Bondage Or Freedom by Brother Duke Hansen

         There are 3 distinctive timelines in history. 1) Book of Genesis 2) the life and ministry of Jesus and 3) the coming judgement. There is still a reason for the five fold ministry still today, because often our individual thoughts or comprehension will misinterpret or get wrong the scripture.

        The scripture we are going to be reading from this morning is going to be the 4th chapter of Galatians. We will be reading in verse 1.

        Now I say, that the heir, as long as he is a child, differs nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;

        2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.

        3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

        4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman made under the law.

        The message this morning is bondage or freedom. If you are an heir, you are indeed free. If you are a servant, you're unto bondage in the world. This is the connection which Paul is writing about in these first few verses.

        5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoptions of sons.

        Being under the law is due to being of the flesh and living in sin. The law was established as guardrails for a person's behavior. We speak and all go through a struggle. The struggle is you still doing something wrong by definition of the law and you know that it's wrong. Those who were under the law in this letter specifically in verse 5 were the Jews of the day.

        6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying Abba, Father.

        Because Jesus came, he had sent the comforter. The comforter is his spirit which is in those who receive him.

        7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

        8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.

        When you didn't know God, you had worshipped other gods and lived in a sinful nature.

        9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

        How can you return to weak and beggarly thoughts if you have ever been born again? Why do you want to be or return to bondage.

        10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.

        11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

        12 Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.

        Paul has taught and trained the church in Galatia to be like him. He has broken his bondage to his Jewish faith. Be like me because I am like you.

        13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.

        God gives infirmities and takes you through things for conviction and correction. If you don't feel that infirmity in the flesh, conflict, you may not be on the path of faith. 

        14 And my temptation which was not in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

        15 Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.

        16 Am I therefore become your eenmy, because I tell you the truth?

        How can I be your enemy? I brought you to salvation. Is it because I speak the truth? The truth will always bring adversity and conflict.

        17 They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.

        18 But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.

        19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

        20 I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.

        21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

        22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.

        23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.

        These are the 2 covenants bond or free in this account of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar.

        24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

        25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

        26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

        Jerusalem is built on the the threshing floor King David had bought to worship God. The city which Jesus entered at the Feast of Passover. The same mountain where Jesus would be put to death by crucifixion. Who are you going to keep yourself attahced to in your life? Bondage or freedom?

        27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.

        28 Now we, brethren, as Issac was, are the children of promise.

        29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

        30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free-woman.

        The bond people do not like the free people. There is an established division. It is very rare when the servant is indeed satisfied. Look at the reign and kingdom of Solomon. Solomon was an heir of immense wealth. He appropriated that to all accordingly. More often than not, your flesh is bonded to self destruction. The boldness to bondage is where the Jews being born into freedom were bonded to the law.

        God gives you grace to grow. We are always going to have people in the process of one of the 3 steps to begin the path of faith. We are two people inside of one vessel. A child of God inside the child of man. There are moments of growth, of maturity, of wisdom, of gaining ground and falling back.

        In order to be free, you first need to believe that you can be free. Why are we baptized into Christ? There is one name which you can be saved and the covering applied. Who died for you? It is absolute truth that Jesus is God.

        The people gathered to greet Jesus as he entered into Jerusalem fulfilling prophetic scripture. The people praising God knew in that moment they saw freedom in Jesus. The same freedom is still offered today in this time of grace. 

        In the days ahead, go to chapter 5 of Galatians 5: 19-21. The things which Paul lists as works of the flesh are not inheriting the kingdom of God. These are all markers of bondage.

        In verses 22 and 23 there is no law against these. These fruits are counter to the bondage of the flesh. If you think you're fighting the devil in life, fast your flesh. If after a couple of days there's still a fight, it's your flesh at work. Follow the footsteps of Jesus this week from the triumphant entry into Jerusalem to the resurrection.