Session V, The Letter to the Galatians

 Opening Prayer

Theme hymn                                   Let Us Break Bread Together, v. 2

Let us drink wine together on our knees;

Let us drink wine together on our knees;

When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun,

O Lord, have mercy on me.

We are seeking a deeper understanding of God’s grace in our lives.

General introduction to Galatians

1.  This letter deals with the issue of whether Gentiles must become Jews before they become Christians.

Oxford Annotated Study Bible calls Gal the Magna Carta of Christian Liberty

2.  General background:

Paul’s missionary activity to this area is described in Acts 15, 16, & 18.

Believed written around 50 CE., possibly the earliest of Paul’s letters.  During Paul’s third journey.

3.  The importance of this letter cannot be overstated.  The principles here in these six chapters made Christianity a world religion instead of a Jewish sect.

4.  We will find considerable biographical material about Paul here, more than in any other source.

Galatians, Chapter Two                Paul continues to repeat his history and begins on the issue of law and grace.

Vv. 1-10 – Paul’s second trip (1:18) to Jerusalem.

Paul presents his case for taking the gospel to the Gentiles (v. 2).  He is approved by Peter, James & John (v. 9).  Titus is not compelled to be circumcised (v. 3).

Question #1 - How do you decide what is right?  Pick a current or past topic or experience and reflect on how you came to the understanding of what was right, what God’s will would be.  How do you know what’s right, when two people you greatly respect disagree on some point you need guidance on.

Vv. 11-14 – Paul and Peter at Antioch.

Peter acts two-faced (Acts 10 – read it around the room).

Paul and Barnabas split up (Acts 15:36-41). 

Question #2 - It is a human tendency to slip back into old habits.  How do you incorporate new revelations from God in your life?

Vv. 15-21 – Justification by grace through faith.

This touches upon the major theme of this book, already hinted at in 1:3, and serves as the rest of the book.

V. 18 – a paraphrase:  “I don’t really understand grace if I think I have done anything for it.  The only thing I can do is accept that gift.  I have done nothing to earn it.  It feels very different to do something to earn your salvation than to do it as a love response for the grace of your salvation.  Not only does it feel different, but it IS different, it is different in God’s eyes.

The verses in this section are essentially repeating the same theme, which Paul will continue to develop through the rest of the letter.

Question #3.  Another human tendency is to not accept gifts, to not be a debtor or beholden to anyone.  What struggle do you yourself have with God’s grace?  What would it mean to us if we thoroughly understood that we have done nothing to earn God’s grace?  What would that mean in our behavior towards others?

Engaging activity.  During this class we will undertake to write a letter similar to Galatians, but in a modern context.  Assume someone has asked you about your faith, what you believe, why you believe it.  You have undertaken the responsibility to correspond with that person, following the model of Paul’s letter to the Galatians.

For today, you are to point your faith journey towards what grace is.  What experience do you have with grace in your faith journey?  How would you explain grace and your experience to the friend who will receive this letter?

Sing our theme song, close with prayer.