Abounding Grace

Pastor Ed Taylor: You are as a born-again believer, the greatest evidence and exhibit of grace. Some of you, you need to be reminded of the grace of God. You've forgotten where you came from. You've forgotten what God has done in your life. It's been many years since you've been saved and you've forgotten how bad it was. You've forgotten how bad you were.

You've forgotten about the radical transformation that God did in your life, how He saved your marriage, how He ripped addiction out of your life. And it may be a new practice where you just wake up in the morning—I know everybody looks in a mirror at least once a day—and you just look in the mirror and you say, "Thank God for the grace of God. I thank You, God, for Your grace in my life. Here I am alive, a new man, a new woman."

Guest (Male): We are saved by grace through faith. As Christians, we believe that. But did you realize, just as we need grace to start this Christian life, we need God's grace to grow and live day by day? Freedom is found as we live by grace and allow the Holy Spirit to empower our lives. That's the emphasis of today's message from Galatians chapter 2.

Perhaps like the Galatians we'll meet today, you've moved away from simply loving Jesus and living by grace. Let's see together how to get back on track as we join Pastor Ed Taylor.

Pastor Ed Taylor: Open your Bibles to Galatians chapter 2 as we start a new chapter today. I've entitled our Bible study, "You Can See Grace." Remember, Galatians is written to a series of churches in a region known as Galatia. Paul had planted those churches and then had to leave because he was on a missionary journey, planting churches in various cities and areas.

When he left, it wasn't too long after he left that false teachers came in and disrupted the simplicity of faith among the believers and drew many of those believers after themselves. We learn who those false teachers were. We know them as the Judaizers. These were Jewish men that claimed to have followed Christ but were preaching another gospel.

We know it was another gospel because they added to the true gospel. The gospel is very simple. Jesus Christ died for your sins according to the Scriptures. He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. The gospel reminds us, the good news is that by the finished work of Jesus Christ, you can be saved today or you are saved and born again already.

It's His finished work. We are always and will always and always have been and forever in eternity will be saved by grace through faith. Not of works, but it's a gift of God, lest any man should boast. We'll get into more of this in Ephesians when we get to Ephesians chapter 2. But it is grace. There is nothing to be added.

A person is not saved by grace "and," which is what they're dealing with here. A person is saved by grace, not by works. You and I have nothing to add to the gospel. You and I, we have nothing to complete. We have nothing. What we have is to repentance of sin and believing what God has said. He has done the work. He will do the work and He'll continue that on into eternity.

That's why Paul wrote the letter. He gets strong later on in verse 3. He says, "You foolish Galatians, who's bewitched you? What's happened to you guys? So quickly you turn away from the gospel of grace. So quickly you let people add to it." Today, we wouldn't use the name Judaizers. We've replaced that name for us today. The group that would be doing this is a much broader group, and we would refer to them today as legalists.

Those that would add to the gospel: "You can be saved, but you have to be saved by doing this, and you have to be saved by adding this." The grace of God is just fine and actually the grace of God is a means by which—and churches teach this—the grace of God is a means by which you do all these other works. Like, no, you're saved by grace. You're not saved by good works, but rather you are saved for good works.

And salvation is very clear. They came against Paul. They had to attack him, because if they couldn't undermine his ministry, then his ministry would continue. And you remember Paul said that his ministry came from God. He said that in chapter 1, verse 1. His ministry came from God. And then in chapter 1, verse 11, he said his message came from God.

This message of grace wasn't new. He just got it at a different time because he was attacking Christianity. So he didn't get it in the time of those that followed Jesus. He received it afterward. Where? On the road to Damascus. He was saved on the road to Damascus and then in the subsequent years, he went into the desert, into the wilderness, and he was taught by Jesus Himself. As no doubt he was making tents, waiting for what God wanted to do in his life.

God called him to write this letter. He couldn't be there. I'm sure he would want to be there, but he couldn't be there, so he wrote this letter. He wrote the letter to encourage them, to rebuke them, to challenge them, and to help them see the error of their ways. Now, some of you hear the words that I used and you paused at encouragement. You go, "Wait a minute, Pastor. I don't see the encouragement in Galatians. I've read it a few times. We've studied the first chapter so far. Where is the encouragement?"

I'm glad that you're thinking that because we need to broaden the scope of encouragement for a moment so you understand where the encouragement is. Because for sure, this is a strong letter. For sure. It is a letter of stern rebuke. It is a letter of Pastor Paul telling them the truth in love. And that's not always popular. It's not always popular to have someone sent to us with the truth in love.

