Sunday 24th August – Complaining vs Gratitude

25-08-2025 Set Free to Live Free, Complaining vs Gratitude, Galatians 4:8-20, pastor adrian kitson

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God – or rather are known by God – how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you. You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you.

You did me no wrong. As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you, and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?

Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them. It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you. My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you.

I am always struck by my ability to complain about things. I can complain about anything and everything. It is too hot. It is too cold, as if there is this magic perfect temperature point that God should provide for us all the time.

I am too old. I am too young, as if there is the ‘perfect’ age at which God is supposed to keep me.

Things are moving too fast; they are moving too slow, as if there is this perfect rhythm of life God is supposed to organise just for me….

When I complain I go searching; searching for something to keep my day ‘in my zone’; to keep me happy; to keep things stable and sure and in control.

I am not alone. I hear a lot of complaints!

There is also a lot of complaining in the Biblical story. I suspect that Paul is remembering one long story of the past; of God’s people complaining as he tries again to help these Galatian Christians find the freedom, contentment and joy that is already theirs in Jesus.

⁸Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods (Galatians 4:1)

That sounds like Exodus journey language. I think Paul is recalling that journey where God’s people ‘grumbling’ (complained) against Moses back in those tough days out in the desert.

These Christians in Galatia are just like those Old Testament desert travellers. They seem to be giving up their promised future in God’s new place with them as and ‘go back to Egypt’: the slavery they were living under in Egypt.

Back then, at least they had something different to eat other than this manna and quail. And there was plentiful water. And there were green trees!

If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death. (Exodus 16:13)

Funny how they and we have short memories. Even though in that slavery to unjust and evil forces without any hopeful future, they want it. At least they knew it. “Better the devil you know than the one you don’t”.

But Paul is saying that going back to a world orientated religion and ministry is going back to Egypt; going back to slavery to elemental forces and religious law.

They are the modes of slavery about which Paul has been warning:

A return to the fickle, fearful and life-less many gods of fire and water, earth and wind (paganism), and
Taking on all these Jewish rules and ceremonies and rituals some are insisting they now do (to be sure; to be authentic; to be ‘real Christians’ (food laws, moral living, circumcision, festivals and etc…)

Both ways are slavery because they are founded on performing well, being good, paying the cost and achieving your own peace and hope and joy in life, according to you without any possibility of finding these things.

As Tim Keller puts it,

“Earning one’s own hope and peace through scrupulous biblical moral living and religious observance is as much enslavement as keeping the gods happy with all of its immoral practices” (Galatians for You, ch8).

So, the super ‘religious’ person is as lost as the irreligious person. Why? Because both are trying to earn their way to hope and future and peace and joy, just by different means. One by trying to pay off the fickle gods of the age, or ‘elemental forces’ (We might call them ‘market forces’, ‘popular culture’, ‘global movements’, ‘the universe’, ‘mother nature’…), and one by trying to pay of the one true God (keeping the Law).

Paul is focussed on the second: he is urging us to not give into the the pull toward slavery back to the Law of God as the means by which we find peace and blessing and favour in life.

Taking on those food laws, circumcision and “special days and months and seasons and years!” (v 10) as means by which you are relying on yourself to achieve your own freedom and future joy is slavery because whatever you bow down to, pay homage to, give your heart to for your life and future is your god.

Where your treasure is is where your heart is also…

The basic run of these worldly principles is reward for effort. The more you perform the more you get. This is not the freedom of the gospel way. The gospel way is that God has performed all for you and gifts you all you could ever need.

The worldly forces say perform well to get what you need. Work hard, be good, do the right thing – religiously or not.

The gospel way says God has performed all that is necessary for life and love and hope. Simply receive; simply trust.

I read this great quote about returning to slavery for us Christians:

Christians who are no longer sure that God loves and accepts them in Jesus, apart from their present spiritual achievement, are subconsciously radically insecure persons, much less secure than non-Christians, because of the constant bulletins they receive from their Christian environment about the holiness of God and the righteousness the are supposed to have. Their insecurity shows itself in pride, a fierce defensive assertion of their own righteousness and defensive criticism of others. They cling desperately to legal, pharisaic righteousness, but envy and jealous and other sin grows out their fundamental insecurity…. (Dynamics of Spiritual Life, Lovelace, p211-212, in Keller, Galatians for You, Ch 8 p7)

Do you want to find yourself wanting to ‘go back to Egypt’? It suits our wandering heart. We know the ‘performance/achievement’ way. It suits us. We feel more at home under these principles. We look for safety and security in a changing and suffering life to firm up our self-image, security, reputation among others.

Paul says, ‘Don’t do it!

