Euangelion: (greek); gospel or evangel in English; good news

Evangelism: proclaiming the good news of the salvation story

Evangelphobia: the fear and/or disgust with everything associated with evangelism!

The truth behind all good news: Something happened in the past that has changed the present and brought hope for the future!

Regifting the good news (evangelism) is proclaiming the good news of reconciliation to God and is motivated by our own experience of reconciliation.

The good news...

...Christ died for all

...Sin has been conquered for all

...God does not hold sins against any

...be reconciled to God

2 Corinthians 5:13-21

What has been your experience with evangelism? Do you have a positive or negative bias toward it? How did today's talk affect your view of evangelism?

From today's text, what verses or ideas stand out to you?

Discuss the ways in which your experience of Christ's love motivates you in sharing the good news with others. Why is this important?

As we begin this new series, ask God to show you one or two people that He might be calling you to share the good news with. Begin praying for them daily and see how you might begin to see and serve them.

Euangelion: (greek); gospel or evangel in English; good news

Evangelism: proclaiming the good news of the salvation story

Evangelphobia: the fear and/or disgust with everything associated with evangelism!

The truth behind all good news: Something happened in the past that has changed the present and brought hope for the future!

Regifting the good news (evangelism) is proclaiming the good news of reconciliation to God and is motivated by our own experience of reconciliation.

The good news...

...Christ died for all

...Sin has been conquered for all

...God does not hold sins against any

...be reconciled to God

2 Corinthians 5:13-21

What has been your experience with evangelism? Do you have a positive or negative bias toward it? How did today's talk affect your view of evangelism?

From today's text, what verses or ideas stand out to you?

Discuss the ways in which your experience of Christ's love motivates you in sharing the good news with others. Why is this important?

As we begin this new series, ask God to show you one or two people that He might be calling you to share the good news with. Begin praying for them daily and see how you might begin to see and serve them.

"When there's only merry in your heart...and you're feeling nicer than you are...

it must be Christmas!"

Band of Merrymakers - Must Be Christmas

Joy (Greek: chara; gladness; calm delight; cheerfulness)

In the New Testament, joy is not based on circumstances, but it is a result of a conscious union with God that satisfies mind, emotion, and desire.

Psalm 16:11; John 15:11

Joy, in the person of Jesus, was...

prophesied - Isaiah 55:12

realized - Luke 1:47

announced - Luke 2:9-10

and expressed - Matthew 2:10-11

When joy comes to the world...

...a new thing is happening

...the nature of God is revealed to humanity

...our active participation is required

...to reclaim, embrace, and cultivate

...the joy of the Lord

In what ways did this miracle of turning water into wine reveal the true nature of God?

Make a case for New Testament joy being a result of a conscious union with God. Use the noted scriptures and consult these texts. (John 3:29-36; John 16:17-22; John 17:13-26)

How can we practice embracing and cultivating joy?

What about the issue of pain?

"Christmas night, another fight, tears we cried a flood, got all kinds of

poison in, poison in my blood... Those Christmas lights, Light up the street,

maybe they'll bring her back to me, then all my troubles will be gone, oh

Christmas lights keep shining on"

- Coldplay

Peace is the experience of wholeness found only in the presence of God.

Luke 2:8-15

In Christ, the broken relationship between God and humanity is reconciled.

Romans 5:1-2

Peace with God leads humanity to a restored identity, as the children of God.

John 1:12-13

Christ invites us to foster wholeness in our lives and the lives of those around us... to be peace-makers.

Ephesians 2:14-18, Matthew 5:9

During Advent, we wait expectantly for God to bring wholeness to the world and establish peace on Earth forever.

Isaiah 11:6-9

What is broken in your life? What do you long for God to make whole?

How does peace with God affect how you view yourself? How does it change the way you view others?

In this Christmas season, how can you live as a peace-maker in your everyday life? What is one step you can take this week to foster wholeness in the world around you?

Advent: from a Latin word meaning "coming" or "arrival"

The church looks back upon Christ's coming with celebration while at the same time looks forward with anticipation to his second coming.

Our experience of waiting depends on what we are waiting for!

The foundation of hope is the promise of God. | Luke 2:25-32; Isaiah 40

The feeling of being forgotten and the recovery of hope. | Luke 3:2-19

Waiting well is not a passive thing, but active in remembering, hoping, and working toward what we are waiting for!

For further discussion

When was the last time that you felt that God had forgotten about you, your situation, or your needs? What was your first response? Where do you go in your thoughts?

