Galatians 4: 21-26. Who’s Child?

Galatians 4: 21-26 Who’s Child?

From Last week Paul is very upset, well most of the letter he is strongly appealing to the Galatians, and last week in the pains of childbirth, so – express – intro. To reject the wrong teaching they are getting, and to only trust in Jesus for justification/right standing with God.

Verses 21 Lego ego… Thell me, -

You who desire to be under the law, --- do you listen to the law?

This main and returning question, from Paul to the Galatians; in other words, “Do you know what you are doing?” Or:

Why? Oh why? Do you want to be under the law? Do you want to be slaves? To trust in yourself? In the actions you can do? - But Paul have said it before, no one is justified by works, or religious obedince. Only by faith in Gods promise. (Jesus Christ) Not the works or ability to obey the law, but by grace by faith in Gods promise. (You are not justified by physical descent, and not by what line you are from Physically – only if you are trusting the promise, no matter what ethnic group you are from. (I am Christian because I live in Denmark or the US or Romania, or because I am of Jewish descent, then I am made right with God, no you are not, only by faith, in Jesus Christ can we be made right with God).

Some commentators think that this is why Paul, argues the way he does, that the Jews was teaching that you had to become part of Abrahams line to be a true Christan, and you do that by getting circumcised, - Paul will again point to the promise, and that Abraham was justified before he was circumcised, and that it is not about what line you come from it is what you trust in, do you trust in the law, or in the Promise of God, Jesus Christ’s work and life – Gospel). Abram believed God and it was counted as righteousness, long before the law. Paul then points out it is not physical descent but heavenly.

If this is not just something that the Galatians did, then why do we want to be under the law or why do we appeal to our “works” the deeds we do for right standing with God? Why do you? Most of us might know this is not right, and will not make for good fruit, but why do we do it then? I what God to see me? I want others to praise me? I want to prove I am good enough? Or at least better that them.

I think the question we should ask our self, what is the touging at my heart stings? Like what is making me want to depend on my self to be praised? Made right with God?

The blind spot we have as we rely on ourself is all the ways God has had grace with us, and that we would not be able to even breath, without God’s grace. We don’t look at all the mistakes, doubt, evil thinking, we lose sight, of Jesus Christ work: so that we might be praised, that somehow, we might be proud of our self, we might reveal our misunderstanding of Jesus work, that in trusting Gods promise in Jesus, and truly deeply believe and are being changed by it, we would not need the praises of man, we would not need to be affirmed by others, we would know that even as we are no able and are not good enough, we see in Jesus Christ, God showed his love for us, and in Christ we can stand, his works, his life, death, resurrection his return. And with joy give Jesus praise, by the Holy Spirt to the glory of God.

We will not be able to do anything of lasting value – As Jesus said, apart from me you can do nothing. Now there is nothing wrong with wanting to please God and be obedient and do good works, we are called to do that. But not to earn our worth and value, but because Christ has made a way for us, and that Jesus the son of God who loved me, as Paul wrote in verse 2:20. – If we say God look at my deeds, - we say, I don’t find my righteousness in Jesus Christ by in what I can do… and that is slavery and works of our own hands (flesh), and we will fall short, we are not able to jusfy ourself if we were Jesus did for no purpose as Paul also wrote in 2:21.

As Paul is expanding or giving examples of what it means to trust in the law or the promise.

Paul uses Abrahams’s story again as an example (Genesis 12-25), and talks about his 2 sons. Frist is Ismael born of Hagar Abram’s wife servant. Paul writes he is a son of the slave - was of the flesh human idea – (by Sarah and Abraham’s works).

Isaach (laughter) Son of the free - was of promise – by God’s provision. (by God’s work).

Verse 24 PPT about allegorically. Short. That means we are not to look deeply in to the stories but to see the 2 as signs of something. As Paul will used them to illustrate to covenants. Hagar bearing children for slavery from Mount Sinai – where the law was given. And that state of represent to the present Jerusalem, for the children are in slavery with her. All the people that are not trusting in Christ as the messiah, but in the law to make them right with God, - but they are slaves… (This is where Paul belives that the Jews are taking the Galatians).

-So Paul is calling them back to Jesus. And points to Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother, -the new covenant of faith in Jesus Christ, a new covantet in my blood, - Jesus said,

Paul is asking them what are you trusting in? Your own works, the one done in flesh, making Gods promise come true by your actions, or you trusting in God’s promise to act. (In Christ Jesus).

That might be the same issues today, in and outside the church. What and who do you trust in and why? Yourself and your gifts and ablitis? You can do it, make it happen. – prove them wrong. Etc. I am not saying we don’t do our best. But it will not bring us in right standing with God.

I can do anything therefore I will do nothing, I will sine more and more…

As we look to us again, - what was and is the things, events, emotions, places, that trickers in you, your need to justify yourself? I am not saying that it is easy to see in the moment, but as you think ponder, what is the ways you want to be under the law, or to justify yourself?

You might respond I don’t do that that at all, - I might ask some more questions or you might – because this is not a game of pretend, this is a great invitation, to let the good news of Jesus Christ sink, deeper in to your soul, an invitation to turn/repent from false thinking/teaching, that Jesus Chirst work would fill all parts of your thinking, praying, acting, that we would not need, others approval, praise, to be justified in others eyes, because as we look to Jesus we see that He has made that possible by his works, that we can be accepted, adopted, healed, made right with God justified, all the things we so deepley need, but we look to weak humans to give us, and it will not last, only in Jesus Christ, can we be made right with God, as God made a way,

Do we want to be slaves of people opinions? Religious laws and works? Our huma line? Our wealth or poverty?

Or do we by faith simply trust in God’s work, word plan, do we by grace belive God, in Jesus Christ, trusting the Holy Spirt to lead and guide us, - knowing we only stand in Christ by Gods grace, clothed in Christ Jesus. That we are free to give all glory to God, as we understand Jesus Christ more and more in all the places of our life.

The prayer is for me and you to listen to Paul’s words, and when we are tempted to look to ourself or others, Paul points to Jesus, to go to Him and experience how Jesus can fill the holes we find, how does the gospel of Jesus Christ, lead me to praise Jesus instead of trusting in myself or asking for praise.