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Balwani Gangadhar Tilak, an Indian leader and activist in the late 1800’s and early 1900s famously said “Freedom is my birth-right and I shall have it”. The concept of freedom and the majority of us and our society believe this to be a right.
· We all want to be free! Our country honors military and those serving the country to protect our right to be free and the liberties that we have in living in this country.
21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, don’t you hear the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and the other by a free woman. 23 But the one by the slave was born as a result of the flesh, while the one by the free woman was born through promise. 24 These things are being taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery—this is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written, Rejoice, childless woman, unable to give birth. Burst into song and shout, you who are not in labor, for the children of the desolate woman will be many, more numerous than those of the woman who has a husband. 28 Now you too, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 But just as then the child born as a result of the flesh persecuted the one born as a result of the Spirit, so also now. 30 But what does the Scripture say? “Drive out the slave and her son, for the son of the slave will never be a coheir with the son of the free woman.” 31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of a slave but of the free woman. 1 For freedom, Christ set us free. Stand firm then and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.
Balwani Gangadhar Tilak, an Indian leader and activist in the late 1800’s and early 1900s famously said “Freedom is my birth-right and I shall have it”. The concept of freedom and the majority of us and our society believe this to be a right.
· But what does it mean to be free? We all seem to desire it.
· “The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants” -Oxford’s dictionary
SARAH AND HAGAR: TWO COVENANTS
· We all want to be free! Our country honors military and those serving the country to protect our right to be free and the liberties that we have in living in this country.
21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, don’t you hear the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and the other by a free woman. 23 But the one by the slave was born as a result of the flesh, while the one by the free woman was born through promise. 24 These things are being taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery—this is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
· But what does it mean to be free? We all seem to desire it.
· The state of not being imprisoned or enslaved– Oxford’s dictionary
· “The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants” -Oxford’s dictionary
· But is freedom really being able to do what we want, when we want, without resistance. But as a Christian we know the ability to do whatever you want leads to sin, and we know that leading a life of sin leads to bondage and slavery. So being free doesn’t necessarily mean doing what you want.
· The state of not being imprisoned or enslaved– Oxford’s dictionary
So to be free in Christ, does not mean we do whatever we want, and it doesn’t mean we do not obey or follow laws. But that freedom in Christ frees us from our bondage of sin that enslaves us and leads to our destruction, but that Christ has now liberated the Christian to freely obey and love God.
As we have been studying the book of Galatians, we have seen the issues that Paul has had to addressed regarding the false teaching of Judaizers that these Gentile Christians are starting to believe. These Judaizers are trying to appeal to the Gentile Christians that they are not truly free, and that in order to be free they have to trust in the law. This has been a struggle for Paul to call the churches back to Christ and for them to repent and to stop trusting in themselves but solely on Christ.
· But is freedom really being able to do what we want, when we want, without resistance. But as a Christian we know the ability to do whatever you want leads to sin, and we know that leading a life of sin leads to bondage and slavery. So being free doesn’t necessarily mean doing what you want.
So to be free in Christ, does not mean we do whatever we want, and it doesn’t mean we do not obey or follow laws. But that freedom in Christ frees us from our bondage of sin that enslaves us and leads to our destruction, but that Christ has now liberated the Christian to freely obey and love God.
But in regards to freedom, we are not dealing with people who are enslaved who are desiring to be free. It is not like Moses, leading God’s people out of slavery at the hands of Egypt. Paul is talking to Gentile Christians, who are already free! They have already been freed from the law. In fact they didn’t have the law like the Judaizers. They have already been liberated and free to love God and obey Him. Yet Paul is asking the question now “since you are free, why do you want to go back to slavery? “why do you want to live under the law?”.
This is the situation we are dealing with here in , and I want us to be challenged and encouraged through this text by Paul’s encouragement to the churches of Galatia to Stand Firm in Our Freedom in Christ. We want to focus on how we can stand firm in our freedom in Christ, and Paul reveals to us 3 ways we can stand firm in our freedom in Christ in this text:
As we have been studying the book of Galatians, we have seen the issues that Paul has had to addressed regarding the false teaching of Judaizers that these Gentile Christians are starting to believe. These Judaizers are trying to appeal to the Gentile Christians that they are not truly free, and that in order to be free they have to trust in the law. This has been a struggle for Paul to call the churches back to Christ and for them to repent and to stop trusting in themselves but solely on Christ.
· Stand Firm and Understand God’s word [v.21]
But in regards to freedom, we are not dealing with people who are enslaved who are desiring to be free. It is not like Moses, leading God’s people out of slavery at the hands of Egypt. Paul is talking to Gentile Christians, who are already free! They have already been freed from the law. In fact they didn’t have the law like the Judaizers. They have already been liberated and free to love God and obey Him. Yet Paul is asking the question now “since you are free, why do you want to go back to slavery? “why do you want to live under the law?”.
This is the situation we are dealing with here in , and I want us to be challenged and encouraged through this text by Paul’s encouragement to the churches of Galatia to Stand Firm in Our Freedom in Christ. We want to focus on how we can stand firm in our freedom in Christ, and Paul reveals to us 3 ways we can stand firm in our freedom in Christ in this text:
· Stand Firm and Rejoice in God’s Promise [v.26-28]
· Stand Firm Even in Persecution [v.29-30]
· Stand Firm and Understand God’s word [v.21]
· Stand Firm and Rejoice in God’s Promise [v.26-28]
So as we look at our first point, let’s read again (CSB)
21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, don’t you hear the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and the other by a free woman. 23 But the one by the slave was born as a result of the flesh, while the one by the free woman was born through promise. 24 These things are being taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery—this is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
· Stand Firm Even in Persecution [v.29-30]
Stand Firm & Understand God’s word
So as we look at our first point, let’s read again (CSB)
Remembering where we left off in last week’s sermon in v.20 where Paul says “I would like to be with you right now and change my tone of voice, because I don’t know what to do about you”. We saw Paul’s pastoral concern for the churches of Galatia and how at this point in his ministry, he was discouraged and worried that his work in gospelizing, trying to disciple, and walk the Christian faith with these Gentile believers might have all been in vain because of the seemingly overwhelming influence of the Judaizers in the lives of these believers. They had been influenced by the Judaizers to trust in themselves, to trust in their works, and the law. They had been influenced to believe that they needed to be circumcised, and even to follow OT traditions and events, and we are left in v.20 with Paul perplexed at what to do next.
21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, don’t you hear the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and the other by a free woman. 23 But the one by the slave was born as a result of the flesh, while the one by the free woman was born through promise. 24 These things are being taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery—this is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
Paul seemingly doesn’t know what strategy to take next in trying to persuade and convince the Gentile believers to trust alone in the Lord, but we see in v.21 that it does not take Paul long to figure out what strategy he takes next. He has a “lightbulb” moment in v.21. His strategy and argument now is asking those Gentile believers and even to the Judaizers, “So you want to be under the law, and trust in the law, do you even know what the law says”.
Stand Firm & Understand God’s word
Remembering where we left off in last week’s sermon in v.20 where Paul says “I would like to be with you right now and change my tone of voice, because I don’t know what to do about you”. We saw Paul’s pastoral concern for the churches of Galatia and how at this point in his ministry, he was discouraged and worried that his work in gospelizing, trying to disciple, and walk the Christian faith with these Gentile believers might have all been in vain because of the seemingly overwhelming influence of the Judaizers in the lives of these believers. They had been influenced by the Judaizers to trust in themselves, to trust in their works, and the law. They had been influenced to believe that they needed to be circumcised, and even to follow OT traditions and events, and we are left in v.20 with Paul perplexed at what to do next.
