An Exasperated Plea

Opening Comments:

Please go ahead and make your way to Galatians 4:12-20 in your copy of God’s Word. Up to this point in Galatians, Paul has been writing largely like a scholar or perhaps a champion debater as he has mounted every single argument possible to get across that Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone. For the most part, he has seemed more like a detached theologian than a personal friend to the Galatian people. That being said, Paul’s tone in the text before us this morning turns from detached to very personal. Lets read our passage together this morning.

Galatians 4:12–20 NKJV

12 Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. You have not injured me at all. 13 You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first. 14 And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. 15 What then was the blessing you enjoyed? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth? 17 They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them. 18 But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you. 19 My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you, 20 I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you.

Introduction:

The passage we’ve just read is perhaps the most overlooked and yet most important set of verses in Galatians. It is not deeply doctrinal as much of Galatians has been up to this point, although there are some doctrinal truths that are implied. Paul was not all head and no heart as it related to his letter to the Galatians. He had a deep personal affection for them and it leaks out in the text we’ve just read. This is a personal exhortation from Paul begging the Galatian people to hang on to the grace of the Lord Jesus and not abandon it for legalism. He’s not appealing to the Old testament or expounding any doctrinal reasons he is simply and very personally asking them not to return to legalism for his sake. So he makes an appeal to them, calls them to remembrance of him, issues them a warning, and shares his heart felt desire for them.

Let’s dive into our text this morning.

1.) Paul’s appeal: Imitate me (v.12a)

“Become like me, for I became like you.”

What is Paul asking them to do when he appeals to them to imitate him?

In order to understand what Paul is asking his readers to do we must put this phrase in its proper context with the entire letter. The whole argument of Galatians is that as believers in Christ we are free from the law.

Galatians 5:1 NKJV

1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

By law, we are not referring to morality but rather ritual and ceremonial law. Religious law keeping is not way of salvation, nor is it the way of sanctification.

Paul had been a jewish legalist of the highest form before coming to Christ. He kept and observed the law and as a Pharisee even enforced the law onto others. In fact, Paul had been a hyper-legalist. But, when he came to faith in Christ, he tore away from the legalism. He forsook the law as a way of salvation, he also forsook the ritual and ceremonial law as a means of sanctification. He threw it all away for Christ.

When he came to the region of Galatia, he “became like them.” He came no longer under the burden of the law. He was free in Christ and he introduced them to the freedom that Christ had brought him.

But now, somehow they had reversed roles. He became like a gentile, free from the jewish religious law and they have become like a jew under the burden of the law that he used to carry.

He’s appealing to them to leave the law behind like he has and to return to the simplicity of living in Christ. This is the same appeal he made to the Corinthian church in

1 Corinthians 11:1 NKJV

1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

Paul’s appeal to imitate him is really just him begging the Galatians to live in the freedom that Christ had given them through his grace and not to return to bondage.

This is a cry of Paul's affection and love for the Galatians believers as it should be the cry of any minister of God who is pouring out his life for the people God has given him.

2.) Paul’s remembrance: You accepted me. (v.12b-16)

(v.12b should really be attached to verse 13, this is why it seems abrupt compared to the first part of the verse.)

Paul says, when I first came they not only did him no wrong but they had openly and very lovingly received and accepted him even when he was very ill. In fact, it was Paul’s illness that caused him to preach the gospel in Galatia.

There is a lot of speculation to what Paul’s sickness was. Everything from malaria to some sort of debilitating eye disease has been suggested.

What ever the sickness, it was a trial for Paul and the Galatian people; yet, they didn't despise or reject Pual for his sickness.

Despise- to count as nothing or worthless.

Reject- to spit. Which is something that was often does as a sign of contempt.

In ancient times, without the benefits of good medicine, sterile bandages, clean water etc. many diseases would have a nauseating stench and be disfiguring. To most people in the ancient world, including jews, a physical affliction was viewed as a judgment from God.

So, the fact that Paul’s affliction was not a barrier to the Galatians is something that he remembers fondly. Instead of rejecting him, they received him as an angel or messenger of God. They received him as if he was Christ himself.

Though it seemed Paul’s trip to Galatia was circumstantial (to heal) the reception to the gospel and him personally was beyond anything he could have expected. Now they were treating him exactly the opposite.

