Oh What a Change, What a Difference Part 1

Galatians 4:21–31 NIV

Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise. These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written: “Be glad, barren woman, you who never bore a child; shout for joy and cry aloud, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.” Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.” Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

Prayer: Open our ears and hearts to receive What God is saying in this message today. May we respond to it, live it and heed it.

This is a scripture that is where Paul explains grace & law to the Galatians. Paul also compares faith and works.

This is the famous allegory of Paul. Where he uses a story and examples to bring the point of grace alive to the Galatians and to us.

Paul contrasts: 2 sons, 2 mothers, 2 covenants, 2 Jerusalems.

Paul teaches us that there is a need for a new covenant perspective and to realize the grace of God in our relationship with Him.

Friends, we are called to abandon the effort of trying to live our lives on our own abilities. We are not supposed to be a people who are burdened with guilt and failure.

As Christians, do we understand and walk in the grace of God?

By walking in the grace of God we are living a life of divine freedom in Christ.

That’s why the title New Year, Fresh Start.

How?

Understand and walk in:

Desire for Freedom

Design for Freedom

Delight of Freedom

Desire for Freedom

There are two difference senses of the law.

The law as a means to attaining holiness

The books of the Law (Gen. to Deut.)

Galatians 4:21 NIV

Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says?

Notice the word “under” that is used in this verse. To be “under” something is to be in complete subjection to it, and that constitutes slavery.

None of us want to be slaves?

No one is ready and wanting to sign up to be a slave, correct?

Paul is accusing the Galatians of making themselves follow something they don’t even understand. And if you don’t understand it how can you obey it?

The reason he says this is because if they truly understood the Law they would understand the danger they are putting themselves in by putting themselves under it.

Some think if we set ourselves to do more, try harder, or be more we will earn our way into Heaven.

But we need to understand that if we focus on God’s promises, God’s resources, and God’s enabling through grace - He promises to provide strength and He will empower us through His spirit working in us.

Galatians 4:22 NLT

The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife.

The concept of 2 sons is introduced here.

Abraham is our forefather, he is the origin of humanity.

Paul is able to speak open and candidly to the Galatians because he has their trust. Also because he was one of them and they received salvation due to trusting the message he proclaimed to them.

But they had realized through:

Matthew 3:9 NLT

Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones.

That being a decendant of Abraham does not get you into heaven.

That is not the ticket or the answer. Verse 9 in Matt. 3 made them realize that it does not matter who their relatives are they cannot use that to get into heaven. It is only through a personal relationship with Christ.

The Jews in that day prided themselves on the fact that they were direct descendants of Abraham and that this relationship is enough to give them salvation.

Our text talks about the fact that there were two different sons that came from two different mothers.

The first son - Ishamel who is born from Hagar & Abraham being together.

Hagar is an Egyptian slave owned by Sarah who is Abraham’s wife.

The second son - Isaac who is born from Sarah & Abraham being together.

Let’s look at some background here to better understand things.

All of this is found in Gen. 21:1-20 we won’t read it this morning only reference it.

Also in Gen. God made a covenant with Abraham and Sarah to make of them a great nation. To give them descendants as numberless as the stars. They wee promised a son.

They believed and were obedient. Time passed and they grew older

Time passed and Sarah did not have any children and was past the age to bear them.

Sarah gave Abraham her servant Hagar to lie with because she felt that was the only way her husband would have a child.

Hagar conceived a son and gave birth to Ishamel. Abram became a father at the age of 86.

In Gen. 17 the Lord appeared to Abram and Sarai and spoke to them about His promise to them. Told them they would have a son. He changed their names to mark this covenant. Sarah laughed when she heard this becauase she felt it was impossible given her age.

Genesis 17:17 NLT

Then Abraham bowed down to the ground, but he laughed to himself in disbelief. “How could I become a father at the age of 100?” he thought. “And how can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety years old?”

Abraham did as God said and honored God. Gen. 18 a son is promised to Sarah and she laughed. God said “Is anything to hard for the Lord?”

The Lord kept His word to Abraham and Sarah. Sarah gave birth to a son Isaac. He was born because of God’s power. He brought joy because the impossible became possible. His name means laughter because he brought joy again and again to his parents.

Salvation is an experience of joy. This joy is not only in the believer but also for those around the believer.

Isaac grew and was weaned. Gen. 21:8.

After salvation we are a new babe in Christ and we must grow.

