Galatians 5:24-6:5 // How can we love others the way that God has called us? This scandalous love can only come by keeping in step with God's Spirit. When we abide in the love of God and walk in the Spirit, it becomes natural for us to love and to also automatically obey the calling of God. We will not do this perfectly, but over time we will see growth and progress. Keeping in step with the Spirit allows us to look out for our brothers and sisters in Christ in a way that is not conceited, provoking, or envious. "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

Galatians 5:16-26 // We are in a daily battle between warring desires – the desires of the flesh and the desires of the Spirit. How does God want us to live? We can not just muster up the strength not to give into the flesh. God has called us to walk by the Spirit. In doing so, we will not gratify the desires of the flesh. Faith the size of a mustard seed is part of what we bring to this battle and is one of the main actions we take in walking with the Spirit. We are to believe God will give us everything we need for life and godliness. We are to believe that the light is stronger than the darkness. We are to believe the blow we have dealt the flesh is mortal. Victory is in reach for every Christ follower. You are no longer a slave and it take faith to believe this.

Galatians 5:1-12 // What you see in this letter is Paul, over and over hitting the same thing from multiple angles. He's desperate for the Galatian believers to get what's at stake – the scandalous freedom that we have in Christ and what it means for living a life worth living and throwing off the weights, of sin, the law, and what you yourself and what other people will try to put on you to prove you are a righteous person.

Galatians 4:21-31 // Don't rely on the law for your standing with God. We are under a new covenant paid for by the blood of Jesus. Our faith is not in our works, but in the promise of God to adopt all who trust in Him.

Galatians 4:8-20 // Speaking truth to our brothers and sisters in Christ is not optional. Galatians is a letter by Paul addressing the members of this church who are being led astray by a false gospel. This can and does still happens to this day. As humans, we want affirmation not truth. It is not always easy to hear the truth or to speak the truth. Yet, it is our responsibility to stand up for the truth and God calls us to speak the truth in love.

Galatians 3:24-4:7 // Before Christ came we were under guardianship of the law. Now in Christ, all who believe are sons of God, through faith. We are one in Christ, but not the same. With guardianship and separation over – adoption gives us a new family and Father. The purpose of absolution is adoption. God has grafted us into His family.

Galatians 3:15-23 // "But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe." The promise is not a wage. It was the gospel given to us in the Old Testament. Why did God give us the law? It restrains sin, it provokes sin, it reveals sin and it leads us to God's grace. As Jesus spoke, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”

Galatians 3:1-14 // It's scandalous to believe that faith is all we need. Nothing we do is enough to save ourselves. We are not enough. There is nothing we can do to justify ourselves to God. Our salvation is found complete in the work of Jesus Christ on the cross!

Galatians 2:11-21 // In this passage, Paul gives a reprimand and a reminder. Peter is struggling with fear of man. He is giving into a false gospel. This is not a gospel difference, but a different gospel – adding to Christ's work on the cross. It altered the truth and Paul had to contend for the truth in public. We must remain firm that it's the gospel plus nothing and the gospel minus nothing. Christ's work is sufficient. The gospel is what helps us find the lie that is promoting the bad behavior (like fear of man). We must continually align ourselves with the gospel.

Galatians 1:11-2:10 // Why did God choose Paul? "Seriously, seriously? You chose this guy, this this murderer to do that?!" What a scandalous choice. A man approving of imprisonment and murder of Christians became the principal missionary of Jesus. Many people reject the gospel because of God's choice. The gospel is scandalous and can rescue anyone. "For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." 1 Cor 1:22-24