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[Music] well good morning welcome to free grace Baptist Church we have a number of announcements I hear so let me just try to get through them we do have a luncheon today after the service of your visiting please feel free to stay after after the service for the luncheon we we have one once a month and this so happens to be the the Sunday so don't don't feel disinclined to stay if you didn't bring something if you're new visiting there's always lots of extra so please feel free to to join us upstairs after the after the the preaching today is John and margaritas last Sunday with us they're moving to Port Hardy on Thursday so we've only enjoyed fellowship with him for a couple of months but it's been nice nice of had fellowship with them and so they're off they're off to the island on Thursday so I believe that they're out there at the luncheon this afternoon we can certainly say goodbye to them there as well as this evening also Ari and Marie Roose are expecting a little one in June so congratulations to to re Maria's not feeling that well today so so she is not with us I congratulations to Mike and Jessica Kirkpatrick they had their baby two weeks ago I believe was two weeks ago tomorrow and so they've been blessed with a little girl and we have Mike with us preaching here today so we're looking forward to that on Wednesday there was no Bible study but there will be a meeting here at the church at 7:30 our usual Bible study time there's a mission called benissa I believe I'm saying that correct the venice' mission it's a it's a reformed our foreign mission that that has has workers in on the mission fields a tentmaker in China who who's been there for about 15 years so he will be with us they're not disclosing his name for for security reasons that but he is a bona fide mission missionary tent maker and he'll be here on Wednesday night at we'll be upstairs in the fellowship in the fellowship hall and just to make you aware they will be taking an offering we don't usually do that but we they sit they said they'd like to take an offering where they go that will go towards the work and you'll hear about it so there's nothing worse than coming and being surprised that there's an off and you weren't expecting it so just be aware there's no there's no there's no suggestion or no compulsion that you have to that you have to give something but just so that you're aware so that's this this Wednesday will probably send an email out just to remind people because it has not been Ababa slated for a couple of weeks since pastor Butler's been on holiday but that's at 7:30 upstairs I assume would probably be an hour hour and a half presentation you'll have some slides that pictures too to go along with the work the Lord's Supper will not be next week we've postponed it by a week pastor Butler is still on vacation and so therefore it'll be the second Sunday of December I'm just not sure what date that is but second second Sunday of December normally we have the first Sunday so be the second Sunday and also just so you're worthy the Deacons have suggested that pastor brother take an extra week off so he'll have he'll have had a month vacation you didn't take any vacation of summer he took it took a week to paint paint his house but we've suggested he take an extra week so he will not be back in the office until December the fourth so just so you're aware if you're trying to get hold of him and he certainly still answers his phone at home he hasn't gone anywhere but he will be back in his office on December the fourth and he is actually preaching in Surrey today so that's what he does when he goes on vacation he decides to go preach preach somewhere else so we've had a bit of a a pulpit swap and that's why Pastor Mike for Patrick is with us from Surrey so I believe that's all the announcements that we have I hope Cloudant missed any so let's now go to begin our worship and I've asked you to turn in your in your in your Bibles to psalm psalm psalms chapter 103 Psalm 103 pastor Patrick felt this would go along well with the with the sermon today Psalm 103 a psalm of David bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless His Holy Name bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits who forgives all your iniquities who heals all your diseases who redeems your life from destruction who crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercies who satisfies your mouth with good things so that your youth is renewed like the Eagles the Lord executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed he made known his ways to Moses his acts to the children of Israel the Lord is merciful and gracious slow to anger abounding in mercy he will not always strive with us nor will he keep his anger forever he has not dealt with us according to our sins nor punished us according to our iniquities for as the heavens are high above the earth so great is his mercy toward those who fear Him as far as the east is from the west so far has he removed our transgressions from us as a father pities his children so the Lord pities those who fear him for he knows our frame he remembers that we are dust as for man his days are like grass as a flower of the field so he flourishes for the wind passes over it and it is gone and its place remembers it no more but the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him and his righteousness to children's children to such as keep his covenant and to those who remember his Commandments to do them the Lord has established his throne in heaven and his kingdom rules over all bless the Lord you has angels who excel in strength who do his word heeding the voice of his word bless the Lord all you his hosts you ministers of his who do his pleasure bless the Lord all his works in all places of his Dominion bless the Lord O my soul amen well let's turn in your Psalter please to Psalm 122 psalm 122 in Alaska Stan [Music] [Music] [Music] a man you may be seated well let's go to God in prayer just ask us blessing to be upon our worship time here this morning let's pray our gracious and our loving Heavenly Father how grateful you are father for the fact that you have saved us from our sins that you are our Savior and our Lord and our God how we praise you that father we have you to come to this day through your son the Lord Jesus Christ we gather as the people of God here in this place and we know that people are gathering all over this world father to worship you this day through your son the Lord Jesus Christ and how grateful we are Father for having saved us from our sins you've lifted us up out of that miry pit that clay and you've you've you've given to us fleshly hearts while you've given to his new heart you remove those stony hearts from us and you removed our sin as far as the east is from the west and you've you've thrown them at the deepest part of the ocean how grateful we are father for these these pictures that that that just point to us that point out to us that that greatness out of the love of God and the fact or that you would send your son the Lord Jesus and the fact that he would come into this world and leave behind him that throne room in heaven work we're all of heaven worshiped and praised him and came to this earth father were where he was as scourge and where he was spat upon where he was where he was looked down upon where he was persecuted greatly he had all these things he he with he