Substitute Gospels
Sermon Notes
Today we’re continuing our teaching series called Gospel Revolution, which is about understanding the life changing power of the gospel. The gospel’s the primary message of Jesus, it’s a message that has life changing implications for our lives, and something I mentioned in the 1st week of this series is that the word gospel means joyful news. Historically it’s a word that was used to announce life changing events like a nation crowning a king or winning a war against an invading enemy. What makes Jesus such joyful gospel news is that he came to be a greater King and give us a greater Kingdom. He came to be a greater warrior and to defeat our greatest enemy which is death. He came to our hurting world to be more than just another religious teacher. He came to be our King, our Warrior, our Savior.
Now everyday we’re bombarded with substitute gospels that offer to bring us joyful news. If you turn the tv on you’ll see a bunch of political adds offering to be the savior of our nation. You’ll see a COVID gospel, an economics gospel, a social justice gospel, a keep America safe gospel. It’s all kinds of political adds offering to be the savior of our nation...If you go to a magazine stand you’ll find even more substitute gospels offering joyful news. There’s a health gospel, a beauty gospel, a scientific gospel, and the list goes on...My point is we’re constantly being bombarded with substitute gospels offering to bring us joyful news, and some are helpful, some are hurtful, but none of them are eternal. Only the gospel of Jesus offers us eternally joyful news, since only Jesus was able to conquer the tomb, and this is what we’re gonna talk about today. So let’s turn to Galatians 1:1-10 and get into. You’ll find Galatians in the last quarter part of your bible. We’ll be in Galatians 1:1-10. The title of today’s message is Substitute Gospels, and the big idea is don’t settle for substitute gospels...Don’t settle for substitute gospels.
Context:
Here’s your context. Galatians was written by a strong Christian leader named Paul, and he writes this letter to address the issue of substitute gospels. He’s frustrated over how some of the Christians living in Galatia are so quick to settle for substitute gospels, and we’ll see some of this frustration come out right in the beginning of his letter. Let’s check it out.
The Word:
Galatians 1:1-10 states this, “Paul, an apostle not from men or by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead, 2 and all the brothers who are with me. To the churches of Galatia.” Notice Paul says he’s ‘an apostle,’ and the Greek word for ‘apostle’ means ‘one who is sent.’ Technically every Christian’s ‘sent’ to advance the gospel, which is why we end our services saying “City Awakening you’re sent.” But not every Christian’s sent to be an Apostle like Paul. In this context Apostle refers to a very small group of Christian leaders who Jesus personally selected and sent to lead the early church in all matters of the Christian faith. So when Paul’s mentioning his apostolic authority he isn’t being prideful, he’s reminding them that the gospel he shared is the true gospel that came directly from Jesus. He’s reminding them to follow the true gospel of Jesus, instead of substitute gospels.
Vs. 3, “Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father. 5 To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” Paul immediately jumps into sharing the gospel. In vs 4 he says Jesus gave himself for our sins, and that’s the gospel of Jesus. It’s that Jesus substituted his perfect life for our sinful life on the cross. He stood in our place on the cross and gave himself for our sins. Jesus did this because he loves us and wants us to have eternal life with eternal joys in him, and that’s the gospel Paul was sent by Jesus to deliver as an apostle. Now these first five verses help give us 3 criteria for identifying substitute gospels.
The 1st criteria is Apostolic Leadership = You need to ask if the joyful gospel news, if the savior you’re being presented with has apostolic leadership? Paul points to his apostolic leadership to prove his gospel is from Jesus, because if it isn’t from Jesus it’s a substitute gospel. A doctor saying they can cure you from a terminal illness is good news to celebrate. But it isn’t eternal news because eventually something else will get you. It’s a substitute gospel...Only the gospel that comes from the apostles, that comes from Jesus, is eternal news.
The 2nd criteria is Gospel Content = In vs 4 Paul talks about the death of Jesus, and in vs 2 he talks about the resurrection of Jesus. He says the gospel is about how Jesus died for our sins on the cross and rose again on the 3rd day. If the joyful gospel news, if the savior your being presented with doesn’t contain those elements, it’s a substitute gospel.
The 3rd criteria is Jesus Gets The Glory = In vs 5 Paul says to him be the glory, meaning Jesus gets the glory for our joy and salvation. Every substitute gospel makes you or somebody else the hero, the savior, and so they get the glory instead of Jesus. But Paul says Jesus is the one who suffered, he’s the one who died on the cross, he’s the one who rose again to give us eternal joys in him, so to him be the glory not us or anybody else. If anybody else gets the glory other than Jesus, then it’s a substitute gospel. The way to identify substitute gospels is to check for apostolic leadership, for gospel content, and to see if Jesus gets the glory.
