Gospel Character (Galatians 5:16-26)

God’s word for us this week shows that a huge battle rages within every Christian, and it exhorts us to obedience with a list of “do’s” and “don’ts.” Yet truthfully, it seems impossible to “keep in step with the Spirit” and live out the fruit of the Spirit all the time, or even some of the time! So how are we actually supposed to live a life of Gospel Character? The answer is that yes, it’s about the fruit, but it’s also about the root — the “desires” of our hearts.

Gospel Freedom (Galatians 5:1-15)

The gospel is something altogether different than either religion or irreligion. It is free and free-ing! The gospel is free: we don’t have to earn salvation by our works. But the gospel is also freeing: it frees us to love and serve one another. Or, as the Apostle Paul puts it, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” That’s what the gospel is all about: Faith expressed through love.

Gospel Ministry (Galatians 4:8-20)

In today's passage, we see that religion enslaves just as much as irreligion. It's not about what you do or don't do; it's about who you know (and who knows you). And we'll see from the Apostle Paul's example that this truth shouldn't just impact our own lives personally, but also the way we serve and minister to other Christians and non-Christians around us. 

You Never Leave it Behind (Galatians 3:1-14)

Why do you do what you do? What is the primary motivation for your day-to-day actions? God’s word commands us to do good works and obey God with our lives. However, Galatians 3:1-14 shows us that our motivation for our good deeds is just as important as the deeds themselves. This morning, we’re going to examine the difference between obeying God “by means of the flesh” and “by means of faith,” and we’ll see that the gospel message is the best motivation for our obedience.

Living in Line with the Gospel (Galatians 2:11-21)

What happens when our actions don't "line up" with our beliefs? It's this kind of hypocrisy that the Apostle Paul confronts the Apostle Peter about in this week's passage. Galatians 2:11-21 will show us why we don't always act in accordance with our beliefs and how we can strive to "live in line with the gospel" every day.

God's Amazing Grace (Galatians 1:10-24)

In today’s passage, the Apostle Paul goes to great lengths to show that the gospel comes only from God; it’s not a human invention. And to prove his point, Paul shares his testimony. This week, we’ll see how the gospel saved Paul – and saves us – from both irreligion and religion, so that we can be free to please God because He is pleased with us in Christ.

The Uniqueness of the Gospel (Galatians 1:1-9)

The Apostle Paul writes against false teachers who tried to add to God’s grace through religious performance, a trap that modern day Christians easily fall into. Paul reminds us that God’s pleasure in us is not based on our performance for Him. Instead, God’s pleasure in us is based on His perfect, gracious, loving performance for us.

Lifesaver (James 5:19-20)

We admire and honor first responders who save lives for good reason, but James 5:19-20 shows us that we are all called to be lifesavers. Today is all about how the church - Christian community! - is vital to each of our personal salvation and relationship with the Lord.