Editor’s Note:  The AMI QT Devotionals from June 13-19 are provided by Pastor Shan Gian, who serves at Symphony Church in Boston.  Shan, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania and Gordon Conwell Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Jenny, who recently gave birth to their first baby Tyler.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Galatians 6:9-10

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

As you can see from the introduction earlier, my wife and I have an incredibly cute, newborn baby named Tyler, who is almost three months old.  It has been an amazing and wonderful three months taking care of this little boy, but I’ll let you all in on a little secret… My wife and I are really tired.  Again, it’s been a great and rewarding experience raising him, but with all the work it takes to take care of a baby, we grow weary.  To confess even more, there are times where I would rather sleep, relax and watch TV, than wake up at 3am every day and change Tyler’s diaper and feed him.  Even though I love my son, it’s not easy to keep on doing good.

I share this illustration, because sometimes we have this picture of the Christian life and ministry and being a part of kingdom work as being awesome, rewarding, and fulfilling, without recognizing that it can also be difficult, laborious and wearying. I find that some people think that serving God out of the overflow of our hearts means that doing good to everyone comes easy.  Paul clearly knew otherwise when he wrote this passage.  He exhorts the Galatians to not grow weary and to not give up for no other reason than that we can easily grow weary and we will want to give up!

In our service to God and to the body of Christ, we need perseverance and endurance because we will grow weary.  Like the seed that falls on rocky ground in Jesus’ Parable of the Sower, it’s easy to spring up quickly because it can be so fun and exciting to serve the Lord at the start, but when the excitement wears off and weariness sets in, we can find ourselves like those plants that withered because of the sun, and we stop doing the work of the Lord.

Then how do we endure?  Paul encouraged the Galatians to press on and endure, because there is a harvest to come and that should be our motivation as well.  If we persevere and keep on doing good, we will have the privilege to see people coming to know the Lord.  Beyond the harvest though, to endure, we must remember to do this good work together and strive to bless and encourage one another to endure.  If we grit our teeth and press on as individuals, we will all grow weary and give up, but we can press on when we strive to serve and bless one another in the household of God.

If today you’re feeling weary of doing good, remember that there is a harvest to come and find encouragement from the body of Christ.  If you’re not feeling weary, praise God and find a way to encourage your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who might be feeling weary.  Let us strive to endure to do good together.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 78-9

Editor’s Note:  The AMI QT Devotionals from June 13-19 are provided by Pastor Shan Gian, who serves at Symphony Church in Boston.  Shan, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania and Gordon Conwell Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Jenny, who recently gave birth to their first baby Tyler.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Galatians 6:7-8

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

We rarely have bad intentions—or at least we rarely would admit to having bad intentions.  Whatever we do, we typically think that it’s okay, as long as our intentions are good.  Andy Stanley has a great saying in his book, The Principle of the Path: “Direction, not intention, determines your destination.”  His main observation is that we put too much weight on our good intentions, when really, it’s the direction in which we are going and the decisions we make that determine where we end up.  For example, no one intends to fail out of school, but because they don’t study and play videogames all day, people are heading for   that direction.  No one wakes up one day and says, “I want to be a bad spouse!” but because they neglect their spouses in various ways, people are on a direction to have unhealthy marriages.

In Galatians, Paul lays out two ways to sow or two directions that we can take with our life decisions:  either we sow to our own flesh or we sow to the Spirit.  Sowing to our own flesh leads to a destination of corruption, while sowing to the Spirit leads to a destination of eternal life.  None of us intends to go the path towards corruption.  Many of us lose sight of this, though, because when we’re living for materialism, power or status, our intentions are not necessarily evil.  We’re not sitting back scheming about how we will corrupt ourselves or corrupt the world.  But because we’re sowing to our own flesh—living for things of this world—it leads us towards a destination of destruction.

The good news is that if we sow to the Spirit and live for the things of God, we will reap eternal life.  When we have both good intentions and good directions, we will find ourselves living the full and eternal life Jesus has set out for us.  Let us strive this day to sow to the Spirit and live for eternity!

