Grace, Adoption, and the True Gospel of Christ

Devotional

Day 1: The True Gospel of Grace and Peace

The gospel is a message of grace and peace that comes directly from God through Jesus Christ. Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, expresses his astonishment at how quickly they are turning to a different gospel, warning them against any distortion of the true message of Christ. He emphasizes that his apostleship and message are not derived from human authority but from Jesus Christ himself. This underscores the importance of adhering to the true gospel without distortion, as it is not about human effort but about God's initiative in reaching us through Christ. The core of the gospel is that Jesus gave Himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to God's will. [01:07]

Galatians 1:6-9 (ESV): "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed."

Reflection: In what ways have you been tempted to distort or add to the gospel of grace in your own life? How can you return to the simplicity and purity of the true gospel today?

Day 2: Adoption as Sons and Heirs

In the fullness of time, God sent His Son, born of a woman and under the law, to redeem those under the law so that we might receive adoption as sons. This adoption transforms us from slaves to heirs, allowing us to cry out, "Abba! Father!" This profound change signifies a new and intimate relationship with God, where we are no longer bound by the law but are free to live as His children. This transformation is not something the world naturally understands, as many are unaware of their alienation from God due to sin. The gospel reveals that reconciliation with God is possible only through Jesus, who bore our sins and fulfilled the law's demands. [02:36]

Galatians 4:4-7 (ESV): "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!' So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God."

Reflection: How does knowing you are an adopted child of God change the way you view your relationship with Him? What steps can you take to embrace your identity as His heir today?

Day 3: The Need for Reconciliation

Many people are unaware of their alienation from God due to sin, often viewing it merely as an inconvenience. However, the gospel reveals the deep need for reconciliation with God, which is only possible through Jesus Christ. Jesus bore our sins and fulfilled the law's demands, offering us a way to be reconciled with God. This reconciliation is not about human effort but about God's initiative in reaching us through Christ. It is a profound truth that transforms our relationship with God, allowing us to experience His grace and peace. [09:54]

Colossians 1:21-22 (ESV): "And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt distant from God. What steps can you take today to seek reconciliation and draw closer to Him through Jesus?

Day 4: The Law and Our Need for Salvation

The law was given to reveal our need for salvation, not to provide it. Jesus fulfilled the law and bore its curse, offering us freedom and adoption into God's family. This message of grace is central to the Christian faith, as it highlights the inadequacy of human effort to achieve salvation. Instead, it points to the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice and the freedom that comes from being adopted into God's family. This truth is a foreign language to many, yet it is the heart of the gospel, offering perfect redemption and the promise of God to every believer. [20:44]

Romans 8:3-4 (ESV): "For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."

Reflection: In what areas of your life are you relying on your own efforts rather than trusting in the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice? How can you shift your focus to embrace the freedom and grace offered through Jesus?

Day 5: God's Initiative in Redemption

The story of redemption is about God's initiative in reaching us through Christ, not our efforts to reach Him. This truth is a foreign language to many, yet it is the heart of the gospel, offering perfect redemption and the promise of God to every believer. It emphasizes that salvation is not about human effort but about God's grace and initiative. This profound truth invites us to rest in the assurance of God's love and redemption, knowing that He has done everything necessary for our salvation through Jesus Christ. [30:09]

Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV): "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

Reflection: How does understanding that salvation is a gift from God change your perspective on your relationship with Him? What can you do today to rest in the assurance of His grace and redemption?

Sermon Summary

In the letter to the Galatians, Paul addresses the profound truth of the gospel, emphasizing the grace and peace that come from God through Jesus Christ. He expresses astonishment at how quickly the Galatians are turning to a different gospel, warning them against any distortion of the true message of Christ. Paul underscores that his apostleship and message are not derived from human authority but from Jesus Christ himself. He reminds the Galatians of the core of the gospel: Jesus gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to God's will.

In Galatians 4, Paul elaborates on the fullness of time when God sent His Son, born of a woman and under the law, to redeem those under the law so that we might receive adoption as sons. This adoption transforms us from slaves to heirs, allowing us to cry out, "Abba! Father!" This profound change is not something the world naturally understands, as many are unaware of their alienation from God due to sin. The gospel reveals that reconciliation with God is possible only through Jesus, who bore our sins and fulfilled the law's demands.

The sermon highlights the foreignness of biblical language to those outside the faith, emphasizing the need for clarity in sharing the gospel. It is not about human effort to reach God but about God's initiative in reaching us through Christ. The law was given to reveal our need for salvation, not to provide it. Jesus fulfilled the law and bore its curse, offering us freedom and adoption into God's family. This message of grace is a foreign language to many, yet it is the heart of the Christian faith.

Key Takeaways

1. The gospel is about God's grace and peace through Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins. This message is not derived from human authority but from Christ himself, emphasizing the importance of adhering to the true gospel without distortion. [01:07]
2. In the fullness of time, God sent His Son to redeem us, transforming us from slaves to heirs. This adoption allows us to call God "Abba! Father!" and signifies a profound change in our relationship with Him. [02:36]
3. Many people are unaware of their alienation from God due to sin, viewing it merely as an inconvenience. The gospel reveals the need for reconciliation, which is only possible through Jesus, who bore our sins and fulfilled the law's demands. [09:54]
4. The law was given to show our need for salvation, not to provide it. Jesus fulfilled the law and bore its curse, offering us freedom and adoption into God's family. This message of grace is central to the Christian faith. [20:44]
5. The story of redemption is about God's initiative in reaching us through Christ, not our efforts to reach Him. This truth is a foreign language to many, yet it is the heart of the gospel, offering perfect redemption and the promise of God to every believer. [30:09]
** [30:09]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:25] - Introduction to Galatians
[01:07] - Warning Against a Different Gospel
[01:50] - Seeking God's Approval
[02:36] - Adoption as Sons
[03:18] - Prayer for Understanding
[04:04] - The Significance of Communion
[06:17] - Invitation to the Lord's Table
[07:43] - The Foreign Language of Faith
[09:54] - Alienation and Reconciliation
[12:03] - God's Initiative in Salvation
[14:45] - The Mystery of the Trinity
[19:31] - Born Under the Law
[22:45] - The Promise Fulfilled in Christ
[25:43] - The Wonder of Adoption
[30:09] - A New Creation in Christ

