TODAY:

Galatians - Christ Alone Part 5: From Foolishness to Faith

BIG IDEA:

Don’t try to earn what’s already been freely given

SCRIPTURES:

Galatians 3:1-14, Genesis 15, Genesis 12:2-3, Deuteronomy 27:26, Habakkuk 2:4, Leviticus 18:5, Deuteronomy 21:23

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

Q: Does faith come easy for you? Why or why not?

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: Read Genesis 15. While this method of making a covenant (promise) is bizarre to us today, it was common in that time for both parties to walk through together & agree that if they broke the covenant, this would happen to them! Why is it so significant & revolutionary that God went through on His own? How does this help us understand Jesus (God) dying on the cross to remove the “curse” of our rebellion against Him?

Q: What does it mean in Genesis 15:6 that Abraham’s faith counted him as “righteous”?

Q: The Greco-Roman culture developed superstitious methods of protecting themselves from what they thought was evil, but often fell into “fascinating” traps anyhow. How were the Judaizers creating a “fascinating trap” of legalism for the Gentile converts?

Q: In what ways do we attempt to make ourselves “OK” instead of receiving & relying on the grace of Jesus? Do these work?

Connect with Others(IN)...

Q: Read Galatians 3:1-14. While Paul’s words might seem harsh, why is it so important for him to call out people/things that were destroying people’s faith in & relationship with Jesus?

Connect with the World (OUT)...

Q: Read Galatians 3:8. What does it mean for all nations/people to be blessed by & through God’s people? How does this shape how we view the world around us?

NOTES & QUOTES:

“The ability to perform religious rites and duties become a substitute for an authentic and personal relationship with God.” (Archeological Study Bible)

“We grow spiritually because of God’s work in us by His Spirit, not by our efforts or by following special programs and rules. People still feel insecure in their faith because faith alone seems too easy. They prefer trying to get closer to God by following rules because there’s something about earning what we get that makes us feel like we deserve it. While certain disciplines may help us grow, they must not take the place of the Holy Spirit in us or become ends in themselves.” (Life Application Study Bible)

ACTION STEPS

11) Identify any areas of your life that you might be still trying to earn acceptance, forgiveness, deliverance, freedom or transformation on your own instead of simply receiving it from the work of Jesus on the cross.

2) Surrender it to Jesus. Receive His gift of grace. Ask God how you need to move forward in faith in Him