Will You Glory In His Grace? (Galatians 6:11-18)

 VIDEO

Will You Glory In His Grace? (Galatians 6:11-18)

GIST: Don’t chase your own glory, but experience and boast in the glory of Jesus.

    Today, twenty-nine sermons later ☺, we’re coming to the end of our study in Galatians together. This study has walked us through outside services, quarantined Sundays, transitioning inside with two services, and now moving back to one worship service together. And what better message to focus our hearts on while the world around us is in chaos than this: It’s all about Jesus’ grace! That’s been the message from the beginning. He’s made the appeals, laid out the arguments, and walked us through the applications. Now, in these final verses, he grabs the pen and lays out his heart one last time.

I wasn’t sure if we’d tackle these final verses in one or two chunks, but I feel like we can take these concluding remarks all together this morning. Here Paul hammers home the message and appeal he’s been making throughout the entire letter.

   

“11 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. 12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16 And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon 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. Amen.”

Paul begins the end here by drawing attention to his handwriting. “11 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.” There has been a lot of speculation about why exactly he’s saying this. Often, commentators bring up that this probably references his poor eyesight because he’d have to write bigger to be able to see what he was writing. Others focus in on the fact that this probably indicates the moment in the letter when he took the pen from the scribe to whom he was dictating the rest of this letter and finished it off in his own scribble to prove that the letter was the real deal. I think both of these points have merit and are likely true. Either way, what we have here is Paul showing his heart. He wants these readers to have no doubt that he’s writing because he cares deeply for them and their salvation. 

As always, there is a lot that could be unpacked here because the depths of God’s Word are inexhaustible. However, as we close out our study this morning, I want us to see this final admonition of a gist: Don’t chase your own glory, but experience and boast in the glory of Jesus.

I. Don’t Chase Your Own Glory

Look first at verses 12-13. “12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.” 

I know we’ve been walking through this text for quite a while, so I don’t want to take for granted that everyone remembers the central conflict that led to Paul writing these churches in Galatia. Essentially, a group called the Judiazers had come into these new Gentile churches and told them they did, in fact, need to believe in Jesus to be saved, but that was just a starting point. To really be saved, they needed to also follow the ceremonial laws and become, in essence, Jewish. This, of course, meant all the men would need to be circumcised. 

Paul cuts to the heart of this argument here and tears down the motivations of these false teachers. They’re spreading lies that make them look good at the expense of not only their own hearts but the hearts of these young Christians who were following after them. Paul uses the phrase “boasting in the flesh” to describe this kind of self-driven living. Let me make three observations under this heading. Don’t chase your own glory because→ 

1. Boasting in the flesh makes life all about you. And it’s not. It’s actually a little crazy to me that the world we live in pushes a conflicting message on this. Constantly, we’re being told to do whatever makes us feel most happy and fulfilled...but we’re also asked to not be selfish. Parents will reprimand their children for throwing fits and remind them that they “don’t always get everything they want” but then proceed to throw “adult versions” of those same fits when things don’t go their way. If you make life all about you, it will be, and that isn’t a place you want to live. Pride comes before...destruction. These Judiazers were preaching circumcision in order to avoid the cost of preaching the cross and grace of Jesus. They wanted glory instead of giving it to Him.

2. This perspective makes others a means to your ends. The second major critique Paul has of these Judiazers is that they’re using these Gentile believers as notches in their belts. “...They desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.” Getting followers made them look good, even if they were leading them to a lie. Do you use people, or love them to Jesus?

3. This perspective ignores your personal need for salvation. Notice that Paul says even these Judiazers, who are teaching that we need Jesus + the law, don’t actually keep the law. They can’t! No one can. We will never be able to save ourselves. Chasing our own glory ignores our deepest need: rescue from the sin we’re stuck in and can’t escape on our own. Therefore, we need to both→ 

II. Experience and Boast In The Glory of Jesus

Look back at verse 14. “14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” Paul now shifts our attention to a completely different kind of boasting. In fact, this is alien to us. If I boast, by implication, I’m proud of something connected to me. Paul, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is directing us to shift the focus of our boasting. I have a few observations here, as well. 