with that he was stood by the help and aid of of the Holy Spirit and your good Grayson in his life and we praise you father for the fact that that he endured all these things all the way to the point of death on the cross and we praise you do not leave him there but rather you you caused him to to rise again from the dead to to be at home in heaven with you forever in heaven forever and ever and and to give us as your children that hope of heaven father how we praise you that this world is not all there is that rather we have that hope of eternity with you for those that are in Christ Jesus we pray lo that we might have this hope each and every day that would cause us to live holy lives settle lives that are set apart for that for that for that which brings you glory we pray Lord that you would be pleased used to bless their worship here this day causes Lord to come together and in in in one as one to worship the true and living God we praise you follows you give us an you've given us a saving interest in the person of Christ you've given us an interest to be in church this day to worship you and how we praise you you brought men and women boys and girls from all different walks of life into this place this day that we are united not necessarily and the things that we that we that we do outside of here but the things that we have in common in Christ and Lord we just praise you for that we praise you that you have given to us that that that wonder and that knowledge of the Savior and Lord we pray that you would bless our time here this day cause us to worship you and are singing in our in the in the in the the hymns that we sing as the Word of God has opened up a little later we pray that all these things will be done for your honor and for your glory that you be well pleased to be with us here in this place Lord and we ask that your presence would be here that we would not just meet out of habit out of out of out of orderliness but rather we desire to be here because this is where you are you've promised your special presence with your people and and in your church and we thank you that we are not just one small Church that gathers together this day to worship you but we're much we are part of a much larger gathering the church universal all over this earth father there's people gathering together any Matan and will continue to me to bring you worship that bring you honor we pray that you would receive that honor and you receive that glory for you're truly worthy of all of our worship and all of our all of our all of our honoring we do pray that Lord you would receive it for Christ's sake this day we pray Lord for those who cannot be with us this day perhaps they are ill we pray that your strength might be with them this day as they as they as a convalesce or as they they are at home we pray Lord that your blessing would be upon each one you know their needs and you know their hearts disposition father we pray that the Word of God might might might be a blessing to them might be a boom to their soul this day whether they read it on their own or whether they're able to listen in tune in to the to the services today we pray Lord that you would be pleased to strengthen them by your work we know that we know that father your word is a good word and your word is good it's it's a word that's in for us in season out of season it's for all times and we that they would find much comfort much help and much aid in in the Word of God for each and every one we pray Lord for those with physical ailments we pray that your spirit might come upon them that you would if it be your will that you would heal those who who are down and downcast and and and ill we pray Lord for for them that you would bless the means as they are applied and that you would be gracious to them and and draw near to them and cause them to draw near to you father would you ask your blessing to be upon the the ladies in our church who are expecting we pray Lord for each and all that you would be pleased to to continue to be with mother and view with father and cause them to to know your goodness and your aid and your strength from day to day we do not want to take these things for granted father that you that gives life and we just praise you for that and pray that you would be gracious to these to the to the mothers and in due time may they may they bring forth life and may though may those little lives be healthy and well and and and we pray that ultimately they will be nourished spiritually speaking that you would come that your spirit would descend upon them and cause them to attitude to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ that's the that's the desire we have for all of our children father we pray that you'd be gracious and you'd be kind to the to the desires of parents that they would that their children would believe on the Lord Jesus Christ at the appropriate time probably we do ask your blessing to be upon the the the C Reformed Baptist Church we thank you for them we thank you for pastor Kirkpatrick we thank you Lord that that there is an established work over there in Surrey we pray your blessing to be upon that congregation as we pray for them each week we pray Lord they would know your aid and your help bless pastor Butler as it brings the word there this day that Lord he would have that unction from on high that you would bless him and and cause that word as it goes forward to to penetrate hearts and lies because your spirit is take is able to take that word and bless it to each and every one who hears and we do pray your rich blessing upon that congregation that they would grow and grow in love wit for you and grow and fellowship with one another and that she would be pleased to add to their number individuals that that would come in amongst them and and perhaps some that are unsaved that Lord you'd be gracious to them and save individuals and add them to the church there we pray for the church in in Vernon as well we pray for master Vincent as he as he is there this day we pray that you would strengthen that church strengthen that body may they know your your spirit tabernacling with them this day we pray that your blessing would be upon them that you would bless the word there and we would pray that you would add to that church as well and in due time cause them Lord to be able to call an elder and call deacons from amongst them and that they would be a biblically ordered Church in every way Lord we ask your blessing upon the persecuted church this day again we we know Lord that things are not always as they as they are here in this country of ours we thank you for the freedom that we enjoy and we do pray your blessing upon those who do not enjoy that same freedom we pray that you would put a hedge of protection around your your precious ones they father are the apple of your eye and we know you do protect and you do keep and we thank you for the fact that many have been kept yet that some are being persecuted and some have been thrown into prisons we pray though that you would be gracious to them and keep them in those places we know that you have a purpose in all things it's to strengthen the church and to send a send the gospel out as you as you demonstrated in the early book that in the early chapters of Acts father me we know that you you have purposes in all things and we pray that your purpose would be accomplished and that you would you would heal and and and and tend to the to the