Reverberate: A Berean Bible Church Podcast | Knoxville, TN

Title: Faith Works
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02:28 - Galatians in Three Sections
03:10 - Reading Galatians 2:15-21
05:03 - Three Concepts from This Passage
05:13 - What is Justification?
09:58 - What Are Works of the Law?
14:04 - What is Faith in Christ?
18:00 - Paul Addressing Peter: We Are All Justified Through Christ Alone
21:31 - Paul Addresses Accusation: Is Freedom in Christ Serving Sin?
25:37 - United to Christ Under the Curse of the Law
31:25 - The Law Cannot Give Life. Jesus Can.
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Galatians 2:15–21
We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. (ESV)
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In “Faith Works” on Galatians 2:15–21, Pastor Jed Gillis explains that our standing with God is not earned by “works of the law” or any human performance, but given through faith in Jesus Christ. Justification means God declares you accepted and approved, not because you met a standard, but because you rest in Christ. Paul’s challenge to Peter shows that both Jew and Gentile are justified the same way: through Christ alone. Freedom in Christ is not permission to sin. It ends self-justification. United to Jesus, we have died to the law as a way of earning favor, and now live by faith in the Son of God who loved us and gave himself for us. The law cannot give life, but Jesus can. To seek righteousness by works would empty the cross of its purpose. Grace, not effort, gives real rest to a weary soul.
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Berean Bible Church is a non-denominational church in East Knoxville, TN. We are grounded in the Word, celebrating the transformative power of the Gospel. Our community thrives on worship and mutual encouragement, fostering deep connections among members. Committed to our mission, we reach out with compassion and hope, reflecting God's glory throughout our city and beyond.
Learn more at berean.church.

Title: Servant Leadership in a Selfish World
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00:22 How Do I Show Christ-Like Love in the Workplace?
12:12 Why Are Counselors So Important for Leaders?
14:38 What's Next
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### Proverbs
* **Proverbs 20:28** – “Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king, and by steadfast love his throne is upheld.”
* **Proverbs 29:4** *(referenced)* – “By justice the king builds up the land…”
* **Proverbs 25:11** – “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.”
* **Proverbs 16:32** – “Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.”
* **Proverbs 22:3** – “The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.”
* **Proverbs 11:14** – “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.”
### New Testament
* **Matthew 20:25–27** – “The Gentiles lord it over them… But it shall not be so among you. Whoever would be great among you must be your servant.”
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In this episode of Reverberate, Pastors Jed and Isaias join Jason to discuss what Proverbs teaches about leadership and work. They highlight that leadership magnifies both wisdom and foolishness, making self-control, discernment, and just actions even more important for those in authority. 
True biblical leadership is marked by love, humility, and service rather than efficiency or self-gain, reflecting Christ’s model of servant leadership. The conversation stresses that leaders are called to steward people, not just systems or profits, creating environments that reflect God’s character. Finally, they note Proverbs’ emphasis on seeking wise counsel, reminding leaders that humility and the perspective of others guard against pride and lead to decisions that bless those they serve.
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Berean Bible Church is a non-denominational church in East Knoxville, TN. We are grounded in the Word, celebrating the transformative power of the Gospel. Our community thrives on worship and mutual encouragement, fostering deep connections among members. Committed to our mission, we reach out with compassion and hope, reflecting God's glory throughout our city and beyond.
Learn more at berean.church.

