We are Free Children of God

Sermon Notes

Galatians 4:21–31 (NKJV)

21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, 24 which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar—25 for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children—26 but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written:

“Rejoice, O barren,

You who do not bear!

Break forth and shout,

You who are not in labor!

For the desolate has many more children

Than she who has a husband.” (Isa 54:1)

28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. 29 But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now (Gen 21:9). 30 Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. (Gen 21:10-12)” 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.

“For this Hagar is Mount Sinai (25)”

“The exact meaning of the statement, “For this Hagar is Mount Sinai,” is in debate among commentators. A possible interpretation is as follows: The word Hagar in this verse is not used of the woman Hagar, but is another designation of Mount Sinai. The name Hagar resembles the Arabic name of Sinai. The Arabians are called sons of Hagar.

This Hagar or Sinai corresponds, Paul says, to the then existent city of Jerusalem, the center of the apostate observance of Judaism. Just as Hagar, a slave, bore children that by birth became slaves, so the followers of legalistic Judaism are in bondage to law.”

Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (Vol. 3, p. 133). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

“This basic distinction between the two sons and in the manner of their conception and birth Paul now carries out in more complete spiritual terms, using the historical account as an allegory. This does not mean that Paul’s exegesis is fanciful, as some have implied, but only that he uses the story for the sake of its major principle, which he then quite properly applies to the struggle between Judaism and Christianity”

Boice, J. M. (1976). Galatians. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Romans through Galatians (Vol. 10, p. 483). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

“Paul connects the Judaizers to the earthly Jerusalem, to Hagar, and says that they are trying to lay hold of God’s covenant promises through their own sinful efforts. Rather than acquiring the blessings they so desperately seek, they enslave themselves to the law. By contrast, those who seek the blessing through faith in Christ receive the blessing of the covenant through God’s faithfulness to his promise.”

Fesko, J. V. (2012). Galatians. (J. D. Payne, Ed.) (p. 131). Powder Springs, GA: Tolle Lege Press.

“ For Paul, the gracious God revealed in Jesus Christ was the way to responsible freedom. To choose the way of law, then, was to reject Christ and take the law as a substitute for God in Christ. Paul would never again capitulate to such a slavish way of life, and so it should be with all Christians.”

Mohrlang, R., Gerald L. Borchert. (2007). Cornerstone biblical commentary, Vol 14: Romans and Galatians (p. 313). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

“From the human point of view, it might seem cruel that God should command Abraham to send away his own son Ishmael, whom he loved very much. But it was the only solution to the problem, for “the wild man” could never live with the child of promise. In a deeper sense, however, think of what it cost God when He gave His Son to bear the curse of the Law to set us free. Abraham’s broken heart meant Isaac’s liberty; God’s giving of His Son means our liberty in Christ.”

Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 711). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Observations

He is addressing the Christians who have subjected themselves to the law. (21)

The two sons of Abrahan represented both children of the Promise (Sarah) and Children of the flesh (Hagar). (22- 27)

The son of the flesh was persecuting the son of the promise. (28-29)

The slaves of the flesh are cast out by the freewoman. (30)

Every Christian is a child of the freewoman. (31)

Sermon Outline

“First-century Judaizers are not the only ones afraid to depend on God’s grace. Legalists in our churches today warn that we dare not teach people about the liberty we have in Christ lest it result in religious anarchy. These people misunderstand Paul’s teaching about grace, and it is to correct such misunderstanding that Paul wrote the final section of his letter (Gal. 5–6).”

Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 712–713). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

“Paul turns now from argument to application, from the doctrinal to the practical. The Christian who lives by faith is not going to become a rebel. Quite the contrary, he is going to experience the inner discipline of God that is far better than the outer discipline of man-made rules. No man could become a rebel who depends on God’s grace, yields to God’s Spirit, lives for others, and seeks to glorify God. The legalist is the one who eventually rebels, because he is living in bondage, depending on the flesh, living for self, and seeking the praise of men and not the glory of God.”

Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 713). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Legalism will always damage growth corporately because it is a product of man’s effort to manufacture law in the pursuit of holiness.

I remember one time in melbourne it was a stinking hot day and our church had no aircon. So I decided to wear shorts to preach. That Sunday we had a visiting family from a very strong conservative leaning congregation who moved to our area. So they visited that Sunday. The following sunday they did not return. I recieved an email from someone at church blaming these people not returning because of me wearing shorts and disrespecting God.

It affected me after that so much that from that moment onwards i wore pants even if it was 40 plus degrees so i wouldnt offend people.

I was chained by the rules of others who for no other reason but them believing it to be true that no one should wear shorts while preaching.

I’m sure all of you have stories similar to mine having been humiliated in front of others in the church because of man made rules that have no eternal bearing.

As I have said before sometimes we can be legalistic with good intensions. But even with good intentions it is still legalism and ultimately destructive.

Paul sort to give the Galations one more bit of doctrinal truth before giving them the practical aspect of their faith in Christ.

“You are free in Christ.”

Regardless of what the judiazers said, you are free.

Regardless if you meet the requirement of the law or not, you are free.

Regardless if you are booted out ofthe fellowship because you wouldnt conform to their demands, you are free.

No one can take away your freedom in Christ.

therefore...

Live it in the freedom Christ has given you.

Here are four truths that we can hold onto if you are attacked by those who want to use law over you.

You are a child of the promise. (28)

You were born according to the Spirit. (29)

You are a fellow heir of God’s inheritence. (30)

You are free in Christ. (31)