CHRIST In The FULLNESS Of TIME—Galatians 3:26--4:7
The TIME Of JESUS’ ARRIVAL indicates/implies...
Attention:
All people, in every era, & of every stripe, have lived & do live within the confines of a linear progression of TIME.
Many Science Fiction movies are based upon either going forward in time or going backward in time. TIME never stops. It continually approaches us & continually leaves us. TIME can either be your best friend or your worst enemy, depending upon how you handle/approach it.
Need:
Because of the arrival of ‘The Fullness of Time’, the eternal God has presented us with His promised Son...our Savior, our Lord, our Forgiveness, our Peace, our Mediator, our Confirmation, our Confidence, our Advocate, our Reconciliation, our Constant Companion, our Guidance, Protection, etc.
1—The Fullness of Time offers Christ-centered...
FAITH(3:26)
Explanation:(3:26)
3:26—“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”
Argumentation:
1Thes. 5:5, 6—“You are all sons of light & sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch & be sober.”
Application:
?Does Christ-Centered FAITH free your heart & soul?
?Are YOU thrilled at what Christ’s coming in The FULLNESS Of TIME has wrought for you?
2—The Fullness of Time offers Christ-centered...
FOLLOW-THRU(3:27)
Explanation:(3:27)
3:27—“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
Those who are truly God’s people have already committed themselves to Almighty God thru the Holy Spirit, by personal faith in Christ Jesus. And as such, they have been ‘baptized into Christ’ by the Holy Spirit.
• ‘Water Baptism’ is an act of obedience(follow-thru) expressed by those who have already been baptized by the Holy Spirit!
By putting your trust in Christ, you have willingly & decidedly committed yourself to all the responsibilities that come with being a citizen of the Kingdom of God!
*From the time of your entrance to the Kingdom of God, you choose whether you will be a ‘beneficial’ citizen or whether you will be a ‘free-loader’ in the Kingdom!
“Put On”—enduw—Verb—1) To sink into(clothing), put on, clothe one's self. Strong—To invest with clothing(literally or figuratively). Used 29X.?From—en—1) In, by, with etc.. Strong—a primary preposition denoting (fixed)position(in place, time or state), & by implication--Instrumentality(medially or constructively), i.e. A relation of rest(intermediate between eiv[into, unto, to, towards, for, among] & ek/ex[out of, from, by, away from]).—&—dunw/dumi—prolonged forms of an obsolete primary duw(to sink); to go “down.”
Argumentation:
1Cor. 3:9-16—“For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, & another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; & the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. Do you not know that you are the temple of God & that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”
Php. 2:12-13—“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear & trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will & to do for His good pleasure.”
Eph. 4:17-32—“This I say, therefore, & testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart”.....?There we’re also told to... put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, & be renewed in the spirit of your mind, & that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness & holiness.”.....?There we’re also told...“do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, & evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.”
Illustration:
The game of GOLF/Personally, I ‘play AT golf’ rather than ‘PLAY GOLF’/I zig-zag my way to the green & then putt over the hole & back over the hole until I eventually narrow the distance so much that I can putt it in!/I really don’t take the game seriously—For me it is a fun & generally relaxing game/However, in order to be a serious golfer, rather than play at the game, you must not only ‘approach’ the ball properly, but you must also ‘follow-thru’ with your ‘approach’!/FOLLOW-THRU
Likewise, in order to be one of God’s people, you must take the ‘game of life’ in Christ very seriously! So that your approach & follow-thru complement one another in giving God glory!
To be satisfied with salvation only, to the neglect of following-thru with Jesus’ lordship over your life, is to dishonor God’s plan for you!
By not giving Jesus lordship over your life, you teach others to be negligent, wasteful, self-centered rather than God-centered. Thus people spend eternity in hell having heard & witnessed half-truths about God. No one can have God’s certainty & power in life, death, & heaven if they follow a ‘watered-down’ version of God’s good news!
Application:
?Does Christ-Centered FOLLOW-THRU free your heart & soul?
?Are YOU thrilled at what Christ’s coming in The FULLNESS Of TIME has wrought for you?
