(audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (laughing) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (audience chattering) (gentle music) (audience chattering) (gentle music) I'm gonna do the.

(gentle music) I'm gonna air. I feel really like tempo shifts on this song, so. (gentle music) And then second song. (gentle music) (audience chattering) (laughing) (gentle music) (audience chattering) (gentle music) (audience chattering) (gentle music) (audience chattering) (gentle music) (audience chattering) (gentle music) (audience chattering) (gentle music) (audience chattering) (gentle music) (audience chattering) (gentle music) (audience chattering) (gentle music) (audience chattering) (gentle music) (audience chattering) (gentle music) (audience chattering) (gentle music) (audience chattering) (gentle music) (audience chattering) (gentle music) (audience chattering) (gentle music) (audience chattering) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (audience chattering) (gentle music) (gentle music) - Oh God.

♪ Oh God before the mountains were brought forth ♪ ♪ For days of spring and summer failing more ♪ ♪ From everlasting ♪ ♪ The new ♪ ♪ Our God ♪ (gentle music) We dwell. ♪ We dwell beneath the stars in ancient skies ♪ ♪ A thousand years are nothing in your sight ♪ ♪ From everlasting ♪ ♪ You ♪ ♪ Our God ♪ ♪ And all our days are held within your hands ♪ ♪ Your perfect love and favor have no end ♪ ♪ We rest within the wisdom of your plan ♪ ♪ Ever ♪ (gentle music) ♪ From tragedy to life ♪ ♪ And love reminds us life is but a sight ♪ ♪ From everlasting ♪ ♪ You ♪ ♪ Our God ♪ ♪ And all our days are held within your hands ♪ ♪ Your perfect love and favor have no end ♪ ♪ We rest within the wisdom of your plan ♪ ♪ Everlasting ♪ ♪ God ♪ (gentle music) ♪ Oh God of light our ways are known to you ♪ ♪ By your grace you're making all things new ♪ ♪ So satisfy us in our number today ♪ ♪ Establish every effort while we wait ♪ ♪ From everlasting ♪ ♪ You ♪ ♪ Our God ♪ ♪ And all our days are held within your hands ♪ ♪ Your perfect love and favor have no end ♪ ♪ We rest within the wisdom of your plan ♪ ♪ Everlasting ♪ ♪ God ♪ ♪ And all our days are held within your hands ♪ ♪ Your perfect love and favor have no end ♪ ♪ We rest within the wisdom of your plan ♪ ♪ Everlasting ♪ (gentle music) ♪ Jesus I my cross have taken ♪ ♪ All to leave and follow thee ♪ ♪ Destitute despised forsaken ♪ ♪ Thou from hence my all shalt be ♪ ♪ Perish every fond ambition ♪ ♪ All I sought or hoped or known ♪ ♪ Yet how rich is my condition ♪ ♪ And God and heaven are still mine ♪ ♪ Let the world despise and leave me ♪ ♪ They have left my savior too ♪ ♪ Human hearts and love deceive me ♪ ♪ Thou art not like them untrue ♪ ♪ Oh how thou dost smile upon me ♪ ♪ God of wisdom love and might ♪ ♪ Folds may hate and friends disown me ♪ ♪ Show thy face and all is bright ♪ ♪ All is bright ♪ ♪ Man may trouble and distress me ♪ ♪ Twill but drive me to thy breath ♪ ♪ Life with trials hard may press me ♪ ♪ And will bring me sweeter rest ♪ ♪ O 'tis not in grief to harm me ♪ ♪ While thy love is blest to me ♪ ♪ O 'twill not in joy to charm me ♪ ♪ Were that joy unmixed with ♪ ♪ Haste then on from grace to glory ♪ ♪ On by faith and we by prayer ♪ ♪ And eternal days before thee God ♪ ♪ God's own hands shall guide us there ♪ ♪ Soon shall close thy earthly mission ♪ ♪ Soon shall pass thy pilgrim days ♪ ♪ Hope to change to glad fruition ♪ ♪ Faith to sight and prayer to faith to sight ♪ ♪ Faith to sight and prayer to faith to sight ♪ ♪ And prayer to faith to sight ♪ ♪ And prayer to faith to sight ♪ - Father, we thank you for bringing us together to worship you, to extol you.

