WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:11.320 Morning everybody. Well I wonder if you can remember when you were at school who 00:00:11.320 --> 00:00:19.080 the cool kids were. I certainly can and I have to admit I was not one of them. They 00:00:19.080 --> 00:00:24.179 often let you know in no uncertain terms who they were. Often it was the way that 00:00:24.179 --> 00:00:31.780 they dressed or the way that they talked or the way that they walked and especially in our case 00:00:31.780 --> 00:00:39.820 it was the way they treated others and the things that they insisted on for you to have a chance of 00:00:39.820 --> 00:00:47.640 being in their entourage. So in my school having the right shoes was really important and sadly 00:00:47.640 --> 00:00:52.920 Clark's wasn't and I had Clark's shoes and if you had a bag you had to carry on your right 00:00:52.920 --> 00:01:01.380 shoulder and it was also essential to wear a denim jacket rather than your blazer. We all wanted to 00:01:01.380 --> 00:01:05.320 wear our denim jacket so that we all look really individual which is quite ironic now to think about 00:01:05.320 --> 00:01:11.719 it. But instead of smoking and hanging around at the bike sheds with all the cool kids and going to 00:01:11.719 --> 00:01:18.840 wild parties, me and my mates were mostly seen hanging around together, having sleepovers, 00:01:18.840 --> 00:01:27.300 watching neighbours and dirty dancing videos and doing our homework. I did however manage to get my mum to buy me a 00:01:27.300 --> 00:01:34.040 denim jacket but she wouldn't let me wear it to school so I had to put it in a bag, walk around the corner and then take the 00:01:34.040 --> 00:01:40.300 blazer off and put the jacket on. So I hope she's not listening to this actually. And I never really got invited to hang out with the 00:01:40.299 --> 00:01:48.759 popular kids to go to you know great gigs or shows or anything like that. And one of my favourite series on TV is the Derry 00:01:48.759 --> 00:01:57.759 Girls and it's set around the time that I was a teenager and I think my life resembles Erin and her friends. I think my 00:01:57.759 --> 00:02:06.900 my life kind of resembled theirs but I do have to be honest as an adult now looking back I think that my time there was a bit more fun, you know their lives a bit more fun than all the cool kids. 00:02:06.900 --> 00:02:14.080 But to be in the in crowd you have to do everything their way, whatever it was or you couldn't be seen with them. 00:02:14.860 --> 00:02:19.340 And it's very much like this in the book of Galatians which Margaret's been reading from today. 00:02:20.319 --> 00:02:27.860 Paul has gone there, he's established a new church and then he's left them to continue with his work and that's when the trouble starts. 00:02:27.860 --> 00:02:38.940 Because there's a new group that shows up that were Jews beforehand and they're insisting on things being done differently to the way Paul had taught. 00:02:39.700 --> 00:02:50.240 They'd been talking about Jesus but they'd also been insisting and demanding things and saying that these relatively new believers were not true or proper Christians. 00:02:50.740 --> 00:02:51.920 They weren't part of the in crowd. 00:02:51.919 --> 00:02:57.319 They were criticising those believers because they weren't following certain parts of the Jewish law. 00:02:57.939 --> 00:03:01.399 One of them is that they should have been circumcised they thought. 00:03:03.359 --> 00:03:07.459 And so they've been told that they're missing out, that they're not proper Christians. 00:03:08.239 --> 00:03:11.259 But Paul in his letter is really black and white. 00:03:11.899 --> 00:03:20.599 He's called it plainly and boldly to say that actually if you're putting extra stuff onto the gospel it's hypocrisy and it's not the gospel at all. 00:03:20.599 --> 00:03:23.960 That the gospel plus anything equals nothing. 00:03:25.259 --> 00:03:34.620 The part that we're reading today of Galatians is what Paul's been building up to in his letter so far and it's kind of the culmination of what has gone before. 