Galatians #8 - Galatians 4:1-20 - Are we less zealous?

 

I am sure I have written this before but I am my worst critic at times when it comes to my sermons and also my delivery of the material.  This Sunday was one of them that I am thankful I have the avenue of this blog to clarify somethings that came out of my mouth and those that got stuck in my brain.  

Paul has given the personal argument of "Did you receive...?"

Paul goes to the Scriptural argument and provides 6 Old Testament references.

Paul moves onto the logical argument of "If this, then that."

Paul introduces the historical argument of how a physical inheritance works to the heir.

Paul finishes with the sentimental argument of "I plead with you..." and "My dear children,..."

The final argument will be the allegorical argument using Hagar and Sarah, Ishmael and Isaac, and the old Jerusalem and the new Jerusalem.

We find Christmas in Galatians in 4:4-5 (NIV, 1978).

"But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, (like John 3:16)

born of a woman, (think Isaiah 7:14) 

born under the law, (think Philippians 2:6-7)

to redeem those under the law, (think 1:4; 2:20; 3:13-14, 24) 

that we might receive the full rights of sons." (think Romans 6:23)

I think this could be taken personally with the time fully coming to you to see Jesus for who He is in relationship to you and now with you.  The Father has set the time for you to recognize and respond to the good news (the gospel) of our only salvation in Christ alone.  Because of their recent variance from this good news, Paul is perplexed.

Paul also recognizes that the false teachers who are trying to add to the gospel are very zealous in their efforts.  The zealous effort is not to be condemned but rather it needs to be directed to what is good.  So we can be zealous like they are but with a different motivation.  Their motivation is to direct people farther from God's word and the Christian's motivation is to direct people to God's word.  A recent speaker at the church talked about how we point fingers at the problems of our world that are driven by a very zealous agenda but are we as zealous to bring God's words to the problems of this world in word and deed?

So we can be perplexed like Paul with the 1st century Gentile Christians in the region of Galatia to the modern day church in America.  Why are we following the way of fear rather than the way of faith.  Jesus said to His disciples on multiple occasions, "O ye of little faith..."  Why are we following the ways of the world and using the tools of revenge instead of seeking ways to restore.  Jesus told Peter to put away his sword in the garden.  Why are we focused on being selfish rather than being selfless.  Jesus corrected His disciples on their focus of who is the greatest multiple times.  None of these perplexing problems are new and therefore we need to continually guard against falling prey to them.  They and we are so quickly deserting (1.6) and being bewitched (3.1) and turning back (4.9).

Will we be zealous like Paul to stand on our soap box and preserve, protect and proclaim "Christ alone" to the world?  May we trust the One who gave His very life for us because He loved us.

Adam