The Tale of Two Sons | Galatians 4:22-23

For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. — Galatians 4:22-23

CALL OUT: Our call-out goes to Richard Diguer from Ingleside, Canada. Thank you so much for your support, brother. You are in our prayers today!

In this section, Paul will reference a story of immense significance for every Jew. It's not just any story but the narrative of a promise to Abraham that illuminates the very origins of faith in God.

But you'll notice that Paul has been pointing back a lot. This is intentional. He is trying to show Gentile and Jewish believers that the basis of faith in God was established long before the law ever existed. Its origins began with a promise God made to Abraham. God promised to provide a son through his line of Abraham, establishing him as the father of many nations. Yet there was a problem. Abraham and Sarah were old, and Sarah was unable to have children.

In disbelief, Sarah encouraged Abraham to take matters into his own hands. She persuaded him to sleep with his slave woman Hagar, and she quickly bore them a child — Ishmael. But soon after, Sarah became pregnant and bore them a legitimate son — Isaac. Despite the improbability of their age, God made good on his promise to give them a child. But he was only the first son in a long lineage that led to God's provision of the Messianic son — Jesus. By faith, Abraham believed, and even though he did not see the Savior, he knew God would provide a Savior. Therefore, Abraham put his faith in God, which was counted as righteousness.

This is what Paul establishes yet again. Before any provision or works of the law, faith saved the patriarch of the faith in the same way all men are saved. By faith alone in Jesus Christ, who saved the world from sin.

Paul keeps doing the same thing repeatedly, pounding home the same point from every possible angle.

But some people need the truth presented this way. They need to see it from every possible angle. You know what that means. You can't give up on the people you love. If they have a corrupt understanding of the faith, find another angle and try another approach. Present the case until it makes sense.

It was my grandfather who eventually convinced me. One day, we were taking a ride in his old 1958 Chevy Apache truck, and as we pulled over to stop, he paused and turned to me and said:

"I know your mother and father say God is not real because Christians are hypocrites, and the church is full of broken people. And I want you to know they are right. Christians are hypocrites, and the church is full of broken people. In fact, I am a hypocrite and a broken person. But I don't put my faith in a hypocrite or in broken people. I put my faith in a man, his name was Jesus. He was not a hypocrite, and his life was broken for me and for you."

That conversation turned my world upside down. It helped me see the one thing I was unable to see: Faith in a person, Jesus, is what saves, nothing else. And because my grandfather did not give up on me, I became a man of faith.

So don't quit on the people you love. Keep telling them the story. Find another angle. Present the Gospel yet again. And remember, God never quit on us.

#FaithVsFlesh #PromiseKeeper #LegacyofFaith #GospelPerspective #NeverGiveUp

ASK THIS:

1. How does the story of Abraham, Sarah, and their sons Ishmael and Isaac challenge your understanding of faith and obedience to God's promises in your own life?
2. Reflect on a time when you faced a situation where you were tempted to take matters into your own hands instead of trusting in God's promises. How can you apply the lesson from Abraham's story to approach similar situations with faith and patience in the future?

DO THIS: Don't quit on people you love. God didn't

PRAY THIS: Father, help me to trust in Your promises and have faith in Your perfect timing, even when circumstances seem impossible. Guide me to persistently share Your Gospel with love, never giving up on those I care about.

PLAY THIS: Don't Quit.