Vs. 6, “ I am amazed that you are so quickly turning away from him who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel...” Now this isn’t a typical greeting for Paul. His letters usually start a little warmer and include a prayer of thanksgiving, but he doesn’t do that here which tells us how concerned he is. He skips the pleasantries and gets right into the gospel because he’s concerned about how easily the Galatians are settling for substitute gospels. But I want you to notice what he says specifically in vs 6. Notice he doesn’t say they’re deserting it, he says they’re deserting him, meaning they’re deserting Jesus. It’s because the gospel isn’t about an it, it’s about him, it’s about having an eternal relationship with Jesus. The eternal joy we crave won’t ever come from turning to substitute gospels and saviors, it’ll come from turning to Jesus, it’ll come from having an eternal relationship with Jesus. But the Galatians are so easily turning away from Jesus and turning to a different gospel, a substitute gospel.
Now we do this too sometimes, we sometimes turn to other things hoping they’ll fill the joy void in our hearts, but none of it ever lasts. All the people, products, political promises can give you joy in the moment, but none of it ever lasts and eventually there’s a joy void in your heart again. We’re far too easily swayed by substitute gospels and saviors that can’t ever deliver what only Jesus can deliver. C.S. Lewis states, “We’re half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition, when infinite joy is offered us. We’re like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum, because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea.” We want to play with joyful mud pies, when what Jesus offers us is an endless sea of joy in him. What are some of the joyful mud pies you’ve been seeking?...What are some of the joyful mud pies, the substitute gospels and saviors you’ve been seeking?...Whatever those joyful mud pies are, whatever those substitute gospels and saviors are, they’re nothing compared to the endless sea of joy Jesus offers you. Paul’s says they’re really no gospel at all.
Again vs. 6, “ I am amazed that you are so quickly turning away from him who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel, 7 not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are troubling you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.” Paul’s referring to people called the Judaizers. The reason he says they’re distorting the gospel is because they’re telling the Galatians they need to follow Jewish law to have a relationship with Jesus. In fact the Greek word for distort means to pervert. So they’re distorting, they’re perverting the gospel by adding something Jesus never required for a relationship with him. It’s a substitute gospel where they’re basically saying “First you have to follow these laws, clean your life up, then you can have a relationship with Jesus.” But the real gospel says “First Jesus offers you a relationship, then he helps to clean your life up. First he forgives you of sin, then he helps you grow in your relationship with him.” These Judaizers weren’t apostolic leaders sent by Jesus, and their gospel isn’t the true gospel. It’s a distorted, perverted, substitute gospel, which is really no gospel at all.
Vs. 8, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, a curse be on him! 9 As we have said before, I now say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, a curse be on him!” Notice the certainty Paul has in the gospel he’s teaching. He’s basically saying “If I’m lying about this! If the gospel I’m teaching isn’t the true gospel of Jesus! Then may God curse me and never bless me again!” The fact he’s willing to say that should give us great confidence that the gospel he’s teaching, is the true gospel of Jesus. Because if it isn’t, then it means he just condemned himself with his own words. But the reason he isn’t afraid to say this is because he knows with certainty, that the gospel he’s teaching isn’t a substitute gospel...it’s the true gospel of Jesus.
Vs. 10, “For am I now trying to persuade people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Paul’s saying the easier thing is to be tolerant of the Judaizers and other substitute gospels, because he’d gain a lot of affirmation from others. But he isn’t willing to do that because it’s be turning his back on Jesus. This gives us even more certainty that the gospel he’s teaching is the true gospel of Jesus. I mean if what he’s teaching isn’t true, then he has no reason to remain loyal to Jesus. He could just take the easy way out, be tolerant of their substitute gospel, and gain their affirmation instead of their rejection. But he doesn’t do that because he’d rather be loyal to Jesus and rejected by people, than be loyal to people and rejected by Jesus. So he rejects the substitute gospels and remains loyal to teaching the true gospel he received from Jesus. But fast forward to 2020 and we fall for substitute gospels just like the Galatians. Here’s 4 substitute gospels we tend to fall for.