You are worthy to be praised. We boast in your name. We boast in you and boast in all that you have done. And we boast in Christ. We boast in the sacrifice. And Lord, we know that we were made new because of Christ and Christ alone. Lord, as we live and as we go on, I pray that all of us here, we might bear the mark of Christ, that we might live in such a way, such a way that is a life of worship to you.

And in our devotion, in our intake of your word, in our application of your word, may we do all things to glory in you and to glorify your name. We thank you in Christ's name, amen. Eight o'clock. (people chattering) they're here for you. (people chattering) they're here for you.

(people chattering) eight o'clock. (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering) - All right, everybody.

It may be a little bit ringing. There you go, thank you. We've created our table there, and then we'll do our review. Let's take a moment to pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you, God, for your grace, and Lord, we continue to just pray and ask of you that, Lord, as we try to study and learn, we know, God, that it's one thing to simply understand the passage, and it's another thing to spiritually feel the conviction, to have a vision for sanctification in our lives, and to live in such a way where, God, all the truths that we see, and the way that even you see the world, for us to see it the same way.

I pray, God, then, for your Spirit's empowerment, Spirit illumination, and conviction of the heart. We thank you in Christ's name, amen. Okay, so, remember, each week, I try to do just like a, here's a flow of thought leading into the passage, talking about how those who are living in the Spirit, we're expected to really be able to care for one another in such a way that we restore one another, that it's going to be a fruit of the Spirit to be able to love those who are even burdened by sin, okay?

Those even burdened by guilt. And then, the previous passage, it challenged us to share all good things, and then to know that those who sow into the flesh will reap from the flesh, and those who sow into the Spirit will reap from the Spirit. And he said, do not be mocked.

God is going to do this, where the consequences of our actions are there, right? And so, he challenged us to do good, to not get weary, to not get discouraged, but to make sure we're persevering to do good. And then, for today, we have then a passage where he goes back, you know, the whole book, there are specific moments when he laid it on thick against those who are teaching false doctrine.

From the very start of the letter, actually, he said, "Man, if anybody, whether angel or any man, "preaches a gospel different than ours, "let him be anathema." Well, he goes back to describe these people, and these people are not sowing in the flesh, but showing in the flesh. It says here, "See what large letters I am writing," thank you, "I am writing to you with my own hand, "those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh, "who try to compel you to be circumcised, "simply so that they will not be persecuted "for the cross of Christ.

"For those who are circumcised "do not even keep the law themselves, "but they desire to have you circumcised "so that they may boast in your flesh. "But may it never be that I would boast "except on the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, "through which the Lord has been crucified to me "and I to the world.

"For neither is circumcision anything, "nor uncircumcision, but a new creation." When I look at this passage, I'm looking at essentially three movements again. This very first portion, he's just calling for our attention. Verse 12 through 13, describing those. Going over here real fast to the highlighter. Describing those. And then over here, in contrast, he describes his own heart.

He describes his own attitude and his own convictions that he would never boast in anything except the cross of our Lord. So we have verse 14 and 15 then describing the centrality of salvation in Christ. In summary then, you have it like this. Verse 11, listen up. Verse 12 through 13, motivations of the false teachers.

And then verse 14 through 15, boasting in Christ alone, okay? All right, just by way of this first portion of it, you know, when we think about what he's saying here, see with large letters. I mean, you could do the inductive questions of like, hmm, why was he writing extra large?

And why does he say I'm writing to you? And you have maybe like did some research on the fact that certain other letters he dictates and he has the people who are his confidants and assistants, et cetera, be writing for him, et cetera. But he describes this element that I am speaking to you personally and essentially it's three iterations of the same thing, which is listen to me, right?

And it reminds us of the tone of the letter, okay? The tone of the letter here that we have is one of urgent reminder. In some sense, we can look at the book of Galatians and say it's been pretty repetitive, right? I mean, paragraph to paragraph, sometimes he makes the point, then he gives us the example, then he shows us how it showed up in the scriptures, and then he pushes you again, et cetera, et cetera, just reminding us that when we think about the context of this letter, we have to be thinking he is trying to spare people from falling from grace.

He's trying to win people from an absolutely damning religion, which is that of going back to slavery, right? So it reminds us that the tone of the letter was very serious. It reminds us that the tone of the letter was something that if you put it in context, he saw as enemies of the gospel pursuing his children.