Nowhere in the letter does Paul praise them. This isn't one of those letters to praise them and encourage them in that way. And some might even say it sounds a little harsh. But rather than see it as harsh, I suggest that you see this as tough love. We use that phrase, "tough love," where it comes from a place where Paul is saying, "Look, you guys are too far now. I've got to get your attention. You're too far. You've got to come back to the truth. You have left the truth."

But it's interesting as you study through the Bible that you will find the same Greek word translated sometimes "encouragement" and sometimes "exhortation." It's the Greek word *parakaleo*. It comes from two other Greek words. It's a combination: *para*, "to come alongside"; *kaleo*, "to help or to aid." The word may sound familiar to you because it's the same Greek word Jesus used to describe the Holy Spirit. That when I leave, the Helper, the Holy Spirit, the *parakaleo*, the *parakletos* I should say, a version of that word, will come—the Holy Spirit—someone to come alongside and help.

So this word is used sometimes and it's translated "encouragement," sometimes it's translated "exhortation," but it's the same thing: coming alongside to help. So here's how I want you to think, because context is king in the Bible. If you want to know what a word means, you've got to not only look up the definition, but then you've got to look at the context.

Context is always king. For example, we use English words the same way, where we use a word but context means everything. So for example, if I said today that when I was in Tucson, Arizona recently and I had some ice cream, I could say it's the most amazing ice cream in the whole wide world and I love ice cream. And you would probably be able to track along and go, "I have my own favorite ice cream, too."

But then I also got to spend time with Marie. We were together, and I just want you to know, I love Marie. Well, I hope that's not the same love. My love for ice cream and my love for Marie. I'm using the same word, but context means everything. It is a different thing I'm describing: my care and concern for my wife as it is for ice cream.

The Bible does the same thing. Same word, but the context means everything. So here's the difference, ready? If you're taking notes, here's the difference between encouragement and exhortation. And by the way, if you want to just jot it down, exhortation is a gift given to the church. Romans chapter 12, verses 6 through 8. So some of you have the gift of exhortation.

Some of you, that's how you operate. And I have found over the years that the gift of exhortation is usually exercised and given to people of a stronger personality. A stronger personality. Those that may not have a stronger personality might be given an encouraging heart. But it's the same thing.

So number one, encouragers are those who lift people up. They lift people up. And we always want somebody like that. I'm down in the dumps, I'm feeling bad, and I need someone and I want someone just to come and be there with me and lift me up and say, "It's going to be okay, Ed. It's going to be fine, brother. We'll get through this." An encourager. We thank you for all of you that are encouragers. We want you to run with that.

We want you, we need you to encourage more. Just like Barnabas, the son of encouragement. We need encouragers. Don't stop doing that. Exhortation, on the other hand, is a little different. An exhorter is not someone that comes and lifts you up, but rather exhorters are those that move people on. And I notice this in all services, even in this one.

I notice this: that when I describe exhorters, I push. And nobody likes to be pushed. Nobody wants to be pushed. You might even use the familiar phrase, "Nobody wants to be pushed out of their comfort zone." But that's what exhorters are sent to do. They're sent to move you. And that is the message.

And I have examined my own life over the years. I've been walking with the Lord now for 34 years and been pastoring for almost 30 of those years. God has used me as an exhorter. That seems to be the higher—when I'm putting a Bible study together, when I'm talking to someone, when I'm ministering to someone, God has made me a mover in the church.

And that's my desire. I want you to be moved when I teach a Bible study. I want to see you come in one way and leave another. I want you to know the Bible, and I'll take care of that. And I want you to know the words and I want you to understand the context. I'll take care of all that. But I know that God has used me greatly when explaining the Bible when you are moved.

Like, for example, you're here and you get really mad at me. You go, "I don't want to listen to this guy, and I'm leaving." Then I have succeeded. Now, I wasn't intending to anger you, but here's what happened: my teaching and my explanation, you heard it, didn't like it, and it moved you. Now, I wish you wouldn't leave, but it moved you right out the door. I'm sorry about that.

But like, that's not my intent, but moving you now forces you to deal with what I said. And I'm very grateful for that. I want you to deal with what I said. I want you to take it to the Lord. I want you to pray over it. I want you to ask if it was for you. I want you to search the Scriptures and see if I was accurate. I want you to be moved.

And yes, over the years, I've also seen God add more encouragement into my life. Through pain and through difficulties, I've seen Him soften that part of my ministry, but He's only added to me, not taken away. And so you exhorters, we need you too. So here's the encouragement in Galatians before we jump in. Here's the encouragement.

