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Slaves to Sons (Galatians 4:1-20 November 11, 2018)

If you were to ask most non-Christians this question:

What words come to mind when you think of Christians? I think we would hear many words we wouldn’t like – homophobe, judgmental, bigot. But one word we might hope we would hear – free – well I doubt too many non-Christians look at us and think of us as being free. In fact – they think the exact opposite. They think they are free but we are restricted. They would argue – as a non-Christian – I am free to try drugs, lie, sleep around, live however I want – I am captain of my own destiny – I am uninhibited. But you – as a Christian you are not free to live how you want – you have to please your God – you have to obey His laws – so you Christians are less free. In our passage this morning – the Apostle Paul takes aim at this suggestion. Paul argues – you are only truly free when you are given the ability to achieve the deep longings of your heart. Think of it this way. The world talks a lot about freedom – but really – is a fish free to walk on land – is a man free to bear a baby – is an old man free to start growing younger? No!

SLAVES SONSGAL. 4:1-20

To

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Now having said that you might have read about Emile Ratelband this week. He is a 69 year-old Dutch pensioner – who self-identifies as 49 and has launched a lawsuit to be legally declared as 20 years younger. His argument is that if you can decide your gender and your race – why not your age? Well – you can’t. Eventually biology trumps foolishness. Wishing does not make something so – it only leads to frustration. If there is something you want to do but are unable to do it – the reality is repeated attempts that end in failure show the truth – you are enslaved. Desire + Inability = Slavery If you want something but can never achieve it no matter how hard you try – that is a form of slavery. But: Desire + Ability = Freedom If you are given the ability to achieve your deepest desires – this is freedom. Paul knows this. You are free only if you are actually able to achieve the desires of your heart. Imagine this. Two men are in a maze. There is one and only one way out of the maze – but it is humanly impossible to find the way out. It is the most complicated maze ever built. Every choice you make leads to dozens on more choices. But in the maze with these two men is someone else – the son of the designer – who says – I know the way out – if you want to live follow me. One of the men says – I don’t need you – I am free. I am free to choose any path I want – I can choose left, right, straight on. But he never escapes. His freedom is an illusion – it only leads to frustration – and never leads to his escape. The other man asks the son – please show me the way. He chooses to allow the son to enable him and says – will you show me the way? He follows every move the son makes – and finds the way out. Which one is truly free?

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We have people in this church who at one time exercised their supposed freedom to chase money and sex and drugs and pleasure – and they did not satisfy – they ended up even deeper in bondage. But when they chose to say – I can’t do it – Jesus help me – it is only then that they found freedom. Now, you might think anyone who moves from slavery to freedom would never go back. Tragically, it happens all the time. Satan, sin, self – all whisper – you were freer then. God is keeping you from the really good stuff. Or there are other things you need to do to make God really love you. This was the situation in Galatia. Let me remind you where we are in this book. The overall point of this letter is clear. There is – No Other Gospel! Paul tells them – the gospel I shared with you – faith alone – this is the only gospel – the only way of salvation – the only way to be in a right relationship with God – and anything else is accursed. Here is how the book divides up: FOUNDATIONS OF HERESY The Marks of Heresy – Corruption not Truth 1:1-10 The Source of Heresy – Man not God 1:11-2:14 The Root of Heresy – Law not Grace 2:15-3:18 The Fruit of Heresy – Bondage not Freedom 3:19-4:31 The Outcome of Heresy – Unrighteousness not Righteousness 5:1-6:10 The Conclusion of Heresy – Fear not Peace 6:11-18 We are in the fourth and longest point: The Fruit of Heresy – Bondage not Freedom 3:19-4:31 Christ came to set the captives free.