And then we would ask, so then, of all the things that Apostle Paul is saying, and even now going into the segment where he's essentially calling out and identifying, and yes, condemning the motives of the false teachers, we can see why, right? If any one of us had our own children be pursued by someone with vile intentions, we would have the same tone.

So then, we go to the center part of what he's saying in our paragraph, and he talks about those who desire, and so we see that he is talking about their motives, okay? And so we would ask the question, what are the people doing? Who is he talking about?

What are they trying to do? Et cetera, et cetera. And I would highlight for you that he is identifying the various things they're trying to achieve as the intentions of their heart, okay? So, one, it says, those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh, okay? So that's just one, that they're trying to make a good impression.

And in order to accomplish that, that's why they're trying to get them circumcised. And they do this simply so that what? They will not be persecuted. So that's the second one. Their motivation is to avoid the consequences of actually following Christ. And then, verse 13, it says, for those who are uncircumcised do not even keep the law describing their hypocrisy.

So that's just the descriptive element of what happens when your intentions are like this. But in terms of their desire, they desire to have you circumcised. Why? Because they want to boast, okay? So, in summary, they have three things that they're trying to do. They're trying to look good, they're trying to avoid persecution, and they're trying to boast in your flesh, okay?

So, in thinking about that a little bit, you know, we sometimes try to highlight certain specific terms and verbs. But for the first one, in terms of trying to look good, what's really interesting is it's just simply talking about two words where you put on a good face, okay?

And I found that to be, you know, quite convicting just from the definition in terms of sometimes the pattern by which we even behave ourselves. And we know from this passage, again, in verse 13, that anybody who is just simply trying to put on an external image, you're always going to have what?

Hypocrisy. Why? Because whatever you're doing doesn't rise from principle, it doesn't rise from what's good. It simply arises in the situation what makes me look good, right? What makes me look good? And so this is why we get so angry about topics like politics, et cetera. In some sense, not only should we all care about politics, but we should be voting for individuals who genuinely care about policy.

If the intention of their heart was to actually legislate laws that were fair, good, laws that were actually, you know, good for the country, et cetera, et cetera, then that's actually something noble. But it's been always perverted. Why? Because it became typically a play for power, position, prestige, and legacy.

And when that's the case, that's when the term plain politics gets really, really dirty because what ends up happening is then it's all about media, image, getting a certain word out, getting a certain mantra, et cetera, et cetera. And we all know from our own just hearts when we see that, it becomes despicable, right?

And so for us, just take a moment to turn your Bible over to Matthew 6 for us. It brings us to a moment of just conviction. And we've actually talked about this in previous lessons, but the conviction that there is, if we are honest, a regular, regular meaning, it just happens so frequently, temptation to fake it.

And Jesus had this command. It's interesting that within your Bibles, it may even just kind of highlight instructions about prayer, instructions about the poor, but actually his instruction is not specifically about prayer or the poor. His instruction is about how we present ourselves, right? So turn your Bible there 'cause I'm gonna read a little bit more than what I have.

So in verse one of Matthew chapter six, it says, "Beware of practicing "your righteousness before men "to be noticed by them. "Otherwise you have no reward "with your Father who is in heaven." Right? Verse two, "So when you give to the poor, "do not sound the trumpet before you "as the hypocrites do in the synagogues "and in the streets "so that they may be honored by men.

"Truly I say to you, "they have their reward in full." And another situation is, "But when you give to the poor, "do not let your left hand "know what your right hand is doing "so that your giving will be in secret "and your Father who sees what is done "in secret will reward you.

"So when you pray, "you are not to be like the hypocrites "for they love to stand and pray "in the synagogues and on the street corners "so that they may be seen by men. "Truly I say to you, "they have their reward in full. "But you, when you pray, "go into your inner room, "close your door and pray "to your Father who is in secret "and your Father who sees what is done "in secret will reward you.

"And when you pray, "do not use meaningless repetition "as the Gentiles do "for they suppose "that they will be heard "for their many words. "Do not be like them "for your Father knows what you need "before you ask Him." And then if you scroll your eyes down as he gives an example of how you ought to pray, verse 16, "Whenever you fast, "do not put on a gloomy face "as the hypocrites do "for they neglect their appearances "so that they will be noticed by men "when they are fasting.