In v.13 Paul says you were blessed (satisfied or happy) they would have plucked out there very eyes to help him. (figure of speech).

In other words, Paul is saying “You loved me so much, you have made any sacrifice on my behalf.”

But now, you’re treating me like I’m your enemy because I have told you the truth (v.16)

The influence of the Judaizers on the Galatian people was so strong that they began to treat Paul, their spiritual mentor, as if he was an enemy instead of a friend.

There is a very comfortable feeling that legalism gives you becuase it is tangible. If you check all of the boxes you have a feeling that you are super spiritual. Now here comes Paul to tell them that they aren't behaving spiritually but fleshly and they despise him for it.

Application: Many is the pastor or preacher who has poured his heart out to give people the truth who have felt this same kind of spiritual defection as Paul did from the Galatian people. Many people will love and appreciate a preacher as long as he says everything they want to hear but, the moment he presents them with truth that is outside of their comfort zone they will despise, mistreat and reject him. This is why everyone who handles the word need to ask themselves if they desire to be liked by the crowd or to be faithful to the Lord.

While Paul is lamenting the loss of love from the Galatian people, as any pastor would, he knows having the approval from God for preaching the truth of the gospel of grace is far more important than the adoration of the Galatian crowds.

Hebrews 13:7 NKJV

7 Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.

3.) Paul’s warning: false teachers are self-serving. (v.17-18)

After reminding the Galatians that he is indeed their friend, he now warns them that the false teachers they were listening to were their true enemies.

He say “They talk like they really care and want what is best for you , but they have no real love or genuine interest. In fact, they have only their own interest at heart.”

The tactic of the false teachers in Galatia is really not all that different than the tactics used by many false teachers (including cults) today.

v.17 “They zealously court you.” - They flirt with you by showing a deep interest and affection for you and promise you great fulfillment and in doing so hide their true nature and desire. Which is to “exclude you” by marginalizing those who love and speak the truth to you and making it seem like they have all the answers you need so they can trap you into their religious system.

The Judaizers who had come to Galatia upon Pauls departure had come sweet talking and making it seem like they only wanted the Galatians to believe the true gospel but their only desire was to trap them in a web of legalism. They wanted the Galatians to adopt and obey the Jewish law so that they could control them and make themselves look good.

Matthew 7:15 NKJV

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

The word “exclude” literally means to bar the door. These false teachers were desiring to bar the door of grace with legalism so that the believers in Galatia could not genuinely experience the blessing of freedom that is found in Christ.

Paul is not jealous of the Judaizers because they have stolen his affection. He wasn’t trying to preserve his popularity or influence among the Galatians, he was concerned for their spiritual well being. He desires for the Galatians to be zealous for the gospel of Christ like they had been when he was first present with them.

Paul’s utmost desire was for the Galatian people to keep their focus on Christ not on the rules and regulations of the law.

4.) Paul’s desire: to see Christ formed in them. (v.19)

Paul’s heart is fully in display here as he likens himself to a mother in labor with her children.

But notice in v.18 he is “laboring again.” He had already seen them experience the new birth when they first came to Christ and nursed them along in the faith. But, now its almost as if he is in labor again. (Which isn’t natural)

But this time, the labor isn't for them to experience being born again into God’s family but he is laboring to see Christ formed in them. (v.18)

Paul’s desire is to see them grow into a Christ shaped life. A life not lived in the keeping of rules and regulations but a life lived in freedom to the glory of God.

His desire is for them to live like Christ, which is the goal for every child of God.

Romans 8:29 NKJV

29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

We have been saved to live like Christ in this world as an example of all that Christ has to offer to those who come to him in faith.

Conclusion:

By the time we come to verse 20, you can almost see Paul collapse in exasperation as he expresses his desire to be present with them so he could speak to them face to face in a different tone than he was writing.

Paul is desperate for the Galatian people to abandon legalism and return to Christ. He is a broken hearted shepherd seeking to bring his wondering flock back to the Lord from which they had strayed.

The failure of the Galatian people was a failure to keep focused on Christ and here Paul is standing like a lighthouse in a storm pointing them back to Jesus.

Here I stand this morning, as your pastor, using Paul’s words to try and point you to live for Jesus this morning. Stop with the religious show and become like Christ.