Galatians - To The Churches In Galatia
Week 17: Come to Freedom

Galatians is a book about grace and how we so often misunderstand it. Today, Paul breaks his tone with the Galatians and reveals part of his heart, because it is necessary for him to emotionally convey what he is thinking and feeling. He starts with an appeal to friendship Gal 4:12Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are…and will end with a desire to change his tone of the entire letter Gal 4:20 I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

• How do we often misunderstand grace?
• How have you grown in your own understanding of grace?

Paul makes an appeal today because of the bond established by their shared experience of what God has done for them in Christ. Paul can even sound a little self-serving as he tells the Galatians they should trust him above other people— especially the false teachers who came into Galatia. Galatians 4 doesn’t apply solely to clergy, but to anyone who wants to be an agent of reconciliation and healing in others’ lives. Paul entreats his audience to come to his understanding, because he had personally experienced the fruitlessness of works-based salvation.

• In what ways have you entreated others to come to freedom? What did that look like?
• How have you witnessed enslavement (due to the law) in your own life or others’ lives?
• What ministers in your life have you had, and how have they helped point you to the freedom of the Gospel?

One obstacle to hearing the truth is that we often want “our ears tickled.” We don’t want to hear what’s true; we want to hear what we want to hear. A heart that has been captivated by the Gospel wants to know Jesus. Paul doesn’t hate the false teachers. He loves them and wants them to come to trust Jesus, but the zeal they are exhibiting is of another kind. They are attempting to consolidate the view of God’s people as a family based on ethnic and physical makeup. This is in opposition to the truth of spiritual adoption through Christ.

• Describe a time when a friendship went south because of truth that was not received well?
• How have you seen others, perhaps even those in your community group, believe/act in ways that further slavery and not the Gospel?
• Do you desire to simply have your “ears tickled” when you come to Element?
• How can it be tempting to “tickle” others’ ears, rather than share the truth?

God does not expose us to crush us, but to bring us to the truth so we would live in greater joy. God presses us with truth in order to set us free.

• How can we become enslavemed to religious practices rather than Gospel transformation?
• Do you believe Jesus is enough despite what you are facing in life?

We need ministers in our lives (whether professional or friendships) to help further us in our walk in understanding the Gospel. We need ministers who understand the Gospel. The only way we are free from our sin is not by ignoring it or having people tell us it is okay, but by coming to the cross of Christ. We need ministers who labor until “Christ is formed in us.” Paul’s words reflect what it means to truly care about those around us and be a minister.

• Why do we need ministers?
• Why do WE need to BE ministers? How are we empowered as ministers?
• How have ministers in your life understood the Gospel and shared it?
• How have you seen and shared the Gospel to others?

The Bible says Jesus, the great God of heaven and earth, has bound His heart up with us. He has literally died so we could “stand firm in the Lord.”

• Who is God calling you to minister to?