Do we follow God?
Galatians, Part 8
Galatians 4:8 – 4:20
Introduction
- Purpose of the letter
1. To teach
2. To correct
3. To point us to Jesus
- Recap from last week:
- We discussed who are considered “sons of God”
• Those in the faith (Those who have placed their faith in Jesus)
-- IMP: Without Jesus, there is no heir, no sonship, nothing … except separation
- There is a warning about prideful actions
-- Even as an heir; we cannot get a big head – we must be under submission
- The lesson for believers today is to heed the words that Paul encourages us with
-- We are no longer slaves to the world; but slaves to Christ
-- It is in this knowledge that our actions must be focused and directed
- RE: The honor and happiness of an heir is in the value of what is inherited
• Heirs of God
• Joint-heirs with Christ
• Galatians 4:7 is the fulfillment of what being an heir is
- Read Galatians 4:8-20
- Pray
∆ Point 1 – Do we follow God? (8-11)
- IMP: These words are directed at the church, for us to comprehend and abide
- Prior, we lived a life without God; slaves to whatever master ruled us (v8)
-- It is critical to understand the life that we had before Christ; we all one!
-- Whether saved at 5 or 55; we were slaves to something other than God
- (v9) HUGE: Not only knowing God but KNOWN by Him
-- 1 Cor 8:3, “But the man who loves God is known by God.”
-- Psalm 139:1, “You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.”
- Both of these verses give us insight to the intimacy God has with us
-- It shows the change in our position; we are no longer enemies with God
-- And yet, Paul asks the pivotal question of all of us reading this today
-- “Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?”
- We have knowledge of God, He knows us intimately and completely …
- … But, we find ourselves falling back into the same old patterns of sin!
- Do we not remember the life we’ve been rescued from? So why return?
-- (v10-11) Lots spend our time celebrating certain days, but why do that?
-- Will we not learn from our past lives that the pagan stuff doesn’t matter?
-- IMP: We may enjoy a holiday – but it does not define us or save us
- To be known by God is to be chosen by, and loved by, him.
- IMP: B/C He chose to know us as his own people, we know Him as our God
- This is the benefit of a personal relationship:
-- APP: It’s a relationship initiated and sustained by God's grace
- TRANS: Let’s look at where we have come from in one short synopsis:
-- His rebuke for foolishness regarding false gospel (3:1) was followed by
-- His explanation of the Galatians' conversion experience (3:2 - 4:11)
-- Why? In order to show the relation of the gospel to the law (freedom)
- So where does he go from here?
∆ Point 2 – A Personal Appeal (12-20)
- Paul launches into this next section of his letter with concern; a definite plea
- Paul’s plea is simple (v12-16):
-- First, he identifies that he was one with an illness
-- This illness was probably from his beatings in Galatia
-- Acts 14:19, “Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead.”
-- APP: If you’d have lived through this, you prob. have some ailments …
- In v13 it shows that he had an illness which led him to them in first place
-- Perhaps they had some kind of medical treatment there? Orthopedic meds?
- There have also been biblical commentaries to discuss that it could be malaria
-- (v14) Jews and Gentiles had a tendency to identify sickness with sin
-- It was a way to say that God was displeasured (they are curse for sin)
-- Could be seizures from another illness, or even some eye problems (v15)
- See how Paul says they could have been? He uses the word(s) contempt or scorn
-- What was originally written was the word “miseo” which means “loathe”
-- The Greek word translated by the English word "loathe" is particularly graphic
-- It literally means "to spit" or "to expectorate"; to “hate and detest”
-- Paul was appreciative that the Galatians were not repulsed by his condition
- The Galatians did not want to spit, gag, barf, or vomit in his direction
-- APP: Which may indicate his appearance was particularly repulsive
-- Instead, He was received as an angel of God; blessed and anointed by them
- Then, Paul asks the pivotal question, “Where is that blessing now?”
-- As if to imply (v16) that now he has become their enemy b/c of the truth
-- Paul asks, “Hey fellas, you liked me before ………
-- Pastors get this often: Love at beginning of church; scorn after the sermon …
- APP: The importance for us to know that when we encounter the Word of God:
• It may be painful, but,
• It should cause change,
• It should move us from comfort zone
- Paul knew who the culprits were; he knew who was smearing his name
-- This is why he tells them (v17) to be on guard to not be alienated but like them
-- RE: They are a church led by false doctrine (purpose of the letter: to correct)
- (v18) Being zealous is fine, but what the purpose of your zealousness is, matters
-- APP: Don’t just be churchy when Paul is around (for us: or other Christians)
-- “How are you?” “I’m fine.” Meanwhile, you are dying inside; life in ruins
-- Or perhaps, we have all the Christian-ese language down but no relationship
- HUGE: Be zealous for Christ in everything – HARD LESSON for believers
-- For some, it may mean we need to stop pretending and check our relationship
- (v20) Even in this letter, Paul wishes that he could be face to face to speak this
-- His concerns is well placed, considering the actions of the church (see Gal 3:1)
-- His heart hurts for them; his desire is to be there to help them grow/know Christ
∆ Big Idea
- We ought to be able to show the world Who we serve by our actions/words
- This is the encouragement Paul gives the church; to live fully for God always
-- 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
- For example, Paul’s encouragement is not how we would take a cup of coffee
• There is no sin found in wanting some sugar in your coffee
• Nor is drinking black coffee any more spiritual than flavored creamer
- But how we would live our lives for Christ; focused intently on Him always
-- That is what matters the most, and it’s what Paul is unpacking for us today
-- We’ll continue this next Sunday
- Pray
