BONDAGE AGAIN?

Sunday Morning:  August 3, 2003

Text: Galatians 4:8-11  "Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. 9. But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 10. Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. 11. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain."

ADDRESSING JEWS

Galatians 4:8  "Howbeit then, when ye (Jews) knew not God, ye did service unto them (rulers of Israel) which by nature are no gods (judges or rulers)."

YE ARE JUDGES

John 10:34-35  "Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? 35. If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;"

NICODEMUS

John 3:1  "There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:"

SCRIBES AND PHARISEES

Matthew 23:2-4  "Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: 3. All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. 4. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers."

JEWISH FABLES

Titus 1:14, 16  "Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. . . . 16. They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable [detestable], and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate [disapproved]."

UNDER GOVERNORS

Galatians 4:2-3  "But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. 3. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements [orderly arranged principles (ceremonial law)] of the world (Israel):"

THE WORLD IS ISRAEL BY CONTEXT

John 18:20  "Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world (synagogue, temple, where Jews gathered); I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort [came together]; and in secret have I said nothing."

ISRAEL KNEW NOT GOD

1 Corinthians 1:20-23  "Where is the wise? where is the scribe (of Israel)? where is the disputer (Pharisees, Mark 8:11) of this world (Israel)? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world (Israel)? 21. For after that in the wisdom of God the world (Israel) by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them (of the nation of Israel) that believe [present active]. 22. For the Jews (world) require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23. But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews (world) a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;"

ISRAEL KNEW HIM NOT

John 1:10  "He was in the world (Israel), and the world (Israel) was made [caused to be] by him, and the world (Israel) knew him not."

YOU HAVE BEEN TAUGHT

Galatians 4:9  "But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements [orderly arranged principles], whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage (law)?"

BY REVELATION

Matthew 11:27  "All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him (the Father)."

KNOWING THE FATHER

John 17:3  "And this is life eternal [agelasting], that they might know thee (the Father, v.1) the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom  thou hast sent."

I HEARD OF YOUR FAITH

Ephesians 1:15-17  "Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16. Cease not . . . making mention of you in my prayers; 17. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the [deeper] knowledge of him:"

KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD

2 Peter 2:20  "For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge [epignwsiv, exact knowledge] of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning."

WE KNOW THAT WE KNOW HIM

1 John 2:3-4  "And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."

     I KNOW MY SHEEP

John 10:14  "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine."

GOD WILL KNOW YOU

1 Corinthians 8:3  "But if any man love God, the same is known of him."

THEM THAT ARE HIS

2 Timothy 2:19  "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity."

I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH YOU

Galatians 4:10  "Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years."

FEAST OF THE LAW

Leviticus 23:2  "Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.

FEAST OF LEVITICUS 23

Feasts of the Lord: Sabbath, Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Weeks (Pentecost), Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Tabernacles.

SPOILED THROUGH TRADITION

Colossians 2:8  "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments [orderly arranged principles] of the world (Israel), and not after Christ."

DON’T FEEL GUILTY

Colossians 2:16-17  "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17. Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ."

NOT SUBJECT TO ORDINANCES

Colossians 2:20  "Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments [orderly arranged principles] of the world (Israel, why, as though living in the world (Israel), are ye subject to ordinances (Israel’s ceremonial law),"

VAIN LABOR

Galatians 4:11  "I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour (teaching you) in vain."

DEFEATED BY THE TEMPTER

1 Thessalonians 3:5  "For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain."

DON’T GO BACK

Galatians 5:1-5  "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (you won’t stand approved before God) 2. . . . if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3. . .every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. 5. For we through the (Abba) spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith."

WE STAND AND REJOICE BY GRACE

Romans 5:2  "By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."