Title: Grace Worth Fighting For
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00:00 - Introduction: A Broken Fellowship
08:43 - Reading Galatians 2
09:51 - Tasting the Radical Unity of the Gospel
10:46 - What Social Pressures Caused Peter to Back Away?
13:18 - Peter Led Others Astray, Even Barnabas
14:48 - Paul Confronts Peter as a Brother, Not as a False Teacher
16:37 - Why Did Paul Respond So Strongly?
17:06 - 1. Gospel Compromise Kills Fellowship
19:42 - 2. For Those Trusted with the Gospel, Even Your Welcome Has Consequences
26:36 - 3. In Order to Guard The Gospel, You Must Rest in the Gospel
27:00 - What Is Hypocrisy?
32:05 - What Is Legalism?
34:06 - Rest in the Gospel Leads to Victory
38:45 - Conclusion & Invitation
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Galatians 2:11–16
But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. (ESV)
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In Galatians 2:11-16, Paul recounts confronting Peter in Antioch over a moment of hypocrisy that threatened the gospel's truth. Peter, once freely sharing meals with Gentile believers in joyful unity, withdrew when Jewish visitors from James arrived, fearing the circumcision party's disapproval. This act, driven by social pressures for salvation, safety, and evangelism, led other Jews, including Barnabas, to follow suit, implying Gentiles must adopt Jewish customs to belong. Paul opposed Peter publicly, not as a false teacher but as a brother whose conduct strayed from convictions, asking how Peter could live as a Gentile yet compel others to Judaize.
Paul highlights three truths for guarding the gospel. First, compromising the gospel destroys fellowship, while clarity in grace fosters peace-filled unity among believers. Second, those entrusted with the gospel, like leaders, bear responsibility in their welcome; even a simple withdrawal signals second-class status, distorting grace and pressuring others toward legalism. Third, to defend the gospel outwardly, one must rest in it inwardly. Peter's fear exposed unrest, allowing hypocrisy to emerge as he concealed true beliefs under a mask of conformity.
Hypocrisy here means acting against known convictions, not mere failure in sanctification, but concealing grace amid fear. Legalism, Paul insists, cannot justify anyone. Instead, justification comes by faith in Christ alone. Resting in God's unmerited favor dispels internal fears, enabling grace to flow through actions. Sins thrive on soul unrest, but gospel light transforms, cutting roots of hypocrisy and legalism for true freedom.
---
Berean Bible Church is a non-denominational church in East Knoxville, TN. We are grounded in the Word, celebrating the transformative power of the Gospel. Our community thrives on worship and mutual encouragement, fostering deep connections among members. Committed to our mission, we reach out with compassion and hope, reflecting God's glory throughout our city and beyond.
Learn more at berean.church.

Title: Guiding Children, Honoring Parents
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00:24 How Do We Wisely Apply "Rod Language" Today?
12:40 How Do I Honor Parents Who Are Not Honorable?
17:03 What's Next?
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### Proverbs
* Proverbs 13:24 – “Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.”
* Proverbs 22:15 – “Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.”
* Proverbs 29:17 – “Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart.”
* Proverbs 23:13–15 – “Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die…”
* Proverbs 1:8 – “Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching.”
* Proverbs 20:20 – “If one curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.”
### Other Scripture References
* Psalm 23:4 – “Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
* Genesis 49:10 – “The scepter shall not depart from Judah…”
* Ephesians 6:1 – “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”
* Colossians 3:21 – “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.”
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In this episode of Reverberate, Pastors Jed and Isaias join Jason to unpack Proverbs’ teaching on family life. They discuss the call for parents to discipline their children in love, noting that “the rod” in Proverbs points to correction and authority, not cruelty or abuse. Discipline is meant to shape hearts toward wisdom through consistent, loving guidance rather than anger or domination. 
The conversation also explores how children, especially adults, can honor parents even when their lives have not been honorable. Honor does not mean blind obedience or imitation but showing respect, listening with openness, and extending opportunities for trust, while still holding to biblical wisdom. 
Together, these principles reflect God’s own loving authority and help families walk in His design for correction, respect, and restoration.
---
Berean Bible Church is a non-denominational church in East Knoxville, TN. We are grounded in the Word, celebrating the transformative power of the Gospel. Our community thrives on worship and mutual encouragement, fostering deep connections among members. Committed to our mission, we reach out with compassion and hope, reflecting God's glory throughout our city and beyond.
Learn more at berean.church.