needs of the persecuted church and cause them to persevere and well doing it and they would not said that they would not shrink back but rather you did you would encourage them and empower them and make them bold with the Word of God and with the gossip we do pray so let me thank you for the blessing as ours here in this place we pray that your blessing might be upon our time may you be may you be glorified in our worship this day and we pray all these things and thank you Lord for the forgiveness of sins and pray you'd once again just bread just washes afresh in that precious blood of your son the Lord Jesus Christ it's and it's in his name we pray amen well please turn with me in your in your larger hymn books to him number 277 277 and I'll ask you to stand [Music] [Music] [Music] please turn with me your Bibles to our regular Baba Rita as we seek to read through the New Testament in the morning Old Testament the afternoon we're up to we just began John the Gospel of John last week and we're at John chapter 1 verse 35 John chapter 1 verse 35 so John chapter 1 verse 35 we'll read to the end of the chapter again the next day John stood with two of two of his disciples and looking at Jesus as he walked he said behold the lamb of God the two disciples heard him speak and they and they followed Jesus then Jesus turned and seen and following said to them what do you seek they said to him rabbi which is to say when translated teacher where are you staying he said to them come and see they came and saw where he was staying and remained with him that day now it was about the tenth hour one of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew simon Peters brother he first found his own brother Simon and said to him we have found the Messiah which is translated the Christ and he brought him to Jesus now when Jesus looked at him he said you are Simon the son of Jonah you shall be called Cephas which it which is translated a stone the following day Jesus wants to go to Galilee and he found Philip and said to him follow me now Philip was from Bethsaida the city of Andrew and Peter Philip found Nathanael and said to him we have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote Jesus of Nazareth the son of Joseph and Nathanael said to him can anything good come out of Nazareth Philip said to him come and see Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said to him behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no deceit Nathanael said to him how do you know me jesus answered and said to him behold before Philip called you when you were under the fig tree I saw you Nathanael answered and said to him rabbi you are the son of God you are the king of Israel jesus answered and said to him because I said to you I saw you under the fig tree do you believe you will see greater things than these and he said to him most assuredly I say to you hereafter you shall see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man came and was just a couple of things certainly the the the the the the book of John certainly the purpose of John is to set forth the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ that's what John is attempting to do here and I think the the key if you were to say there's a key verse that introduces this section it's the it's a second second verse of what we read verse 36 behold the lamb of God ultimately that recognizes the land that Jesus is the Lamb of God is that bridge between the Old Testament and New Testament in the Old Testament they they always sought to to do sacrifice a lamb not that lamb would ever take away the sins of the world but that lamb would certainly point forward to a land that was coming a far greater lamb a real lamb a perfect lamb and we see that in verse 36 behold the lamb of God so he's a dent John is identifying here that yes this is the this is the Lamb of God as as was spoken up in in in an earlier verse verse 36 it's spoken a little more clearly it says sorry verse 30 sorry verse 29 I might say verse 29 spoke about a little more clearly the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said behold the lamb of God he adds that neck still apart the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and that was all me the purpose of the Lord Jesus Christ that's the purpose of the Incarnation we're coming up to the Incarnation now the what we call Christmastime and we we ought not as we are always reminding ourselves we ought not to think of or keep Christ as that little baby in the cradle as much as he was a baby baby into the cradle he did not remain as a baby in the cradle rather he grew up and he became and and he was always was always intended to be the savior of the world that's a glorious thing he's a savior who saves us from our sins he's not a baby that remained in the cradle he's not a baby who remained in Bethlehem phase a baby who ultimately came to to save us and we need to remind ourselves that's the whole purpose of the Incarnation and we as we as as mature Christians as taught Christians ought to revel in those things so may we may be this day revel as we continue to read through the book of John maybe we revel it may we revel in these things that that the purpose of the Lord Jesus Christ is not to be a good man to be a good teacher to teach many things about God but to actually the Lord Jesus himself to be the the the Savior the Lamb of God to take away my sins and take away your sins let's personalize that and what a glorious glorious Christ that we know and love and serve and worship this day so as we as we go to our hymn books once again to to to to to sing our final worship I will pray but as we go to our final hymn to to to singer last name let's really worship that that's Savior let's say let's have a conscious mind that's a conscious of the fact that that Christ is a very real Savior for for very real sinners of which we can speak forth yes that was me and I am a saved I'm a saved Jesus saved my soul and that we would pray that God would save you more Souls this day both in this place and and around the world let's pray our gracious that our loving Heavenly Father we truly are grateful father for the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ came not to save himself but rather to save us a very needy people and the people who are who are born in sin from the day we take our first breath father we we are at enmity with you how we praise you followed you not leave us in our sinful state but rather you have saved us and you've you've removed that that that that stony heart and you've given us a heart of flesh that would seek after you would breathe for the things that the things that are above rather the things of this earth so Lord how we praise you that we get to enjoy one day in seven of worshiping with with your Saints and hearing from you and and open up your word and cause and having your spirit take and illumine our hearts and minds are naturally darkened hearts and minds how we pray your blessing upon pastor Patrick this day that you would give him unction from on high cause him Lord to know that help and aid from the Holy Spirit to make clear the things of Christ to make clear the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ and we pray that as we continue in our worship father you'd be pleased to Tabernacle here amongst us and we pray these things in Jesus precious name Amen well turn with me in your in your hand books to the last him before we listen to the preaching to