John Lloyd - Applying The Gospel

Free in Christ: Study of Galatians

Applying the Gospel Brings Freedom: Christ being formed in us

Galatians 4:8-20

November 25, 2018

The Gospel (death, burial and resurrection of Jesus) applied brings great

freedom. The apostle Paul desired for the Galatians to thrive spiritually.

The Gospel changes us by addressing our physical, emotional,

psychological and spiritual needs. Yet, sometimes believers get off track

and need to find their way back to Jesus being formed in them. Today, we

will look at ways to thrive spiritually.

Galatians 4:12 Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have

become as you are. You did me no wrong. 13 You know it was because of

a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, 14 and though my

condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received

me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. 15 What then has become of your

blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged

out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I then become your enemy

by telling you the truth?  17 They make much of you, but for no good

purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them.

18 It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only

when I am present with you,

Memory Verse: Galatians 4:19 my little children, for whom I am again in

the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.

Big Idea: We thrive spiritually when we apply the Gospel to every area of

our life. May Jesus Christ be formed in each of our lives!

I. Apply the Gospel to our past ______________________ to God.

Galatians 4:8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to

those that by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you have come to know

God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the

weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you

want to be once more?

Enslaved- “they slaved for those who by nature are not gods.” They were

exchanging one form of slavery for another form of slavery. Lenski

The gospel unapplied always leads to enslavements.

I Corinthians 8:3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.

“Therefore, Paul is saying that earning one’s own salvation through

scrupulous biblical morality and religion is just as much enslavement to

idols as outright paganism and all its immoral practices! In the end, the

religious person is as lost and enslaved as the irreligious person.” Timothy

Keller (See questions 2&3)

● ______________ of your propensity to return false gods.

Galatians 4:10 You observe days and months and seasons and years!

11 I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.

4:11 “These words breathe tears.” Martin Luther

2 Timothy 2:19 But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The

Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of

the Lord depart from iniquity.”

The basic principle of the world is that we need to save ourselves. We will

worship what we think we need to fulfill ourselves, to give us “life”. And

Paul is saying that any basic “thing”—money, sex, mountains and so

on—can be worshiped, treated as a god, and become the basis of your

religion. And whatever it is that we worship, we will be enslaved by. Keller

(see questions 3&4)

Drop old idols! May Jesus Christ be formed in each of our lives!

II. Apply the Gospel to your present ____________ and _________.

Galatians 4:12 I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as

you are. You did me no wrong. 13 You know it was because of a bodily

ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first,

God does not promise to bless Christians by removing suffering, but to

bless Christians through suffering. Keller (see question 6)

Lord, help me to look for gospel openings in my trials.

III. Appeal to past receptivity and ___________ to continue thriving

spiritually.

Galatians 4:14 and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not

scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.

Galatians 4:16 Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?

“Paul is the truest friend the Galatians have even as he is telling them the

truth.” Lenski. (Ephesians 4:15, John 8:31-32, John 14:6)

Loving the truth of the Scriptures brings new life to Christ followers.

IV. Applying the Gospel means seeing Christ ____________ in me

and others.

Galatians 4:19 My little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of

childbirth until Christ is formed in you!

Formed-morphe- is always the form which expresses the essence, the

inner reality, it is never a mask or an assumed form which one can lay

aside. Here Paul deals with faith as embracing Christ, him fully, him alone.

Lenski

1 Thessalonians 1:9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of

reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to

serve the living and true God, (Acts 14:15b, I Corinthians 4:15)

It pains Paul when people are not thriving spiritually. He wants Christ to

dominate their lives so that there can be no change from a settled spiritual

condition. Douglas Moo (question 8&9)

Colossians 1:28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching

everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works

within me.

Our goal is to see Christ put into the hearts of each person.

Applying the Gospel causes us to thrive spiritually.

Growth Group Questions for November 25 th

Opener: Who has been like a spiritual mother or father to you?

Describe how they have helped you?

1. Read Galatians 4:8-20. Describe in your own words what is happening

here. Why is this important?

2. Read Galatians 4:8-11. What did the Galatians life look like before they

heard the gospel? (v.8) What were they returning to? (v.9-10) What

was Paul concerned might happen with them? (v.11)

3. How can turning to a works salvation be considered enslavement to

false gods? What idols are you in most danger of serving?

4. Read Galatians 4:9, I Corinthians 8:3. What makes a Christian is not

so much us knowing God, but Him knowing us. Our knowing of God will

rise and fall depending on many things. But God’s knowing of us is

absolutely fixed and solid. How could this truth help you fight idolatry?

5. Read Galatians 4:12. In what sense did Paul want the Galatians to be

like him? Was it prideful for him to say this? Why or why not?

6. Read Galatians 4:12-14. Tim Keller shares that Gospel ministry is

culturally flexible, (v.12), transparent (v.12) and looks for opportunities in

hardship. (v.13) Discuss what this looked like for Paul and what it might

look like for us in our worlds. How can God bless us in our suffering?

7. Read Galatians 4:15-16, Ephesians 4:15, John 8:31-32, 14:6. What

do you see that changed the relationship the Galatians had with Paul in

the past and now? What should our relationship be with the truth?

8. Read Galatians 4:17-18. Contrast what Paul and his companions

wanted for the Galatians and what the false teachers wanted? Do you

ever find it appealing to have people relying on you in some way? Why?

Could you be motivated by the same goals as the false teachers?

9. Read Galatians 4:19-20. What did Paul want for the Galatians? What

encourages or discourages you in relation to what Paul is sharing?

How can we pray for Christ to be formed in you this week?