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Galatians 1:6-9
Galatians chapter 1, verses 6 through 9. I am amazed that so soon you have gone away from him who called you by the grace of Christ, to follow a different gospel, not that there is another, but that there are some who disturb you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.
But if any of us, or an angel from heaven, announces to you another gospel other than the one we have announced to you, let it be anathema. As we have said before, I also repeat it now. If any of you preaches a different gospel than the one you have received, let it be anathema.
I am amazed that so soon you have gone away from him who called you by the grace of Christ, to follow a different gospel, not that there is another, but that there are some who disturb you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.
But if any of us, or an angel from heaven, announces to you another gospel other than the one we have announced to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to one you received, let him be accursed.
We are going to be studying, and the title for tonight is, The Church and the Gospel. In this brief introduction from Galatians, the Apostle Paul is going to open his pastoral heart, and he is going to show us the foundation upon which the Church should be.
And if the Church is not upon the foundation of Christ, it will fail. Today we can see in our surroundings many churches, and something that I like about this place, I see many Baptist churches around.
That doesn't mean that there are sound churches. But in Mexico, we see so many churches that don't even have a denomination. And that's bad. They are built upon something that is not necessarily the gospel.
Their foundation are the emotions, activities, and to have so many people attending to the churches, and they left the gospel aside. Some of them never had the gospel. When the gospel is changed or adulterated, everyone that is listening, are being condemned.
We see in the scriptures that there is a curse upon them. Let me tell you about a brief illustration on the word of God. In 1 Kings chapter 19, we see the prophet Elijah in a dialogue with God. And in verse 10, it says that he has a seal for the Lord.
Because the people of Israel have broken the covenant. So the Lord commands him to get out of this place that he was. And suddenly, a strong wind came in front of the prophet. And the text says,. And he said, go forth and stand upon the mount before the Lord.
And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and a strong wind rent the mountains. What I want to remark in this verse, What I want to remark of this is that, but God was not in the wind. And after the wind comes an earthquake shaking the ground, the earth.
And again, we find the statement, but the Lord was not in this earthquake. And after this earthquake, a fire comes. And again, the same descriptions, but the Lord was not in the fire. This reminds me these people that wants to see always supernatural things.
They want to see thousands of people come into their buildings. Lights, speakers. But the Lord is not there. And the verse 12 says,. And after the fire, a still small voice came. So then the prophet covers himself, gets out to hear his voice, the voice of the Lord.
What we understand in this still quiet voice, the Lord manifests himself to the prophet. Just as a manner of application, not always the flashes and luminous lights is where God is. Sometimes this quiet and peaceful voice is the way that God works.
With just a few people, a handful of people. Well, this happens when the gospel is changing. And the encouragement that we have from the Apostle Paul is this. First, do not get away from the gospel. Beloved church, Providence.
Do not get away from the gospel. The Apostle Paul used a word, I'm astonished, I'm wondered. It's a strong word. I'm astonished that you are so quickly deserting. They get away. Got away from what? The following verses.
The following verses are telling us that they went away to a distorted gospel. In order for that to happen, there must be men that pervert the gospel. And there are people that listen to these people.
And Jude gave us the same idea with this word of getting away. When the wicked turn the grace into a freedom. Into a licenses life. Dear brothers, you have the word of God. When I say gospel, I'm not referring to the four gospels.
I'm talking about the revelation of Jesus Christ through his word. In the English language, in our language. It is a compound word. God spell. God spelling. God is narrating his story. He has revealed his will.
Good news, happy news. That brings the man the most amazing hope of life. This is our gospel. And we can say that it's ours. Because Christ is in us. It's not just that he is near to us. It is not that we just have a direct contact when we need him.
He abides in us. He is us and we are his. I want to tell you something very practical. The importance you give to the gospel. Will impact every area of your life. In the morning we learn that our thoughts.
Our words and actions. Should reflect Jesus. And brothers, this is not going to happen if you don't love the gospel. If the gospel is not impacting your life. Now, if you are like me and the rest of the world.
We are going to say things like this. I have a lot of work. I cannot spend much time in the word. I'm so tired. Tomorrow I'm going to open the scriptures. Tomorrow is going to be the same story. Some people.
In Mexico. Here I don't think it happens. They have their bibles and they put it in their night table next to their bed. For the next Sunday you might find your bible really quick. But through the week you don't open your bible.
