Galatians
Fighting for the Gospel
Galatians 1:1-10
June 26, 2016 • Pastor Jon Needham
Discipleship Questions. 1. What does the text explicitly and implicitly teach us about the gospel? 2. In what sense is the gospel exclusive? In what sense is the gospel inclusive? 3. Why do you think the Apostle Paul uses such harsh language in verses 8-9? 4. How might you be tempted to “distort” the gospel?
Galatians 2:1-10
July 10, 2016 • Pastor Jon Needham
Discipleship Questions. *1. Have there been times in your life when you have begun to think that your performance counts towards your salvation? what caused you to think this way? *2. What are the “nice” and “proper” attitudes that your culture and upbringing has taught you? How could you add these on to belief in Christ as an expectation for other Christians? *3. Do you ever feel guilty or insecure on your relationship with God? What might this be telling you about how you view your acceptance with him? 4. What could you do to remind yourself of the freedom you have in Christ? * this question was taken from Tim Keller’s study guide on Galatians.
Galatians 3:1-14
August 7, 2016 • Pastor Jon Needham
Disicipleship Questions. 1. In what ways are you tempted to forget the gospel and to look to your own work for the basis of your acceptance with God? 2. How does having righteousness credited to us change the way we see ourselves? Our Christian lives? Jesus Christ?* 3. Paul reminds us that Christ was portrayed to us as crucified. Why is this so important? How can you remind yourself of this truth? *taken from Tim Keller’s Galatians study guide
Galatians 3:15-29
August 14, 2016 • Pastor Jon Needham
Discipleship Questions. *1. Think back to your conversion, or the first time you understood the gospel. How did your view of God’s law change? *2. How does knowing God’s law increase your gratitude to Christ? What difference does this make to your affections? *3. Why do you obey God’s law? Do you ever obey it for the wrong reasons? *Taken from Tim Keller’s Galatians study guide.
Galatians 4:1-7
August 28, 2016 • Pastor Jon Needham
*1. How do you see the Trinity at work in these verses? *2. What are some situations in which you especially need to hear again that you as an individual are a child of God? **3. When are you most in danger of living as a slave and not a son? *Taken from N.T. Wrights Galatians study guide. *Taken from Tim Keller’s Galatians study guide.
Galatians 5:1-15
October 23, 2016 • Pastor Jon Needham
Discipleship Questions. 1. Paul says that the life of a Christian is in many ways similar to a race. How did your race begin? 2. Read Revelation 21:3-5. What excites you most about God’s future? What confuses you most? 3. As we run, there is great danger in falling into the ditch religion (salvation through the law) or the ditch of antinomianism (obedience doesn’t matter). Which ditch do you find most dangerous for you? 4. How can the gospel help you to "eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness”?
Galatians 5:16-26
October 30, 2016 • Pastor Jon Needham
*1. What hope does the promise of verse 16 offer a believer? *2. Read Galatians 5:19-25. What is the root of the contrast between the two ways of living described here? *3 Consider the character qualities which are called “the fruit of the Spirit” in verses 22 and 23. What is significant about the fact atet why are called “fruit” in contrast with the “acts” of the sinful nature? *4. Which of the fruit of the Spirit have you sensed in yourself or been told that other see in you? Which of the fruit of the Spirit do you chronically lack? * questions taken from John Stott’s study guide on Galatians.
Galatians 6:1-10
November 6, 2016 • Pastor Jon Needham
Discipleship Questions. 1. Think of a time when you experienced gentleness, humility, or generosity. What happened? How did it effect you? 2. How do gentleness, humility, and generosity all reflect the heart of Jesus? 3. Which of these three attributes do you think needs the most attention in your life today? 3. In what ways might believing the gospel produce more gentleness, humility, and generosity in your life?
Galatians 6:11-18
November 13, 2016 • Pastor Jon Needham
Discipleship Questions. 1. How can religion, the belief that acceptance comes through obedience, keep us from actually knowing God? 2. In Galatians 5, the Apostle Paul speaks of the offense of the cross. In what sense is the cross of Christ offensive? Why? 3. What does it mean to “boast in your flesh”? How are you tempted to do this? 4. What does it mean to “boast in the cross”? Why would this produce peace and mercy in your life?