The Book of Galatians #18
Galatians 4:17-20
At Galatians 4:12, Paul begins a very intimate conversation with the Galatian believers by encouraging (actually begging) them to come to their senses and not forsake the faith.
We find his appeal in verse 12, followed by his remembrance down through verse 16. We looked at those last week. His heart is heavy as he reflects of the investment of time and energy he has spent on them only to have them forsake it and follow false teaching.
They had seen him through some very difficult days and now those who have loved him and would have spared no expense on his behalf are now turning from his teaching to follow the Judaizers who deny salvation by grace through faith.
So we pick up there with
3. His Warning
verse 17
They butter you up, they make a big fuss over you. They say, “Oh, you wonderful Galatians, my, it's such a nice thing to be ministering to you.” They just really lay it on thick. They appear to have this deep concern and care for you.
It sounds like every cult out there today. Every one of them use the same tactics. They went after the Galatians to win them by flattery, to feign friendship. But look what he says. "But for no good." In other words, they are deceitful. They never had an honest reason, they never had an honorable reason or commendable purpose.
Every cult that has ever made headlines like the Jones followers or the Branch Davidians tell the same story. They prey on those who are hurting or lonely or on the fringes and draw them in.
And notice the reason in verse 17. They want to exclude you (that is from the blessings of true salvation and grace) so you become dependent upon them. They want you to need them and depend upon them.
They wanted those Galatians to obey and adopt Jewish ways, so they'd have to suck up to the Judaizers in order to be accepted into Judaism.
In fact, the word 'exclude' literally means 'to bar the door'. They wanted to bar the door and lock them out of God's blessing. They wanted to control the Galatians. They didn't care about the Galatians. Over in 6:12, he says, "They’re just putting on a show”.
It's the same today. Cults are out after people and boy, they court them. They come on so moral, so ethical, so loveable, so nice. That's what people always say, "Oh, they're so nice. They want to have a Bible study in my house." Satan's angels always come as angels of light. They're not going to come in and say, "I have a new religion. How would you like to ruin your life?" That's not the normal approach.
And understand, Paul is not saying it's wrong to be courted; he's saying it's wrong to be courted for a wrong reason. In fact, the cults are out aggressively doing in the name of a lie what the church out to be doing with the truth.
Now, if Paul would have stopped at verse 17, someone would have said, "Oh, you're just jealous. You came along and were their fair-haired boy, Paul. They loved you and followed you, but now someone else came along and took your place and you’re just jealous. You just don't like anyone moving in on your territory."
So he adds verse 18.
Paul's not jealous, but he does want to make sure that these that he has invested in are not used and mislead. It's a question of purpose. It's good to be zealous in a good thing always. And I don’t have to be here for that to happen.
Paul understood it wasn’t about him, but about their relationship with the Lord. Any pastor needs to keep that in mind. I am your pastor, but I’m not the only one who can minister to you. I think it is a good thing to listen to and read after great men and women whom God is using.
That’s why I warn you about men like Joel Osteen and T.D Jakes and some of the others who are out there. It’s not because I’m jealous of them. It is simply because I want to protect you from their deceptions.
It doesn’t make me any difference who you listen to and learn from as long as God is honored and their teaching is consistent with Scripture.
And Paul’s heart is just breaking as he processes what is happening here in the churches.
Verse 19
That's the only time he ever uses that term in all his writings. It's a term of tender love that expresses the fourth and last point. He's made his appeal, his remembrance, and his warning. Now he gives
4. His Desire
That little phrase, “My Little Children” is not intended to introduce some great theological truth or declaration. It think it just flows out of verse 18 as he says, "I'm not just saying this because you’re listening to someone else and following them Anytime someone loves for the right reasons and wants what is best for you in the Lord, that's fine."
But notice, the last word in verse 18 is 'you'. I don’t think there should be a period. I think there should be a comma so that the though continues into verse 19.
(read verses 18 and 19 combined)
That's the language of deep love.
Notice he says, "I labor in birth." That's the term for birth pains, like a mother bringing forth a child. He says, "I'm having birth pains."
Now understand what he is saying. In so many words, he is saying, “This is ridiculous! I’ve already gone through this once! "You've already been born! Why am I having these pains again?"
This is abnormal, this is unnatural. He says, "I'm going through the pain that I went through to bring you to Christ, this time to conform you to Christ."
He says, "It was a painful enough just to get you to salvation, to win you to Christ, just to get you saved. Now you're making me go through pain all over again to form you into Christ." Were they saved? Yes. The Lord Jesus Christ lived in their hearts. But there was little evidence of His beauty in their lives. Notice he says, "I'm not travailing until Christ lives in you," but until, "Christ be fully formed in you."
