Week 1 – Galatians Chapter 1
Melody Workman | The REAL Gospel and Grace
PRINTABLE VERSION
Dear friends,
Welcome to Spring Cultivate! This study guide is designed to help you reflect and respond to Galatians and our video teachings. Keep in mind, this season is an invitation to be changed by God’s word, not a measuring stick by which God is calculating your value and worth.
You are already fully known and deeply loved by God.
Your goal is not just to get through this content, but to get this content through you. Choose questions that are most meaningful to you and/or that lead your group into deeper conversation. Use any remaining content for personal study or reflection throughout the week. Be REAL with yourself, God and others as you commit to cultivating the truth of God’s word into your life SO THAT you can live out what you’re learning.
Cultivate Truth
Read Galatians Chapter 1. Make note of any words, phrases or verses that speak to you. In your own words summarize what you want to take away from this chapter. How will you begin to cultivate that truth into your life?
Key Verses
“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel – not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.” Galatians 1:6-7 ESV
Quick Study
If time only allows for quick study this week, linger here: Paul’s impassioned plea to the Galatians was to stop deserting grace and to reject any lie that they could earn their salvation. Where in your life are you forgetting the fullness of God’s grace and trying to instead earn God’s love and approval?
Notable Quotes from Melody
- The gospel is NOT Jesus died for my sins AND…
- Christians who understand grace don’t brag about their sin; they brag about their savior.
- If it’s not too good to be true, it’s not grace.
- God isn’t in love with your potential or your performance; He’s in love with your person.
- There is no such thing as grace PLUS. It’s all grace. PERIOD.
- Become uncomfortable with God’s grace so that you’re never ungrateful for it.
Reflect & Discuss
Choose the questions that will lead you and/or your group into reflection and discussion:
- As you reflect on Melody’s message, what most encouraged you? What most challenged you?
- Grace is God’s free favor. He gives us everything for nothing. Is there anything about that truth that makes you feel uncomfortable or even unworthy? If so, why do you think that is?
- Reflect on/share out a time you experienced God’s sustaining grace comforting, encouraging or strengthening you? This might be a particular moment in time or a season of your life.
- God’s grace is not only for us; it is also for others. Is there anyone in your life from whom you are withholding grace? This could look like bitterness, resentment, unspoken expectations, control, unforgiveness, pride or selfishness. What would it look like for you to begin to extend grace toward them?
- Our sin breaks God’s heart, but it doesn’t change His grace. How does that challenge you to walk in freedom with God while also pursuing obedience to God?
Cultivating a Life in Christ
Respond to God, inviting Him to cultivate this week’s truth into your life.
Paul opens his letter to the Galatians with a greeting of “grace and peace” [v3]. Without God’s grace – His lavish gift of exceptional kindness – we cannot truly know the wholeness and harmony of peace. While the gift of grace is free to us, it cost Jesus everything. His sacrifice merits our gratitude.
“God meets you where you are and saves you where you are, but He never wants
to leave your where you are.” Melody Workman
Reflect on all you’ve learned about God’s grace. Make time this week to express your gratitude to God. This could look like prayer, worship, journaling your thoughts or simply being still in God’s presence. Remember, we won’t fully understand grace until we’re uncomfortable with it. Open your hands and heart as you invite God to help you receive His gift of grace SO THAT you can cultivate it into your life and allow it to change you from the inside out.
Dig Deeper
Choose any of these dig deeper opportunities to cultivate more of God’s word into your life.
- Read Galatians 1:10. Is there anywhere in your life where you’re pleasing people more than you’re pursuing Jesus? How does God’s grace for you free you from people’s opinions of you?
- Read Galatians 1:13-16. Paul’s story reminds us that God can change even the hardest heart. Paul’s sin was great, but God’s grace was greater. Who in your life do you want to see experience God’s saving grace? Begin praying for them, asking God to do a work in them. You don’t need to know if He will; you just need to believe He can.
Supporting Verses
“For it’s by God’s grace that you have been saved. You receive it through faith. It was not our plan or our effort. It is God’s gift, pure and simple. You didn’t earn it, not one of us did, so don’t go around bragging that you must have done something amazing.” Ephesians 2:8-9 The Voice
“and finally He said to me, “My grace is enough to cover and sustain you. My power is made perfect in weakness.” So ask me about my thorn, inquire about my weaknesses, and I will gladly go on and on—I would rather stake my claim in these and have the power of the Anointed One at home within me. I am at peace and even take pleasure in any weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and afflictions for the sake of the Anointed because when I am at my weakest, He makes me strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 The Voice
“So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?” Romans 5:21-6:2 NLT