00:03:35.560 --> 00:03:42.620 This is the letter where Paul is addressing strongly some of the issues and the false teachings that are facing the Galatian church. 00:03:42.620 --> 00:03:50.180 And here today we read of the positive and the glorious truths that the gospel's laid out before us that we are children of God. 00:03:50.900 --> 00:03:53.080 And in Paul's eyes it's key. 00:03:53.640 --> 00:03:58.920 And if he thinks if the Galatian church understands and gets this phenomenal truth 00:03:58.920 --> 00:04:04.819 then those issues that these Judaiser people are trying to put across will be seen for what it is as being false. 00:04:04.819 --> 00:04:09.919 And this I think is the heart of the Christian message, this passage. 00:04:10.900 --> 00:04:14.799 So to start with let's see what all the believers are children of God. 00:04:15.219 --> 00:04:16.560 So verse 26 says, 00:04:17.000 --> 00:04:21.339 With me you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 00:04:22.319 --> 00:04:26.819 So this is a new idea that Paul's been introducing in his letter that we are all children of God. 00:04:26.819 --> 00:04:33.899 When we hear the word son or daughter, by definition that talks about a relationship. 00:04:35.159 --> 00:04:38.800 Now it's Father's Day today as we know and we've been celebrating this morning 00:04:38.800 --> 00:04:44.039 and thanking God for some of the wonderful fathers that we've had, that we still have. 00:04:44.879 --> 00:04:46.319 And that's really important to do. 00:04:46.500 --> 00:04:50.899 But I am aware for some people, not all fathers are great. 00:04:51.600 --> 00:04:56.500 And some of us have had and continue to have difficult and challenging relationships with our fathers. 00:04:56.819 --> 00:05:00.360 And the impact of that can be quite negative even now as adults. 00:05:01.279 --> 00:05:05.099 But imagine that you are the son or daughter of the best dad ever. 00:05:05.599 --> 00:05:08.279 Both when you're a child and when you've been growing up. 00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:11.240 You've got a great bond and you spend time together. 00:05:11.899 --> 00:05:12.779 You respect him. 00:05:13.319 --> 00:05:17.100 And you know that he's always got you back and he loves and supports you. 00:05:17.539 --> 00:05:20.000 Despite the trouble you got into as a teenager. 00:05:20.600 --> 00:05:25.500 And despite the pain that you still can cause as a grown adult with your own children. 00:05:25.500 --> 00:05:29.639 And it sounds like a really pretty good dad to me. 00:05:30.519 --> 00:05:34.120 But what Paul's talking about is something even more fantastic than this. 00:05:34.240 --> 00:05:37.959 It's a mind-blowing truth that we are all children of God. 00:05:38.560 --> 00:05:43.959 We can have that closer relationship with him and therefore call God as our father. 00:05:45.100 --> 00:05:47.000 But we can all be part of his family. 00:05:47.000 --> 00:05:50.839 And this is not just something that's universally given. 00:05:51.360 --> 00:05:53.480 It's not just true in a general way. 00:05:53.959 --> 00:05:56.139 Just because we've been born in the image of God. 00:05:56.579 --> 00:05:58.399 It's true when we become a Christian. 00:05:59.120 --> 00:06:00.779 As it reminds us in 26. 00:06:00.959 --> 00:06:03.339 You are all children of God through faith. 00:06:03.459 --> 00:06:04.579 Faith in Christ Jesus. 00:06:05.439 --> 00:06:08.680 So we can only be children of God when we've got faith in Jesus. 00:06:09.620 --> 00:06:11.959 Faith is loving and trusting him. 00:06:12.539 --> 00:06:14.579 Trusting that he is who he says he is. 00:06:15.159 --> 00:06:18.159 That he died for my sin and my rebellion against God. 00:06:19.039 --> 00:06:22.180 Trust that I'm safe from God's judgment through him dying on the cross. 00:06:23.079 --> 00:06:26.359 And trust that he did rise again and he's alive and reigning today. 