Are You Kidding Me?

July 15, 2012 Preacher: Randy Smith Series: Galatians

Scripture: Galatians 4:8–20

Transcript

Are You Kidding Me?

Galatians 4:8-20
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Pastor Randy Smith



Though there are many other expressions, I believe these are the two most popular. I'm sure we've heard them or used them many times ourselves when someone defies common sense and pulls a stunt that epitomizes stupidity. "What were you thinking?" and "You've got to be kidding me?"

We see it at home when a child goofs off all week-end and then announces at ten o'clock Sunday night that she's stressed out about beginning a major paper due in the morning. We see it on the athletic field when a player starts swinging a bat in the dugout and clocks a teammate on the head. We see it on the road when an SUV barrels through a red light while the driver is balancing coffee in one hand and an outgoing text message in the other.

Perhaps a subtitle for the book of Galatians could be called, "Are You Kidding Me?" The Galatian church came to Jesus Christ and then thanks to the false teachers known as Judaizers began to drift back to their former paganism. It made absolutely no sense to the rational mind. From the garbage can to the beaches of Maui and back to the garbage can. And I can't think of a better place in this letter than the section we'll cover this morning where this folly is most expressed.

So before I take your questions, I'd like to provide two examples (our two sermon points this morning as well) of Paul's "You've got to be kidding me" experiences. First in chapter 4, verses 8-11, Paul is amazed that they have chosen Law over grace. His bewilderment is seen in verse 11: "I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain." And then in verses 12-20, Paul is amazed that they have chosen the Judaizers over him. That bewilderment is seen in verse 20: "I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you."

Let's take a look at both of these points and make sure that we are not being deceived and falling into a foolish and in this case spiritually deadly, "You've got to be kidding me" situation.

1. Law Over Grace (4:8-11)

The first point, the Galatian church was choosing Law (working to obtain God's favor) over grace (accepting God's favor as a gift through Christ). To make this point clear, Paul initially teaches them about their new sonship in verses 6-7 (last week's sermon) and then contrasts it with their former dismal condition before they knew Christ. In verse 8 we read, "However at that time, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods." Before they worshipped the true God they worshipped false gods. Before they attained freedom, they were held in bondage.

God has created people to be worshippers. All humans from the beginning of time have found a god, something that brings them meaning, hope and reason for living. These gods come in many shapes and sizes - from false religious systems to the god of money, from the god of self to the worship of celebrities. None are substitutes for the true God, and while promising all that the heart desires, they fail to deliver and leave us in bondage with feelings of guilt, despair and futility. The world has sampled from the pantheon of false gods and look what it has produced: Anxiety, discontent, struggling marriages, misguided children, confusion, regret, hopelessness and hell hanging in the balance. As Paul said in verse 8, false gods are "no gods" that only succeed in making us their "slaves." This is where the Galatians, all of us, were before Jesus Christ.

"But now," Paul says in verse 9, "You have come to know God." From your misery you were given delight. From you hopelessness you were given promise. From your darkness you were given light. From slavery to sonship. From emptiness to a relationship. And this relationship was forged not through all the means of false religion. It wasn't through experiences (Mysticism). It wasn't through increased knowledge (Gnosticism). It wasn't through good deeds (Legalism). It was through the true God opening your eyes to Him and granting you the faith to enter a personal relationship with Him solely on the basis of divine grace. It was as Paul corrected himself in verse 9, God coming to know you and He Himself taking the initiative to forgive all your sins and adopt you into His eternal family.

And having experienced all that, verse 9, "How is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?" You have got to be kidding me! Specifically, verse 10, "You observe days and months and seasons and years." From the Sabbath to the new moon festivals to the Passover, these were all the Jewish times of remembrance of the Old Covenant. They received the freedom of grace and turned back to following the Law as a means to obtain favor with God. We discussed their obsession with circumcision; Paul now covers their obsession with Jewish religious days. And this is radical because Paul is lumping paganism (verse 8) and present Judaism (verse 10) together because any system that does not lead to Jesus Christ is not from the Father.

But here is the point we have been hammering week after week - the moment you add anything to grace, even God's biblical commandments from the Old Covenant, grace ceases to be grace and a false gospel is introduced that when followed always leads to a false god. No wonder Paul said in verse 11, "I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain." You've got to be kidding me!

