Galatians 3

Intro- have you ever made a decision that left you trapped?

Story of the bunkbeds with Cody.

Galatians Fast Facts

Author- The Apostle Paul

Recipients- The Church’s of the Galatian region (modern day Turkey)

Purpose- To Address false teaching (required food laws and circumcision) that was threatening to sabotage their freedom in Christ.

Major Themes- Freedom In Christ, Unity in Christ, and The Spirit-filled Life.

The New International Version (Chapter 5)

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

You were made to be free.

New Living Translation (Chapter 3)

23 Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed.

24 Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. 25 And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian.

Explain the law….Ceremonial, civil, and moral.

-Ceremonial law encompassed any rule surrounding celebrations and regular rituals regarding the temple and worship.

-Civil or Judicial law concerned things like property ownership and borders , marriage vows , cities of refuge for suspected murderers , business transactions , and other legal situations. These were to regulate the society and to help those in positions of mediation to settle disputes, determine crimes, and mete out punishment. This is not an extensive list.

-The moral law addressed behavior and relationships between humans and God, as well as between humans.

Jesus fulfilled the law.

We are part of a the family of God not by our own works but by Jesus’.

New Living Translation (Chapter 3)

26 For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. 28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female.

In Christ we find our true identity as sons and daughters of The True God our Father.

For you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.

Jesus brings unity in a way that nothing and nobody else can.

The New International Version (Chapter 4)

What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2 The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3 So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world.

The New International Version (Chapter 4)

4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. e 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

We are brought into our originally intended identity as Children of God by the work of Jesus.

Paul goes on from here to explain how the galatians have chooses poorly and he makes a couple alogies using

The New International Version Chapter 5

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Don’t go back to anything that brings you burden and bondage, you were made to be free.

The New International Version (Chapter 5)

2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

The sacrifice of Jesus and the power of The Spirit will bring freedom and unity.

All the different pieces of your identity are secondary to that of Child of God.

Jesus will truly make us new if we will let go of the old.

Heather Youngman

We have been coming to South Creek for 7 or 8 years now. I love listening to the worship team and praising Jesus for all he is doing in my life. I love listening to and learning from Pastor Aaron about being a believer in Jesus. I have always had a fear of standing in front of people or public speaking which is why I have not asked to be baptized before. With our daughter going away to college next year, before she goes, I want to show our kids that no matter what fears you might face in life, just know that God is with you, and for you, and to put trust in Jesus. I am ready to show the people of the church that I want to lay down all of my sins and continue on in my faith-based journey by following Jesus.