WELCOME
Good morning First Baptist. We welcome you to worship this morning. Be sure to remember your brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the week as you pray for them, and as the Holy Spirit brings their faces to your mind. Be sure to also connect with them in the ways that are possible. And if you have any questions or would like to talk to someone, please don’t hesitate to contact the church through the church telephone and leave a message. (519-733-4144)
Songs
Call to Worship
Come, brothers and sisters, as children of God, and let us celebrate our inheritance of freedom, remembering that when the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son to redeem us from the slavery of the law, so that we may now approach Him with boldness as ‘Abba, Father’ – let us worship our God with joyful hearts.
Songs
Prayer
CONFESSION:
We hear your invitation, Jesus. But we must admit: we’ve been too busy to pray,
too frazzled to stop and listen for your voice,
too guilty to approach you,
too afraid to let go of what is comfortable and familiar,
too proud to admit we don’t know how to change,
too fearful to confess that we don’t understand how to make our way back to you.Our heads and our spirits are weighed down in shame.
We don’t dare to make eye contact with you, for you know what we have done, and what we have left undone.
Though it’s destroying us to stay away from you, somehow it feels too difficult, the challenges too insurmountable for us to come home to One who is as holy, righteous, just, and pure as you.
We are prodigal children. We are self-righteous older siblings rejecting your invitation to come inside and be associated with your lavish grace. We are duty-bound servants who refuse to be called your children.
We want to come home. But truth be told, we don’t know how to come home.
Like the tax collector beating his breast and weeping at a distance, we, too, cry out: God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Like Bartimaeus, we are blind beggars on the side of the road, crying out: “Jesus Son of David, have mercy on me.”
Like the centurion, we don’t deserve to have you come into our homes, but we long for your healing, knowing if that you but say the word, all will be well.
And yet, you, Creator of heaven and earth, did not hold back your own Son in order to free us from our sins and reconcile us to yourself.
Like the loving Father that you are, you run to us, embracing us, welcoming us back into your presence. And amazingly, you even call us your children and have promised to make your home with us—and to live with us forever.
Thank you, Father!
Amen.
WORDS OF ASSURANCE
In Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven, and we have been made right with God. Amen.
Set Free - A Journey Through Galatians
Look Harder: Living as Heirs of God
Today's Message: Pastor Marlee Page
Key Theme: Through Christ, believers are not just freed from slavery but are adopted as God’s beloved children and heirs of His kingdom, receiving a divine inheritance.
Embracing Our Inheritance
Inheritance is a powerful concept—one that shapes identity, security, and future possibilities. Many of us dream of receiving a great inheritance, imagining how it would change our lives. Yet, some people, even when given an inheritance, fail to recognize its worth and live as if they are still lacking.
Consider the story of Simba in The Lion King. After his father, Mufasa, dies, Simba runs away from his rightful inheritance, living a carefree life in exile. He struggles with doubt and fear, believing he is not worthy to rule. He believes he is unworthy to be king and avoids returning to claim his identity.
Sometimes, we are not all that different than Simba. I’m not calling any of you a baboon, but for each of us who have call upon Jesus to be Lord of our lives, He has given us a new identity and inheritance in Christ. Yet, too many of us continue to live as if we are still bound by our past, unaware of the fullness of what God has given us.
That’s what Paul works at in Chapter 4 of his letter to the Galatians and that’s what we’ll work through today.
Through Christ, just as the Galatians, we are not just free from the bondage of our past; we have also been given an eternal inheritance as children of God. Today, we will explore what it means to fully embrace our inheritance and step into the freedom that comes with it.
Scripture Reading: Galatians 4:1-20
Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, 2 but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. 3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. 4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Fears for the Church
8 But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. 9 But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.
12 Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. You have not injured me at all. 13 You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first. 14 And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. 15 What then was the blessing you enjoyed? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?
17 They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them. 18 But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you. 19 My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you, 20 I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you.
I. The Condition of Slavery (Galatians 4:1-3)
Notice how Paul describes life before Christ – as that of an heir who is still under guardianship, no different from a servant. He says to them, look, before Jesus, you were under the law, bound by rules we could never fully keep, unable to access your true inheritance.
