Sermon # 40 - No Longer A Slave Series

Today’s meditation is based on Galatians 4:7, “Now you are not slaves like before. You are God's children, and you will receive everything he promised his children.” (ERV)

As Paul addressed the believers in the church at Galatia, he reminded them that they were no longer slaves. He prompted them to keep in mind that though they were once slaves, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, they had been made children of God.

Many of us have not understood our calling, the transformation that the Lord has wrought in our lives, and the kind of lives that we are expected to lead. If we do not comprehend this truth fully, we will continue to live like slaves, though we are children of God.

I want to high light two words from this passage, one is the word ‘slave’ and the other the word ‘son.’ There is a huge difference between a slave and a son. A slave can never do anything he wants to, but must do everything as his master bids him to. On the other hand, a child is free, and has rights to all that his father possesses. So also, while we were living as slaves, God the Father sent His only Son Jesus into this world, to set us free from this bondage to slavery. Anyone who believes in the Lord Jesus has been given the rights to become the son and daughter of God.

We must examine our lives to see whether we are living as slaves, or as a son or daughter of God. Certainly we can only be either one of these, either a slave or a child of God. Only when we fathom this call of God for our lives, and the changes that God has brought about, will we be able to hold on to this position as children of God, and live a victorious life, so that God is magnified.

The rich man who sought Jesus

In Luke 19 we read about a man named Zacchaeus.

In Luke 19:1-2, we read, “Jesus went on into Jericho and was passing through. There was a chief tax collector there named Zacchaeus, who was rich.” (GNB)

Zacchaeus was a man who held a high position as a chief tax collector, and he was also a wealthy man. Though Zacchaeus was a Jew, he worked for the Roman government, and was employed by them to collect taxes from the Jewish people. Also like most of the tax collectors in his day, Zacchaeus used to collect more money than was due from the people, kept some for himself, and gave the rest to the Roman authorities. If we were to describe the life of Zacchaeus, we can say that he was a slave to money.

Money is a necessary asset for us to lead our lives here on earth. Nonetheless, if the love of money takes hold of someone, it becomes their master, and they will become its slave, and do exactly what this love for money dictates to them. No wonder then that the word of God cautions us that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. We should be cautious to see that money is just something that is useful to us, and not one that makes us its slaves.

There are those who are slaves to obtaining a good name from others. These people will often keep their families in want, and be generous with outsiders, only because they are desperate to have good reputation with people outside. Then there are those who are slaves to the positions they hold. Sometimes, you will notice this when they advertise this on the front or rear of the vehicles they drive. What they tend to forget is that none of the positions they hold on earth is permanent. They will receive respect from others only as long as they hold that position. All of these forms of slavery will bring misery to people, and never truly satisfy us.

Zacchaeus sought after Jesus

Though Zacchaeus was a rich man, there was some sort of emptiness in his life, and was not content with his life.

This is what Zacchaeus did as recorded in Luke 19:3, “Jesus was heading his way, and Zacchaeus wanted to see what he was like. But Zacchaeus was a short man and could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree.” (CEV)

When Zacchaeus, the wealthy tax collector heard about Jesus, he perceived that Jesus was different to all the religious leaders of his time. Jesus lived differently, and there was authority in His teaching. Moreover, there was no disparity between the words and deeds of Jesus. Zacchaeus was therefore curious to see who Jesus was.