Wayside Bible Chapel

Jesus accomplished so much more on the cross than just paying for the sins of the world. He invited all who would put their trust in him to share his fate. If your hope rests in the necessity and work of Christ, then you have been raised with him; you are living a new life with Christ and you will be glorified with him forever!

Paul concludes the letter to the Galatians by telling them that the Judaizers were trying to use them to make a name for themselves. Circumcision or uncircumcision was meaningless compared to being a new creation. While those false teachers wanted to boast in the flesh, Paul's one boast was on what Jesus had done for them on the cross.

After explaining why the false teachers were off base, Paul begins wrapping up the book of Galatians by telling them that walking in the Spirit is so superior to the letter of the Law. Then in our passage today he tells us what the life of the Spirit through us looks like in everyday life, along with a few warnings of what we should avoid.

After Paul told us that we need to walk in the Spirit, he described the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. It isn't a list of dos and don'ts, but rather a description that lets us know where our hearts are at. Then Paul concluded chapter five by urging us to keep in step with the Spirit and warns us to watch out for pride and envy.

Paul told the Galatians that if they would walk in the Spirit they would not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. This war between flesh and Spirit is a normal battle of every Christian's life. This sermon tells us just what the flesh is and informs of numerous passages where Paul instructs how to walk in the Spirit. How we fight this battle will determine whether or not our lives will bear fruit unto...

The Apostle Paul tells us that the only thing that really counts is faith working through love. The passage has a profound warning and a wonderful promise. It shares insights on how to maintain unity and love in our relationships.

In the text for this sermon, we see that trying to earn our way to salvation actually separates us from Christ. The Apostle Paul sums up the whole letter and in some ways the whole of the Bible by telling us the only thing that matters is faith working through love!

This week's sermon covers Paul's allegory of Sarah and Hagar's sons, Isaac and Ishmael. One was a child of promise, a product of faith in God. The other was naturally born. One relates to Israel under the law, the other to children of God through faith in Jesus. The freedom we have as children of God is not only the ability to say no sin but to let the life of Christ be expressed through us.

Man prefers religious rituals over relationship because rituals are much less costly. We can perform them and go on with whatever we want to do. That is why so many religions are built around them. Even denominations fall into that pattern. But real freedom is found in an intimate relationship with Jesus. It is freedom from the rituals of the Law and methods and routines that don't have any effect...

In this passage in the letter to the Galatians, we can see some wonderful truths. All believers are in Christ who is THE Son and therefore we are called sons of God. The sermon touches on the gender issue and why it distorts the message. We also see the promise that as those who have faith like Abraham's we receive the promise given to Abraham. We become heirs of God because we are in His Son.

In spite of the judgment we deserve, God pleads with us to repent. He cries out for us to turn away from their sin and turn towards Jesus. The good news is that God has made a way for all men to be reconciled with him. Though most refuse to take it, many have and are and will take hold of the hope found in Jesus our savior. Hallelujah!

In this passage, God reaches out to the southern kingdom of Judah, warning them against the temptation they have to let go of the LORD. In it, he calls them to emulate Jacob, who sought God's favor above all else; who understood his own sinful nature and yet clung to God, yearning for his mercy and grace. Will you cling to God?

The law that came centuries after the promise to Abraham cannot change the promise. The promise was that a singular male descendant would be a blessing to the world. That descendant was even predicted in Jewish writings to make us righteous because of His righteousness. That man was of course Jesus!

The Laws of Moses actually put the nation of Israel under a curse if they did not obey all 613 laws. So what was the purpose of the law? It was to show us how fallen we are and have us turn to God in faith that He would provide a way. That way was not the animal sacrifices, for God says He was never pleased with them. They only pointed forward to the sacrifice He would provide. The righteous are n...

After eight chapters of God expounding his case for Israel's infidelity and necessary destruction, we are brought to this heart-wrenching passage. God reveals the pain within him as his perfect justice demands their destruction and his perfect mercy pleads for their lives. What will God do? Let us find out together.

The message of Genesis 1 through 11 is that man is fallen and goes from bad to worse. Even when God shows us what He expects, we see we just can't live up to it. In Romans 1 to 6, we have the same message. So what is the remedy? Paul tells us that the Gospel was preached to Abraham. It is the verse repeated four times in Scripture: "The just shall live by faith!"

How could anyone who is saved by grace and experiencing the presence and power of the Holy Spirit think they need to add to their salvation by obeying the Laws of Moses? In this brief passage presented in this sermon, Paul asks six poignant questions to help the Galatians and us see that salvation is by grace alone.

We return to a key verse in the last sermon to mine the riches in it. What does it mean to be crucified with Christ? What does it mean for Christ to live in me? This sermon goes into depth on this key passage and challenge to the Galatians and to our lives today.

The legalistic Jewish Christians were insinuating that Paul was sinning by eating with the Gentile believers. They had missed the wonder of the new covenant in Jesus' blood making Jew and Gentile one. The old covenant and its demands along with pride in keeping the rules Paul declared crucified with Christ on the cross. Now, in place of the law, the Spirit reigns in us, the very life of Christ! Hi...

Peter had previously agreed with Paul that salvation was by grace alone. But when Peter went to visit the mostly Gentile church in Antioch and Jews came up from Jerusalem, he separated himself from the Gentiles and ate with the Jews. Paul called out his hypocrisy. It was an essential turning point for the church. If Paul had not confronted Peter, we would have a very different church trying to obe...

Paul attempted to resolve the conflict with some of the false teachers that came from Jerusalem to Antioch in a discreet manner. He made sure he and the leaders of the church were on the same page regarding salvation by grace alone. Later it would require a public meeting because the false teachers couldn't let go of their traditions. The sermon addresses the issues that we as followers of Christ...

The Apostle Paul received his gospel of grace through a revelation of Jesus. The sermon explains the process and why it was important for him to mention it. The text has a number of references to back the opinion. The sermon also looks into the difference in translation regarding Christ being revealed to Paul or in Paul and why the traditional translation is more powerful.

In this passage, Paul makes one of the harshest statements in any of his letters. It shows the ferocity with which he would go to defend the gospel of grace delivered to him to proclaim to the world. He also defends himself by declaring he isn't a people-pleaser. It challenges us to check our motivations and devotion to the truth he taught.

Paul's introduction to his letter to the Galatians not only reminds us that Jesus is more than a mere man and the conqueror of death, but that grace and peace are ours in Him. He delivers us from the present evil age. Without some knowledge of Jewish thought, the concept is hard to grasp. It is the truth that the Galatians and all who doubt the wonder of grace need to understand.

Our first sermon in Galatians explains the problem in the churches of Galatia and why Paul so fiercely opposed the teaching that had infiltrated the church there. It also takes a deep look at the first verse which is a compact defense of Paul's ministry and a rebuttal to the error in doctrine.