· Paul’s historical argument:
o The “law”: We have to distinguish here that the term law has been used all throughout the Bible to refer to many things [ the ten commandments, all the Mosaic commands, the Torah [Pentateuch], all of OT scriptures]
Paul seemingly doesn’t know what strategy to take next in trying to persuade and convince the Gentile believers to trust alone in the Lord, but we see in v.21 that it does not take Paul long to figure out what strategy he takes next. He has a “lightbulb” moment in v.21. His strategy and argument now is asking those Gentile believers and even to the Judaizers, “So you want to be under the law, and trust in the law, do you even know what the law says”.
· Paul’s historical argument:
o Paul is referring to the Pentateuch here, the first 5 books of the bible. Paul is using a historical argument on his readers, he is saying “You say you want to be under the law, don’t you understand what the Torah, the Pentateuch, the place where the law you want to be under is written, do you even know what it is about?”
o So Paul calls them to remember their bible history and points to the story of Isaac and Ishmael, and their mothers Sarah & Hagar.
o The “law”: We have to distinguish here that the term law has been used all throughout the Bible to refer to many things [ the ten commandments, all the Mosaic commands, the Torah [Pentateuch], all of OT scriptures]
· In this story we have Abraham, we have mentioned this previously in past sermons in this book series:
o Paul is referring to the Pentateuch here, the first 5 books of the bible. Paul is using a historical argument on his readers, he is saying “You say you want to be under the law, don’t you understand what the Torah, the Pentateuch, the place where the law you want to be under is written, do you even know what it is about?”
o In : God calls and chooses Abram, and promises to Abram, that he will make him a great nation, hat he will bless Abram, and Abram will bless others especially all people. God reaffirms this covenant to Abram in . But in , Sarah, Abraham’s wife is concerned because she doesn’t trust that God will fulfill this covenant on God’s own power because, well she is barren. She is getting old, Abraham’s old, so how could they possibly have a child that would start a nation, and would bless everybody. So she schemes to have her slave, Hagar conceive a child with Abraham, so Hagar and Abraham have a son named Ishmael. But this is not the son that which God has promised. The son would be born through Sarah. We see that in , Sarah is still skeptical, even laughs at God. But in , Sarah at 90 years old, Abraham at 100 years old, conceive and have a child and named him Isaac.
o So Paul calls them to remember their bible history and points to the story of Isaac and Ishmael, and their mothers Sarah & Hagar.
o So Paul, tells his readers to recall back to history and remember this story. This would be a story that the Judaizers would be very familiar with, and would probably feel very confident in. Because all this time they have found their identity in their heritage, their lineage, and what they do. They boast in the fact that they obey God through their following of the law. They boast in the fact that they are Jews, and that they are ‘God’s chosen people’. They boast in the fact that they are in the descendants of Abraham.
· In this story we have Abraham, we have mentioned this previously in past sermons in this book series:
o Because they know in v.23 “that the child born of the slave woman [Hagar] was born through the flesh, and the child born through the free woman [Sarah] was born through the promise. Paul now wants to make an important point to the people, that it isn’t just important to have Abraham as a father. This is what the Judaizers boasted in, that they were descendants of Abraham. Now Paul is saying, it doesn’t just matter that Abraham is your father, but what’s also important is who is your mother? [Hagar or Sarah]
o In : God calls and chooses Abram, and promises to Abram, that he will make him a great nation, hat he will bless Abram, and Abram will bless others especially all people. God reaffirms this covenant to Abram in . But in , Sarah, Abraham’s wife is concerned because she doesn’t trust that God will fulfill this covenant on God’s own power because, well she is barren. She is getting old, Abraham’s old, so how could they possibly have a child that would start a nation, and would bless everybody. So she schemes to have her slave, Hagar conceive a child with Abraham, so Hagar and Abraham have a son named Ishmael. But this is not the son that which God has promised. The son would be born through Sarah. We see that in , Sarah is still skeptical, even laughs at God. But in , Sarah at 90 years old, Abraham at 100 years old, conceive and have a child and named him Isaac.
o So Paul, tells his readers to recall back to history and remember this story. This would be a story that the Judaizers would be very familiar with, and would probably feel very confident in. Because all this time they have found their identity in their heritage, their lineage, and what they do. They boast in the fact that they obey God through their following of the law. They boast in the fact that they are Jews, and that they are ‘God’s chosen people’. They boast in the fact that they are in the descendants of Abraham.
