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:
