Week 3 – Galatians Chapter 3
Morgan Teruel | Rescued by Jesus
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Hi there!
Just in case you need a reminder… you’ve got this! It takes courage and commitment to study God’s word. There are so many things vying for your attention. The fact that you’re choosing God’s best for you, deserves three cheers.
We are with you. We are for you, and we love you!
Remember…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. Make time to connect with the 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 3. 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
“23 Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed. 24 Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. 25 And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian. 26 For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:23-26 NLT
Quick Study
If time only allows for quick study this week, linger here: Jesus’ death on the cross rescued us from an endless cycle of striving to do better and be more. Where in your life are you working to make yourself “better,” rather than resting in the promise that, in Christ, you’re already enough?
Notable Quotes from Morgan
- Jesus exchanged freedom for punishment so that we could exchange law for life.
- Are you living according to promise or according to performance?
- When we’re living according to performance, we have an improver view of God.
- When we’re living according to performance, we have an elevates sense of self.
- Our release comes from our belief.
Reflect & Discuss
Choose the questions that will lead you and/or your group into reflection and discussion:
1. As you reflect on Morgan’s message, what most encouraged you? What most challenged you?
2. A right view of God compels us to obey out of love and honor, not fear and obligation. Reflect on a time you chose to obey God even though it was difficult for you. What did you learn about yourself? About God?
3. Read Galatians 3:3. What obstacles keep you from cultivating [investing, enriching, nurturing] your personal relationship with God? These could be external [time, season of life, distraction] or internal [anxiety, insecurity, pride, shame].
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- How might those obstacles fool you into thinking your relationship with God is built on your performance for Him rather than His promises to you?
- What would it look like to begin cultivating a life built on progress not perfection? Be specific. “I would stop ________ and instead start _________.” If you’re already doing this, how has it led to more freedom in your life?
4. Promise not performance and progress not perfection are truths for us, and also for others. What relationships in your life would benefit from this kind of grace and freedom? Keep in mind, “relationships” could include individuals or communities [family, church, work, school, etc.].
Cultivating a Life in Christ
Respond to God, inviting Him to cultivate this week’s truth into your life.
Change is rarely easy or comfortable. However, when motivated out of a desire to align our heart and mind with God, change not only impacts the quality of our present life, but it secures our promised future. It’s worth our effort to lay down performance and rest in promise SO THAT we can become the healthiest version of ourselves.
“God’s love and sacrifice should be our greatest motivation.” Morgan Teruel
Morgan led us in a prayer of reflection and confession. Has God revealed anywhere that you’re living according to performance instead of promise? Be REAL with God as you confess that to Him. Nothing you say will change His love for you. Ask God to walk with you as you replace your striving with worship and trust Him with the work of transforming your life. This week, share what God has shown you with a trusted friend!
Dig Deeper
Choose any of these dig deeper opportunities to cultivate more of God’s word into your life.
- Read Matthew 11:28-30. How does this verse release you from the temptation to do more for God SO THAT you can spend more time with God?
- Read Philippians 1:6. God is working even when we don’t see it. What do you need to trust God with today? Commit this verse to memory and claim it whenever you need to release control and trust God.
Supporting Verses
“12 This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, “It is through obeying the law that a person has life. 13 But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing.” Galatians 3:12-13 NLT
“But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ.” Galatians 3:22 NLT
“23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Psalm 139:23-24 NLT