And when you have an exhorter come to you, here's the encouragement. I want you to think of it this way: God loves me so much that He sent someone into my life who also had to have courage and pray through and think it through—like, God loved me so much that He put it on someone's heart to come to me and tell me the truth. That's encouraging.

He's not going to let me wander away. He's not going to just let me listen to a false teacher and just wander away and get ripped off. But rather, God loves you so much, and the person does too. The person loves you enough to be obedient to the Lord and send that note, send that email, talk to you in person. And that's what Paul's doing. He loves this church so much. The condition of their life currently, they need to be moved back to the gospel.

So the words are hard. They're short and quick and they're direct. And we, I believe, need to receive the *parakaleo* of encouragement as much as the *parakaleo* of exhorting. And as Paul is speaking these words, he's reminding them to stand strong in Jesus and don't get ripped off from these false teachers.

Verse 1, chapter 2: "Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas and also took Titus with me. And I went up by revelation and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run or had run in vain."

Chapter 2, Paul begins a defense of the gospel of grace that he was preaching. You see that he came and he explained what he was teaching to the leadership of the Jerusalem church. You'll remember in our Bible study through the book of Acts, you'll remember exactly where this took place. It took place at the Jerusalem council in Acts chapter 15.

There was a public part of it, but there was also a private part of it. Notice with me as well that when Paul came to Jerusalem, he came with a heart of humility. Do you see what he says at the end of verse 2? "I talked to them privately because I just wanted to know if I've been running in vain. Am I, have I been wrong?" He was open to be corrected if he was in any error in what he received in his teaching from Jesus.

Like, have I made any mistakes? Where am I wrong? I think I've been running well, but I needed to know if I ran in vain. And the reality is, is that he came for clarification and unity. And the whole issue that we're dealing with with Galatians, the whole issue of a person to be saved and in Galatians, remember, a person to be saved and add a work to it—what was that work? Circumcision.

"You can't be saved," they were teaching, "unless you are circumcised. You can't be saved unless you become a Jew first, then you can be saved and you come, become a part of the old covenant so that you can be part of the new covenant." And that's not the message of grace at all. The message of grace is by the blood of Jesus Christ, you are saved. As a Jew, as a Gentile, as a male, as a female, as a slave or as free, salvation is the same for everyone.

He takes Titus with him, it says in verse 1, and Barnabas. Great partnership, by the way, as you look at it. Paul was the exhorter, Barnabas the encourager. I'm not saying that that's the way they were exclusively, but they were a great partnership. And many of your marriages are the same way, if you notice. Many of your marriages are the same way. Your personalities differ, but they complement one another very, very well.

Most likely in your marriage, one of you is stronger in exhortation and one's an encourager. One's probably more emotional than the other one. One's probably not so emotional. One is very expressive, one is not so expressive. And the very things that attracted you to your spouse are the things that bother you today. Stop it.

You make a good team. You make a good team. And for you singles, that team is coming. You just need to wait on the Lord. The Lord will do the work for you. But the reality is, is that's how ministry can be too. I am surrounded in the ministry here by people that are so different from me, and I appreciate it. I need that.

I need all these diverse views and perspectives. I need other people's eyes and thoughts, and together we're a team. We like to say here that "we" is the language of ministry. And so I'm surrounded, Marie and I even in that relationship, very different people, but similar in many ways, just like Paul and Barnabas.

So they come up, they've got Titus with them, and remember Titus is a Gentile. And you might ask, "Well, how do you know that?" Look at verse 3: "Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek..." He's a Gentile. He is a Gentile that got saved under the ministry of Paul. He got saved under the ministry of Paul, so he comes as exhibit A of the validity and power of the gospel of grace.

Titus is proof that the gospel of grace saves people and transforms people. He's right there. Paul could say, "Here's an example right here. We roll into town, we tell the city about Jesus and the sufficiency of His work on the cross, and Titus and his whole family are radically changed. You can't argue with that." Now, while you may not have a Titus—I'm sure you do have friends that got saved—but you know, the greatest, the greatest reminder of grace in your life is you.

And I need you to remember that. You are, as a born-again believer, the greatest evidence and exhibit of grace. Some of you, you need to be reminded of the grace of God. You've forgotten where you came from. You've forgotten what God has done in your life. It's been many years since you've been saved and you've forgotten how bad it was. You've forgotten how bad you were.

You've forgotten about the radical transformation that God did in your life, how He saved your marriage, how He ripped addiction out of your life. And it may be a new practice where you just wake up in the morning—I know everybody looks in a mirror at least once a day—and you just look in the mirror and you say, "Thank God for the grace of God. I thank You, God, for Your grace in my life. Here I am alive, a new man, a new woman."

