The North Church Women

Galatians 5:1-12 Christ is All or Christ is Nothing (Pam Larson)

AIM: See the clear choice—Christ is all or Christ is nothing! We can’t add to Jesus’ work on the cross.

The math:

• Christ + anything = NOTHING
• Christ + nothing = EVERYTHING

1--Christ is nothing 

     A. IF-- Circumcision accepted (v2-4)

• No advantage (2); obligated to keep the whole law (3); 
• severed from Christ (4) and fallen away from grace

     B. THEN--Continued warnings (v7-12) 

• hindered you from running well (7)
• NOT from him who calls you! (8) 
• leaven (9) is legalism ...clean it out! “Cast out” (4:30) the false gospel of legalism. 
• will face penalties! 
• And a word of hope here: Paul is persuaded that the false teachers will NOT ultimately win the Galatians over to their view….why? Paul has His confidence in the LORD!!)
• troubling you (10) … the false teachers will face penalties! 
• Persecuted you (11)
• take away the offense of cross by preaching salvation is Jesus plus circumcision (11)
• Unsettled you (12)
• emasculate themselves (12)

2- Christ is all! (v5-6) 

• through the SPIRIT
• by FAITH
• HOPE! 
• in CHRIST
• only FAITH

G.R.A.C.E.—God’s  Riches At  Christ’s Expense

G.R.A.C.E.—God’s  Rescuing And  Caring Exertion (John Piper)

Cross-references: 1 Corinthians 15; Romans 5; Romans 11:29; John 8:31-32; Jeremiah 32:40; 1 Corinthians 1:8–9; Philippians 1; Jude 24; 1 Thess 5:23-24; Romans 8:30; 1 John 2:19; Hebrews 3:14

 

Galatians 4:21-5:1 Children of Promise, Stand Firm (Jacque Boldt)

Galatians 4:21-5:1

My aim for us this week is that we would understand our identity in Christ as children of promise, and that because we know our identity we would walk in the freedom that Christ purchased for us on the cross.

1. vv. 21-23: Paul engages the Galatians with a contrasting analogy related to Abraham
2. vv. 24-30: Paul explains the analogy to the Galatians
   1. vv. 24-25: Hagar represents slavery to the law
   2. vv. 26-28: Galatian believers are free/children of promise
   3. vv. 29-30: Like Isaac, the Galatian believers are being persecuted by those who are born according to the flesh
3. 4:31-5:1: Paul encourages the Galatian believers by reminding them of their identity and exhorts them to stand firm in grace/freedom.

Galatians 4:12-20 Become as I am!! In Christ ... Christ in you! (Pam Larson)

Become as I am!! In Christ ... Christ in you!

1- IN Christ   (Become as I am! … I am IN CHRIST.)

• How? (12)
• Why? (12c-14) Remember…..
  • 1- He was WEAK (13)
  • 2- But they WELCOMED him (14)
  • 3 theories
• What? (15-16) But now? …..
• Contrasting motives (17-18) 
• Motherly pain (19-20)

2- Christ in you (Until Christ is formed in you!) 

“Christ being formed in us is the same as our being formed in Christ. For we are born that we may be new creatures in him. And he, on the other hand, is born in us so that we may live his life.” (Calvin, John, John Calvin's Commentaries On St. Paul's Epistles To The Galatians And Ephesians, p86)

• Col 1:27-29   Christ IN me!

Become like Paul who is IN CHRIST, free and not under the law.

Become like Christ! … Christ IN you!

Galatians 4:1-11 Redeemed to be adopted: No longer a slave (Jacque Boldt)

VV.1-7: You are no longer a slave, but a son

• VV.1-2: Paul explains the heir/child/slave dynamic
• VV.3-5: Paul applies the model to their situation 
• VV.6-7: Paul gives evidence of their adoption to remind them of their status

 

VV. 8-11: Don’t go back to slavery!

• V.8: Paul reminds the Galatians of their previous status
• V.9-11: Paul contrasts God’s choosing of the Galatians with their wandering

Galatians 3:15-29 Promise and Law: Leading Us to Jesus (Pam Larson)

