This Sunday Trinity Community Church begins its series preaching through Galatians and James.
Galatians: Faith Alone
James: Faith That Is Not Alone
Below is a Galatians Primer of various quotes and thoughts to prepare our hearts for our study. Each paragraph and the various quotes can stand alone. Read them, consider them, and then read the letter to the Galatians in one sitting. This post is intended to stir your minds to begin thinking, Galatians. If you are not a part of Trinity and would like to follow along in our series you can do so here.
I yelled at the TV screen that hung on the wall. I yelled again as if it would help my team to somehow realize that the pig skin was on the ground and now having heard my yelp, certainly they would be more inclined to jump on the ball.
What moves a man and a woman to make a “til death do us part” vow to each other?
Or a mother to risk her life, without hesitation, to save her child from harm?
And, what moves the Creator of the universe to leave the comforts of heaven and take on the frailties of human flesh, live a perfect life, and die on that cross – for me… for you?
I am a sinner!
I need a Savior!
When I say, “I am a sinner”, I do not mean I have some flaws or I make some mistakes. I mean… I am a sinner. And as a sinner, whose sins are against a Holy God, who has given me life, I deserve not love. Rather…. judgement.
I say it again, I need Savior! Love is Amazing. His love is beyond amazing!
Sometimes, I am too familiar with the truth of God’s love. I lean toward being over familiar with the love of Christ on that cross. Familiarity can be the death of worship or the stifling of service. It turns joy into duty and passion into formalism.
I say to myself today:
Tim, listen up – because you are dull, Tim – you need to hear this TODAY:
Christ came to die for my sins, taking the punishment my sins deserved, on the cross! And this is LOVE, Tim! You did not earn this love. Be freshly reminded – this is the amazing grace of the Almighty God!
“The love of God is the spring from which the atonement flows”
John Murray
“Legalism says God will love us if we change. The gospel says God will change us because He loves us.” Tullian Tchividjian
“The sin underneath all our sins is to trust the lie of the serpent that we cannot trust the love and grace of Christ and must take matters into our own hands”
“We obey God’s Law, not to be loved but because we are loved in Christ.” Jerry Bridges
God did not HAVE to redeem sinners. He freely chose, out of His love, to shed his blood for my / our sins.
His Death / My Life
The cross is the love of God on display. This cross, this death is my life. Amazing! Worship Him with your life, Tim.
Where would I be without this love? The cross of Christ shows us just how great is our need and how deep is the Father’s love to meet that need. If Jesus could redeem us any other way, it would most certainly be a lesser display of His love.
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
