"Heir Through God" (December 29, 2024)
Sermon Title: Heir Through God Scripture: Galatians 3:23-25; 4:4-7 Date: December 29, 2024 (First Sunday after Christmas) Location: United Church of Hyde Park Opening Prayer: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14) 1. The Debate in the Galatian Church The context of today's scripture centers around a debate within the Galatian Church. In Paul’s time, the congregation was no longer solely composed of Jews but also included individuals from various cultural backgrounds, lifestyles, languages, races, and religions. This diversity sparked a debate between Jews by birth and Gentiles. For centuries, Israelites, based on their reading of the Hebrew Bible and Torah, believed they were the only chosen people deserving of God’s salvation. In their context, the term “ people of God ” exclusively referred to them. This mindset extended into the early church, where s...