3—The Fullness of Time offers Christ-centered...
UNITY(3:28)
Explanation:(3:28)Lack of Prejudice
3:28—“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
There is no room in God’s Kingdom for prejudices based upon distinctions of race, language, people group, kinship, generations, geography, politics, etc.
In God’s scheme of things, there is only room for decisions made regarding ‘creed’ or ‘belief system.’ That is because a person’s ‘belief system’ is what either separates a person FROM Jesus, OR commits a person TO, Jesus.
Argumentation:
UNITY:
1Pet. 3:8-9—“Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.”
Rom. 15:5-6—“Now may the God of patience & comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind & one mouth glorify the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Eph. 4:11-16—“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, & some pastors & teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith & of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to & fro & carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- from whom the whole body, joined & knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”
The CHURCH!:
1Tim. 3:14-15—“These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar & ground of the truth.”
Eph. 2:19-22—“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers & foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints & members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles & prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”
Mat. 16:15-19—Jesus to His 12 disciples—“He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered & said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered & said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh & blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, & on this rock I will build My church, & the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, & whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, & whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.””
2Cor. 6:14—“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?”
1Pet. 2:1-5—“Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, & all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God & precious, you also,
as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
1Pet. 2:9-10—“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.”
1Jn. 1:7—“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, & the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
Illustration:
Basketball/Saturday(Dec. 19, 2020)UNC played in Kentucky & beat the Wildcats by ~10 points—My mother-in-law was no doubt, thrilled!/But that game wasn’t won by a bunch of individuals doing things the way they wanted them done/They worked together as a TEAM/Each player know the gifts & talents of their other teammates/No player plays to themselves, but rather to the strength of the team as a whole/They must work as a unit/If the unit breaks down, the team effort fails, & the game is ultimately lost/UNITY
Unity is absolutely essential to God’s work in each other & in the world!
Application:
?Does Christ-Centered UNITY free your heart & soul?
?Are YOU thrilled at what Christ’s coming in The FULLNESS Of TIME has wrought for you?
4—The Fullness of Time offers Christ-centered...
PROMISE(3:29)
Explanation:(3:29)Inheritance
3:29—“And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, & heirs according to the promise.”
?How many here know if you have ‘family’ ties to Abraham?
If you know Jesus BY FAITH then you ARE of “Abraham’s seed”!
God’s “promise” is NOT an EMPTY “promise”, BUT Rather secure, certain, & a delivered “Promise”!
He “promises” heaven, ONLY to those who will be His people by faith in His Son!
Argumentation:
Rom. 4:1-14, 16—“What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, & it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin.” Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, & the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised. For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void & the promise made of no effect,”.....“Therefore it[salvation] is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all...”
2Pet. 3:13—“Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens & a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”
Illustration:
Every year we send cards, letters, or presents to Iceland because our oldest daughter’s family lives there/Sometimes it takes a good bit of time to arrive, so we send them about a month early/Though we planned ahead this year, they never received the Thanksgiving cards we sent!/The Post Office is supposed to deliver those things to Iceland/We don’t know if the US PO dropped the ball, or if the Icelandic authorities did/Regardless, there was a failed PROMISE!
Marriage is ultimately about commitment/The joining of two fallible people, who will change over the course of their lifetimes sounds like a recipe for disaster to begin with!/But that’s God’s design/The secret is that the couple must meet their respective future ‘changes’ together out of great respect for one another/Such a commitment not only survives but thrives!/PROMISE kept!
Application:
?Does Christ-Centered PROMISE free your heart & soul?
?Are YOU thrilled at what Christ’s coming in The FULLNESS Of TIME has wrought for you?
5—The Fullness of Time offers Christ-centered...
FREEDOM(4:1-3)
Explanation:(4:1-3)Escape/Deliverance
4:1-3—“Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, but is under guardians & stewards until the time appointed by the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.”
The Freedom Jesus offers & gives is NOT political freedom, NOR self-centered freedom, but Christ-centered Freedom!