00:06:26.919 --> 00:06:29.939 And vitally I need to remember, and we all need to remember, 00:06:30.299 --> 00:06:34.000 that it's not because of my ability or my worthiness or the good deeds that I do. 00:06:34.459 --> 00:06:37.339 It's all about Jesus and what he's done. 00:06:37.339 --> 00:06:41.099 And as a believer, it's not something that we're aiming at. 00:06:41.199 --> 00:06:43.179 It's not something for the future that we can attain. 00:06:43.779 --> 00:06:46.159 It's actually here right now if we're a Christian. 00:06:46.839 --> 00:06:49.799 And this is in sharp contrast to what has gone before. 00:06:50.459 --> 00:06:53.099 With being made children of God through faith in Jesus. 00:06:53.759 --> 00:06:55.219 We're now new creations. 00:06:55.559 --> 00:06:57.419 And that is different to what we were beforehand. 00:06:58.439 --> 00:07:02.559 As I've said before, this is kind of a culmination of what God's been writing before. 00:07:02.560 --> 00:07:07.360 And so this idea of being children of God is mentioned here, I think, precisely 00:07:07.360 --> 00:07:11.639 because it's in sharp contrast to what he was saying the believers used to be. 00:07:12.420 --> 00:07:16.199 He said that before we believed, we used to live under the supervision of the law. 00:07:16.840 --> 00:07:17.939 We were held by it. 00:07:18.160 --> 00:07:19.379 We were locked up by it. 00:07:19.439 --> 00:07:20.480 We were prisoners of it. 00:07:21.939 --> 00:07:24.740 And elsewhere in the letter, he says it's like living in slavery. 00:07:25.319 --> 00:07:28.560 And then in verse 25, it says that it's no longer the case. 00:07:28.560 --> 00:07:32.660 Because as believers, we've become part of his family. 00:07:33.120 --> 00:07:35.639 And we've been adopted by God through faith in Jesus. 00:07:35.720 --> 00:07:39.759 So we can now live free from slavery and imprisonment. 00:07:40.420 --> 00:07:42.100 Free from the sentence of God's law. 00:07:42.620 --> 00:07:43.819 Free from the power of sin. 00:07:44.280 --> 00:07:45.939 And free because we've been rescued. 00:07:46.540 --> 00:07:48.459 And free because we're now children of God. 00:07:49.399 --> 00:07:52.259 And so we're also free to live like children too. 00:07:52.360 --> 00:07:55.180 That's what verse 27 is all about when it says, 00:07:55.180 --> 00:08:01.660 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ like putting on new clothes. 00:08:02.480 --> 00:08:07.540 So Paul is saying that through faith, believers are clothed with Christ. 00:08:07.720 --> 00:08:10.699 We're dressed in the Son of God so that we are children of God. 00:08:11.519 --> 00:08:14.220 And it's the same for us in everyday life. 00:08:14.860 --> 00:08:16.720 If Terry would like to show me these two pictures. 00:08:17.040 --> 00:08:19.180 If we see this picture here, if we see a... 00:08:20.180 --> 00:08:21.180 It's okay. 00:08:21.180 --> 00:08:25.900 If we see a woman dressed like that, we know that she's a police officer. 00:08:26.959 --> 00:08:31.199 And if we see a guy dressed like that, we know he's a fireman. 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:33.620 Or a fire person, sorry. 00:08:35.220 --> 00:08:37.000 Or they're going to a hen or stag party. 00:08:37.700 --> 00:08:38.659 But yeah, that's what we know. 00:08:39.460 --> 00:08:41.080 And it's the same for us as a believer. 00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:43.919 We're no longer dressed in our own sinful selves anymore. 00:08:44.460 --> 00:08:46.120 But we're dressed in the Son of God. 00:08:46.180 --> 00:08:47.460 And we are the children of God. 00:08:47.500 --> 00:08:48.960 Because we are new creations. 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:52.120 And so, as we've said before in this series, 00:08:52.500 --> 00:08:56.600 our prime identity is to be found in Jesus and nothing else. 00:08:57.259 --> 00:08:59.680 Our closeness to him can never change. 00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:01.720 Moment by moment, he's with us. 00:09:01.800 --> 00:09:02.920 We need to be aware of that. 00:09:03.300 --> 00:09:06.180 And our attitudes and our outlook should reflect this. 00:09:06.620 --> 00:09:11.220 Just as our clothes cover us, so Jesus cover us with his righteousness. 