Delight in Grace

Has there been a crucifixion in your life? Galatians 5:24 tells us that those who belong to Jesus have crucified the sinful flesh. In this message, Pastor Rich shared 7 signs that you might still be sowing to the flesh instead of walking by the Spirit and what it will look like when we have crucified the flesh. Let's listen i

The Bible uses phrases like walk by the Spirit, about in Christ, and draw near to God. If the meaning of these feels vague to you or if you are wondering what such phrases look like lived out, this message is for you. How do I walk by the Spirit? Let's listen to this message from Galatians 5;16-18.

In Christ, we become a new creation, free to follow Jesus. But our sin nature doesn't go away. Why does the Spirit-filled Christian still sin? What does it look like to, not just manage our behavior, but to be transformed to truly look like Christ? Pastor Rich answers these questions from today's passage in Galatians 5:16-18.

There are two natural extremes in religion- to indulge the flesh or to restrict with rules and regulations. God calls us, not to follow the flesh or a code, but to follow our Lord Jesus. This is the new way in the Spirit. The new way in the Spirit is to use the freedom in Christ to one another. Let’s listen to this message from Galatians 5:13-15.

What beautiful freedom and relationship there is in walking with Jesus! It stands unique from every religion and moralistic code of living. Maybe you are asking what it looks like to walk with Him or why those who follow Him sometimes lose sight of the freedom and joy Jesus offers. In this message, Rich answers these questions for us from Galatians 5:7-12. May God root out obstacles in our thinkin...

Galatians 5:5-6 says 5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. What is this hope we eagerly await? Does performance lose all its value in Christ? And how does faith express itself through love? Let’s listen as...

If your ticket to heaven lies in what you do or don’t do, you aren’t following Christ but moralism. What is moralism and how is it different from Christianity? Pastor Rich answers this question from our passage today in Galatians 5:2-4. Find out how our new life in Christ, in all its beauty and goodness, shines brightly against the sham of moralism. Let’s listen in. This message titled The Advanta...

Galatians 5:1 tells us that it is for freedom Christ has set us free. Paul continues with a warning, “stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery.” We are no longer slaves burdened under obligation to a code, but sons and daughters, walking with our perfect hero, our Father, in a loving apprenticeship to become like Him. What a beautiful picture! Listen wit...

God is doing great things in the heart of a Christian faithfully submitted to the Savior. Phil. 2:13 tells us that it is God who works in us, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. As followers of Jesus, our fruit-filled life comes as the upshot of walking with and treasuring God. In Galatians 4:21-31, Paul continues to draw a clear line between religion that simply follows rules and a fl...

The Galatian church had slipped back into old patterns- tying itself to moral codes and practices instead of the transformative grace of Jesus. In Galatians 4:12-20, Paul calls to them as a loving parent reaching out to a wayward child. He lovingly and truthfully reprimands them, calling them to the freedom and transformative work of Christ that was once precious to them. Let’s listen in.

Galatians 4:8-11 God has called His people out of the pagan system controlled by fear and into the intimate, loving relationship a child has with a good Father. Those in Christ are the objects of God’s loving concern. In Galatians 4:9, Paul asks believers how they could turn back to the rituals and regulations that once held them under, a system that was never able to redeem, transform, or give ho...

In Galatians 4:1-7, Paul illustrates how Christ’s redeeming work brings us out from under the law. He contrasts the status and role of a child in ancient Roman law to that of an heir coming of age. Christ has made us heirs. Because of the Spirit Jesus places within His people, our hearts love and long to please the Father, eliminating a reliance on a moral code. What a deep love and trust we can h...

In Galatians 3:23-29, Paul portrays the law as our necessary guardian for a time, meant to protect and discipline, to define and expose sin. But Christ came so that we could experience the beautiful adoption into the family of God- what freedom and privilege. The law was meant to lead us to the foot of the cross, and there we find the love and freedom that a father has for his child. What a joy to...