“When we live in the principle of earning & deserving before God, we live in bondage under the elements of the world.”—David Guzik
Argumentation:
1Jn. 2:15-17—“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, & the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, & the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”
•For our present time in America—?Did you know that ‘racial bias’ & ‘racial prejudice’ is an example of worldly living, & that it is undone by Christ Jesus living in you?!
1Jn. 5:4-5—“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”
Acts 20:18-24—“And when they had come to him, he said to them: “You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears & trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, & taught you publicly & from house to house, testifying to Jews, & also to Greeks, repentance toward God & faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains & tribulations await me. But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, & the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”
Jn. 16:31-33—“Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? “Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, & will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Illustration:
A student taking a test/They may be unable to concentrate for various reasons/However, the student’s particular state of mind & heart can FREE him-her from undue distraction/FREEDOM
Application:
?Does Christ-Centered FREEDOM free your heart & soul?
?Are YOU thrilled at what Christ’s coming in The FULLNESS Of TIME has wrought for you?
6—The Fullness of Time offers Christ-centered...
IDENTITY(4:4-5)
Explanation:(4:4-5)
4:4—“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,”
God’s timing is impeccable/flawless/perfect!
Rom. 5:6—“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”
God’s Son, Jesus was “sent forth” FROM heaven, TO Bethlehem’s stable.
•God’s Son, Jesus was “sent forth” “born of a woman, born under the law” so that He might Identify with us as well as our identifying with Him,
•He is the One & only true Mediator between God & man(1Tim. 2:5).
1Tim. 2:5—“For there is one God & one Mediator between God & men, the Man Christ Jesus,”
“Fullness”—plhrwma—Noun Nominative Sing. Neuter—1) That which is(has been) filled—1a) A ship inasmuch as it is filled(i.e. manned) with sailors, rowers, & soldiers, 1b) in the NT--The body of believers, as that which is filled with the presence, power, agency, riches of God & of Christ; 2) That which fills or with which a thing is filled—2a) Of those things which a ship is filled, freight & merchandise, sailors, oarsmen, soldiers, 2b) Completeness or fulness of time; 3) Fulness, abundance; 4) A fulfilling, keeping. Strong—Repletion or completion, i.e. subjectively--What fills(as contents, supplement, copiousness, multitude), or objectively--What is filled(as container, performance, period). Used 17X.
“Time”(See :1)—cronov—Noun Genitive Sing. Masc.—1) Time either long or short. Strong—of uncertain derivation; A space of time(in general, & thus properly distinguished from kairov, which designates a fixed or special occasion; & from aiwn, which denotes a particular period) or interval; by extension--An individual opportunity; by implication--Delay.
4:5—“to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”
If you are without Christ, you are separated from God, & thus you are living “under law.”....You are living by the religious “law” of ‘outward imitation’ only....You have chosen to live by a ‘feel good’ “law” of your own self-centered orchestration, engineering, or contrivance...And so....
Your individual “redemption” is The PURPOSE for God’s sending Jesus in the Fullness of Time!
Tied directly to that “redemption”, or the other side of the same coin of “redemption”, is to “receive the adoption as sons.”
To “receive the adoption as sons” is to be IDENTIFIED with the family of God(See 4:6 below—‘FAMILY’). The word translated as “adoption as sons” is a compound Greek word meaning to ‘place or establish a son.’ Thru our being adopted into the kingdom of God we do not fear our being fostered to another family or unfairly left out of the family business. Being adopted as sons” means that we are actually made co-inheritors even as the family members who are ‘blood-kin’!
Eph. 1:3-6—“Blessed be the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has”.....“predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved.”
Eph. 5:15-16—“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”
“Redeem/Ransom”—exagorazw—Aorist Active Subjunctive(possible) 3rd person Singular—1) To redeem—1a) by payment of a price--To recover from the power of another, to ransom, buy off, 1b) metaph.--Of Christ freeing the elect from the dominion of the Mosaic Law at the price of his vicarious death; 2) To buy up, to buy up for one's self, for one's use—2a) To make wise & sacred use of every opportunity for doing good, so that zeal & well doing are as it were the purchase money by which we make the time our own. Strong—To buy up, i.e. Ransom; figuratively--To rescue from loss (improve opportunity). Used 4X.?From—ex—a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds), From, out(of place, time, or cause; literal or figurative; direct or remote).—&—agorazw—properly--To go to market, i.e. by implication--To purchase; specially--To redeem.