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To go back to the Law is to go back to bondage – to go back to slavery. Instead he calls on us all to press on to the freedom of life in Christ. Last time we saw that this section begins with this point: In Christ, we are freed from the bondage of:

Hopelessness 3:19-29 This week we see that: In Christ, we are freed from the bondage of:

Deception 4:1-20 The deception that enslaves us is the deception that we can find peace and joy through any means other than the one true gospel the gospel of faith alone. The deception that there are blessings that come through any means other than faith alone. So, the point we will find this morning is this: Every path that denies faith alone will enslave us Every path that denies faith alone will enslave us There are worldviews – paths – that whisper false ways to God and happiness. But, anything that teaches another way of salvation other than:

By Grace Alone Through Faith Alone Based on the completed work of Christ Alone

Will lead us to be enslaved. To see what I mean by this turn with me to Galatians 4.

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In verses 1-8 Paul describes the gospel in terms of slaves becoming sons. Who is enslaved? Notice – verse 3 – the Jews were enslaved. And verse 8 – the Gentiles were enslaved. Everyone is enslaved. Here is what is going on. We were all created with a desire to be in a relationship with God. Everyone has it to some degree. Even non-Christians grasp this. Shortly before he ended his own life, the deeply troubled novelist David Foster Wallace, spoke these words to the 2005 graduating class at Kenyon College. He said:

Here’s something else that’s weird but true: in the day-to day trenches of adult life, there is actually no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshipping.

Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. … If you worship money and things, if they are where you tap real meaning in life, then you will never have enough, never feel you have enough. It’s the truth. Worship your body and beauty and sexual allure and you will always feel ugly. And when time and age start showing, you will die a million deaths before they finally grieve you.

Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship.

Slaves into sons 1-8

Jews 1-7 Gen3les 8

Sons into slaves 9-20

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Worship is an intrinsic part of being human. But notice that he realised that no matter what you pursue in your worship it leaves us empty and dissatisfied. We were not created to find ultimate pleasure in things, work, fame, drugs, sex. We were created to worship one thing only – God. Romans 1 tells us that if we worship anything else – we end up enslaved. We are enslaved by our frustrated desires and unable to free ourselves. Paul describes the gospel as that which moves us from the bondage of slavery to the freedom of being sons. When Christ appeared Jews and Gentiles – male and female, slave and free – everyone was enabled to shed the bonds of slavery and became sons – through faith alone. First Paul shows this by describing how: Faith turns slaves into sons – verses 1-8. First, Paul shows how this happened to Christians who had been raised as Jews. Let’s read Galatians 4:1–2:

I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father.

Paul starts with an analogy. In his day a child had no legal rights. He might be in line to inherit everything – but until that day came he was a nobody – he had the same rights as a slave. Verse 3:

In the same way we also. We Jews were like this. Israel was in exactly the same position as the child. Israel was given the promise that the Seed, the Messiah, the Saviour would come and they would inherit the Kingdom. But under the Law – they did not have it.

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And as we saw last time, until the day the Seed, the Messiah came – God graciously gave them the Law as a tutor, a guardian, a manager. The Law revealed that Israel was in bondage – lost and without hope. The Law showed them the standard – and how far short they were of the standard. But the Law also contained hope – the Seed is coming. The One who will do what you cannot and free you from bondage. Verse 3:

In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world.

Before the coming of Christ – Israel was enslaved. Enslaved to – the elementary principles of the world. What does this mean? This term originally meant the very elements that make up the world – fire, wind, earth, water. It then broadened to refer to any basic building block – things such as alphabets or musical notes. It later began to refer to elementary principles or teachings. Philosophies about the basic ways the world functions. Eventually, it also took on the meaning of elementary beings – spiritual beings – the gods who created and control the universe. So, this is a very broad term. In my opinion the meaning that best fits the context of this passage is that Paul is using it to refer to elementary teachings or philosophies – the worldviews that tell us how the universe functions – or possibly to the spiritual beings who originated the false teachings. These are teachings that claim to reveal how to find the peace and joy we are all searching for. But because every worldview that originates apart from God is false – Paul says we are enslaved to these false paths – these deceptions. In the case of the Jews – they had been enslaved to the deception that the Law could actually save them. That they could meet the standard and be approved by God. But, verse 4:

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When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

