This is my sermon on Galatians 4:12-18. This message was delivered on March 25, 2012 at Hillcrest Baptist Church. This is a verse by verse exposition which deals with how we respond to our infirmities, and turning to God in the face of trials. You will find the text of the sermon, the audio, and a downloadable study outline. Please note that the sermon text is NOT a full transcript. Typically, as I preach, I add to what is in my notes. So, for the full sermon, please listen to the audio version. Also, the Sermon text will require the use of your Bible to look up the Bible references.
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SERMON TEXT:
GALATIANS 4:12-18
v.12:
Before Paul’s conversion, he had been a proud Jew. He had trusted solely in his own righteousness.
After Paul’s conversion, he was freed from the law. He; therefore, became like the Gentiles.
The Gentiles, through the teaching and pressure from the Judaizers, were becoming like the Jews.
They were trusting their own works and righteousness, rather than Christ.
Paul urged the Galatians to become like him, and be freed from the law.
When Paul had first traveled to Galatia, he was persecuted by the Jews, but the Gentiles had never harmed him, as he will go on to explain.
v.13:
How do you respond to your infirmities?
People respond in many different ways to their hardships, and too often, the response is to blame God and turn away from Him.
Too many Christians have the mistaken idea that their life will be trouble free once they get saved.
Then, when trouble comes, they don’t know how to respond.
But the question is not “if” trouble will come, but “when?” The Bible assures us that we will face trials.
1 Peter 4:12
We need to be sure that when trials do come that our response honors God. We need to turn to Him.
Paul’s response was to preach the Gospel.
My response was to preach the Gospel!
v.14:
Despite his physical problems, they had recognized Paul as a messenger of God.
They saw beyond his physical limitations. In fact, our physical limitations are no limitation at all when it comes to doing the work that God has called you to do.
He often uses the weak to accomplish His objectives.
Psalm 8:2
1 Corinthians 1:27
v.15:
The Galatian believers, who once counted themselves blessed to have been taught by Paul, and would have sacrificed their most precious possession for him, had now changed.
v.16:
These believers now counted Paul as their enemy, simply because he was telling them the truth.
Well. . . sometimes the truth hurts!
You shouldn’t get mad at someone who has a proven track record as a preacher of the Gospel just because he tells truth which you may not like.
How many great preachers have been injured by this?
Everything is going fine until they step on the wrong toes, and then they are vilified.
Chances are, that topics will be covered here, that some people may not like. Sometimes the Bible shakes up our ingrained beliefs.
Are there things in the Bible that make you uncomfortable?
If so, do you simply avoid those issues, or do you accept them and bring yourself into agreement with them?
Will you accept the Word of God objectively, or according to your own bias?
v.17:
The Judaizers zealously pursued the gentile believers. They were smooth talkers, using flattery to win the gentiles over.
They were just like all of the other false teachers described in the Scripture.
2 Peter 2:17-19
They had no desire to make disciples of Christ, they wanted the gentiles to be disciples unto them.
They were working for their own glory, not the glory of Christ!
v.18:
To be zealous is good, but only in good things.
Since only God is good, it is only proper to be zealous for Him, and nothing else.
Matthew 19:17
The problem is, that our priorities often change, depending on who we are with.
Too often, we act one way while we think no one is watching, but act another way when we are in church, around the preacher, or our Christian friends.
We should honor Christ and be zealous for Him, even in private!
In Defense: The Blog 
Posted on March 25, 2012
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