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 77

Lunch Break Study

Read John 6:35-40: Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Questions to Consider

1. What does it mean that Jesus is the “bread of life”?
2. What are Jesus’ requirements for eternal life?
3. Have you experienced true satisfaction in your life? Or are you finding temporary satisfaction in things of this world?

Notes

1. It means that we will not hunger or thirst anymore. If we eat of the bread of life, we will find true satisfaction that nothing else of this world could ever give.
2. Jesus’ requirement for eternal life is that we look on the Son and believe in him. There are no good works that we need to do besides believing and trusting in Jesus.
3. Personal reflection question.

Evening Reflection

As you’ve reflected on our passage today, consider what you’ve been sowing in your life and what destination that leads to.  Pray and invite the Holy Spirit to guide you towards eternal life.

Editor’s Note:  The AMI QT Devotionals from June 13-19 are provided by Pastor Shan Gian, who serves at Symphony Church in Boston.  Shan, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania and Gordon Conwell Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Jenny, who recently gave birth to their first baby Tyler.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Galatians 6:1

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 

As a self-reliant person, I like to do work on my own, figure out different problems on my own, and work through various issues on my own.  I’m sure many of you are pretty similar to me in this.  Self-reliance is, to an extent, a good thing, for none of us wants to be known as needy or dependent—and there are plenty of things in life that we should work through on our own.  So when it comes to our spiritual lives, our tendency is to work out things with God on our own.

But this is not what God has in mind for us.  In this passage, Paul tells us to, “Bear one another’s burdens.”  We might think that bearing one another’s burdens is just being there for one another or supporting a friend through a hard time.  But in the original language, this word for “bear” is the same word that is used when Jesus was “bearing his own cross” (John 19:17).  Bearing one another’s burdens isn’t just encouraging someone with a few nice words—but it is delving deep into someone’s life and helping through their burdens of sin and shame.  We’re not just called to do this for others, but we ourselves have burdens that we cannot bear on our own—meaning, we need to invite others to help restore us and carry the burdens and struggles we have.

Because we are so inclined to be self-reliant, we try to carry burdens that are meant to be carried with the community.  Whether they’re sins of lust, anger, or past hurts and shames that we hold onto in our hearts, we don’t need to bear these heavy burdens on our own, as they can crush our spirits and hinder our walks with God.  The book of Galatians teaches us about freedom in Christ, and one important way that we can be free in Christ is to give up our self-reliance and bring our burdens for one another to bear.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 76

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 23:1-4: Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, 3 so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice.4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.

Questions to Consider

1. What were the scribes and Pharisees doing right?
2. What were the scribes and Pharisees doing wrong?
3. Who in your life has been there to help you with your heavy burdens? Are there people whose burdens you are helping to bear right now?

Notes

1. For all of the faults that Jesus points out regarding scribes and Pharisees, He does tell us His audience to do and observe what they were teaching and preaching. It seems that in this passage, at least, Jesus was not taking issue with their teachings.
2. In this passage, Jesus is more concerned about how the scribes and Pharisees would teach and preach but not even lift a finger to help the people. The teachings of the scribes and Pharisees were burdens, because they were standards of holiness and righteousness that the people were to follow, but these were too difficult to follow.  These leaders only preached at the people without actually walking alongside them to help them walk in them.  On the other hand, though Jesus gave an impossible standard to follow, “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt 5:48), He did much more than lift a finger—He sacrificed His whole life to help us bear that burden.
3. Personal reflection question.

Evening Reflection

What burdens (yours or others’) do you feel like you were bearing today?  Have you found freedom in these burdens?  Take some time to surrender your burdens to Christ, but also consider reaching out to a friend to help bear your burdens.