00:09:11.220 --> 00:09:16.480 So, when our heavenly father sees us, he sees us as his children. 00:09:17.580 --> 00:09:19.060 And he has redeemed us. 00:09:19.980 --> 00:09:21.759 And it's a reality for us now. 00:09:22.600 --> 00:09:24.820 This is a new life as children of God. 00:09:25.220 --> 00:09:29.620 And we don't need to do anything extra to be a true believer. 00:09:29.620 --> 00:09:35.740 So, Paul, I think, here is getting quite bold in calling the Galatians foolish in chapter 3. 00:09:36.200 --> 00:09:38.080 Because he thought they already knew this. 00:09:38.139 --> 00:09:40.060 He thought he'd been really playing in what he was teaching them. 00:09:40.159 --> 00:09:41.960 But clearly, they'd forgotten. 00:09:43.320 --> 00:09:47.919 So, it's not like maybe sometimes we rush out into the cold and we forget to put a jumper on. 00:09:48.220 --> 00:09:52.940 Or we're going for a job interview and we have to wear a really great tie to look acceptable to God. 00:09:52.940 --> 00:09:56.800 We are already properly ready and completely acceptable to him. 00:09:56.960 --> 00:09:58.420 Because we are his children. 00:10:00.160 --> 00:10:03.340 And it's all because of Jesus and his work on the cross, not us. 00:10:04.040 --> 00:10:05.460 But Paul doesn't stop there. 00:10:06.640 --> 00:10:07.860 In verse 28, he said, 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:14.640 There is no longer Jew nor Gentile, slave or free, male and female, for you are all one in Jesus Christ. 00:10:15.220 --> 00:10:18.920 And I think it's a point that he's making repeatedly to the Galatians through the book. 00:10:19.460 --> 00:10:21.980 It lies behind everything Paul is saying in his letter. 00:10:21.980 --> 00:10:25.779 That all believers have this new status before God. 00:10:26.240 --> 00:10:32.580 There's none of the cultural or class or gender divisions that society or religion may have been put on people at the time. 00:10:33.500 --> 00:10:37.019 And so, there's no kind of different levels or hierarchy of believers. 00:10:37.600 --> 00:10:39.680 There's not his favourite or preferred ones. 00:10:40.120 --> 00:10:42.539 There's not more worthy Christians than others. 00:10:43.139 --> 00:10:45.759 We're all one in Christ if we trust in Christ. 00:10:46.120 --> 00:10:49.420 However, we all do have different roles that we carry out as believers. 00:10:49.419 --> 00:10:55.719 And also, he's not saying here that we can just ignore the Bible's teaching or morality or sin if we're a believer. 00:10:56.939 --> 00:11:04.959 However, Paul is making it clear here that all believers, whoever we are, through children of God, only through faith in Christ. 00:11:05.559 --> 00:11:06.879 We're all in Christ together. 00:11:07.299 --> 00:11:08.759 And we're all one because of him. 00:11:08.860 --> 00:11:10.000 And we shouldn't have any divisions. 00:11:10.559 --> 00:11:14.319 So, in our style of worship here as Christians, that shouldn't be a division. 00:11:14.320 --> 00:11:18.700 If we live in a council house or we live in a palace, that shouldn't be a division either. 00:11:19.760 --> 00:11:24.260 And whether we've been coming here for decades or we're brand new here, that shouldn't be a barrier. 00:11:25.940 --> 00:11:28.600 True believers should not have divisions among themselves. 00:11:28.840 --> 00:11:36.340 And we need to really remember this because Paul was writing to the Galatians at obviously a time where their thinking and their attitude was faulty. 00:11:36.340 --> 00:11:42.680 And so, it can be really easy to think that here, others at Christ Church, that we might not have that problem. 00:11:43.019 --> 00:11:44.460 But actually, we may well do. 00:11:45.040 --> 00:11:48.940 And so, we need to keep asking ourselves, what is our mindset like? 00:11:49.320 --> 00:11:50.360 Are we like this? 00:11:50.620 --> 00:11:52.320 Can we sometimes be divisive? 00:11:52.740 --> 00:12:00.480 We need to keep bringing it back to the cross and reminding ourselves that through Jesus, as believers, we're all equal in our status before God. 00:12:00.480 --> 00:12:02.379 But that's not all. 00:12:03.019 --> 00:12:05.080 He goes on into verse 29 and says, 00:12:05.300 --> 00:12:08.620 And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. 