Galatians
3:26-4:11
Children
of God—In our reading this
morning, Paul declares, “You are all God’s children through faith in Christ
Jesus. All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves
with Christ.” (Gal. 3:26-27). Through faith, through the rite baptism, we
become children of God…grown, fully responsible, sons and daughters of God.
Before that, “…we were minors, we were also enslaved by this world’s system”
(Gal. 4:3).
Back
to Slavery—Now, what would
happen if after being freed from slavery or welcomed into the family, we
decided to go to abandon the family or decided to be slaves again? Wouldn’t
people, our family, God, think we were a little whacked? This is exactly what
Paul is seeing and dealing with as he writes this letter to the Galatian
church. They are trading in their freedom for legalism; they are forfeiting
their new relationship as children of God for slavery to “the world’s systems”…or
to old religious systems.
When
we become Christians, we have experienced grace, so we become a gracious
people. We experience forgiveness, so we become a forgiving people. We hear and
learn the teachings of Jesus, so we become a “Jesus people.” The world’s
systems? You get grace when you prove to me you deserve it…or pay for it. I may
say I forgive you and then hold it over you…until I can get even. And it’s an
eye-for-an-eye world. It’s a get all you can world. The world’s systems—as we
see in the news daily—are about greed, violence, power, wealth, ego…and
everything against godly justice.
Even
so, when the going gets tough at times, when we face hard decisions, when we
find ourselves out of our comfort zone, we do what humans tend to do—we seek
what we know, what is easy and comfortable. When we run into conflict at work
or in the family, we conveniently forget all we know from Jesus and go back to
the way of the world—we fight fire with fire, harsh words with harsh words,
anger with anger. When things look uncertain, rather than trust and live by
faith, we wrap our arms tightly around our bank accounts and all of the other
things we used to trust…and we become greedy again, certain that our money and
our things will take care of us. When we face a changing culture around us,
when our knowledge and experience are challenged by new ideas, rather that
trust in God’s expansive grace, we lock-down on legalism and biblical
literalism—a place that may feel safe in the face of new ideas. (We need to strive
to read broadly and deeply like Jesus rather than as surface literalists.)
Jesus
Tells a Story…that touches
on this same theme—renouncing our family or trading in responsibility for
slavery. You may recognize this story:
Jesus
said, “A certain man had two sons. The younger son said to his
father, ‘Father, give me my share of the inheritance.’ Then the father divided
his estate between them. Soon afterward, the younger son gathered
everything together and took a trip to a land far away. There, he wasted his
wealth through extravagant living. When he had used up his resources, a severe
food shortage arose in that country and he began to be in need. He
hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his
fields to feed pigs. He longed to eat his fill from what the pigs ate, but no
one gave him anything” (Luke 15:11-16).
This
son traded in his place in the family for slavery. And, perhaps there are
times, maybe even now in your life, when we—followers of Jesus, children of
God—have done the same thing. We became scared of the unknown. We became
worried by the rapid change of the world around us. We became uncomfortable
with new ideas and new ways of being. And we did what humans have done all too
often—we ran back to the comfort, the predictability, and the seeming
security of the world’s systems—the old way of doing things, the old way of
seeing the world.
The
son thought he was running away to a better life. Maybe some hearing this
message today thought that the “rule of faith” was too constraining, too
tight…and just needed their freedom. So, they ran away from God—if not
physically, at least in their hearts and minds. Others, we know, physically run
away…from God, from the Church, from the family of God.
Good
News! – Whether we run
back to the slavery of the world’s systems or whether we run away from God,
that does not have to be the end of the story. Let’s hear the end of the story,
shall we?
“When
he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have more
than enough food, but I’m starving to death! I will get up and go to my father,
and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no
longer deserve to be called your son. Take me on as one of your hired hands.”’
So he got up and went to his father. While he was still a long way off, his
father saw him and was moved with compassion. His father ran to him, hugged
him, and kissed him. Then the son said, ‘Father, I have sinned….’ But the
father said to his servants, ‘Quickly, bring out the best robe and put it on
him! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! Fetch the fattened calf
and slaughter it. We must celebrate with feasting because this son of mine was
dead and has come back to life! He was lost and is found!’ And they began to
celebrate… (Luke 15:17-24).
That
is how God is. Waiting for us to welcome us—not scold us (that’s the world’s
system). Waiting for us to bring us back into the family—not issuing an
ultimatum (that’s the world’s system). Waiting to enfold us in grace and mercy
and love—not because we deserve it (that’s a world system standard). Paul urges
the Galatians to “come home” to their faith and trust in God. Jesus calls us
home, reminds us that God is waiting, hoping, looking for us to come home…ready
to welcome us home. Are you ready to come home? Are you ready to live in the
freedom of God’s grace and love again?
Sunday, July 5,
2026
Galatians – Paul
Takes On Division
Watch/Listen: HERE
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