The Jews were heirs – but they tried to claim the inheritance by showing they were worthy – by keeping the Law. They failed – miserably. All they showed was that they were enslaved. But, in the fullness of time – on the date set by the Father before the foundation of the world – Christ appeared and the heirs could now move from slavery to sonship. Christ was born of a woman – fully human – so that by His perfect life and death – He could redeem, He could free those who were under the penalty of the Law – those who could not meet the standard laid out in the Law. When Jesus began His ministry they first thing He did was to stand in a synagogue and read from Isaiah 61. He said – My Father sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives … to set at liberty those who are oppressed. Jesus was speaking of freeing us from the bondage of sin. He said – I came to free those who are enslaved and unable to free themselves. How? By enabling the Father to adopt us as sons. Wow! J. I. Packer has probably done more work on the subject of the Fatherhood of God and our adoption than almost anyone else. Listen to what he said:

If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thought of being God’s child, and having God as his Father. If this is not the thought that prompts and controls his worship and prayers and his whole outlook on life, it means that he does not understand Christianity very well at all. For everything that Christ taught, everything that makes the New Testament new, and better than the old, everything that is distinctively Christian as opposed to merely Jewish, is summed up in the knowledge of the Fatherhood of God, “Father’ is the Christian name for God.1

What makes us Christians is that God is our Father.

1 J.I. Packer, Knowing God (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1973) p. 226.

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In other religions – there is no concept of God as Father. In Islam this idea would be considered blasphemous. In the Old Testament there was no concept of God as a personal, intimate Father. He is Creator, King, Master. He is distant and we would die if we so much as glimpsed Him. Then Jesus arrives and God says of Him – this is my beloved Son. And Jesus looks to the heavens and says – Father. But here is where something beyond amazing happens. Jesus says – the Creator of the heavens can also be your Father as well. Because of the Great Exchange that we looked at in chapters 2 and 3 – we are in Christ and Christ is in us – so that when God looks at us He no longer sees us the enslaved, sinful rebels – He sees His Son – He sees Christ in us. Because of that – we can now call God – Father. Verses 6 and 7:

And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

In Christ – we are no longer slaves – but sons. Now before I show you how incredible that is – I need to make a comment. Ladies – please don’t see this as a sexist comment. In Paul’s day the one who inherits was the son. Women, daughters could not inherit. Back in chapter 3 verse 28 Paul had made it clear:

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Men and women are completely equal in Christ. By saying we become sons – He means two things. First, men, women, slaves, Gentiles – anyone – who is in Christ can now inherit every promise made to Abraham. Second, this is a relationship comment.

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Jesus is God’s beloved Son. Because faith – not Law – faith – unites us with Christ – so now we too become sons – in the same way Jesus was God’s Son. Meditate on that this week. But for now, notice that we are adopted sons. All children are special – but adopted children are special in a unique way. I know we have some adopted children in our church. You should know this – your parents chose to love you. When you have a child the normal way – you get what you get. Don’t get me wrong – you love that child. When you adopt – you chose that child out of all the children possible – you chose that one. But, think about this. Our adoption was even more amazing. When God adopted you – you weren’t this beautiful, pure, cute baby. Nothing in us screamed – adopt me. You were a flawed, messed up, failure – yet He chose to love you anyway – to make you an heir to the kingdom. That should blow your mind. And even more, to adopt the sinful waifs and strays that make up His church, meant sacrificing His own beloved sinless Son. To give the One He had loved throughout eternity to redeem the ones who had spurned Him from their creation. Christ died so you might become the children of God. 1 John 3:1:

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God.

No wonder J.I. Packer calls adoption:

The highest privilege that the gospel offers: higher even than justification.2 Calling God – Father – being adopted as His son – this is the highest privilege the gospel offers. The Westminster Confession of Faith lists the privileges of adoption. Here they are:

2 J.I. Packer, Knowing God (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1973) p. 232.

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• We are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children

of God; • We have His name put upon us; • We receive the Spirit of adoption; • We have access to the throne of grace with boldness; • We are enabled to cry, Abba, Father; • We are pitied, protected and provided for; • We are chastened by Him as by a Father; yet never cast off,

But sealed to the day of redemption, And inherit the promises, as heirs of everlasting salvation.

That is what it means to move from a slave to a son. Yet somehow the Galatian Christians thought – keeping the Law will please God and bring some extra blessings. Paul would ask – what other blessing could there possibly be? What blessing is not found in sonship and adoption? Son of God – what more could anyone want? We will inherit the kingdom and rule over it with Christ. We can enter the throne room and say – Abba Father. Imagine that you are randomly chosen to visit the White House and meet the President. You are waiting in the Oval Office – and then the door opens. How do you greet the leader of America? Mr President. Mr Trump. What you don’t say is – Oh Hi Dad. You don’t have that kind of relationship – only five people in the world do. Or if you go to Buckingham Palace to meet the Queen – you greet her as Your Majesty – you don’t say – Oh Hi Mum. You don’t have that kind of relationship – only four people in the world do. But God, who is so much greater than any President or Monarch – who is so great that by rights no one ever born should have any kind of relationship with Him – but because of Christ and faith – you get to call Him – Abba – Dearest Father.

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Abba is the most intimate word for Father there is. It is hard to find an English equivalent. Daddy doesn’t carry enough of the thoughts of reverence. Perhaps the best translation is – Dearest Father. It is the cry of confidence that God is now our Father. That is what it means to be a son of God. But, Jesus did not come to only set Jewish captives free. He came for all kinds of people – male, female, Jew, Gentile, slave, free – everyone. He came to turn Gentile slaves into sons. Verse 8:

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.

Christ came to free Gentiles from the bondage of the enslaving worldviews created by false gods. In the church in Galatia were Gentiles from many backgrounds who had been taught many paths to freedom. Worship of idols, philosophies of self-discipline or self-harm, cult prostitution, wealth, legalism, secret knowledge, pleasure. And into this melting pot of false worldviews came one man – the Apostle Paul – with his gospel of Christ alone and Him crucified. And anyone who accepted this gospel was freed from the bondage of forever seeking a freedom that remained elusive. That was what happened to the Gentiles in Galatia who turned to Christ. Like the Jews they were slaves. But not slaves to the Law. They were slaves to false gods. Yet in Christ they too became sons. The promises of Abraham – the inheritance of the kingdom came to them. They were ingrafted in. They were freed from the sins, the deceptions, the futility of their false worldviews. Four, five times a year we have baptisms – including next week by the way. Many more times each year we have testimonies.

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In most baptisms and testimonies – you will hear something along these lines.

I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see. Long my imprisoned spirit lay, Fast bound in sin and nature’s night; Thine eye diffused a quickening ray; I woke, the dungeon flamed with light; My chains fell off, my heart was free

Once I was enslaved. To self, to idols, to money, to family, to sex, to drugs, to foolishness, to false religions, to paths that led nowhere. I wanted something but could never find it. I was lost. But then … Christ set me free. That is what happened in Galatia. But what we find now is that Paul is absolutely appalled. Some of those who had been set free were considering placing themselves back into bondage – once again being enslaved. It is almost beyond imagining. We don’t have slaves in our society. I know many of you consider your jobs a form of slavery – it isn’t. But employees are often used as an analogy – it’s not really that close – but let’s work with what we have. Many of you seated here are employers or managers. If I asked you – tell me about your employees? Wow – we would run the gauntlet. Some would tell me about the hard-working, dedicated employee you love – others would roll their eyes and tell of the total mess up – always late – always getting it wrong. The ones on their final warning before you show them the door. But, good employee or worthless – no one would sacrifice their livelihood, their financial security, their life – for an employee. But what if I flip the question and ask those of you who are parents – tell me about your kids? You would tell me about how you thank God every day for giving you the most amazing kids on the planet.

