Server Outage Notice: TheSeed.info is transfering to a new Server on Tuesday April 13th
| Order Of Worship (Liturgy) |
GALATIANS 4:6-7
(Reading: Romans 8:12-30; Galatians 3:23-4:7)
Perfect Presence
Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ…
There is a clear break which occurs at the beginning of verse 6.
For what we have seen, in the verses 4 and 5, was part of the apostle explaining what it is to be the sons of God, through faith in Christ Jesus.
This is the section which began from Galatians 3 verse 26 onwards.
So, Paul has told us of the status we have before God through Christ.
We are now equally children of God, along with Jesus – our older brother.
This is the work Christ was sent to do.
And he fulfilled his Father’s will for us perfectly.
All that he had come to earth to do he did.
He paid the price and so God has adopted us as his very own children.
Now we come to realising how it is we actually know we are those sons of God.
Verses 6 and 7 bring in the work of the Holy Spirit.
This is because the Third Person of the Trinity is the one through whom we experience that sonship.
All three Persons of the Trinity are involved in this together at the same time.
We have to remember that.
You cannot say that there’s a point when any one of them has not yet done his work.
What we must see, though, is the different roles the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, have within the Godhead.
And it is the role of the Holy Spirit Paul touches upon now.
In the words of a first aspect to our text … THE HOLY SPIRIT IN US TELLS US WE ARE SONS.
Congregation, those Galatian believers have to realise that the presence of the Spirit is the proof of their adoption.
Paul has already alluded to this in verse 2 of chapter 3 when he asked the question: “Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?”
They know they are Christians because of who is in their hearts.
The apostle reminds them that the God who sent his Son to save them is the same God who sent his Spirit to apply salvation’s benefits into their hearts.
This is why we find here the unique title, ‘Spirit of his Son.’
It only occurs here in the New Testament.
And it is used here to show that what the Holy Spirit does is never divorced from the Son whom he glorifies.
This is what Jesus taught to his disciples in John 16.
In verse 14 there he said of the Holy Spirit, “He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.”
Dear believer, there is no separate post-conversion experience you have to have to gain assurance.
You don’t receive the Spirit at a different time than when you come to faith.
You receive the Spirit by believing what you have heard.
So the Holy Spirit brings you to the Father and gives you the assurance of being in the family of faith.
The communion the Son has with his Father is what you now have through the Spirit.
Sounds heavy, doesn’t it?
But let’s think of our earthly families.
And how much don’t we appreciate our families more as we see so many who don’t live in families?
There is so much brokenness around us.
I was speaking once with a police officer about the violence which put where we lived then in South Auckland, New Zealand, so often in the headlines.
He told me that with each of those devastating situations they would know the social setting before they arrived at the doorstep.
Because it would invariably involve boys without dads.
There was just no family there!
Now, you young people may sometimes have reservations about your family.
Dad’s too strict.
Mum doesn’t let you do what you want.
Most of us feel like this at some point.
But to be without a family is the most terrible thing.
It completely distorts all your relationships.
It is what puts you on the road to crime and addiction and all that sadness you see and hear and read about every day.
So imagine the difference it makes to be in a family after not being in one.
And if you know the difference it makes why would you not want to be part of one?
That’s what Paul is saying here.
We know the difference being in God’s family makes because THE HOLY SPIRIT IN US TELLS US WE ARE SONS.
Now, you may mistakenly think that you need to have a certain type of experience to prove this is so.
Well, have you thought about all those experiences which have already proven to you that it is so?
Look where you are now!
Consider how you have been brought to this point.
Did you plan it out this way?
No way!
Only God through his Spirit could have put you in this place.
There is a hint of excitement in the apostle as he reflects on this.
For notice how he speaks of God sending “the Spirit of his Son into our hearts.”
He changes the personal pronoun to include himself too.
From using “you” it is now “our”!
He knows this!
What a thing to shake up those Galatians with!
They had become so wrapped up with the law.
And what was that law?
It is an external authority.
It cannot change the heart.
But the Spirit – the gift that came upon Pentecost in Acts 2 – cuts to the heart!
The Spirit turns you right around!
In fact, this is the greatest change in the world!
You see, because the Holy Spirit in us has told us we’re sons we now find that … THE HOLY SPIRIT WITH US CRIES OUT TO THE FATHER.
This is our second aspect to the text.
Congregation, notice the end of verse 6.
The apostle has brought out that, because we are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts.
And then he adds that he is the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”
Now I want those of us who are parents to think back.
What would have to be one of the most keenly anticipated moments when you have a young child?
There are a few things we can think of.
There is when he smiles, when he starts crawling, and when he begins walking.
And there is that other one.
Ah, his first word.
