Galatians 4:4-7

God Is In Control

Introduction

1. Are you going through it? God is in control. He does what He wants when He wants.

2. In Galatians 4:4-7 In God’s time, God does what He wants in the way He wants to accomplish what He wants. God is sovereign. We see 5 realizations:

I. GOD’S PRINCIPLE

A. Man’s Failure 1-3 He is a slave. He is under bondage. He has lost his freedom.

This is Satan’s desire. Mankind is captured by lust, greed, sex, drugs, alcohol. Every

year there is a new addiction, a new anonymous group to support the addict.

B. Man’s Freedom But…God

1. The Principle: It’s at the end of man’s strength and ability. It’s in the midst of man’s

failure and frustration. It’s when man comes to the end of himself that God invades

the situation.

2. The Precept: But…God Apart from these words life offers no future for anyone. This

is a turning point in history. Man is lost, without hope, and apart from God. He is

enslaved by Satan, sin and self. Come to the end of yourself.

Are you going through it? God is in control. He does what He wants when He wants.

II. GOD’S PLANS

When the fullness of time was come... In God’s time, God does what He wants, in the way

He wants to accomplish what He wants.

A. His Timetable This is God’s plan. He works on His timetable, not ours. He can do that because He is sovereign.

B.His Testimony The time Jesus came seemed wrong, but it was so right!

*The Law had accomplished its purpose. Man cannot keep God’s standard. The Law is a Mirror, Measure and Magistrate, but gives no power to keep the Law.

*Religiously: During the Babylonian Captivity the Jews had forsaken idolatry never to return to it. During the exile, synagogues were developed making the Jew ready for the Church and the Gospel!

*Culturally: Greek was the common language of business and commerce which prepared the way for the New Testament which was written in Greek.

*Politically: The Roman Empire had developed Pax Romana (Roman Peace). The built roads and cities making ready for the Gospel to spread.

*Morally: The world had sunk so low that even the pagans cried out against it. Spiritual hunger was evident! The world was ready for the Messiah!

C. His Treatment the fullness of time It was full because God filled it with meaning! Until

the time appointed by the Father, that moment which God had ordained from the

beginning. He from old had willed that at this moment His Son should be born.

What about God’s timing in your life?

Are you going through it? God is in control. He does what He wants when He wants.

III. GOD’S PROMISE

God sent His Son

A. God Sent God gave as a gift. God sent His Son on a mission (John 3:16) For God so loved the world that He gave. In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, the Word was God…and the Word became flesh…(John 1:1,2, 14).

B.God’s Son The solution to man’s dilemma is a Person. This One can fill a God shaped emptiness.

1. He Is Eternal Son does not refer to His divine essence, though true.

*If Christ were not the eternal son, He could not be the Savior of men.

*Some 900 years before Jesus’ birth I will be a Father to Him, and He shall be a Son to Me (II Sam. 7:14).

*In eternity past there were 3 persons of the Trinity. There was not yet the role of Father…Son.

2. He Is Exceptional Son was a new name, never before applied to the 2nd person of the

Godhead except prophetically. He was the Son of God. He was the very essence of

God! No man has seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of

the Father, He has declared Him. (John 1:18)

No matter what you are going through…God is still God!

God is still active and alive even though you may be confused.

Are you going through it? God is in control. He does what He wants when He wants.

IV. GOD’S PEROGATIVE

Two are mentioned. Both are given with a purpose. God can do what He wants in the way

He wants! Give Him the Freedom!

A. Born of a woman…the Son of God became the son of a woman.

*This is not emphasizing the absence of a man or the virgin birth, but His complete humanity. He was 100% man.

*Born of a woman…He passed through the birth canal. He cried. He messed His pants, crawled, learned to talk. He was like all other men. He humbled himself…being fashioned as a man. Yet He was fully God!

*He had to be a man in order to die, but He had to be fully God in order for His sacrifice for sin to be adequate and accepted.

It may not always go your way. Jesus had to die! We cannot control the circumstances or events in our lives, but we can choose how we will respond!

B. Born under the law I do always the things that please Him.

1.The Domination He is under the Law in that it dominated His life.

2.The Demands The demands of the law were there! He met those demands completely in perfect obedience because of His complete submission to the Father.

*The standard remains, the law must be met. We need a Savior, a Substitute. You can’t make it on your own! *Come to that point: It’s not my will, but your will be done! I surrender completely!

Are you going through it? God is in control. He does what He wants when He wants.

V. GOD’S PURPOSE 4:5-7

God is not the Author of evil. God permits pain, hurt and evil to accomplish His purpose and

a greater good.

A.Freedom 5a To redeem them that were under the Law…Jesus had to die! Redeem is a slave term which means, ‘to buy back’. It was used of slaves whose freedom was purchased and then the slave was set free. Through the payment of the required price slaves were redeemed and became free men. God wants you to know that Jesus Christ paid the price and then set us free. To know this freedom, ‘I’ must die.

B.The Family 5b The slave bought into freedom is received into a great family! That we might receive the adoption of sons…we are set free to become sons by adoption. I become a child of God only by adoption. But as many as received Him, to them gave He the ability to become children of God (John 1:12)

C.The Fortune 6, 7 we are heirs

1. The Spirit of His Son in your heart Jesus In You! A human father cannot give his own nature to an adopted child (DNA), but God does!

2.The Speech Abba Father With confidence we say Father…Papa…Daddy It is a personal, intimate relationship. It is not a religion! When you are going through it, run to the arms of your Father.

3.The Spectacle No more slaves…a son…an heir! By giving ourselves to Jesus Christ, God gives us everything His Son possesses. I’m a child of the King!

In every circumstance and situation, God wants us to experience the freedom, fellowship, and fortune that is ours. FIRST WE MUST BOW TO JESUS CHRIST!

Are you going through it? God is in control: In God’s time, God does what He wants in the way He wants to accomplish what He wants. THIS GREAT GOD NEVER MAKES A MISTAKE!