How did you recover from the emotion of feeling forgotten? If you haven't recovered and still feel forgotten and hopeless, what might you do to reestablish hope?

What are you currently waiting for? Is it something hoped for based on God's promise or something else? What else could it be based on?

How do we wait well for God to fulfill all his promises for his world? Discuss John the Baptist's words in Luke 3:11-14.

Who are the forgotten among us? In our community? In the world? What can we do this advent to bring hope to the forgotten?

The old way of life enslaves us to impressing others and selfish pride, even at the expense of others.

"May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ..."

New Creation is the total transformation of ALL things because of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

New Creation is the distinguishing mark in the family of God.

Why do you think we focus so much on impressing others? What are some things you tend to "boast" about? (Status, Social Media, Brand Names, etc.)

What does New Creation look like in your life? If New Creation can transform ALL things, what aspects of society and life do you most want to see transformed?

Thinking back on the entire Galatians series, what is your biggest takeaway? How has what you learned or experienced during the series changed you?

Next Steps

Paul's Letter to the Galatians - as we conclude our series we invite you to reread Galatians in its entirety and reflect on all we've learned in the past 12 weeks.

How do we walk by the Spirit? What are the actions and behaviors that characterize someone walking in the Spirit?

EXTEND GRACE to the busted and the broken. | Galatians 6:1-3

LIVE GENUINELY | Galatians 6:4-5

DO GOOD... | Galatians 6:6-10

to your mentors

to the community of faith

to everyone you encounter

As our lives are marked by grace, genuineness, and goodness, we experience Christ and know Him more fully.

Digging Deeper

Of the three markers, which one do you most struggle to live out and why? Which one do you want to cultivate more in your life? (for reference: extend grace, live genuinely, do good)

Tangibly, what does it look like to "do good" in your everyday, ordinary life? What's one thing you might try this week?

How do you keep Paul's list of imperatives in vv. 1-10 from becoming another Law in your life?

For Next Week

Galatians 6:11-18

2 Corinthians 5:11-21

Philippians 3

Can a person be a Christian in the fullest biblical sense merely by adhering to a set of beliefs, or should we anticipate a gradually transformed character and life?

A primer on justification and sanctification

The antidote to living by the desires of the flesh is life in the Spirit.

Galatians 5:16-25

Walking in the Spirit is both slow and unspectacular. It also requires perseverance and energy.

The result of life in the Spirit

Can a person be a Christian in the fullest sense merely by adhering to a set of beliefs, or should we an

In your own life, what are some of the effects of living in the Spirit? (keep v. 22-23 in mind)

Which of the two illustrations used this weekend impacted you more? In what ways were they helpful? (Illustration 1: Forging Steel) (Illustration 2: Hot-Water

Pipe)

For Next Week

Galatians 6:1-10

2 Corinthians 9:6-15

Matthew 18:1-20

Romans 12

Having discussed the many things we have been freed from, we now turn our attention to what we have been freed for!

Todays Text: Galatians 5:13-15

The modern world defines freedom as freedom from any restraints. What are the problems associated with being free from all restraint?

Christ has liberated us from everything that keeps us from being the people we were created to be. He has freed us for this purpose!

Freedom thrives in our relationship with God and in an atmosphere of love.

How would you explain "freedom" to someone? How does Paul redefine our understanding of freedom?

In your own life, how does freedom flourish through obedience, respect, and responsibility?

Think about the people you are most regularly in contact with day-to-day. What are some tangible ways you can love them this week by the standard of Gal. 5:13-15?

For Next Week

Galatians 5:16-26

1 Corinthians 9:19-27

Ephesians 5:1-20

Colossians 3:1-17

"God's Spirit is on me; he's chosen me to preach the message of good news to the poor, sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind. To set the burdened and battered free, to announce, 'This is God's year to act!'"

- Jesus ; Luke 4:18-19 (MSG)

Galatians 5:1-6

"It was for freedom that Christ set us free..."

Galatians 5:7-12

Why would anyone want to be under the law?

Galatians 5:13-15.

Two warnings:

Don't lose your gospel freedom

Don't abuse your gospel freedom

How can a person lose their gospel freedom? How does a person abuse their gospel freedom? What does this look like in everyday life?

Which of the two (lose or abuse) are you more prone to in your life? How do you cultivate gospel freedom in a healthy way?

What does "faith expressing itself in love" look like today? Which comes first, faith or love? (v. 6)

For Next Week

Galatians 5:16-25

1 Corinthians 13

Isaiah 63:7-19