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If I pushed you and asked – are those amazing kids ever late, ever not do their chores, ever fail to clean their room or obey you – I would hear – yeah – look they are not perfect – but they are perfect for me. Yes they aren’t perfect – but any decent parent would sacrifice anything for a child – house, wealth, job, life. You do it even for the kid that gives you grief. And let’s not forget – you are imperfect, messed up parents – but you love your kids. So, the reality is that you view your employees and your children very differently. Now try and imagine how a perfect being – God – how He views two people. First, how He viewed you before salvation. A slave. A rebel – in sin – failing to live godly – destroying the good gifts given to you. And, imagine the way God loves His Son – His perfect, well-pleasing Son Jesus. And here is the amazing truth of the Gospel. When we come to Christ – God ceases viewing us as messed up slaves and now views us as sons – He views us as He views Jesus. So, who in their right mind would ever say – I want God to stop viewing me as a son – I want Him to see me as a slave again? How can a dog return to its vomit? How can a freed slave say – chain me up again? Only by listening to deception.

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While faith turns slaves into sons – deception turns sons into slaves – verses 9-20. You listen to the lie.

God didn’t say that. That won’t kill you. This path will give you real pleasure.

The lies that started in the garden and continue today. Some sons in Galatia were being swayed and considering returning to the bondage of slavery. There are so many ways these Gentiles could have turned back. They could have gone back to their pagan religions, they could have once again embraced worldly pleasures or become atheists – but the particular danger they faced was thinking that keeping the Jewish Law was necessary to be a true son of God. Verse 9:

But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?

Paul is absolutely stunned by this – but this is how deep, how seductive, how powerful the deception was. Freedom in Christ or bondage under the Law? Seems a no brainer.

Slaves into sons 1-8

Jews 1-7 Gen3les 8

Sons into slaves 9-20

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This is giving a guy the choice – marry the gorgeous, kind supermodel – or life in prison – and he chooses prison. Paul know that slavery is slavery – whether it is enslaved to greed, porn, Buddhism or keeping the Law. He himself had escaped from the bondage of Jewish legalism – and here were Christians flirting with choosing to place themselves under the very slavery that once imprisoned him. Paul is beyond stunned. These Gentiles had finally found the peace and joy they longed for – they came to know God. More than that – they were known by God. Harry and Meghan were here and in New Zealand recently. Tens of thousands poured out to see them. The crowds know who they were. In New Zealand as they were walking through the massive crowd – Meghan spotted twenty year old Hannah Sergal in the crowd – someone she knew. That was a different relationship to all the thousands who knew Meghan but Meghan didn’t know them. God knew these Gentiles. They were His children. He was their Father. Now they wanted to destroy what had formed that relationship – faith in Christ alone. They wanted to try and please God through works. Paul asks – how could they turn back again to such worthless elementary principles? While they weren’t going back to the bondage they had been in – the bondage of false gods and idols – they were swapping the bondage of one elementary principal for another. Look at verses 10 and 11:

You observe days and months and seasons and years! I am afraid I may have laboured over you in vain.

They wanted to start keeping Sabbaths and festivals! The Law! But:

The Passover pointed to Christ. The Day of Atonement pointed to Christ.

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The Feast of Tabernacles pointed to Christ. The Sabbath pointed to Christ.

They wanted to swap the reality for the sign. They wanted to swap the One who fulfilled the Law for their vain efforts to keep the Law! Paul can barely believe it – he had laboured over them in vain. His gospel was being dismantled feast by feast. Special day by special day. As a Pastor to see some in your flock turn from the gospel of life to the enslavement that leads to death is crushing. You do feel your labour is vain. So, Paul makes a personal appeal. Verse 12:

Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. When you read the first three chapters – Paul recounts how he had once been enslaved to the elementary principles – trying to keep the Law. But he had been freed from this. Chapter 1 – I left my former way of life in Judaism. Chapter 2 – I died to the Law. Chapter 3 – I am longer under the Law. In a sense, he became more Gentile in the way he related to the Law – he didn’t keep it to please God. But now some Galatians were toying with putting themselves under the Law – becoming more Jewish if you will. Paul says – no – become like me – not enslaved to anything except Christ. Paul then expands on his labour among the Galatians – he reflects back to the time around two years earlier when he first walked into Galatia. Verses 12-15:

You did me no wrong. You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ

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Jesus. What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me.