In a way, just like Rafiki, Paul is saying to them “Remember who you are.”
- We had no access to our inheritance – “The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father.” (Galatians 4:2)
Picture a child who is legally the heir to a great company but is too young to manage it. Though the company belongs to them, they must wait until they reach the age of maturity to actually take possession. Before Christ, Paul is saying, they were like that child, we were like that child—heirs, but unable to access our full inheritance.
The law acted as a guardian, revealing our need for salvation, just as we discussed last week, but it could not give us our full inheritance. Instead, it pointed to Jesus; the only One who could redeem us and grant us the full privileges of being an heir.
II. The Redemption Through Christ (Galatians 4:4-7)
“But when the set time had fully come, God sent His Son…” (Galatians 4:4). At the perfect moment in history, God sent Jesus to redeem us and grant us full access to our inheritance. The Scriptures overflow with this message:
- God sent His Son – Jesus was fully God and fully man, sent to rescue us. (John 3:16)
- Born under the law – Jesus lived a sinless life under the law to fulfill it on our behalf. (Matthew 5:17)
- That we might receive adoption and inheritance – Through Christ, we are not only freed from slavery but made heirs of God. (Romans 8:17)
Then in verse 6, Paul says something extraordinary:
“Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’”
“Abba, Father” (Galatians 4:6). This signifies an intimate relationship with God and the assurance of our inheritance.
This verse is not just theological—it is deeply personal. It speaks of an intimate relationship between us and God, one that transforms our identity and secures our eternal inheritance.
1. The Spirit Confirms Our Adoption
Paul reminds the Galatians that they are no longer slaves but children of God, adopted into His family, through faith in Jesus. Just as adoption in Roman culture granted full rights to a child, our adoption into God’s family makes us rightful heirs to His promises. No longer outsiders, we are embraced as His own, and the Spirit within us serves as a constant affirmation of this truth, reminding us that we belong to Him.
2. “Abba, Father” – A Cry of Intimacy
The phrase “Abba, Father” is deeply significant. “Abba” is an Aramaic word that conveys the intimacy of “Daddy” or “Papa,” expressing not formality or distance, but deep trust, love, and dependence.
In Mark 14:36, Jesus Himself used this term in His prayer at Gethsemane, saying, “Abba, Father, everything is possible for you.” At that moment, facing immense suffering, Jesus turned to His Father with raw honesty and complete reliance, showing us the depth of relationship we are invited into. Now, through the Spirit, we too are given the privilege of calling out to God with the same closeness that Jesus had, not as fearful servants but as beloved children. This truth means that no matter our past, our failures, or our struggles, we can run to God without hesitation, knowing He hears, loves, and welcomes us.
Just as a small child cries out to their father in the night—afraid yet fully expecting a loving response—we are called to approach our heavenly Father with that same unwavering trust. The Spirit within us continually assures us of this relationship, reminding us that we are not distant from God but deeply cherished, embraced, and securely held in His love.
When was the last time you approached God with childlike trust?
Are you holding back, or are you fully embracing your place as His child?
3. Assurance of Our Inheritance
In Galatians 4:7, Paul declares, “So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.”
Consider what this means to you. We are not only saved from sin, bondage, and death but saved for something far greater—an eternal inheritance with Christ. This inheritance includes eternal life, the presence of God, His promises, and His unfailing love poured out on us now and forever.
Our place in God’s family is not something we have to strive for or earn; it is already secured by the finished work of Jesus.
The question we must ask ourselves is this: Am I living like the rightful heir? Are we living as rightful heirs, confidently walking in the promises of God, or are we still living as though we are slaves to fear and doubt?
III. The Danger of Returning to Slavery (Galatians 4:8-11)
Read Galatians 4:9-10
As we have been discussing through this study, despite their new freedom, the Galatians were tempted to go back to old religious practices. They observed special days and rituals, believing these works could bring them closer to God. Paul warns that returning to legalism is like an heir refusing to claim their inheritance.
Today, we face similar struggles. We may be tempted to rely on performative religion, or the belief that we need to earn God’s love through our actions. This could look like thinking we need to follow certain rules, attend specific events, or act in a way that “proves” our faith. Just as Paul urged the Galatians, we must not trade the freedom we have in Christ for empty rituals or the idea that our worth before God is earned rather than given.
