07.26.26 | Sunday Morning | Ps. Joe Cormier

What does it truly mean to be a son or daughter of God rather than a slave? That question sits at the heart of this message, and the answer cuts through centuries of religious tradition to reach something raw and real. Drawing from Galatians 4:1-7, we are walked through the stunning truth that Jesus did not come simply to improve our circumstances or validate our religious routines. He came to fundamentally change our identity. The passage describes a moment in history, the fullness of time, when God sent His Son to redeem those under the law so that we might receive adoption as His children. That is not a small thing. That is everything. We are no longer slaves to the elements of this world, to fear, to performance, or to the crushing weight of trying to earn what has already been freely given. The Spirit of God Himself cries out from within us, Abba, Father, a term of deep intimacy and belonging. The gospel is not a set of rules to follow or a prosperity formula to activate. It is a relationship to enter. And the central question this message leaves ringing in our ears is a personal one: how is our relationship with God right now? Not our attendance record, not our giving history, not our theological precision, but our actual, living, breathing relationship with the Father. That is the gospel for today.