Editor’s Note:  The AMI QT Devotionals from June 13-19 are provided by Pastor Shan Gian, who serves at Symphony Church in Boston.  Shan, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania and Gordon Conwell Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Jenny, who recently gave birth to their first baby Tyler.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

On occasion I enjoy trying out a new recipe.  For some reason, it’s fun for me to experiment with a dish that I’ve never made before.  So I’ll pull up a recipe on my iPad, go into the kitchen and start mixing, chopping and mincing things.  I’ll go step by step through the recipe, following all of the instructions, but unfortunately, one problem that I have (as my wife can attest to) is that I’m not always the most thorough person. So at least 10 times in my life, I’ll get to step 7 of 10 of a recipe and realize… I AM MISSING AN INGREDIENT.  This, of course, is not good for cooking.  I, somehow, have to stop sautéing, simmering, or baking, go outside, run to my car and buy the missing ingredient—or else my great dish will be incomplete.

Many people often look at this list of the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians and think of them as ingredients that are part of a great recipe for Christian life.  And similar to my many mistakes in cooking, when they don’t seem to have one of these fruits of the Spirit, they might think that there is something incomplete with their faith.  We have a tendency to think that we have to try to produce these good qualities of the Spirit in our lives in order to be righteous.

Yet it’s important to recognize that these qualities are not requirements for salvation.  Paul’s purpose in his letter to the Galatians was to combat the false teaching that good works were required for salvation.  Instead, these nine qualities are fruits of the Spirit—meaning that a life lived walking with the Holy Spirit will produce these fruits.  As we experience more of the Spirit in our lives, we produce greater fruit.

As you look through these fruits of the Spirit, are some of these qualities lacking in your life?  We all lack in some of these fruits of the Spirit, and we should still strive in some part with our own effort to be more loving or more joyful or more patient or have more self-control.  But as we desire to be more fruitful, the solution isn’t trying with our works or effort, but it is through living and experiencing more of the Holy Spirit within us.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 75

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 15:10-20: And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” 12 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13 He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” 15 But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” 16 And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled?18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”

Questions to Consider

1. What did the Pharisees believe about what defiles a person?
2. According to Jesus, what defiles a person?
3. How can a defiled person be redeemed?

Notes

1. The Pharisees thought that it was what people ate or touched that defiled a person. That’s why they focused on handwashing and dietary restrictions.  They believed that it was merely bad works that made person sinful, and on the flip side of that, they believed that it was good works that cleansed a person.
2. Jesus tells us that it’s not the bad works or external sins that defiled a person, but instead, it is the heart and what comes out of the heart. All of the bad things that a person does are the fruit of a bad heart.  It is not the external things, like eating with unwashed hands.
3. The only way a defiled person can be redeemed is with a new heart. We cannot be redeemed through human effort or good works, but only if our bad hearts are made good.  The only way our hearts can be redeemed and be made righteous is through the work of Jesus within us.  In Ezekiel 36:26-27, God says, “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”

Evening Reflection

Did you feel “fruitful” today?  Whether you did or did not, take some time now to spend with God.  Pray that you will walk with the Holy Spirit and that in doing so, pray that the fruits of the Spirit will become more evident in your life.

Editor’s Note:  The AMI QT Devotionals from June 13-19 are provided by Pastor Shan Gian, who serves at Symphony Church in Boston.  Shan, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania and Gordon Conwell Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Jenny, who recently gave birth to their first baby Tyler.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Galatians 5:13-14

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Os Guinness, a Christian author, says that there are two types of freedom: negative freedom and positive freedom. Negative freedom is freedom from oppression like political oppression, while positive freedom is freedom for something—freedom with a purpose. The problem in our culture is that freedom is only seen in light of negative freedom. Americans will loudly declare that they have freedom of speech or freedom to do whatever they want to do. Kids can’t wait until they have freedom from being under their parents’ rule or until they have freedom from school and homework.

Paul tells us that we are called to freedom, but he warns us not see this freedom as just negative freedom—freedom from judgment and wrath, because much like how the American culture promotes this, seeing freedom only in this way leads to living just for the flesh. Many of us today think similarly when we see the grace of Jesus Christ as an excuse to sin.