You have a better way – the gospel way.

In Jesus’ gospel way the basis of my life is not how much my heart is set on God but how unshakable his heart is set on me! Not how much I know about him, but how much I am known by him.

“… now that you know God – or rather are known by God” (v 10)

Friends, God truly knows you and is unflinchingly with you and for you in all your lack of goodness and idol chasing and making. He has done everything needed for you to push those idols aside every day and stay in this beautiful gospel way.

And as we do, we don’t need a ‘worldly life and ministry’, we have a gospel life and ministry.

Worldly ministry is never sure that we are secure in Christ because and so adds things to Jesus’ work so we all can be ‘extra-sure” – it is a ‘gospel +’ ministry.

That is not Paul. He has ever only proclaimed Jesus crucified, not himself or his ideas. He says anything other than the one true beautiful gospel is not gospel at all. When he does offer himself as an example with his telling of his own story it is only so that they become like me’, not ‘become me’. Paul wants these Christian to rely on Jesus not him.

We say the same. Be like us, not be us. We do what we do so they see Jesus not us.

Worldly ministry needs political power. The people urging a return to religious law are needing to have people who need them to build power, thus their flattering words.

Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them.

There is politics and manipulation, comparisons and competitiveness in the house. Only gaining a crowd can assure them they are OK with God. No crowd, nothing to say.

Worldly ministry glorifies the ministers not Jesus. These false teachers are after followers who glorify them.

But gospel life and ministry glorifies Jesus above all others and else.

Paul says he is speaking the truth and not pleasing people or receiving their praise. He says he is like a mum in labour over these people whom he loves. Like a mum, he wants these people to be born and live strong and independent and alive!

Friends, this gospel ministry we share does not endlessly seek people’s approval, does not manipulate people, deceive people or trick people. We are free from the need to win approval form everyone and gather an adoring fan base. We are free to speak truthfully to people, with love.

With faith in the goodness and grace of our God given in Jesus we live with freedom and joy in the Spirit. And so, the tenor or shape or character of our community and what we do has three gospel traits:

We are flexible with our culture and inflexible on the gospel: Paul says, “I became like you” (v12). He was willing to adapt everything except the good news of God’s grace gifted us in Jesus.

Our ministry is see-through (transparent). Paul says, ‘Become like me” (v12) he speaks so personally about his own life and faith journey, again, not to win a following for himself but pint them to God’s grace at work in his life in Jesus.

People need to see how we deal with loss, death, relationships, forgiveness, suffering, praise, winning and losing for the gospel we proclaim to be authentic. We can show them and share with them everything.

Hardship is not where we stop. Paul reminds the Galatians that was in fact of some illness that he first ended up with them and proclaimed the gospel to them. Suffering is often the start, not the end of our ministry here.

Friends, let’s keep away from Egypt with all of its comparisons and competition and conflict and keep heading to the resurrection land up ahead.

Let’s be unflinching with only one thing – the gospel of Jesus because he is our life and joy.

In the meantime, we become like them and invite them to become like us, in suffering or in triumph because hardship is never where the gospel stops.

MORE REFLECTIONS

Key Points from Galatians 4:8-20

Returning to Old Ways: Paul warns the Galatians about turning back to their old ways of slavery, emphasizing the importance of embracing the freedom found in the gospel 1.
Complaining and Gratitude: The document reflects on the tendency to complain about various aspects of life and the need to shift perspective towards gratitude and contentment 2 3 4.
Being Known by God: It emphasizes the importance of being known by God and living a gospel-centred life, free from the need for approval from others 5.
Modern-Day Idols: Paul warns against modern-day ‘idols’ or ‘elemental forces’ that people might struggle with, such as paganism and strict religious observance 6 7.
Gospel Life vs. Worldly Life: The document contrasts a gospel life and ministry with a worldly life and ministry, highlighting the freedom and joy found in the gospel 8 9.

Reflection

Reflecting on Galatians 4:8-20: What are the key themes or messages in this passage, and how do they resonate with your own experiences?
Complaining vs. Gratitude: In what ways do you find yourself complaining about your circumstances, and how can you shift your perspective to one of gratitude?
Being Known by God: How does the concept of being ‘known by God’ impact your understanding of your relationship with Him?
Modern-Day Idols: What are some modern-day ‘idols’ or ‘elemental forces’ that you find yourself struggling with, and how can you overcome them?
Gospel Life and Ministry: What does it mean to you to have a ‘gospel life and ministry’ as opposed to a ‘worldly life and ministry’?

Prayer and Encouragement:

Spend time in prayer, asking God to help you embrace the gospel way of living and find contentment and joy in Him.