It sounds so foolish, so why do people then as they do now keep insisting, whether they include or exclude Jesus Christ from the equation, that we must perform works in order to be accepted by God? Why turn from a liberating, joyful and confident system of grace to an enslaving, dreary and uncertain system of works? I believe the answer is pride.

John Piper gives one of the best explanations I have encountered: "There is in every human heart an intense and powerful love for the praise of men. Just as naturally as apples fall downward, human beings gravitate toward ideas and actions which make them look great, and resist ideas and actions which make them look small. Therefore, apart from the powerful grace of God overcoming our natural disposition to pride, we would always resist the coming of faith into our lives, because by faith Christ takes such dominant control of our lives and reshapes us so much into His image that we can no longer boast in anything good that we do. It does not appeal to the natural mind to be so transformed by Christ that we must give Him credit for all the good we do" (O, That Christ Would Be Formed in You!, Sermon).

2. False Teachers over Apostle Paul (4:12-20)

As we transition to the second point, Paul also transitions in his tone. Throughout this letter he has marshaled every possible argument and illustration to stress his point. He has been confrontational and somewhat impersonal. Now at verse 12 there is a drastic change. Suddenly he gets personal and affectionate and he comes forth not as a theologian, but as a friend, not through stern rebuke but gentle appeal. John MacArthur said, "[These words] are the strongest words of personal affection Paul uses in any of his letters" (Galatians, p. 114).

Verse 12, "I beg of you, brethren, become as I am, for I also have become as you are." What has Paul become? Consider Paul's life before Christ. If anyone used the Law as a means to obtain God's favor, few would have surpassed Paul. But he forsook all his self-righteousness and religious merit and exchanged it entirely for the righteousness that God provides through faith in Christ. In a sense he became as he says in verse 12 what the Galatians were when he was with them. He acknowledged his sinfulness and cast himself entirely into the arms of Jesus Christ and like these pagan Gentiles (though they had nothing) did not cling, while impressive, to his lineage, knowledge, religious actions. So here is Paul's frustration. Ironically, these Gentiles were trying to become what Paul had thrown away. As a Jew he had it all and counted it as nothing that he might attain Christ alone (see Phil. 3:7-16). They were Gentiles who had none of this and were trying to attain Jewish legalism that they might add it to Christ. You've got to be kidding me?

He goes on in verse 12 and the verses to follow to say, "You have done me no wrong; but you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the first time; and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself" (Gal. 4:12b-14).

Now Paul gets personal. He recalls his positive experience when he was with them when he initially visited them on his first missionary journey. He remembers coming to them with a bodily illness. Some have suggested it was malaria or some problem with his eyes (Gal. 4:15; 6:11). Perhaps it was his so-called "thorn in the flesh" (2 Cor. 12:7). We can't be sure, but whatever it was it definitely made Paul a nasty sight. In verse 14 he calls his illness "a trial to [them]." He also says they did not "despise" him (to count as nothing) or "loathe" him (literally it means to spit). Let's remember this was 2,000 years ago and the medical word was very primitive. It is safe to assume that when Paul came to these churches for the first time he was not a very attractive sight, probably disfigured and leaving behind an awful stench. It was very unpleasant. This was Paul's condition and they embraced him.

Immediately what comes to my mind was the dead squirrel that somehow entered our house during our recent vacation. When we returned the squirrel was found dead - partially decomposed and ridden with maggots that had imbedded themselves into the carpet. Despite trying to professionally clean the carpet, there was no removing the nasty, quite memorable, stench.

So I imagine Paul entering this Galatian territory a physical wreck. You'll remember he was also stoned in their territory and left for dead (Ac. 14:19) which no doubt did not contribute to his physical appearance. Add to the fact the basic belief in antiquity that physical problems of any kind were often viewed as an indication of God's judgment on the individual (cf. Jn. 9:2; Ac. 28:3-4). But these people loved Paul. They supported him. They invited him in their homes. They received him, he says in verse 14 "as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself." Why? Because they loved the true Gospel that he brought and therefore were able to love the messenger as well.

Verse 15, "Where then is that sense of blessing you had? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me." You've got to be kidding me! Why the change of heart? Verse 16 tells us because he told them God's Word and they no longer wanted to receive it! He didn't change, but their attitude to the truth did and therefore they shot the messenger. Verse 16, "So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?"

