Galatians #4
Galatians • Sermon • Submitted
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7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
Genesis 1-11 — the world falls into death, darkness, deception, and decay.
Genesis 12 — God takes initiative toward the man, Abram — as he is known at that time — and invites Abram to follow him as an expression of Abram’s faith.
Review —
Review —
7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.
Agitators making a case for continuity — the cross is a part
Paul making a case for discontinuity — the cross radically redirects and reconstructs everything in THE world and in THEIR world.
Paul is making the case for a law-free gospel.
The letter doesn’t specifically state how the agitators were making their case for a Jesus + Law gospel, but it is safe to suggest that some of how they were doing that was by leveraging an appeal to being children of Abraham.
The letter doesn’t specifically state how the agitators were making their case for a Jesus + Law gospel, but it is safe to suggest that some of how they were doing that was by leveraging an appeal to being children of Abraham.
In a number of places in the NT, we are told how Paul would go to the synagogues and make a case for Jesus as the Messiah within the framework of Judaism. Undoubtedly, he often was challenged to show the connection between becoming a Christian with being/remaining a child of Abraham.
In Romans 4, Paul similarly discusses at length the LAW-FREE GOSPEL in light of the faith of Abraham and all who are his children.
8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.”
This reference comes from the crucial passage in Gen 12:
1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
The Jews would certainly have understood themselves to be blessed
Paul is making the case to the Gentiles in Galatia — that they, as Gentiles who had placed their faith in Jesus, are included as recipients of this promised blessing.
He is making the case to the agitators in Galatia that they as Jewish Christians are blessed… and the Gentiles are blessed just as they are
Paul quotes this passage in 3.8.
He then goes on in 3.9 to quote the climactic verse in Gen 17-18:
18 seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
Genesis 17
Changed Name: Abram = exalted father to Abraham = father of a multitude
Changed Name: Sarai to Sarah = princess
The Lord Institutes circumcision as sign of their covenant
God re-asserts to Abraham that he and Sarah are going to have a son… Abraham laughs… God tells him to name his son Isaac — “He laughs”
Gen 17 — God shares his plan with Abraham; Gen 18 God shares his plan with Sarah
Gen 17 — God shares his plan with Abraham; Gen 18 God shares his plan with Sarah
3 visitors… prepare a meal… eventually Sarah laughs to herself… Yahweh had disappeared from Abraham in 17.22… The Lord reappears to Abraham now in 18.1.
14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” 15 But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
16 Then the men set out from there, and they looked down toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way. 17 The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, 18 seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.”
Paul focuses on 18.18…
18 seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
But I love the question of 18:14 — Is anything too hard for the Lord?
What precisely did Abraham believe?
What precisely did Abraham believe?
6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
Abe is 100… Sarah is 90...
Is anything too hard for the Lord?
Eph 4.1 — the kitchen table… just now on the verge of seeing that as even possible… and I’m aging… tired...
But my kids…
Abe and Sarah — amazing promise — died and could count on one hand every kid they had.
Sometimes God’s promises to you are God’s promises through you… but because you don’t get to see the whole promise come to pass...
Sometimes God’s promises to you are God’s promises through you… but because you don’t get to see the whole promise come to pass...