Freedom-Week 1

So, by way of introducing the book of Galatians, let me just say that it was written to churches that Paul had planted with his cohort, Barnabas, during his second missionary journey through Asia Minor (which is present day Turkey). The book was most likely written around 49 AD and was written by the Apostle Paul.

We see Paul begin by introducing himself (although most of those who would have read the letter would have known who he was) and pushes a notion that his ministry came from a direct call from God (which he will expound on later in the book). We also see that he is with a group of fellow-Christians who are ministering with him.

We also see that this letter is written to the churches (most likely house churches that were led by overseers within the community) in the region of Galatia (in the central part of Asia Minor).

He then moves to a greeting that he extends whenever he writes a letter. This greeting is not unsimilar to many of the greetings we see from Paul in other letters of his. But he extends grace and peace to them…a good greeting considering what they are about to be told.

If you were with us when we walked through Philippians, we defined JOY as “resting in God’s definition of ‘good’!” We also had a great definition for ZEAL in our last series as we said it was “Wholehearted surrender and fierce devotion to God rooted in the Gospel.”

So, what I’d like you to do right now is get your pen out and your journal, and in the margin at the top of your first page there, right above where it says, “THE LETTER OF PAUL TO THE GALATIANS”, I want you to write the following:

Freedom is liberation from human led legalism to spirit led righteousness.

This is the definition we will be going with throughout our time together, so we’ll be referring to it from time to time.

Paul is mad because they have deserted the Gospel of Jesus and thus have deserted Christ.

Paul is also mad because people have come in and distorted this Gospel so that they might gain control over the Galatian churches.

Paul is warning that anyone who distorts the Gospel or presents a gospel that is different than the one that they had originally received should be cut off (or excommunicated) from the church.

CHALLENGES

Challenge #1–Keep the Gospel at the center of your life. Know it, live it, love it.

Challenge #2–Read the book of Galatians this week, and each week throughout the series.