is not merely information you can learn, it must be experienced
• but how can we experience something so distant in space and time as Jesus’ death and resurrection?
◦ the answer is “story”
◦ we can go anywhere in the world and time through a well-told story
– we read technical books for education, for information
• we read novels and poetry for an experience of people, places and events
◦ listen to how John introduced others to Jesus:
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life–the life was made manifest and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us–that which we have seen and heard we proclaim to you . . .” (1 Jn. 1:1-3)
• the Jesus we encounter in the story, is the one to whom we open our hearts
◦ the One we receive, follow, and to whom we remain faithful

The Galatians began their spiritual journey with Jesus
– that is what I miss most about the Jesus Movement
• Jesus was everything for this huge mass of human lives
• he was in our stories, our songs, our prayers, our every conversation — our lives
– that many allowed themselves to be drawn away from him is tragic
• Christianity is Christ–not politics, entertainment, commerce
• Paul was coaxing the Galatians to return to where they began

Paul builds an argument on logic and their own experience

His first argument: he draws a contrast between works of the law and faith in Christ
How did they receive the Spirit of God?
– was it by obeying the law of Moses that he entered their lives,
– or from hearing the message of Jesus and putting trust in him?
His second argument: he draws a contrast between the Spirit and the flesh
– here the point is, when they became Christians they were immediately mad alive in God by his Spirit
– so now, do they think they must use material means to complete the journey?
(Note: To be spiritually energized to God’s will is much more powerful than legal, moral, or ethical motivation)
His third argument: had they wasted their time following Jesus?
– apparently, they had suffered for their faith in Christ
– Paul as if now they considered their experience was “in vain”? – for nothing?
His fourth argument: God’s continued work in their community
– was it supernatural or the result of following rules and procedures?

Paul makes a sudden turn, and gives the answer to his questions (verses 9-14)

He reminds them of Abraham
– in the second half of the chapter, Paul will use Abraham as an example
• but here he summarizes what he sees as essential
• one moment in history is the exact point where Paul’s theology of our relationship with God begins
◦ it seems like a small parentheses in Abraham’s story,
◦ but for Paul, it reveals the essence of God’s love and acceptance
– God made extravagant promises to Abraham regarding his future progeny
“And he [Abraham] believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness” (Gen. 15:6)
• here’s the point: How was Abraham made right-with-God?
◦ certainly not be the law, which had not yet been revealed
◦ but by faith and trust in God

What is God is after? What does he want from human persons?
– is there any gift we can give him? Any monument big enough?
– is there any accomplishment we can achieve?
• is he impressed by new inventions or space travel?
• can we be good enough for God?
– anything we can do for God he can do for himself (and infinitely greater)
• what he wants is what every lover wants!
◦ he wants us to choose him, to choose to love him
◦ and the way we show him our love is by placing our complete trust in him
• that’s why when Abraham believed, God said, “You’re right with me”
◦ the gift of love we present to God is our complete trust
– Paul says this is for Gentiles as well as Abraham’s descendants, because God told him,
“In you shall all the nations be blessed”

In verses 10-14, Paul sets the blessing of faith over against the curse of the law

Paul pulls out several verses from the Hebrew Scriptures to show how it fails us
1. a curse is pronounced on everyone who doesn’t obey it
• for Paul, this applies that to every single commandment
2. a prophecy of Habakkuk is proclaimed that reveals God’s will: “The righteous shall live by faith”
• Paul contrasts that with the Law, because the law is not of faith
• he supports this claim with another quote from the law: “The one who does them shall live by them”
3. another verse from the law explains how Jesus saves us from the curse (v. 13)
So, a blessing comes through Abe and a curse through the law (v. 14)

Conclusion: In the churches of my early youth, we sang a hymn, “There Shall Be Showers of Blessings”

First of all, I don’t believe it (life is often hard and our path is not always showered with blessings)
Secondly, I don’t need it
There is one necessary blessing, and that is being right with God
That is everything we need to carry us through life
It is also enough to open our hearts and minds to inspiration
We can find inspiration in all that is around us–the sky, the sea, every living thing
To feel it requires looking, and patience and a calm state of mind
And sometimes we feel the need to paint it, sing it, write its poetry
There are little imitations of inspiration (i.e., greeting cards)
But the real deal ultimately transcends expression
and can only be savored