Connect How does Jesus’ resurrection transform who you worship, the purpose you have, & hope you hold?

Warm-Up

1. Do you think the ideal of freedom is close to the heart of our western culture? 
2. Can you think of any songs that feature ideas about personal freedom as the ultimate goal?
3. What types of freedom do you think most people long for? What is the ultimate freedom we can know?

Read Galatians 1:1-5

4. Who is writing this letter? What are the qualifications by which Paul writes? Why is this important?
5. Who and where were the churches of Galatia? When had Paul visited this region?
6. What had happened? How were some people distorting the beautiful simplicity of the gospel?
7. According to these opening verses, what do you think are the core parts essential to the gospel? Try to work through each aspect and explain what they mean.
8. If a friend asked you what is unique about the Gospel, what do you think you would say?
9. Do you think the Gospel is simple? In what ways do you think it is beautiful?
10. What key parts of the Gospel do you think most people would find difficult or objectionable? Why?

Read Galatians 1:6-10

11. What does it mean that Paul was ‘astonished’? What was the cause of his astonishment?
12. What is the ‘different gospel’ that they seem to be turning to? Why is this a desertion of Christ?
13. Has there ever been a time in which the clarity of the gospel has been of great comfort to you?
14. How is a different gospel actually ‘no gospel at all’? Why is this so important to understand?
15. What are the common ways that the gospel can be distorted today? (Try to carefully consider ways in which people both subtract or add to the gospel.) How is this actually a reversal of the gospel?
16. Why is it a danger to desert the true gospel? Why is it a danger to those who preach a false gospel?
17. Do you ever seek the approval of other people? How can this be unhelpful? How is it perilous if we seek other people’s approval (even our own) above God’s—especially in matters of salvation?
18. Does the gospel give us freedom to do whatever we want or be whoever we choose? Why or why not?
19. What do you think it looks like to live to please God? What can give us confidence to live this way?
20. Do you think of yourself as a servant of Christ? How is being a servant of Christ actually a wonderful expression of ultimate freedom?

Apply How can you guard against false gospels, immerse yourself in what is true, and proclaim the gospel?

On Your Frontline this Week

How can you model the sacrificial love of Christ this week?

For Families

• Download: some of the family resources to use at home: stbartskids.org

Listen, Watch, and Read

• Listen (sermon): “True Gospel” by Andrew Sach:
  https://www.st-helens.org.uk/resources/talk/53492/ 
• Listen (sermon): “No Other Gospel” by Vaughn Roberts:
  https://stebbes.org/sermons/no-other-gospel/ 
• Listen (sermon): “The Rescue” by Tim Keller:
  https://gospelinlife.com/sermon/the-rescue/ 
• Listen (sermon): “The Rescue” by Tim Keller:
  https://gospelinlife.com/sermon/no-other-gospel/ 
• Read (article): “The Story of WWI Salvo Chaplain Fighting Mac”
  https://www.salvationarmy.org.au/about-us/news-and-stories/stories/the-story-of-wwi-salvo-chaplain-fighting-mac/ 
• Listen (Series): Previous Sermon Series on Galatians:
  https://www.stbarts.com.au/sermon-series/galatians-no-other-gospel 

Series Resources

• Read (book): “The Freedom Trap” by Priyan Max Jeganathan. 📚
• Read (book): “Why the Gospel” by Matthew Bates.
• Read (commentary): “Galatians (The Story of God)” by Nijay Gupta. 
• Read (commentary): “Galatians for Everyone” by Tom Wright.
• Watch (video): “Galatians” by the Bible Project: https://bibleproject.com/guides/book-of-galatians/ 
  
  

📚 Available to borrow in the Church library