6 September 2026, Galatians 3 :23 – 4.7 “The Privilege of Being a Child of God”

It was around 1989. I had just finished primary school and was about to start middle school. Now, this might sound a little different from how things are here in Australia. Back then in Korea, before starting a new school, we all had to take a placement test. The school did this to make sure every class had an equal mix of students / based on their academic levels. So, they ranked everyone... just to distribute us evenly among the classes.

Well, I took that test, and surprisingly... I crushed the test. I came in 5th place in the whole school! Since there were seven classes in the first year, I was, of course, number one in my class. I was thrilled, but my parents? They were absolutely over the moon.

I didn’t miss this golden opportunity. I immediately asked for my dream item: “Please buy me a portable cassette player!” Back then, it was every student’s ultimate dream. Honestly, they were quite expensive, so I didn't really think… it would happen. But my dad hesitated for just a second, and then said, “You know what? I'm in a great mood today. Alright, let’s go get it!” Everything suddenly looked beautiful to me.

When the weekend came, my dad and I went to big electronics shop in the city, something like a massive JB Hi-Fi or The Good Guys. There were all kinds of electronic devices everywhere. It was like a wonderland to me. But in my heart, there was only one thing I wanted: a “Sony Walkman.”

When I looked around, though, I couldn’t see any Sony Walkman. You may remember that, back then, Sony was the number one premium brand that everyone wanted. Instead, the shelves were filled with cheaper alternatives, like Samsung’s “MyMy” and GoldStar’s “Aha.” By the way, GoldStar is what we know as LG today.

They were okay, but I just couldn’t find my number one choice: the Sony Walkman. But then... I don’t know how he knew, but a salesman leaned in and quietly whispered to my dad,

“Sir, are you looking for Sony? I have one... brought in under the counter.”

You see, back then, Japanese electronics weren’t officially allowed to be sold in Korea, so they had to be brought in secretly.

He whispered again, “It has Dolby sound, auto-reverse, built-in radio recording... and if you pay just a little bit more, you can even get a wired remote control!”

Can you imagine how excited I was? But... what do you think the problem was? My dad asked, “How much is it?” “It’s 200 dollars.”  That was basically a month’s salary for a young person at the time. But even so, my dad bargained a little, and then said, “Alright, you can get this one.” The money was almost in his hands.

But then... the real problem actually came from me.

Out of nowhere, I started being incredibly stubborn. I said, “No... I love the Samsung MyMy!”y dad and the salesman just looked at each other, completely confused. My dad actually tried to persuade me. He said, “I told you I’ll pay for it. Just get the Sony you really wanted.”And I knew... for my dad, it really wasn’t a big deal. But I just kept insisting. “No, I’m really okay! I actually like the Samsung better!”

I was so stubborn about it that, in the end, we walked out of that store... carrying the Samsung.

On the way home, he quietly asked me, “Hey, why didn’t you get the Sony?” I just mumbled, “I don’t know... just because...” And after that, there was just silence in the car.

It felt like the Sony Walkman was saying, “The sound of the entire universe in your hand.” But my dream of showing it off in front of my friends... was gone. Instead, my Samsung stayed deeply buried in my school bag or my pocket.

You must be wondering, right?  So... why did I choose the Samsung? / Because I just felt so bad for my dad. Looking back now, I’m sure he could easily afford it. But even as a young boy, I knew how hard he worked... getting up so early every single morning to earn that money. Even in my young heart, I felt a sense of guilt. I felt that I didn’t really deserve it. I thought the Samsung was more than enough.

Now, as a father to my two daughters, especially around Father’s Day, I look back at that moment, and I have one big realization.

I made a huge mistake.

My dad really wanted to give his son the very best. So how did he feel when he saw his son become afraid of the price... and choose the cheaper one instead?

Did he think, “Wow, my son is so mature! I’m so proud of him for saving money! He is so humble?" I really don’t think so. He was probably quite sad inside. It must have broken his heart a little.

If I could go back in time to that electronics store, I would say it with confidence: “Dad! I want the Sony Walkman! Do you have anything more expensive?”

Even if I had asked that boldly, my dad would not have told me off. He would not have said I was being greedy. Instead, he probably would have laughed out loud.

Wouldn’t that have made him so happy? (I really hope my daughters aren’t listening to this sermon today.)

The Scripture we read today from Galatians chapters 3 and 4 is actually one of my favourite passages from Paul. It holds a very deep and beautiful message, especially as we reflect / on Father’s Day. But today, I don’t want to simply finish the message by saying, “Our Heavenly Father loves us,” or “He is a good Father.” That is simply not enough.

Because surprisingly, the main focus here is not just about praising God for who He is. The focus is on us.

