Welcome back to our
study of the book of Galatians.
00:00:06.29\00:00:09.00
Before the break we were talking
Pastor Mark about this idea
00:00:09.04\00:00:13.85
in Galatians Chapter 4 about
the weak and beggarly elements.
00:00:13.89\00:00:18.67
- About observing the
days and the months and seasons
00:00:18.70\00:00:20.48
and years. - that is right.
00:00:20.52\00:00:21.75
We just made the point that Paul
wasn't opposed to observances of
00:00:21.78\00:00:26.04
religious ordinances
as it were, but rather
00:00:26.07\00:00:29.79
the idea that these would serve
as a servile relationship with
00:00:29.83\00:00:33.88
God, similar to how
they had a relationship with
00:00:33.92\00:00:37.60
the idolatrous
deities that they served
00:00:37.64\00:00:41.19
prior to becoming Christians.
00:00:41.23\00:00:42.82
We have observances today.
00:00:42.85\00:00:44.37
That's right and we
talked about that, we observe
00:00:44.40\00:00:47.39
Communion, baptism, and
even the apostle Paul wasn't
00:00:47.42\00:00:50.55
opposed to the observance
of circumcision, because in
00:00:50.58\00:00:54.79
Acts 16:3, he talks about
when he circumcised Timothy.
00:00:54.83\00:00:58.39
So the apostle Paul
wasn't opposed to it, but he was
00:00:58.42\00:01:01.21
opposed to it when it
served as a substitute for
00:01:01.24\00:01:03.99
obedience to God's will.
00:01:04.02\00:01:05.93
That's right, that's
right and we are going to move
00:01:05.96\00:01:08.38
ahead and go
into verses 4 and 5.
00:01:08.41\00:01:11.07
There is so much to cover,
these two verses are another
00:01:11.10\00:01:15.77
two verses that
encapsulate the Gospel message.
00:01:15.81\00:01:19.40
I would love to have more
time to delve into them but we
00:01:19.44\00:01:23.52
moving into the idea
of the slave or son and
00:01:23.56\00:01:26.91
we want to emphasize that.
00:01:26.94\00:01:28.22
We pick up here in verse 4
of Galatians 4 where it says,
00:01:28.26\00:01:31.89
"but when the fullest of
the time had come, God sent
00:01:31.92\00:01:35.43
"forth His Son, born of a
woman, born under the law,
00:01:35.46\00:01:38.84
"to redeem those who were
under the law, that we might
00:01:38.88\00:01:42.22
"receive the adoption as sons. "
00:01:42.26\00:01:44.09
We have a study coming up
where we are going to talk more
00:01:44.13\00:01:46.37
about being under law and
how scripturally to be under
00:01:46.41\00:01:49.51
the law, to seek the law
as a means of justification.
00:01:49.55\00:01:52.59
Now Jesus we know didn't seek
the law as means justification,
00:01:52.62\00:01:55.60
He didn't need to be justified,
but for all who seek the
00:01:55.64\00:01:59.26
law as a means of justification.
00:01:59.30\00:02:00.93
You can't justify yourself
by the law so they incur the
00:02:00.96\00:02:04.19
penalty and what Paul is
trying to make a point here is
00:02:04.23\00:02:06.81
that Jesus incurred the
penalty of all those who sought
00:02:06.85\00:02:09.40
the law for justification.
00:02:09.43\00:02:10.67
It's almost the same
thing as he said earlier in
00:02:10.71\00:02:13.44
Galatians 3:13 where it
says, "Christ has redeemed us
00:02:13.47\00:02:18.21
"from the curse of the law,
having become a curse for us. "
00:02:18.24\00:02:21.95
Here He was made under the
law to redeem us through His
00:02:21.99\00:02:25.66
sacrifice by paying
the penalty for our sins.
00:02:25.69\00:02:28.39
But notice what it
goes on to say in verse 6,
00:02:28.42\00:02:31.05
I'm sorry Galatians 4:5,
"to redeem those who were under
00:02:31.09\00:02:35.50
"the law, that we might
receive the adoption as sons. "
00:02:35.53\00:02:39.87
You know a lot of Christians
look at the redemption aspect.