Paul says – when I first came to you – you did me no wrong – in fact – you received me like an angel – a messenger of God. I brought the gospel – you received it – found freedom and rejoiced. You would have done anything for me. Paul reminds them that when he arrived he had a physical ailment – a condition. While we can’t be sure – the fact that they would have gouged out their eyes and given them to him makes many think Paul had some problem with his eyes. Some speculate that was his thorn in the flesh. Possibly. But remember, Acts tells us Paul had been stoned and left for dead and after gathering some strength he went on to Galatia – so his bodily ailment may have just been that he was battered, bruised and near dead from stoning. But his point is this – the Galatians loved Paul, they loved His gospel, they rejoiced and were willing to make great sacrifices. They would have done anything for the man whose beautiful feet brought the gospel to them. But now, their attitude had changed. Verse 16:

Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? In the past two years – what had changed? Not Paul’s gospel. It had not changed one iota. He told them the truth then and they loved him. He is still telling them the same truth now but they view him as an enemy. What changed was in between some deceivers, some agitators, some false teachers turned up and said – look – we like Paul and appreciate his gospel passion – but he got it wrong. He was not one of the original Apostles. He got his gospel second hand. He got it from a man called Ananias – and you know how the game whispers works – pass something on a few times and it gets corrupted. Unfortunately, poor Paul received a corrupted gospel. So yes, Paul has been going around teaching this faith alone stuff.

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But, what the Old Testament taught, what the people of God have always taught, what Jesus taught, what the Jerusalem Apostles teach – is what we teach – faith and Law. So, keep some Feasts and Sabbaths – God likes that. It appealed to their hearts that screamed – you need to earn God’s blessing. Once Paul’s teaching had seemed so liberating and wonderful – words from a messenger of God Himself – but now they sounded dangerous, treacherous, wrong. In 2 Timothy 4:2 Paul says:

Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

I have been at this a long time. I have refined my thinking in some of the more peripheral areas of theology – but I do not believe I have changed my message regarding the gospel itself at all. And I can tell you this. There have been seasons where that gospel is celebrated and some where it is viewed with suspicion and even opposed. There are seasons where it seems bigoted, judgmental, divisive. My job is not to alter the gospel to fit the times – it is to preach it in season and out of season. Paul didn’t change – the season in Galatia changed. Verse 17:

They make much of you, but for no good purpose. Literally, they are zealous to win you over – but for no good purpose. The false teachers turned up and spent a great deal of time and energy to win over the Galatians to their false teaching. To this very day one of the tactics cults use is love-bombing. They find you friends, they build you up, they make you feel awesome – but only till you have committed to the cult then everything changes. Verse 17:

They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. As soon as you commit to the cult – they shut you off from family, friends – and above all true churches. Then you have to commit zealously to them. This is not new.

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The Judaisers got into the church at Galatia – as soon as they were in – they said – don’t listen to Paul – we are your new gurus – now make much of us. Verses 18-19:

It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!

Paul says – I made much of you – I was zealous for you – and for a good purpose – to make you sons of God. And unlike those false teachers, my zeal for you did not end when I left you. Although we are separated by many miles – I pray for you – I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! Let me ask you this. When is Christ finally formed in you? There is a sense in which in a true Christian – Christ is firmed in us when we are born again. But Christ is fully formed in us only when we die. Until that time – the Christian life is a struggle – ups, downs, sins, repentance – pleading for God to hold us fast – thanking God for His promise that He will hold us fast. And like cripples on the way – the church is to help each other to persevere to the end. My children are all grown. But my job is far from done. I pray for them, I encourage them, if needs be I admonish them – my God-given role of seeing Christ formed in them does not cease until I die or they die or Christ comes again. As a Pastor – my role of seeing Christ formed in you never ends. I am in anguish with you as I watch your faith wax and wane. I long to see Christ formed more fully in you. I feel myself age and go greyer when I watch you lured by the world and enticed by false teaching and just growing apathetic. Paul has a pastor’s heart, a father’s heart – that is why he wrote this letter. The distance did not at all dampen the anguish he felt when they were tempted back to slavery. Verse 20:

I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

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Paul wished he didn’t have to write this letter of admonition. He didn't want to have to write:

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 (1:6).

