If you live under the law you’re inviting God to judge you on how well you keep the law. How will you do with loving God and people perfectly

Parables = two things thrown down side by side

Like the Pharisee and the tax collector.

We pick sides quickly – it’s not so cut & dried in real life. Tax collectors did pretty well – it was a booming business.

The fact that Jesus was friends with people like that said a lot about Jesus, not them.

But the sinner is justified not the plaster saint Pharisee.

The religious add on the list of conditions to the position of being children of God. They say ‘we are the sons of Abraham’

But Paul tells the Galatians – yes but Abraham had 2 sons – One represents law
One represents promise

One is the son of a slave – Ishmael. No miracle there.

One is Isaac – where life came to what was dead.

It’s 2 covenants – 2 ways
1) unbelief, make it happen yourself
2) trust and rest in the promise

Law – bondage – performance
Grace – through Christ – promise

Those who have confidence in their own goodness end up empty

Those who are confident in God’s promise are given life.

Persecution comes from the half brothers – religious without love

Law & grace could not live in the same house. Hagar has to go!

Are we trusting in the cross
Our works or the finished work of Jesus?

Paul had known what it is to be a slave to law
Now he’s a slave to love. A child of the promise.

The law accuses us
But we are not under the law

Don’t try to fix your own life – that’s what children of Hagar do. Live free, satisfied, as a child of the King.

‘The gospel is for frustrated failures who hunger for God’ Luther

This grace is available free to tax collectors and you and me.