Title: Entrusted
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00:00 - The Foundation of Rest in the Gospel
01:14 - Will the Gentiles be Embraced as Brothers?
02:03 - Reading Galatians 2:1-10
03:45 - Will the Church in Jerusalem Embrace the Gentile Converts?
04:47 - What Does "Running in Vain" Mean?
06:07 - Paul's Concern that the Gentiles be Grafted In
07:29 - Paul Handles Disagreements Directly
09:00 - Who Are the False Brothers?
10:55 - Truth is Greater than Unity
10:49 - The Risk of Slavery in the Church
13:58 - Anything that Adds to the Gospel is Slavery
17:39 - How Do You Wrestle with All the Different Voices?
17:57 - It's Not Always the Most Careful Position
19:42 - What Was Paul's Response to the False Brothers?
20:52 - Why Are We Drawn to Distorted Gospels?
22:02 - Paul's Meeting with Peter, James, and John
23:32 - Was Paul's Teaching Legitimate?
25:02 - The Same Gospel in Different Contexts
28:01 - What is the Result of a Pure Gospel?
30:14 - The Gospel is a Treasure
32:46 - May the Grace of God Be Seen in Us
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Galatians 2:1–10
Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery—to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do. (ESV)
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In “Entrusted” on Galatians 2:1–10, Jed Gillis traces Paul’s trip to Jerusalem with Barnabas and Titus to confirm that the one gospel of grace welcomes Gentiles without adding law-keeping. Titus was not forced to be circumcised, showing that salvation is through Christ alone. Paul resisted “false brothers” who tried to trade gospel freedom for rules that lead to slavery. Truth comes before a shallow version of unity, yet real unity grows wherever the true gospel is kept. James, Peter, and John recognized the grace at work in Paul and gave fellowship, affirming one message preached in different contexts. The fruit of that grace is generosity, seen in the call to “remember the poor,” which Paul was eager to do. The sermon urges you to rest in Christ, refuse any “Jesus plus” message, and let grace shape both your confidence before God and your love for others.
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Berean Bible Church is a non-denominational church in East Knoxville, TN. We are grounded in the Word, celebrating the transformative power of the Gospel. Our community thrives on worship and mutual encouragement, fostering deep connections among members. Committed to our mission, we reach out with compassion and hope, reflecting God's glory throughout our city and beyond.
Learn more at berean.church.

Title: Grace Marriage: What It Is and Why It Matters
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00:24 - Describe Grace Marriage in a Sentence or Two
02:11 - What Grace Marriage is Not
03:19 - Grace Marriage is All Lengths of Marriage
04:08 - Why Did Grace Marriage Resonate with You?
07:13 - How Is Grace Marriage Different Than a Seminar
09:09 - What Does a Monthly Session Look Like?
11:49 - What Resources Do Couples Receive?
13:01 - How Do You Sign Up?
16:32 - What Is Your Hope for a Year From Now?
18:29 - What's Next?
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In this episode of Reverberate, Jason Harper talks with Todd and Ann Rechenbach about the heart behind Grace Marriage and how it works in practice. They describe the ministry as a year-long commitment where couples meet monthly to intentionally strengthen their marriages through guided conversations, resources, and encouragement. 
Unlike a seminar or a small group, Grace Marriage is an ongoing space for couples to engage with one another, build healthy habits, and find hope in Christ. Todd and Ann share why the program resonated with them, how it speaks to couples in every stage of life, and why it offers a needed path between premarital counseling and crisis counseling. Their vision is for marriages at Berean and the surrounding Knoxville area to grow stronger, creating a ripple effect of healthier families and a healthier church community.
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The first Grace Marriage session will be held on Friday, September 12, and to receive your materials in time, please register by Friday, August 29. This ministry is open to anyone, whether you’re part of Berean, the school, or the wider community. We invite you to learn more or register today at berean.church/grace-marriage.
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Berean Bible Church is a non-denominational church in East Knoxville, TN. We are grounded in the Word, celebrating the transformative power of the Gospel. Our community thrives on worship and mutual encouragement, fostering deep connections among members. Committed to our mission, we reach out with compassion and hope, reflecting God's glory throughout our city and beyond.
Learn more at berean.church.

