In Galatians 4:27-31, Paul continues to build off his present allegory. Hagar or Sarah? Children of slavery or children of freedom? Law-reliant or grace-reliant? With each expansion, Paul is asking us: which reality are we going to live into and out of?
To be a child of slavery and law-reliant means to depend on our own performance or ability for righteousness. In times of uncertainty, when faced with the impossible, the first question a child of slavery asks is: what can I control? But what about a child of freedom?
This imagery hinges on the example of Sarah, Abraham’s wife. As the biblical narrative goes, Sarah was childless, or barren, well into older age. In the culture of the ancient near east, this would have had devastating effects for a woman. A woman’s value, even her sense of righteousness, was derived from her ability to have children.
So here we have Sarah, and God does something miraculous: he gives her a baby boy, Isaac. What could have only been a dream becomes reality. Of course, the Bible is full of miracles such as this. Joseph. Moses. Elijah. Esther. Ezekiel. Daniel. Peter. Paul. And of course, Jesus himself.
To give his allegory some punch, Paul quotes from Isaiah 54: “Be glad, barren woman.” Or, in other words, “Grace to the barren woman.” Paul is urging us in this text to live, not as children of slavery, but as children of freedom. To live into and out of a new reality. Like grace to the barren, the gospel shows us that the impossible becomes possible in Jesus Christ.
Dinner Table Conversations:
Adult & Teen Table Talk:
- Can you identify with Sarah in any way? If you can, how does her experience comfort and excite you?
- Why can it be difficult to live into and out of this new reality as children of God, as children of freedom?
Little Learners’ Table Talk:
- What is something that seems impossible that you think God can do?
Sermon Title: Grace to the Barren
Sermon Series: Set Free
Sermon Passage: Galatians 4:27-31
Closing Scripture: Luke 1:46-55
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