Spirit Walkers, Pt13: Who's Your Momma?

April 29, 2018                NOTES NOT EDITED
Spirit Walkers:  Pt13-“Who’s Your Momma?”

Galatians 4:21-31

Sermon-in-a-Sentence: Every day we make choices with eternal significance based upon who we have as a “spiritual mother.”

In the world of one dinosaur family, the baby only understands who his father is by recognizing who he is not.  Here, I’ll let you see for yourself.  [VIDEO-Not Your Momma]

One of the most important concepts in Christian living is to understand that Yahweh is one’s Heavenly Father.  That is the essence of salvation.  As we learned so far in Galatians, “we are no longer under a guardian [the Law, religion], but we are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (3:26).  We learned that as “sons” [including Christian women], we have become full “heirs according to the promise” to Abraham (3:29).  God is our Heavenly Father. 

Paul does something unusual with the idea of our spiritual parentage in Galatians 4:21-31.  He talks about our “spiritual mother.”  Let me stop to give you a warning:  this has nothing to do with God having a wife, or with Mary being a “co-redeemer” with Yahweh.  It has nothing to do with any idea of a “female deity” as in pagan religions.  Paul states his purpose so we will not be confused.  Verse 24 says

“These things are illustrations.”  The NIV version says,  These things may be taken figuratively.  The KJV says, [these] things are an allegory.  Paul is using a specific rhetorical (literary) device known as an allegory to make a distinction between the “way of the flesh and the way of the Spirit.”  He uses this figurative way of teaching by starting with the historical story of Abraham’s two wives, Hagar the slave, and Sarah the free-woman.  (Abraham had other wives).  An allegory takes another story and gives the parts “symbolic” meaning.  The story does not have to be historical, but in this case the two wives are real people. 

Let’s read our text. Gal. 4:21-31.

Warren Wiersbe, the beloved 88 years old former pastor of Moody Church and author of the “Be Series Commentaries,” has done a remarkable job with this section.  I am indebted to him for the structure of this sermon.

1.  First we examine briefly the HISTORICAL Facts (19-23)

21 Tell me, those of you who want to be under the law, don’t you hear the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and the other by a free woman. 23 But the one by the slave was born according to the impulse of the flesh, while the one by the free woman was born as the result of a promise.

As Dr. Wiersbe points out in his commentary, the historical facts of Abraham and two of his wives can be outlined according to Abraham’s age when significant events took place.

At age 75 God called Abraham and promised to bless him (Gen. 12:1-9).  The promise include a son who would bring Abraham many descendants.  Sarah, Abraham’s wife was not able to bear children.  At age 85, Abraham became impatient with God in regard to Sarah bearing Abraham an heir. Sarah was 75 years old, well past childbearing age.  Sarah suggested Abraham take marry their Egyptian slave, Hagar, so she could bear him children.  Abraham went along with Sarah’s suggestion, contrary to the will of God (Gen. 16:1-3).  Hagar gets pregnant and it creates great strife between her and Sarah.  Sarah mistreats her and she runs away.  God steps in and commands Hagar to go back.  God promises to care for Hagar and give her son many descendants. (Gen. 16:4-16).  At age 86, Ishmael is born.  At age 99, God renews his promise of an heir through Sarah, now 88 years old (Gen. 17).  God institutes the practice of circumcision as a sign of the promise.  Abraham, an old man, falls to the ground and laughs. Chapters 18-20 detail events surrounding the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.  At age 100, Isaac was born (Gen. 21:1-7).  His name means, “Laughter,” no doubt having a double meaning.  First, he brought great joy to Abraham and Sarah.  Second, Abraham laughed at the idea having an heir in his old age.  At age 103, Abraham held a festival for the weaning of Isaac, according to the custom when a child turned three (Gen. 21:8ff).  Sarah caught Ishmael, now 14 years old, mocking Isaac.  Again, this creates great strife in the home between the son of the free-woman and the son of the slave.  The two could not coexist so God instructed Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away (Gen. 21:9-14). 

This is the historical account from which Paul will build his allegory.  We must always keep in mind that the Bible is based upon real history, real events, and real people.  Though Paul is going to give “figurative meanings” to the story, the story itself is historical—as is the entire narrative of the Bible.

Isaac becomes the heir of the promise to Abraham and the second patriarch of the Jewish people.  Ishmael, is the heir of the slave woman and becomes the Father of the Muslim nations.  The ancient strife between the two continues to this day.

Now, Paul turns to a “figurative,” or “spiritual” application of that story.  It is called an allegory. 

