Be who you are

Sunday Sermon
November 16th 2009
Rhema Community Church

Sermonic Skeleton

Sermonic Pericope: ESV Galatians 4:17-31 They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. 18 It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, 19 my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! 20 I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you. 21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. 23 But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. 24 Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written, "Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than those of the one who has a husband." 28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. 30 But what does the Scripture say? "Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman." 31 So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.

Sermonic Theme: Saved & Set Free (The Doctrine of Justification)

Sermonic Subject: Saved by faith alone not works.

Sermonic Tension: Hagar or Sarah (Slave or Free)

Sermonic Question: Who are you moreover; whose are you? Are you a child of Hagar or Sarah?

Sermonic Objective: The objective of this sermon is to affirm the fact that Christ Jesus has set us free to live genuinely.

Sermonic Help: apologetics from the Greek apologia or apologetikos, “to speak in defense of.” The word is used eight times in the NT: Acts 22.1; 25:16; 1 Corinthians 7.11; Philippians 1.17; 16; 2 Timothy 4.16; & 1 Peter 3.15 the classic text: (Amplified Bible) But in your hearts set Christ apart as holy [and acknowledge Him] as Lord. Always be ready to give a logical defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope that is in you, but do it courteously and respectfully.

Apologetics is the area of Christian theology, or philosophy, which aims to intelligently defend the Christian faith in areas such as the relationship of faith and reason, proofs for the existence of God, miracles, the problem of evil, evidence for the resurrection of Christ, the inspiration of Scripture, prophecy, and the defense of creation. It includes both positive arguments for the truth of Christianity and rebuttals of criticisms leveled against it.

Occasionally called eristics, apologetics is the formal defense of the Christian faith. Historically, Christian theologians have differed as to whether apologetics is appropriate to the presentation of the gospel, and if so, how it should be accomplished. Depending on how they have answered these questions, apologists have appealed to rational argumentation, empirical evidence, fulfilled prophecy, authorities of the church or mystical experience in defending such beliefs as the existence of God, the authority of Scripture, the deity of Christ and the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection.

Sermonic Title: “BE WHO YOU ARE”

Sermonic Structure:

I. WE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST JESUS (V. 17-20)

II. WE PROTECT WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST JESUS (V. 21-25)

III. WE PRAISE GOD FOR WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST JESUS (V.26-31)