00:02:39.91\00:02:43.93
Oh I am forgiven of my sins,
praise the Lord for that but
00:02:43.97\00:02:47.96
they haven't
entered into the adoption.
00:02:48.00\00:02:50.80
that was the whole
reason Jesus paid that price.
00:02:50.83\00:02:54.88
Amen, now this idea of
sonship that he picks up very
00:02:54.91\00:02:58.92
strongly in verses
6 and 7 and this is at
00:02:58.95\00:03:01.24
the heart of this passage.
00:03:01.28\00:03:03.03
It says, "and because you
are sons, God has set forth the
00:03:03.06\00:03:06.55
"Spirit of His Son into
your hearts, crying out, Abba
00:03:06.59\00:03:10.18
"Father! Therefore you are
no longer a slave but a son,
00:03:10.21\00:03:13.32
"and if a son, then an
heir of God through Christ. "
00:03:13.35\00:03:16.17
Why is it that they are
no longer a slave but a son?
00:03:16.21\00:03:19.11
Because God has poured
the Spirit into their hearts
00:03:19.15\00:03:22.02
that cries out Abba Father.
00:03:22.05\00:03:24.31
That word Abba is an
intimate word for father.
00:03:24.34\00:03:27.09
We might see daddy or something
that shows the affection.
00:03:27.12\00:03:29.92
It's a less formal term
too, it's an affectionate term.
00:03:29.95\00:03:33.38
That's right and so this
is helping us to see that when
00:03:33.42\00:03:36.81
we truly become a son,
no longer do have a servile
00:03:36.85\00:03:40.20
relationship with God but
we have a genuine affection
00:03:40.23\00:03:43.02
for God, we have an
interest in the things of God.
00:03:43.05\00:03:46.21
Our hearts are melted by
the love of Christ and there
00:03:46.24\00:03:49.36
is an interest in
the things of Christ.
00:03:49.39\00:03:51.16
This contrast I think we
ought to look at another verse.
00:03:51.20\00:03:54.83
It's in Romans chapter 8
and it contrasts nicely with,
00:03:54.86\00:03:59.27
I should say compares nicely
with this passage in Romans 8
00:03:59.30\00:04:03.33
where it says in verse 15,
"for you did not receive the
00:04:03.36\00:04:07.32
"spirit of bondage again
to fear, but you received the
00:04:07.35\00:04:11.57
"Spirit of adoption by
whom we cry out, Abba father. "
00:04:11.61\00:04:15.42
So the idea again is
not a fear relationship that
00:04:15.46\00:04:18.52
we have with God, it is
not a servile relationship,
00:04:18.55\00:04:21.58
but rather it's an
affectionate relationship.
00:04:21.61\00:04:24.10
We actually have a love for God.
00:04:24.13\00:04:26.09
We don't have a love for
God and spiritual things,
00:04:26.13\00:04:29.09
we cannot be an heir.
00:04:29.13\00:04:31.26
This is a very critical
point here, it says the Spirit
00:04:31.29\00:04:35.23
of God comes in to
give us that bond of love,
00:04:35.27\00:04:38.56
and affection for God
and Jesus said unless a
00:04:38.60\00:04:41.83
man is born again he shall
not see the kingdom of God.
00:04:41.86\00:04:45.68
Unless we have this genuine
hunger and interest for the
00:04:45.72\00:04:49.68
things of God, then we
cannot see the kingdom of God.
00:04:49.71\00:04:53.63
And this is a problem
with a lot of Christians.
00:04:53.67\00:04:57.04
They go to church, they
have a formal experience but
00:04:57.08\00:05:02.21
they never really gained
an interest or a hunger for
00:05:02.25\00:05:07.34
the Word of God, they
never really sensed a drawing
00:05:07.38\00:05:12.43
power to the things of God.
00:05:12.47\00:05:14.75
You mention they go to
church, but they go to church
00:05:14.79\00:05:18.10
late and leave early. - right!
00:05:18.13\00:05:20.26
In other words it's
something that needs to be done,
00:05:20.29\00:05:22.91
like those weak and
beggarly elements, but it is not
00:05:22.95\00:05:25.53
in the heart to do
it. - that's right!
