Sermon Tone Analysis

Read “Happy MD”

Galatians 4:1–11 (ESV)

1 I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father.

3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world.

4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba!

Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.

9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years!

11 I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.

We are here today, those who are in Christ, as a local expression of the Kingdom of Heaven...

And, every single one of us, who are in Christ, have been adopted into the Kingdom of God...

The Kingdom of Christ...The Kingdom of Heaven.

Let us rejoice in Jesus this morning.

Opening Prayer

Recap

In Chapter 4:1-7 Paul is showing the foolishness of walking away from freedom in Christ...

Back to the bondage of sin.

He illustrates that by stating it like this...

Why would a minor, who is to inherit all things...

Once they come of age and inherit all things...

Why would they ever say, you know what...

I think I want to give this freedom and authority of ownership up...

And place my self back under the guardians that told me what to do...

And relinquish the benefits of ownership and this management of all things.

And, the answer is…No one would do that.

In the verses for this morning, Paul is having them think about their former life...

And the new life they have in Jesus, if they have truly enjoyed Him.

The first thing we see is Paul gives us...

A Summary of Conversion

Galatians 4:8–9 (ESV)

8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.

9 But now that you have come to know God,

Here we see what actually happens at conversion.

We once did not know God.

And, now we do.

We once were not known by God...

And, now we are known by Him.

Now, I’m going to talk more about the definition of this knowledge later.

But do you hear New Covenant language in this?

Jeremiah 31:34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord.

The New Covenant people all know God.

And the Church is intended to be a visible expression of the New Covenant people.

Imperfect picture, but still a visible, earthly, pre-glorified bodies, pre-consummation picture of the Kingdom of Heaven.

And, Paul is calling the Galatians to:

Remember these truths.

Know these truths.

Ground themselves in these truths.

And, remember what they’ve been delivered from.

Our Past: Chasing Freedom & Fulfillment through Idols

Read v.8 formerly, …you were enslaved to...false gods

Idols and false gods are useless.

They have no power to fulfill.

They have no power to free us from sin.

They only enslave us to sin.

They only feed the flesh.

Why?

Because anything not of faith is sin.

Listen, if you’re faith for righteousness and forgiveness is not in Christ...

It is in performing it for yourself...

Which is impossible and sinful...

And only leads a person to greater transgression.

And, we cannot be ignorant in these things that we pursue rather than God...

1 Timothy 4:1 (ESV)

1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,

Behind sin is demonic influence that is in absolute opposition to God.

Which is why Paul says...

2 Corinthians 10:3–5 (ESV)

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.

4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.

5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

We are fighting against ideas, thoughts, worldviews...

That want to lead us away from Christ.

They are ideas that are propagated and promoted by demons.

They are false gods intended for catching your eye...

And, then hoping you become fixated.

They promise freedom, but deliver chains.

In Christ, and only in Christ, we are freed from the chains of sin.

And, Paul says that was your former life...

And now Paul gives...

The Contrast of Two Lives

Read v.9 But now…you know God…or rather known by God

What does Paul mean with the clarification?

Well, there’s more than just mere knowledge being spoken of here...

This knowledge according to the Bible is an intimate, loving knowledge.

It’s not a basic knowledge.

God knows all things.

So He knows everyone.

This is a deeply affectionate knowledge filled with love.

And, the point Paul is making is two-fold:

If you’re knowledge of God is filled with affection for Him...

If your knowledge of God is such that you cry out Abba! Father!...

Then it is not mere knowledge...

Like looking at the back of a sports card and knowing stats.

Knowing their height, weight, wins, eye color, hair color.

That only allows us to say I know of them, but I don’t know them.

Paul is speaking here of a true knowledge that has as a result—love.

It is an intimate knowledge that is filled with affection for God.

Like if one were to say they know their spouse.

And, if that is the case, Paul is saying you can rest assured that God knows you with a greater intimate, loving knowledge...