to him number 419 for 1:9 L ask you Stan [Music] [Music] you're relatively new to the church pastor Patrick came to us and was fellowship within our church and we sense the call of God upon his life and so and he cents the same thing he went off to seminary in Southern California and studied for three years came back and was here with us for about six months and with the idea the purpose by that but before it before that we'd begun a fellowship about a Bible study group in Surrey and so we the timing is certainly believe of the Lord so when he came back he was with us for about six months here in the church and then we sent him out it'll be a year January I guess you're in a couple months time so just about eleven months ago we sent him out to that fellowship in Surrey where he has been pastoring and we're very grateful that the Lord has blessed blessed that church with a with an elder and they'll be constituting sometime in 2019 so we were very pleased about that and and look forward to hearing from Mike this morning this evening and next Sunday as well he will be with us Lord willing next Sunday as well so we're looking forward to that and pray your blessing to be upon the Lord's blessing upon the preaching today pastor carpentry well good morning everyone it's good to see you all here today I sent greetings from Surrey Reformed Baptist Church thank you for all your prayers for Jessica and I am little Lucy she is such a little doll and I love her very much so thank you for all your prayers but we'll turn our attention to God's Word you can turn with me in your Bibles to galatians chapter 4 verse 21 we just finished a series at SRI in galatians so i'll look at the text this morning from there Galatians 4 verse 21 working look at verses 21 to 31 this morning but I will read into 5:1 just for a little bit of context for us so Galatians 4 begin reading at verse 21 tell me you who desire to be under the law do you not hear the law for it is written that Abraham had two sons the one by a bond woman the other by a freewoman but he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh and he of the freewoman through the promise which things are symbolic for from for these are two covenants the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage which is Hagar for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage with their children but the Jerusalem above is free which is the mother of us all for it is written rejoice o barren you who do not bear break forth and shout you who are not in labor for the desolate has many more children than she who has a husband now we brethren as Isaac was our children of promise but as he who was born according to flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the spirit even so it is now nevertheless what does the scripture say cast out the bondwoman and her son for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman so then brethren we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free stand fast therefore in the Liberty by which Christ has made us free amen let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you O God that you are God we're thankful God for the freedoms that we have in the Lord Jesus Christ how we our sins are forgiven we are free from the guilt of sin Oh God Christ delivered us from the curse that is found in the law and were thankful that he is that one who hung on a tree on behalf of us bearing the curse and sin and wrath upon him we give you thanks O God for the Lord Jesus and what he has done we give you praise and honor that we gathered together here today for many as we have believed on him because of your grace we're thankful for your mercy we're thankful for your grace and we're thankful the fact that we are free we are adopted we are sons and daughters of the true and living God because of the Lord Jesus Christ but oh we know Oh God sometimes we can waver sometimes we doubt and we know that we need to be reminded of your truth reminded of your gospel reminded of free and sovereign grace often Oh Lord so god we do pray as we study your word today that you would send forth your spirit for oh god we do need your spirit to understand divine things we are a feeble people but we need divine aid so we pray that your spirit would go forth that your spirit would be pleased to bless the preaching and the teaching Oh God for any here today who are Christ's we pray that you would strengthen them that you would aid them this day if they need to be comforted comfort them O Lord they need to be convicted convict them O Lord O God if there any here today who do not know you we pray that you would save them in Christ that you would change them that you would work in them you cause them to come to saving knowledge in the Lord Jesus Christ but O God in all things that we do we pray that you would be glorified for your the God who is mighty and your the God who is good and we give you praise and honor for all for who you are and what you've done we prayed you'd be with us now we pray in the name of Christ amen well Paul is writing to the churches at Galatia concerning the doctrine of justification Paul planted some churches in Acts chapter 13 and 14 in Galatia he taught them the truth he taught them salvation by grace but he left and some other men came in and began to teach a false gospel they taught salvation is faith plus a little bit of works to be right with God you have to believe on Jesus but you have to add some other things to that as well whether it's your own working whether it's being under the law and specifically with Galatia it's being circumcised in order to be saved you had to be circumcised and they included with that is going back under the law and keeping the dietary laws so Paul writes back vehemently to the churches at Galatia because the believers were being duped by what was being said and so he's got some concerns for them and he writes with vehement saying if anyone preaches the gospel other than the one that you received let them be anathema and he spends most of his letter seeking to defend this blessed doctrine of righteousness in Christ of justification by faith forgiveness found in another not in someone's own keeping and he does this in many ways throughout the book of patience he appeals to his own conversion he appeals to their own experience of the spirit he appeals to the scriptures he says the law is not a faith the one who does them must live by them he even appeals to their freedom he says if you believed on Christ and you are free in Christ and he even gives a personal appeal as well he says wasn't out with you were you not kind to me in my difficulties and then finally in 421 he comes to a picture in order to to be up healed to this doctrine of justification by faith he's been to transition to that application section in chapter 5 verse 1 and he comes to this climax with this picture and really for many of us a picture is worth a thousand words isn't it and a picture sometimes drives things home for us and this is what he's trying to do here in Galatians 4 21 through 31 and he uses an Old Testament illustration he uses the contrasts between Hagar and between Sarah because you see that's the problem in the book of Galatians there are two contrasting realities you're either saved by grace or you are saved by works the air quotes are in there because you're not really saved by works you're either righteous before God because of your own keeping or you're righteous before