Instead, we should not forget to see our freedom in Christ as positive freedom—freedom with a purpose. Jesus has set us free not so that we can indulge in the flesh, but that we can, through love, serve one another, building up the body of Christ as we bless one another. Because the work of Christ has freed us from having to do good works to attain salvation, we are free to love one another without any fear of judgment or any need to prove ourselves—even to one another.

As we have been called to freedom in Christ, we should celebrate the “negative” freedom since we have been set free from sin and death, but let us also remember to embrace the “positive” freedom and strive to use this freedom for the purpose of building up one another.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 74

Lunch Break Study

Romans 6:5-11

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Questions to Consider

1. According to this passage, what have we been set free from?
2. What do we gain in our freedom in Christ?
3. What does it mean for us to consider ourselves dead to sin and alive in Christ?

Notes

1. We have been set free from the enslavement of sin. Paul also says that our old self was crucified with him—meaning that we are free from being stuck in our old destructive patterns.
2. Because we have been set free, we live united with Christ; and since death has no dominion over Him, it no longer has dominion over us either. This means that we can live boldly for Christ, without fear of condemnation or wrath, knowing that Jesus has defeated sin and death on our behalf.
3. Being dead to sin means living in such a way where sin has no power over us. We are still tempted to sin, but we can say no to it because we are no longer enslaved to it—all because of Jesus. On the other hand, being alive in Christ means that we have been set free to live for a purpose, for the glory of Jesus. It means having joy and resurrection life in Christ.

Evening Reflection

How have you understood your freedom in Christ today? Did you experience any “positive” freedom? Take some time to pray and reflect and consider how your freedom can be used by God to bless others.

Editor’s Note:  The AMI QT Devotionals from June 13-19 are provided by Pastor Shan Gian, who serves at Symphony Church in Boston.  Shan, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania and Gordon Conwell Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Jenny, who recently gave birth to their first baby Tyler.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Galatians 5:1

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

Being convicted of a crime and doing jail time is probably as low as it can get for any person.  There is so much shame and humiliation that goes with it.  And yet when we look at the recidivism rate (the percentage of former prisoners being rearrested) in the United States, over 60% of ex-convicts end up back in prison.  These are men and women who have experienced the rock bottom of being imprisoned and have then experienced the joy and the freedom of being released, and yet, over 60% of them find themselves submitting again to the yoke of slavery.

You would think that once someone has experienced the sweet freedom of Jesus Christ, they then would not want to go back into slavery.  But Apostle Paul had to instruct the Galatians to not submit again to the yoke of slavery, because they, like us, were so prone to find themselves in slavery again.  The Galatians had been set free from a salvation by good works.  The cross of Jesus Christ had given them freedom, but so many of them had fallen into the temptation of living by their works again, thus submitting themselves again to the yoke of slavery.

We find this temptation at work in our own lives.  If we’ve put our faith in Jesus Christ, we’ve been set free.  We are completely free from having to prove ourselves through our own righteousness and good works.  Yet many Christians often don’t feel very free.  They feel burdened and heavy laden by all that it takes to be a “good” Christian.  Without realizing it, they are submitting to slavery, striving to prove themselves, trying to be good enough for God.

This is why Paul tells us to stand firm.  We can so easily forget that Jesus has set us free, and without realizing it, we can fall into the slavery of striving to prove ourselves through good works.  Let us reflect today on how we put ourselves into slavery, and let’s also remind ourselves that Jesus has set us free by what He has done, not by anything we have done.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 73

Lunch Break Study

Read Mark 10:17-22: And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Questions to Consider

1. How was this young man striving to prove himself?
2. How did Jesus see him?
3. Why was this young man so disappointed by Jesus’ command? Why was Jesus’ response so difficult for him?

