CCFDL Podcast

Galatians Ep. 3: How Works Don‘t Work

Galatians 3: 1-14- How Works Don’t Work

Preached on October 3, 2021 by Senior Pastor Adam Utecht

Sermon Outline

1. ______ is essential (v. 1-5)
2. Abraham’s ______ (v. 6-9)
   1. Abraham’s credited ______ (v. 6)
   2. Abraham’s descendants’ ______ righteousness (v. 7-9)
3. How to be ______ (v. 10-14)
   1. ______ by works (v. 10)
   2. By ______ (v. 11-12)
   3. In ______ (v. 13-14)

Going Deeper

1. Why are the Galatians so foolish (Galatians 4:1; also go back and look at Galatians 1:6-7)? In what ways do we find ourselves following a different gospel (a prosperity gospel, a social gospel, a works-based gospel)?
2. Read John 8:44. Who is Jesus talking to (see v. 31)? The Jews are another term for religious leaders, or Pharisees. How are the Pharisees similar to Paul’s opponents in Galatia? Who is ultimately behind the deceit of the Galatian believers?
3. John Stott describes the gospel: “The gospel is not good advice to men, but good news about Christ; not an invitation to us to do anything, but a declaration of what God has done; not a demand, but an offer.”
4. What is Paul saying about a self-sufficient attitude in Galatians 3:3? Do you struggle with spiritual self-sufficiency? How does this attitude or mindset suppress the power of the Holy Spirit in your life?
5. What is the answer to Paul’s last rhetorical question in Galatians 3:5? How is grace essential for our lives today?
6. Read Genesis 12:1-3 and all of Genesis 15. Why does Paul bring Abraham into his argument that works don’t work? How is God’s covenant with Abraham different than covenants between two people?
7. Are you one of Abraham’s offspring (Gal. 3:7-9)? How are was Abraham justified (declared innocent)? How are we justified? How does this contradict the gospel the Judaizers were proclaiming?
8. Why are we cursed if we rely on doing good works to be saved (see Gal. 3:10)? Have you ever been able to be perfectly obedient to God’s laws, even for a day?
9. The righteous shall live by faith. Do a quick study – what other places is this phrase found in the Bible? Read those passages in context. What does it mean that the righteous shall live by faith? How are you living by faith?
10. Why do we have to put our faith in Christ (Gal. 3:13)? How was Jesus cursed (Deut. 21:22-23; 1 Peter 2:24)
11. What will you do this week to live by the Spirit? Eph. 2:10 tells us God has prepared us to do good works. We are not saved by good works, but we are saved to do good works!

Galatians Ep. 2: Gospel Clarity

Galatians 

Preached on September 26, 2021 by Senior Pastor Adam Utecht

Sermon Outline

1. The one gospel is ______ (v. 1-10)
   1. In the face of ______ (v. 1-5)
   2. By the Jerusalem ______ (v. 6-10)
2. The one gospel is ______ applied (v. 11-14)
3. The one gospel ______ (v. 15-21)
   1. ______ by faith in Jesus (v. 15-19)
   2. ______ with Christ (v. 20-21)

Going Deeper

1. Read Acts 11:27-30. Scholars suggest this is when Paul’s visit to Jerusalem took place (Galatians 2:1-10). The events of Galatians 2:11-14 would have taken place before the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15. Some scholars believe this incident in Galatia precipitated the Jerusalem Council. It is also possible Paul wrote this letter to the Galatians on the way to the Jerusalem Council!
2. Read Galatians 2:3. Why is this significant in their visit to Jerusalem?
3. Romans 15:7-13. What does this tell us about Gentiles and their inclusion into the people of God? Do Gentiles need to become Jews in order to be saved?
4. Read Galatians 2:9. How do the apostles affirm Paul’s gospel of grace? How does this refute what the Judaizers are saying (see Acts 15:1)?
5. What did Peter do wrong (Galatians 2:11-14)? John Stott makes this point: “Now, if God justifies Jews and Gentiles on the same terms, through simple faith in Christ crucified, and puts no difference between them, who are we to withhold our fellowship from Gentile believers unless they are circumcised?”
6. Why did Paul confront Peter publicly? How did Paul’s actions promote gospel clarity in Antioch and beyond?
7. Why can’t we be justified by works of the law (Gal. 2:16)? What would we have to do in order to be justified by works? Can we do it?
8. How is a person justified (declared innocent)? What is faith (see Hebrews 11:1). For further study read Romans 3:27-31 and Romans 5:1-2.
9. Union with Christ is described in Galatians 2:20. What does it look like in your life to live by faith in the Son of God who loved you and gave himself for you?
10. How can you honor God with your body this week? With your words? With unity in the body of Christ?
11. How does this passage help you understand the gospel better?

Galatians Ep. 1: Only One Gospel

Galatians 1

Preached on September 19, 2021 by Senior Pastor Adam Utecht

Sermon Outline

1. A ______ religion (v. 1-5)
2. Do not ______ a distorted gospel (v. 6-9)
3. ______ to trust Paul’s gospel (v. 10-24)
   1. Paul is no people ______ (v. 10)
   2. Paul received the gospel ______ from Christ (v. 11-12)
   3. Paul’s ______ history (v. 13-24)

Going Deeper

1. Read Galatians 1:1-5. Jesus “gave himself for our sins to rescue us.” Read John 10:11-18. How do you see this idea developed in this text?
2. A. Carson and Doug Moo say, “Christianity has often been understood as nothing more than a system of morality, as the careful observance of a sacramental system, as conformity to standards…” Is this true? Why or why not? What is Christianity?
3. The errors spreading in Galatia will not thwart God’s purposes. See the end of v. 4, “according to the will of our God and Father.” James Montgomery Boice says, “It is hard to imagine a statement better calculated to oppose any intrusion of human will or merits in the matter of attaining salvation. This phrase, unique here in Paul's greetings, is undoubtedly added for the sake of the erring Christians in Galatia.”
4. Read 1:5 again. James M. Boice says, “The fact that the glory of God and the giving of glory to God will last forever contrasts markedly with "the present evil age," which is passing away (read 1 Cor. 7:31 and Eph. 2:2-7).”
5. Read Galatians 1:6-9. Is Paul being overly harsh? Why or why not?
6. What other distorted gospels can you think of? In what ways are they false gospels? Why might people be led astray by them?
7. Read Galatians 1:10. Philip Ryken says, “This is a question every person has to answer: Whose pleasure do I seek? If we try to please ourselves, or other people, then we are living by a different gospel. Pleasing God and pleasing others are mutually exclusive. We cannot follow our own ambitions and follow Jesus Christ at the same time.” Read Luke 9:23. In what ways have you found yourself seeking your own ambitions and what do you need to do to pick up your cross and follow Jesus?
8. Why is Paul’s conversion so miraculous? How does his personal history support the authenticity of the gospel?
9. What do you need to do with the gospel this week? Trust it? Declare it? Live it out?

Psalms Ep. 11

Psalms Ep. 10

Psalms Ep. 9

Psalms Ep. 8

Psalms Ep. 7

Psalms Ep. 6

Psalms Ep. 5