And with that, let's get into the Word of God.

Again, looking forward to what the Lord has for us today.

We're going to, Lord willing, I should say, finish chapter 2 in the book of Galatians,

which we're going through, as we we always do chapter by chapter and verse by

verse so our text is going to be verses 15 through 21 I'll have you turn there if you're not

there already and once you do if you're able I'll ask you to stand you can follow along as I

read the Apostle Paul by the Holy Spirit, is writing to the churches there in the region

known as that time as Galatia. And says verse 15, we who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ.

So we too have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by

the works of the law because by the works of the law no one will be justified. But verse 17, if in seeking

to be justified in Christ we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners

doesn't that mean that Christ promotes sin absolutely not if I rebuild what I destroyed

then I really would be a lawbreaker. For through the law, I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith

in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness could be gained through the law,

Christ died for nothing. Let's pray if you would join with me.

Loving Heavenly Father, we have before us, admittedly, a tough text to work through.

And it's for that reason that we know that unless the Holy Spirit gives us understanding,

we have no hope of grasping what it is that Paul by the Spirit is saying here.

So Lord, will you, because of that and in light of that, speak in that still small,

refining voice of the Holy Spirit into our lives?

Lord, we want to have ears to hear what the Spirit says to us as your people.

In this, your church, we pray.

...