Coming of Age

Galatians 4:1-20

There's a picture of me as a young child. I'm sitting in one of those old metal trucks - the kind where you used to have peddles that made the thing go around the yard - no battery powered motors or anything. The little car was a fire engine - but I remember when the picture was taken. I couldn't have been more than three years old. On that day I announced to my mother that I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up - no, not a fireman, at least not that day, but another very important job. I wanted to be a milkman!

I know I am dating myself here - I remember we used to leave out this little thing full of cards, and we would turn the cards around to tell the milkman what we wanted that day. I just remember the glass milk bottles rattling around in their metal container and the big big milk truck and I wanted to be a milkman.

So I begged and begged my mom to get me everything I needed to be a milkman. She was I'm sure busy, but I didn't care - I only wanted that one thing. It took a while, but she finally got everything together for me to be a milk man.

The only problem was - by that time I had grown tired of that game and I was on to something else. I no longer wanted to be a milkman; I wanted to be a superhero!

My point is that as a young kid I couldn't wait to grow up and be an adult. There was something magical about it to me. I didn't know what awaited me - responsibilities of family, job, home - the joys and the stresses of raising kids. When it came time to actually be an adult - all the magic was gone - I just sort of slid into it.

The neat thing about becoming a Christian is that you get to grow up - but instead of having to bear all these heavy burdens - we get them lifted off - at least that how it is supposed to be. Today as we study chapter 4 verses 1-20, Paul describes coming of age as a Christian as we recognize the grown up freedoms we have in him.

Verse 1-2

Under Roman customs a male child became a "man" not at a specific age but when the father thought he was sufficiently mature. They marked the occasion on March 17th in a celebration known as liberalia. The young man would get a grown-up toga and be treated as an adult. Before that they were no better than a slave with no rights and little freedom and no ability to make decisions about the estate - even though he was the future heir of the whole thing.

Before coming of age the young man was under guardians and discipline - it's the same as those under the law - those that rely on rules for their righteousness are immature just as a young man before he comes of age is really just like a slave - so they are enslaved to rules. Adulthood means coming out from under the law into grace.

Having been set free from the Law and then going back under it would be akin to receiving your inheritance but insisting on having a nanny!

Verse 3

The Law only teaches the basics - like "don't do this, don't do that" but can't actually change you so you act differently or can even live up to the standards it sets. Our parents tell us - "look both ways before crossing the street" and what do our kids say? "Why, Daddy?" and we try to explain - but really we just end up saying "because I said so!" That's the Law - because God said so.

Verses 4-5

Jesus was born of a woman - not of a man - which is where we get the sin nature - passed from our fathers. Jesus' Father was the Holy Spirit - untainted by sin. So He was born "under" the Law, but not unable to fully obey the Law because He lacked a sin nature that made Him automatically guilty of not following the Law.

He redeemed us - "bought us back" from slavery to sin and the Law - and not only that but gives us the rights of a son - the liberalia.

Verses 6-7

Notice how the Holy Spirit is pictured as Jesus' Spirit - another good verse for the Trinity.

Not only are we free, not only are we grown up, but we have this incredible relationship with the God of the Universe in that we can call Him "abba" which means "Papa Daddy" a term denoting a close intimate relationship.

And then further, God makes us heirs of His kingdom - so why would someone give up all of that - that Jesus already did for us - and go back under slavery to the Law?

It would be kind of like finding out that you have been adopted as a prince of an incredible land - and that the king of that land was giving you the kingdom to inherit and you don't have to do a thing to earn it - but you decide instead to become a serf and work the land in order to become a prince - when there is no way you could ever get there from being a commoner.

Verse 8

Whether you believed in a "divine being" or just a philosophy of life - you could in no way earn your way to heaven by something that either really doesn't exist or simply can't do the job for you. Like trying to get into space by throwing a paper airplane!


Verse 9-11

Now don't get me wrong - working hard at becoming more like Christ is a great thing. "Work out your salvation in fear and trembling" - "study to show thyself approved unto God a workman who needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth" and the like.

But it comes from working on your relationship and reliance on the Spirit in you - not adopting the 10 principals for making yourself a better person from the latest best seller.

It would be like Putting on a gold leaf jacket and then gluing little pieces of paper on it where you've drawn pictures in crayon of gold to make it look better - you are already better in Christ!

How do we do that? Paul says "special days and months" - the Jewish festivals. We do it by creating "must do" and "mustn't do" lists. We must go to church every time the doors are open to be "really spiritual" and we must spend a certain number of hours in the Word and prayer - while wearing our hair a certain way and with just the right "Christian-speak" and read the right translation of the Bible. And we must not dress sloppily or go to movies or hang out with unsavory unsaved people.