God because of someone else's keeping one is bondage one is sin one is corruption one is death the other is freedom the other is life the other is everlasting peace and so these are the two realities he's seeking to show forth with these two women and that's an important question even as we go through we have to ask this question ourselves to which woman do you belong or to which reality do you belong are you part of the woman of death or the woman of life are you part of salvation by works or salvation by grace and will seek to look at this under three headings this morning first of all a note Old Testament illustration described in verses 21 through 23 secondly an Old Testament illustration explained in verses 24 through 27 and then lastly an Old Testament illustration applied in verse 28 through 31 so described explained and applied let's first look then at an Old Testament illustration described at verses 21 through 23 he starts with the question tell me you desire to be under the law do you not hear the law you see these Judaizers claimed to be the teachers of the law they claimed to know their Bibles pretty well they claimed to have read it and studied it and have known had a good understanding of what's said in it but what's he saying you who want to be under the law do you not read it do you not hear when it actually says have you not actually read what the law actually says you see isn't this what you want to be under the law is this what you want to go under there you want some tangible Christianity we're kind of all like that a little bit aren't we we want something tangible in our Christian life right sometimes we want boxes to check as we walk our way towards the celestial city but you see what makes us a Christian aren't those boxes that we tick it's Christ right and so what's he saying do you not hear the law you know a human actually says for if you actually understood the law you would know what it's actually saying and so he begins to enter into the argument with on their own terms have you not read it do you not hear it and he's going to actually expound for us Genesis 12 through 22 what's interesting today even sometimes Christians haven't really read their Bibles have they perhaps you can ask a question have you read the Gospels have you read the New Testament have you read the entire Bible you see it's kind of a travesty today that we have so much technology we have so many Bibles on our shelves at our expose at our disposal yet we don't know the scriptures or read them or understand them well and sometimes even pastors I'm sure I've done it as well perhaps I've said something from the pulp and you go have you read the Bible and perhaps one of those specific things I've heard a lot from various pastors is with respect to the parables people say Jesus uses parables that people will understand and then you're kind of like yes it's true parables are analogies and they seek to you draw and you know normal everyday life but what is Matthew 13 actually say concerning the parables Jesus braced it describes or even that the disciples say in Matthew 13 why are using parables and what does Jesus say it's for you to know the kingdom of God but not for them and then he quotes Isaiah chapter 6 with Isaiah's ministry Isaiah's ministry was one of bringing forth judgment and hardening the hearts of the people because you see pictures in the scriptures are seeking to drive something home and usually when we see script pictures arise in the scriptures especially with the prophets and especially with Revelation and even with Jesus in Matthew chapter 13 what does he say he us ears let him hear and doesn't me not doesn't John not say this or Jesus say this in Revelation as well because the pictures are either to do to are supposed to do two things one shock the Thar Jack believers out of their sedated state that's one thing it's supposed to do right the other thing it's supposed to do is supposed to actually hardened hearts so Paul he's appealed to many different things in his letter now he comes his picture and he's driving it home either the believers will be shocked out of their states or they will be heartened and so he's about he's doing this for that specific purpose and so he appeals to these two sons verse 22 for it is written that Abraham had two sons were talking about Ishmael and Isaac the blind of a bond woman and the other of a free woman and even then it's contrasting statuses right Hagar was a maidservant Hagar was a slave but Sarah was a free woman so he says there are two sons one was born of a bond woman the other of a free woman and then he highlights in verse 23 the significance of these realities but he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh and he of the freewoman through the promise think back with me for a moment to Genesis 12 through 22 God gives a promise to Abraham that in him all the families of the earth shall be blessed doesn't say how that's going to happen fast-forward to Genesis 15 he says in Hue all the families of the earth shall be blessed your ear seed shown here at this land and your seed shall be as numerous as the stars of the heavens but even then geez God doesn't explain how that's going to happen so what happens hey are Sarah and Abraham take things take matters into their own hands and so were they do they grab Hagar and say Hagar you know what you know or Sarah says Hagar you know make me a son with Abraham that doesn't go so well does it you read Genesis 16 bad things happen when we take things into our own hands and that was the case with Hagar as well you see Abraham and Sarah didn't trust in the promises of God but brought in this one of natural descent this one named Ishmael this one who was born according to the flesh so one is born according to the flesh but the other is born according to the promise it's really not till Jan 17 where we get a very clear picture that next year Sarah shall bear your son right think about that for a moment Abraham was 75 when he comes into land of Canaan he doesn't get a very clear picture till he's 99 24 years later we just passed through those chapters so quickly we forget that they waited 25 years before the promises were actually fulfilled and so we see those promise in Genesis 17 18 and finally and Genesis 21 that Isaac is born according to the promise and clearly what it because of 23 and the rest of the section it shows that the our contrasting realities and as Ronald Phung says in the scriptural record of the birth of these two sons of Abraham Paul recognizes the same opposition between reliance on according to the flesh and reliance on God through promise as exists between those who would be justified by illegal works and those who are justified by faith if you want to be justified by works to rely on yourself if you're justified by faith you rely on God and so that's what he's saying saying here's the Scriptures here what they actually say he's basically saying to them have you not read the scriptures here's what it says I think one clear application for us is we must be biblically minded right you must be biblically minded you must know your scriptures you must study it even if you think you might not have time on your hands you all drive right at some points you can pop on they'll you know the Bible app that reads it for you and you hear different things as you read it because it was meant to or listen to it because it was meant to be read out loud you actually catch things