Sunday School Lesson for Feb. 12, 2012: Blessed with Abraham - Freed from the Law through Christ (Galatians 3:1-14)

Galatians 5:9
A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.





Matthew 16:12
Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.





Hebrews 10:1
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.





Hebrews 10:38
Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.





A toxic mix: faith plus the law. I get it. A little law keeping and a little Holy Ghost and, “Wooooo wee!”, you start feeling like ‘Super Christian’: able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, heal the sick, raise the dead, just whatever. But there’s two serious problems. One: you could get puffed up, prideful, “Look at me.”, “See how wonderful I am?”, “You better recognize.” Beloved, the Bible says that God resists the proud. Who wins that wrestling match? God’s glory may not be shared. He’s not looking to share His throne with me. He’s God all by Himself. Or, number two: you could be crushed under the weight of the false expectation that legalism can create. Burdened unnecessarily by a standard that no man can live by. Walking around with so much guilt and shame because we recognize that we just can’t measure up. Beloved a misunderstanding of the Gospel: of what Christ did will burden you with a deeper despair than before you came to Christ.

Or maybe you’re somewhere in between, up one day, down the next. It’s time to get off the emotional roller coaster that a performance based ‘gospel’ can become.





Hebrews 4:9
There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.





“Say What?”





Hebrews 4:10
For he that is entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His. (caps mine’s}





“Press your point Preacher.”





Hebrews 4:11
Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.







The point is: Jesus did it all. He freed us from the law of sin and death. Our job now is to work at rest, to hold fast to our confession of…faith! Can you do that? Holding fast to your confession means that you know that you are Blessed! You are Blessed just because. Blessed because of who you are and because of whose you are. Blessed because before you knew Him, He loved you. Blessed because He still loves you …madly. Blessed because.. He saw you from a great distance… and He came running to greet you. To put His robe on your shoulders and His signet upon your hand. Blessed because He’s given you a name; a name that no one knows but Him....and you when He speaks it. Blessed I tell you! You showed up at the Well of Life. Thirsty… and He gave you to drink. Out of your belly flow rivers of living water.. Blessed! You didn’t even know… that He’d marked the doorpost of your heart with His precious blood. Blessed I tell you! Blessed!



And for that, we are grateful. That gratefulness pours itself out over His feet. That gratefulness is a sweet, sweet fragrance that fills the throne room where we kneel in worship. That gratefulness expresses itself in acts of kindness to others. That gratefulness helps us to maintain and attitude of humility before Him and before our fellow travelers. Thank you Lord. Thank you Lord. Truly you are worthy of all of our praise. Honor and Glory and Power abide with You. And You make Your abode in us. Thank you Lord. (Blessed I tell you! Blessed!)





Blessings,



.wb





Matthew 5:6
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.





Romans 11:36
For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.





Titus 2:13
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;