Call to
worship, Psalm 87
worship, Psalm 87
Children, Luke
15.11-32 (father and two sons)
15.11-32 (father and two sons)
Message, Galatians 4.1-20
Review: Freedom theme
People
pleasing
pleasing
Guilt
trips – discussion of the racial divides in our nation
trips – discussion of the racial divides in our nation
Living
under a curse, in captivity
under a curse, in captivity
Today: excluded & enslaved
First, some background regarding difficulties
with the Apostle Paul
with the Apostle Paul
Jew-Gentile
relations
relations
Both Jews and Gentiles enslaved
Law
of God
of God
Idolatry
Offensive
in its time,
in its time,
despite
the priority he set on the Jewish gift
the priority he set on the Jewish gift
Seeds
of equality … and new possibilities for dialogue
of equality … and new possibilities for dialogue
“there
is no longer Jew or Greek” (Gal 3.28)
is no longer Jew or Greek” (Gal 3.28)
Perspectives
on women, and women as leaders
on women, and women as leaders
“receive
adoption as sons” (Gal 4.5)
adoption as sons” (Gal 4.5)
A
surprising expression of equal rights for women
surprising expression of equal rights for women
“there
is no longer male and female” (Gal 3.28)
is no longer male and female” (Gal 3.28)
Exclusion: 3rd grade rejection experience
Galatians 4:17 They make much of you, but for no good
purpose; they want to exclude you, so that you may make much of them.
purpose; they want to exclude you, so that you may make much of them.
It makes no sense to pursue the
persons who exclude us, or who force us to exclude others. Yet, we do it all
the time.
persons who exclude us, or who force us to exclude others. Yet, we do it all
the time.
It
is a violation of the gospel that includes us in God’s family as sons and
daughters together.
is a violation of the gospel that includes us in God’s family as sons and
daughters together.
Enslaved: Paul’s language here, raising kids
Raising children to become adults
Not
disloyal to wish to be independent (Hansen, 115)
disloyal to wish to be independent (Hansen, 115)
Abba, intimate (not “chummy”,
“Pops”)
“Pops”)
Jesus’
unique gift for prayer
unique gift for prayer
“included
in the conversation of the Trinity through prayer”
in the conversation of the Trinity through prayer”
(Hansen,
122)
122)
For both struggles – exclusion
and enslavement – the solution Paul offers is an identity rooted in being sons
and daughters of God.
and enslavement – the solution Paul offers is an identity rooted in being sons
and daughters of God.
Allow
the excluder to define our identity
the excluder to define our identity
Not
good enough, attractive enough
good enough, attractive enough
Skin
color or accent get in the way
color or accent get in the way
Allow
the enslavement to rule/law to define our identity
the enslavement to rule/law to define our identity
Not
perfect, not acceptable …
perfect, not acceptable …
N & J
Exercising
her independence by visiting Dad
her independence by visiting Dad