so I would encourage you continue to be in your Bible study your scriptures because a Christian who's not in the Bible is like a sick person without their medicine so be biblically minded brethren be in the word so that's an Old Testament illustration described let's then look secondly at an Old Testament illustration explained in verses 24 through 27 he says very clearly in verse 24 these things are symbolic that is they represent something it's actually the term allegory don't freak out when I say that we can actually use that term well B it just highlights using you know analogy or likeness to express something it's not dividing it of any historical record Paul's not saying this didn't actually happen I'm just drawing out the spiritual meaning that's not what he's saying he's just drawing out what they signify and represents they represent these two contrasting realities and we shouldn't freak out when we hear the word allegory because there's one blessed allegory that we all love right pilgrims progress isn't that an allegory that describes spiritual truth and reality and when we read it we think about our Christian walk as well you see it's a wonderful term we can use and Paul is using it in a very applicable biblical sense without taking it out of its historical context so he says these things are symbolic and they represent two covenants reformed theologians are all about covenant theology writes the way in which God condescends and speaks to her wig God interacts with his people it's how God interacts with the world right it's the way in which we go have relationship with God by way of covenant and there are two covenants we must ask well we must think through and ask which one we are under are you under the Covenant of works by earning your way are you under the covenant of grace found in Christ or works outside of yourself purchased by the Lord Jesus and so he says one is of the Covenant of works the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage which is Hagar I don't know what's the clear text in the showing for that Mount Sinai the Old Covenant is a covenant of works not a covenant of grace and the reason I say that is because our dear paedo Baptist brothers like to say that the Old Covenant is a covenant of grace it is so clear in that covenant do these things to live by them Paul ER DePaul even says in chapter 3 verse 10 curses everyone who does not continue in all the things which are written in the book of the law to do them or verse 12 yet the law is not a faith but the man who does them shall live by them and so back in twenty first 24 of chapter four he's saying Sinai is this covenant of works that brings forth bondage why go back Galatians under that covenant why go back to this bulls and goats that do not see a sack or do not offer sacrifice for sins why go back you see again we're very visual people the Hebrews had a problem with this in the book of Hebrews they want to go back you know I can actually see the blood spilling out of that go I can actually smell it as it goes up you see there's something very tangible in that sense and they wanted to go back but Paul's saying and the right of the Hebrews says don't go back for you're under a better covenant so the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage this is Hagar and even Sinai itself is outside of the promised land it is a covenant of works and it does not believe to righteousness for Paul says in 321 of Galatians 4 if there had been a law given which could have given life truly righteousness would have been by the law but there is no righteousness that comes by the law except for Christ and so he goes on to say in verse 25 for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage with her children to Jerusalem that now is according to the flesh is just another way of saying this present evil age Paul even says that in Galatians 1:4 he says Christ who gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil age and this present evil age will pass away this present evil age will die and anyone who is in that present evil age will pass with it if anyone who seeks to have such a righteousness by their own covenant-keeping will die with this present evil age they are part of bondage they're part of corruption there are helpless and self-reliance and they are part of the Jerusalem which now is and is a spiritual bondage that they are in so Jerusalem now is verses to Jerusalem that is above in verse 26 even though it doesn't say Sarah's name it's clearly referring to Sarah but the true strim above is free the Jerusalem above is that age to come in the Lord Jesus even the right of the Hebrews in Hebrews 12 speaks of a heavenly Jerusalem that we come to when we even worship Hebrews 12:22 but you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the Living God the heavenly Jerusalem to an innumerable company of angels to the General Assembly and Church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven to God the judge of all to the spirits of just men made perfect to Jesus the mediator of the New Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel so we are part of the Jerusalem above that is free he's kind of saying again to the Galatians don't go back but be part of this place that is above be part of this covenant that is above for this covenant that his above is freedom and he says that a lot throughout the book you know sometimes the writers repeat things just to get it into our heads because let's be honest sometimes we're pretty thick and we're forgetful of certain things so he says freedom freedom freedom in Christ that's what he wants them to understand why go back to bondage when you're free already it's almost like comments should be common sense right if you were a slave and in Chains for a long time and you were released from that chain I go back to that chain if you were in prison for a long period of time and you were in bondage or you're confined and you're released why go back to those things that's what he's saying here with respect to this Jerusalem that is above and notice he goes on to say which is the mother of us all all those who have believed regardless of distinctions regardless of ethnic distinction regardless of status and regardless of gender for which she is the mother of all those who believe and thankfully Paul gives us an Old Testament support for this in verse 27 this is Isaac this comes from Isaiah 54 for it is written you who do not bear break forth and shout you who are not in labor for the desolate has many or children then she who has a husband you can turn with me to Isaiah 54 perhaps at first glance it might not seem there's a lot of connections between Isaiah 54 and what's going on in Genesis 3 aside from the fact aside from the Baroness aspect but when we think about the broader context of what's going on in Isaiah we should look back to Isaiah 51 what's interesting is Sarah's only mentioned one time in the Old Testament outside of Genesis that's Isaiah 51 and notice in Isaiah 51 Isaiah speaking as he speaks about the messianic age he says he's the Lord is speaking comfort to Zion listen to me you who follow after righteousness you who seek the Lord looked at the rock from which you were hewn and to the hole of the pit from which you were dug look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you for I called him alone and blessed him and increased him for the Lord will comfort Zion he will comfort all her waste places so