"Truly I say to you, "they have their reward in full." So here we have such a convicting passage from the book of Matthew where our Lord knew that in the regular practice of disciplines that are actually good, there is such a danger for perversion. Just good disciplines all used as a showcase for our own self-righteousness, right?

What a danger for us. And the thing about it is we recognize that it is very difficult to get yourself out of that mode. How difficult is it for you to not care about somebody watching you? How difficult is it to not care about somebody noticing you? As a matter of fact, that, just that simple thing, did somebody notice what I did?

Did somebody appreciate what I did? Did somebody, you know, et cetera, et cetera. Does this benefit anybody? All of these questions become incredibly, incredibly heavy for us. So just from thinking about the motivations of these false teachers, what a brief point of conviction. But the other that we looked at is the motivation to avoid persecution, to avoid persecution.

Now, all I'm going to say is essentially Apostle Paul is 100% calling these false teachers out and saying, "These guys are cowards." And what's actually sad about this situation is one, in humility, we too, right? We too can take a moment of humility and say we are susceptible to temptation where if somebody is judging us, somebody is looking down on us, the easy way out is to just simply compromise.

Okay, me too. My guess is earlier when he said there are these hypocrites who they don't even actually obey the law themselves, my guess is there are plenty of individuals who lied. Oh, yeah, okay, I'll get circumcised. I got it, I got it, right? My guess is that temptation to lie is incredibly heavy and it's there.

But the point I want to make is this is kind of a sad situation because what you have then are essentially cowards bullying other cowards, right? The Pharisees in the time of Jesus, they were cowardice. They were afraid of the people. They were afraid of the masses and that's why when Jesus would ask them the questions, "Well, who do you say John the Baptist is?" They would sit there and be like, "We know he straight up has baptized all these people.

"Many people think he's the prophet. "Many people think da-da-da-da-da, "but then he's testing to who you are, "so what do they do?" "I don't know," right? So what you have essentially are cowards bullying other people to do what they do so that they don't get called out. And so in this kind of situation, it's almost straight up like in high school when a bunch of kids who are bullies, they know they're going to fail an exam, and so in so much as they can find a way that they don't get exposed for their own lack of knowledge, they're going to make everybody fail, right?

It's a sad situation. Moving forward to the next motivation that he highlights, he says they have this desire to boast in your flesh, okay, to boast in your flesh. In this, we ask the question, strangely, he says that they're going to boast in your flesh, right? Not that they're going to boast in their own flesh, but they're going to boast in yours, so what are we supposed to take this as?

My guess is, kind of deducing from this fact is, if you have an individual who was a Jew and a leader amongst the Jews, and then he was converting, but then he also was now converting other Christians who were coming into the church by saying, ooh, if you really want to be spiritual, if you really want to obey the law of God, then be circumcised too, every person he gets to convert becomes a little notch on his belt saying, look how many people I converted.

It'd be like me saying, dude, I'd go out to the spectrum, and I convert like 15 people every Saturday, and what's more, I disciple like 500 guys at church, and I train 10 people a year for leadership, and that would be me boasting in your flesh. Does that make sense?

Now, I want to take a moment just to talk to us about thinking about this passage. So right now, so far, in thinking about this passage, verse 12 through 13, I've kind of pushed it like, don't be like this. Don't be afraid of people's eyes, and don't promote yourself.

Don't be all haughty about your ministry accomplishments, how successful you are at evangelism, et cetera, et cetera. We know that, yes? Okay. But in context, this passage, Apostle Paul is challenging us, but why are you impressed with this? Why are you allowing yourself to be pushed by this? Like, I know you're supposed to be a good follower of Christ, and yes, you're supposed to be submissive to each other, but you have the mind of Christ, and I taught you the gospel, and the gospel says, "Sufficiency in Jesus." Why are you following this word, where not only are you not sufficient in Jesus, but you're boasting in your accomplishment, and your pride, and your flesh, and all the earthly things that come, right?

So what a point of conviction is, you have this situation where essentially, Apostle Paul, he sounds kind of mean, because he's sitting there going, "Look at them. "Their hearts are wicked. "It's full of selfishness. "They're going to use you." And it kind of reminds me of, like, a woman who is just head over heels, completely sprung over a guy, and the guy is just a jerk.

