There are three applications in response to what Paul has written in Galatians 4:8–20.

The first concerns the place of God’s law, specifically old covenant feasts and holy days. Already Paul has made it clear that the law has been fulfilled by Christ. Jesus perfectly obeyed all God’s commandments in our place. He brought the signs and shadows to an end and bore the curse we deserve for our sin. Like a babysitter waiting for a child to grow up, or a prisoner for the day of his release, the coming of Christ has made the old covenant obsolete. To go back to the law is thus a rejection of Christ. It is to live as if the Messiah has not finished his work of salvation. It is nothing less than a return to the elementary principles of paganism, those rules and regulations were designed to secure God’s favour.

Now reading these words, the Galatians would no doubt have been very shocked. They did not think they were going back to paganism. They did not set foot in a temple. They were simply trying to make their salvation doubly sure, and a festive calendar seemed a good way to do so. For us today, Paul’s words serve as another reminder that the old covenant has come to an end, and we do not live under Moses. The fourth commandment remains applicable, but we do not gather for worship on the Saturday Sabbath, and we do not go on pilgrimages to Jerusalem or other places. Also, when it comes to special months and seasons—there are not any. The 25th of December is not more significant than the 24th or the 23rd. It is just another day, to work, to spend time with friends or family, to serve God in the places where he has put us. For all the benefits of the church calendar tradition, there is reason to be cautious. Good intentions can quickly become laws and burdens. It does not take long for a may to become a must. The old covenant has come to an end. We are not subject to feasts and holy days.

A second application concerns the place and work of God’s ministers.

Paul’s concern for the Galatians is the concern of a loving pastor. This is, in many ways, a model of what pastoral ministry is about—caring for God’s sheep, self-sacrifice for the sake of God’s truth. His focus was not the growth of his party but the growth of Christ in God’s people. Practically that meant sharing God’s truth in all circumstances. At times the gospel will be welcomed and celebrated. There will be joy and delight. But on other occasions, when there is a call to repentance or to forsake a long-held custom, then it will be difficult. There will be resistance, a need for clear and strong words, the kind we have seen throughout the letter. The proclamation of God’s truth is the principal means by which Christ is formed in God’s people, and it is to be done in public and in private.

Though it might not be so clear from Galatians 4:8–20, there nevertheless appears to be a strong desire from Paul to be with the Galatians. Even as he sits in Antioch, he wishes he could be with them. He wants his words to come from his mouth, not just from a letter. This is not a matter of communication only, but it speaks to personal ministry. A pastor does not stay behind a desk or a pulpit; he must come into homes. Concern for God’s people is a concern for the individual also. For the elders in God’s church, Paul’s heart and diligence is a reminder of the task that God has given to them—shepherding God’s flock, visiting God’s children, encouraging them to seek salvation in Christ and not in their own obedience. It is a difficult task, an important task, a task for which elders need God’s help, or rather in the context of our passage, your willingness to be shepherded.

A willingness to be shepherded is the third and final application from Paul’s word. We must respect the officers that Christ gives to his sheep. Consider what happens after Paul sends his letter. It arrives among the Galatians and there is much which they would not have wanted to hear. There is rebuke; there are warnings; sins are exposed. Of course, there is also much encouragement and warmth, but it remains a difficult letter where you are twice called a fool. Still, their duty is to recognize and respect the work that Christ does through his office bearers. They must listen to Paul and give him a fair hearing not because Paul is particularly important, but because he has been called to minister Christ to them. The truth of Christ always stands above his ministers; nonetheless, we must receive, respect and be willing to be shepherded by them.

The office bearers that Christ has called are the office bearers through whom he seeks to care for his people. Let us be willing then to receive and welcome them into our homes. Let us be willing to share our questions and concerns with them. Let us also be willing to open up when we are in need of help. If we are having a problem in our marriage or challenges at work, we do not look for another church where there are more married couples or for a secular councillor who cares nothing for God. Remember the office bearers that God has called and given to you. The LORD has joined you to a particular body, it is not accidental that you are here. He wants you to use your gifts in works of service, and he wants to minister to you through the office bearers that he has called.

Jesus Christ has joined us to a new family, a family where we all have the rights of sons. It is a family where we belong through faith, as adopted children of God. Let us live in the freedom that Jesus has secured. Stay away from special days and ceremonies; receive those men that God has called to be his under-shepherds. Pray for them and let them minister to you; let them do the work that they have been given.