October 4, 2020
Morning Service

Last week from chapter 3 we saw Paul describe to us how the promise to Abraham and the Law of Moses are both fulfilled in our new and perfect covenant with Jesus Christ.  The promise to Abraham was to his “Seed” which is Christ and was fulfilled through Him to us.  The law fulfilled its purpose in pointing out to us the holiness of God, pointing us to our own sinfulness, and finally it points us to the fact that we need a Savior.  Jesus is that Savior and through His actions upon the cross we now have been changed from slaves to the law to the children of God.  Through Christ in our lives we can now have a close and personal relationship with our Creator that was never before possible; being called His children and also His heirs.

The Galatian church was full of Christians that were now on this journey.  They had left their former lives of being outside of God’s will and then entering into become a “new creation.”  The problem that Paul is addressing is that now the church was detouring from the very truth that had set them free and the joy that it created for them.  They were allowing legalism, the gospel of works, to be their focus rather than the true gospel of faith.  They were straying from the path.  That is where we pick up Paul’s letter in chapter 4.        Gal 4:8-11 But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods.  (9)  But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?  (10)  You observe days and months and seasons and years.  (11)  I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.

          Paul here reminds them of where they have come from and how far they have come on their journey with God.  They had begun the journey strong and left their “old man” behind to not only be “known” of God, but to “know” Him as well.  But after a short time they found themselves tied up in the very things they had longed to be freed from.  The false teachers had detoured them from the freedom of the gospel that Paul had preached to them back into a bondage of legalism.  They were living a life of following the rules trying to earn their own righteousness instead of trusting Christ through faith for it.

          It is also good for us to take a spiritual inventory of ourselves from time to time to be sure that we are not detouring from the path.  It is very easy for us, especially in this busy world we live in, to lose our focus and begin wondering from the direction that God has appointed for us.  Take time to stop and look into the mirror and reflect upon where you came from and then focus on where it is you want to go.  Then look at the path you are now on and ask yourself, “is this leading me towards my goal or away from it?”  Reflection like this will help keep your relationship with Jesus strong and fresh.  Paul then reminds them of the time that they had shared together as he had ministered to them

Gal 4:12-15 Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. You have not injured me at all.  (13)  You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first.  (14)  And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.  (15)  What then was the blessing you enjoyed? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me.

          Paul had ministered to this church on both his second and third missionary journeys and did it despite having to battle through a “physical infirmity” that is not fully understood by us.  The letter here becomes very personal as he recalls how they received him with love and acceptance receiving him as they would have received Christ.  He reminds them of how he too had to leave a former life of legalism and was freed by faith in Jesus.  He then pointed asks them as the NLT states verse 15; “where is the joyful spirit we shared back then?”  Have you ever thought that in your journey with Christ; “where is the joy of the journey?”  You began your walk with God on a joyful note, but somewhere the joy became more of a sense of duty or obligation than an act of joy.  One reason for this is we, like the Galatians, get caught up in legalism and becoming a slave to a “to do list” of spiritual activities.  Legalism can steal the joy of the Christian journey in many ways.  First, it can make you constantly feel guilty rather than loved.  This sometimes creates a self-hatred rather than a humble spirit.  Legalism stresses performance rather than relationship.  That approach can point out to us how far short we fall of what God wants us to be rather than focusing us on what Christ has done for us having us live in guilt rather than gratitude.  If you feel yourself falling into that trap, step back and refocus on your Savior and be sure you are acting in love and not a sense of duty.  Following Christ is about relationship not religion.  I follow because I choose to out of love like a child, not because I am bound as slave to do it.

          Paul after reminding the church what all they had been through, now makes a very powerful statement as he is calling the church out for their straying from the path they began walking.

Gal 4:16 Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?

          It is human nature to get angry when we are rebuked about something that we are not doing right.  Our defenses quickly arise and we try to defend our actions against attack.  A confrontation like this is rarely pleasant especially at first.  We all need friends in our lives that are able to ask us the tough questions and we need to be that type of friend as well.  A true friend does not always agree with you on everything, but when they challenge you on something don’t take that they are now your enemy.  Receive rebuke with humility and use it to ponder the possibility that you could be in the wrong.  Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you to the truth about yourself through Bible study and prayer.  When you feel called to hold others to accountability do it in the manner Paul instructed Timothy to:

2Ti 2:24-26 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, (25) in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, (26) and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

          All rebuke is to be done in humility, not talking down to your brother, and for the purpose to bring them to “know the truth.”  Be sure it is “thus sayeth the Lord” and not just a personal conviction of your own; as there is a difference.  When you find yourself on either side of a rebuke, let it be resolved in love and with much prayer and Bible study; acting as brothers not enemies.  Seek the truth and as Jesus stated:

 

Joh 8:32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

 

In summary today I would ask you is there joy in your journey?  If not, it is time to take a long look in the mirror and see why not.  Following Jesus is about a close, personal, and loving relationship with Him.  It should fulfill you to do things that please Him, as you demonstrate your love for Him.  It is not to be done with a sense of duty or obligation as that will steal your joy every time.  Look to see if you are placing something else in the top priority spot of your life that is supposed to be Jesus; that too will steal your joy.  When you say “yes” to doing something making it a priority, it often means you are saying “no” to something else.  Let the “yes” always be to God and He will bring balance to the rest and make it easier to say “no.”  Have the courage to make the changes needed to correct the situation and I assure you when God is truly in first place in your life, the joy will be there.  Finally, if you find yourself on either side of a confrontation, or rebuke, let love prevail and let it be done to seek the truth and it will make you free!

 

Heavenly Father grant us the vision and courage to place You first in our lives and restore the joy to our journey to see You.