1 Peter 2:2 NLT

Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment,

2 Peter 3:18 NLT

Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.

Along with growing we must mature and wean - we must lay aside childish things.

1 Corinthians 13:11 NLT

When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.

Ishmael was jealous of how Isaac was treated and celebrated. Ishmael hated Isaac. Hagar hated Sarah.

Isaac was persecuted Gen. 21:9

Genesis 21:9 NLT

But Sarah saw Ishmael—the son of Abraham and her Egyptian servant Hagar—making fun of her son, Isaac.

Ishmael represented the flesh - taking things into our own hands. Ishmael caused problems for Isaac, just as the flesh causes problems for us.

Galatians 5:16 NLT

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.

All the differences between the two sons were based on the fact that they had two different mothers and not the fact that they had the same father.

Heritage through Hagar - lostness & Bondage

Heritage through Sarah - salvation & freedom

We cannot claim to belong to Abraham unless we belong to Christ.

Galatians 4:23 NLT

The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born as God’s own fulfillment of his promise.

Ishmael was born of a slave/bondwoman - he was born according to the flesh.

Isaac was born of a free woman - born according to the promise of God.

Sarah waited for a child for many years but took things into her own hands and gave Hagar to her husband.

This cause hatred to grow between these women. Of course this happened because they operated outside of God’s plan.

The motivation was based on selfish desires and human means rather than waiting on God’s perfect timing.

We must remember when God promises things it is in His time and not ours. Get your hands off and wait on Him.

Ishmael represents those who based their hope for eternity in what they can do themselves - on their own works.

Here we are reminded that we have a Fresh start in this new year and let that be a renewal in the promises of God for us.

We are not to try to use short cuts it is in His time.

We must continue to trust God, even if the promise doesn’t happen immediately - He promises to bless in His time.

Isaac - Sarah - free woman’s son - through God’s promise.

Isaac’s conception was through the supernatural but not the same as the conception of Christ. The Holy Spirit miraculously enabled Sarah to conceive to produce Abraham’s child even beyonf child bearing years.

Ishmael represents man’s way - the way of the flesh.

Which is an analogy to way of religions self effort & good works (legalism). But this line was natural birth and trusted in their own works.

Isaac represents God’s way - the way of promise

Which is an analogy of faith & God’s imputed righteousness. The way of grace. This line was due to the supernatural. A spiritual birth because they trusted in the work of Jesus Christ.

Romans 9:16-18 explains this for us in scripture.

Hagar’s pregnancy was operated on the false notion that “God helps those who helps themselves”.

Blessings are not a buffet meal where we help ourselves to whenever we want. That’s taking the blessing rather than waiting to receive it.

We must do things God’s way & in God’s time.

Design for Freedom

Paul states he is using the example of 2 sons and 2 moms as an allegory or illustration.

This illustration conveys meaning other just using the literal sense of the words.

Paul was not in any way denying the story of Abraham but declares that the story has additional meaning.

Due to the Holy Spirit, these two women - Hagar & Sarah are illustrations of two covenants.

Two moms, two sons, two covenants.

Hagar & Ishamel - covenant of the law & works

Sarah & Isaac - covenant of grace & faith

Sarah & Hagar - 2 covenants - but also 2 Jerusalems - covenant of grace & faith.

Judiazers in that day accused Gentile converts of being life Ishmael - excluded from the inheritance - while the Judaizers were the true sons - like Isaac to receive the promise.

Judaizers argued that the Gentiles must becomes like them through circumcision and keeping the law.

Paul responds to this by showing the difference is not racial between Jew and Gentile but spiritual.

It is between being born of the flesh (Ishmael) and those born of the spirit (Isaac).

Old covenant - given through Moses at Mount Sinai & required God’s chosen people, the Jews, to keep the commands God gave in conjunction with the covenant.

The terms of this covenant were impossible to keep and produced a type of religious SLAVERY!!!! - bound to a master and never escape.

Someone who is trying to be free who is a slave - struggling for freedom but could never escape.

In the Law, God laid the responsibility on man and the thou shalt nots.

But in the promise God keeps the responsibilty Himself and says:

“I will...”

“I will...”

Which would you rather?

Committing to a set of rules, set programs or set of activities? Does that spell freedom?

The new way - relinquish sin, receive grace, submit to the directon of the Holy Spirit.

Seeking to please God gives freedom and blessing.

That’s what I have signed up for!

I’ll tell you the best thing. Took of the old robe and put on the new.

____________________________