00:05:25.57\00:05:27.80
I think that this
idea needs to speak
00:05:27.84\00:05:30.04
the heart of every Christian.
00:05:30.08\00:05:31.52
If that is where you are,
if you do not have an interest
00:05:31.56\00:05:37.04
in the Bible but you go
to church and they read the
00:05:37.07\00:05:40.20
Bible and you listen to
it because you do it because
00:05:40.23\00:05:42.75
you think it's the right
thing to do, but you don't
00:05:42.78\00:05:45.55
actually have that
warmth of affection for Christ.
00:05:45.59\00:05:47.98
you don't actually have
that warmth of affection that
00:05:48.02\00:05:50.38
desire and hunger
for spiritual things.
00:05:50.41\00:05:52.92
Then you are in a
servile relationship.
00:05:52.95\00:05:55.39
There needs to be a change
from the servile relationship
00:05:55.42\00:05:58.96
to the sense were we can
have intimate love for God
00:05:58.99\00:06:01.44
or we cry out Abba Father.
00:06:01.47\00:06:03.30
We know Jim, another thing
here is that Paul speaks to
00:06:03.34\00:06:06.49
the Galatians as though
they had that Abba Father
00:06:06.52\00:06:10.47
relationship and they had
slipped back and maybe some
00:06:10.51\00:06:14.39
of our viewers who had at one
time felt that warmth and that
00:06:14.43\00:06:18.06
love for the things of
God but now have felt that
00:06:18.10\00:06:21.12
they have fallen away
from that and their love has
00:06:21.16\00:06:24.15
grown cold for
spiritual things and
00:06:24.19\00:06:25.84
they are just going
through the motions.
00:06:25.88\00:06:27.65
This is why we are
going over this topic.
00:06:27.69\00:06:29.42
God can restore
in us, as David said
00:06:29.46\00:06:32.26
the joy of thy salvation.
00:06:32.30\00:06:34.39
There's a book called
'Steps to Christ' that I believe
00:06:34.43\00:06:38.93
hits right at the mark
of how we can know if our
00:06:38.96\00:06:44.42
relationship of God is a
servile relationship or a Son
00:06:44.45\00:06:47.80
relationship, with
child relationship.
00:06:47.84\00:06:49.47
I want to read this
quote if I could, it says,
00:06:49.51\00:06:53.29
"who has the heart,
with whom are our thoughts?
00:06:53.33\00:06:57.04
"Of whom do we love to
converse?" In other words in our
00:06:57.08\00:07:00.60
most comfortable situations
do we like talking about
00:07:00.64\00:07:03.32
spiritual things? Do we
like talking about the Bible?
00:07:03.36\00:07:06.01
Or is that something
we only do at church?
00:07:06.05\00:07:07.59
And then it says, "who
has our warmest affections and
00:07:07.62\00:07:11.86
"our best energies? If we
are Christ's our thoughts are
00:07:11.89\00:07:16.09
"with Him and our
sweetest thoughts are of Him. "
00:07:16.13\00:07:19.40
Absolutely, well you know
Jim there is a parable that
00:07:19.43\00:07:23.90
Jesus told that illustrates
this contrast between this
00:07:23.93\00:07:27.65
servile relationship and
the relation of a servant and
00:07:27.69\00:07:31.37
the relation of a son.
00:07:31.40\00:07:32.90
It is in Luke chapter 15
and it is the parable of the
00:07:32.93\00:07:36.51
prodigal son, or the
lost son as some Bibles say.
00:07:36.54\00:07:40.05
The prodigal is employed
in many translations and most
00:07:40.08\00:07:43.76
people are familiar with
that and that means wasteful.
00:07:43.80\00:07:46.73
What happens in the story
and we don't have time to read
00:07:46.76\00:07:49.65
through the whole story
here, but it is found in
00:07:49.69\00:07:51.44
Luke 15:11 and onward.
00:07:51.48\00:07:52.99
What happens is you have
this son who the Bible says
00:07:53.03\00:07:57.71
a day comes when he decides
that he wants the portion
00:07:57.75\00:08:02.40
of goods that comes to him.
