Rev. David Holwick Z Galatians sermon series
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
August 27, 2000
Galatians 4:1-9
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I. They gotta have guardians.
A. Choosing a guardian for our kids in our will.
1) My side? Celeste's side? Let them wander the streets?
2) Children need someone to look after them.
a) They cannot handle total freedom.
b) This is reason courts give parents such wide power.
B. Guardianship in ancient world.
1) "Coming of age" was more significant to them.
2) Guardianship was often delegated to special slaves.
a) For rich non-slave youth this was resented.
b) Even back then, teenagers longed to be free of the
control of their parents and guardians.
C. Paul says guardianship reveals an important spiritual truth.
1) Before we become Christians we are under guardianship.
2) When we get saved, we "come of age" and live under freedom.
II. Spiritual slavery.
A. Children as slaves.
1) Most of them feel this way - they are limited, constrained.
2) Metaphor of pre-salvation, including those born Jews.
a) Non-believers are controlled by outside forces called
"basic principles."
B. Basic principles of the world.
1) Further developed in verses 8 to 11.
a) Called weak and miserable principles. 4:9
b) Associated with worship of false gods and observance
of special religious days.
2) Three main interpretations:
a) Basic principles of all religion.
1> Literally, it can refer to alphabet or ABC's.
2> By coming to Christ they graduate from elementary
school.
A> This is true whether they were pagans or Jews.
B> But is pagan religion a preparation for Jesus?
b) Basic principles of Jewish Law.
1> Elsewhere he teaches that the Law holds us in
bondage.
2> But this would leave out the Gentile Galatians.
3> Also, Jews saw the law as supernaturally given
and not "worldly."
c) Greek idea of elemental forces.
1> Their "elements" were fewer (earth, fire, air,
water) and associated with supernatural forces.
A> The planets and calendar were also tied into
the system.
B> The elements were considered in some sense gods,
so Paul sees them as demonic forces.
2> Supported by context:
A> They are slaves to what are not gods. 4:9
B> Weak and miserable principles. 4:10
C> Special days, seasons, years.
3> Everyone has a religion. It is either a worldly
enslaving one, or the freedom of Christ.
III. Not much has changed.
A. Religious confusion of modern era.
1) Popularity of astrology.
2) New Age mumbo-jumbo.
3) "Spirituality" covers a lot of territory.
In a recent "Breakpoint" commentary, Charles Colson describes
the experience of a young Christian college student:
When Julie went away to college, she made a point of
witnessing boldly to her three roommates.
They listened politely and seemed supportive.
Julie was excited -- they all seemed open to the Gospel.
But to her surprise, they responded just as warmly when Sally
said she was into the New Age movement and believed in
"the god within all of us."
And when Amy said she believed God is a "force," like in the
Star Wars movies.
And when Ruth said she was a "very spiritual" person but
didn't believe in any God at all.
What really baffled Julie was that the others agreed that
"we're all saying the same thing" in the end.
Julie had run into the powerful myth that "truth is whatever
you sincerely believe."
If you believe it, then it's true for you -- and the ordinary
rules of logic and evidence don't apply.
#16642
B. God can use error.
1) The incompleteness of false religion can drive people to
the true God.
2) Not all religion has the same message.
a) If it relies on human effort or experience it is false.
b) Only the grace of Christ is sufficient.
IV. Fullness of time.
A. Unique qualities of first century.
1) Pax Romana - the empire-wide peace ensured by Roman army.
2) Dependable transportation on Mediterranean and roads.
3) Moral decay and religious seeking.
B. God's plan.
1) He sent his son into the world.
a) Born of a woman.
1> Comment by John Stott:
If Jesus had not been man, he could not have
redeemed men.
If he had not been a righteous man, he could not
have redeemed unrighteous men.
And if he had not been God's Son, he could not have
redeemed men for God or made them sons of God.
Stott, Message of Galatians, page 106
b) Born under law.
1> To redeem those under law.
2> Then we can receive full rights as sons.
2) He sent his Spirit into our hearts.
a) Trinitarian content.
b) The FATHER sent the SON and put his SPIRIT in us.
C. We have the spirit of the Son in our hearts.
1) Essence of being born again -intimate relationship with God.
a) Paul's desire is that Christ "be born in" them. 4:19
2) Abba, father. 4:6
a) Unique to pray to God as a Father.
1> Too intimate for Jews but taught by Jesus.
b) We are not just followers but family.
3) Not slaves, but sons and heirs.
V. Are you a child of God?
A. We have a great inheritance.
Fred Craddock, who teaches students how to be preachers, once
went on a vacation to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, with his wife.
One night they found a quiet little restaurant where they
looked forward to a private meal - just the two of them.
While they were waiting for their meal they noticed a
distinguished looking, white-haired man moving from table
to table, visiting guests.
Craddock whispered to his wife, "I hope he doesn't come over
here."
Sure enough, he came over.
"Where you folks from?" he asked in a friendly way.
"Oklahoma."
"Splendid state, I hear, although I've never been there.
What do you do for a living?
"I teach homiletics at the seminary of Phillips University."
"Oh, so you teach preachers, do you. Well, I've got a
story I want to tell you."
And with that he pulled up a chair and sat down at the table
with Craddock and his wife.
