Father Abraham Had Many Sons
January 21, 2009
 As you can tell, we’ve got a lively class this year at the BI.
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Today I taught through Galatians 2:11-3:14 to my very enthusiastic class of students at Word of Life Bible Institute in New York. Besides all the obvious benefits of teaching students, I enjoy going through Galatians year after year because this little book (only six chapters–you can read it in 30 minutes or less) is filled with spiritual dynamite.
It has a lot to say about standing for the truth of the gospel in a day of moral compromise. Yesterday we spent a long time talking about circumcision because the book rests on a question that seems rather remote to us, “Is circumcision necessary for salvation?” The answer is no, but the real challenge comes when we try to think together about why this question would have been a big issue 2000 years ago. So when I give them “Pastor Ray’s Circumcision Talk,” things get very quiet in the room. We start with the Old Testament and end up talking about the fact that every part of my life belongs to God–even the parts that I regard as intimate and personal. That’s when the relevance of this little book moves to a new level.
Today we talked a lot about racial and ethnic prejudice in light of God’s intention to offer salvation not just to the Jews but to all people everywhere. That discussion started with the Wednesday night supper at the church in Antioch and ended with the crowds that gathered on the National Mall in Washington yesterday. More than once I’ve thought that this is a wonderful week to be teaching Galatians with its liberating message of freedom in Christ.
I think today’s high point came when we talked about the true sons (and daughters) of Abraham from Genesis 3:6-9. Paul says the true sons are those who are related to Abraham by faith, not by physical descent. Then we stand and sang the chorus, “Father Abraham Had Many Sons,” with the motions thrown in–right arm, left arm, right leg, left leg, turn around, sit down. It’s always a high point–-plus it gives us a few minutes of aerobic exercise.
It has a lot to say about standing for the truth of the gospel in a day of moral compromise. Yesterday we spent a long time talking about circumcision because the book rests on a question that seems rather remote to us, “Is circumcision necessary for salvation?” The answer is no, but the real challenge comes when we try to think together about why this question would have been a big issue 2000 years ago. So when I give them “Pastor Ray’s Circumcision Talk,” things get very quiet in the room. We start with the Old Testament and end up talking about the fact that every part of my life belongs to God–even the parts that I regard as intimate and personal. That’s when the relevance of this little book moves to a new level.
Today we talked a lot about racial and ethnic prejudice in light of God’s intention to offer salvation not just to the Jews but to all people everywhere. That discussion started with the Wednesday night supper at the church in Antioch and ended with the crowds that gathered on the National Mall in Washington yesterday. More than once I’ve thought that this is a wonderful week to be teaching Galatians with its liberating message of freedom in Christ.
I think today’s high point came when we talked about the true sons (and daughters) of Abraham from Genesis 3:6-9. Paul says the true sons are those who are related to Abraham by faith, not by physical descent. Then we stand and sang the chorus, “Father Abraham Had Many Sons,” with the motions thrown in–right arm, left arm, right leg, left leg, turn around, sit down. It’s always a high point–-plus it gives us a few minutes of aerobic exercise.