Title: Grace Marriage: Joys and Challenges in Real Life
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00:31 What Did Your Early Marriage Look Like?
03:35 What Were The Joys and Challenges of Marriage?
06:50 How Did You Work Through Challenges?
09:19 Why Didn't Marriage Seminars Work for You?
12:02 What Led You to Focus on Helping Marriages?
16:47 Why Do Strong Marriages Matter for the Church?
21:21 What's Next?
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In this episode of Reverberate, Jason Harper talks with Todd and Ann Rechenbach about their journey as a couple and the lessons God has taught them along the way. They share how their relationship began, the joys of starting a family, and the challenges of navigating differences in personality, routines, and expectations. The conversation highlights how community, counseling, and intentional conflict resolution shaped their early years together. 
Todd and Ann also reflect on why quick-fix marriage seminars didn’t provide lasting help and how ongoing encouragement and accountability are essential for growth. Ultimately, their story points to the importance of relying on Christ, extending daily forgiveness, and pursuing a marriage that strengthens both the family and the wider church.
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The first Grace Marriage session will be held on Friday, September 12, and to receive your materials in time, please register by Friday, August 29. This ministry is open to anyone, whether you’re part of Berean, the school, or the wider community. We invite you to learn more or register today at berean.church/grace-marriage.
---
Berean Bible Church is a non-denominational church in East Knoxville, TN. We are grounded in the Word, celebrating the transformative power of the Gospel. Our community thrives on worship and mutual encouragement, fostering deep connections among members. Committed to our mission, we reach out with compassion and hope, reflecting God's glory throughout our city and beyond.
Learn more at berean.church.

Title: From Hate to Hallelujah
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00:00 Berean Testimonies
05:47 Introduction
06:10 Paul is Telling His Story
06:46 Reading Galatians 1:11-24
08:23 Why Did Paul Write This in the First Place?
08:59 What Were The Agitators Saying About Paul?
11:31 What Were the Agitators Saying About the Gospel?
12:20 Which Gospel Offers True Transformation?
13:04 Paul's Testimony
13:19 Where Did Paul Start?
14:33 Why Did Paul Persecute the Church of God?
18:51 You Cannot Serve God by Striving to Earn His Approval
22:47 What Happened to Paul?
24:55 Kicking Against the Pricks
27:15 Paul's Life Turned Upside Down
28:21 Paul Experiences Unearned, Undeserved Favor
30:08 We Experience Grace so God Can Display Grace
31:43 Where Did Paul Go?
32:25 What Was The Result?
33:04 What's Paul's Goal in Sharing His Testimony?
34:10 Reactions to the Gospel
34:10 But, My Story Isn't Like Paul's Story...
36:04 But What Does the Gospel Do in My Life Now...?
36:53 My Story of Finding Rest in God
42:27 Luther's Journey to Finding Rest
43:55 The Gospel Radically Changes Your Life Now
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Galatians 1:11–24
For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother. (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” And they glorified God because of me. (ESV)
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In his sermon "From Hate to Hallelujah" on Galatians 1:11–24, Jed Gillis highlighted Paul’s personal testimony as proof that the gospel is not man’s invention but God’s revelation. Paul once relied on his religious zeal and rule keeping, even to the point of violently persecuting the church, yet God intervened and revealed Christ to him. This undeserved grace turned Paul’s life upside down, showing that salvation is received by faith, not earned by performance. Paul shared his story to confront those who claimed he altered the gospel for popularity and to remind believers that true transformation comes only from God’s grace. The same gospel that changed Paul still changes lives today, giving believers rest, approval, and purpose in Christ alone.
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Berean Bible Church is a non-denominational church in East Knoxville, TN. We are grounded in the Word, celebrating the transformative power of the Gospel. Our community thrives on worship and mutual encouragement, fostering deep connections among members. Committed to our mission, we reach out with compassion and hope, reflecting God's glory throughout our city and beyond.
Learn more at berean.church.