Dr. Craddock said he groaned inwardly: Oh no, here comes
another preacher story. It seems everyone has one.
The man stuck out his hand.
"I'm Ben Hooper. I was born not far from here across
the mountains.
My mother wasn't married when I was born so I had a hard time.
When I started to school my classmates had a name for me,
and it wasn't a very nice name.
I used to go off by myself at recess and during lunch-time
because the taunts of my playmates cut so deeply.
What was worse was going downtown on Saturday afternoon and
feeling every eye burning a hole through you.
They were all wondering just who my real father was.
When I was about 12 years old a new preacher came to our
church.
I would always go in late and slip out early.
But one day the preacher said the benediction so fast I got
caught and had to walk out with the crowd.
I could feel every eye in church on me.
Just about the time I got to the door I felt a big hand
on my shoulder.
I looked up and the preacher was looking right at me.
"Who are you, son? Whose boy are you?"
I felt the old weight come on me.
It was like a big black cloud.
Even the preacher was putting me down.
But as he looked down at me, studying my face, he began to
smile a big smile of recognition.
"Wait a minute," he said, "I know who you are.
I see the family resemblance.
You are a son of God."
With that he slapped me across the rump and said,
"Boy, you've got a great inheritance. Go and claim it."
The old man looked across the table at Fred Craddock and said,
"That was the most important single sentence ever said to me."
With that he smiled, shook the hands of Craddock and his wife,
and moved on to another table to greet old friends.
Suddenly, Fred Craddock remembered.
On two occasions the people of Tennessee had elected an
illegitimate son to be their governor.
One of them was Ben Hooper.
#5544
B. Live in the wonderful freedom of the children of God.
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SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:
#5544 "The Family Resemblance Of The Sons Of God," by Jamie Buckingham,
from his book "Power for Living", quoted in Rev. Brett Blair's
Illustrations By Email, http://www.sermonillustrations.com,
April 2, 2000.
#16642 "Whatever You Say: Does Believing Make It So?" Breakpoint
Commentary by Charles Colson, August 23, 2000; Copyright
(c) 2000 Prison Fellowship Ministries. Reprinted with
permission. "BreakPoint with Chuck Colson" is a radio
ministry of Prison Fellowship Ministries.
These and 16,500 others are part of a database that can be downloaded,
absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/database.html
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Another relevant illustration:
HOLWICK COMBINED COLLECTION Number: 1729
TOPICS: Son Of King, Heir, Inheritance, Lord Fauntleroy
TEXT: Gal 4:1-7*, Ps 2:7f, Rom 4:13, Rom 8:17, Gal 3:29, Eph 3:6,
Tit 3:7, Heb 1:2, Matt 5:5, Matt 25:34, Acts 20:32, Eph 1:18
SOURCE: Dynamic Preaching Disk, Fall 1991 "A"
TITLE: Noblesse Oblige
AUTHOR: Max Anders
DATE: 10/1/91
ILLUSTRATION:
Max Anders in his book, 30 DAYS TO UNDERSTANDING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE,
tells the wonderful story of Little Lord Fauntleroy.
"The son of an English earl marries an American woman, and is
consequently disinherited. Some years later he dies at sea, and his
widow and son live humbly in New York City. The disinherited man's
father, the Earl of Darringcourt, becomes aged and is concerned for the
succession of his fortune and family line. His ten-year-old American
grandson is his only legal heir, so he sends a representative to America
to offer to have his grandson come to live on the fabulous estate as
Lord Fauntleroy, and eventually succeed him as Earl of Darringcourt.
There is one catch. Little Lord Fauntleroy's American mother who was
the cause of the original disinheritance, an exemplary woman with whom
Lord Fauntleroy is very close, cannot live on the estate. The story of
the initial conflict and misunderstanding, and the subsequent healing
and restoration of relationships, is a touching one in which everyone
eventually lives happily ever after.
"When the Earl of Darringcourt's representative first comes to America
with the proposal, a circumstance arose which is analogous to the life
of a Christian. He describes what life will be like as Lord Fauntleroy.
Wealth, power, honor, glory are his. He is a royal heir. Yet, he will
have to wait until he gets to England to experience it. For now, he
will have some limited benefits, but for the most part, until he crosses
the Atlantic, the life as Lord Fauntleroy has to wait.
"Nevertheless, the representative stresses, it is important to begin
thinking and acting like Lord Fauntleroy now for three reasons. First,
because there are decisions and actions right now that require his
attention. Second, because he needs to begin practicing now for the
expanded role that will come to him when he gets to England. And third,
because he is Lord Fauntleroy, and that fact is momentous enough in
itself. Lord Fauntleroy ought to act like Lord Fauntleroy. Period."
(1)
What a marvelous analogy to the Christian life. We, too, anticipate a
royal inheritance. We, too, need to begin practicing for that perfected
life of love and wholeness which will some day be ours. And we are,
here and now, children of the King, and that is how we ought to act.
Jesus Christ is King of Kings. That tells us who he is. That also
tells us who we as his followers are. And that tells us what we are to
be about. We are his kingdom and his priests in this world. [1729]
========================
1. Max Anders, 3O DAYS TO UNDERSTANDING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, (Brentwood,
TN: Wolgemouth & Hyatt, Publishers, Inc.), 1990.
*
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