TODAY:

Galatians - Christ Alone Part 4: Living In Christ

BIG IDEA:

God's grace empowers our beliefs and behaviors to align with the Gospel

SCRIPTURES:

Galatians 2:11-21, Acts 10, Acts 15:8-11, Romans 15:5-7

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

Q: Have you ever seen an interpersonal conflict turn into a positive for both sides? How does today’s passage do that?

Q: How do the Scriptures/concepts from this week help you grow as a disciple who loves God, loves people & serves the world (lives on incarnational mission) in everyday life?

Q: Based on these Scriptures, how can you move from unbelief to belief, from just knowing to actually doing in your life?

Connect with God (UP)...

Q: How would you explain “justification by faith” to someone who has no prior knowledge of what this means?

Q: How does God’s grace keep us out of the pitfalls of legalism and hypocrisy?

Q: Read Galatians 2:20. What does this practically mean in your life?

Q: If you are a Christian, how does the indwelling presence of Christ affect your everyday life?

Connect with Others(IN)...

Q: How can you/we get better at showing grace for people’s imperfections, without compromising on the truth of the Gospel?

Connect with the World (OUT)...

Q: Who is someone “new” or “unfamiliar” in your life that you could eat or hangout with this week? How would this demonstrate living out the Gospel?

NOTES & QUOTES:

““It’s one thing to defend a doctrine in a church meeting, and quite something else to put it into practice in everyday life.” (Wiersbe Bible Commentary)

“Justification is the gracious act of God by which God declares a sinner righteous solely through faith in Jesus Christ.” (Christ-Centered Exposition)

“Paul had no room for salvation that consists of praying a prayer, supposedly trusting in Jesus, then living your life the same after that. Faith isn’t just for receiving salvation, it’s also for enabling us to live out salvation. We live every day, every moment, by faith.” (Christ-Centered Exposition)

“Christ’s pleasure in you is not based on your performance for Him; it’s based on His performance in you” (Christ-Centered Exposition)

ACTION STEPS

1) Eat or hangout with someone “new” this week.

2) Examine if your life lines up with your doctrine (right belief & right behavior). If there’s inconsistencies, ask Jesus to help you re-align.