IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT YOU (15 OF 15)
by Bob Ingle
Scripture: Galatians 6:1-10
This content is part of a series.
It's Not All About You (15 of 15)
Series: No Other Gospel
Bob Ingle
Galatians 6:1-10
Open to Galatians 6. One of the more interesting people in early church history is someone you probably have never heard of. His name was Simeon the Stylite. Here's a painting of him (picture). No photo since he lived 1500 years ago and the iPhone was yet to be invented. Simeon was the first of the Desert Fathers. Around 423 A.D. he constructed a 9-foot high pillar on the edge of the desert, and he climbed on top of that pillar and lived on it for the next six years. He didn't leave it once. I guess people brought him food, drink, cable tv. I don't know. He was asked repeatedly as to why he would do such a thing, and he explained that he was simply a Christian who wanted to commune with God free from worldly distractions. Living on top of the pillar was his way of trying to do this.
We're coming to the end of Galatians, and one of the issues we have to deal with is what it looks like to be a person transformed by the gospel of Jesus. Does it look like a person who wants to get away from the world and hang out on a pillar in the desert with God for six years? Is that true Gospel transformation?
Last week, we talked how Paul described gospel transformation as walking in the Spirit or living in the Spirit or being led by the Spirit. They all mean the same thing. That's how Paul described a Spirit controlled, Gospel transformed person. They are people who walk in the Spirit. They live in the Spirit. They are led by the Spirit. Now, the practical question I have is this: what does that look like? What exactly does a Spirit controlled, Gospel transformed person do? What does life in the Spirit look like? What does it result in?
Depending on who you ask, you're going to get a variety of responses and answers.
Devotional type people: life in the Spirit leads to better quiet times of prayer and meditation and study.
Legalist type people: Life in the Spirit looks li ...
Series: No Other Gospel
Bob Ingle
Galatians 6:1-10
Open to Galatians 6. One of the more interesting people in early church history is someone you probably have never heard of. His name was Simeon the Stylite. Here's a painting of him (picture). No photo since he lived 1500 years ago and the iPhone was yet to be invented. Simeon was the first of the Desert Fathers. Around 423 A.D. he constructed a 9-foot high pillar on the edge of the desert, and he climbed on top of that pillar and lived on it for the next six years. He didn't leave it once. I guess people brought him food, drink, cable tv. I don't know. He was asked repeatedly as to why he would do such a thing, and he explained that he was simply a Christian who wanted to commune with God free from worldly distractions. Living on top of the pillar was his way of trying to do this.
We're coming to the end of Galatians, and one of the issues we have to deal with is what it looks like to be a person transformed by the gospel of Jesus. Does it look like a person who wants to get away from the world and hang out on a pillar in the desert with God for six years? Is that true Gospel transformation?
Last week, we talked how Paul described gospel transformation as walking in the Spirit or living in the Spirit or being led by the Spirit. They all mean the same thing. That's how Paul described a Spirit controlled, Gospel transformed person. They are people who walk in the Spirit. They live in the Spirit. They are led by the Spirit. Now, the practical question I have is this: what does that look like? What exactly does a Spirit controlled, Gospel transformed person do? What does life in the Spirit look like? What does it result in?
Depending on who you ask, you're going to get a variety of responses and answers.
Devotional type people: life in the Spirit leads to better quiet times of prayer and meditation and study.
Legalist type people: Life in the Spirit looks li ...
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