Galatians 4:21-31; Surprising Family

In Galatians 4:21-31, Paul uses the story of Abraham’s two sons—one by the slave woman Hagar and one by the free woman Sarah—to illustrate the radical freedom that Christ brings. This passage can be uncomfortable, not only because of its references to slavery, but also because it challenges our sense of fairness and the categories we use to define who belongs in God’s family. Yet, it is precisely in these difficult texts that we discover the depth of God’s grace and the surprising inclusivity of His kingdom. God’s design is not for anyone to be enslaved—physically, spiritually, or by the burdens of religious legalism. Instead, we are created for freedom, and Christ has set us free so that we might live as children of promise.

Paul’s metaphorical use of Hagar and Sarah is not a condemnation of individuals, but a challenge to the false teaching that had crept into the Galatian churches. Some were insisting that Gentile believers needed to adopt Jewish customs and laws to be fully included in God’s family. Paul confronts this head-on, declaring that faith in Christ alone makes us children of promise, like Isaac. This is a shocking reversal: those who were once considered outsiders are now fully welcomed, not as second-class citizens, but as equal heirs. God’s plan has always been to bless all the families of the earth, breaking down the barriers we so often construct.

This radical inclusion is both personal and communal. On the personal level, the gospel invites each of us to turn from our old ways and receive the grace that welcomes us into God’s family, no matter our past. On the communal level, the gospel tears down the walls that divide us—racial, cultural, social, or otherwise—and forms a new, surprising family where all are welcome. The cross itself is a symbol of these two dimensions: vertical, representing our restored relationship with God, and horizontal, representing our reconciled relationships with one another. Living out this gospel means embracing both dimensions—receiving God’s grace for ourselves and extending it to others in authentic community. In neighborhood communities and around the communion table, we embody the surprising, upside-down family of God, where everyone who calls on the name of the Lord is welcomed and made whole.

Key Takeaways

• 1. God’s design is for freedom, not slavery—of any kind. The language of slavery in Galatians is a metaphor for the spiritual bondage that comes from trying to earn God’s favor through law-keeping or human effort. Christ’s work on the cross liberates us from every form of bondage, inviting us to live as free people who are no longer defined by our failures or by the burdens others place on us. [04:27]
• 2. The story of Hagar and Sarah is not about personal merit, but about God’s surprising grace. God’s choices often defy our sense of fairness, reminding us that His grace is not earned but given. This challenges us to let go of our categories of who is “in” or “out” and to marvel at the wideness of God’s mercy, which welcomes the unexpected and the undeserving. [06:21]
• 3. The gospel is not “Jesus plus” anything. The Galatians were being pressured to add religious rituals and cultural norms to the simple good news of Jesus. Paul insists that faith in Christ alone is what makes us children of promise, and any attempt to add requirements undermines the freedom and unity that Christ has won for us. [08:20]
• 4. God’s family is radically inclusive, breaking down every barrier. Paul’s declaration that Gentile believers are “like Isaac” was revolutionary, signaling that all who trust in Christ—regardless of background, ethnicity, or status—are full heirs in God’s family. The kingdom of God is always bigger and more surprising than we expect, calling us to welcome others as God has welcomed us. [17:29]
• 5. The gospel has both a personal and a communal dimension. The cross reminds us that we are reconciled to God (vertical) and to one another (horizontal). True spiritual growth happens not in isolation, but in community, where we learn to love, forgive, and serve one another as members of God’s surprising family. [23:17]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:19] - Embracing Difficult Passages
• [01:33] - Paul’s Tone and the Galatian Context
• [02:09] - Understanding Slavery in Scripture
• [04:27] - Created for Freedom
• [05:25] - The Challenge of God’s Choices
• [07:09] - The Gentile Inclusion Controversy
• [08:20] - The Danger of “Gospel Plus”
• [10:02] - God’s Family and the Promise
• [11:44] - Paul’s Use of Metaphor
• [13:26] - Two Covenants Explained
• [14:41] - Isaiah 54 and God’s Expansive Kingdom
• [15:43] - Gentiles as Children of Promise
• [17:29] - The Surprising Family of God
• [21:29] - The Two Dimensions of the Gospel
• [23:17] - Living Out the Gospel in Community
• [25:43] - Invitation to Neighborhood Communities
• [26:10] - Communion: Embodying the Family of God
• [27:59] - Closing Prayer and Sending

Bible Reading

Galatians 4:21-31 (ESV) — 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.

Observation Questions

1. What two women and two sons does Paul use as a metaphor in this passage, and what do they represent?
2. According to Paul, what is the difference between being a child of the slave woman and a child of the free woman?
3. What does Paul say about the Jerusalem that is “above” compared to the present Jerusalem?
4. In the sermon, what was the controversy in the Galatian churches that Paul was addressing? ([07:09])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why does Paul use the story of Hagar and Sarah as a metaphor for spiritual freedom and bondage? How does this challenge the way people think about who belongs in God’s family? ([05:25])
2. The sermon says, “God’s design is not for anyone to be enslaved—physically, spiritually, or by the burdens of religious legalism.” What are some modern examples of spiritual or religious “slavery” that people might experience today? ([04:27])
3. Paul insists that faith in Christ alone makes us children of promise. Why is it so tempting to add extra requirements or rituals to the gospel? ([08:20])
4. The sermon describes the gospel as both personal (vertical) and communal (horizontal). What does it mean for the gospel to have these two dimensions, and why are both important? ([23:17])

Application Questions

1. The sermon says, “You were created for freedom.” Are there areas in your life where you feel weighed down by expectations, rules, or guilt? What would it look like to live in the freedom Christ offers? ([04:27])
2. Paul’s metaphor challenges our sense of fairness and who we think should be “in” or “out.” Have you ever felt like an outsider in church or faith? How did you respond, and what helped you feel included? ([06:21])
3. The Galatians were pressured to add religious rituals to the gospel (“Gospel plus”). Are there ways you’ve felt pressure to “add” something to your faith in order to belong or be accepted? How can you remind yourself and others that faith in Christ alone is enough? ([08:20])
4. The sermon highlights that God’s family is radically inclusive, breaking down barriers of race, culture, and status. Is there a group or type of person you find it hard to welcome or include? What step could you take this week to move toward greater inclusion? ([17:29])
5. The cross is described as both vertical (restoring us to God) and horizontal (restoring us to each other). Which of these dimensions do you find easier or harder to live out? Why? ([23:17])
6. The sermon encourages joining neighborhood communities to live out the gospel together. If you’re not already part of a small group or community, what holds you back? If you are, how can you help make your group a place where everyone feels like a full member of God’s family? ([25:43])
7. Communion is described as a way we “embody the surprising family of God.” How does sharing communion or meals with others help you experience the reality of God’s inclusive family? ([27:07])