We're All in the Family

 

Text: Galatians 4:4-7

Focus: Community

Function: to focus on our community and its strength (Holy Spirit).

⁴But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. ⁶And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” ⁷So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir through God.

As always, welcome to the family of God! Indeed, all are welcome as God, by the Spirit, keeps building the church into the community that values the care for the least of these as a metaphor for loving Christ.

We are all children of God. The word here that is translated, “Abba” means daddy. It speaks of a close and intimate relationship, in the Spirit, with the living God. God’s Spirit inhabits the believer and gives them the power to forgive and love, even the least of these, those who are different, strangers and people we might react to.

Sometimes it is hard for us to love the least of these because the culture around us teaches us to fear the other in order to protect ourselves and give ourselves a feeling of security.

But we are now believers in Christ and our security comes from the fact that those who harm us are touching the very children of God and God cares about that. We get that from this passage.

Now the context of the passage is actually about faith and the idea that by faith in Christ we can indeed be just and loving people, the kind of people who turn the other cheek and go the extra mile.

And the theologian here begins to explain that by faith in Christ, I believe, that by holding on to the example of both his lifestyle and death-style, we too can respond with love and grace in the midst of conflict instead of with rage and revenge. It takes faith to rest in the fairness of God’s eventual judgment. We trust that God will sort it out fairly in the end.

That is why we live sacrificially here on planet earth because we know there is a reward in heaven.

And, the death and resurrection of Christ is proof of that. We don’t have to be afraid of death because, as Jesus said in John 11:26: we will never die. I believe he means that our souls will indeed go in in heaven.

Brother Paul, teaching as the theologian in this passage, contrasts the difference between the Old Testament system of sacrifices and etc. with the New Testament system of giving the same break to our neighbor as we would to ourselves or our family or the people with whom we are in community.

In this teaching, he explains that under the New Testament system, we are free from the bondage of performing ritual and sacrifice to actually doing the greatest commandment, to love God by loving others.

And when Jesus mentions the importance of loving others, he is speaking of the least of these.

I want to bring the bible into current here a little bit. I am not being political, but spiritual and I ask you to hear this in spiritual terms as to how you will receive your own reward.

Jesus wants us to stop fearing the dark skinned people at our border and treat them as neighbor. I find it implausible that we cannot find enough workers to fill our minimum wage jobs when there are thousands waiting for a chance to get those jobs. It will indeed stimulate our economy. I am not talking economically, but spiritually, for this is a spiritual discussion, not political. God promises to bless the people who care for the least of these. When we do it, we are caring for Christ himself.

And that is in context with our text this morning. The passages in the context are about the fact that we are all part of the family of God and all are welcome here.

Right before the chapter, Paul gives the famous quote that became part of the baptismal vows of the early Church: “There is neither Jew or Greek, Slave or Free, Male or Female, but all are one in Christ.

Then he speaks of the freedom that faith in Christ brings, and it is the freedom to love sacrificially, just as Jesus did.

He wants us to break down the barriers between the races, the genders and the classes.

He wants us to be part of community. He wants us to have what we have here at Painter Creek.

For example, encapsulated around 1 Corinthians 13, the great chapter on love, both 1 Corinthians 12 and 14 speak of how we are an interdependent body that really needs each other. And we need each other to let the Spirit lead in our lives so that we can express the response to God’s love through the Spirit. That is chapter 12.

Chapter 14, after reminding them to love each other, he reminds the community to ensure that everyone is encouraged to share.

I love our community setting. I love the way we share our joys and concerns together. We depend on each other.

What is new to me is the way that we are also expressing our faith through different talents and gifts. It was a year ago that Edna and Delbert’s gift of hospitality kicked of a real sense of community here at Painter Creek when they opened their home.

And then others with the gift of hospitality joined in and the meals became a catalyst for community.

This was a move of God. Praise God.

And then, we started incorporating arts and crafts and poetry into our worship. Thank you everybody, but especially in alphabetical order Carol and Jody. Your creativity is indeed Spirit inspired and your willingness to share it is a gift to us all.

And believe me, I have been in plenty of churches where any kind of change or deviation was seen almost as a sacrilege, so, thank you to everyone else for encouraging these gifts.

Let it inspire all of us to share and be used by God’s Spirit. It builds our community.

And, he wants our community to be based on the loving values that we just celebrated during advent season. Hope, Peace, Love and Joy, these are all aspects of the faith in Christ that sets of free to love like Jesus did.

So, we have been preparing this throughout the Christmas season. But what we are going to do is make a chain of hope, peace, love and joy together to celebrate our own community and unity for this is what the Spirit does for the Church.