Notes

1. This man very clearly was striving to prove himself through his seemingly perfect obedience to the Ten Commandments. He saw himself as righteous because of his own good works.
2. In spite of this young man’s pride and self-righteousness, Jesus looks upon him with love (v. 21). This should encourage all of us because it shows us that even with this young man’s sin and pride, Jesus had a gracious heart of love for him.
3. This young man was disappointed because Jesus points out the one thing that he could not do in obedience—to sell all his possessions, give to the poor and follow Jesus.  On the surface, it may seem that this man’s struggle was greed, but when we look deeper, we realize that what this man lacked was a dependence on God.  He walked away sorrowful because he couldn’t give up everything to follow God.

Evening Reflection

As you’ve been reflecting today, have you seen your tendencies to prove yourself?  But also, how does the freedom of Christ give you hope?  Take some time to pray and celebrate that you have been set free.

Editor’s Note:  The AMI Devotional QT from June 6-12 are written by Phillip Chen, college pastor intern at Church of Southland. Philip, a graduate of University of California, San Diego, is currently studying at Talbot School of Theology.  He is married to Esther.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Galatians 4:21-31 (ESV)

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.

When God called Abraham to leave all that he had to follow Him, He promised to make Abraham a father of a great nation; however, Abraham had no son since Sarah was barren.  Having waited many years, they began to waver in their faith in God’s promise. After more than ten years passed and still no son, where Sarah was way beyond the natural-child bearing age, Abraham and Sarah probably began to wonder if they had heard God wrong. Sarah ended up reasoning that perhaps through Hagar, her servant, they would be able to have children. Hagar ended up conceiving, and gave birth to a son, Ishmael. However, Ishmael was not the son who was to fulfill the promise of God. Fourteen years later, Sarah, at the age of 90, gave birth to Isaac—the son that God had promised to Abraham.

Paul uses this story to help us understand the difference between those who attempt to be justified by the law, and those justified by grace. Ishmael, who was conceived by Hagar, is a representation of human effort. Ishmael was the result of a lack of faith in God, being born of natural means. On the other hand, Isaac, who was conceived by Sarah, is a representation of God’s grace. Isaac was the result of faith in God, being born of supernatural means. Now, Paul contrasts these two and brings it into context for the Galatians: Those who want to be justified by the law are descendants of Ishmael, a lineage marked by human effort.  Those who want to be justified by grace are descendants of Isaac, a lineage marked by God’s grace.

Paul reminds us that we are sons of grace, descendants of Isaac, not Ishmael. We are His children by His grace and not by our efforts. But why does he continue to re-emphasize this point about grace over works? Paul seems to know something about our human nature and what we are influenced by. We live in a works-based society and are heavily influenced by that. In fact, if we do not take regular pauses out of our day to remember His grace in our lives, we will fall into the lie that we deserve everything we have, because we have worked hard for it. It is so easy to be influenced by legalism that we are actually told to cast it out of our presence. Legalism leads to spiritual pride. Spiritual pride blinds us to the needs of others around us, to the point where we are unable to extend grace and mercy to those around us. Grace, on the other hand, leads to humility. Humility leads to receiving grace from God and extending grace to others.

Have you accepted His grace? Humble yourself today and remind yourself that you have been made a child of God because of His grace. May this be a refreshing reminder that we are recipients of amazing grace, and may it cause our hearts to leap with true joy!

Prayer

“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost, but now am found! Was blind, but now I see.”

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 71-72

Editor’s Note:  The AMI Devotional QT from June 6-12 are written by Phillip Chen, college pastor intern at Church of Southland. Philip, a graduate of University of California, San Diego, is currently studying at Talbot School of Theology.  He is married to Esther.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Galatians 4:8-20 (ESV):

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years! 11 I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.12 Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong. 13 You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, 14 and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. 15 What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17 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.

We are all susceptible to having counterfeit gods in our lives. What are counterfeit gods? Timothy Keller explains it as “anything in life [that] is an absolute requirement for your happiness and self-worth.” We can easily jump from one idol to another, thinking that we have overcome idolatry, but actually falling prey to another false god. There are so many false idols in this world that continue to pull for our attention—power, sex, social media, etc.  But often the moment we feel like we have broken free from the grips of one god, we realize we have been enslaved by another god.

