Christmas 2020- Jesus came to save his people--- Galatians 4:1-7
Christmas 2020 • Sermon • Submitted
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· 11 viewsFulfilling the Prophets and at the right time, Jesus came to save his people by adopting them into a new family.
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Fulfilling the Prophets and at the right time, Jesus came to save his people.
That is the sentence I have been framing our Christmas series around
Matthew 26- the band of betrayers come to arrest Jesus and Jesus says this all must happen to fulfill the Prophets and Scriptures
Romans 5- At the perfectly divine sovereignly planned time, God sent his son, Jesus, to die for undeserving sinners so his people could be justified and reconciled to back to him
Today we will look in Galatians 4:1-7 and hopefully see that all of sat in a state of slavery to sin until Jesus came to redeem and adopt his people.
I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
1. Condition of man (1-3)
just before vs1, Paul speaks in chapter 3 to the there being no benefit Jew or Greek because no one is saved by blood type or there ethnicity
However, what is clear, is that for a period of time, the Jews did experience many more of the benefits of God
Such as the Scriptures, Prophets, the Promise of God, The Messiah himself
But in Christ- Jesus has done what the law couldnt do and that is save
The Laws job is to show us our sin and but Jesus comes to redeem
So he ends chapter in the idea, as if your faith is in Christ, i doesnt matter male or female , jew or greek, young or old- you apart of the family of God
Specifically he says Abrahams offspring specifically tying all this into Gods promise to Abraham to make him the father of many nations and in him would all the nations be blessed
So as we pick up in verse 1- Paul explains our previous condition
It appears that some of the Galatians are falling back into their old way of life and sin
But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?
So Paul challenges them and encourages them here
He does so by explaining to them how him, them and us all were before Christ
Vs1- He says there is no difference in the slave or the heir to begin with- slaves take directives and have no say
-nothing different than little children for a period of time
-They may be the heir to a multi billion dollar business tycoon- but until they get older- they have no more say than the hired hand
Vs2- they have guardians set in place to watch over them until the time is set by their father for responsibility to be handed over
-people to groom them, teach them, and make sure they will be ready when the time comes
Vs3- Paul then switches gear and moves to a spiritual truth now
-He reminds them, this is how we all once were spiritually
-Little children with no say except to be enslaved to sin and kept in tight grip by elementary principles of this world
-In the begin when Adam fell and sinned that curse was brought upon us all
-We dont enter into this world innocent but cursed and enslaved to sin
-Between our own desire and Satans schemes we are enslaved to these elementary principles
-lots of ideas are given as to what these actually are- but I think vs 9 helps us a little- look with me
But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?
I think it simply can be explained that it is the old pattern of life we once longed for
Its what the world pushes and promotes- Money, Power, Privilege, Sexual Immorality, Fame----- all these point to self
Our world says these are gods- seek them- and our natural inclination is to do so- So you do you and do whatever makes you most happy
But the problem is thats not freedom- thats not a choice- thats the world we were enslaved too
2. Provision of God
But the great news is this- is that God didnt leave his people like this
Even from the garden in Gen 3:15 we see the glimpse of provision of God in that He would send someone to break the curse
To free us from slavery
This is far bigger than the Hebrews being enslaved in Egypt for years or by the Babylonians, or Medes and Persians or the Greeks or the Romans
Which is how the Jews viewed the Messiah
Coming on the clouds, restoring the Jews and setting up his kingdom- and putting aside their greatest enemy
the problem was that their greatest enemy was slavery to some other nation- But to sin
The worlds greatest issues isnt some type of social injustice- but our sin cursed hearts and the eternal death it brings with it
We are born into the family of sin and curse
For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.
Vs 4- what you find is that- God makes provision to go- get his people- by virtue of sending his son- to come in flesh and be subject to the curse of sin on our behalf
Vs 5- So that we could be redeemed and adopted into the family of God
Adoption isnt cheap- Katies family has adopted multiple times and it has ranged for from 12-25k dollars to adopt their children
It required multiple trips back and forth to China, legal red tape and many other requirements
To adopt from Tanzania- you must live in Tanzania for 3 years before you could adopt a Tanzanian child
Its a process that requires planning, love and immense cost
What Paul says so subtly is that at the perfect time, God sent Jesus to be under the curse to redeem those who are cursed so we could be adopted in the family of God
I want you and I think of the planning, love and immense cost that Father, Son and Spirit went to free all who believe
Look to the agony in the garden and hear his cry on the cross- Father, Father why have you forsaken me
His whimpering cry in the manger was so that we might be free
Hear the story
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Oh its one we quickly overlook and read through
But its one that has our curse all over it
3. The Sons of God (6-7)
Thanks be to God for the wonderful gift of Holy Spirit
So now we can cry out “Abba, Father” just as the Son does
And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
Even here, the only time I found these words connected together is in the midst of Jesus process of adopting Gods people
Colossians describes the adoption as a transfer from one kingdom to another
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Vs 7- So those who are saved, they are no longer slaves- people without freedom or choice- but sons
IF a son- heirs of the Gods glorious goodness
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
As we close today, I want to make point of highlighting three words
“If a son” from verse 7
Thats conditional- it requires you to not be a slave to self and sin first
The only way for that to occur was for Jesus to act on our behalf
Gal 3 says the Law was our guardian until Christ came- He brings justification, reconciliation, redemption and adoption
Unbeliever I hope the Lord opens your eyes so you can see the depths of love and goodness
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
Believer to leave you the same two words “If a son”
but I want you and I to read a couple verse back in 1 John
And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
Think back to the parable of the prodigal son- when the son was redeemed and restored back by the Father, there was no denying who he was
He had the Fathers robe, ring and righteousness
Are we bearing his name well?
This Christmas-may we give the worthy King once again, a fresh and a new, our life in submission to Him and His word
Fulfilling the Prophets and at the right time Jesus came to save his people.