Galatians (16)

Introduction: Some of you had the privileged of knowing one of the former members of Hillcrest, Don Mosbarger. Don passed away on October 26th, 2014. He was a faithful man of God who had served Christ and his church well. Don was a Korean war veteran who had been wounded in combat, but didn’t tout his honorable service to his country. One of eh interesting stories I discovered about Don is that he had met and taken a picture with the great Yankee baseball player Jumping Joe Dimaggio. I couldn’t help but think at the time, what a wonderful privilege and brush with fame Joe Dimaggio had in being able to meet the Don Mosbarger.

Isn’t interesting how we can qualify our relationship with a person on the basis of how well we know them? My reference to Don may bring to mind some sweet memories for some of you, and for others you have no idea who the man was.

In a similar way we might speak of knowing a lot about a person. Maybe you have had to do a research paper on a former president, and you discoverer all sorts of facts and details about them. So much so that you have a really good understanding about who they are. However, do they know you?

Transition: Today in Galatians 4:8-11 we are going to discover this truth, In Christ, we are known by God. (Read the passage)

In Christ, we are known by God.

As we walk through these verses together I want to draw your attention to three key observations that reveal this truth; 1. An Old State of being, 2.A New state of being, 3. A pointed question.

Old state of being (vs.8)

1. This was true of all of us without distinction.

2. Application: In Christ, your past does not and cannot define you.

Transition: So what or who does define us?

New state of being (vs. 9a)

To know God, more than that! Better than that… To be known by Him!

Application: In Christ, your present status is declared by God.

Transition: Why is this important? Paul answers this with a ...

Pointed question (vs.9b-11)

How can you turn back to slavery to the elementary principles of this world?

Example: Nation of Israel coming out of Egyptian slavery, and crying to go back. A man who has spent many years in prison and when time came to be released, refused. Content to be imprisoned.

When you are know by God, why would we ever desire to go back under the bonds of elementary principles of the world?

Example: Beware of turning back our minds to thinking like the world? When we are a son or daughter of God, it is out of character to think about relationships the way the world does. What does God say on the matter? How can we submit to His truth?

Transition: How were the Galatians turning back? What was the evidence that they were backsliding?

4. Vs 10 tells us that… (Read)

a. To observe means to adhere to something with extreme conscientiousness. What was it that they were giving so much discipled attention to? Days. Months. Seasons. Years. This list is a reference to the Jewish calendar of Sabath days, New moon months, annual feasts like passover and Pentecost, and the year of Jubilee. This statement is really a summary of all the ritual celebrations that the Jews were required to stringently adhere to.

b.Example: 2 Chr 8:12-13

2 Chronicles 8:12–13 ESV

Then Solomon offered up burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of the Lord that he had built before the vestibule, as the duty of each day required, offering according to the commandment of Moses for the Sabbaths, the new moons, and the three annual feasts—the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Booths.

c. The question that Paul is asking is offering a great caution to the Galatians as well as us today. We are often tempted to turn back to the elementary principles of this world, but usually we don't think of this backsliding in terms of being more disciplined or adhering strict guidelines. Usually, this things are celebrated as evidence of Christian maturity rather than evidence of a return to slavery!

d. Illustration: Imaging that we are walking together on a high ridge. On either side we have 500 ft cliffs. We are walking the narrow road, in Christ. We are using the narrow door, who is Christ. By faith we navigate this ridge with joy and peace. However, there is and will always be a temptation to go to the cliff edge. How? One side of the cliff we are most accustomed to notice. It is the blatant expressions of the flesh. Using our freedom as an opportunity to fill my own fleshly desires. Going back to those obvious sins of drunkeness, fits of anger, sexual immorality. However, the other cliff line is just as dangerous but often unnoticed. It is the sin of self righteousness. This happens when a person falls off the edge of depending on self effort and striving after the law in order to gain or maintain a righteous standing with God. Like the problem in Galatia it usually starts off as something attractive, like abstaining from certain activities on a Sabbath days. But then, like the Galatians it turns into, “well now you need to be circumcised in order to really be right with God.”

e. The Galatians were in grave danger. According to 5:2 they had not yet accepted circumcision, but they were well on their way by giving over to an extreme conscientiousness of keep the Jewish calendar.

f. Beware! When we attempt to be satisfied by our human effort, whether it be through self indulgence or self righteousness we are in effect saying, Christ is not enough.

f. Application:

In Christ, the weak and worthless elementary principles of this world have no ownership of you. No, rather you are know by God!

5. This leads us to a final question. Why is this such an important warning and caution? Notice verse 11. (Read)

a. This doesn’t mean that Paul’s labor was vain. However, their current state of backsliding causes him to question the legitimacy of their relationship with God. Eventually Paul get to Galatians 6:9 where he says…

Galatians 6:9 ESV

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

b. However, at this point in the letter he is still offering a warning like he did in Gal 3:4.

Galatians 3:4 ESV

Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?

c. This is why being in Christ, having a new state of being, is the foundation for living as those who are known by God. Being a Christian is more than changing behaviors. God changes our minds, our hearts, our will, our disposition, our desires, and certainly the external activities of our behaviors. He transforms our state being, and then sets about transforming our state doing. Which is why, Paul has anxiety and fear that his hard labor for their souls was in vain. If they are so quickly willing to adopt the false gospel of the Judaisers, then how can their be any assurance and confidence that they are truly in Christ. That is not to say that the external behaviors are the final evidence of a person’s relationship with God. Rather, it is to say if Christ is not being formed is us, and we run back and are content to remain under the elementary principles of this world, we cannot have any certainty that we actually belong to Christ. Friends, this is why the warning is so important.

Closing: Jesus once told a story about two sons who both needed to be known by their Father. One son went off the rails and squandered his fathers inheritance with loose living and open rebellion. He eventually came to his senses and repented and came back to his father where he was welcomed with open arms and a party for one who was lost and came home. The Older son missed the party completely. The father went to him to plead for him to come and celebrate the return of a sinner. However, the older broth stood stiffnecked in his self righteousness and missed the celebration because in his mind he had laws done everything the father had asked him. Which son are you today? Have you squandered the image of God by feeding your fleshly desires, turn to Christ today.. trust in Him alone. Have you thought yourself to be right with God? Religious? A good person with decent morals? Turn from your self righteous rebellion and trust in Christ today. Are you in Christ, if so.. let us be reminded of the blessed love of God that while we were in our old state of being, while we were both of those brothers, God initiated a relationship with us by sending his Son to be born of a woman, born under the law, to die for our sinful rebellion. Let us obey Him and praise Him with hearts that have been set free in Christ! Let’s celebrate!