“We might Receive”—apolambanw—2nd Aorist Active Subjunctive(possible) 1st person Plural—1) To receive—1a) Of what is due or promised; 2) To take again or back, to recover—2a) To receive by way of retribution; 3) To take from others, take apart or aside; 4) To receive any one hospitably. Strong—To receive(specially, in full, or as a host); also--To take aside. Used 12X.?From—apo—a primary particle; “Off," i.e. Away(from something near), in various senses (of place, time, or relation; literal or figurative).—&—lambanw—To take(in very many applications, literally & figuratively), properly objective or active--To get hold of; [whereas decomai is rather subjective or passive, to have offered to one; while aireomai is more violent--To seize or remove].
“Adoption As Sons/Full Right Of Sons”—uioyesia—Noun Accusative Sing. Fem.—Lit. = ‘son placement’—1) Adoption, adoption as sons—1a) That relationship which God was pleased to establish between himself & the Israelites in preference to all other nations, 1b) The nature & condition of the true disciples in Christ, who by receiving the Spirit of God into their souls become sons of God, 1c) The blessed state looked for in the future life after the visible return of Christ from heaven. Strong—The placing as a son, i.e. Adoption(figuratively, Christian sonship in respect to God). Used 5X--Rom. 8:15, 23; Rom. 9:4; Gal. 4:5; Eph. 1:5.?From a presumed compound of—uiov—1) A son; A descendant, one of the posterity of any one; One who depends on another or is his follower; A pupil. Strong—apparently a primary word; A “son”(sometimes of animals), used very widely of immediate, remote or figuratively, kinship.—& a derivative of—tiyhmi—To place(in the widest application, literally & figuratively; properly, in a passive or horizontal posture, & thus different from isthmi, which properly denotes an upright & active position, while keimai is properly reflexive & utterly prostrate).
Argumentation:
IDENTITY:
Heb. 2:10-18—“For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things & by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies & those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.” And again: “I will put My trust in Him.” And again: “Here am I & the children whom God has given Me.” Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh & blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, & release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful & faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.”
Php. 2:4-8—“Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, & coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself & became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”
Rom. 6:4-14—“Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, & your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”
Illustration:
My Daddy was the only dentist in my small home town of Granite Quarry, NC/I have one brother who is eight years older than myself/So I used to be known most often as, ‘Mike Sherman’s brother’ or Dr. Sherman’s ‘other’ son/My brother no doubt was known as Dr. Sherman’s son/Both of us are tied to our Daddy’s Identity/Christ-centered IDENTITY
?Are you IDENTIFIED as belonging to Christ?...
?Does that fact bother you...OR does it give you confidence?
Application:
?Does Christ-Centered IDENTITY free your heart & soul?
?Are YOU thrilled at what Christ’s coming in The FULLNESS Of TIME has wrought for you?
7—The Fullness of Time offers Christ-centered...
FAMILY(4:6)
Explanation:(4:6)Sons/Wisdom
4:6—“And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!””
By virtue of your adoption(:5) you are as much family as if you had been born into it. In fact, as an adoptee, you were specifically chosen for it(thru your faith in Christ)!
Family is family when you know, beyond the shadow of any doubt, that you are deeply loved, despite your failings or stumblings! In fact, BECAUSE YOU ARE LOVED by your family, you are aided THRU your failings & stumblings, so that they will not continue to be a hindrance to your living for God’s glory!
“Crying Out”—krazw—Verb—1) To croak—1a) Of the cry of a raven, 1b) hence--To cry out, cry aloud, vociferate, 1c) To cry or pray for vengeance; 2) To cry—2a) Cry out aloud, speak with a loud voice. Krazw is to cry out harshly, often of inarticulate & brutish sound. Strong—properly--To “croak”(as a raven) or scream, i.e. (genitive case)--To call aloud(shriek, exclaim, intreat); a primary verb.