What does that mean? It simply means that the goal of every single Christian's life should be to have Christ totally formed in his life. What does that mean? To be Christ-like. That's what it means.
To be conformed to Christ, that is the purpose, to be more like Jesus, more like Christ. That's the objective.
In Romans 13:14, there's a great statement. "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ." Isn't that simple? What is the goal of the Christian, then? To be like Christ.
Colossians 2:6. "As you have therefore received Jesus Christ the Lord, so walk in him." Christ-likeness. That's the goal; to be like Jesus. That's all he's saying. He's saying, "I just want you to be like Christ, to grow up."
And that is the desire of any pastor for his people and his church. That is my goal for us. That's what I want for you. I have all kinds of thoughts when I'm preaching to you that have nothing to do with the message. It's amazing how the brain works.
I have to tell you, every so often I think, "I wonder if anyone here is tired of hearing me. I mean after 17 years, they must be so tired of hearing me. I know I get tired of hearing me!"
I ask that because so often it seems like I just say stuff and you listen and nothing ever really happens. It is always my prayer, "Lord, somehow, touch my mouth and their ears so that something happens when people hear."
Why? Because I care that Christ be formed in you, that you be like Him. That's what 'Christian' means: like Christ. God knows, and you know, that most Christians aren't, but that's the goal.
And Paul says, "I'm hurting inside until you be Christ-like." It's an emotional appeal.
Listen: my desire is not that you like me, but that you hear the truth. It's nice if you love me also; I'll accept that, but that's not the goal.
The goal is always to be like Christ. So let me give you one verse that will show you how to be like Christ.
2 Corinthians 3:18
Now here’s what that means: When you came to Jesus Christ, the veil came off. You can see clearly now. You can see the glory of the Lord, and as you look at it, you are changed into the same image, from glory to glory.
In other words, as you continue to behold the glory of the Lord, you just keep ascending as you focus on Him. Isn't that a great verse? If you want to know how to be Christ-like, look at Christ. Look at His glory, and keep looking at His glory. While you're not even watching, the Spirit will be transforming you into His image. Focus on Christ. Just look at Him.
You know one of the reasons God gave us Jesus Christ, as well as the Biblical record of His life rather than just to come, die, and leave? He left Him here for 33 years so that we could look at Him, watch Him, see the way He lived, see the way He was, to have a flesh and blood pattern.
So he says, "Just look at it. See His glory, focus on it, concentrate on it, and you will be changed from one level of glory to the next, by the Holy Spirit, behind the scenes. You don't need to worry about what He's doing, you just focus on Christ."
That's the goal. That's what every Christian is to be. So Paul says, "I hurt. I have pains, the most excruciating pains, like a tender, loving mother, until Christ be formed in you."
He just had one great thing on his heart: he wanted people to be like Christ.
His last desire is in verse 20
He says, "I don't even like the way I'm talking. It hurts. I wish I didn't have to yell at you, to fire off all this stuff. I wish I didn't have this terrible depression. I'd like to be happy, to come and be with you, to have joy instead of sorrow."
Finally we see
5. His Doubts
He says, "I have doubts about you." You know what that means? "I don't know what to do with you. I wish I could come and be with you," but he can't because of pressing obligations where he is, but he says, "I wish I could come and be with you and change my demeanor and tone. I wish I didn't feel like this, but I don't know what to do about you!"
I'm so glad Paul felt that way, you know why? Because I feel that way a lot of the time. You know, there are some people, and you give them all the answers and go over and over it. Finally, you just say, "I don't know what to do with you!" You have company. The Apostle Paul says, "I don't know what to do with you either."
If you go back to Hosea, you'll find God saying, "Oh Ephraim, what am I going to do with you?" There comes a point where your human resources are gone. Everything you can do, you've done, and what are you going to do? He says, "I wish I could come and call you 'beloved' instead of 'foolish'. I wish I didn't have to call you 'blockheads'," like he did in chapter 3.
But he says, "I am perplexed. I don't know what to do with you; I am puzzled over you. I don't know how to get an entrance to your hearts."
It's a common grief I feel. You look at a person, you love them, you do everything you can to nurture them, but they don’t respond. And ultimately, you just throw up your hands and say, "I don't know what to do with you."
Well, this is Paul. This is his heart. I leave you with his counsel. If your heart is not as hot as it once was, in many ways you’ve defected from the faith. And if that describes you, I don't want to argue with you doctrinally. Let me just tell you this: if you're a defecting Christian, I pain. There are others around you who know and love you who hurt too because they want to see Christ magnified in you.
So I challenge you to do this: focus on Christ. Spend yourself looking at His glory and let the Spirit transform you.
Let's pray.