Title: Boasting in God, Not Ourselves
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00:25 Positive Self-Evaluation vs. Pride
07:23 Developing Gifts Without Falling Into Pride
15:45 What's Next?
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### Proverbs
* Proverbs 11:2 – “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.”
* Proverbs 27:2 – “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.”
* Proverbs 16:18 – “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
### New Testament
* 1 Corinthians 11:1 – “Follow me as I follow Christ.”
* Galatians 4:19 – “I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.”
* 1 Timothy 1:15 – “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.”
* 1 Peter 4:10–11 – “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another…”
* 1 Corinthians 4:3–4 – “It is a very small thing that I should be judged by you… It is the Lord who judges me.”
* Philippians 1:3–6 – “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you…”
* 1 Thessalonians 1:2–3, 7 – Paul thanks God for their work of faith and notes they became an example to other believers.
* James 1:17 – “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.”
### Old Testament
* Exodus 4:10–14 – Moses says he cannot speak well; God responds that He made Moses’ mouth and becomes angry at his reluctance.
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In this episode of Reverberate, Pastors Jed and Isaias join Jason to examine Proverbs’ warnings against pride and its destructive effects, while also exploring the place for healthy confidence and gratitude in the Christian life. They highlight that believers can acknowledge God-given gifts and rejoice in their fruit without slipping into sinful boasting, as long as their focus remains on God’s glory rather than self-reliance. 
The conversation draws from Paul’s letters and other scriptures to show how encouragement, affirmation, and confidence can be God-centered, not prideful. True humility does not deny God’s work in us but gratefully recognizes that every good gift comes from Him.
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Berean Bible Church is a non-denominational church in East Knoxville, TN. We are grounded in the Word, celebrating the transformative power of the Gospel. Our community thrives on worship and mutual encouragement, fostering deep connections among members. Committed to our mission, we reach out with compassion and hope, reflecting God's glory throughout our city and beyond.
Learn more at berean.church.

Title: Counterfeit Cures
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02:09 - Troubled by False Teachers
02:59 - Reading Galatians 1:6-10
03:54 - Who Were the Galatians?
05:06 - Paul's Care for the Galatians
06:10 - Paul's Strong Language
07:55 - Let False Teachers be Accursed
09:19 - What Does "Gospel" Mean?
11:55 - The False Gospel of Following the Mosaic Law
15:16 - Adding to the Gospel Changes the Gospel
19:48 - Putting Conditions on the Gospel Depletes Its Meaning
24:02 - Two Contradictory Cures Ends in Death
25:29 - Some Potential False Cures that Tempt Us
26:18 - Man's Approval
28:24 - Prosperity Gospel
30:05 - Pleasure
31:54 - Productivity
33:42 - Rest
34:42 - Sincerity
35:25 - Nostalgia
36:22 - Only Jesus Can Give You Rest
38:00 - We Are Tempted From Multiple Angles
42:15 - Reality Crushes False Gospels
43:01 - Grace And Peace Only Come through the Gospel of Jesus
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Galatians 1:6–10
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. (ESV)
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In his sermon *Counterfeit Cures* on Galatians 1:6–10, Jed Gillis warns that false gospels are like dangerous “cures” that promise healing but lead to destruction. Just as misguided treatments in history brought death instead of health, spiritual counterfeits threaten the soul. Paul’s strong language to the Galatians shows how serious it is to desert God’s grace in Christ and turn to distorted teachings. Gillis explained that adding anything to the gospel—law-keeping, approval, prosperity, pleasure, productivity, or even tradition—changes it into something that no longer saves or gives rest. These substitutes may look good or feel religious, but they can’t bring peace because they always demand more and offer no forgiveness when we fail. Only the true gospel of Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, provides lasting relief, forgiveness, and rest. Gillis urged listeners to recognize the “counterfeit cures” they might chase and to hold fast to God’s unmerited grace, the only real good news.
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Berean Bible Church is a non-denominational church in East Knoxville, TN. We are grounded in the Word, celebrating the transformative power of the Gospel. Our community thrives on worship and mutual encouragement, fostering deep connections among members. Committed to our mission, we reach out with compassion and hope, reflecting God's glory throughout our city and beyond.
Learn more at berean.church.