October 30, 2022
Sermon Series: Believers Are To Sow The Gospel Seed
Sermon # 13
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST
Galatians 1:6-9
How would our church respond if our young people were approached by an organized cult? One night at a church skating party, a group of teenagers were “befriended” by several men who asked about their spiritual lives. The teenagers were given an invitation to join them for a series of special studies. These strangers also invited themselves to the church of these teens. Like a sinister snake, this cult was moving in for the kill.
Fortunately, the parents of these teenagers knew enough of God’s Word to make them cautious and wise. After the next church service, the leaders of this cult were spoken to and in blunt terms told to leave their kids alone and to never return to their church again.
Were these adults being ugly and unloving? No. On the contrary, they were carrying out the Biblical charge: to protect the innocent sheep from the advances of wolves. Paul had the same circumstances to deal with in his time.
The churches of Galatia were being led astray by false teachers, and the very souls of the believers were at stake. Paul had no choice; he had to be strong in what he wrote, for Christ had taught that the value of a single soul was worth more than all the wealth in the world.
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mk. 8:36-37).
Again, the souls of the Galatians were at stake. Forcefully and powerfully, Paul warned both the false teachers and the believers: God has only one message---- the Gospel of Christ. It is God’s Gospel alone that must be obeyed, preached, taught, and heeded.
As I preach on the subject: THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, let’s look at three movements that will help us!
I. GOD’S GOSPEL IS THE ONLY MESSAGE (v. 6)
A. God’s Gospel had just been clearly stated by Paul.
“[Christ] gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father” (Gal. 1:4).
B. The message of the Gospel is that Christ died to rescue us from this present world, that is, from this world’s sin.
C. It is ever so important to protect the Gospel from falsehood.
There was candidate for elder in an independent suburban church in the Midwest sat with the board for his interview. From all the church’s appearances----doctrinal statement, sermons, worship, teaching----he had n reason to doubt that this was a solid, biblical church. In discussing his qualifications, however, he discovered that he was chosen partly because his astrological sign was in harmony with those of the board members. They urge him to pray for a “spirit guide” who would give him wisdom in his new office. They said he could expect to benefit from ‘deep’ teachings from the elders themselves. Now the man understood why a friend had earlier declined the position and had been reluctant to discuss it.
God’s Gospel is the only message!
II. SOME INDIVIDUALS TURNED TO FALSE GOSPELS (v. 6-7)
Some false teachers (Judaizers) had joined the church at Galatia who did not believe in the Gospel as proclaimed by Paul and the apostles. They were adding to or taking away from the Gospel of the Scriptures and attacking the minister. As a result, some believers were following the false teachers and turning to their false gospels. Paul warned the believers of the churches, and his warnings was direct and forceful.
A. The believers were deserting God, removing themselves from God. The word remove means to turn away, to change places, to transfer elsewhere.
1. The words so soon show how quickly people can be led away from God.
2. The word marvel means astounded, astonished, surprised. Paul could hardly believe the fact, for the Galatians had been grounded in the true Gospel and had been growing in Christ. But here they were turning away ever so quickly.
B. The believers were turning to another gospel, that is, to a false gospel. The word “another” means a different kind of gospel. In verse seven, Paul is declaring, that there is not another gospel.
C. The believers were following those who twisted the Gospel of Christ: a perverting of the Gospel. The word “pervert” means to turn about, to change completely, to distort. The false teachers were twisting the meaning of the Gospel, and making it entirely different from the Scripture Paul preached.
Note a shocking fact: how close false teaching within the church is to the truth! How a little addiction here and a little subtraction there distorts the purity of the Gospel!
Years ago, a photographer captured on film four men who were struggling to carry a statue of Buddha during the blast of a violent typhoon. As water was rushing up to their knees, their faces grimaced as they attempted to save their god.
Isaiah the prophet framed this tragic irony---a god who cannot save and has to have the help of people.
“They lift it upon the shoulder and carry it; they set it in its place and
It stands there. It does not move from its place. Though one cry to
It, it cannot answer; it cannot deliver him from his distress” (Is. 46:7,
NASB).
Are you ever tempted to serve this kind of god? Church, let go and let it
Drown. And reach out to the True and Living God!
III. ANYONE WHO PREACHES A FALSE GOSPEL ARE CURSED (v. 8-9)
A. The Gospel is greater than the apostle Paul. Paul says that if he returned to them preaching any other gospel, he was accursed.
B. The Gospel is greater than the angels from heaven. Even if an angel came from heaven and began to preach another gospel, he was to be rejected, for he too would be accursed.
C. The Gospel is greater than any man (v. 9). If nay person preached any other Gospel, he was accursed. The Gospel is far more important than any man.
D. Anyone who preaches a false gospel shall suffer the judgment of a double curse. This means that person is doomed to destruction, given over to eternal punishment, placed under the wrath of God.
Responsive Reading: Galatians 1:1-10
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