Embracing Grace: The Gift of the Spirit

Paul’s words in Galatians 3 are a wake-up call, not just for the Galatians but for all who are tempted to drift from the heart of the gospel. He confronts the community with a sharp question: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by believing what you heard? This is not just a theological debate; it’s a matter of identity and relationship. The Spirit is not a reward for good behavior or spiritual achievement, but a gift of grace, the very presence of God dwelling within us. This gift marks us as members of God’s family, not because we have proven ourselves, but because God has chosen to embrace us.

The story of Abraham is central here. Paul reminds us that God’s plan has always been to bless all nations, to bring everyone—Jew and Gentile—into the family through faith. The gospel is not a new idea, but the fulfillment of God’s ancient promise. Our inclusion is not about jumping through religious hoops or adopting a particular culture, but about trusting God and receiving what He has done through Jesus.

It’s easy to slip into a transactional mindset, thinking that if we do the right things, God will respond with blessings or power. But the gospel is relational, not transactional. The Spirit’s presence is not about spiritual “magic tricks” or proving our worth; it’s about transformation—power to love, forgive, reconcile, and serve. The miracles God works are most often seen in changed hearts and restored relationships.

Redemption is not just about being rescued from sin; it’s about being bought back for a purpose. God redeems us so that we can join in His mission to bless the world, to participate in the restoration of creation. The story doesn’t end with our salvation; it continues as we live out our identity as God’s people, empowered by the Spirit, trusting in Jesus, and sharing the good news with others.

Key Takeaways

• 1. The Spirit is a gift, not a reward. God’s presence in us is not something we earn by following rules or achieving spiritual milestones. It is a relational gift, marking us as beloved members of God’s family, given freely through faith in Jesus. This changes our approach from striving to receive to simply accepting what God has already done. [09:35]
• 2. The gospel is communal and missional, not just individual. Paul’s correction is addressed to a community, reminding us that faith is not a solo journey. We are called together, not just for our own benefit, but to participate in God’s mission of blessing and restoring all creation. Our faith finds its fullest expression in community and in service to others. [06:47]
• 3. The power of the Spirit is seen in transformation, not spectacle. While God can and does work miracles, the true dunamis—the power Paul speaks of—is the transformation of our character and relationships. The Spirit empowers us to love, forgive, and serve in ways we could never manage on our own, making the ordinary miraculous. [16:20]
• 4. Redemption is both rescue and calling. God buys us back through Jesus, breaking the curse of sin and restoring relationship. But this redemption is “in order that”—so we can join God’s mission, not just enjoy personal salvation. We are redeemed for a purpose: to be agents of blessing and restoration in the world. [21:24]
• 5. Faith is trusting God’s work, not proving our own. The righteous live by faith—not by intellectual assent or perfect behavior, but by trusting in what God has done through Jesus. This trust frees us from the exhausting need to prove ourselves and invites us into a life of gratitude, participation, and mission. [27:16]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:45] - Paul’s Urgent Correction: “You Foolish Galatians”
• [02:09] - The Power of Names and Getting Our Attention
• [03:31] - The Context: Gentile Churches and Gospel Additions
• [05:28] - The Scope and Bigness of the Gospel
• [06:47] - Reading Scripture as Community
• [08:15] - Grace vs. Law: The Central Binary
• [09:35] - Receiving the Spirit: Gift, Not Achievement
• [10:48] - The Importance of the “Moment” and Its Relational Nature
• [12:27] - The Spirit as Family Identity
• [15:18] - Dunamis: The Power of the Spirit
• [16:20] - Transformation, Not Proving Ourselves
• [18:20] - Seek First the Kingdom: Relationship Before Works
• [19:24] - Abraham, Faith, and the Blessing for All Nations
• [21:24] - Redeemed for Mission
• [22:24] - What Does “Redeemed” Mean?
• [24:06] - Jesus Buys Us Back: The Heart of the Gospel
• [26:15] - Living by Faith: Trusting God’s Work
• [27:16] - Participating in the Mission
• [28:56] - Prayer and Sending

Bible Reading

Galatians 3:1–14 (ESV) — _O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?
Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith._

Observation Questions

1. What question does Paul ask the Galatians about how they received the Spirit, and why is this question so important to his argument? ([08:15])
2. According to Paul, what is the difference between receiving the Spirit by “works of the law” and by “believing what you heard”? ([09:35])
3. How does Paul use the story of Abraham to explain who is included in God’s family? ([19:24])
4. What does Paul say is the purpose of Christ redeeming us, according to verses 13–14? ([21:24])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Paul is so passionate (even harsh) in his correction of the Galatians? What’s at stake if they get this wrong? ([00:45])
2. The sermon says the Spirit is a “gift, not a reward.” How does this challenge the way people often think about spiritual growth or God’s presence? ([09:35])
3. The sermon describes the gospel as “communal and missional, not just individual.” What does it look like for faith to be lived out in community, rather than just as a personal journey? ([06:47])
4. Paul says, “The righteous shall live by faith.” How does trusting God’s work (instead of proving our own) change the way someone approaches their relationship with God? ([27:16])

Application Questions

1. The sermon warns against slipping into a “transactional mindset” with God—thinking that if we do the right things, God will bless us. Are there areas in your life where you find yourself trying to “earn” God’s favor or presence? What would it look like to shift from striving to simply receiving? ([12:27])
2. The Spirit’s power is described as being seen in transformation—especially in loving, forgiving, and serving others. Can you think of a relationship or situation in your life where you need the Spirit’s power to help you love, forgive, or serve? What’s one step you could take this week? ([16:20])
3. The sermon says, “Redemption is both rescue and calling.” In what ways do you sense God calling you to participate in His mission to bless and restore others? Is there a specific opportunity or person that comes to mind? ([21:24])
4. Paul reminds the Galatians that the Spirit marks us as members of God’s family. How does knowing you are “in the family” change the way you see yourself and others in the church? ([12:27])
5. The gospel is for all nations and all people, not just for one group. Are there people or groups you find it hard to imagine as part of God’s family? How might God be inviting you to expand your view of who belongs? ([19:24])
6. The sermon asks, “Do you trust the work of Jesus to buy you back?” What makes it hard for you to trust that God has done everything needed for your relationship with Him? ([27:16])
7. The sermon ends with a call to participate in God’s mission. What is one practical way you could join in God’s work of blessing and restoration this month—at church, in your neighborhood, or elsewhere? ([28:56])