That doesn't happen here brothers. Your spiritual health. Greatly depends on your devotion or your daily devotion to Christ. That nearness with Christ is going to reflect in every area of your life. Let me tell you a few practical things that I believe you know.
To improve your spiritual health. We should read our bibles daily. And not just read it but meditate upon it. And we should memorize systematically the scriptures. You don't need great amounts of text but we need to be constant.
You pray in such a way that is a priority in your life. Like when you are hungry and your stomach is telling you that you need to eat. Your heart is telling you that I need to come to Christ in prayer.
I need to empty myself and fill it with you. Help me to love what you love and hate what you hate. You should sing praises to the Lord. We just sang beautiful songs that exalt Jesus Christ. And reinforce our knowledge of Him.
And lastly. You should spend time with your wife and your children. In meditation, memorization and the worship of Christ. The next or the following we see in our text. Is that there is a mean of this calling.
The apostle says in verse 6 to the half. 6 to the half. The apostle is Christ. So in Hebrew we see that Christ is the image of the glory of God. And we have Christ in the scriptures. Do not reject this means of grace which is Christ.
Let's jump into verse 8. The apostle Paul says. In verse 7. Not that there is another one. If you think that there are so many other gospels. The bible says there is no one. There is no another. And so what is this prosperity gospel?
What is this gospel of health? Well they take this gospel and they change it in such a way. That they might take what they want to say. They take the scriptures and they really want to say with it. What they want basically.
They are perverted men. They are not fear of the Lord in them. There is no other gospel. There are evil people that distorted the gospel. The gospel is just one. Christ is our savior. Secondly. We need to understand a few consequences.
Of perverting the gospel. Of twisting or changing the gospel. When the gospel is distorted. And we find real people of God in the midst of this perverted gospel. That church will suffer. They are not being fed with the gospel.
Another effect is that the minds and the hearts of people. Their hearts are clouded and distorted. They are darkened by the sin. And in their hearts there is no peace. Even though they believe they have that peace.
Let me give you a few quick examples. Matthew 2 .3. You don't need to go there. Just a couple of examples. We see Herod receiving the news of the birth of a king. This king is troubled in his mind. And he is sent to commit some atrocities.
In a different situation. The other disciples. The disciples had a trouble in their hearts. A fear. Do you remember when the Lord was walking on the water? And they say a ghost. They were troubled in their hearts.
The evil preachers that distort the gospel. Their minds and their hearts. Are distorted. They are confused. And this brings chaos. And if you get into one of these churches where the gospel is perverted.
In most of the cases you are going to find chaos. Chaos. A physical chaos. Where basically they are going to do all sort of things. Convolting and revolting in the ground. And even the songs that they sing.
Are centered in they worship themselves as men. And this results in Jesus Christ being diminished. Something like. Yes we have Christ but you need to do something too. You need to give a good gift. You need to walk on your knees a certain distance.
Something strange like putting Christ at the center of the world. And the world is going to be the same hide as our works. God in himself. Is put in this. Is thought in this movement of churches. Like a genie of the lamp.
Like we know the story of the genie of the lamp. And they might say. Oh God you can do everything. Do this what I am asking you. Because I have been good. I was good. I think I deserve it. The preacher another day.
Told me that I can have. I can get whatever I dream. So you can do it and you should do it. What a low view of God right. He is God. Another point of this perverted gospel. Is that the church is not a church in real.
Is more like a club. Is more like to just gather together. And chat about common things. And we Christians we spend time together. And we love to do it. But we desire that all our chats. All our words.
Worship Christ. Another point of this other churches that perverted the gospel. Is that there is no order in their own lives. And even less in their churches. That reminds me the times when Israel. Did not have kings.
Nor judges. And everyone did whatever they pleased in their hearts. Terrible. There one of those rules. The most respected rules. In this circles where the gospel is perverted. The emotions and experience are the ones that distinguish the reality.
We don't need to feel something strange. You don't need to dream with a glorious vision of heaven. We have the gospel brother. You don't need anything else. The gospel will produce a change. At the same time.
Or in the same way as the gospel. When the gospel is perverted. It produces. Bad results. The gospel preach faithfully. Produce a change that is noticeable. Starts in us with a regeneration. Take us from death to life.
And burst out in our style of life that is holy. Seeking always the glory of God in our lives. Now if you ask me. What is the most important mark in a Christian? I will point to the. The feature. Attribute of God.
The Bible speaks the most. And is the holiness. And with this I don't want to say that the other attributes of God are less important. He is complete in what he is. But the Bible gives us a special place for his holiness.
