St Petri’s Home Text of 2025

Galatians 5:1-6,13

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is required to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[a]; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’

Context

It is timely to hear of our complete freedom in Jesus and our call to love people through self-giving service – NO LESS – NO MORE.

It is easy to take on all the worlds and the church’s problems and believe we ourselves are the ones who have to fix them all and somehow rise above all the issues we face, personally or as a church.

Many people over the years have seen Paul’s letter to the Galatians as THE word of being free in Christ where we hear again and again that we are not here to fix anyone’s problems or save the church or the world.

We are here to live in the freedom won for us by Jesus so that we simply live in self-giving, serving love – and with a joy that comes from his freeing love for us, right where he has placed us as individuals, families and a local mission outpost (church).

This seems to be a timely word for us as local church, as the new year come and so much change and disruption of how we have been continues to be our lived experience.

In all these challenges it is so good to hear that this faith of ours is simple at its core – grace. We are saved and we live by the underserved love and kindness of God fully lavished upon us in Jesus and delivered to us in our baptism by the Holy Spirit and every day since in his powerful Word and Sacrament.

Memory Word

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.

Prayers

(Let us pray that we are led by the Holy Spirit)

Christ our Saviour,
thank you for setting us free
from slavery to sin
and the condemnation of the law.
Make us alive by your Spirit,
and ready to follow and serve you.
For you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Prayer Points

  • for the church, that it may live by the Spirit
  • for those who have given up everything to follow Christ
  • for those who have answered God’s call, that they may be strengthened to endure
  • for those whose love of the world keeps them from loving God
  • for respect for human rights throughout the world
  • for all Christians, that we may show the fruit of the Spirit in our lives