00:12:09.139 --> 00:12:12.300 You are his heirs and God's promise to Abraham belongs to you. 00:12:12.960 --> 00:12:16.920 So, again, Paul is picking up on something that he's talked about already in chapter 3. 00:12:17.220 --> 00:12:23.659 When he explained how God's promises were not just given to Abraham way back in Genesis, but to all of his descendants. 00:12:23.659 --> 00:12:30.500 And I think that's the whole point as we go on to chapter 4, verse 1, of what he's trying to say to us. 00:12:30.659 --> 00:12:31.100 And it says, 00:12:31.199 --> 00:12:32.139 Think of it this way. 00:12:32.779 --> 00:12:40.059 If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, those children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up. 00:12:40.439 --> 00:12:43.319 Even though they actually own everything their father had. 00:12:44.079 --> 00:12:47.299 So, from this, I think he's saying that it's a father who's in control. 00:12:47.299 --> 00:12:53.659 He's left it to us as a trust for the child because he knows his child and he knows what's best for them. 00:12:54.299 --> 00:12:58.000 The father is going to be the one that's going to set the time for when the child can inherit. 00:12:59.019 --> 00:13:02.299 And it's the same, I think, in the big plan of God's salvation for us. 00:13:02.500 --> 00:13:06.139 As we see in the next few verses, verses 3 onwards. 00:13:06.419 --> 00:13:09.559 And that's the way it was before Christ came. 00:13:09.959 --> 00:13:10.859 We were like children. 00:13:11.079 --> 00:13:13.979 We were slaves to the basic spiritual principles of the world. 00:13:13.980 --> 00:13:19.860 But when the right time came, God sent his son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 00:13:20.440 --> 00:13:23.580 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law. 00:13:23.820 --> 00:13:26.659 So that he could adopt us as his very own children. 00:13:27.460 --> 00:13:29.159 So God is the one that's in control. 00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:32.659 He knew of the slavery, that humanity was into sin. 00:13:33.759 --> 00:13:38.620 And it's only possible for us to belong to Christ if we're redeemed by Christ from that slavery to sin. 00:13:39.159 --> 00:13:41.899 And that's only possible through God's work through Jesus. 00:13:41.899 --> 00:13:45.039 So that was true for the Galatian church then. 00:13:45.439 --> 00:13:47.439 And it's true for us in 2023. 00:13:48.319 --> 00:13:50.659 Even if we're good, we're never perfect. 00:13:51.120 --> 00:13:53.659 And we cannot live those lives on our own. 00:13:54.539 --> 00:13:57.819 And even if we think that we're free, actually we're still enslaved. 00:13:57.819 --> 00:14:00.019 Because we're anxious and we're burdened. 00:14:00.240 --> 00:14:03.459 And we can't control our thoughts and desires for very long, can we? 00:14:04.120 --> 00:14:07.600 So slavery to sin and our desires, in fact, is our natural state. 00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:12.120 And so the verses following should be really wonderful to us. 00:14:12.899 --> 00:14:19.680 That Jesus, uniquely as a perfect man and a perfect God, came into this world and was able to keep that law. 00:14:20.120 --> 00:14:21.899 And most amazingly to redeem us. 00:14:22.500 --> 00:14:29.540 And that means that if we are a Christian now, we've been released because Jesus paid the full price for us by his death on the cross. 00:14:29.539 --> 00:14:32.199 So that we don't have to live in that slavery anymore. 00:14:32.659 --> 00:14:36.799 And we don't have to live with the consequences of the slavery anymore. 