This is one of my favorite verses in Galatians. It explains why so many Christians, especially pastors are often hated and maligned by others, oftentimes others within the church that profess to be believers. You see, all of us as Christians have two options. We can be ambassadors for Jesus Christ and proclaim His Word or we can cowardly avoid the truth and keep quiet or just tell people what they want to hear. Do the latter and you will often be well-received. Do the former and you are often resented. Do the latter and you provide little or damaging assistance. Do the former and you glorify God and provide the most useful and most loving information a person needs to receive.

A classic example to today: What do you say about the issue of homosexuality? Here are two comments made by our President over the years? "[Michelle and I] are both practicing Christians and obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others but, you know, when we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is, not only Christ sacrificing Himself on our behalf, but it's also the Golden Rule, you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated" (ABC Interview with Robin Roberts, May 9, 2012). And "I would just refer them to the Sermon on the Mount, which I think is, in my mind, for my faith, more central than an obscure passage in Romans" (http://www.wnd.com, 2008). Is that being honest with all of Scripture that is equally inspired? Is that response most loving when the Bible declares in no uncertain terms: "Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Cor. 6:9b-10).

Paul did not bow to popular opinion or political correctness. He did not read his Bible selectively. He was not a man-pleaser. He was not fickle or cowardly. He died to self and submitted to Jesus as Lord, entrusting himself fully to God's Word. Out of love for them he proclaimed that Word faithfully in an effort to please God and bless humanity regardless of how humanity received it. And my friends, like Paul and like Jesus, if you do the same (and you should) don't be surprised if you begin to gather some enemies, not offended by you (hopefully!), but offended by the truth you proclaim, especially when those truths are not what the person wants to hear but what both you and God know needs to be heard. Becoming someone's enemy is extremely painful, but Jesus promised it, and you stand in a line of good company. Paul stood consistent to the apostolic message. We should exhibit the same loyalty as well.

In 1:10 Paul said, "For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ."

So what changed the heart of the Galatians? Why such fervent love at one minute for Paul and then all of a sudden Paul becomes their enemy? I've experienced this one myself! It is simply this, the message does not change, but people's attitude toward the message does. And therefore their hatred toward the message is taken out on the messenger! And what changed the Galatians' attitude toward the message? It was in this case the false teachers. So Paul compares himself with them so they can decide for themselves who is most loving and God-honoring.

Verse 17, "They eagerly seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will seek them." In other words, they don't care about you! They deceive you through lies and flattery only to lock you in their little box so you will seek them, so they can own you, so they can fuel their own egos with the followers they gather.

That is their motive. Look how Paul now contrasts his motives with theirs. In Verse 19, "My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you." In other words, it is not about me, but it is about Jesus Christ. They want you to be like them; I want you to be like the Lord. They labor for praise from man; I labor for praise from God. They want you dependent on them; I want you dependent on Christ. In 6:12 Paul says they only desire to "make a good showing in the flesh." In 1:10 Paul says he only wants to "be a bond-servant of Christ."

On a side note, these verses lay out perhaps the two greatest ways to evaluate a pastor. Does he proclaim the Word of God without error or compromise or apology? And is his love for the people primarily seen in his desire to see the people conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, despite the continual resistance or lack of popularity it might bring him?

You can feel Paul's frustration. In a motherly sense he gives spiritual birth to them and now he compares himself to being in labor, the emotional and physical anguish it brings him until they jettison the deceptive thinking and begin to be conformed into the image of Christ. He wants them to be clay in the Potter's hand, for the Potter to mold as He desires into Christlikeness.

What love for the glory of God and His people in the church. And what pain to do the right thing and see God's people treat not only him, but the Lord Himself in such a contemptible manner. Verse 20, "But I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you." You've got to be kidding me!

So based on this passage, are you where the Lord wants you? Is there evidence you know God? Are you thankful for your new life in Christ? Do you trust solely in Jesus Christ for salvation forsaking a works-oriented mentality? Do you love all of God's Word and appreciate those who bring it to you? Is it your deepest desire to have Christ formed in your life? If not, you are kidding yourself and you are kidding God.


More in Galatians

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September 23, 2012

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