Paul’s use of Allegory
· Paul uses then an allegory to explain his point here.
o Because they know in v.23 “that the child born of the slave woman [Hagar] was born through the flesh, and the child born through the free woman [Sarah] was born through the promise. Paul now wants to make an important point to the people, that it isn’t just important to have Abraham as a father. This is what the Judaizers boasted in, that they were descendants of Abraham. Now Paul is saying, it doesn’t just matter that Abraham is your father, but what’s also important is who is your mother? [Hagar or Sarah]
· An Allegory is: a literary form that assigns meaning to the text that doesn’t necessarily fit with its historical context. It is using analogies and uses them as illustrations to explain a meaning.
Paul’s use of Allegory
· Paul uses then an allegory to explain his point here.
o Paul is simply comparing the similarities between the story of Abraham and the spiritual truth that he is teaching.
· An Allegory is: a literary form that assigns meaning to the text that doesn’t necessarily fit with its historical context. It is using analogies and uses them as illustrations to explain a meaning.
· And in this illustration that Paul is using is having us contrast the differences between Hagar and her son Ishmael, and Sarah and Isaac.
· Paul says that Hagar represents Mt. Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem.
o Paul is simply comparing the similarities between the story of Abraham and the spiritual truth that he is teaching.
o Hagar represents the covenant enacted in Mt. Sinai [the mosaic covenant].
· And in this illustration that Paul is using is having us contrast the differences between Hagar and her son Ishmael, and Sarah and Isaac.
o Paul likens those who live under the law to ‘Hagar and Ishmael’, just like Hagar was a slave woman, those who live under the law are slaves.
· Paul says that Hagar represents Mt. Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem.
o Paul is saying, “anyone who wants to live under the law are like Hagar and Ishmael”, Abraham tried to have a baby his way, because he didn’t trust in God, and Ishmael was the byproduct of that. By sleeping with Hagar, Abraham was choosing to rely on himself and his own capabilities. He was opting to work and gain his son.
o Hagar represents the covenant enacted in Mt. Sinai [the mosaic covenant].
o Paul likens those who live under the law to ‘Hagar and Ishmael’, just like Hagar was a slave woman, those who live under the law are slaves.
§ The conception of Ishmael represents man’s way, the way of the flesh.
§ Ishmael symbolizes those who have only had natural birth and people who trust in the law, themselves, and their own effort.
o Paul is saying, “anyone who wants to live under the law are like Hagar and Ishmael”, Abraham tried to have a baby his way, because he didn’t trust in God, and Ishmael was the byproduct of that. By sleeping with Hagar, Abraham was choosing to rely on himself and his own capabilities. He was opting to work and gain his son.
o So anyone who attempted to satisfy God and gain freedom by trying to live up to the Mosaic covenant by earing their righteousness and through self-effort was spiritually a child of Hagar.
§ The conception of Ishmael represents man’s way, the way of the flesh.
o Paul is saying anyone who would place themselves ‘under the law’ are also subjecting themselves to the power of sin and are living in the old era of redemptive history.
§ Ishmael symbolizes those who have only had natural birth and people who trust in the law, themselves, and their own effort.
o So anyone who attempted to satisfy God and gain freedom by trying to live up to the Mosaic covenant by earing their righteousness and through self-effort was spiritually a child of Hagar.
· So Paul says that those under the law are children of the slave woman Hagar. They are Ismaels, they represent the Mosaic Covenant given at Mt. Sinai, and they represent the current Jerusalem, the current jewish condition.
Paul compares them to Sarah, the free woman, and her child Isaac.
o Paul is saying anyone who would place themselves ‘under the law’ are also subjecting themselves to the power of sin and are living in the old era of redemptive history.
