SMALL GROUP STUDY participant guide
Songs from Galatians: Small Group Study Written by Katie Gibson, for Freedom Church 2017 All rights reserved. Song lyrics from Songs From Galatians album used with permission from Freedom Church 2017 For small group use and distribution only.
1 ENOUGH FOR ME WEEK ONE // GALATIANS CHAPTER ONE DEVOTION NOTES The struggle with feeling enough is universal. If we re honest, most of us live our lives trying to prove to others that we re worthy of love and belonging. Many of us carry these insecurities into our relationship with God, and so we check the Christian checklist, striving to earn God s approval. The problem is, if we re trying to earn acceptance with God through our own goodness, no amount of enough will ever be enough! As sin-bent human beings, we could never reach God s perfect and holy standards. From the beginning of time even before creation God knew the trouble we would get ourselves into and devised a rescue plan like no other! Galatians 1:4 tells us, Jesus gave His life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. (NLT) Jesus laid down His life to bridge the gap we could never fill. But He didn t just die for us He lived for us and now our lives are hidden in His (Colossians 3:3). And Jesus is enough for us. In Galatians chapter 1, Paul warns the Galatians against believing anything other than the pure Gospel which can be summed up in this way: It is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8, NIV). When we add additional requirements to salvation, we deny the power of the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Imagine that a peasant was invited to a King s dinner party. The invitation clearly states that the King will be providing all of the food for the event an abundant array of foods and delicacies. However, the evening of the banquet, the peasant shows up with a small pot of leftover
1 ENOUGH FOR ME WEEK ONE // GALATIANS CHAPTER ONE stew to contribute. How do you think the King would feel about this offering? This is what it s like when we bring even our best efforts to God. In fact, Isaiah 64:6 tells us that our righteous acts are like filthy rags to Him. Jesus already provided all that we need. Because of Christ s work on your behalf, you don t have to strive anymore. You can live your life from worth, instead of for it. You are enough. READ GALATIANS CHAPTER 1 2
2 DANCE ON THE GRAVE WEEK TWO // GALATIANS CHAPTER TWO DEVOTION NOTES Have you ever read through the Old Testament books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy? If you have, chances are you may have found yourself wondering how a person could ever remember let alone keep so many laws! When man and women were first created, we were sinless, without fault. But that unhindered relationship with God was broken by Adam and Eve when they chose disobedience over God s way. Because God is holy (that is, sacred and set apart), He set up a system the Law by which precise animal sacrifices could be made for forgiveness of sin. Over time all these rules and regulations revealed one thing: mankind was, and is, simply not capable of reaching God s perfection. But because of God s incredible love for us, He sent Jesus, the Lamb of God, to die as a once and for all time sacrifice for our sins (1 Peter 3:18). But three days later, Jesus rose from the dead, defeating death, hell and the grave. His death freed us from the curse of the law putting an end to the Old Covenant. Through Jesus we have this New Covenant: we are loved, accepted and forgiven by faith and trust in Jesus alone. While the Old Covenant brought death and condemnation, the New Covenant promises us life (2 Corinthians 3:5). When we put our faith and trust in Jesus, we too experience a death of our old self our old habits, our old sins, our old desires and are raised to new life in Christ. Paul wrote, in Galatians 2:20, I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (NIV). Jesus lived for us, died for us, and conquered sin and death on our behalf when He came barreling out of the grave.
2 DANCE ON THE GRAVE WEEK TWO // GALATIANS CHAPTER TWO He took everything that was bad about you and placed it on Him; and took everything good about Him and placed it on you. Because of Jesus, we can dance on the grave of who we used to be we are completely free! READ GALATIANS CHAPTER 2 2
3 BY FAITH WEEK THREE // GALATIANS CHAPTER THREE DEVOTION NOTES Even if you ve only been a Christian for a very short time, chances are you have heard of Bible greats such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David. These heroes did some incredible things in their time leading nations, performing miracles, conquering armies and more but in the book of Hebrews, they re all commended for one thing: their faith. By faith Noah built an ark By faith Abraham obeyed and went By faith Moses left Egypt (Hebrews 11) The dictionary defines faith as complete trust or confidence in someone or something. In Galatians 3, Paul is troubled by reports that the Galatians, after receiving Christ through faith, were now trying to walk out their Christian lives in their own human effort. Their confidence was no longer completely in God, but in their own ability. After accepting Christ they said, Thanks, Jesus we ll take it from here! But Paul makes it clear: it is by faith that we are made right with God and begin a relationship with Him, but it is also by faith that we live that out every day. In other words, the same faith that gets us in also gets us through. The pressure is off! The Christian life is not about performance; it is a day-to-day exercise of putting our trust and confidence in Christ alone.