2.  Spiritual Lessons for Believers (4:24-29)

24 These things are illustrations, for the women represent the two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery—this is Hagar.  25 Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written:  Rejoice, childless woman, who does not give birth. Burst into song and shout, you who are not in labor, for the children of the desolate are many, more numerous than those of the woman who has a husband. 28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.  29 But just as then the child born according to the flesh persecuted the one born according to the Spirit, so also now.

(HAGAR VS. SARAH)
Paul uses this story to illustrate the differences between Living By the Law (Religion), and Living Under Grace (the Spiritual life).  First and foremost, Hagar represents the Old Covenant, or Law.  Sarah represents the New Covenant, or Grace.  Second, Hagar was a slave, and those living under the Law are slaves to sin. Paul refers to “Mt. Sinai” where Moses received the Law, or Ten Commandments.  Paul also says Hagar is the mother of Jews living under the Law in Jerusalem.   Sarah represents the New Jerusalem or those children of Sarah who live in the freedom of grace.  Third, Ishmael is said to be born “according to the flesh.”  This means they are carnal and lack a reborn Spirit.  They are driven by worldly lusts and fleshly passions.  Isaac, however, was “born of the promise according to the Spirit.” That is, Isaac, who represents salvation by grace, was a “miracle child.”  Salvation is not a matter of practicing religion, but “receiving a miracle!”  Fourth, and perhaps most important for us to understand is that according to verse 29, “salvation by works [Hagar, Ishmael] and salvation by grace [Sarah, Isaac] are completely incompatible with each other.”  Paul reminds them that even to the day he wrote this to them, the descendants of Ishamael, the Arabian descendants that would become Muslims (then they were Edomites), “persecuted those born according to the Spirit [Isaac]”.

This is how Paul uses the real, historical account of the difference between two mothers and their two sons.  That is, the difference between salvation by works and salvation by grace.

There are several parallels we can draw between Isaac, the son of the free woman, Sarah, and a Spirit Walking believer in Christ.


(ISAAC AND BELIEVERS)
One.  Isaac was born miraculously by the power of God.  Abraham and Sarah were far too old to have children on their own (100 years and 90 years respectively).  Salvation takes a miraculous act of God’s power.  Two.  Salvation brings great joy in the life of a believer.  Even with all the problems any of us face or may face, there is always a reason to experience great joy.  Isaac means, “laughter.”  Spirit Walkers are joyful people!  Three.  Salvation, being born-again, is the beginning of a journey, not the end.  Remember, when Isaac was three years old, he was weaned from the milk of his mother.  Spirit Walkers must always be growing in grace to become more like Christ.  This is not easy.  Children don’t like being weaned, but we must be disciplined to do those things that make us grow.  Paul, in a beautiful poetic fashion encourages us to grow in grace by saying,
“When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put aside childish things” (1Cor. 13:11; see also 1Pet. 2:2).  Just as Isaac was weaned and grew into a man, we need to move from “elemental teachings” (Heb. 6:1), to the meat of God’s Word. The fourth lesson from Isaac’s example is, he was persecuted.  Spirit Walkers will be persecuted by those that hate God.  From their early childhood, Ishmael mocked Isaac, and throughout the O.T. record, the descendants of Ishmael persecuted the descendants of Isaac, and do to this day.  The world hates Christ, and Jesus warned it will hate those who follow Him (Jn. 15:18-25).
 
So, Paul draws great spiritual lessons from the story of two mothers and their two children. 

Hagar and her son, Ishmael, represent sin, the Law, and bondage.  Sarah and her son, Isaac, represent the salvation, the Spirit, and freedom.  The Jewish false teachers (Judaizers) were continually trying to lasso the Galatians and pull them back into the bondage of practicing religion and falling into sin, instead of growing in their relationship with Jesus Christ gaining more and more power over sin and temptation.   Paul concludes this sermon by showing the

3.  A Practical Application of the Only Means by Which We Can Battle  the Temptation Fall Back into Old Worldly Patterns of Living (30, 31)

³⁰ But what does the Scripture say? Drive out the slave and her son, for the son of the slave will never be a coheir with the son of the free woman.  ³¹ Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.

Ishmael represents the “old” fleshly nature of sin.  Isaac represents the “new” spiritual nature we receive at salvation.  These two are constantly at war in our hearts, and we must daily and consistently choose to “walk in the spirt and not in the flesh” (Gal. 5:16). 

(OPTIONS)
What practical options do we have to solve the problem of our two natures?  One option is, we can try to CHANGE them.  The government is forever trying to come up with programs to “rehabilitate criminals,” or “reform drug addicts,” but these programs are enormous failures.  Why?  Simply because one cannot “rehabilitate or reform” the old nature.  John 3:6 says, “that born of flesh is flesh.”  There’s an old saying down on Old McDonald’s farm that goes, “You can put lipstick on a pig, but it is still a pig!”

