Sermon Tone Analysis

When I Think I AM In The House Gal 4:21-31

 

In these times It may become easy to assume that because we are in church and that we attend regularly that that we have covered all bases when it comes to attaining our ticket to heaven.

We start to mix our traditional requirements and legalism and associate that with the promise of God for our salvation.

We as children of God need to have a clear understanding as to the requirement for our eternal salvation.

Here is this text Paul has pulled form an Old Testament account to identify and separate the difference between works~/legalism and grace.

Where did the raising of the hand at the reciting of the scripture at the benediction come from?

Why does everyone dress up so?

When did this start and is it a requirement?

John the Baptist wore camel’s hair and did eat wild honey.

The tradition started in the 4th century AD when a king was visiting a church and the people of the congregation dressed according to protocol and associated with meeting of a king, not because of the being in the presence at church of the Holy king.

Now this is a tradition that we still carry on today but that is where it was originated.

Because of this tradition are do we have a perquisite for those who come into our midst that don’t dress and look the way that we do?

21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?



q       The Galatians had not yet submitted to the bondage under the law but they wanted to.

Paul here wanted to stop them and return them to a life under grace.

q       Do we in today church have some of these issues and are we focused on traditions.

q       Who can take the Lords Supper or Communion?

I have heard it said that if you are not baptized you couldn’t take it.

q       Can it only be given at night?

Is this because it is called supper and supper is at nighttime.

q       The focus should not be on the pageantry of the Lord’s supper but on the meaning behind it.

Examine yourself and do this often in remembrance of me as Jesus stated.

q       Where did the raising of one finger when moving about the Sanctuary come from?

q       Does serving on a in a ministry or church auxiliary attain me a seat in heaven?

22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.

q       The bondwoman represents one who is born out of legalism or works which is who Hagar represents as opposed to one that is born out of the promise which is who Sarah represented.

q       When God changed Sari and Abrams names to Sarah and Abraham he made them a promise.

23 But he /who was/ of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman /was/ by promise.

q       A contrast or a difference concerned the manner in which the sons were conceived.

q       Ishmael was born in the ordinary way, that is, in the course of nature and requiring no miracle and no promise of God.

q       Isaac, on the other hand, was born as the result of a promise.

Abraham and Sarah were beyond the age of childbearing, but God miraculously fulfilled His promise in bringing life out of the deadness of Sarah’s womb.

q       What did Jesus tell Nicodemus you must be born again.

24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenantse; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.



q       There are two ways being discuss here as methods of serving God.

Legalistic method of the law and sacrificial system.

q       And that of the promise that comes to us through grace.

q       The second being that of a gift that was paid for by Christ’s freely giving his life in sacrifice for us.

25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.



q       Hagar here represents the 1st century Jerusalem which was enslaved and under Roman rule.

q       The current word system for us today.

Being enslaved to the world’s devices and trappings.

q       We spend a lot of time trying to impress people with things and titles versus working towards the reward of our eternal home.

We spend a lot of time effort and resources on doing a lot of things that we believe will get us or establish us in our heavenly reward.

But how much effort is spent on doing what Jesus did command us to do.

Evangelism.

Matt 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19 Go ye therefore, and teachb all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, /even/ unto the end of the world.

Amen.

q       How much time is spent on studying the word of God from house to house? 

q       In the reading of Paul’s epistles it took about five years for a person to become a mature Christian.

q       That is one who bears fruit, multiplies procreates, leads a person to Christ.

q       How much time is spent on communal prayer?

26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

q       Heaven is free for the one who accept Christ.

He Already paid the price.

27 For it is written, Rejoice, /thou/ barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.

Versus 28 – 31 Paul makes three comparisons which apply to us today.

28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

In First, Paul compared the birth of *Isaac *to that of Christians.

As “Isaac” experienced a supernatural birth and was a child by means of a promise, so each of us believers experience a supernatural birth (John 3:3, 5) and is a recipient of the promise of salvation (Gal.

3:9, 22, 29).

As *children of promise we* are in a distinct category and should not live as children of bondage

John 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, /art/ in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him /that was born/ after the Spirit, even so /it is/ now.

q       Ishmael was the son born after the flesh and as those of the flesh in church today will persecute true believers.

q       They assume just because you are saved they can take advantage of you.

Just because you are saved they can say anything they want to you or treat you any kind of way.

q       But God is Watching you and them , stay on the Cross.

Mathew 18: 6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and /that/ he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture?

Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.

31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

q       Listen saints there are no spiritual merit badges.

q       Going to this conference and that.

q       Supporting every ministry that comes down the pike.

q       Being seen at all the right places with the right supposedly religious superstars.

q       Speaking a certain way when you are around the saints.

Buying the biggest bible that you can buy.

q       Purchasing all the Gospel CD’s and having your six disk changer full of them.

q       Proclaiming the Word of God.

And so on and so on will not get you in the house.

Freedom , access to the house comes from accepting the Lord Jesus Christ.

Are You In the House?

\\ ----