The law shows us all too clearly the fallen nature of man. We cannot keep even the most basic law that is written on every man’s conscience. We stand condemned and cursed. But God. Thankfully, the hero of the story comes to bear the full condemnation and curse on our behalf- He is Jesus the Christ. Isaiah 53 tells us he would be crushed for our iniquities. We no longer have to be under the law, bu...

The law shows us all too clearly the fallen nature of man. We cannot keep even the most basic law that is written on every man’s conscience. We stand condemned and cursed. But God. Thankfully, the hero of the story comes to bear the full condemnation and curse on our behalf- He is Jesus the Christ. Isaiah 53 tells us he would be crushed for our iniquities. We no longer have to be under the law, bu...

In Genesis 12, God promised Abraham that through his line, all the nations would be blessed. God was already pointing to the Messiah He would send, not just for the Jews, but for anyone who would believe on Him. In Christ, we are invited into the beautiful family of faith. As he works through Galatians 3:7-9, Pastor Rich shares the identity, security, and purpose we find in Christ. Let’s listen in...

Imagine a prisoner, released from his sentence and its legal demands, but choosing to live out that free life carrying the heavy chains of former bondage. In today’s passage, Paul confronts the church of Galatia for putting themselves under the bondage of the law, basing their favor with God on their performance instead of the work of Jesus. So what does it look like to live for Christ through His...

It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. That’s Galatians 2:20. Christ living in me- that is the power and the point of the Gospel. Entrusting ourselves to Jesus is not a prayer we pray to be free from hell. No. It is a whole new life, becoming a whole new creature. Pastor Rich works through Galatians 2:20-21 to hash out what it means for the Christian to have God working in him, to...

The perfect Christ became sin so that we might become the righteousness of God. Those who trust in Christ receive His righteousness. Are we then already righteous? Does Christ save us so that we will spend our lives working to be righteous? How do works and faith come together? Pastor Rich delves into these questions, working through Galatians 2:15-19. Let’s listen in.

In Galatians 2:11-14, Paul recounts a confrontation with Peter, who withdrew from eating with Gentiles after certain Jews arrived on the scene. Paul knew this wasn’t just hypocritical, but failed to keep in step with the truth of the gospel. Peter’s actions were damaging to the gospel message! In today’s message, Pastor Rich shows how Peter’s actions communicated a false gospel and how that same f...

In today’s message from Galatians 2:6-10, Pastor Rich draws out 7 principles of gospel ministry, so that every part of the body of Christ would be equipped to live out Christ’s mission. We are all called to ministry if we are in Christ- all called to steward our gifts and resources for His glory. 7 Principles of Gospel Ministry Principle one. It is a STEWARDSHIP from God. Principle two. We all hav...

How easy it is to replace the rich, transformative relationship with Jesus with a checklist theology of do’s and don’ts. In Galatians 2, Paul has much to say about the freedom we have in Christ and the dangerous tendency to make the law the avenue to find favor with God. It is not the gospel. It is not what Jesus has bought for us. See, spirituality is not measured quantifiably. While man tends to...

In Galatians 1:13-17, Paul gives a testimony of the radical change that took place in His life after His encounter with Jesus. Paul went from violently persecuting the Church to spreading the gospel message at his own peril, all because He met the Messiah. Pastor Rich shares the portrait of grace found in Paul’s conversion, with profound reminders for us today. Let’s listen in. Ourto: Thank you fo...

Galatians 1:11-12 The Revelation of Jesus Christ We can learn much from creation, but without the Creator’s self-disclosure, we would be blind- blind to who we are, blind to who God is. 2 Corinthians 4:6 tells us:God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. God has shown Himself through...

Isn’t it interesting how much we love systems? We want the five steps to a cleaner home, a more well-behaved child, a better life. We want to know what we have to do. But what happens when we let that love creep into the bedrock of our faith in Christ? It is ever so easy to do. The apostle Paul recognized it in the church in Galatia. In chapter 1 verses 6-10 Paul calls the people out for exchangin...