Do you remember that now?
And what was his first word?
Well, if you are like me you will have forgotten a long time ago!
But wasn’t it a thrill then?
I mean, you had been training him to say something for long enough!
But to hear that response!
“Mama!”
Or was it “Dada”?
Whichever one it was, it was a response.
That child knows you.
He or she recognises you.
That’s relationship.
That’s family.
Blood is thicker than water.
So if that is true physically, what do you think it would be spiritually?
That’s got to be something!
And, indeed, “Abba” tells us that.
For “Abba” is an Aramaic word.
It is the word our Lord personally used in speaking with his Father in heaven.
It is this word he uses to begin the model for all our prayers, in the Lord’s Prayer.
You see, it’s personal.
It’s family.
John Stott says this phrase makes our prayers the most intimate thing.
He writes that “God’s purpose was not only to secure our sonship by his Son, but to assure us of it by his Spirit.”
So prayer is the ‘pillow talk’ of faith.
It’s the way we really connect with God.
It’s where he is our dearest Father.
Notice also that there is no way a slave or servant could use this word.
And that’s what we see with any other religion apart from the Christian faith.
The Jews didn’t dare to address God in this intimate way.
They even changed one of the names for God because they thought it was too personal.
And look at how other religions legislate their prayer lives.
Because it is all about rules and regulations with them.
It is not something personal.
It is all external.
But see how Jesus prayed.
Right throughout the gospel, bar once on the cross, Jesus always uses this way.
Indeed, isn’t it because of what God did in Christ that the Spirit brings it out of us in this way?
That’s why Paul uses this Aramaic word instead of the Greek.
He wanted those Gentile believers to join with their Saviour in this way.
This is what Paul also described in Romans 8.
For there in verse 15 he said, “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba’! Father!’”
For sure, you should have regular times to pray.
And that prayer should have the scriptural elements in it.
But make it your prayer.
Really pray!
You know, if you cannot do anything else, you can always pray.
Even though you are severely injured, wracked by cancer, frail with age, you can still pray.
And that prayer is more powerful than physical health, or youthfulness, or earthly wealth.
You see, through it THE HOLY SPIRIT WITH US CRIES OUT TO THE FATHER.
It is not your work at all.
It is God’s working in you.
And that joins you to the most powerful thing of all.
Isaiah pictures this vividly in the 40th chapter of his prophecy.
In the verses 30 and 31 there he says, “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
“They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
Dear believer, do you see it?
Prayer isn’t a last desperate recourse when all else fails.
Prayer is living out your faith every day.
Prayer isn’t just asking for help to do God’s work.
Prayer is God’s work.
Congregation, you know what joy it is when as a physical family you celebrate those special times.
Then being family holds so much meaning.
And when our earthly families are united they are such a strength.
You know you have the help and support you need.
There is nothing quite like the love of a family when caring for a member whose sick.
So when verse 7 speaks about you being a son of God you have the love that lasts for all eternity.
You are an heir to heaven itself.
And you know that whatever you go through there’s the Father God who’s going to make sure to get what you need.
And, you know, then you are that baby all over again.
You are recognising the One who’s brought you here.
You are calling out, “Abba, Dada!”
You see, even though spiritually you might be as young as that baby is physically, still you know who he is.
Just like that baby knows who’s holding him.
In fact, verse 7 in the Greek ends stating that quite definitively.
Because those last two words are ‘dia Theou’ – “through God.”
You are an heir through God.
It is your relationship now with him, because of him, that opens you up to everything.
That is what has freed you.
It is not what you merited.
It is not what you have done.
It is because he has won – in his Son.
But let’s not forget either the word “heir.”
The word “heir” ties this back to verse 29 of chapter 3.
God has kept his promise.
What he said thousands of years ago to Abraham is coming true for the believers from the Gentiles.
That is you and me, brother, sister, young person!
You are now a child of the covenant.
And that is all one-way.
That is all his way!
So, what can you say?
Well, now you can pray.
Amen.
PRAYER:
Let’s indeed do that right now.
Let’s pray…
Abba, Father, dear Father, how much don’t we thank and praise you for what you have done!
Who loves the way you love?
Who has planned and worked out everything to put us where we are today?
For we are the most blessed of all children.
We have the best parent of all.
And we pray that as the Holy Spirit helps us to pray now so he will help us to keep that up every day.
May we ever depend only on you!
Through the One who is the only way, the only truth, and the only life, our only Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, we humbly pray.
Amen.
* As a matter of courtesy please advise Rev. Sjirk Bajema, if you plan to use this sermon in a worship service. Thank-you.
(c) Copyright 2024, Rev. Sjirk Bajema
Please direct any comments to the Webmaster