Actually, Paul says, who we are in this universe has forever changed. We have been transformed into the children of God the Father! A total status upgrade! From slaves to sons and daughters! From guests to heirs! Our spiritual DNA is brand new!

Paul is declaring this massive cosmic event to us today, saying...

“Claim that privilege! Be free! Tell the world!"

There was a reason Paul had to write this letter with such passion. After he encountered Jesus, Paul preached a very clear message. He said that the grace of the cross is all we need!  I believe that it is at the core of our Christian faith.

It doesn’t matter whether you are a master or a slave, a Jew or a Gentile, male or female. And because of this, the early church community was overflowing with joy.

But after Paul moved on to another mission, false teachers came in and began planting doubt. They argued, “Believing in Jesus? Sure, that’s good. But think about it. It’s not enough. If you want to be a true child of God, you have to follow the strict rules. Come on, nothing is completely free in this world! You have to earn it. You have to prove that you deserve it!” Sadly, the Galatian church was shaken. They started going backward. They were making themselves slaves again. Slaves to the law and tradition.

It was exactly like someone whispering to me in that audio store: “Hey, do you know how hard your dad works? Put that Sony down. Just go home. Study harder, be a better son, make your dad proud first, and then come back!” When Paul heard this was happening, he urgently wrote this letter in Chapter 4….

NO! Do not go back! You can be sure that you are now fully adopted as His own child. Because God sent the Spirit of His Son into our lives, crying out, “Papa! Abba! Father!”

You now have the privilege of talking directly with Him!

And this makes it absolutely clear. You are not a slave, but a child. You are also an heir, with free access to the inheritance! He says, you do not need to prove yourself anymore. Just call Him Papa, Abba, Father! He will always be your Father, and you will always be His child. What an incredible freedom! What an amazing love!

Think about it. A slave always walks on eggshells, working so hard all day just to survive, always feeling like they have to prove their worth. That relationship is based on obligation, not the freedom of love. It is a strict, one-sided contract. How exhausting that must be.

But a child and a father? A child and a mother? That bond is unconditional love. And God proved that love to us through the cross. This is the true heartbeat of Paul’s message today.

Brothers and sisters, perhaps we have spent too much of our lives trying to define who our earthly fathers were.

In my case... my dad was a workaholic. He was a little shy about expressing his love. He spent his whole life chasing success, working hard to provide for his family, and passed away at a young age. I am sure it is the same for many of you. We spend so much time explaining who our fathers were, what they did, and what they left behind. You probably have good memories, and painful ones too.

But as I was preparing today’s message, titled “The Privilege of Being His Children,” my deepest personal conviction is this: Back then, in that electronics store... I should have just asked, “Dad, buy me the latest Sony Walkman! I should have asked confidently. Boldly. Even if it seemed like I was asking for way too much. Why? Because I was his son. I wasn’t the neighbour’s kid. I wasn’t just somebody. It was my privilege.

Likewise, we dedicate so much of our time to defining God. We study Him, and we try to comprehend Him, which is good. But this morning, I want us to pause and deeply reflect on our own identity. To confidently proclaim, "I am a child of God." To speak to Him with total freedom, crying out, "Abba, Father! Papa!" This is exactly what our Heavenly Father desires from us.

And when we think of “Dad” we naturally think of our own fathers. But no earthly father is perfect.  But our Heavenly Father is different. We have a greater, far more perfect Father.

Even today, He gently places the headphones of grace over our ears. And on every inch of the cassette tape of our lives, He has deeply recorded His unchanging love.

Sometimes, our lives get stretched and tangled like an old cassette tape. The melody becomes broken and distorted. But He never gives up on us. Like a perfect "auto-reverse", He gently rewinds us, untangles the mess, and restores the beautiful music of our lives.

Yes, God wants us to stand confident in that grace. He wants us to enjoy the privilege of being His children—never walking on eggshells—and to tell it boldly to our world.

Romans chapter 8 encourages us with these powerful words:

"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, 'Abba, Father.'"

Think about putting on premium headphones. Instantly, the outside noise fades away. Only the music remains. Only our Father’s voice remains, saying... “You are my beloved child. You are my heir. Everything I have is yours.”

So, when we walk out of these doors today, don’t carry the voice of the world with us. Carry the voice of our Father.

When the world tells us that we are not enough, remember who we are. When we feel we have to earn His love, remember what has already been given to us. And when we are afraid to ask, remember what our Father wanted to give us.

Perhaps today, God is saying to each of us:

“My child, you don’t have to earn your place at my table. You already belong here.”

We are not trying to become His children.

We already are. May we live like it. May we receive His love. And may we share that love with the world.

May we all have a truly blessed and joyous Father’s Day. Amen.