He's arrogant, he's boastful, he's a user. He just wants you because of the reputation, and then he's going to even try to have you. He'll boast about it, and then when he's pleased, he's not going to care, right? And then, Apostle Paul has the job of saying, like, "Do you understand who he is?" And the girl's sitting there like, "But I think he really cares about me," right?

That's how the situation kind of feels, because he is having to convince them, "Look, look at their heart and intention," right? So then now, as a point of application for you, can you discern like Apostle Paul does? Are you sober-minded? If you have any bit of that fleshliness in your heart where you love the attention, you crave attention, you're going to succumb to this.

If you have elements in your heart where you like leadership, you're, like, given to this generation's infatuation with everything related to leadership, because we've been taught at a young age, you're going to compete, and you're going to grow, you're going to succeed, and you're going to be a leader.

And that's in you, then you're going to succumb to this. But Apostle Paul says, "No." As we move into the next section, Apostle Paul is going to declare that to him, the reason why, in this circumstance, his tone is, "Look at them," right? It's very condemning towards the heart of the false teachers.

It's because the gospel to him is everything. It's because Christ is everything. And anything that takes away from the necessity and the sufficiency of Christ is an absolute enemy, right? And so we have here, in contrast, he says, "May it never be that I would boast, "except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, "through which the world has been crucified to me "and I to the world.

"For neither is circumcision anything, "nor uncircumcision, but a new creation." So when we think about this, just what a powerful statement, like what a convicting statement to say that there is going to be nothing to his credit, nothing he glories in, and nothing he magnifies, right? Nothing he boasts about, nothing he proclaims and tells, but that of the cross of Christ.

And then he says that the world is crucified to him and he to the world. Let's ask a question, okay? This is something that maybe for us, we may just feel like, okay, all he's saying is me and my love relationship, me and my enslavement previously to the world, done.

My relationship is severed, okay? But let's ask the question, is there any difference between the world being crucified to me versus me being crucified to the world, right? And the only thing I just want to take a brief moment to describe is I do realize that the relationship was two ways.

Or there are a couple ways in which the relationship between an individual and the world could be so entangled, right? One way is if I looked at the world with such affection and said, "Oh, that's so nice. "That's so beautiful. "I want that thing. "I want that house. "I want that car." And the things that are products of this time generation and the hands of men became so enticing to me, my wants and my desires to have the world was what needed to die, right?

But on the flip side, I realized part of the reason why we struggle with the eyes of men is because we long to be desired by the world. Not only do I want to have the world, I want to be wanted. I want the world to have me, right?

And in that way, it was like a two-way street. Now, if you guys recall, not too long ago, there was a sermon I gave about partiality and I said, "Hey, in some sense, partiality, "it's a sin because you make distinction. "Certain people with money and certain people with prestige, "you treat better." And the word there in the book of James was, "The evil is in your heart "because you made that distinction with evil motive," right?

And the thing I wanted to confess again was there was a sense in which I thought I was safe because I was like, "Dude, I'm mature now. "I don't treat rich people better just 'cause they're rich," right? What's more, I'm a dedicated pastor. I've already said, "Dude, forsake the world.

"Take it from me." I am willing to just live off of whatever and the thing about it is right now, I'm more than content. I'm blessed. I live in a nice home. I drive a nice Toyota. I have a great family. I have just about everything I can want, right?

I have no complaints. And then I said, "But is there any way where I could be compromised?" And that's when I realized, yes, because what I want for my children is I want the world to revere them. I want the world to think so highly of them. "Oh, look at him.

He's so tall. "He's so handsome. Such a good kid," right? It's in there. I want him to have, essentially, some of the best things of the world, and I want the world to see him as the best in the world. Does that make sense? And in that way, it goes both directions.

But we have this reminder from Scripture, "Replace circumcision with any of that." My kid's height, his education, how well he swims, whatever it may be, it means nothing. The only thing valuable is becoming a new creation in Christ, amen? Salvation in Christ means we have everything. The great blessedness of the gospel is we have every single thing in Christ.

And so personally, as we start wrapping this up, man, we had so many huge themes running through the book of Galatians, everything from freedom, right? Like you're free, everything from sonship. And I want to say, you know, right here, why the Apostle Paul says with such conviction, "I will boast in nothing but Christ, and through the cross of the Lord, the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." I want to experience that kind of power and conviction to a new degree.

