GateWay Church
Freedom: When Religion Becomes Unreasonable
Pastor Ed Kemp November 7 & 10, 2019
Locations & Times
GateWay Church
1100 S Sowell St, Visalia, CA 93277, USA
Thursday 6:45 PM
Sunday 8:45 AM
Sunday 9:00 AM
Sunday 10:30 AM
Introduction
Skydiving demands freedom of:
1. Opportunity.
2. Ability.
3. Desire.
4. Unending Joy.
(Skydiving illustration thanks to Pastor John Piper)
1. Opportunity.
2. Ability.
3. Desire.
4. Unending Joy.
(Skydiving illustration thanks to Pastor John Piper)
Question:
Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law?
Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law?
Illustration from the story in the Law (Genesis):
So What?!
What difference does any of this stuff make?
#1. You have the OPEN opportunity to connect with God as Father.
#2. You have the IMMEDIATE ability to gain know-how through God’s Word.
#3. You have the RISK of desire to trust God’s promises.
#4. You have the FUTURE of an unending joy with God in heaven.
FREEDOM! : When Religion Becomes Unreasonable
Galatians 4:21-31
Prayer Requests:
Group Discussion: Who’s the most famous person with whom you’ve had the opportunity to connect? Anyone ever been skydiving? Would your small group go together?
Read: Galatians 4:21-31
When applying Scripture to our lives we ask, “What difference does any of this stuff make?”
#1. You have the open opportunity to connect with God as Father. Gal. 3:8, “…the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations shall be blessed in you.” We connect with God through faith, the same way Abraham and Sarah did! When did you come to faith in Christ? Did you have an intellectual belief in some god or the God before you accepted Christ? How did you think about God, was He good, cruel, hostile, Santa Claus? If you were to describe God as Father what words would you use?
#2. You have the immediate ability to gain know-how through God’s Word. What is one long-term life change that studying the Word of God has made? How has being in a small group studying Scripture every week changed you spiritually, emotionally, relationally? Thank someone in your group for being a change agent or encourager of your progress in Christ.
#3. You have the risk of desire to trust God’s promises. Trusting God is very risky business because it has eternal ramifications! What is it about Christ, God, the Bible that motivates you to trust Him with your eternal soul? At GateWay we Invite, Connect, Develop, Serve, which one of those has been most difficult for you to risk doing? Why? What could you do this week to make progress and risk?
#4. You have the future of an unending joy with God in heaven. Name 3 or 4 things, people or circumstances that bring joy to your heart? Happiness is temporal but joy is very deep seated, how does Christ give you joy?
Family Time: Read Gal. 4:28. Explain that the name Isaac means, “laughter.” And how Abraham and Sarah didn’t think they could have any children and they laughed at God’s promise of a son. But when he was born God commanded them to name their child, “laughter.” They would always remember not to laugh at God’s promises. Ask them, “What has God done for us that we need to remember?”
Galatians 4:21-31
Prayer Requests:
Group Discussion: Who’s the most famous person with whom you’ve had the opportunity to connect? Anyone ever been skydiving? Would your small group go together?
Read: Galatians 4:21-31
When applying Scripture to our lives we ask, “What difference does any of this stuff make?”
#1. You have the open opportunity to connect with God as Father. Gal. 3:8, “…the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations shall be blessed in you.” We connect with God through faith, the same way Abraham and Sarah did! When did you come to faith in Christ? Did you have an intellectual belief in some god or the God before you accepted Christ? How did you think about God, was He good, cruel, hostile, Santa Claus? If you were to describe God as Father what words would you use?
#2. You have the immediate ability to gain know-how through God’s Word. What is one long-term life change that studying the Word of God has made? How has being in a small group studying Scripture every week changed you spiritually, emotionally, relationally? Thank someone in your group for being a change agent or encourager of your progress in Christ.
#3. You have the risk of desire to trust God’s promises. Trusting God is very risky business because it has eternal ramifications! What is it about Christ, God, the Bible that motivates you to trust Him with your eternal soul? At GateWay we Invite, Connect, Develop, Serve, which one of those has been most difficult for you to risk doing? Why? What could you do this week to make progress and risk?
#4. You have the future of an unending joy with God in heaven. Name 3 or 4 things, people or circumstances that bring joy to your heart? Happiness is temporal but joy is very deep seated, how does Christ give you joy?
Family Time: Read Gal. 4:28. Explain that the name Isaac means, “laughter.” And how Abraham and Sarah didn’t think they could have any children and they laughed at God’s promise of a son. But when he was born God commanded them to name their child, “laughter.” They would always remember not to laugh at God’s promises. Ask them, “What has God done for us that we need to remember?”