Galatians 4

Materials Needed: Journals and Bibles

Recap of Galatians 3

(3 Minutes)

1. Abraham = The father of the Faith

2. The Law = Cursed 14x mentioned

3. The Promise/Faith = Salvation through Faith - 26x mentioned

4. Christ is sufficient

Theme // Freedom

(1 Minute)

Summary of Galatians 4

PASSAGES FOR STUDENTS TO READ: Galatians 4:4-5, 6, 9, 11, 13, 16, 19, 20

We Are Adopted into God’s Family

(5 Minutes)

Verses 1-11

An heir to the throne, the child of a king, is the same as a slave in the sense that he is under a manager and rules until whatever date his father set. (1-2)

Before Christ, it’s the same thing. We may have a lot of freedoms and luxuries and can do a lot of things, but we are still under the rules of this world. (3)

READ VERSES 4-5 - But when the time was right, God sent His son to our world, 2000 years ago, born of woman and born under the same law that Elias talked about last week! He came to redeem, save, to restore our world way of living and lifestyle that we were once trapped in, and now be adopted by God.

Those who are children of God, have the Spirit of Jesus in our hearts - READ VERSE 6

Since God is king and we are sons, we are heirs! (7)

Heirs still have responsibility, slaves have responsibility, but we are not following and living like the world, we are doing what God wants us to do.

READ VERSE 9 - The people here are wanting to go back to the way it was! The law is what they grew up in and were comfortable. Christ has set them free from that.

READ VERSE 11 - Paul is so frustrated and basically saying, i’m afraid I wasted my time for you.

Questions (5 Minutes)

How does Paul compare heirs to slaves, and what does this say about our pre-Christ condition? (Paul compares heirs and slaves to highlight that, before Christ, both were subject to rules and limitations set by others.)

What is the importance of God sending His son in verses 4-5, and how does this relate to redemption and adoption? (God sending His son signifies the timing of Christ's arrival to redeem and restore humanity, allowing them to be adopted by God.)

Why do some want to return to the law in verse 9, and how does Paul react in verse 11? (Some desire to go back to the law because it's familiar and comfortable. In verse 11, Paul expresses frustration and concerns about potentially wasted efforts in teaching them the gospel.)

The Church Regressed

(5 Minutes)

Verses 12-20

Paul reminisces then of the fact that they used to appreciate and respect what Paul and not just because he was sick or needed assistance, but because they received him as an angel of God - READ VERSE 13

But now it seems they have fallen away from the very Galatians he once respected and trusted. This verse also seems to imply other events or things that have been said about Paul from the first time he was there and now. READ VERSE 16

This has brought Paul great sadness and anguish as he feels like he is giving birth all over again! The severity of Child Birth and the pain that it causes, is what Paul feels like when writing this letter because they are not living the true gospel. READ VERSE 19 and 20 “until Christ is formed in you!” He stating that what they are doing is not glorifying God, it is not His plan for you, and you are living the old way. Once Christ is formed in you, you have Freedom

Questions (5 Minutes) 1. How did the Galatians' attitude toward Paul change? (They used to be genuine, but now they are not)

2. What is a big deal about that? (They used to know what the truth was and seemed to live like it but they no longer live that way)

3. Why does Paul use the picture of childbirth to describe his feelings about the Galatians? (To Express the pain he feels and how it’s like them restarting their faith and he is giving birth all over again)

4. When will Paul feel better? (When they have Christ)

They Contradict Themselves

Verses 21-31

Paul basically now uses some really good logic. He is saying that if you want to follow the law, why aren’t you following it in the way that it says? The people He is writing to, are from Abraham (one of his promises).

Abraham tried to make the promise of God happen himself.

Abraham and Sarah laughed at God when he said they would have many children because Sarah was 90 years old. Abraham started to take it into his own hands and had a babies with his servant.

The generation that came from the servant, the “Children of the Slave Woman” was wrong. That’s what the old testament stated.

They all knew this. Sarah, Abraham’s wife, was called the Children of the Free Woman.

So Paul is stating you are living like you are a Child of the slave because you still follow the law and think that is what saves you. But it is the opposite! You all know you are children of the free woman, Sarah, and that is exactly what Christ has done. He has set you free.

The main thing here that Paul is saying is that they are contradicting themselves. They say their are children of the free, but live like a slave, trapped by the law.

RECAP

Freedom through Adoption In the first section (verses 1-11), Paul explains that before Christ, humanity was like slaves under worldly rules. However, through Christ, we are adopted as God's children and inheritors of His kingdom, living by His will rather than conforming to the world's standards. Paul expresses concern that some Galatians are returning to their old ways, forsaking the freedom Christ offers.

Freedom In the second section (verses 12-20), Paul reflects on the Galatians' change in attitude toward him. They once received him with respect, but now they seem to have fallen away from the true gospel, causing Paul great sadness and anguish.

In the final section (verses 21-31), Paul uses logic and the story of Abraham and Sarah to illustrate that those who cling to the law are living like children of the slave woman, while in reality, they are children of the free woman. Christ has set them free from the law, emphasizing the importance of living in that freedom.

Gospel Connection

(10 Minutes)

(Show Gospel Connection Graphic and have kids draw in their notebook)

Explain how it works and then do the Gospel Connection:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjpt1gbVnOE

The law that these jews want to go back to and obey, is exactly the opposite reason for why Jesus would come to this world. He came to this world to fulfill the law. He came to this world to set us free from slavery to the world, and now to have freedom in Christ.

God’s design for us, was that we would follow the law perfectly, however, Adam and eve sinned and therefore setup the downward spiral for us all.

We can’t obey the law perfectly, because we sin.

There is brokeness, separation, and we can’t fix it.

But Christ, because He loved you, would live like you, and die like you. But He would be the ultimate sacrifice, bearing your sins and dying with them. But He would raise from the dead, to conquer it and that He is still working to this day.

This then leads working through us where we are obeying and trying to be like Jesus, but not so that we might be saved, but that we love Him and want to follow Him and want to please Him.

This then leads us toward the Design God would have for us

Small Group Discussion

Explain the Gospel using the 3 circles

What did we learn today?

How do you connect the gospel to what we learned today?

Do highs and lows and have everyone pray for the person next to them