I want to conclude by saying I think sometimes when I read it, I feel like I understand what that means because I've made decisions in the past, right? I don't care how much of the world I have. I've made decisions like that. I want to challenge you. Periodically, from season to season in your Christian life, as you mature, the true Christian is going to experience greater depth of that.

Why? Because his love for Christ is supposed to grow to such a degree where indirectly the solution was always more love for Jesus, more satisfaction in Christ, more completeness in the Lord, so that I can experience what it means to be free from the world, amen? Let's take a moment to pray.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for your challenging word. We thank you, God, for this letter where we see the contrast. We see the operation, the silly games and the system of the world constantly wanting to level up and promote self, constantly wanting to be able to say, "Look at me.

Look what I have done. Look at who I am." But Lord, help us to see the complete joy of our lives when Christ is all, when Christ is everything, and help us to live by that conviction in such a powerful way. This we pray in Christ's name, amen. Okay, I do want to take a moment to highlight some things for next week because next week is our review and final paragraph in Galatians 16 through 18.

I want to challenge you because even though it's just three short verses, there are so many questions you can ask, especially a big one. So you can sit there and say, "Those who will walk by this road," who are those? What rule are we talking about? "Peace and mercy upon them," who is them?

"And upon the Israel of God." Through the book of Galatians, I'm sure you guys probably, certain key moments, especially chapter three, asked the question of what is the relationship between the New Testament church and the nation of Israel? You may have or you may not, but this is one of those passages that come up a lot in the debate, and so I'm going to actually kind of present on it, giving you guys some considerations and conclusions to think about, okay?

So make sure that you guys are actually studying this passage and not thinking of it as he's just saying, like, "Goodbye," and then that's the end, right? There's a lot in here. So you could ask everything from, "Dude, how does the brand marks of Jesus "contribute to, like, his confidence?

"Like, what is he saying?" et cetera. And, "What is his attitude of, like, 'Let nobody trouble me'? "Is he actually saying, 'Don't talk to me about this anymore'?" et cetera. There's a lot, okay? Plus, can you please make sure that you do an actual review of chapter four through six?

So read through the letter so you get the flow. It's always good to know the flow, okay? Out of context is a bad situation. From chapter four through six, what were the major movements? And then if you can think of, since we've hit three chapters, three key verses to memorize, that would be awesome.

And then what are the most important applications from chapter four to six, okay? The only announcement that I will highlight for you guys is that our outreach team is preparing a summer seekers group. As you know, we have no Bible study through the months of June, July, most of August.

So there's going to be a seeker group that will meet four times. If you have any unbelieving friends or family, we will put this up online, the QR code, so that you can just shoot it over to them, right? But we will cover a book called "What is the Gospel?" So each participant will get a free book.

And it just goes over the foundational elements of what is salvation and how does one come to true faith in Christ, okay? If you have any questions, please contact me or Joseph Su. All right. Pastor Peter, we'll come up and do some extra now. All right, as you guys know, this coming Saturday, we have a fundraiser softball tournament that we host.

And so if you guys can come and cheer, if you're not participating already, it's this Saturday. Our teams are going to get there around 7 a.m. And hopefully the championship, which is at 4 p.m., our teams are in it. So it's going to be an all-day affair. And then the 19th, that Sunday, between third service to 3.30, all the family ministry people are invited out to a picnic at Bill Barber Park.

If you are a couple that's been married after 2022, you're in the FAM 245, there's a barbecue fellowship next Saturday. And then women's softball, it's not a tournament, but it is an opportunity for the ladies to play softball together. We actually have a very competitive ladies team, but all the other churches, they don't have ladies.

And so we couldn't make a ladies tournament. So this is kind of in substitute for that. Next week is our final Bible study. But the week after that, we don't have Bible study, but we have an all-church praise and prayer at 7.30. So the most important thing, just to kind of remember from this, is Bible study resumes August 28th.

Details are still pending. But if you can, go ahead and sign up for the fall Bible study now so that we can figure out how many small group tables and home groups and stuff like that that we need. So please do sign up sooner than later. And we repeat this every semester, but there are people who sign up like the week before.

So please do this sooner than later. And then here are some discussion questions that Pastor Mark prepared for you, and then I'll leave you with that. Thank you.