· So Paul says that those under the law are children of the slave woman Hagar. They are Ismaels, they represent the Mosaic Covenant given at Mt. Sinai, and they represent the current Jerusalem, the current jewish condition.
· Sarah had her own faults, she also trusted in herself and was the one who told Abraham to sleep with Hagar. She is also the one who was bitter towards Hagar, so we are not condoning her actions. But she does represent the woman who God used to help fulfill God’s promise, thus helping us see that Sarah represents God’s way and God’s plan. She ultimately has faith in God and his promise
Paul compares them to Sarah, the free woman, and her child Isaac.
· (CSB) 11 By faith even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age, since she considered that the one who had promised was faithful.
· We see that Sarah represents the free woman, the Jerusalem above, and is the woman of the promise.
· Sarah had her own faults, she also trusted in herself and was the one who told Abraham to sleep with Hagar. She is also the one who was bitter towards Hagar, so we are not condoning her actions. But she does represent the woman who God used to help fulfill God’s promise, thus helping us see that Sarah represents God’s way and God’s plan. She ultimately has faith in God and his promise
· (CSB) 11 By faith even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age, since she considered that the one who had promised was faithful.
o Sarah the free woman stands for the new covenant, and her son Isaac symbolizes the church of the heavenly Jerusalem.
· We see that Sarah represents the free woman, the Jerusalem above, and is the woman of the promise.
o Isaac’s birth shows us that he was the child of the promise. He didn’t have a natural birth but a supernatural birth.
o Thus Isaac symbolizes those who have also had a spiritual birth one reliant on Christ., not one that relies naturally on themselves.
o Sarah the free woman stands for the new covenant, and her son Isaac symbolizes the church of the heavenly Jerusalem.
o Isaac’s birth shows us that he was the child of the promise. He didn’t have a natural birth but a supernatural birth.
o The inhabitants of the heavenly Jerusalem are free from the law, from works, from slavery. They are now free to do good!.
Why did Paul do this? Why would he use an allegory to liken people under the law and liken them to children of the slave woman Hagar and compare them to people living under grace and liken them to the free woman Sarah.
o Thus Isaac symbolizes those who have also had a spiritual birth one reliant on Christ., not one that relies naturally on themselves.
· Because the Judaizers saw themselves as descendants of Abraham! But not just Abraham, they thought they were descendants of Isaac. But Paul says “YES and NO. Yes you are descendants of Abraham, but you are not descendants of Isaac, but you are descendants of Ishmael.
o The inhabitants of the heavenly Jerusalem are free from the law, from works, from slavery. They are now free to do good!.
· (CSB) GOD’S GRACIOUS ELECTION OF ISRAEL
Why did Paul do this? Why would he use an allegory to liken people under the law and liken them to children of the slave woman Hagar and compare them to people living under grace and liken them to the free woman Sarah.
· Because the Judaizers saw themselves as descendants of Abraham! But not just Abraham, they thought they were descendants of Isaac. But Paul says “YES and NO. Yes you are descendants of Abraham, but you are not descendants of Isaac, but you are descendants of Ishmael.
6 Now it is not as though the word of God has failed, because not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7 Neither are all of Abraham’s children his descendants., On the contrary, your offspring will be traced through Isaac.,
· (CSB) GOD’S GRACIOUS ELECTION OF ISRAEL
o Those who rely on the law and human effort to be right with God are not the children of the new covenant and are not children of the free woman, but only those who rely on the free promise and salvation found in Christ are the true covenant children.
6 Now it is not as though the word of God has failed, because not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7 Neither are all of Abraham’s children his descendants., On the contrary, your offspring will be traced through Isaac.,
o The true heirs of the promise of Abraham are not his children by physical descent, so it is not the Jews. But the true heirs are inherited through spiritual descent, Christian believers.