We don't find in the scriptures a verse that tells us he is love, love, love. But we see find a verse that says that he is holy, holy, holy. So for this reason. The feature. The characteristic of a Christian that have this.
Is holiness. Even the angels are astonished about the holiness of God. We have this amazing description of the angels covering his face, his feet. Because of God's holiness. Now the angels are holy beings.
But God is holy, holy, holy. If these angels or these beings are afraid being holy. We should have a vision of our own life as holy. And in order to live in this way. We need the gospel. Which is the power of God.
For salvation. To everyone he believes. We have that the gospel brings fruit. We find in Galatians 5 .22. Where the spirit works because of the gospel in us. Working for us to bear fruit. And you might know by memory all the description of the fruit.
We have the love. Joy. Peace. And so on. We should live. And to show this fruit in such a way. In such a way that those outside. Referring to the unbelievers. We should pray. That we might see the gospel of Christ changing our lives.
We should pray that the gospel may take control of my mind and my words. That we might share the gospel to everyone that we might have an opportunity to. But I need to remind myself of the need of the gospel.
It doesn't matter if you have 5, 10, or 30 years. It doesn't matter if you have a single day. Third and last. First, we should not get away from the gospel. Second, consequences of perverting the gospel.
And third, I want to call it this way. Do not accept less than the gospel. If I bring something different. Take me out of there. If somebody else comes here and brings something different. Take him away.
Take him away. Yeah. And this pastoral character of Paul. Telling this to the church. I don't know if it is literal. I'm just thinking. If an angel of heaven a different thing that is not Christ and His Word do not hear it.
It's not a curse. It's anathema. Even the Apostle Paul and he includes himself when he says even one of us maybe he is thinking in Timothy or Titus somebody of us or my co-workers imagine an angel with all this glory coming but brings a different gospel, a distorted gospel maybe a curse and this curse deals with the wrath of God upon him.
Everyone that hears and obeys this gospel they are under the wrath of God. Beloved church do not accept less than the gospel of Christ. Spurgeon said this Whoever serves the Lord for a salary is able to serve any other Lord for a better salary.
If the people that is behind the pulpit teaching others they are given them just what they want to hear and at the same time they are filling their pockets. That's not the gospel. Ask the Apostle Paul.
Ask our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord has taken care of us. That's why the Lord has charged us to feed His sheep. Just a few applications into our daily life to closing. If you turn on the TV or find in YouTube some sermons do not pay attention to anybody.
Just pick some selected preachers or ask your pastor for which one. Do not waste your time in other things when you can just spend your time in the scriptures. Give the priority to congregate in your church.
Get to know you to others and serve your brothers and in that way we are going to be close to our gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is worthy. Lord, I thank you for this time. Thank you for your word, thank you for your gospel.
Thank you for revealing yourself through your holy men inspiring them through the Holy Spirit so that today we have this treasure this incalculable treasure. Lord, that your children here in this church the Autistic Church of Providence may be guided closely by the preaching of your gospel.
May my beloved brothers who you have put as pastors be faithful to your gospel. Lord, thank you because you are so good. Bless them, help them, fulfill their needs. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. I want to say a few words before I leave.
I want to say thank you for the hospitality that you have shown to him and to his family. All the love that you have shown to them is very appreciated for us. Honor your pastors. Obey them. Squeeze the knowledge that God gave them and honor the Lord in this church.
God bless you.
Let's stand together and we're going to sing. Glorious Exchange. How can it be. The Father's perfect Son was made a man and sent to die for the sinful and the vile. How for me, his enemy, he came and gave his life.
Suffering in my place, on that dreadful cross All my sin and my shame. Jesus bore his righteousness By faith alone His mom. The art sticks out great a mystery. By his grace alone I'm saved. Hallelujah.
Glory be to Christ For his sacrifice. Now he says I'm justified in him. Is it possible that just like Jesus he's accepted me in Christ. And I bear his name today. And by faith the Father freely gave to me His life of perfect righteousness.
God's forgiven me All my sin and my shame. Jesus bore his righteousness By faith alone His mom. The art sticks out great a mystery. By his grace alone I'm saved. Hallelujah. Glory be to Christ For his sacrifice.
Now he says I'm justified Hallelujah. Glorious exchange. Oh how great a mystery. By his grace alone I'm saved. Hallelujah. Glory be to Christ For his sacrifice. Now he says I'm justified in him. Now he says I'm justified in him.