what's going on even in here in Isaiah 51 it's not talking about physical descent but those who come by way of faith those who follow after righteousness so keep that in mind when we look back or look forward to Isaiah 54 and when he says sing o barren woman you will have not born bring forth into singing and cry aloud you who have not labored with child for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married woman says the Lord there's even a historical backdrop to that with Sarah and Hagar right she cried out for 25 years because she wanted a child then finally God answers that prayer after many years in Genesis 21 and she does rejoice with God so when someone comes to believe on Christ even at the return of Exile perhaps this could be in mind in Isaiah 54 they're singing about the return of the people of God in the mother of us all namely Sarah and what's interesting as well when Isaiah goes on to talk about the covenant of peace in verses 3 & 5 he talks about the nations who will come in not just Israel but the nations for you shall expand to the right and to the left and your descendants will inherit the nations and make the desolate cities inhabited and then verse 5 for your maker is your husband the Lord of Hosts is his name and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel he is called the god of the whole earth and it comes forth from this barren woman and even even God's promised to Abraham in him all the families of the earth shall be blessed and what's beautiful is that Paul brings that out in Galatians chapter 3 all those who believe by faith are considered sons and daughters of Abraham and I considered sons and daughters of Sarah but what's also interesting as well his Isaiah 54 comes on the heels of Isaiah 53 duh we can count but clearly with what's going on here we see Isaiah 53 is that suffering servant song isn't it and usually after the suffering servant songs there's a there's an element of comfort afterwards so Isaiah 54 is that comfort that comes from the suffering servant in Isaiah 53 especially verse 10 and it pleased the Lord to bruise him even as we think back with what Paul says in Galatians 3 how he became a curse for us he is bruit bruised him he has put him to grief when you make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed he shall prolong his days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand he shall see the labor of his soul and be satisfied by his knowledge my righteous servant shall justify many for he shall bear their iniquities therefore I will divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoil with the strong because he poured out his soul unto death he was numbered with the transgressors and he bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors sing o barren you have not born because of this one who has come because of this one who has saved because of this one who justifies many in him self so the Jerusalem that is above is not tied to any physical place or any earthly place it's in Surrey it's in Chilliwack it's in Vancouver it's in China it's in Afghanistan those who believe on Christ is where the church universal gathers together and those who believed are part of the Jerusalem that is above you see what's interesting here Paul is wanting to remind these Galatians of the true gospel right even for Christians and professing believers we need to be reminded of the gospel and always have it before us even as we sang in that one hand the Lord strengthens us a lot our way right the Lord strengthens us as we go through we know that Christ is with us and we must always have our eyes fixed on the Lord Jesus Christ even when we waver and when we sin we have dark moments and sin overtakes us sometimes that happens right sometimes we sin and do silly things that we do not wish we want to do but that doesn't mean we don't turn back to Christ we're supposed to turn back to the Lord Jesus in the gospel he's our freedom our hope and our life is in him all our sins past present and future are forgiven in him listen to the words of Martin Luther a Christian man then though terrified by the law showing him his sin despair not for he believeth in Jesus Christ being baptized in him and cleansed by his blood he hath remission of all his sins rather than if you sin turn back to the Lord Jesus for there is a fountain filled with blood in the Lord Jesus Christ so that's an Old Testament illustration explained let's then look thirdly and finally at an Old Testament illustration applied in verses 28 through 31 he says in verse 28 now we brethren as Isaac was are the children of the promise and we are the children of the promise by faith very similar to what he does in Romans chapter 9 when he talks about the promise and flesh and that sort of thing verse 6 of Romans 9 but is not the Word of God has taken no effect for they are not all Israel who are of Israel nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham but in Isaac your seed shall be called that is those who are the children of the flesh these are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted as the seed if you believed on Christ you're counted as the seed and he goes on to say in verse 29 but as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the spirit even so it is now he's talking about remaining conflict right flesh versus the spirit and you notice he changes what he says there throughout he said flesh and promise but here he says flesh and spirit you see those were of the promise are born of the Spirit and when I think he's doing is setting the stage for chapter 5 verse 16 we talked about walking in the spirit and versus walking in the flesh the Spirit in the flesh battle with one another right you see there's two sides to that there's the internal battle in this life we still have the remnants of the old man in us and we have to fight that daily so there's an internal battle but there's also an external battle as well between those who are not of Christ but are of their father the devil which Christ says there's going to be a battle between the spirit and the flesh in that sense and this is what he draws out and he draws even back to Ishmael and Isaac Ishmael mocked Isaac nation l bothered Isaac Ishmael boarded over Isaac and laughed at Isaac and there's wordplay going on there because Isaac's name means laughs and Ishmael is laughing and mocking at him and so what happens is Sarah says in verse 30 cast out the bondwoman and her son for the son of the bondwoman not be an heir with the son of the free woman there's an exclusive a promise and it's not for Ishmael it's for Isaac I know that seems kind of harsh when we look back at what's going on there what God is saying God's promises are for his special people and sadly there's going to be a persecution even from the seed of the serpent against the seed of the woman you see there's still that tension going on throughout and there will be that tension throughout until Christ comes back and there's that tension especially in Genesis see the woman see the serpent we see that throughout don't we Cain and Abel Jacob and Esau Ishmael and Isaac and further on and so forth and so there's going to be this tension and the children of the serpent will persecute the children of the woman it's going to happen it's going it's a reality for Christians and sometimes it's persecution that separates true believers from temporary believers listen to Philip RIKEN one of the distinguishing marks of