Welcome to our Sunday worship for July 4th, Independence Day, so obviously we are looking at Galatians 5 and Paul’s teaching about freedom! Let’s celebrate the freedom God has given us in Jesus:

We bring our prayers to God:

Our reading today is Galatians 5:1-15 – Paul on what Christian freedom really means:

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

² Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. ³ I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. ⁴ You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. ⁵ For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. ⁶ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

⁷ You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? ⁸ This persuasion is not from him who calls you. ⁹ A little leaven leavens the whole lump. ¹⁰ I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view than mine, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. ¹¹ But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offence of the cross has been removed. ¹² I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!

¹³ For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. ¹⁴ For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” ¹⁵ But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

Talk by Glyn –

We have heard Dr. Lloyd-Jones recite it – let’s sing it ….

Now we bring our prayers for the church and the world to God:

The great Charles Wesley wrote this hymn about his own experience of Christian liberation – “My chains fell off, my heart was free …”. Let’s sing it:

We close by saying the Grace for each other: