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You may turn in your Bibles to 
Galatians chapter 1. Galatians 1 for our meditation 
this evening. Last week we looked at the introduction 
or at the greetings to Timothy in 1 Timothy chapter 1 verses 
1 and 2. We identified Paul as the author, 
Timothy and the church as the recipients, and then the specific 
greeting. was grace, mercy, and peace from 
God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, here we're 
going to look at the greeting to the Galatians because it does 
contain many wonderful truths concerning the gospel. As Paul 
set forth his authority in 1 Timothy 1, highlighting that he was indeed 
an apostle by the commandment of God, So he does the same here, 
because there were challenges made to his apostolic authority. Not only does he set forth his 
authority, he sets forth the glory of the cross, because the 
cross was under attack in these churches in Galatia, and so the 
apostle, right out of the chute, in his greeting, sets forth the 
truth of the cross, and that will be revisited and expounded 
upon in the remainder of the book. But I do want to read chapter 
1, and then we'll look at verses 1 to 5. Paul, an apostle, not 
from men nor through men, but through Jesus Christ and God 
the Father, who raised him from the dead. and all the brethren 
who are with me, to the churches of Galatia, grace to you and 
peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave 
himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present 
evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom 
be glory forever and ever. Amen. I marvel that you are turning 
away so soon from him who called you in the grace of Christ to 
a different gospel, which is not another. But there are some 
who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even 
if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you 
than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As 
we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any 
other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be 
accursed. For do I now persuade men, or 
God? Or do I seek to please men? For 
if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ. 
But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached 
by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from 
man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation 
of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former 
conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure, 
and tried to destroy it. And I advanced in Judaism beyond 
many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly 
zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased 
God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through 
His grace to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among 
the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, 
nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before 
me. But I went to Arabia and returned again to Damascus. Then 
after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and I 
remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles 
except James, the Lord's brother. Now concerning the things which 
I write to you, indeed before God I do not lie. Afterward I 
went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. And I was unknown by face to 
the churches of Judea, which were in Christ. But they were 
hearing only he who formerly persecuted us now preaches the 
faith which he once tried to destroy. And they glorified God 
in me. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our 
Father, we thank you for this, your word, and we pray now for 
the ministry of your spirit. We pray that you would guide 
us and instruct us and lead us into an appreciation of the cross 
of our Lord Jesus Christ. How we bless you for the gospel. 
How we thank you that you by grace have made us partakers. 
We know it's not our works, it's not our righteousness, it's not 
our merit that ultimately commends us to God. It is the death, the 
resurrection, and the blessing of Jesus Christ our Lord. And 
we come to you in his name, amen. Well, the first five verses of 
Galatians serve as greetings. Again, it's very conventional 
as to what we considered last week. in our study in 1st Timothy. Paul identifies himself, he says 
who it is that he's writing to, and then he gives a greeting, 
a benediction, a good word, a pronouncement of grace and peace in this particular 
context. But then as I mentioned, he exemplifies, 
or he amplifies, after referencing the Lord Jesus Christ in verse 
3, he then makes these statements in verses 4 and 5, which we will 
consider in detail tonight. But just prior to getting there, 
I want us to understand just a few things about this particular 
epistle. The churches of Galatia are those 
visited by the Apostle on his first missionary journey. They 
include Pisidian Antioch, which we learn of, Acts 13. Iconium, 
Acts 14, 1-7. Lystra, Acts 14, 8-19. And then Derbe, in Acts 14, 20-21. So the Apostle goes through these 
regions preaching the gospel, he goes back through, they appoint 
elders in the various churches that they've established, he 
goes back to Jerusalem, he gives a missionary report, and then 
early on, he has to write Galatians. Early on, he has to pen this 
epistle. Not long after his preaching, 
not long after the churches are convened, not long after they 
are established, do the Judaizers come in. Those men who say that 
it's good to believe on the Lord Jesus, but you must also keep 
the law of Moses in order to be saved. So Paul, writing this 
letter, writes in a polemical fashion. Notice how he comes 
right out of the gate. Verse 6, he says, I marvel that 
you are turning away so soon from him who called you in the 
grace of Christ to a different gospel. So the gospel is at stake 
in the churches in Galatia. He makes this pronouncement in 
verse 8. Even if we, or an angel from 
heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached, 
let him be accursed, or let him be anathema, let the wrath of 
God be upon him for his heresy. So the apostle comes out of the 
gate to fight, to combat, to promote the truth of the gospel 
of Jesus Christ our Lord. So he identifies himself as an 
apostle, he then indicates the churches of Galatia, and then 
he gives this good word in verse 3, grace to you and peace from 
God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Luther made this observation. He says, moreover, these two 
words, grace and peace, do contain in them the whole sum of Christianity. Grace contains the remission 
of sins. peace, a quiet and joyful conscience. For peace of conscience can never 
be had unless sin be first forgiven." So that's the context, that's 
the setting. Now let's look specifically at 
verses 4 and 5. The Apostle sets forth the nature 
of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In these two verses, He indicates 
five truths concerning the glorious gospel of free and sovereign 
grace. And the first truth that we ought 
to observe is that the death of Christ was voluntary on his 
part. The death of Christ was voluntary 
on his part. Notice in verse 4, who gave himself. The Lord Jesus in his earthly 
ministry specifically in John's gospel highlights his willingness 
to undertake on behalf of the elect of God. In John 10, at 
verse 11, I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life 
for the sheep. And again in verse 15, he says, 
As the Father knows me, even so I know the Father, and I lay 
down my life for the sheep. And then in verse 17, Therefore 
my Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take 
it again. No one takes it from me, but 
I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, 
and I have power to take it again. This command I have received 
from my Father." The death of Christ was voluntary in nature. The Lord Jesus willingly undertook. the office of surety, the Lord 
Jesus willingly undertook, the office of mediator as the new 
covenant. Paul highlights that reality 
when he specifies that Christ gave Himself, the Lord God Most 
High ordained, the Lord Jesus Christ willingly undertook. We 
have the persons of the Triune God working in perfect harmony 
and in unity to save us from our sins. It is a glorious truth. When all is said and done, we 
don't have ourselves to thank for salvation. We have God the 
Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Christ willingly 
undertook the death, the resurrection, all the things that we read of 
in the Gospel accounts on behalf of those whom the Father had 
given Him. He gave Himself. Paul says this 
in Galatians 2 in verse 20. You can turn there. Galatians 
chapter 2 back to verse 17. But if, while we seek to be justified 
by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ 
therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not. For if I build 
again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 
For I, through the law, died to the law, that I might live 
to God." Now note verse 20. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but 
Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live 
in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved 
me and gave himself for me. Beautiful language, he loved 
me and he gave himself for me. So when we look at this idea 
of him giving himself voluntarily, it evidences, it manifests, it 
declares and demonstrates his great love for his people. As we eat the bread and as we 
drink the wine, we ought to think in terms of Christ's love for 
His bride, Christ's love for His church, Christ's love for 
His elect. He manifested that by voluntarily 
giving His life on behalf of His people. That's the first 
observation. Notice, secondly, And this shouldn't 
take a whole lot of ingenuity, we're just taking the clauses 
as they sort of unfold here. I hope you don't scratch your 
head and say, where's that coming from, from the text? The first, 
the death of Christ was voluntary on his part. Secondly, the death 
of Christ consisted in penal substitution. I'll explain what 
I mean, but I want you to understand. The death of Christ consisted 
in penal substitution. He gave himself for our sins. There is penal substitution. Christ bore the penalty of the 
wrath of God. Christ did so as our substitute. You see, it was us who deserved 
to go to the cross. It was us who deserve the wrath 
of God. It is us who deserve damnation. It is us who deserve the fury 
of God Most High. The Westminster Shorter Catechism 
puts it this way, what does every sin deserve? The answer is telling. Every sin deserves God's wrath 
and curse, both in this life and that which is to come. Well, 
you see, the cross is about penal substitution. Christ stood in 
the place of the elect and he took the punishment that was 
due for them. Look at Galatians 3.13. It's 
as if everything contained in verses 4 and 5 in this greeting 
in chapter 1 is fleshed out or amplified or declared in more 
detail later on in this book of Galatians. But notice in Galatians 
3, beginning in verse 10, For as many as are of the works of 
the law are under the curse, for it is written, Cursed is 
everyone who does not continue in all things which are written 
in the book of the law to do them. Now, for those who have 
been at the Wednesday night studies, You consider this verse in light 
of Deuteronomy chapter 28. Deuteronomy chapter 28 ought 
to make you sing, praise, and adore that you have Christ. Deuteronomy 28 is God's statement 
concerning unfaithfulness in the covenant community. In other 
words, if the covenant community goes into the land and they disobey, 
if they go into the land and they are not faithful, if they 
go into the land and they renege on their commitment to obey all 
that God has said, then the curses of the law will be poured out 
upon them. There is that sense, and this 
is what is being captured here. Cursed is everyone who does not 
continue in all things which are written in the book of the 
law to do them. Paul is saying that if you choose salvation 
by works, salvation by law, it must be perfect. Verse 11, But 
that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, 
for the just shall live by faith. Yet the law is not of faith, 
but the man who does them shall live by them. Now notice in verse 
13, Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having 
become a curse for us. That's penal substitution. The penalty of God, the wrath 
and fury of God, the curse of a broken covenant falls upon 
Him. He became a curse for us as our 
substitute, as the one who stood in our place. For it is written, 
cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree, that the blessing 
of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that 
we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." 
Consider various other phrases in the scripture that highlight 
this idea of penal substitution. I hope everybody's got that. 
Kids, if your teacher gets hit by a car today, they're not going 
to be there tomorrow. Hopefully, it's not your mom. 
Hopefully, this doesn't apply to homeschooling. Hopefully, 
it doesn't apply to any of your teachers. Let's say your teacher 
gets sick. They're not there tomorrow. There's 
going to be a substitute. That's what Christ does at the 
cross. He's a substitute. Does Jesus go to the cross because 
He's guilty? Does Jesus go to the cross because 
He's a sinner? Does Jesus go to the cross because 
He's broken the law of God or man? No, He goes to the cross 
because we're guilty. Because we've broken the law 
of God. Because we are justly liable to God's wrath and curse, 
both in this life and that which is to come. But He goes for us. 
He takes the penalty upon Himself. You see, that's the glory of 
the cross. Not only is our sin heaped upon 
the Savior, but His righteousness is heaped upon us. The doctrine 
of justification. But consider the various conventions 
that the biblical authors use to highlight this reality of 
penal substitution. He died for our sins. He died for us. He gave Himself 
for our sins. He died for the ungodly. He died 
for all. In the context, it doesn't mean 
universalism. It means all of God's people, 
the elect. And a brother is one on whose 
behalf Christ died. His death is an offering for 
sin. One's sacrifice for sin. The blood of Him who offered 
Himself. The offering of His body once for all. His death 
makes expiation. That means there's a removal 
of guilt. There is propitiation in His blood. That means the 
wrath of God is satisfied. Remember that word, propitiation. 325 in the Book of Romans, God 
set Him forth as a propitiation. Why? So that the righteousness 
of God would be vindicated when the death of the Son of God takes 
place. It goes on. We are justified 
in His blood. We are reconciled by His death. 
He gave Himself a ransom. He redeemed us from the curse 
of the law, being made a curse for us. Christ is our Passover, 
who was sacrificed for us, and then in other places as well. 
That's John Eady's commentary on Ephesians, where he just brings 
together in one lump sum, all of these phrases and all of these 
statements where the New Testament authors tell us that what took 
place at the cross was not simply a moral story. It wasn't just 
simply an example of a good man who was showing us the way to 
a higher life. What the cross is, among many 
things, is a demonstration of the righteousness of God, wherein 
He can be both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. God made Him, who knew no sin, 
to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God 
in Him. You see, God must punish sin. He must punish His Son, or He 
must punish us. And when God brought His Son 
into the world, the idea was penal substitution. It really 
is a glorious truth. Our sins are dealt with, not 
by works of the law, but by the blood-shedding of Christ at Calvary. Hebrews 9.22 says, without the 
shedding of blood, there is no remission. And then just a real 
practical observation on this brief clause. For our sins. It shouldn't take us long to 
consider our sins. It shouldn't take us long to 
consider our breach of God's law. Just take the Ten Commandments. Just run through them quickly. 
Just slow down a little bit at some of that and feel the weight, 
power of God's law. Luther said it this way. He said, 
let us learn here of Paul to fully and truly believe that 
Christ was given, not for feigned sins. Feigned means fake or not 
real or something that's not that big of a deal. Let us learn 
here of Paul to fully and truly believe that Christ was given 
not for feigned sins, nor for small sins, but for great and 
huge sins, not for few, but for many, not for conquered, for 
no man can overcome the smallest sin to put it away, but for invincible 
sins." In other words, this substitution, this penal infliction of God's 
wrath was for our breach of God's holy law. every violation, every 
sinful thought, every sinful activity, every external and 
outward deed, and every internal thought of rebellion against 
God. Paul says that Christ gave himself 
for our sins. There's a lot of benefit in the 
doctrine of penal substitution. Thirdly, the death of Christ 
secured deliverance from this present evil age. Notice, that 
he might deliver us from this present evil age. There are two ages spoken of 
in the scripture. and the age to come. The age 
to come is the new heavens and the new earth, wherein righteousness 
dwells. This age is marked by sin. This 
age is marked by evil. This age is marked by wickedness 
and lawlessness. And the idea here is that Christ 
gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this 
present evil age. The deliverance of which Paul 
speaks is not out of the material world, but from the evil which 
dominates it. Christ vindicates, Christ delivers, 
Christ brings his people out of this position, out of this 
state, out of this hardship. It's a beautiful thought. Paul 
speaks of these two ages in Ephesians chapter 1. Colossians chapter 
1, it speaks of Him transferring us from the kingdom of darkness 
into the kingdom of the Son of His love. You see, there has 
been a transplantation take part in the life of the elect, in 
the life of the believer. We have gone from subjectivity 
to the devil. being our Master and our Lord, 
being subject to the Lord God Most High. It is a most wonderful 
and a most blessed thing. Christ delivers us from this 
present evil age. The fourth observation, again 
working through the text, according to the will of our God and Father, 
the death of Christ was determined by God the Father. The death 
of Christ was determined by God the Father. We've already noted 
that God the Son voluntarily gives Himself to die for the 
elect. Well, the Father orchestrates 
this plan. The Father calls upon His Son 
to go and deliver the elect. There are several passages that 
indicate that the Father orchestrates the plan of salvation. It begins 
in the garden. When God comes to deal with the 
devil, he says, and I will put enmity between you and the woman 
and between your seed and her seed. He shall bruise your head 
and you shall bruise his heel. It's the proto-gospel. That's 
the first statement, the first promise concerning the deliverer 
who would be born of a woman and who would crush the head 
of the devil himself. God initiates the plan of salvation. This is a wonderful thing. Look 
at what it says here, according to the will of our God and Father. 
You know that in salvation, what is to be celebrated is not our 
free will. What is to be rejoiced in is 
not our ability. What is to be rejoiced in is 
the will of God Most High, who orchestrated this, who planned 
this, who unfolded this, and in the fullness of the time, 
sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem 
those under the law. You know, when a man says, I 
made the right decision or I made the choice for Jesus, I like 
to think they're speaking worse than is the case. I like to think, 
you know, they're just mixed up or they're just a bit confused. 
But when a man celebrates his own free will and a man celebrates 
his own free choice, he is negligent of and he is rejecting the stress 
that Paul lays upon this scheme of salvation. It is according 
to the will of our God and Father. That's what we need to rejoice 
in. That's what we need to celebrate 
in. We need to know Romans 9. It doesn't depend upon him who 
wills or upon him who runs, but on God who shows mercy. Genesis 
22, when Abraham takes Isaac up to Mount Moriah. Isaac is 
a pretty sharp young man. He says, we've got the wood, 
we've got the fire, but where's the sacrifice? What's Abraham 
say? Theology 101. He's teaching him 
doctrine. He's teaching him soteriology 
on the way to Moriah. He says the Lord will provide. 
The Lord will provide. Himself the lamb for a burnt 
offering Isaiah 53 verses 10 and 11 yet it pleased Yahweh 
to bruise him speaking of the servant of the Lord We know the 
servant of the Lord is Jesus Christ. It pleased Yahweh to 
bruise Christ He has put him to grief when you make his soul 
an offering for sin. He shall see his seed He shall 
prolong his days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in 
his hand He shall see the labor of his soul and be satisfied 
by his knowledge. My righteous servant shall justify 
many for he shall bear their iniquities." You know, oftentimes 
we get emotional, we get sentimental, and we say, it was me that sent 
the Son of God to the cross. In a sense, that's true. Our 
sin, our wickedness, our rebellion, our evil necessitated this plan 
of redemption. But the author of it, the grand 
orchestrator, the maestro of redemption, is the Father who 
sent the Son. It is God the Lord who is pleased 
to crush him, putting him to grief so that he could save his 
people from their sins. That's where comfort lies. That's 
where celebration ought to be directed. John 6, 38 to 40, for 
I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the 
will of Him who sent me. This is the will of the Father 
who sent me, that of all He has given me, I should lose nothing, 
but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will 
of Him who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes 
in Him may have everlasting life, and I will raise Him up at the 
last day. You see, Christ is not here as 
some sort of a confused man trying to figure out what his purpose 
is. Christ was on a mission sent 
from God to save his people from their sins, and that is what 
marked him every moment of every day. He voluntarily undertook, 
on behalf of the elect, to rescue, to save, and to redeem those 
whom the Father had given Him. It's according to the will of 
God. Peter can say on the day of Pentecost, him, speaking of 
Christ, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge 
of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified and put 
to death. Romans 3, 25 and 26, whom God 
set forth as a propitiation by His blood through faith to demonstrate 
His righteousness, because in His forbearance, God had passed 
over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at 
the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the 
justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Again, it's not 
free will that we sing of. It's not free will that we celebrate. 
We don't come in here and just marvel at the choice that we 
have made. We marvel the will. the sovereignty, 
the majesty, and the excellence of God Most High. And then fifthly, 
and finally, in terms of our working through the nature of 
the gospel, the death of Christ promotes the glory of God. Verse 5, to whom be glory forever 
and ever. Amen. Tracing back Christ gave 
himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present 
evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom, 
God and Father, be glory forever and ever. Amen. This entire arrangement 
does not occur first and foremost for our happiness, for our blessing, 
and for our felicity. It occurs first and foremost 
for the glory, the majesty, the excellence, and the name of God 
Almighty. Doxology is prompted by the summary 
of the gospel in verse 4. The soteriological implications 
of all that Paul has said, the voluntary nature of Christ's 
death, the substitutionary penal atonement of Christ, the deliverance 
from this present evil age, and the will of God the Father can 
only produce in Paul, only leads out this idea of to whom be glory 
forever and ever. Amen. Paul does something similar 
in the book of Romans, Romans chapter 11, after highlighting 
the great truths of the Christian gospel. How does he end the doctrinal 
portion? He ends the doctrinal portion 
with doxology, with praise, with worship, with adoration. Romans 
11.33, oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge 
of God. How unsearchable are his judgments 
and his ways past finding out. For who has known the mind of 
the Lord or who has become his counselor or who has first given 
to him and it shall be repaid to him for of him and through 
him. and to Him are all things, to 
whom be glory forever. Amen. The book of Revelation, 
chapters 4 and 5. God the Creator is celebrated 
in chapter 4. God the Redeemer is celebrated 
in chapter 5. As they consider the great redemptive 
truths involved in the death of the Lord Jesus, what happens? What's the response? What must 
a Christian or an angel do? They must worship and praise. 
They must sing. They must glorify. When you open 
that book, brethren, the idea is simple. You've been saved 
by grace through faith in Jesus. It's time to praise. It's time 
to adore. It's time to glorify. We've recognized 
these redemptive truths. The truths we've marveled at 
them. We fear in the presence of God. And that fear breeds 
praise. It breeds adoration. It breeds 
honor and glory. Notice in verse 4 of chapter 
5, giving you a bit more of the context. So I wept much. This 
is the presentation of the scroll with its seals. So I wept much 
because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll or 
to look at it. But one of the elders said to 
me, Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe 
of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll. 
and to loose its seven seals. And I looked, and behold, in 
the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and 
in the midst of the elders stood a lamb as though it had been 
slain, having the seven horns and seven eyes, which are the 
seven spirits of God, sent out into all the earth." You seen 
that? Did you see? Do you catch what's going on 
here? He is the lion of the tribe of Judah. When John looks, what 
does he see? He sees a lamb. A lamb is having 
been slain. The kingly, royal Judah tribe 
produces Messiah, who is both king and priest. This is the 
Psalm 110 man. This is the one of the order 
of Melchizedek. He is told, or he hears this 
idea, do not weep. Behold, the lion of the tribe 
of Judah, the root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll 
in the Lucid Seven Seals. We're prepared so that when John 
looks, we see this royal figure. We see a crown, we see a scepter, 
we see a sword, but that's not how this king of Judah rules. 
He rules through his redemptive work at Calvary. And I looked, 
and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living 
creatures, and in the midst of the elders stood a lamb, as though 
it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are 
the seven spirits of God, into all the earth. Then he came and 
took the scroll out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 
What an ascription of deity to our Lord Jesus. Could a creature 
take something out of the hand of God? No. Can you imagine that? Well, that's for me, Lord. What are you kidding me? John 
is presenting the Lion of the tribe of Judah in all his glory, 
in all his deity, all his majesty, and it hinges upon his redemptive 
work as this lamb that has been slain. Notice in verse 8, Now 
when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and 
the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having 
a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers 
of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, 
You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals for You 
were slain. You have redeemed us to God by 
your blood, out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 
and have made us kings and priests to our God, and we shall reign 
on the earth.' Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many 
angels around the throne, the living creatures and the elders, 
and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, 
and thousands of thousands saying with a loud voice, Worthy is 
the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and 
strength and honor and glory and blessing. And every creature 
which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and 
such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying, 
Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be to him who sits 
on the throne, and to the Lamb forever and ever. Then the four 
living creatures said, Amen, and the twenty-four elders fell 
down and worshipped him who lives forever and ever. You see the 
point? When you appreciate the cross, 
when you understand the voluntary nature of the death of the Son, 
when you understand that it was penal substitution, when you 
realize that He delivered us from this present evil age, and 
this according to the will of God the Father, you can't but 
help praise! You can't but help sing. You 
can't but help adore and honor and glorify. That is what Paul 
is doing in Galatians 1, 4, and 5. This consideration of gospel 
truth leads him to glorify the God of gospel truth. It really 
is a beautiful thing in Galatians 1, 4, and 5. It is a consistent 
pattern Throughout the scripture, when we understand the redemptive 
activity of God Most High, we will respond in worship. We will respond in adoration. Well, in conclusion, the focus 
of the Apostle Paul, he's going to wage war. This is a polemical 
letter. He's fighting Judaizers. He's 
combating heresy. He's combating error in the church. Didn't take long. He goes through, 
plants these churches, makes disciples, plants churches, Judaizers 
come and say, what Paul taught was good, it's excellent insofar 
as it goes, but you must also obey the law in order to have 
acceptance with God. Vis a vis circumcision. You need 
to believe on Jesus and you need to be circumcised in order to 
gain acceptance with God. Paul says no. It's not based 
on that. It's by grace alone, through 
faith alone, in Christ alone. So Paul starts off. In the greetings, 
he highlights the glory of gospel truth. Machen said, Paul was 
not like some modern preachers who are inclined to mention the 
blessed doctrine of the cross only when they are taken to task 
for neglecting it. Paul regarded it as the very 
foundation of the Christian life. And when it was belittled as 
it was in Galatia, he put his whole heart into its defense. You don't love that? Machen's 
dealing with liberals. Machen's dealing with people 
who don't mention the cross. He says, Paul is not like some 
modern preachers who are inclined to mention the blessed doctrine 
of the cross only when they are taken to task for neglecting 
it. That's not the only time you 
preach the cross, is if somebody says, you know, you never preach 
the cross. What does the church exist for but to preach the cross? I just can't get that in my head. 
You know, you hear about preacher this, preaching that. You hear 
about preacher whoever, preaching whatever. We need to preach Christ 
and Him crucified. This is like a no-brainer. So 
yeah, when you jump in the water, you get wet. You're in a church, 
you're sitting under a faithful pulpit ministry, you're hearing 
the cross. You're hearing the gospel. You're 
getting a lot of it. You're getting blood atonement. 