3 BY FAITH WEEK THREE // GALATIANS CHAPTER THREE By faith, we become more and more like Christ. By faith, we carry out His will for our lives. By faith, we experience miracles. By faith, we walk in victory. Not by human effort. By faith. When we fully trust and rely on the Holy Spirit, we walk in power and victory, by faith. READ GALATIANS CHAPTER 3 2
4 GUARDIAN WEEK FOUR // GALATIANS CHAPTER FOUR DEVOTION NOTES How do you view God? A harsh dictator demanding to be pleased, or a present father who cares about your needs? Your perspective of Him determines your relationship with Him. Paul wanted to be sure the Galatians understood the fullness of their new identity, in Christ. He tells us in Galatians 4:5, God sent him [Jesus] to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. (NLT) If you ve ever witnessed the beauty of adoption, or experienced it firsthand, you can begin to understand a fraction of God s incomprehensible love for you. When you could do nothing for God, He did everything for you. He chose you, paid for you, and now, through Christ, you take part in His inheritance. Before, we were governed by the Law, but now we are safeguarded by a loving Father while the Law only gave us condemnation and death, in Christ we inherit everlasting life! Often our view of our heavenly Father is tied to our experience with our earthly father. Maybe your father walked out on you; maybe he was overbearing and controlling; maybe he abused you; or maybe you ve never known him at all. God s heart breaks that you suffered at the hands of another sinful human, but now He wants to restore you. Allow Him to be the Father that you never had. He is good; He is kind; He is present; He is faithful He ll never walk out on you. He is everything you ever dreamed of and more! Romans 8:38-39, Paul writes, And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God s love. Neither death nor life, neither
4 GUARDIAN WEEK FOUR // GALATIANS CHAPTER FOUR angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow not even the powers of hell can separate us from God s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NLT) His love is relentless, and pursues us no matter what. He moved heaven and earth to redeem us that is pay for our freedom from the Law of sin and death and adopt us into His family. He is the Author of redeeming love a story more beautiful and unimaginable than any other ever told. READ GALATIANS CHAPTER 4 2
5 PERFECT FOR ME WEEK FIVE // GALATIANS CHAPTER FIVE DEVOTION NOTES What do you think God sees when He looks at you? Would it surprise you to learn that He sees absolute perfection? Hebrews 10:14 tells us, For by the one offering He has perfected forever and completely cleansed those who are being sanctified [bringing each believer to spiritual completion and maturity.] (AMP) When we could not attain perfection through the Law, God sent Jesus not only to die for us but to live a perfect life on our behalf. When we accept Christ our lives become hidden in Him and in His eyes we could not be better! Some of the Galatians were guilty of trying to achieve spiritual superiority through fulfilling old requirements of the Law (i.e. circumcision). In Galatians 5:4, Paul cautions them, For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God s grace. (NLT). In other words, you can t add to Christ without subtracting Christ You can t improve what is already perfect! Your salvation is sealed 100% through faith in Jesus Christ. Not by works. It s not about trying harder God cannot bless who we pretend to be! We don t have to wake up every morning with the pressure of perfection weighing on us because it s not about our story, it s about His story.
5 PERFECT FOR ME WEEK FIVE // GALATIANS CHAPTER FIVE We are free, but Paul urges us, don t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. (Galatians 5:13, NLT). In other words: Our perfection is not permission to live sloppy lives. Perfection is a gift sanctification (being made holy) is a process. While sanctification sounds complicated, this daily process is as simple as this: following the Holy Spirit s leading in your life. (Galatians 5:16). When we do this, our outward actions become the fruit of our inward transformation. And when we fall and fail (and we will), we fall into the steadfast grace of Jesus that will never condemn us. You don t have to be perfect for Jesus He was perfect for you! READ GALATIANS CHAPTER 5 2
6 FOR THE CROSS WEEK SIX // GALATIANS CHAPTER SIX DEVOTION NOTES Bragging is something that is generally not encouraged. When you were a child, your parents probably told you, Stop bragging! (although they most likely took care of that for you!) In Paul s wrap-up to the Galatians, He states one exception to this general rule of conduct. He says, As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 6:14, NLT). While bragging about yourself is frowned upon, bragging about God is fair game! Why? Because of all that He accomplished through the cross. He took our burdens. He healed our hurts. He adopted us into His family. He crucified our shame. He set us free from fear. He paid our ransom. He forgave our sin. He welcomed us all. For all time. Unlike our temporary possessions and achievements of this world, God s goodness and power carry on through the ages. Psalm 100:5 says, For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation. His love, faithfulness and ability put our pint-sized accomplishments in perspective. It is impossible to exaggerate God! We cannot overstate His goodness! We are nothing and have nothing without Him.
6 FOR THE CROSS WEEK SIX // GALATIANS CHAPTER SIX Because of Christ we are loved. Because of Christ we are accepted. Because of Christ we are forgiven. Because of Christ we are worthy. While bragging about ourselves, our possessions and our achievements belittles others; bragging about God s goodness welcomes others in to partake in His goodness. So, go and tell others the good news we are all welcome at the cross! READ GALATIANS CHAPTER 6 2