Coming of Age
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Intro
Intro
Text - Galatians 4.1-2
1 Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all,
2 but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
Title - Coming Of Age
Background
Background
Coming of age is a popular custom in ancient as as modern times.
North America - The Sweet 16 is commonly celebrated in the U.S. and Canada on a girl's 16th birthday.
Indonesia - Mepandes is a teeth-filling ceremony that takes place in Bali, Indonesia. It involves removing the sharp edges of canine teeth and filling the front six teeth flat to symbolically rid one of negativity like lust, greed, anger, and jealousy. The procedure can only be performed on girls who've had their first period.
China - Ji Li is the Confucian coming of age ceremony for Han women that has seen a resurgence in recent years. The young women, usually 15 - 20 years old, dress in traditional Chinese clothing and participate in a hairpin ceremony in which her hair gets washed, combed, and put into an updo with pins made of gold, jade, or wood.
Japan - The second Monday in January marks Japan's official Coming of Age Day, Sheijin No Hi. It's celebrated annually by men and women who've turned 20 the year prior and involves ceremonies hosted by local government offices recognizing the celebrants as official adults able to drink, smoke, gamble, and drive.
Latin America - The quinceañera, celebrated in Mexico, Argentina, and across many other Latin American countries, is celebrated by girls who turn 15 years old. It begins in the church with a blessing, then transitions to a dance party with loved ones. Some other parts of the ceremony include having a court of 14 friends, giving away a porcelain doll to a younger sister, and changing from flats to high heels to represent entering adulthood.
Philippines - In the Philippines, a popular coming of age celebration for 18-year-old women is the debut. It is normally a formal affair, with a strict dress code such as a coat and tie for the upper-middle and upper classes, and usually has a theme or color scheme that is related to the dress code. The débutante traditionally chooses for her entourage "18 Roses", who are 18 special men or boys in the girl's life such as boyfriends, relatives and brothers, and "18 Candles", who are the Roses' female counterparts.
Coming of age in religion has something to do with accountability and maturity.
Latter Day Saints - LDS Church sets the age of accountability and minimum age for baptism at 8 years of age. All persons younger than 8 are considered innocent and incapable of sinning.
Roman Catholic Church - In 1910, Pope Pius X issued the decree Quam singulari, which changed the eligibility age for receiving First Communion to 7 years old. Previously, local standards had been 10 or 12 or even 14 years old. Together with the sacraments of Baptism and the Eucharist, the sacrament of Confirmation completes the sacraments of Christian initiation. Historically, the sacrament of Confirmation has been administered to youth who have reached the "age of discretion" but it can be administered earlier.
In many Western Christian churches (those deriving from Rome after the East-West Schism), a young person celebrates his/her Coming of Age with the Sacrament of Confirmation. (In Eastern Christianity the baptising priest confirms infants directly after baptism.) This is usually done by the Bishop laying their hands upon the foreheads of the young person (usually between the ages of 12 to 15 years), and marking them with the seal of the Holy Spirit.
Shinto - In the Shinto faith, boys were taken to the shrine of their patron deity at approximately 12–14 years old. They were then given adult clothes and a new haircut. This was called Genpuku.
Jewish faith - boys reach religious maturity at the age of thirteen and become a bar mitzvah ("bar mitzvah" means "son of the commandment" literally, and "subject to commandments" figuratively). Girls mature a year earlier, and become a bat mitzvah ("bat mitzvah" means "daughter of the commandment") at twelve. The new men and women are looked upon as adults and are expected to uphold the Jewish commandments and laws.
Note - when Jesus was 12 years old, he went with Joseph and Mary to Jerusalem. It was his preparation for his “bar mitzvah”.
Coming of age among ancient cultures
Ancient Greek - In certain states in Ancient Greece, such as Sparta and Crete, adolescent boys were expected to enter into a mentoring relationship with an adult man, in which they would be taught skills pertaining to adult life, such as hunting, martial arts and fine arts.
Brazil - Bullet ant initiation. This rite of passage is a cultural tradition for young males wanting to join the Amazonian Sateré-Mawé tribe. After displays of singing and dancing, young boys put on gloves filled with biting bullet ants and must resist the stings and pain for around 10 minutes. After the gloves are removed, the effects are severe and long lasting, but respect is earned. Once the boy has worn the gloves around 20 times, he’s then allowed into the tribe.
