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Episode Description: Anything Less
This Thanksgiving, as we enjoy family, friends, and delicious food, we're reminded of the incredible blessings we’ve received. But sometimes, we overlook the greatest blessing of all—the grace and freedom found in Jesus.
In this episode of The Dirt Path Sermon Podcast, we dive into Galatians 5:1-12, where Paul passionately warns against adding anything to the gospel of Christ. Jesus' sacrifice on the cross is more than enough to save us and set us free from sin’s power. Yet, too often, we try to carry the weight ourselves, relying on rules, rituals, or self-reliance.
Through this message, you’ll be challenged to trade the "cans of green beans" in your life for the feast of grace Jesus offers. Discover how faith in Christ alone leads to true freedom and transforms us into people who love like Him.
Are you ready to let go of anything less and embrace the fullness of God’s grace? Tune in now!
Linkoln shares his story on why he started coming to Ravenna Church of the Nazarene and shares why you should consider doing the same.
Ravenna Church of the Nazarene
530 Main Street, Ravenna, KY 40472
Enjoy this message? Consider visiting Ravenna Church of the Nazarene where Pastor Jason is the Senior Pastor. Have a prayer need? Want to share something with Pastor Jason?
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ANYTHING LESS
This week we will celebrate Thanksgiving. It is a holiday where we remember how much God has blessed us and our families. But what we are all thinking about is the food. Turkey, ham, deviled eggs, stuffing, and pie. Do not worry this is not a sermon on gluttony.
Imagine as your family gets ready to eat that you look at all the food that has been prepared, then think to yourself, “You know what, this all looks great, but I have a better plan.” Instead of eating the meal prepared, you reach in your pocket and pull out a cold can of green beans. Maybe some pork-n-beans, Chef Boyardee ravioli, spam, or even the vomelet military MRE. Your family would look at you like a crazy person. The family cooks would be offended. And your belly would be much sadder than it needs to be.
As silly as that sounds, we tend to do something similar but with a much greater gift. Christ offers us grace if we have faith in Him, but too often we reject the grace so we can do it ourselves or some other way. Paul addresses in his letter to the Galatians, which is where we will be focused today.
Galatians 5:1-12(CEB):
1 Christ has set us free for freedom. Therefore, stand firm and don’t submit to the bondage of slavery again.
2 Look, I, Paul, am telling you that if you have yourselves circumcised, having Christ won’t help you. 3 Again I swear to every man who has himself circumcised that he is required to do the whole law. 4 You people who are trying to be made righteous by the Law have been estranged from Christ. You have fallen away from grace! 5 We eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness throught the Spirit by faith. 6 Being circumcised or not being circumcised doesn’t matter in Christ Jesus, but faith working through love does matter.
7 You were running well—who stopped you from obeying the truth? 8 This line of reasoning doesn’t come from the one who calls you. 9 A little yeast works through the whole lump of dough. 10 I’m convinced about you in the Lord that you won’t think any other way. But the one who is confusing you will pay the penalty, whoever that may be. 11 Brothers and sisters, if I’m still preaching circumcision, why am I being harassed? In that case, the offense of the cross would be canceled. 12 I wish that the ones who are upsetting you would castrate themselves!
This is the word of God
For the people of God
Thanks be to God
As I read through these verses, I the writing highlights Paul’s anger at what is happening among the Galatians. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall when this letter was read outloud and the reader shared verse 12, “I wish that the ones who are upsetting you would castrate themselves!”
Why was Paul so upset? False teachers were pushing a “Jesus plus” message, meaning a person could have faith in Jesus but they also needed something else. These false teachers were pushing for the Galatians to be circumcised and follow the Jewish law.
In verses 2 through 5, Paul addressed the problem with this “Jesus plus” message. Circumcision had meaning for the Jewish people, it symbolized a pure heart and a commitment to God. However, for the Galatians this was dangerous game. They were not Jewish, they were Gentiles who had placed faith in Jesus. They were Christians.
Paul warns the Galatians in verse 3, writing, “Every man who has himself circumcised is required to do the whole law.” Meaning, the Galatians could not pick and choose which of the Old Testament laws to follow, but that they should confirm to all of them. No tattoos and dietary restrictions were all part of that. But Paul does not stop his warning there, he goes on in verse 4, “You people who are trying to be made righteous by the Law have been estranged from Christ. You have fallen away from grace!” This would be the equivalent of the Galatians going to Thanksgiving dinner and saying, “No, thanks, I will eat my MRE vomelet over the deviled eggs.” They would be choosing to reject the free gift of grace by faith in Jesus in exchange for trying to earn righteousness based on their own merit. A task that is impossible.