The Gentiles whom Paul was writing this letter to must have been shocked to read this letter, accusing them of turning back again to false gods. Though they were once enslaved by pagan idolatry, they thought that they were now true worshippers of God—how could Paul accuse them of such a thing? Yet Paul was talking about a different false god: the Law, given by God himself. These Gentiles may not have been worshipping false gods, which their culture had erected—but they were worshipping the Law. Paul says that the Law has no power to save, but they were treating it as a god who could save them.

But today, I want to focus on Paul’s genuine concern for these Galatians as a spiritual father. Not only as a father, but also as a concerned mother who is in the process of childbirth. He is in deep anguish that his spiritual children are turning to false teachings. When we take an inventory of our relationships with our family, our friends, and the brothers and sisters in our church, do we have a concern for them in this way as Paul did? On the other end, do we have people who are concerned for us in this way? This is the importance of the community of faith. We need those who are genuinely concerned for us and are willing to point out the counterfeit gods in our lives—particularly in this “do-anything-your-heart-desires” world. If we are not actively involved in a local church, we are missing out on an important element of the Christian faith—people who love us enough to point out these false idols.

If I have a false idol in my life which I can’t see or won’t admit to, I would want those who genuinely care for me to point it out graciously. Wouldn’t you? Of course, it’s uncomfortable and we might get defensive at first, but hopefully, we will realize that it is for our good and that these idols can be rooted out. Surround yourselves with people who care for you and take a moment to thank them.

Prayer: Father, thank You for the many spiritual fathers and mothers who have poured into my life, making sure that I am not following after false gods, but that I am worshipping and honoring the true and living God. May You surround me with more people who will care for me in this way, and may you use me to care for others in this way.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 70

Editor’s Note:  The AMI Devotional QT from June 6-12 are written by Phillip Chen, college pastor intern at Church of Southland. Philip, a graduate of University of California, San Diego, is currently studying at Talbot School of Theology.  He is married to Esther.  

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Galatians 3:23 – 4:7 (ESV)

Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. 3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

The Gentiles were able to become a part of Israel if they were circumcised and kept the law, identifying themselves with the nation of Israel (Ex. 12:48).  The Judaizers that were trying to get the Gentile converts to be circumcised were trying to be faithful to that command. But Paul is proposing that they have entered into a new season, where the way to come to God was through Jesus. Whether you were a Jew, under the guardianship of the Law, or a Gentile, an outsider adopted into the family, the promise was now fulfilled in Jesus. There is no differentiation between the adopted son and natural born son – both were heirs to the inheritance through faith in Jesus.

If we stop to think about it, there is a very natural progression in human history, particularly with God’s plan in mind. Paul equates this to a child growing up. When a son has not yet reached the age of maturity, though the inheritance is set out for him, he does not have full rights to it. He is still under guardians that discipline and control him. This is the role of the Law before Jesus came into this world. This was the season that God’s people were transitioning out of into a new season, marked by freedom and authority. But the Judaizers were still stuck in this “old season” and could not see where God was going with His redemptive plan.

Just as a child ages and transitions through seasons, so does human history. It is easy for us to forget that there is a plan set in motion from the beginning. Isn’t it amazing to know that things don’t just happen randomly, but there is a God-ordained progression that we are following? I realize that so often, I make decisions in life based on my calculations and plans, and then I ask God to bless my decisions. If I don’t think about it, I might wander through this life aimlessly, just following whatever trend I am met with, or stuck in a particular pattern of thinking. But I realize how important it is to actually know what season we are in, so that we are able to join in on what God is doing. This is a divine season that you and I are in. Let’s seek God together and ask Him to show us what He is doing in our generation, in this season, so that we might fulfill the plans God has set out for us.

Prayer: Father God, we don’t want to miss out on what You are doing in this season. Help us be attentive to your Holy Spirit so that we might fulfill the gospel mandate for this generation.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 68

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 5:17-20 (ESV):  “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Question to Consider

1. In light of the morning devotion, does this “season of grace” we are in mean that there is no more need for the law?
2. What can this passage tell us about the Law?

