SERIES: FREEDOM! 2015 theme
TITLE: Set Me Free!
Scripture: Galatians (overview)
I. WHAT CAN WE SEE?
It is easy to get off on a (tangent) as a church, to lose sight of our (primary purpose), to lose sight of our (message).
Our message is not “we are for this” or “we are against that.” Our message is the (Good News) of Jesus Christ offered to ALL sinners.
Galatians has been called the (Magna Carta) of liberty, the Christian’s (declaration of independence).
What can we see?
- The Message is one of (spiritual freedom). The message of Galatians is the same for Jew and Gentile-(salvation by faith) and not by observing the Law.
- The Emphasis- Counteract false teaching of the (Judaizers).
- The Letter- this letter was a “circuit letter.”
II. WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT?
- Structure of the book- Chapters 1-4 are doctrinal in nature; 5-6 are practical.
- Theme of the book- “justification by faith through faith in Christ.” We must get this right! The heart of the Gospel message, the whole reason the church exists, is that every one of us has sinned and separated ourselves from God. But God, in His tremendous and incredible love, has taken on flesh in Christ, lived a perfect life, and died on the cross in our place.
- A by-product of that teaching: we will see the function of the Mosaic Law. We will see the law (does not) and (cannot) save us.
- We will see the importance of the balanced Christian life-avoiding both legalism and libertinism.
Three changes it will make in us:
- It changes our relationship with (God).
- It changes our relationship with our (teachers). “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” I John 4:1
- It changes our relationship with (each other).
NEXT WEEK: Freedom!
Title: Story
Scripture: Galatians 1:1-3, 11-24