1. Boasting in Christ changes our perspective entirely. Tim Keller said boasting “... is to joyously exult, and to have high confidence, in something.” We’re called to joyously exult and have an unshakeable confidence in… Jesus, instead of ourselves

2. This perspective focuses our eyes on the cross of Lord Jesus the Savior. This is a point we could really spend a lot of time on. By calling Him Lord, we’re acknowledging Jesus’ control over our lives daily. By calling Him Christ, we’re recognizing our need for Him to rescue us from our sins. And by boasting in His cross, we’re rejoicing in His sacrifice that took our place and endured the Hell we deserve. That’s not an easy perspective to actually live. We talk so much about this in church circles that I think sometimes we fail to really grasp how huge this is.

Again, Tim Keller summarizes the challenge here better than I could: “Paul has already said that the preaching of the gospel is terribly offensive to the human heart (5:11-12). People find it insulting to be told that they are too weak and sinful to do anything to contribute to their salvation. The gospel is offensive to liberal-minded people, who charge the gospel with intolerance, because it states that the only way to be saved is through the cross. The gospel is offensive to conservative-minded people, because it states that, without the cross, “good” people are in as much trouble as “bad” people. Ultimately, the gospel is offensive because the cross stands against all schemes of self-salvation. The world appreciates “religion” and “morality” in general. The world thinks that moral religion is a good thing for society. But the world is offended by the cross. So people who love the cross are “persecuted” (v 12). The cross is by nature offensive! And we can only grasp its sweetness if we first grapple with its offense. If someone understands the cross, it is either the greatest thing in their life, or it is repugnant to them. If it is neither of those two things, they haven’t understood it.” 

Boasting in the glory of Jesus means seeing how much you need Him and rejoicing in incomparable love. It means taking the cross seriously. It’s not just a symbol of sacrifice we hang in our church buildings. It’s a reminder of the agony He really endured for you.

3. This perspective changes the way we interact with the world. Paul says, “...the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” This means the world no longer has any claims on your life. You’re not of this world, so you don’t have to live like a slave to everything it pushes. You don’t have to be sucked into all the garbage or lose sleep over whether or not people will accept you now that your life is all about Jesus. You’re freed from that pressure because you’re completely loved and accepted by Jesus. You can now live boldly in this world without being conformed to its image.

4. This perspective brings true and lasting life.  Verse 15 says, “15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.” All that matters is the new life Jesus creates in you! It’s not about you being good enough. It’s about you coming to Him for rescue and determining to follow Him. 

Paul then outlines in verse 16 what that will lead to→  “16 And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.” If your life is defined by chasing His glory, you’ll experience peace & mercy. Isn’t that what we’re all looking for? Isn’t that why we chase after ourselves? We’re trying to get to that point of acceptance and belonging and safety. We know we’re not who we should be, so we’re trying to fix that. We can’t. He can. And if you come to Him, you can experience His mercy and peace. 

Upon the Israel of God points to God’s set apart people. We’re called not to follow the destructive and natural ways of our hearts and this world, but to experience Jesus instead.

    Paul then ends with these words: “17 From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.” What is he saying? Don’t doubt my sincerity. I have the scars to prove it. Ironically, the Judiazers were calling people to take on a physical sign to prove their salvation. Paul is contrasting here by saying, ‘Oh, yeah, I have some of those. They came from being beaten for preaching the gospel.’ He lived his faith and faced persecution for it because he didn’t hide behind self-seeking. If we follow Jesus, we might also share in these marks.

    However, he reminds us in closing what he’s been talking about the entire time. It will be worth it because→ “18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.”

    Let’s just recap in our→ 

TAKEAWAYS

1. Don’t Chase Your Own Glory

1. Boasting in the flesh makes life all about you.

2. This perspective makes others a means to your ends.

3. This perspective ignores your personal need for salvation.

2. Experience and Boast In The Glory of Jesus

1. Boasting in Christ changes our perspective entirely.

2. It focuses our eyes on the cross of Lord Jesus the Savior.

3. It changes the way we interact with the world.

4. It brings true and lasting life.