Category: 2026 Sermons

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 20:58 — 14.4MB)

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Galatians 5:1-12

Galatians
Free To Serve
Galatians 5:1-12

Do you want to find a little heaven in all your relationships? Then learn to serve. It’s the reason why Christ set us free.

There is a particular kind of love here that sets us free to serve, and that’s the unconditional love of God demonstrated on the Cross of Jesus Christ.

Rather than being in bondage to the Law or to the sinful nature, [we are now free] to be in bondage to one another.

It’s His love for us, as we respond to His unconditional love.

We don’t need to bite and devour each other, because God loves us.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:41 — 18.3MB)

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Galatians 5:1-12

Galatians
Freedom’s Enemies
Galatians 5:1-12

It’s time to take a stand because there are those who would try to enslave us all over again to their religious rituals and legalistic systems.

Even though Christ has set them free, they want to go back to prison; they want to put themselves in bondage again;

The law is not a buffet or smorgasbord. You cannot pick and choose the parts you like and leave the rest.

If we insist on living the Christian life ourselves, if we insist on earning our way, then we get nowhere.

The law leaves us feeling helpless of ever reaching perfection. Faith gives us the hope of future righteousness.

Instead, live your life in dependence upon the Lord and be enriched with hope for the future and love in the present.

It only takes a little bit of their teaching, and before long it permeates the whole church.

If we’re going to enjoy our freedom, we must stay free from the law, and we must stay free from the legalist.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:02 — 19.9MB)

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Galatians 4:21-31

Galatians
Freedom’s Children
Galatians 4:21-31

Mothers are very important people (VIP’s). You don’t want to offend them, because they wield so much influence.

The first book of the Law, the book of Genesis, makes it very clear that Abraham had two children with two different mothers. One was a slave.

When we seek to secure God’s promised blessings through our own human efforts, we don’t get blessed; we get trouble.

There is a relationship with God based on adherence to the rules. The law said, “Obey and God will bless you; disobey and God will curse you.”

That’s what the covenant of law does to us. It makes us slaves to sin.

We relate to God on the basis of a promise with its unconditional blessings.

That’s because, as believers, we don’t relate to God on the basis of law; we relate to God on the basis of promise–the promise of His unfailing love.

So, get to know your mother, and throw out the other. Believe the promise, and stop trying to earn your way.