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 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. In Jesus' name, amen.

You can be seated. Thank you.

So, as I was seeking the Lord concerning today's sermon, I sensed that the Holy Spirit was directing

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