real Christians is that they are willing to suffer persecution for their faith and even die for it saying we have to be masochist and just love pain and go find it that's not what I'm saying but if the government cracks down and says you get the death penalty for being a Christian we'd be ready to die for the faith right that's what it is certainly live your life love the temporal blessings God gives you but if those things come we must be ready to die for the faith and many brethren around the world demonstrate this daily they witness to the Lord Jesus Christ they witnessed to the UH professing believers around the world that they'll stand fast on Christ in the midst of death because they believed on Christ and there is nothing greater than him is this for you as well is Christ your great reward and your great pearl is he the one that you leaned upon that you would give up everything for not saying you have to do that necessarily now but if it does come to that will you because without Christ there is no life hope without Christ there is no freedom and so then brethren verse 31 we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free Judaism and Christianity are not compatible with one another there is no Christianity Plus or Christianity 2.0 it's just faith in the Lord Jesus Christ now brethren when we think about the doctrine of justification there is an important application we must take away and beware of we must be careful ourselves not to add anything to justification you see sometimes that happens and usually you see it in history and it will be the case until Christ comes back its theological ping-pong you see what happens is people get super rigid and super legalistic in order to be right with God you have to add some things to be a Christian what happens people see that they respond they go the other way and they say no you don't have to do anything you don't have to do any works it's an antinomian kind of way of thinking and then the legalists see that go no we have to add something to Christianity and it's just it's just a mess back and forth just be in the middle you are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus but those who are you're justified by God's free grace but those who are justified will be sanctified right those who are justified will grow in grace and knowledge not perfectly but they'll still be some growth you see sometimes we can be impatient with Christians who are at different stages in our sanctification right you might be in the stratosphere in your sanctification but for the rest of us earthlings we're still slogging along here you know you know I say that you know but that's kind of what life is sometimes people grow slower than others cut them some slack pray for them help them along the way because if they believed on Jesus they say I profess Jesus I'm still struggling that's good they're battling with their sins so just chill out for a moment I feel like our generation is one of those wound up generations on the planet we get so yeah just bothered by nitpicking little things we see that's like the Pharisees isn't it and there's all some sense we're all sort of sometimes recovering Pharisees as RIKEN says he says be careful he says we often do the same thing we forget that Christianity is a form of Liberty not slavery we reduce faith in Christ to a list of rules or traditions we evaluate our spiritual standing by what we do for God rather than by what God has done for us in Jesus Christ in truth we are all recovering Pharisees in constant danger of forgetting to live only by faith and choosing instead to go back under the law you see you're not a Christian because you read the Bible you read the Bible because you are a Christian you're not a Christian because you do these good works you do those works to please God because you are a Christian you don't come to your on a Christian because you come to church but you come to church because you are a Christian you see the order there if you believed on Jesus you are right with him and you do the things that Jesus loves in your sanctification and it's nothing in your hands that you bring but only to that cross do you cling but brethren beware beware of adding anything and usually when we add something to it it's usually our own preferences rather than the law of God isn't it we get so well again wound up we're nitpicking this little preference that I have that person has to bleed everything I say rather than what God's law actually says repent if you do that chill out for a moment if it's not found in the Word of God it's and Adi Ofra that's their thing and different just relax okay people are growing people are you know growing in their faith you know what you would cut yourself a lot more so you cut yourself a lot more slack than you do other people but we have to be where we are Christians because we believed on Jesus Christ and that faith isn't some fuzzy warm inside of me sometimes the most faithful people never have assurance right and what do they do when they lack assurance they go on their knees to God in faith that is faith calling out to their God in their trials and difficulties you see true faith is believing the truth concerning Christ Jesus so that's an important question we have to ask do you believe on Jesus do you believe that he is the true and living God because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and you believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead you are a believer in Christ Jesus you see that's where freedom is found so which reality do you belong hey guard bondage true some of the now is righteousness by your own self-reliance death or we could say the law or are you part of Sarah freedom Jerusalem above righteousness by faith life and the gospel if so stand fast in your freedom and if not believe on Christ and you shall be free as well we'll let us pray to Heavenly Father we thank you O God for freedoms found in Christ Jesus we know that our Christian liberty is found only in the Lord we are free from the curse of the law we are free from the guilt of sin we noticed because of Christ's work we know God that he was the perfect one who lived died and rose again and died as a perfect sacrifice for his people we know oh god that salvation is of you it's not by our works and by our covenant keeping but by your great grace and your great mercy and your power and your law keeping Oh God we know that we need to lean upon you forgive us O God when we begin to add things to your faith and add things to our faith we know that is not right and we know O God that those who are yours will seek to do that which pleases you not to be saved but because we are saved so god we do pray that we would love you we do pray that we would be biblically minded we do pray that we would love your gospel we do pray O God that we would be gracious and merciful and kind to others thank you for your grace and mercy to offer to us your patience and long-suffering we pray again for the Saints today that you would strengthen us and aid us O God as we walk out as we go into the world we also pray for those who do not know you we pray that you would change them that you would make them believers help them to come to the Lord Jesus Christ and O God if there are we all in all things we do pray that you be glorified and we pray these things in the name of Christ amen we'll close with a brief time of meditation then I will come up and pray for the food you [Music]