He didn't want to have to write:

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? (3:1). He wanted to be like the Apostle John and write:

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth (3 John 4).

But to hear that those who were once in the bonds of slavery – who became sons by faith alone – were toying with going back to slavery – it perplexed him – greatly – and he had to write. Brothers and sisters – if you know Christ – it means once you were lost and blind –once your imprisoned spirit lay fast bound in sin – then He opened you eyes, caused your chains to fall off and set your heart free – if that is you – then it might be hard to imagine ever going back. But many do. Theologically, I want to say – if anyone goes back and stay lost – they never really left the world in the first place. They were never really His. But, that is another sermon. So, let me put it this way. You need to know – even true Christians – wonderfully converted, blood born children of God – even they are sorely tempted to go back – many, many times in their lives. The reason is deception. Life hits a tough patch, a dry patch. Satan, sin, the world whispers – some other path is better. There is more pleasure, more blessing, more joy in some other way. I tell you – that is a lie from the pit of hell. The world is cruel. False gods are cruel. You are sons – don’t go back to slavery.

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You have to fight this deception with truth. I have watched too many men and women I love return to the vomit of the world. Only one couple I can think of were wooed by Jewish Law – and I have to say that is one couple more than I expected to see in my ministry. The rest were wooed by false gods, idolatry, money, sex, deceptions about the reality of the Christian life. But, over the years I have run into many of them from time to time. Not one is happy. Most were actually profoundly miserable. The more honest ones said – I would give anything to go back. They can and I pray they will. I am still talking, praying and encouraging them – the way is open. But for you – I want to say this. Brothers and sisters, when you feel your heart tempted – know – the grass is not greener back in the slavery of the world. It is dry and bitter. The lure of a better path is a lie from the pit of hell. If you are finding a gnawing dissatisfaction, a lack of joy, an emptiness in your life – the answer is never to turn from the freedom of life in Christ – it is to press harder into Christ – to remind yourself that as son you have every blessing in the heavenlies – you will inherit the kingdom – you are the beloved child of God – in Him is true life. I assure you – to leave that and turn back to the world is the surest path to heartache. I would be in anguish if I saw you turn there – and you would be in anguish soon after. Instead revel in the glory of the gospel, the privileges of your adoption and wait for the glorious inheritance that is yours as a son.

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Slaves to Sons (Galatians 4:1-20 November 11, 2018)

Main Point: Every path that denies faith alone will enslave us General Questions: 1. In what ways are we all born as slaves? 2. What is it that makes us free? 3. Discuss David Foster Wallace’s statement:

Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship.

4. In what ways were Jews enslaved?

5. In what ways were Gentiles enslaved?

6. What does it mean to be a son of God – able to call God Abba?

7. What are the privileges of adoption?

8. What are the deceptions, temptations, lies that entice those who say they are

Christians back to the slavery of the world?

9. What are the ways the cults and other deceivers try to win the allegiance of Christians?

10. In what ways do the seasons change in terms of the way the church and society

hears the gospel?

11. What truths should you remind yourself of when you are tempted to turn from the gospel?

Application Questions: 1. What were the things that enslaved you before Christ? 2. What are the lies, temptations, desires that seek to draw you from freedom as a

son back to bondage as a slave? 3. Where can you look for help when those temptations come?

4. How could you help a believer who appears to be returning to the slavery of the

world?

5. Meditate on the blessings of God as our Father and our adoption as sons.