Recall in our story of the problem that arose between Ishmael and Sarah when she caught Ishmael mocking (and we don’t know exactly what that meant but it was not good) his brother.  God did not suggest that Ishmael could be changed by force, by education, or any other means.  God did not try to CHANGE Ishmael.  Using this story figuratively, we cannot overcome our sinful nature by CHANGING it. Remember what the angels announced to the shepherds on that glorious day Jesus was born.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; Messiah the Lord, was born for you” (Lk. 2:11).

The angels announced a “Savior.”  Not a teacher, because sin cannot be cured by education.  Not doctor, because sin cannot be cured by medicine.  Not a politician—because almost nothing is helped by politicians.  God sent us a “Savior,” because that is the Only solution to sin.  It cannot be solved by “CHANGING” our behavior.

A second option in dealing with our old fleshly nature would be to try to COMPROMISE with it.  This is what Abraham tried to do in his home—keep the peace by compromising between his two wives and their two sons.  It turned into a disaster.  His home was wrecked by continual strife.  You compromise with the old nature of sin any more than you can keep a rattlesnake as a pet.  This puts you in constant danger of being dragged back into old fleshly patterns of sin.  This is precisely what Paul was trying to prevent the Galatians from doing—that is, trying to compromise with the false Jewish teachers who were saying, “It’s OK to become a Christian, but that is not enough.  You need to also keep the law.”  Paul knew this kind of compromise with sin would be a disaster.  That’s why he warned them in chapter 4, verse 9:  “But now, since you know God,  or rather have become known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and bankrupt  elemental forces?” There is no such thing as a “little sin.”  Trying to walk the fence between God’s pasture and the Devil’s playground is impossible.  Even the smallest wind will blow you into disaster.  We cannot deal with our old nature by trying to COMPROMISE with it.

So, Paul tells us the only way that we can deal with our old lives, our old nature, our old sinful habits and desires. CAST THEM OUT!  This is what God did with Hagar and Ishmael.  In Genesis 21 when it was clear that Ishmael and Isaac could not coexist, God instructed Abraham to send them away—cast them out of his presence.  This seems harsh but Paul says it teaches the principal that the only way to deal with our sinful nature (Ishmael) is to cast it out.  The only way for the Galatians to grow in grace was to completely “cut themselves off” from the influence of the false Jewish teachers.  This is the ONLY practical solution with dealing with sin. It is a cancer on the spirit and must be cut off and cast out.  Paul uses strong language in Rom. 8:12-13 in regard to what we need to do with our old Ishmael nature:

¹² So then, brothers, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, ¹³ for if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Many regular church-goers are literally playing with fire—hell fire!—by refusing to CAST OUT the old nature of sin.  Ishmael and Isaac could not coexist.  Religion (the Law) and grace cannot coexist.  Our old sinful nature and our new nature of the Spirit cannot coexist.  The old nature must be cast out!  We cast it out throw prayer, through Bible study (personal, small groups, sermons, etc.), through sacrificial service to those outside the church (evangelism), through loving partnerships with those in the family faith.  We cast out the old nature by giving our money, by giving our time, and by giving our talents to the Lord in an enthusiastic, zealous spirit of sacrifice.

Today, we have learned, it “matters Who’s Your Momma.”  Paul used an O.T. story to teach an important N.T. truth:  Every day we make choices with eternal significance based upon who we have as a “spiritual mother.”  We are either making decision based upon the “flesh,” as Ishmael signifies, or we are making decisions based upon the “Spirit,” as signified by Isaac.  Eternal life hangs on knowing “who’s your momma?”  By that, I mean, are you trusting in religion or your own good works to please God and get to heaven, or are you trusting on a “miracle birth of a new spirit” through God’s grace? 

Pleasing or displeasing God hangs on every choice we make in life, and one make those choices based upon, “Who’s Your Momma?”

There are no small choices.  One of the great Hollywood success stories of all time is Sylvester Stallone and his “Rocky Stories.”  He has said in interviews that the Rocky screenplay was inspired by his renewed faith.  He grew up in a Christian home but says he made a lot of bad choices.  One choice was to stop going to church.  As a result he said, “I kinda lost my way and made more bad choices.”  In one interview he goes on to say, “I went back to church.  The more I go to church, the more I turn myself over to the process of believing in Jesus and listening to His Word and having him guide my hand.”
(Stuart Shepherd, The Gym of the Soul).

Every choice we make matters.  Every time we choose to follow the Sarah, the mother of faith, instead of Hagar, the mother of the flesh, the more we become like Jesus.

So, let me ask you, “Who’s Your Momma?”