DON’T SQUAT WITH YER SPURS ON!

1. DON’T SQUAT WITH YER SPURS ON! • Always take a good look at what you're about to eat. It's not so important to know what it is, but it's critical to know what it was. • Don't worry about bitin' off more than you can chew. Your mouth is probably a whole lot bigger'n you think. • If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around. • It don't take a genius to spot a goat in a flock of sheep.

2. Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier 'n puttin' it back. • Never ask a barber if he thinks you need a haircut. • Never drop your gun to hug a grizzly. • When you give a lesson in meanness to a critter or a person, don't be surprised if they learn their lesson. • When you're throwing' your weight around, be ready to have it thrown around by somebody else.

3. After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut. • today'sTHOT========================== • How do you know you’ve met a good tax accountant? • He has a loophole named after him.

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5. Probably my favorite hymn is Blessed Assurance. Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine, O’ what a foretaste of glory divine. . . • Tonight’s teaching is in essence about the Blessed Assurance we have in Christ Jesus. • I’ve titled this evening’s message: Who Bewitched You? Galatians 3:1 – O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?

6. In our study on the book of Acts, we concluded Ch. 14 last week. • Paul & Barnabas just established the Gospel in the cities of Antioch Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe. • All in the Roman Province of Galatia. • These are the churches which the book of Galatians was addressed to.

8. Let’s take this time to look at Galatians. • We can’t have a full understanding of what Luke describes in Ch. 15 without 1st being aware of the underlying situation that provokes calling the Council of Jerusalem. Acts 15:1-2 – While Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch of Syria, some men from Judea arrived and began to teach the believers: "Unless you are circumcised as required by the law of Moses, you cannot be saved."

9. 2 Paul and Barnabas disagreed with them, arguing vehemently. Finally, the church decided to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem, accompanied by some local believers, to talk to the apostles and elders about this question. • Let’s review what we already know: • Paul & Barnabas are on furlough in Antioch of Syria, their home base. • They had just completed their 1st missionary journey where they planted at least 4 churches in Antioch Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe. • Installed elders or pastors in each of the churches.

10. There was a risk in doing this because the new pastors were so young in their faith. • A risk was that they weren’t well-grounded & would not know how to withstand incorrect doctrine. • This is the cause for Paul writing this letter to the Galatians.

11. Before we jump into this book, let’s look at how powerfully Galatianshas been used throughout Church history. • It has impacted arguably 2 of the most influential men in the Church in the last 500 years: • Martin Luther, an Augustinian monk God used to spark the Protestant Reformation,was influenced by Galatians. Galatians 3:11-13 – But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "the just shall live by faith." 12 Yet the law is not of faith, but "the man who does them shall live by them."

12. 13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"). (NKJV) • Galatians was so influential in his life that it has been dubbed, “Luther’s Little Book.” • Look at what the Protestant Reformation sparked! • 3 Main Points of the Protestant Reformation • Justified by faith in Jesus alone • Priesthood of all believers • Sola Scriptura (only scripture)

13. John Wesley • It’s interesting but Wesley found himself in a similar place Luther was before his conversion. • His preaching almost single handedly saved England from the revolution that was going on in France. • 1000’s were saved and their lives transformed on both sides of the pond. • His revival led to: • the great missionary thrust to the nations • to the holiness movement • to the Pentecostal movement which has around 600 million people around the world

14. All of this because of the simple teachings found in this little book we know as Galatians. • I’m only going to touch on the highlights. • While they were on furlough a group of “Judaizers” had traveled to the churches they just planted. • While there, they confused the new believers by adding to salvation: • circumcism • follow the Laws of Moses • Naturally this frustrated Paul. • That is why he wrote, Who bewitched you? Or, who casted a spell over you?

15. Galatians 1:1 – This letter is from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ Himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead. • Paul doesn’t waste any time getting to the point. • He starts by affirming his authority. • In other words, in the eyes of God, I have more authority than these Judaizers.

16. 2 All the brothers here join me in sending this letter to the churches of Galatia. • The cities where they had just planted churches—Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe.

17. 3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. 4 Jesus gave His life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. • He affirmed the message of the Gospel: Jesus’ death set us free from our sins. • Nothing else is needed! Remember the sermon he had preached in the synagogue at Antioch Pisidia?

18. Acts 13:38-40 – "Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. 39 Everyone [Jewish & Gentile] who believes in Him is declared right with God—something the Law of Moses could never do. • Contrast that with what the Judaizerswere saying. • In essence, you need 3 things for salvation: • Faith in Jesus • Circumcism • Keep the Laws of Moses • They added works to salvation. • Thus, the conflict ensued.

19. Galatians 1:6-7 – I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to Himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News 7 but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ. • The Judaizersare preaching a different gospel that only pretends to be the truth. • We are justified by faith in Jesus Christ alone! • Nothing more!

20. So, you will know how passionate Paul was about this, look at the next 2 verses: Galatians 1:8-9 – Let God's curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. 9 I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed. Pretty strong words, don’t you think? • The word cursed or accursed means “delivered to destruction by God”.

21. Why was he so passionate about this? • If the Church took the Judaizers course, they would have hamstrung the growth of the Church forever. • It would have stayed a small, insignificant sect within Judaism. • Besides that, it polluted the simple Gospel message and added worksto it.

22. Galatians 2:4-5 – Even that question came up only because of some so-called Christians there—false ones, really [Judaizers]—who were secretly brought in. They sneaked in to spy on us and take away the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to enslave us and force us to follow their Jewish regulations. 5 But we refused to give in to them for a single moment. We wanted to preserve the truth of the gospel message for you.

23. This false gospel was a powerful counter-attack by the devil against the simple message of salvation. • If this could have worked, the devil would have stopped the growth of the Church among the Gentiles. • Jesus’ vision would have never been realized: And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come (Matt. 24:14).

24. Time Frame • The revival in Antioch of Syria began in AD 45 (Acts 11). • This is where large numbers of Gentiles were coming to the Lord for the 1st time. • Galatianswas written around AD 48. • This was still very new to all the Messianic Jews. • Many were having trouble accepting that salvation was so simple—faith in Jesus alone. • Most of the Judaizers were saved men.

25. Throughout the ages prejudices & biases are often one of the last vices to be sanctified. • Peter came to this through a vision from God. • Paul, a self-proclaimed, Jew of Jews, came to it from a direct revelation from Jesus. • He needed it to be able to stand up against this attack. • Prejudice does not fall quickly. • It is a mighty stronghold of the devil. • We must examine ourselves to make sure we give it no place in our lives.

26. For the Judaizers, they allowed their prejudice to cloud their understanding of the Gospel. • This shows the deceptive nature of prejudice. • It clouds your perception of reality. • It’s from that backdrop Galatians was written. • And, the Council of Jerusalem was convened in Chapter 15.

27. Acts 15:1-2 – While Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch of Syria, some men from Judea arrived and began to teach the believers: "Unless you are circumcised as required by the law of Moses, you cannot be saved." 2 Paul and Barnabas disagreed with them, arguing vehemently. Finally, the church decided to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem, accompanied by some local believers, to talk to the apostles and elders about this question. • Now, you know the rest of the story!

28. Conclusion 2 things to take away from tonight: • Deal with prejudices • Blessed Assurance—we are saved by grace through faith and not by our works.

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