You're hearing about penal substitution. If Paul, in the first five verses, 
says more about the gospel than preachers say in the course of 
a pulpit ministry, brethren, we've got trouble in Zion. The 
Apostle sets the stage, he sets the parameters for the polemic 
that follows. It all is developed out of what 
he says in verses 4 and 5. It is a summary, it is a blessed 
summary of the truth of Christ's atoning work on behalf of souls. Secondly, we need to appreciate 
the reality that our Lord Jesus Christ is in fact God. He has deity. He is on the level 
with the Father. Remember the catechism, there 
is but one true, or there is one only, the true and the living 
God. In how many persons does this one God exist? There are 
three persons in the Godhead. the Father, the Son, and the 
Holy Spirit. And these three are one God, 
the same in substance, equal in power and glory." Notice in 
verse 3, grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord 
Jesus. The same thing we saw in 1st 
Timothy 1. This blessing comes from the source, the Father and 
the Son. They are on par, they are equal 
in power and authority. One commentator says, such statements 
relating Jesus Christ to God are truly astonishing. Truly 
astonishing, particularly so when we stop to realize that 
they were written by a monotheistic, that means a one God believing 
Jewish Christian, with reference to one who had lived on earth 
within recent memory. Now, if the commentators can 
be trusted, the Apostle was converted not long after the Ascension. 
We could put Paul's conversion right around 33 or 34. Paul wrote Galatians in about 
47 or 48. Do you see what this man is saying? Jesus was just here And Paul 
is equating him with God the Father. You see, very early on, 
there was a very high Christology developed. Why? Because we have 
a very high Christ. We have a glorious Lord. God 
the Son is magnificent, and the Apostle presents Him in such 
manner. Thirdly, we need to appreciate 
the world in which we live. That He might deliver us from 
this present evil age. The day and age in which we live 
is similar to the day and age in which Paul lived. We just 
happen to know everything now. That wasn't a statement of omniscience. 
That was a statement of availability. You can click on whatever news 
agency and find out about this Kermit guy in Philadelphia. Paul 
didn't have email. You wouldn't see him texting. 
who's talking to you. Hang on, I'm just texting here. 
Paul wouldn't do that, you see. Same evil, same wickedness, same 
wretchedness, same vileness. A little bit of a difference 
in terms of numbers of people and all of that. Calvin says, 
whatever delight men may take in their fancied excellence, 
they are worthless and depraved. Not a health, wealth, prosperity 
preacher. Calvin wouldn't do well on the circuit today. Whatever 
delight men may take in their fancied excellence, they are 
worthless and depraved. Not indeed in their own opinion, 
but in the judgment of our Lord, which is here pronounced by the 
mouth of Paul and which ought to satisfy our minds. You see, 
we preach Christ in this present evil age under the hopes, or 
with the hopes rather, and prayerfully that God will transfer men, women, 
boys and girls from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom 
of the Son of His love. And then finally, with reference 
to this brief statement concerning gospel truth, You are either 
a participant in the blessings of the age to come or you are 
a slave to sin and the devil in this present evil age. Paul 
indicates this whole concept in Ephesians 2. He highlights 
what Christians are prior to conversion. And in verse 1 of 
chapter 2 he says, and you he made alive, who were dead in 
trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to 
the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of 
the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 
among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our 
flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, 
and were by nature children of wrath just as the others." So 
you see, you're either a recipient of the blessing of God Most High, 
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, redemption through His blood, 
and you get to eat and drink tonight in celebratory remembrance 
of who Christ is, or you are a slave to the devil and you 
are subject to the Prince of the Power of the the heir that 
works in the sons of disobedience. My call to you, my invitation 
to you, is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Trust in the 
power, the sovereignty, the majesty of God, because Paul continues 
in verse 4, but God, who is rich in mercy because of his great 
love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, 
made us alive together with Christ. You need to look and you need 
to live by the grace of God for His glory. Eat and drink to the 
glory and to the praise of the Father and of the Son. Well, 
hopefully we have been somewhat encouraged by a brief study of 
the atoning work of our Lord Jesus Christ set forth in this 
brief opening in Galatians chapter 1, verses 4 and 5. Tonight, as 
we drink tonight, let us do so in remembrance of Him who gave 
Himself for our sins. Well, let us pray. Father, we 
thank You for Your Word. Thank You for the blessing of 
being found in Jesus. Thank You for so great a salvation. 
We know, Lord God, that we were dead in our trespasses and sins. 
You made us alive. We know that salvation is according 
to Your will. We know that it's all of grace, 
and we praise You that You have bestowed it upon us. And God, 
we want others to know this grace. We want others to know this mercy. 
We want others to be transferred from the kingdom of darkness 
into the kingdom of the Son of your love. Do this for your glory. Do this in your power. Do this 
with men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. 
And we ask these things in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. 
Amen.