00:14:37.879 --> 00:14:41.779 And in chapter 4, we're reminded of the amazing privilege that we have because of this. 00:14:42.179 --> 00:14:42.779 When he says, 00:14:42.779 --> 00:14:55.159 So just as children that have been fully adopted legally will inherit whatever their parents leave behind, 00:14:55.740 --> 00:15:01.639 so too, we as adopted children of God will inherit all that God's got for us. 00:15:02.519 --> 00:15:05.699 And because it's Jesus who brings about the fulfilment of these promises, 00:15:06.379 --> 00:15:08.319 and because it's Jesus who redeemed us, 00:15:08.319 --> 00:15:11.799 then we get to enjoy the fulfilment of these promises too. 00:15:12.799 --> 00:15:16.639 And we get some small tasters, don't we, already, of what it's going to be like. 00:15:17.079 --> 00:15:19.839 We get to enjoy the creation that we see around us. 00:15:20.299 --> 00:15:23.339 We get to be able to spend time with brothers and sisters, 00:15:23.439 --> 00:15:26.199 other brothers and sisters all over the world and in this country. 00:15:27.479 --> 00:15:31.039 And we also get to enjoy the privilege of knowing our Heavenly Father 00:15:31.039 --> 00:15:34.339 through his word in the Bible and talking to him in prayer, 00:15:34.959 --> 00:15:38.299 welcoming his Holy Spirit and singing his praises here on Sundays. 00:15:38.299 --> 00:15:42.839 And we get to acknowledge that our sins are fully forgiven, 00:15:43.639 --> 00:15:46.039 even those that we haven't even committed yet. 00:15:46.839 --> 00:15:49.979 And finally, he says in verses 6, 00:15:49.980 --> 00:15:54.639 And because we are his children, God sent his Spirit of his Son into our hearts, 00:15:55.139 --> 00:15:57.220 prompting us to call him Abba Father. 00:15:58.259 --> 00:16:00.659 So we are now children of God and he is our Father. 00:16:01.420 --> 00:16:06.759 He sent us the Holy Spirit into our hearts to be that driving seat of the car of our lives 00:16:06.759 --> 00:16:09.659 that I talked about a few weeks ago, the core of ourselves. 00:16:10.340 --> 00:16:12.519 Just as Jesus spoke to his Father like this, 00:16:12.639 --> 00:16:15.000 now we're enabled to enjoy the same privilege. 00:16:15.000 --> 00:16:20.039 And you know what, he really wants us to talk to him about our worries and our concerns 00:16:20.039 --> 00:16:23.879 and our joys and our excitements, because he really wants to listen to us. 00:16:24.919 --> 00:16:28.059 And then verse 7 finally says, 00:16:28.679 --> 00:16:32.039 Now you are no longer a slave, but God's own child. 00:16:32.639 --> 00:16:36.480 And since you are his child, God has made you his heir. 00:16:37.500 --> 00:16:39.440 We need to really remember that. 00:16:40.139 --> 00:16:43.120 So why don't we just take a moment to just quietly talk to Jesus 00:16:43.120 --> 00:16:44.700 and thank him that we are his children 00:16:44.700 --> 00:16:49.159 and thank him that we are no longer slaves to fear. 00:16:59.159 --> 00:17:00.379 So thank you, God. 00:17:01.220 --> 00:17:04.599 I pray that the knowledge that we are your children, Lord, 00:17:04.660 --> 00:17:05.480 and that we are free, 00:17:06.119 --> 00:17:10.440 would soak in every one of our hearts through faith in Christ. 00:17:10.440 --> 00:17:14.759 Help us to live as your children today, 00:17:15.380 --> 00:17:17.920 to live with love for you as our Father, 00:17:18.640 --> 00:17:20.720 to live with worship of you as our Father, 00:17:21.340 --> 00:17:23.019 enjoyment of you as our Father. 00:17:23.740 --> 00:17:25.360 And God, we want to please you. 00:17:26.120 --> 00:17:29.799 We want to glorify you and want others to know you as Father. 00:17:30.600 --> 00:17:32.500 Thank you that we adopted into your family 00:17:32.500 --> 00:17:36.940 and help us to really want others to be adopted too. 00:17:36.940 --> 00:17:39.799 So help us to pray to live today 00:17:39.799 --> 00:17:41.680 so that others might know this grace 00:17:41.680 --> 00:17:43.660 of what it means to be in your family. 00:17:44.660 --> 00:17:46.940 God, we praise you for adoption as your children 00:17:46.940 --> 00:17:50.600 and we pray that you would use and bless our lives, 00:17:51.279 --> 00:17:53.799 that many more people would be adopted as your children 00:17:53.799 --> 00:17:54.980 because of our lives. 00:17:55.840 --> 00:17:57.480 We pray this in your name, Jesus. 00:17:58.559 --> 00:17:58.880 Amen. 00:17:58.880 --> 00:17:58.980 Amen. 00:17:58.980 --> 00:17:59.000 Amen.