Author: FUMCWP Admin

A goal for our Reset sermon series is to read through the entire book of Galatians as a church family. We invite you to participate in the scripture devotional below.

Doing Good to All

6 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. ² Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. ³ If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. ⁴ Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, ⁵ for each one should carry their own load. ⁶ Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.

⁷ Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. ⁸ Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. ⁹ Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Not Circumcision but the New Creation

¹¹ See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!

¹² Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. ¹³ Not even those who are circumcised keep the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh. ¹⁴ May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which^[a] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. ¹⁵ Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation. ¹⁶ Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule—to^[b] the Israel of God.

¹⁷ From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

¹⁸ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.

You can find out a lot through someone’s handwriting. I learned that first-hand as a kid. I was a naïve kid, and I loved Christmas. I still do, but I am less naïve. I have always noticed the distinction of my father’s handwriting. Since I was old enough to notice words and how letters are written, I knew that my Dad had a distinctive style of handwriting. My Dad is a brilliant architect, creative and economical. He was taught to write like an architect at the University of Florida and again at Boston Architectural College. My dad writes in all caps; always has, always will. One Christmas season, in 5^th grade (I am embarrassed to admit) I was sneaking a look at the presents under the tree. I noticed that my dad had addressed a few of the presents for us from him and my mom. Fast forward to Christmas morning and the big gift that was brought all the way from the North Pole, on a Sleigh by a jolly guy in a red suit was addressed to RACHEL, SAMANTHA & AMY FROM SANTA. I knew immediately that Santa couldn’t coincidentally have the same handwriting as my brilliant Dad, but that Santa was in fact my Father and was therefore not real, simply a figment of my childish imagination. No, I did not need therapy, but I did learn to be more perceptive from that day forward.

The Galatians learn too that you can find out a lot through someone’s handwriting. At the end of Galatians, chapter 6, Paul makes his final attempt to let the new believers in the churches of Galatia know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is by his own hand that he writes these words.

Our final week of this church-wide study invites us to look once again at Galatians 6:1-18. Now since I preached last week on Galatians 6:1-10, I won’t repeat myself. Instead, let us focus together on the last eight verses. This is Paul’s last attempt to convince those listening to the false doctrine and counterfeit teachings to turn away and turn back to the truth of the Gospel. The Apostle Paul’s final admonitions and benediction begin with verse 11 which says:

“¹¹ See what large letters I make when I am writing in my own hand!”

This is Paul’s final attempt to help them see reason. In those days he had scribes or disciples himself that would help write down what he was dictating. He didn’t have a computer, or typewriter, or even a pen and paper; no, it was most likely written on clay tablets or animal skins. And so, Paul felt it imperative enough to write in his own handwriting these final verses. He did this so the readers would know that it is in fact him writing these final and most important words and not a false teacher. These last few verses were about how the Gospel of Jesus the Christ invites all people and all things to become new creations and how that is what really matters in the end. The arguing over circumcision and purity laws is but a waste of time if we are not becoming new creations. If that is not the Gospel that we are living into; then what is the earthly point?

I invite you to read slowly the final chapter of Galatians. I invite you to imagine Jesus writing these words to you; words that are meant to set you free. Words that are given to bring new life and transformation for all. Just as I learned as an 11-year old that my Dad’s handwriting proved what is make-believe, it can also prove what a real, freeing, and transformative. And so, in your own handwriting, sometime this week I invite you to write out who you were before you started following Jesus, who you are now and how you have seen the Holy Spirit at work in your own transformation. And then I invite you to share it. Send it to me, or another church member or pastor or friend because we want to hear your story, your testimony, your transformation. Because God is in the business of doing a new thing in each of us through the process of sanctification and I look forward to hearing, in your own words what new life looks like for you. Go in Peace

