Galatians 1:3-5 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present
evil age, according to the will of God our Father, to whom be glory for
ever and ever.  Amen.

 This past week I had the opportunity to attend Pastors' Institute held
at MLS.  Pastors' institute is something that MLS has been doing for a
number of years where they get a Professor from Wisconsin Lutheran
Seminary to come and lead us in a study of something or other.  Some of
the studies have been really good and some of the studies have been not
so good.
 This past week the topic of the institute was the book of Colossians,
one of the epistles of the Apostle Paul.  What we did was an isagogical
exegesis of the book.  In other words we translated the book from the
Greek but rather than a complete word by word analysis we simply
highlighted certain words and things about the book.  It was great to be
there and have my enthusiasm for God's Word and its marvel renewed all
the more.  Especially the letters of Paul.
 So imagine my delight when I finally had opportunity to sit down and
check what the texts were for this week and to discover the letter of
Paul to the Galatians.  Then I looked at how the readings for the next
number of weeks were laid out.  How joyful I was to see that for the next
few weeks we have readings from Galatians and then for the next few weeks
after that we have readings from the book of Colossians!  That settled
it.  All summer we are going to be looking at these writings of Paul and
catching his encouragement and inspiration in the faith.
 Our theme for this day will be: THE GRACE AND PEACE OF GOD. 1st. He gave
himself.  2nd. He rescued us.  3rd. This is our grace and peace.
 Let me give you just a little background on the book of Galatians.  The
title of the book comes from the fact that Paul was writing to the
churches of Galatia, a Roman province that is today located in the
central part of modern day Turkey.  Paul had established a number of
congregations in this area in the cities of Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and
Derbe.  No doubt this letter was circulated to all, or perhaps each
congregation received its own copy of this letter.
 Paul was writing to address a problem that had arisen within the
congregations.  After Paul had started them on the Gospel of Jesus some
false teachers had come bearing a message that completely undermined the
truth and wonder of the Gospel.  We hear Paul begin to address that in
verses 6-7a when he says, "I am astonished that you are so quickly
deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning
to a different gospel-which is really no gospel at all."  We know the
problem today as "Judaizers".  Judaizers were religious teachers who came
and wanted to mix into the message of Jesus the works of the Law and
dependence upon right and proper living.  It is this work righteousness
that Paul calls: "really no gospel at all."
 His words continue and you can see how adamant the Apostle of God is.
The Holy Spirit says through him, "Evidently some people are throwing you
into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.  But even
if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one
we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!"  Please note that
that phrase is repeated again just to drive home the importance of
getting the gospel of God right!  Our salvation depends on it.
 Now just one more thing before we emphasize what I want to share with
you.  Please note verse 10.  It says, "Am I now trying to win the
approval of men, or of God?  Or am I trying to please men?  If I were
still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."  Every
pastor I know well is a man who has and shares this attitude.  Preaching
the truth of Jesus is never easy and I can tell you right now, the
majority of the world is going to despise the message of Jesus just like
they despised Jesus.  I am not trying to please men, I am trying to share
the message of the Savior for the sake of souls.  Always ask yourself
this, "Do I dislike the pastor because he is a dislikable guy or is it
really his message that I don't like."  If you don't like me because of
genuine personality conflicts, well let's just work around it for the
sake of the Savior.  But if you determine you don't like the message,
Dear people, that is really a problem with Jesus and not with me.  I
don't try to please men at the cost of the gospel.  On the other hand, I
don't try and alienate those I serve either.  But on to the exciting
part.
 The part I want to highlight are the opening words of Paul.  These words
are so wonderful and so many of Paul's letters start in just the same
way.  I can understand why.
 First he says, "Grace and peace to you."  Please note that when we speak
of grace we are speaking of the unchangeable and undeserved love of our
God.  When we speak of peace, we are not talking about worldly peace but
rather about peace between God and man.  God and man had become enemies
and were truly opposed to one another.  But God has of his grace worked
out a peace.  A true peace that can even be the calm in the storms of
this world.  Not a peace for his sake but as these words say, "grace and
peace to you."  This grace of God and this peace of God that surpasses
all understanding is for us.  God wants us to have it and be filled with
it.  That truth is evident just by the next words.
