Black Friday. It sounds more like a historic day of battle or a day when the stock market crashed than a key shopping day. This is a day we have seen created in our own lifetimes, as retail and purchasing habits change to reflect the ever influencing online presence. This day fascinates me. I don’t think that anyone would disagree that our society is one that worships at the feet of materialism. We just flat out need more stuff. Stuff to fill up our lives. Stuff to fill up our homes. Stuff to fill the voids. Black Friday has really sort of become its own ‘unrecognized’ Holiday. It’s observed by many just as that, a day off to be celebrated in a certain way. That way is hitting stores looking for great deals on more stuff. If yesterday was meant as a day for us to give thanks, then how else can you describe Black Friday other than as a day to celebrate buying stuff? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not anti-Black Friday, I’m anti-materialism which is being anti-idolatry. My favorite definition of idolatry is “anything that creates distance in the relationship between you and God.” Stuff can do that. I have seen it in my own life. There was a time where I was really driven by stuff. I was like a dog chasing its tail, it never ended. It created distance between me and God. As people are on this quest for possessions over God, you can see the evidences of sin. How else can you describe the riots, anger, fights and even shootings that happen every year on this day of amassing stuff? It’s really a case study of Old Testament idolatry. Putting something else before God results in a lack of love which results in chaos.
Marge & I had such a special day yesterday with our parents. We went to Cracker Barrel for Thanksgiving lunch (along with 10,000 other people!) and then back to our house for great conversation and a rousing game of Mexican train dominos. (which Margie won.) The old saying you don’t know what you’ve got till its gone is a truism, and what a special joy to be back and able to enjoy these beautiful people.
Today we continue on in Galatians and we hit chapter 4. The theme continues on as Paul is really giving the Galatian church the what for, for relegating back to the Jewish observance of the Mosaic Law. Paul preached the Gospel of Jesus to them and not long after others came and added to it. You not only need to believe in Jesus but you ALSO need the Law. You see we need not add anything to the Gospel. You only need Jesus. He is enough. He is sufficient to save all. Adding or subtracting anything to the Gospel is heresy.
I love how Paul can get down to the very basics. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not necessarily complicated. God needed to keep it simple so that we could get it. Dan is not a PHD in rocket science, I need something I can understand. I’ve heard it said amongst preachers, “put the cookies where the kids can get them.” We need a gospel that a regular guy like Dan can easily understand, and that’s the beauty of Paul’s letters. You’ve heard of the K.I.S.S. principle? Keep it simple stupid. I try to live my life by this principle and not make simple things complicated. Paul is telling the Galatians the KISS principle here, "the gospel is not complicated, don’t make it that way by adding a lot of laws and regulations to it."
Lets look at Galatians 4:4-5:
“But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.”
Pretty clear here. When the time was perfect, God sent Jesus to this planet. He was born of a woman, a virgin. Because He was born of a woman, He was REAL. He was a real person that walked this planet. He was born under the law because He had not yet completed His ministry resulting in the saving of all people and the arrival of the Holy Spirit. So why did Jesus come? 2 reasons and they’re right there in verse 5
1) to redeem those under the law and
2) That we might receive adoption to sonship (become God’s children)
We talked about the difference of living under the law versus Grace in yesterday’s 5MC which was Galatians 3. If you missed it, you can go to The5MC.com and look under the Galatians tab and find it quickly. I urge you to check it out, it lays out a lot that Galatians builds on later.
The second reason Jesus came is so that those that call upon Him as Savior can be brought into the family of God. As part of the family of God, you will spend eternity with Him in Heaven when you die. As a child of God your sins are now covered by the blood of Jesus and your imperfection is now made perfect through Him. Also, its important to note that when you accept Jesus in your heart you also get the “Helper”, God’s Holy Spirit. Let’s look at the Holy Spirit.
I love that translation, Helper. God has given us His Holy Spirit as a helper as we walk this world down here serving Him. Praise God for His Holy Spirit, this walk would be unbearable without the presence of God’s Spirit to help us. I specifically want to look at the relationship of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.
1 Cor. 2:9-10, “But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.” These are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.”
This simply means that the truth in the Word of God can only be interpreted by the Spirit of God, and until He interprets it, man cannot understand it. The Holy Spirit alone can interpret the Word of God for us. So how do you get this blessed interpretation? Well, you ask.
It was only a few short years ago as I sat in a hermeneutics class in Kihei, Maui did I get this revelation. (hermeneutics is the study of the interpretation of the Bible) Pastor Armstrong was our instructor and as we were discussing the depth of God’s Word, he simply looked at me and asked, “you are asking the Holy Spirit to bless the time in His Word before you read, aren’t you?” What? Ask the Holy Spirit to explain it to me? Doesn’t that like, somehow automatically happen or something? It had never occurred to me.
What a revelation God delivered at that moment. I started to pray in earnest to the God every time I read His Word that He would allow His Holy Spirit to interpret His Word for me. Teach it to me in a way that I could not just understand, but in a way that I could ‘eat them.” (Jer 15:16) No, not rip out the pages and eat them with ranch dressing, but consume the all of His Words. Have them enter into me and become a part of all that I am. Commit them to my heart. Meditate on them day and night. As a result, maybe, God would allow me a level of understanding that I could use to share and encourage others.
My friends, that day it all changed.
You see, I had been attempting to read a foreign language. We loosely throw around the term God’s “Holy” Word or “Holy” Bible but that’s exactly what it is…HOLY. I’m not Holy and I don’t think Holy so how can I understand a Holy language with Holy ideas? I needed a translator. That day, I gained one. That day the Holy Spirit started interpreting God’s Holy language for me.
If you are a child of God you still need an interpreter. You still need the Holy Spirit to reveal the depth and breadth of His Words and ideas to you. If you sit down to read God’s Word and it just seems confusing, try this prayer:
“Heavenly Father, I thank you for your Holy Spirit. I thank you that I have your Helper. Please allow your Holy Spirit to reveal your powerful Holy Words to me today. God, I want to know you better and I know that happens through your Words to me. God, allow me to understand today like never before. And with this understanding God, I will share. I will take the understanding you give me to others. Lord I will simply give out your Word. Amen”
My friends, I hope today can be the day that your time in God’s Word changes. Today can be the day that the Holy Spirit awakens and reveals the truth, light, hope and saving power of His Word.
Today is the day the Lord has made, rejoice and be glad in it.
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