The reason this is a problem for Paul, why he is warning the Galatians is the “Jesus plus” message is ignoring the foundational doctrine of Christian faith. It is saying that the cross of Christ was not enough. The cross was offensive to the Jewish people, and the thought of a messiah dying on it was a tough truth for them to take. Why was the cross necessary? Because religious rules and rituals were not enough to deal with issue of human sin. No amount of animals sacrifices could cleanse the human heart. No number of trips to the Temple, studying the Law and the Propehts, or even good works were enough to make people holy. Jesus died on the cross to atone for all human sin for all time. The cross was necessary to change sinful people into a holy people.
Verse 1 is where Paul presents what is available through faith in Jesus, “Christ has set us free for freedom.” Humanity was enslaved to sin, which always upended efforts to be good people based on merit. Jesus died on the cross so people could be free from the chains of sin so they could experience the freedom from sin. That is an incredible gift based on grace through faith. Paul goes on in verse 1 to say, “Stand firm and don’t submit to the bondage of slavery again.” Other translations use “yoke”, an instrument used for domesticated animals. For people, the yoke was of sin and self-sufficiency, which was impossibly too heavy for them. This is why in Matthew 11:29, Jesus says, “Put on my yoke, and learn from me. I’m gentle and humbe. And you fill find rest for yourselves.”
The other key verse in this is verse 6. It says, “Being circumcised or not being circumcised doesn’t matter in Christ Jesus, but faith working through love does matter.” Faith looks like Jesus on the cross, who was not held to Calvary by nails but His love for you and me. Sin made it impossible for us to love God and love others, because the sinful self was always getting in the way.But faith in Jesus washes sin away and gives us the Holy Spirit so we have the freedom to chose to love like Christ. It is not that good works or love are a substitute for faith, rather they are the outcome of faith. Willard H. Taylor explains it like this, “Faith is the plant of the Christian life and love is its bloom.”
What does this teach us? It teaches us that Christ alone is savior, nothing else is needed. The blood Jesus was more than sufficient to provide for our salvation. Following rules like wearing head coverings, not eating pork, or staying away from movie theaters give an appearance of holiness, but that is not what is required. That is choosing the can of cold green beans over the green bean casserole. Doing rituals like attending church, reading our Bible, taking Communion, and sitting in the right pew give an appearance of holiness, but those things are not what is required. That is choosing MRE vomelet over the deviled eggs. Dropping clothes off for the clothing closet, putting in the blessing box, and not flipping off the guy who cut you off give an appearance of holiness, but those are not what is required. That is choosing the SPAM over the turkey. Jesus supplied all we need to be saved! There is no earning it or proving it. It is based on us having faith in Jesus.
Faith in Christ alone is enough to transform us. Putting faith in Jesus is how we are saved, free the guilt and shame of our sin. It is only by putting faith in Jesus that we be filled with the Holy Spirit so we are free to live in freedom from sin. Holiness is the outcome of faith in Jesus. The freedom Christ provides isn’t just from guilt but also from sin’s power, allowing us to live in holiness, loving God and others as we are called. We do not earn it or buy it, we receive God’s gift by faith. The table is set, the turkey and all the fixin’s are out, all we have to do is sit down. We can throw away the pork-n-beans, the spam, and the vomelet.
Have you been trying to be a good person? The sad truth is you will never be good enough. As much you try to stay positive, treat people kindly, or control your mouth, there are still moments that get the better of you. But the good news is, being good enough is not the requirement. Place your faith in Jesus, because He is good enough, His blood is strong enough, and His grace is enough.
Have you been trying to be a good Christian? You read Matthew 11:29 where Jesus says His yoke is easy and light, but for some reason it feels impossibly heavy for you. It feels heavy because it is impossibly too heavy for you. That yoke was not meant to be carried by you on your own. Faith in Jesus means He gives us His Spirit with His strength to carry it.
It is so simple, yet so difficult. Our go to human response is sin and trying to do it ourselves. Faith is us recognizing we need Jesus and that He can in me. Have faith in Jesus. Take a moment to pray and surrender the weight you’ve been carrying, trusting in Christ’s Spirit to sustain you. Today, the table is set. Will you choose to sit down and receive the feast of grace Jesus offers?
