Galatians Sermon Study: Session 3 (Fall 2023)

Session 3 – Small Group Study Guide

Download: PDF | Download: Word Doc

Review of Sermon Notes

Key Idea: We must refuse false gospels, so that we experience the blessings and freedoms of a truer message and a better hope.

Refuse false gospels, so that we experience:

1. The Blessings and Freedoms of a Truer Message
   
   The true gospel is:
   • It is a message of grace
   • It is a message that is trustworthy
     
2. The Blessings and Freedoms of a Better Hope
   
   “What brings good news to your heart?”
   
   Questions to help you expose false gospels (from Small Group – Session 1):
   • a. What does it tell me to orient my life around?
   • b. Does it move my heart toward eternal hope?
   • c. Does it focus my attention more on what I need to do or on what Christ has done for me?
   • d. Does it take you deeper into the true story of redemption or does it distort some feature of it?
   • e. Does it allow you to see yourself and other believers as God sees them (sufferers, sinners, and saints)?
   • f. Where does it tell you to turn when you fail (do you rely on God’s mercies in Christ or something else)?

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Word: How this truth should be understood

1. Paul uses a word for condemnation that is considered one of the “harshest statements” in the New Testament: anathema. He uses it not once, but twice in vv. 8-9. In what context is he using this word, and why is it so significant?
2. Read verse 10. What does it mean that we don’t have to live to please people, as we often do, but live only to please God? How can we be assured of God’s approval?
3. In verse 9, Paul reminds the Galatians that the gospel that they should be embracing is the gospel that they had “received” from Paul. What does this tell you about the gospel message that we have and how should we consider “other” messages?

Worship: How this truth affects your heart

1. Share a time when you felt like you had to earn someone’s approval (someone not in the small group):
   • How did that make you feel? Why was it important for you to earn their approval?
   • Why should it be freeing that God approves of us completely through the gospel apart from anything we have done?)

Work: How this truth works out in your life

1. Take some time to write down gospel truths that have encouraged you recently and why. As a group, spend some time sharing these truths. (Let this be a joint exercise in pursuing hope!)
2. Imagine a friend comes to you and says, “I feel like God is always mad at me. I am trying so hard to please Him, but it is never enough. I feel like I always fail Him.” How would you encourage your friend? How would you offer hope?

Sharing and Prayer

1. As you think about this season and our study in Galatians, what is one area in which you’d like to grow in living out your faith? Write this down and prepare to follow-up and track God’s work in our future sessions!
2. What are some ways that you’d like to apply what you just learned to that one area you’d like to grow in living out your faith?
3. Share other prayer requests.