If only we would simply relinquish control of our lives to the life of Jesus in us - and seek to be like Him through the power of His Spirit each and every day - and let go of all the extra stuff!

Verse 12a

Paul calls them "brothers" - just because they are blowing it does not mean he is rejecting them, just trying to correct them - if only we would receive correction in the same way instead of casting aside entire relationships over minor points

"Become like me" free from the law "for I became like you" - giving you the gospel free of charge offered to you Gentiles, even though you were not Jews. Paul often tells us to become like who we are preaching to (1 Cor 9:19-22)

Verse 12b-14a

They accepted Paul despite his physical problem.

We don't know what the illness was - could have been malaria, an eye disorder, the "thorn in the flesh", or injuries suffered from his many beatings.

Isn't it great that God can use calamities in our lives to preach the gospel to others? When you are under the pile - it is an opportunity for others to watch the Lord work in you - not fixing the problem, but fixing your eyes on Jesus.

Verse 14b

They treated him with the utmost respect when they learned about Jesus from him - that sure changed.

Isn't it interesting how our attitudes change towards a Christian leader when we realize they are merely humans - empowered by the Holy Spirit. We want to make them like God and when they show themselves to be human our admiration turns to disdain - watch out for man worship, especially of pastors.

Worship Jesus and what He says!

Verse 15a

Legalism robs us of joy because it enslaves us to always working harder to achieve human goals and since we can never be satisfied or rest then we are never happy.

Hebrews 4:10-11 for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.

Nehemiah 8:10 Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

Resting in God's strength gives us joy because we are free to simply trust Him and not worry about how things turn out - we can't fail if we trust Him!

Verse 15b-16

This could be a reference to an eye disorder that Paul may have had (see 4:15)

It could also just be an expression: "you'd give your eye teeth ?"

Someone becomes an enemy by telling the truth if the person getting the correction will not be corrected but through stubborn pride turns conviction into hatred.

Proverbs 12:1 He who hates correction is stupid, Proverbs 13:18 whoever heeds correction is honored.

Verse 17a

We confuse zealousness for truth. If someone really believes something then it must be true - NOT. Whatever the Bible says is true - we should get excited over that.

Legalism can seem so good - "you'll be so much of a better Christian if you will or will not ?" but in reality it is not liberty but enslavement and it's not good for the Christian

Verse 17b-18

This is labelism - the loyalty to a person or movement to the exclusion of others.

"Zealous" means "to heat up." Its great to get all fired up - but make sure it isn't favoring a person or ministry over the Lord - then when someone else comes along you then favor them and trade your zealousness around like a basketball player looking for a better deal.

What's a good purpose for zealousness?

1. For God's honor among men (Numbers 25:11) When the Midianites turned the Israelites to sexual immorality and one of the priests ran a spear through the tribal leader's daughter and an Israelite man. (plus Psalm 69:9 - "the insults of those who insult you fall on me" along with "zeal for Your house consumes me."

2. For the Messiah's kingdom and the gospel (Isaiah 9:6-7) "the zeal of the Lord will accomplish this"

3. To triumph over the enemies of God (Isaiah 42:13) "like a warrior he will stir up his zeal ? and will triumph over his enemies"

4. Must be based on a knowledge of the truth (Romans 10:2, Proverbs 19:2)

5. Must be in service to the Lord (not self serving or zeal for zeal's sake) Romans 12:11 "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord."

Verses 19-20

He's upset, but not angry - he just can't figure out why this has happened.

"Christ is formed" comes from a baby maturing in a mother's womb until it is ready to be born.

It means to have Jesus' character portrayed in our lives - but when we go back and create rules and regulations Christ is not being formed in our lives - we are trying to do the work ourselves - it'd be like a mother trying to build the baby herself - if she simply lets her body do the work the baby will mature fine - so we need to let the Spirit in our hearts do the work naturally and NOT GET IN THE WAY!

Conclusions

Simply put - you've got everything being handed to you on a silver platter - freedom from laws, acceptance into the family as a son and an heir, and righteousness being built into you without you doing it.

Instead of concentrating on behavior - concentrate on having a vibrant relationship with God and relying on Him to change you and guide you.

Be at rest and satisfied in the Lord instead of always striving.

Be open to correction and not defensive

You've come of age - so act like it. You can be a milkman if you want - and enjoy it!