Christ Presbyterian Church | Service Types Sunday Morning

Gospel as Grace from Beginning to End

Bible Text: Galatians 3:1-9 | Preacher: Nick Whitaker | Series: Galatians: The One and Only Gospel

Galatians 3:1-9
O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?

Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

Gospel as Speech of the Dead

Bible Text: Galatians 2:17-21 | Preacher: Kyle Wells | Series: Galatians: The One and Only Gospel

Galatians 2:17-21 17

But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.

Gospel as Justification by Faith

Bible Text: Galatians 2:11-16 | Preacher: Kyle Wells | Series: Galatians: The One and Only Gospel

Galatians 2:11–16
11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

Gospel as indiscriminate Mission

Bible Text: Galatians 2:1-10 | Preacher: Kyle Wells | Series: Galatians: The One and Only Gospel

Because God has acted in Jesus Christ without regard to human standards or conventions, we must acknowledge God’s call to minister to specific people, whomever they are.
Galatians 2:1-10 1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. 3 But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. 4 Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— 5 to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. 6 And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. 7 On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised 8 (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), 9 and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.

Gospel as Personal Disruption

Bible Text: Galatians 1:6-24 | Preacher: Kyle Wells | Series: Galatians: The One and Only Gospel

Galatians 1:6-24
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. 12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, 16 was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother. 20 (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) 21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they glorified God because of me.

Gospel as Love and Rescue

Bible Text: Galatians 1:1–5 | Preacher: Kyle Wells | Series: Galatians: The One and Only Gospel

Because God sent Jesus as a gift to rescue us, we must trust in and glorify him.
Galatians 1:1–5
1 Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2 and all the brothers who are with me,

To the churches of Galatia:

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

The Good Life according to Micah

Bible Text: Micah 6:1-8 | Preacher: Kyle Wells | Series: Micah

Because our liturgy and life are connected, for our worship to be authentic it must be reflected in neighbor-love.
Micah 6:1-8

Hear what the LORD says:
      Arise, plead your case before the mountains,
      and let the hills hear your voice.
      2 Hear, you mountains, the indictment of the LORD,
      and you enduring foundations of the earth,
      for the LORD has an indictment against his people,
      and he will contend with Israel.

      3 “O my people, what have I done to you?
      How have I wearied you? Answer me!
      4 For I brought you up from the land of Egypt
      and redeemed you from the house of slavery,
      and I sent before you Moses,
      Aaron, and Miriam.
      5 O my people, remember what Balak king of Moab devised,
      and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him,
      and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal,
      that you may know the righteous acts of the LORD.”
      6 “With what shall I come before the LORD,
      and bow myself before God on high?
      Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
      with calves a year old?
      7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
      with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
      Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
      the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”
      8 He has told you, O man, what is good;
      and what does the LORD require of you
      but to do justice, and to love kindness,
      and to walk humbly with your God?

Christ the Key to Scripture and Life

Bible Text: Micah 5 | Preacher: Kyle Wells | Series: Micah

Because God promised to raise up a savior, we must confidently hope in him.
Micah 5

Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops;
      siege is laid against us;
      with a rod they strike the judge of Israel
      on the cheek.
      2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
      who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
      from you shall come forth for me
      one who is to be ruler in Israel,
      whose coming forth is from of old,
      from ancient days.
      3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time
      when she who is in labor has given birth;
      then the rest of his brothers shall return
      to the people of Israel.
      4 And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD,
      in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.
      And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great
      to the ends of the earth.
      5 And he shall be their peace.

      When the Assyrian comes into our land
      and treads in our palaces,
      then we will raise against him seven shepherds
      and eight princes of men;
      6 they shall shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword,
      and the land of Nimrod at its entrances;
      and he shall deliver us from the Assyrian
      when he comes into our land
      and treads within our border.
      7 Then the remnant of Jacob shall be
      in the midst of many peoples
      like dew from the LORD,
      like showers on the grass,
      which delay not for a man
      nor wait for the children of man.
      8 And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations,
      in the midst of many peoples,
      like a lion among the beasts of the forest,
      like a young lion among the flocks of sheep,
      which, when it goes through, treads down
      and tears in pieces, and there is none to deliver.
      9 Your hand shall be lifted up over your adversaries,
      and all your enemies shall be cut off.

      10 And in that day, declares the LORD,
      I will cut off your horses from among you
      and will destroy your chariots;
      11 and I will cut off the cities of your land
      and throw down all your strongholds;
      12 and I will cut off sorceries from your hand,
      and you shall have no more tellers of fortunes;
      13 and I will cut off your carved images
      and your pillars from among you,
      and you shall bow down no more
      to the work of your hands;
      14 and I will root out your Asherah images from among you
      and destroy your cities.
      15 And in anger and wrath I will execute vengeance
      on the nations that did not obey.

United Nations

Bible Text: Micah 4:1–5 | Preacher: Kyle Wells | Series: Micah

Because Israel’s God is the one true God, God will redeem the nations through Israel.

Micah 4:1–5
It shall come to pass in the latter days
      that the mountain of the house of the LORD
      shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
      and it shall be lifted up above the hills;
      and peoples shall flow to it,
      2 and many nations shall come, and say:
      “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
      to the house of the God of Jacob,
      that he may teach us his ways
      and that we may walk in his paths.”
      For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
      and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
      3 He shall judge between many peoples,
      and shall decide disputes for strong nations far away;
      and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
      and their spears into pruning hooks;
      nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
      neither shall they learn war anymore;
      4 but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree,
      and no one shall make them afraid,
      for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.
      5 For all the peoples walk
      each in the name of its god,
      but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God
      forever and ever.

The Leaders we Deserve and the Leaders we Need

Bible Text: Micah 3 | Preacher: Kyle Wells | Series: Micah

Because we need just leaders, we must be willing to hear the truth
Micah 3:1-2a; 4-7; 9-12

1 And I said: Hear, you heads of Jacob

and rulers of the house of Israel!

Is it not for you to know justice?—

2 you who hate the good and love the evil,

4 … they will cry to the Lord, but he will not answer them;

he will hide his face from them at that time,

because they have made their deeds evil.

5 Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets

who lead my people astray,

who cry “Peace” when they have something to eat,

but declare war against him

who puts nothing into their mouths.

6 Therefore it shall be night to you, without vision,

and darkness to you, without divination.

The sun shall go down on the prophets,

and the day shall be black over them;

7 the seers shall be disgraced,

and the diviners put to shame;

they shall all cover their lips,

for there is no answer from God.

9 Hear this, you heads of the house of Jacob

and rulers of the house of Israel,

who detest justice

and make crooked all that is straight,

10 who build Zion with blood

and Jerusalem with iniquity.

11 Its heads give judgment for a bribe;

its priests teach for a price;

its prophets practice divination for money;

yet they lean on the Lord and say,

“Is not the Lord in the midst of us?

No disaster shall come upon us.”

12 Therefore because of you

Zion shall be plowed as a field;

Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins,

and the mountain of the house a wooded height.