IV. Paul’s Personal Plea (Galatians 4:12-20)
In this deeply personal section of the letter, we see Paul speaking from a place of raw emotion. This isn’t Paul the thundering theologian, this is Pastor Paul. Here, Paul is not just concerned with the theological error the Galatians are falling into, but also with their spiritual well-being and their relationship with him. He reminds them of how they first received the gospel—the joy, the hope, and the transformation that took place when they embraced the message of grace. There was a time when they eagerly welcomed the truth of God’s Word and allowed it to radically change their lives.
Do you remember that time in your life?
Paul says to them in verse 12, “I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you.”
Paul is reminding them of the deep bond they shared, and he’s calling them to remember the very foundation of their faith. He wants them to recall the joy and freedom they experienced when they first heard the gospel, and to hold fast to that truth rather than turning back to the empty, enslaving rituals of the law.
He intensifies his plea in verse 19 when he says, “My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you…”
The metaphor of childbirth is significant, it conveys the intense labor and pain Paul is experiencing as he longs for the Galatians to grow in Christ. Just as a mother endures pain in the process of giving birth, Paul endures spiritual labor as he works to see Christ fully formed in the lives of the Galatians. He longs for their spiritual maturity and for them to truly live in the fullness of their inheritance in Christ.
Spiritual maturity is at the heart of Paul’s plea. It’s about more than just intellectual assent to doctrine or participation in religious rituals; it’s about the full embrace of one’s identity and inheritance in Christ. The Galatians were in danger of falling back into old patterns—legalism, performance-based religion, and striving to earn God’s favour. Paul’s heart aches for the Galatians because he knows that only in Christ will they experience true freedom, joy, and maturity.
This part of the letter is something we should be very aware of in our time today. We too are called to examine our own spiritual journey.
- Are we fully embracing the inheritance we have in Christ, or are we, like the Galatians, tempted to return to old patterns of striving and religious performance?
- Are we allowing Christ, through the Holy Spirit, to fully form us, or are we still trying to control our own growth and maturity? Or are we allowing others to dictate what our faith and spiritual journeys are supposed to look like instead of listening to the Spirit?
Paul’s plea is as relevant to us today as it was to the Galatians; do not let anything lead you back into spiritual bondage. Instead, claim your identity as a beloved heir of God and live in the freedom that Christ has won for you.
Living as Heirs of Christ
That’s where we are going to leave things this morning.
As believers, we have been given an incredible inheritance in Jesus Christ. We are no longer slaves but heirs of God. Our identity is secure, our inheritance is eternal, and our relationship with God is deeply personal.
However, to truly live as heirs, we must be intentional about living in the freedom and privilege of our inheritance. Here are two ways to do that:
Walk in the Confidence of Your Inheritance
Just as an heir does not need to strive to prove their legitimacy, we do not need to work for God’s love. You are fully accepted, fully loved, and fully provided for in Christ. Stop living with a mindset of spiritual poverty and claim the promises of God. “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)
Live in Intimacy with the Father
“Abba”!!!
Our inheritance is not just about future blessings; it is about a present relationship with God. He is our Father, and we can come to Him with confidence, knowing He hears us. “The Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” (Romans 8:15) We are not just heirs we are beloved children.
Do you remember what happens when Simba finally catches up with Rafiki and what Simba comes to realize?
What did Rafiki say to Simba? “Look harder. See, He lives in you.”
When you looked in the Mirror this morning, what did you see?
Did you see all your flaws? Did you see just the same reflection that has always been there? Or did you not look at all because the shame or feelings of being “less than” were too much?
Next time, or when you get home, go and look. Look harder and see, He lives in You!
Let go of the mindset that holds you back from fully embracing who you are as a child of the most high God. Stop trying to earn what’s already been freely given to you and start living with a renewed closeness to your Abba Father, knowing that you are heir to His amazing kingdom.
So today, step fully into your inheritance!
Song
Benediction
May you be richly blessed with the full inheritance of God’s promises, as children of Abraham through faith in Christ, knowing that through Him, you are no longer bound by the law but are free to full embrace the riches of your spiritual birthright, as declared in the Gospel of Galatians.