· Paul uses this method because he wants to press that those who are under the law and relying on the law are still in the wilderness. They still live in slavery similarly to Hagar and Ishmael. The Judaizers desired to impose the OT law on gentile converts. They believed that they were free because they were doing these things, but they were only leading themselves and others back to slavery.
o Those who rely on the law and human effort to be right with God are not the children of the new covenant and are not children of the free woman, but only those who rely on the free promise and salvation found in Christ are the true covenant children.
o Judaizers believed that the law led to the pathway of liberation and freedom. But Paul knew that the law only demands obedience and does not grant freedom, it does not grant life.
o The true heirs of the promise of Abraham are not his children by physical descent, so it is not the Jews. But the true heirs are inherited through spiritual descent, Christian believers.
Application: Paul used the law that they held so tightly to and told them to look back to the ‘law’, God’s word and asked them ‘if they really understood what it said’. We likewise, as Christians, similarly to the Gentile believers are free. But in this life people and other worldviews are going to tell us otherwise, they are going to tell us to trust in other things, even to trust in ourselves and our own self-effort. We see here that the Gentile Christians, even though they were free, still had to stand firm to remain in that freedom because the enemy will try to stray us back to slavery. So church family I want to challenge us to Stand Firm and Understand God’s word. The Judaizers thought they knew God’s word, but they did not. CBF, do you desire to not just trust God’s word but actually understand it? Do you feel confident that you can protect yourself and others from false teachings that can lead you astray and back to slavery.
· Paul uses this method because he wants to press that those who are under the law and relying on the law are still in the wilderness. They still live in slavery similarly to Hagar and Ishmael. The Judaizers desired to impose the OT law on gentile converts. They believed that they were free because they were doing these things, but they were only leading themselves and others back to slavery.
· (CSB) 16 All Scripture is inspired by God, and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness.
o Judaizers believed that the law led to the pathway of liberation and freedom. But Paul knew that the law only demands obedience and does not grant freedom, it does not grant life.
Application: Paul used the law that they held so tightly to and told them to look back to the ‘law’, God’s word and asked them ‘if they really understood what it said’. We likewise, as Christians, similarly to the Gentile believers are free. But in this life people and other worldviews are going to tell us otherwise, they are going to tell us to trust in other things, even to trust in ourselves and our own self-effort. We see here that the Gentile Christians, even though they were free, still had to stand firm to remain in that freedom because the enemy will try to stray us back to slavery. So church family I want to challenge us to Stand Firm and Understand God’s word. The Judaizers thought they knew God’s word, but they did not. CBF, do you desire to not just trust God’s word but actually understand it? Do you feel confident that you can protect yourself and others from false teachings that can lead you astray and back to slavery.
· CBF, be learners. Be like the Bareans in the book of Acts who made sure they took anything they learned and brought it back to the scriptures and made sure it aligned to God’s word.
· Understand the story of the Bible, This is God’s story and has used it to reveal Himself to us. CBF, we live and die on this word. In order for us to stand firm in our freedom in Christ, we need to understand God’s word.
· (CSB) 16 All Scripture is inspired by God, and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness.
· CBF, be learners. Be like the Bareans in the book of Acts who made sure they took anything they learned and brought it back to the scriptures and made sure it aligned to God’s word.
STAND FIRM & REJOICE IN GOD’S PROMISE [V.26-28]
(CSB)
· Understand the story of the Bible, This is God’s story and has used it to reveal Himself to us. CBF, we live and die on this word. In order for us to stand firm in our freedom in Christ, we need to understand God’s word.
26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written,
Rejoice, childless woman,
unable to give birth.
Burst into song and shout,
you who are not in labor,
for the children of the desolate woman will be many,
more numerous than those
of the woman who has a husband.,
28 Now you too, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.
CBF, the fact that we are children of the free woman Sarah and freedom in Christ doesn’t mean that we don’t fight for our freedom. Thankfully we do not fight for our freedom with our own effort, we rely on the work that was already done for us by Christ. So that’s why in order for us to stand firm in our freedom, we have to stand firm and rejoice in God’s promise.
