Grace Family - Galatians 4:21-31

Grace Family

•   Galatians 4v21-31
  

Two Families Two ways to live

•   relying on my performance
  

‘Now Sarah, Abraham’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; so she said to Abraham, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.” Abraham agreed to what Sarah said. He slept with Hagar, and she conceived. So Hagar bore Abraham a son, and Abraham gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne.’ Genesis 16v1-2, 4, 15

•   Trusting in God’s promise
  

‘Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him.’ Genesis 21-1-3

Two paths to follow

•   Performance leads to slavery
  

‘If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands…all these blessings will come on you…However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands…all these curses will come on you and overtake you.’ Deuteronomy 28v1-2, 15

•   Faith leads to freedom
  

‘And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise.’ Hebrews 11v11

Two life-shaping outcomes

•   A life of slavery leads to unrest
  

•   A life of freedom leads to peace
  

One way in

•   Grace is given to those who fail
  

•   Grace is received by those who are weak
  

•   Grace is effective in those who believe