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Galatians 1:1-10
- Galatians 4:4-7

---

Observation Questions:

What does Paul emphasize about the source of his apostleship and message in Galatians 1:1? [00:25]
In Galatians 1:6-7, what is Paul astonished about regarding the Galatians' behavior? [01:07]
According to Galatians 4:4-5, what significant event does Paul describe as happening in the "fullness of time"? [02:36]
How does Paul describe the transformation of believers in Galatians 4:6-7? [02:36]

---

Interpretation Questions:

Why does Paul stress that his apostleship is not from human authority but from Jesus Christ? How does this relate to the authenticity of the gospel message? [00:25]
What might Paul mean by a "different gospel" in Galatians 1:6-7, and why is it important to avoid it? [01:07]
How does the concept of adoption as sons in Galatians 4:5-7 change the believer's relationship with God? What implications does this have for understanding one's identity in Christ? [02:36]
In what ways does the sermon suggest that the gospel message is a "foreign language" to those outside the faith? How can believers address this challenge? [07:43]

---

Application Questions:

Reflect on a time when you might have been tempted to follow a "different gospel" that distorts the true message of Christ. How did you recognize it, and what steps did you take to return to the true gospel? [01:07]
The sermon mentions that many people are unaware of their alienation from God due to sin. How can you effectively communicate the need for reconciliation with God to someone who views sin as merely an inconvenience? [09:54]
Consider the transformation from being a slave to an heir as described in Galatians 4:7. How does this change your perspective on your daily life and relationship with God? [02:36]
The sermon highlights the importance of God's initiative in reaching us through Christ. How can you remind yourself of this truth in moments when you feel distant from God? [12:03]
How can you make the message of grace and adoption into God's family more understandable to someone who finds biblical language foreign or confusing? [07:43]
Reflect on the concept of "Abba! Father!" in your prayer life. How can you cultivate a deeper sense of intimacy and trust in your relationship with God this week? [02:36]
The sermon discusses the law's role in revealing our need for salvation. How can you ensure that your faith is based on grace rather than trying to earn God's favor through your own efforts? [20:44]

Sermon Clips

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” [00:00:53]

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.” [00:01:07]

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” [00:02:28]

“Our gracious God and our loving heavenly Father, how glad we are that in the immense riches of your grace, you reach down to us, as we have been singing, and you opened our eyes and softened our hearts and inclined us in such a way that we bowed down and acknowledged that you are God and that there is no other, that we are by nature sinful and in need of a Savior, and that in your dearly beloved Son you have provided for us the sole answer to our human predicament.” [00:03:04]

“People by nature do not have the remotest idea what it is we are talking about when we speak about very essential things in relationship to God and to his Word and what it means to be known by God and to know the forgiveness of God—even to the notion of sin itself.” [00:07:57]

“We’re alienated on two fronts: from our side, we are alienated on account of our sin; and from God’s side, we are alienated on account of his wrath. So we’ve got a major problem. And if reconciliation was ever to take place, was ever to happen, then God would have to be able to look on us without displeasure, and we would have to be able to look on God without fear.” [00:10:13]

“Now, you could say… And, of course, if you remember that old musical—not Jesus Christ Superstar, I think, but Godspell. In Godspell, I remember the lyric was, you know, ‘Why would he come? Why would he come at such a strange time to such a strange place? Why the Middle East? Why in a backwater providence in nowhere? And why at that time?’ Well, it was ‘the fullness of time.’” [00:13:19]

“‘Born under the law.’ What is Paul saying in all of this letter? He’s really saying this: ‘There are a group of you folks who have not understood the gospel. You have not understood the gospel. And what you’ve started to do is go back to your old system and live your life as if somehow or another you could score points to put you in good favor, and if you’re not careful, you could get demerits that would put you in a wrong position.’” [00:19:31]

“The law was given not to provide salvation but to show men and women our need of salvation. God’s promise to Abraham was fulfilled in Jesus, and the law of Moses was kept perfectly by Jesus, and all of this taking place—verse 5—‘to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.’” [00:24:14]

“Religion will either make you very proud and arrogant or will reduce you to despair. Because there is no possibility of fulfilling the law. And any attempts to do so will make us unrealistic with ourselves and with other people, and we’ll be a total nuisance. Only in Jesus is the despair answered. Only in Jesus is our pride humbled—only at the cross.” [00:27:20]

“Some of us thought for a long time that we could reach you in our own way. We looked for you inside ourselves. We looked for you in spiritual notions, some of us in the New Age movement, others in religion, others in legalistic designs and desires. And we never found you. Then one day you found us. We thought we could meet you on our own terms and in our own time, and you came in ‘the fullness of time,’ ‘at [just] the right time.’” [00:31:00]

“Thank you for this, Father. Thank you that we can approach what is a mercy seat on account of all that Christ is to us. And we pray in his name. Amen.” [00:32:22]

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?

Grace, Adoption, and the True Gospel of Christ

Devotional

Day 1: The True Gospel of Grace and Peace

Day 2: Adoption as Sons and Heirs

Day 3: The Need for Reconciliation

Day 4: The Law and Our Need for Salvation

Day 5: God's Initiative in Redemption

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Grace, Adoption, and the True Gospel of Christ

Share