This past Sunday, Pastor Craig gave his final sermon to us, the people of First United Methodist Church of Winter Park, and it was a compelling one. He spent time reviewing what we have learned over the last month and a half together from the letter to the Churches in Galatia and how the Good News of Jesus Christ offers us Freedom. This isn’t the freedom from something (the negative view) but freedom for something (the positive view). This positive view of freedom should come more easily to us, a freed people living in the United States, but often it gets convoluted by our culture. We have freedom from that which weighs us down, leads us astray, and breaks our relationship with God and others. Freedom is not because we are choosing to be A+ Christians or be a model for a deep spiritual walk. We have the freedom to choose another way; the fruit of the Spirit. Notice the word is Fruit, not Fruits meaning we can’t choose our favorites to emulate and leave the others out. For instance, I would love to just be a person of love, joy, and peace, but I don’t always like to practice patience (especially when I am tired) or practice self-control (especially when it involves chocolate)…can I get an AMEN?!

When we grow and nurture our Fruit of the Spirit, we have freedom from the checklist of “naughty” behaviors (Galatians 5:19-21) so we can live more like people with “nice” behaviors (Galatians 5:22-26). Understanding the both/and mindset takes time and spiritual maturity, but in some ways, it is how we move from simply being listeners to becoming leaders. We could abide by this list of behaviors because Christian culture can be a bit judge-y or because we see God as a God with a checklist looking down on us. Or we could choose to be leaders. People that others are attracted to and listen to and respect. Let me give you a personal example. Lately, we have struggled as parents to get our children to listen, especially in the mornings when they are cranky and not ready for what the day will bring. They are loud, they talk over each other, they instigate the other at times and they show little interest in listening to our directions or demands. And so in an effort to make changes for sanity’s sake, we have started using the language of leadership rather than listening. We give them a direction or ask them to do something and then when they do the opposite, we ask them to please be a good LEADER. It has changed things a bit for us. When they see themselves elevate and valued as someone that can have an influence on others, the results are different from simply just listening and obeying.

To me, I see this “naughty” and “nice” list in Galatians 5 as the difference between being a listener or a leader. Should we avoid sexual immorality, drunkenness, fits of rage and debauchery, and the rest of the “naughty” list, HECK YES! Paul is clear that we have freedom over those behaviors and choices. But what is our motivation for choosing the way of the Spirit? Is it because we are receiving praise from all temporary places or because we have been truly transformed? You see, Fruit of the Spirit is the outward evidence of an inward transformation. Just like Communion and Baptism is the outward and visible sign of inward and spiritual grace, so too is the Fruit of the Spirit that we display, practice, and live into daily.

And so the question I leave you with is if you are really set free, how are you leading others into that freedom? If it goes beyond simply listening to the “rules” of faith and moves you toward being a leader, are others following your example? As a church, we are finding new ways every week to engage the community in the freedom that Christ offers us. Just this past Sunday I had the opportunity to walk through the Open House at the 4Pillars Counseling Center. What an incredible vision this church had voted on in 2018 and then made the dream a reality over these last 2.5 years. This Counseling Center will be one of the many ways we are helping set people free and offering an opening toward inward transformation. I am so proud to be a part of a church that wants to introduce people to Jesus so that they can be set free! May we move towards being people that not only LISTEN to the ways that God is breaking our emotional, spiritual, and mental chains but also becoming LEADERS that help set others FREE!

A goal for our Reset sermon series is to read through the entire book of Galatians as a church family. We invite you to participate in the scripture devotional below.

Galatians 4:21-5:15

Hagar and Sarah

²¹ Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? ²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. ²³ His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.

²⁴ These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. ²⁵ Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. ²⁶ But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. ²⁷ For it is written:

²⁸ Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. ²⁹ At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. ³⁰ But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”^[f] 31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

Freedom in Christ

5 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

² Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. ³ Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. ⁴ You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 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.

⁷ You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? ⁸ That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. ⁹ “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” ¹⁰ I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. ¹¹ Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. ¹² As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

Life by the Spirit

¹³ You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh^[a]; rather, serve one another humbly in love. ¹⁴ For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”^[b] 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.