00:08:02.43\00:08:03.86
In other words he wants
his inheritance and he goes
00:08:03.90\00:08:06.48
to his father and asked him.
00:08:06.52\00:08:07.84
The Bible says the father
divided his livelihood and
00:08:07.88\00:08:11.22
gives to his two sons, he
has two of them, so he gives
00:08:11.26\00:08:14.57
the inheritance to his
two sons and then it says
00:08:14.60\00:08:17.41
this son went
away to a far country.
00:08:17.45\00:08:20.25
What that implies, maybe
some people don't pick up on it,
00:08:20.29\00:08:24.79
he didn't say he took
the inheritance and went
00:08:24.82\00:08:27.59
to a nearby town where
he could be close to dad.
00:08:27.63\00:08:30.35
He went into afar way
country, in other words what
00:08:30.38\00:08:33.03
we see a picture of it is
a son who has become weary of
00:08:33.07\00:08:37.68
the restraint of
his father's house.
00:08:37.71\00:08:39.66
Why do young
people run away? - rules!
00:08:39.69\00:08:41.57
Well something happens,
some bad happens, with the rules
00:08:41.61\00:08:45.16
are too tough,
and I am out of here.
00:08:45.19\00:08:46.79
So this is what we see,
the son runs away and he wastes
00:08:46.83\00:08:50.47
his possessions in
prodigal wasteful living.
00:08:50.51\00:08:53.73
What happens is there are
two things the Bible brings up
00:08:53.76\00:08:56.99
in the course of his experience.
00:08:57.02\00:08:58.94
Once he runs out of everything
the Bible says he began
00:08:58.98\00:09:02.41
to be in want, he
began to be in need.
00:09:02.44\00:09:05.55
What we are seeing here
is a conversion process.
00:09:05.59\00:09:09.15
The son went away, that
is us who ran away from our
00:09:09.19\00:09:12.63
Heavenly Father and now
the son begins to realize
00:09:12.67\00:09:16.60
that his idea of what
was going to be great in life
00:09:16.64\00:09:20.54
is it really panning out.
00:09:20.57\00:09:22.17
His ideas of freedom weren't
really as free as he thought
00:09:22.21\00:09:24.86
they were going to be,
00:09:24.89\00:09:25.86
but he doesn't yet go
back to his father, he decides
00:09:25.87\00:09:29.08
he is going to
work things out himself.
00:09:29.11\00:09:30.92
That is how many of us do,
we come under the conviction
00:09:30.96\00:09:33.19
of sin and think we are going
to take care of the problem.
00:09:33.22\00:09:36.47
As time goes on the Bible
says the young man is slopping
00:09:36.51\00:09:39.72
pigs, the Bible
says he came to himself,
00:09:39.76\00:09:44.81
in other words this is the
conversion, this is the ahh hah
00:09:44.84\00:09:47.79
moment, he came to himself
and said you know my father's
00:09:47.82\00:09:50.73
servants are
better off than this.
00:09:50.77\00:09:52.52
The son decides to go home
to his father and when he goes
00:09:52.56\00:09:57.07
home the Bible tells us that
while he was a long way off,
00:09:57.11\00:10:01.59
his father saw
him and ran for him.
00:10:01.63\00:10:04.61
Now we don't have any
idea how long the son was gone,
00:10:04.64\00:10:07.43
so that tells us that the
father must have been looking
00:10:07.46\00:10:10.21
and watching day in and day out.
00:10:10.25\00:10:12.90
Jesus is trying to convey
the love of our heavenly Father.
00:10:12.93\00:10:15.45
What is interesting Jim
is the Father never ran after
00:10:15.48\00:10:17.96
the son, because it
wouldn't have done any good
00:10:18.00\00:10:20.78
to bring the son back
when it was in the son's heart
00:10:20.82\00:10:22.84
to serve the father.
00:10:22.88\00:10:24.16
But the dynamic thing we
find is that when the son left
00:10:24.19\00:10:27.01
the home he wasn't even
willing to live as a son in the
00:10:27.04\00:10:29.70
father's house and he had
the attitude of a servant.