#1 The Good Deeds Gospel = It’s a substitute gospel where you try to earn God’s favor, earn God’s blessings, earn your salvation by doing good deeds. It’s a form of the Judaizer’s gospel where you have to follow certain laws to have a relationship with Jesus. Some of you grew up in churches like this where the focus was on following a set of rules. It was do this, don’t do this, don’t dance because it’ll lead to 3rd base. One of my buddies churches used to tell him “Don’t drink, don’t chew, or date girls who do.” The issue with such churches isn’t that they have rules, because everybody has rules. Our families, our jobs, our entire society has rules. So it shouldn’t bother us that churches have rules, it should bother us if they misuse the rules or elevate the rules above the grace of Christ. It should bother us is if they say following the rules is what makes you right with Christ. Paul wasn’t against obedience to God’s laws, he was against elevating God’s laws above the grace of Christ. The true gospel teaches obedience in response to the grace of Christ, not in hopes of getting right with Christ. It’s foolish to think we can manipulate God with our puny good deeds, especially knowing we’ll eventually fail to live out those deeds.
#2 The Tolerance Gospel = This is another substitute gospel where you think the rules don’t apply to you, because it doesn’t really matter what you believe or do. But Paul’s saying it does matter what you believe! If it didn’t matter he would’ve taken the affirmation instead of risking rejection. The tolerance gospel sounds so loving and inclusive, but it really isn’t, because eventually everybody draws a line in the sand. I mean you wouldn’t tell your friend struggling with an addiction it doesn’t matter if they destroy their life. You wouldn’t tell somebody like Hitler it doesn’t matter if they kill people based on race. Eventually everybody draws a line in the sand against tolerance, just like God draws a line in the sand when it comes to salvation. The true gospel isn’t that God saves everyone, it’s that God saves anyone who has faith in Jesus.
#3 The Better Person Gospel = This is another substitute gospel where you think the only thing that matters is helping you to be a better person. It isn’t about being the person Christ wants you to be, it’s about being the best person you want to be. There’s a lot of seeker friendly churches like this. They rarely if ever focus on the importance of doctrine and obedience, instead they focus on making the bible relevant and you being a better version of yourself. They dress the pastor up like a hipster, do creative sermon series, use current movie clips to be relevant. The issue isn’t in their desire to be relevant or in helping you to be a better person. It’s that they focus so much on being relevant, that you walk away remembering the movie clip instead of Christ. Watching movie clips of the Greatest Showman can motivate your heart, but it can’t change your heart. Living out 5 steps to a better marriage can affect your marriage, but it isn’t as effective as the gospel changing your heart towards your marriage. The power to change your life and make you a better person doesn’t come from a movie clip or helpful ‘to do’ lists, it comes from Christ.
#4 The Quick Fix Gospel = This is another substitute gospel, and one I think many of us can relate with. It’s where we turn to something else other than Jesus to be a quick fix for the joy void in our hearts. For some people the quick fix is downing a bottle, smoking some CBD, or satisfying a sexual craving...For others it’s about getting married, having that special someone to share your burdens with...It can also be about buying new products, new gadgets, new clothes giving you a consumeristic high that makes you feel better about yourself. There’s all kinds of quick fixes we settle for thinking they’ll fill the joy void in our hearts, and not all of them are bad things. What makes them bad things is when we make them our primary savior and source for joy instead of Jesus. But none of it can ever satisfy the joy void in our hearts like Jesus. They can give you joy in the moment, but eventually the buzz wears off, the high comes down, the sex is over, the marriage has issues, the newness of the product fades, and your back to chasing joyful mud pies again. There’s always a quick fix, a joyful mud pie tugging at the joy void in your heart, and it’ll always overpromise and under deliver. Like Paul and C.S. Lewis said earlier, we’re far too easily swayed by substitute gospels and saviors, that can never deliver what only Jesus can deliver. Only Jesus can eternally save us and satisfy us. In the words of St. Augustine, “Our hearts are restless Lord, until they find their rest in you.”
The Big Idea:
Look the big idea is don’t settle for substitute gospels...If you’ve turned away from Jesus for a substitute gospel, then listen to the apostle Paul saying “There is no other gospel...There’s no other gospel, no substitute gospel that can eternally save you from your sins, and give you eternal joy.” So believe the gospel of Jesus, believe he gave himself for your sins, and let your greatest joy be found in your relationship with him. Instead of turning away from Jesus, turn away from your substitute gospels. Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Let us lay aside every hindrance and sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.” The more you look at Jesus, the more you’ll find your rest. The more you look at your substitute gospels as mud pies in the sand, the more you’ll find rest, in the endless sea of joy Jesus offers you.
C.S. Lewis states, “We’re half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition, when infinite joy is offered us. We’re like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum, because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea.”
#1 The Good Deeds Gospel
#2 The Tolerance Gospel
#3 The Better Person Gospel
#4 The Quick Fix Gospel
Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Let us lay aside every hindrance and sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.”