“Abba”—Abba—Noun—Abba = “father”—1) Father, customary title used of God in prayer. Whenever it occurs in the New Testament it has the Greek interpretation joined to it, that is apparently to be explained by the fact that the Chaldee “ABBA” through frequent use in prayer, gradually acquired the nature of a most sacred proper name, to which the Greek speaking Jews added the name from their own tongue. Strong—Father(as a vocative case). Used 3X--.?Of Aramaic origin—ba(Aramaic) ab—1)Father[used 9X]; corresponding to ba awb—Father; Head, founder; Ancestor; Originator; Producer; Term of respect & honor; Ruler or chief.
“Father”—pathr—Noun Masc.—1) Generator or male ancestor—1b1) Fathers i.e. Ancestors, forefathers, founders of a nation, 1c) One advanced in years, a senior; 2) metaphorically--2a) The originator & transmitter of anything—2c1) Teachers, as those to whom pupils trace back the knowledge & training they have received; 3) 3c) Of Christians, as those who through Christ have been exalted to a specially close & intimate relationship with God, & who no longer dread him as a stern judge of sinners, but revere him as their reconciled & loving Father. Strong—apparently a primary word; A “father”(literally or figuratively, near or more remote).
Argumentation:
Eph. 3:8-19—“To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, & to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities & powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness & access with confidence through faith in Him. Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven & earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted & grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width & length & depth & height-- to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
Mat. 12:46-50—Jesus of His earthly family—“While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother & brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. Then one said to Him, “Look, Your mother & Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.” But He answered & said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother & who are My brothers?” And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples & said, “Here are My mother & My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother & sister & mother.””
Application:
?Does Christ-Centered FAMILY free your heart & soul?
?Are YOU thrilled at what Christ’s coming in The FULLNESS Of TIME has wrought for you?
8—The Fullness of Time offers Christ-centered...
BLESSING(4:7)
Explanation:(4:6-7)Father/Heir/Conclusion/Wisdom
4:7—“Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, & if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”
cf.-3:29—“And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, & heirs according to the promise.”
God’s wisdom in Christ, enables a person to to take all the information provided them & examine it from the proper perspective of God’s knowledge & wisdom. That includes insight gained thru interaction with the world...& the insight gained thru the written word of God...& the insight gained thru the of thru prayer...& the insight gained thru the personal outworking of personal salvation.
An uninformed opinion, is an opinion formed with prejudice, & can be dangerously foolish!
As “an heir of God through Christ”, All things are now yours...NOT to selfishly exploit, but rather to enjoy in surrender to Christ as an heir of the eternal Kingdom of God & thus as an heir of all God’s Blessings!(1Cor. 3:21)
1Cor. 3:21—“Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours:”
Argumentation:
Eph. 1:3-14—“Blessed be the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy & without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom & prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven & which are on earth--in Him. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”
1Pet. 1:3-5—“Blessed be the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible & undefiled & that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
Illustration:
I was ‘Born Again’ at 28 years of age/Because of my heart’s-decision then, God transformed me & as a result, my life is very different than if I had never trusted Christ/I now still have trials & pressures from within & without/BUT I gladly accept those tribulations because they result from God’s blessing me with Life!/BLESSING
God’s people celebrate Christmas, BECAUSE thru Jesus’ birth, they have been immeasurably blessed of God!
Application:
?Does Christ-Centered BLESSING free your heart & soul?
?Are YOU thrilled at what Christ’s coming in The FULLNESS Of TIME has wrought for you?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
The Fullness of Time has brought us Jesus!
Action:
The Fullness of Time offers Christ-Centered...
1. FAITH(3:26)
2. FOLLOW-THRU(3:27)
3. UNITY(3:28)
4. PROMISE(3:29)
5. FREEDOM(4:1-3)
6. IDENTITY(4:4-5)
7. FAMILY(4:6)
8. BLESSING(4:7)
Pt#s 1-8 Presented 12/20/2020am to:
1BCCbelle
206 SE Ave. A(Storrs Ave.)
Carrabelle, FL 32322
