This week we continue our series called Chronos. A term which means time. We have decided to study the scriptures this year in the order they were published. It gives us a very unique insight into the early church and the struggles of a growing movement. This review of history is important because The Center’s leadership believes we are on the cuspid of a great awakening in America. An awakening that will challenge the status quo of the current Christian industrial complex. An institution more concerned with Attendance, Buildings and Cash than the Gospel, Grace and Growth of the kingdom.
This week we begin the book of Galatians. It’s another book written by Paul around 25 years after Jesus' earthly ministry. It’s written to a group of Jews and Gentiles in the central part of present day Turkey. Paul is writing to this church plant because false teachers had come to question not only what he had taught and his place among the leaders of the new movement but also to turn allegiance to another. Let's listen to Paul.
8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces[d]? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? 10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! 11 I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.
12 I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong. 13 As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you, 14 and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. 15 Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
17 Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them. 18 It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you. 19 My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, 20 how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!
The letter reveals Paul’s love for the Galatians by the tone of his pain. He loved them. Paul had proved to be their friend and considered himself part of their family. Their turning away and towards another false teacher was like a dagger to his heart and it baffled him.
Why would they…
Believe the judaizers. After all they promoted the lie that they had to be Jews and observe the rituals before being accepted into God’s family
Believe in a leader who just wanted to glorify himself and his followers, instead of Glorify Jesus.
Accept a leader who confused new believers by claiming they knew the “real” truth and encouraged following them after renouncing their relationship with Paul.
Paul was dumbfounded that they couldn’t see the truth. The task of a spiritual leader is to get people to love and follow Christ. Proverbs 27: 6 reads:
“Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”
Paul was warning them, the kiss of Judaizers would lead them into bondage and remorse. The allegiance would take them back to a time where religion and the required works defined the relationship with God over the freedom and power of knowing you are saved not by works but by faith.
Paul goes on to try and explain this in the rest of the chapter through the use of an old testament story. An allegory they all would have been familiar with. Paul uses the story of Abraham and his wife and her servant —Sarah and Hagar—to convince his readers that a life defined by adherence to Old Testament law is not superior to the life that Christ offers through faith.
The story comes in the first book of the bible when Abraham was 100 and his wife Sarah was 90. They had been waiting for all long time for God's promise to come to fruition. At one point, they wondered if they heard the promise and got so anxious Sarah believed the best alternative would be to allow her maid servant to be a surrogate. The resulting child became a constant irritant and then God blessed them with a miracle baby - Isaac. Talk about a dysfunctional family. Well, you can read the rest of the story in Genesis 21.
The point Paul was making is not to take matters into your own hands because it clouds the beauty of God. Trust in the Lord. Paul uses the story to persuade us not to follow the Judaizers, or anyone else’s, into slavery with Hagar and Ishmael, but to follow Sarah and Isaac into freedom.
Freedom is what you have when nothing stands in the way of achieving a life of joy. The four stages of freedom that lead to full freedom are: opportunity, ability, desire and action(s).
The first stage on the way to full freedom comes with opportunity.
Opportunity is a set of circumstances that makes it possible to do something.
When we have the opportunity to do something, it leads to the second stage of freedom, ability.
Ability is the talent, skill, or proficiency in a particular area to do something. Opportunity leads to Ability which leads us to desire.
Desire is the third stage on the way to freedom.
Desire is a strong feeling of wanting to have something. I can be free to do something, have the ability to do something and have a desire but not be truly free.
Freedom happens when action begins.
There is an old riddle. There were 3 frogs sitting on a log, and 1 frog decided to jump off the log. How many frogs are left on the log? The answer is 3. Just because the frog decided doesn't mean they had the opportunity, the ability. Desire doesn’t produce freedom. Action does.
Our freedom in Christ comes when we see the opportunities afforded us as His children.
If you need help seeing the opportunities, take a look around for activities that further justice, mercy and love. Once you have found a few, the next stage of your freedom begins - assess your abilities to participate. If you see the opportunity and have the ability to help, you are on the doorstep of the next stage of freedom, do you have the desire to help in serving those affected. If there is not a desire, pray for desire and for someone to step in the gap. He showed you the need and matched your abilities for a reason. However, don’t force yourself into an opportunity and be resentful. God knows your heart and has a plan for each of us. The mission is that large.
As we begin to look towards the end of summer, I encourage everyone to look for God at work and submit to His will. Remember, your commitment as a Christian is to put His will first. Not second. Not third.
How will you serve this fall?
Reference: Warren Wiersbe Commentary p 706-708; https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/hagar-and-slavery-vs-sarah-and-freedom