· Paul quotes . This was written when Israel was in captivity in Babylon. Isaiah likens the people’s state to apply to Sarah the barren woman. But the encouragement is for them to rejoice in the midst of their suffering.
· And Paul recalls to them that they are able to rejoice when they consider the promise that they are awaiting and the promise that they are inheriting, and this promise is reserved for those who put their faith in Christ.
· Those who place their faith in Christ are truly Abraham’s seed, they are the children of the promise, and a reason why we can rejoice is the fact that part of the inheritance is the “Jerusalem above” that Paul talks about in v.26.
· The earthyl Jerusalem stands in contrast to the Jerusalem above, the new Jerusalem, our inheritance in heaven. Those in Christ are citizens of the heavenly city.
· This was the encouragement Paul wanted them to hear, is that when life seems desolate and burdensome, God will be faithful. It seemed that way to Sarah, she wanted to have a child and it seemingly wasn’t happening, but God was faithful to the promise.
· For us, we are able to stand firm when we are able to rejoice in God’s promises. When we are tempted, when we are hurting, when we are suffering, we are comforted and encouraged that we can rest in Christ’s forgiveness of us and adopting us into His family. We have him as our loving God.
· CBF, the best part of the promise, our inheritance, is not the heavens above, it is not eternal life, but we get GOD.
The last application for us in standing firm in Freedom is Paul’s exhortation for us to stand firm even when we are persecuted.
(CSB) 28 Now you too, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 But just as then the child born as a result of the flesh persecuted the one born as a result of the Spirit, so also now.
· Throughout history, the physical descendants of Hagar and Ishmael have persecuted and opposed the physical descendants of Sarah and Isaac. Even in the relationship between Ishmael and Isaac, Ishmael was opposed to Isaac, and similarly now they are being persecuted by the Judaizers. Paul is likening the Judaizers teaching the Gentile believers false teaching to persecution.
· Paul points to us that persecution is going to happen, but what we see is that the persecution doesn’t normally come from those that are outside the church, but those within.
· Those who trust in God have always been persecuted by those who trust in their own work and effort. The Judaizers thought of themselves as the legitimate people of Abraham, children of the promise, and now they are bent in persuading those who are of the faith and would go to great lengths to persuade them away from Christianity.
o The Judaizers want God’s blessing, but not on his terms. They rely on themselves and want things their own way, and with that as believers we will be persecuted for what we believe.
· CBF, we stand firm when we are persecuted. When you are ridiculed for your faith, or even suffer for your faith, we need to cling to Christ and stand firm in what he has done for us. CBF, we live in a time when our faith will be tested challenged and we as Christians need to not waver, stand still, and trust even more in Jesus.
But you might be thinking that it can be difficult to do this. “It’s going to get hard and difficult so why should I let people ridicule and persecute me?” CBF, by now you can tell that I am not going to tell you that life is going to be easy, but the reason why we can stand firm when we are persecuted, is that we can stand firm in persecution because Christ stood firm for us. We are able and should stand firm in any type of persecution because Jesus Christ stood firm in the persecution that we deserved, he suffered the greatest persecution, and he did this for us.
· :20A (CSB) 20 Remember the word I spoke to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you…
· Jesus, lived a perfect and obedient life, he was the true heir to Abraham, yet he was persecuted by those who considered themselves Abraham’s descendants. He dies on the cross, even though he was without sin, but on the cross he died for our sins. He takes upon himself the full wrath of God, so that we would not have to experience any of it. Jesus then rose from the dead, signifying his power over sin and death.
o If you are not a Christian here today, God is calling you now to consider Jesus. In Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection we can find eternal life and salvation if you repent of your sins and trust in Jesus Christ alone.
· CBF, as we close God has saved us and has freed us from bondage of sin, to free us to live for Him. But we are called to stand firm in our freedom in Christ, and we do this by standing firm through understanding God’s word, rejoicing over our inheritance and God’s promise, and standing firm even in persecution.