00:10:29.73\00:10:32.32
Dad has all these rules and
it just wasn't in his heart.
00:10:32.35\00:10:36.05
When he comes back, now
he is willing to be a servant
00:10:36.08\00:10:39.74
and he has this
attitude of a son.
00:10:39.77\00:10:42.36
Wow that's powerful, powerful!
00:10:42.39\00:10:45.10
If you look at the story,
his brother is not real happy
00:10:45.13\00:10:50.54
about him being back and
he is living at home and he is
00:10:50.58\00:10:54.57
living as a son but he
has the attitude of a servant.
00:10:54.60\00:10:58.19
- he's kept all the rules,
but it is not in his heart.
00:10:58.22\00:11:01.36
I think something else
that is really powerful about
00:11:01.40\00:11:04.51
that story is that
when the son comes home,
00:11:04.54\00:11:09.86
the father comes out.
00:11:09.90\00:11:11.47
The son has a carefully
planned speech that he is going
00:11:11.51\00:11:14.23
to give, I'm not worthy to
be called your son and etc..
00:11:14.26\00:11:17.13
The father cuts him off
and says okay were having a
00:11:17.16\00:11:19.99
party my son that was
gone has come back home.
00:11:20.02\00:11:22.23
What that teaches us is
that God cares less about where
00:11:22.27\00:11:26.03
you have been then He
cares about where you are going.
00:11:26.06\00:11:29.78
He was just
concerned that he came home.
00:11:29.82\00:11:32.68
That is a powerful
thought and it leads me back to
00:11:32.72\00:11:35.89
Galatians, because in Galatians
4:19 we see the heart of
00:11:35.92\00:11:43.02
a spiritual father
in the apostle Paul.
00:11:43.05\00:11:46.85
He says to the church in
Galatia, "my little children,"
00:11:46.89\00:11:50.69
you see the affection he
has, "my little children, for
00:11:50.73\00:11:54.72
"whom I labor and birth
again until Christ is formed in
00:11:54.76\00:11:58.51
"you. " The apostle Paul
is here saying I'm laboring
00:11:58.55\00:12:03.42
that I might be able to
see that affection and sonship
00:12:03.45\00:12:08.29
once more in your
hearts, to have the
00:12:08.32\00:12:10.12
real experience with Christ.
00:12:10.15\00:12:11.78
And it's such a powerful
point they are, the apostle Paul
00:12:11.82\00:12:14.55
is longing for these
Galatians to enter into a real
00:12:14.58\00:12:18.90
relationship with God
were they recognize that He is
00:12:18.94\00:12:23.23
their Father and they
entered to the Sonship.
00:12:23.26\00:12:25.77
So that servile
attitude is being held of God.
00:12:25.80\00:12:28.24
I can relate and I know
you can relate as a Pastor as
00:12:28.27\00:12:30.68
we see members in our own
church that professed Christians
00:12:30.71\00:12:36.08
that are lacking that real
passion for spiritual things.
00:12:36.12\00:12:41.46
They are just going
through the motions and maybe
00:12:41.49\00:12:43.88
you are viewing at home,
maybe you are saying that is
00:12:43.92\00:12:46.27
where I have been, how
do I have that Sonship,
00:12:46.31\00:12:49.64
how do I have
that real experience?
00:12:49.67\00:12:50.95
I just want to urge you
to cry out to the Lord Jesus
00:12:50.98\00:12:54.04
and ask Him to renew your heart.
00:12:54.07\00:12:56.89
Sometimes we can do that
and you say well it doesn't
00:12:56.93\00:12:59.63
seem like anything is happening.
00:12:59.67\00:13:00.79
Keep pressing your petitions
to the throne of grace.
00:13:00.82\00:13:03.76
Jesus says He ever lives to make
intercession for us so press
00:13:03.79\00:13:07.59
those petitions, cry out
to Jesus and I tell you in the
00:13:07.62\00:13:10.90
whole name of the Lord He
will answer you and renew you
00:13:10.93\00:13:14.17
as sons and daughters.
00:13:14.20\00:13:15.71