Paul’s analogy in Galatians 4.1-2 is taken from the Roman culture of coming of age of a son.
WMB used Galatians 4 to explain adoption as child that is positioned by the father to authority. In fact, his illustration showed coming of age.
Then in the Old Testament there come a day that this father brought his son out into the public as a witness, put a robe on him, and set him up upon a great place where all the city could see him. And they had the law of adoption. This father to his own son, who had been born in his own family, and now was of age, and was a child worthy to take his place, he adopted, or placed his own son into position.
Any Bible reader knows that: the placing of a son. Then after that ceremony, that son had a right, his name was just as good on the—the check as his father’s was. There’s where the church should be today. “The things that I do shall you also; more than this shall you do, for I go to My Father.” --- 56-1215 - Hear Ye Him; Rev. William Marrion Branham
Ancient Rome - The puberty ritual for the young Roman male involved shaving his beard and taking off his bulla, an amulet worn to mark and protect underage youth, which he then dedicated to his household gods, the Lares.
He assumed the toga virilis ("toga of manhood"), was enrolled as a citizen on the census, and soon began his military service. Traditionally, the ceremony was held on the Liberalia, the festival in honor of the god Liber…
In another account… When the boy was ready, the procession to the Forum began. The father had gathered his slaves, freedmen, clients, relatives and friends, using all his influence to make his son's escort numerous and imposing.
Here the boy's name was added to the list of citizens, and formal congratulations were extended. Then the family climbed up to the temple of Liber on the Capitoline Hill, where an offering was made to the god. Finally they all returned to the house, where the day ended with a dinner party given by the father in honour of the new Roman citizen.
Rome lacked the elaborate female puberty rituals of ancient Greece, and for girls the wedding ceremony was in part a rite of passage for the bride. Girls coming of age dedicated their dolls to Artemis, the goddess most concerned with virginity, or to Aphrodite when they were preparing for marriage.
Sermon Points
Sermon Points
Every child desires to come of age
Every child desires to come of age
1 Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all,
2 but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father.
In the Roman culture...
Paul was speaking to Galatians who are Gentiles (non-Jews), and citizens of the Roman empire
a child is no different that a slave
he has no rights to the father’s property
a child is under guardians and stewards
guardian - grk. EPITROPOS, a legal guardian
steward - Grk. OIKONOMOS, administrator
the father determines the right time
3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.
when the child comes of age
when the child is freed from guardians and stewards
when the child is declared an adult
NOTE - the fullness of the time - the right time, because all that God required to send His Son was present
it was time to redeem “those under the law”
it was time that “we might receive the adoption as sons”
The fullness of the time is a “coming of age”
for the Jewish believers to be justified by faith in Christ
23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.
24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
for the Gentiles to receive adoption as sons
3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.
4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
On the other hand, coming of age means becoming adults in disposition.
Coming of age means giving up precious things
Coming of age means giving up precious things
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
Becoming an adult requires the child to give up childish things
toys - girls dedicate their dolls to Artemis or Aphrodite
bulla - an amulet worn by the child since birth for protection, is offered to the “lares”, the household gods
toga praetexta - toga of childhood wit replaced with toga virilis (toga of manhood)
27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
“put on” is illustrated by putting on or being wrapped in a new garment
Coming of age means positioning
Coming of age means positioning
6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”
7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
In the Romans culture...
the child’s name is placed in the public records
the child becomes officially an heir
the child becomes equally responsible and accountable
The Holy Spirit plays an important role in our coming of age
It declares that we are officially citizens of heaven!
It declares publicly that we are officially heirs of God
It declares that we are now accountable to all our actions
It declares that we are now ready for serious responsibilities and functions in the kingdom of God.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Have we come of age already?
if not yet - when will you come of age?
How do you know?
you are no longer satisfied with childish toys and plays
your focus is in pursuing God’s work
Jesus at 12 (barely coming of age): I must be about my Father’s business!
you are willing to take responsibility over things
you are willing to take serious functions