Galatians 3:15-29

Promise and Law: Leading Us to Jesus

A. Promise and Law (15-18)

B. WHY the Law? (19-25)

1. The law was added “because of transgressions.”  (increased sin, 3:19, 24)
2. The law was temporary. (In force only until Christ, 3:19)
3. The law was inferior. The promise is BETTER! (intermediary 3:19-20)
4. The law was not contrary to the promise. (3:21)
5. The law could not give life. (3:21-25)

• Imprisoned
• Captive
• Guarded

6. The law pointed to Jesus!

C. Trace OFFSPRING

• Genesis 3:15
• Gal 4:4
• WHO is the promise made to? (16)
• Mediator? (19)
• NOW who are we? (29)

D. Trace CHRIST

• Promise to Christ (16)
• Law until  Christ (19)
• Both fulfilled in Christ (22-25)
• Identity in Christ (26)
• Identity in Christ leads to Unity in Christ (26-29)

 

 

 

Galatians 3:10-14 Jesus took our curse, Jacque Boldt

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, therefore let us live by faith.

Outline:

• Vv.10-12 As many as are of works of the law are under a curse
  • V.10: All who rely on works of the law are under a curse, because who can do all the things? (Both passive and active)
  • V.11: It’s obvious that no one is justified by the law, because “the righteous shall live by faith” quotation.
  • V.12: The law is not a matter of faith, but of doing.
• Vv.13-14 Christ redeemed us from the curse, so that we might receive the blessing of Abraham
  • V.13: Christ redeemed us from the curse by becoming a curse for us
  • V.14: SO THAT/SO THAT: so that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

Galatians 3:1-9 By FAITH, through the Spirit, Pam Larson

The main point that Paul is making in Galatians 3:1-9--

ALL of the Christian life is By FAITH, through the Spirit, NOT by what you DO

1- A Rebuke: Reflect on your own history! (the PERSONAL argument v1-5)

2-A Review of Redemptive history (going back to Abraham) (the BIBLICAL  argument v6-9)

Galatians Week 8, In Christ: Justified by Faith, Pam Larson

Galatians 2:15-21
November 20, 2019
Pam Larson

It is only in Christ that we are justified. By faith in Jesus we are made right with God. 

And in Christ, we are dead to the law and alive by grace because Jesus lives in us!

1- In Christ ...

• Justified by faith (15-16)

2- In Christ…

• Dead to the law (17-19)
• Alive by grace (20-21)

Galatians Week 7: Gospel Confrontation, Julia Dembeck

In our lesson this week, Galatians  2:11-14, we learned that Paul continued his story, to affirm his authority as an apostle and the authority of the gospel. Julia led us on a journey through this short, but impactful narrative together, using three points:

1. Cephas Opposed- (11)
2. Conduct Exposed- (12-13)
3. The Gospel Line to Hold- (14) 

Julia’s aim for us — “to so treasure the gospel that we would be compelled to confront others when we see the gospel compromised.”

Galatians Week 6: One True Gospel: Nothing Added, Pam Larson

1. What is the setting? “SOMEBODY” (verses 1- 3)   CONTINUATION of the story

• CONTEXT
• COMPANIONS
• CIRCUMCISION
• COMMUNICATE CLEARLY the GOSPEL
• At stake: CONFIRMATION of Paul’s gospel & CHURCH UNITY

2. What is the conflict? (verses 4-5)  CONFRONTATION with false brothers

"BUT…."

• CIRCUMCISION to be added??
• CONFRONT those who CONTRADICT gospel truth

4. What is the resolution? "THEN"  (verses 7-9) CONFIRMATION of Paul’s gospel and ministry

4 verbs:

• ADDED nothing
• SAW
• PERCEIVED
  GAVE the right hand of fellowship

5. What is the new setting? The “SO”?  (verses 9b-10) COMMISSION to ministry

• One true gospel is affirmed, but that gospel is presented in a way that seeks to connect with different groups. Same gospel, same content. The one true gospel message will come across with different nuances, depending on the audience’s circumstances, or religious or cultural background.
• Paul was eager to remember the poor, as he was eager to be like Jesus!

**3. What is the CLIMAX?  (verses 5-6) CORRECT DOCTRINE

Gospel truth preserved!! ONE TRUE GOSPEL! NOTHING ADDED to Christ! Christ alone for salvation!