And that sharing of your testimony is so powerful. Your life. I know we're not all happy about our past. I know we're not all, I mean, I know we all wish we wouldn't—I mean, I was away this week with a whole new group of people that don't know Marie and me at all. They don't know anything about us. It's like we met believers, we're in the family but we're complete strangers.

So the question in moments like that is, "Well, tell us a little bit about yourself." And they wanted to hear our story. And it's actually a very fascinating story of the grace of God in our lives. And I always love sharing it with Marie because she has such a different angle on our whole story. I remember it one way, she remembers it another way, and then together, like, "Oh man, it was really bad. It was really bad."

And so we're sharing it, and we're talking about the grace of God. We're going back to our teenage years, we're going back to just all of the mess, to ramp up right to the point where God has done His work and who we are today. But we should have known better, like we should have known ahead of time that sharing our testimony would for me—you know, that night I had bad dreams.

And when I told Marie in the morning, "Hey, you won't believe, I had these," she said, "I knew it would happen." That's what she said, "I knew it would happen," being the encourager that she is, "I knew it would happen." And she was right. I should have known. I knew it would happen too because when you start rehearsing that, you start unlocking all this nonsense and then you go to bed and rest and it's all in your head.

And I mean, it wasn't debilitating or anything, but it's just a bummer. It's just a bummer. However, that's not, I'm not that person anymore. So it was just a moment. It was just a time, just a little bit of dreams to endure. It was worth sharing. We shared our testimony probably five times. Over and over, the same thing, over and over and over again, reminding us of the grace of God, reminding us... and then you're listening and you're like, "Oh my gosh, that's an amazing story. That's something that when you're listening to it, you're like, 'No, that's not true. No, that's not...'" Oh bro, it's true. It's worse than true, like it's even worse than I remember it.

And that's where you, as you... this is the entry point into people's lives. You are exhibit A of the grace of God. You don't need Titus. You don't need an example, although I'm sure you do. You're the example. Sometimes you have to remind yourself of the work of God. You're at a place where "I don't think I'm going to make it" and "I don't think we're going to survive" and "I don't think..."

Yes, I know, it's really, really bad. But you are born again and God loves you. And He is your strength and your sufficiency. How? By the grace of God. I didn't earn it. I don't deserve it. But I receive it and live in it.

And as you're sharing, you know, it's interesting because we didn't experience this, but as you're sharing at work and you're wanting to tell people about your story and they're asking about it and it's a bridge into the gospel... I mean, don't you ever get tired—I know some of you do—get tired of hearing that Christianity, "Oh, it's just a crutch"?

"It's just a fairy tale. You're following a book that has been made up by man, and it's a false belief system for weak people. So you're a weak person. You need Christianity, you weak person." Or Ted Turner, if you ever met him, he's quoted as saying before he died, "Christianity is just for losers." And you can get real defensive, and you can be like, "Wait a minute!"

Nothing could be further from the truth. Although there is a kernel of truth in that: we are weak. A lot of our sin, we did lose out on things. So it's not completely, you know, the accusation is not completely inaccurate. But on the wrong day, you can start to be ashamed of the gospel of Christ. You can forget how far God brought you.

For some of you, you walk in today all beat up because of a current situation and you made a mistake, you sinned, you're all messed up. And so you're like, "Oh man, look at me. I'm not a good Christian. I'm a horrible... look at my marriage." And you have just forgotten how far you've come. You're looking at the moment but you're like, "Oh no, no, no. If this argument or whatever happened 20 years ago, you wouldn't even be here. Like, you would have just pieced out. You're done. I don't want anything to do with that." But look how far you've come where God is what? Taking you from glory to glory and strength to strength. That could be another mirror component, right? "Thank God, I'm thanking You, Lord, for Your grace, and I thank You for how far You've brought me. You have been so faithful in my life."

Guest (Male): He really has been faithful in our lives. So spend some time thanking Him for that today. This is Abounding Grace with Pastor Ed Taylor. We're partway through a study in Galatians chapter 2 titled, "You Can See Grace." Catch a replay when you visit aboundinggraceradio.com or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

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And we'd like to connect with you before the day is done. Say hello. Tell us what God is up to in your life when you visit aboundinggraceradio.com and then click on "Contact Us." More about the wonderful grace of God coming up next time on Abounding Grace with Pastor Ed Taylor. We'll be in Galatians chapter 2 the rest of this week if you want to read ahead.

Abounding Grace is brought to you by Calvary Church Colorado here in Aurora.