 The next words say, "from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
Isn't that awesome!  Here are two of the most powerful beings in the
universe and they are not concerned with themselves but rather for us.
They are the very source and cause of this grace and peace.  It if from
them that the grace flows, this unearned love and it is from them that we
gain the peace that is truly peace.  That peace that God has given is the
equivalent of the most powerful nation in the world granting all to its
enemies, making every concession and giving every demand.  That's what
God has done for us.  Still there is more.
 The next phrase goes on and tells us how all of this has happened.  It
says, "who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil
age."  The who is Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ, true God and true man gave
himself for us.  That speaks of his entire act of redemption.  From the
time he was conceived until the time he was buried.  It speaks of how he
set aside his heavenly power and glory to become a man, live in our world
perfectly in order to become our substitute in hell.  That's right,
that's what Jesus did.  He gave himself especially to suffering the agony
of death and hell in our place.  He took his Father's wrath and anger
against sin for us.  He rescued us from the power of sin, death and the
devil.  He saved us from death and its eternal consequences.
 I say that because as the text clearly says, "who gave himself for our
sins."  He didn't give himself as an example of what we should be.  He
didn't give himself to show us it could be done.  He gave himself to do
it.  He gave himself to pay for our sins.  Yes, all the rotten, horrid,
ugly little sins we are guilty of Jesus came to pay for.  And He did pay
for them.  He became the atoning sacrifice for our sins.  Yes, by faith
in Jesus we then get this precious gift, the forgiveness of sins and
eternal life.  Because in forgiveness not only is sin defeated but so is
Satan and death.  We are forgiven children in Jesus!
 And just as surely as we have the forgiveness of sin in Jesus so this
forgiveness impacts our life.  That's the point behind how this phrase
ends.  He "rescues us from this present evil age."  The sinful world with
all its horrors, the ups and downs, its lack of morality and moral
compass is dealt with.  All of the garbage that we have before us now was
in the world then.  But God the Father and Jesus rescue us from the
cesspool of this world.  We have a different perspective.  We have a
heavenly perspective, a godly viewpoint, yes, we know that we don't have
to get sucked into the sewer of the world.  God guides us in a better
way.  God guides us in His Way, the way of grace and love.  God supplies
us with His peace so that even in the midst of the horrors of this world
we know that God is with us and working for our eternal good.  Paul
emphasizes that truth in Romans with the words, "I consider that our
present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be
revealed in us."  Please know that the forgiveness of sins we have in
Christ impact our eternal and earthly worlds.  We are God's children and
heirs of eternal life.  We are God's children who are doted over by the
Father and carried along by our greater brother Jesus.  All of this for
us.  To rescue us from this present age and deliver us to God's eternal
kingdom.
 One last thing, an important one!  Note the final phrase "according to
the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever."  The
importance of this verse isn't that we get reminded of God's eternal
nature but rather that we clearly and surely grasp that the grace, peace,
forgiveness and rescue we have been rejoicing in is not of our doing but
rather the very will of the Father.  He did these things.  He promised
them and fulfilled them.  He planned them and carried them out.  He is
again the force and power of all of this.
 It is a great phrase to remind us that salvation or faith is not about
us.  It is not about what we do and accomplish but what God has done and
accomplished.  God has brought us grace and peace.  God the Father has
given the gift of Jesus the Son.  Jesus has given himself for our sins
and that we might be rescued.  All of this because it is what God wanted!
 His will was and is always being done.  He will is working for us and
our eternal life.
 I hope that you found these words as exciting as I found them.  Great
words.  Simple words but words of awesome revelation for our eternal
souls.  Yes, may grace and peace in Jesus be yours.  Amen.