FHBC Sermon Notes

Galatians 6:11-18: This week concludes our study of the book of Galatians, and here we learn how suffering fits with the gospel.

V. 11 Like in 1 Corinthians, Paul makes a point of saying that he is signing the letter with his own hand. This is a way of verifying the authorship and therefore the authority of the letter.

v. 12 "I do not boast in anything..." - Yet, here to Paul highlights that the physical state of being circumcised or uncircumcised is meaningless, and being part of this group or that is meaningless. Instead he finds boasting in the cross. That's right, a tortuous, death dealing implement for criminals. Indeed this bloody tree is glorious not because of itself, but because of what our Lord Jesus Christ did on that life taking piece of wood.

So what is it that this cross communicates to us?

1. Christ's suffering has brought us eternal victory.

This Jesus that hung on the cross was fully God himself, and through his death, life is bought for all those who will trust in his work, in what he had done. He became a curse for us there. He pleased God to crush him on our behalf. But it does not end there. He arose from the dead, he came out of the ground, alive for every more. Death cannot conquer him. Eternal victory.

And so we receive ths victory, and in v. 14-16 we are crucified with Jesus - by the world, and to the world. That is right the world is crucified to us. It no longer has sway or meaning without our Lord Jesus.

And why do we receive is walking with our Lord? We receive peace and mercy.

2. Christ victory will bring us temporal suffering.

The gospel brings us into a new relationship with God, but also brings us into a new relationship with the world.

John 15: The world hated him, and so will hate us.

V. 17 Paul bears the marks of suffering. This is not allegorical. Paul was beat, stoned, whipped, shipwrecked. Yes, Paul had many physical scars. These are the mark, the brand, the sign of the Lord Jesus Christ in his life.

We should not downturned by the suffering we bear, it too, let's us know the cross that much more. We share with our Lord, and so should be joyous.