CHILDREN ARE SERVANTS

Sunday Morning:  July 13, 2003

Text: Galatians 4:1-4  "Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; 2. 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 of the world: 4. But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law"

THE HEIR

Galatians 4:1  "Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child [nepois], differeth nothing from a servant [doulov, bond slave], though he be lord of all;"

JESUS BECAME A SERVANT

Philippians 2:6-9  "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7. But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:"

NOT ABOVE THE MASTER

Matthew 10:24-25  "The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. 25. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. . . .”

FAITHFUL AND WISE SERVANT

Matthew 24:45-47  "Who then is a faithful and wise servant (not son), whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? 46. Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 47. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods."

 GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT

Matthew 25:21  "His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant (not son): thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord."

CHILD

Galatians 4:1  "Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child [nepois], differeth nothing from a servant [doulov, bond slave], though he be lord of all;"

CHILDREN NEED A TEACHER

Hebrews 5:12-13  "For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13. For every one that useth [present active] milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe [nepoiv, not speaking]."

CHILDREN

1 Corinthians 3:1  "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes [nepoiv] in Christ."

UNSTABLE

Ephesians 4:14  "That we henceforth be no more children [nepoiv], tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;"

POWER TO MATURE

John 1:12  "But as many as received [aorist, consistent with Acts 16:31 believe aorist] him, to them gave he power to become the sons [teknon, mature children] of God . . “

BECOME A MAN

1 Corinthians 13:11  "When I was a child [nepoiv], I spake as a child [nepoiv], I understood as a child [nepoiv], I thought as a child [nepoiv]: but when I became a man, I put away childish [nepoiv] things."

THE LAW OF THE TUTORS

Galatians 4:2  "But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father."

LESSON OF THE TUTOR

Colossians 2:21-23  "(Touch not; taste not; handle not; 22. Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? 23. Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh."

THE TIME APPOINTED

Genesis 25:5-8  "And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. 6. But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country. 7. And these are the days of the years (175) of Abraham's life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years. 8. Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died . . ."

AT THE END

1 Peter 1:4-5  "To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."

BONDAGE TO ELEMENTS

Galatians 4:3  "Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements [rudiments, (of the law)] of the world (Israel):"

ROOT OF “ELEMENTS”

steico: (to range in regular line); to march in (military) rank (keep step), i.e. (fig.) to conform to virtue and piety:--walk (orderly). from Strongs. This is the rudiments of the law.

 THE WORLD DEFINED

John 18:20  "Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing."

EXCLUDED FROM THE WORLD

Matthew 10:5-6  "These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

FULLNESS OF TIME

Galatians 4:4  "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,"

UNDER THE LAW

Mark 1:44  "And saith unto him (cleansed leper), . . .go thy way, show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them."

DO WHAT THEY BID YOU DO

Matthew 23:1-3  "Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2. 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."

WE HAVEN’T RECEIVED IT YET

Galatians 4:5  "To redeem them (saved Israel) that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons [one word, to place as a son]."

KINSMAN REDEEMER

Ruth 4:6  "And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it."

RUTH AND NAOMI REDEEMED

Ruth 4:10  "Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day."

PLACED AS A SON

Revelation 21:7  "He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall [future tense] be my son."

 WHO IS HE THAT OVERCOMETH?

1 John 5:5  "Who is he that overcometh the world [Israel; (the law)], but he that believeth [present active] that Jesus is the Son of God?"

HAVE AGELASTING LIFE THROUGH HIS NAME

John 20:31  "But these are written, that ye might believe [present active] that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing [present active] ye might have [agelasting (Sinaiticus)] life through his name (the Word of God, the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven)."