Notes

1. The Law is not discarded in this season of grace. It’s important to realize that the Law is still very important, as it is the guiding principles that we are to live by. When a child is young, he is told not to touch the hot stove and is restricted/restrained from doing so. When the child has reached maturity, he is no longer told not to touch the hot stove, but he understands the governing principle. So also, we are to understand the Spirit of the Law in this season, as God’s instruction to us on how to live.
2. The Law is still important. Even though it doesn’t have the power to save us, it is still given for our benefit and we are to pay careful attention to it. It is working with grace for the benefit of the believers.

Evening Reflection

Are you actively trying to understand what God is doing in your life, your church, and your community? We can easily spend our entire lifetime without having a clue as to what God is doing in our world or even in the communities. Just as the Judaizers were oblivious to what God was doing, we can also be unaware of what God is doing. Let us approach God with humility and ask for understanding so that we will not miss out on what God is doing.

Editor’s Note:  The AMI Devotional QT from June 6-12 are written by Phillip Chen, college pastor intern at Church of Southland. Philip, a graduate of University of California, San Diego, is currently studying at Talbot School of Theology.  He is married to Esther.  

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Galatians 3:21-29 (ESV)

Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law.22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave[g] nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

The giving of the law seemed contrary to the promise of God that salvation was purely by grace. Is salvation by human effort or by God’s grace? So this is a valid question: Did God mess up? Is God contradicting himself? Paul is saying, “Absolutely not!” Law and grace do not contradict one another, but actually complement one another in God’s plan of salvation for His people. Philip Ryken uses this baseball analogy as an illustration to help us understand this:

“For two glorious summers, the Chicago Cubs taught baseball fans the fundamentals of Reformation theology. First, the Cubs made a trade for Vance Law and started him at third base. Then a few months later, they brought first basemen Mark Grace up from the minor leagues. There they were, right next to each other in the batting order: Law and Grace. They were in the proper order too, first Grace, batting in the fifth position, and then Law. For as Paul explained to the Galatians, God gave grace to Abraham before He gave Moses the law. And there they stood on the baseball diamond – Grace and Law – holding down opposite corners of the infield. Opposing batters would smash the ball to third, where Law would knock it down and throw it over to first for the out. Law to Grace to retire the side. Law and Grace are not opponents; they are teammates working together for the salvation of God’s people. The law leads to grace, which is to be found only in Christ.”

I don’t know if you’ve ever felt the tension between the law and grace, where you felt captivated by the amazing grace given to you, but felt like you had to repay that grace by making sure you follow all the rules.  It’s not meant to be that way. It’s always been about grace. The law is not meant to be a vehicle for salvation, but it is meant to reflect our sins to us and redirect us to the grace of God. Again, it is the perfect teammate to grace, working side by side for the salvation of God’s people. Today, be confident in His grace, and hold onto His law, knowing that both are working for your good.

Prayer: Father God, thank you for Your law that not only teaches me how to live this life the right way, but also magnifies Your amazing grace in my life. May I daily seek to meditate upon your word and Your law, knowing that it has been given to me for my benefit.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 68

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 119:97-104 (ESV): Oh how I love your law! It is my mediation all the day. Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts. I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word. I do not turn aside from your rules, for you have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore, I hate every false way.

Question to Consider

1. What is the psalmist encouraging us to do?
2. What are the benefits of holding onto the law of God?
3. What is your experience of the law of God? What is your perception of it?

Notes

1. The psalmist encourages us to meditate on the law of God day and night because it is for our benefit.
2. It give us wisdom and understanding. If God created us and designed us, His law is meant to be a manual on how we are to live this life with the most joy and fulfillment.
3. Self-Reflection.

Evening Reflection

How do you treat “the law of God?” Do you disregard the law because it’s all about grace? Or have you become legalistic and you are unable to receive or give grace? Tonight, ask God to help you to hold onto the radical middle—understanding that the law and His grace is what works together for our benefit.