I can remember what it was like learning to play basketball as a child. There was a constant emphasis on learning the fundamentals. Am I dribbling properly? Am I aiming for the corner on the backboard when I shoot a layup? Do I have my feet squared to the hoop when shooting? 

All of this was crucial and necessary to learn the game. But then something happened. As I developed as a player, I began to experiment with “cooler” and “flashier” ways to shoot or attempt a layoff. Inevitably, my whole game would get thrown off, and my coaches and parents would repeatedly shout at me to return to the fundamentals.

This is just with basketball, but we do it with all sorts of things. Driving. Dental care. You name it. But is it possible we also do this with our faith? With our spiritual life? In these punchy five verses, Paul is going to show us that if you have been declared righteous through faith in the gospel, then you are also formed by faith in the gospel.

The good news is not just our entry ticket into the Kingdom of God, but the good news is also what shapes us into proper citizens of the Kingdom of God. The gospel is not simply building blocks we play with when we are spiritual infants, only to be tossed to the side when something better comes our way. Rather, the gospel is the building blocks that serve as a foundation for our Christian formation. Let us learn together what it means to continually fixate on Jesus and to see Christ clearly.

Dinner Table Conversations: 

Adult & Teen Table Talk: 

Little Learners’ Table Talk: 

Caleb McCaughan

Sermon Title: Christ Clearly

Sermon Series: Set Free

Sermon Passage: Galatians 3:1-5

Closing Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

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