Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2 and all the brothers who are with me,
To the churches of Galatia: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. 6 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— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. —Galatians 1:1-7
The Gospel is the good news that God became man in Jesus Christ. He lived the life we should have lived and died the death we should have died – in our place. Three days later, He rose from the dead, proving that He is the Son of God and offering the gift of salvation and forgiveness of sins to everyone who repents and believes in Him.
What we believe about the Gospel…
- The Gospel is good news. (Galatians 3:1-3)
- Repentance is a change of heart and mind in response to God. (Mark 1:14-15)
- Faith is believing and trusting in Jesus. (John 20:30-31)
- Everyone who repents and believes receives forgiveness. (Romans 10:8-9)
- Everyone who repents and believes receives eternal life. (1 John 5:11-12)
Discipleship Guide
Let’s Talk About It
We believe the gospel is the good news that God became man in Jesus Christ to reconcile lost people to Himself. He lived a perfect, sinless life on our behalf and died on the cross for our sins. He was buried, and on the third day rose from the dead, securing our redemption forever. Having triumphed over satan and the forces of darkness, He ascended into heaven as Lord of all. Everyone who repents and believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
Galatians 1:1-9, 3:1-3; Mark 1:14-15; John 20:30-31; Romans 10:8-9; 1 John 5:11-12
Purple Book, review:
- What did you learn about evangelism and world missions from chapter eleven of TPB?
- How have you seen the power of God at work in your life? Think of a time when you boldly proclaimed the Gospel. How did God act?
Sermon questions:
- Which part of the message impacted or challenged you?
- Read Galatians 1:1-9. What might Paul be talking about when he warns of “turning to a different gospel”? How is that same warning helpful for us today? Where are some places we look to for salvation? What are some things we put our faith in other than the Gospel?
- Read Mark 1:14-15. It is common in the contemporary church world to exclude the doctrine of repentance from our discussion of salvation. Why do you think this is? Why is repentance such an important part of receiving the Gospel?
- Why is it hard for humans to accept forgiveness? What challenges have you faced in receiving forgiveness, and how have you overcome them?
- Do you feel confident in your ability to share the Gospel with others? Why or why not? How can you become a bold and equipped witness for Jesus?
Take a Step
- Look for an opportunity to share the Gospel with someone this week.
Here’s My Prayer
Merciful and eternal God, heavenly Father, in Your tender love towards humanity, You sent Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, to take on Himself flesh and to suffer the bitter death on the cross. We thank You for revealing the glory of Your Son and letting the light of Your gospel shine on us. In Your boundless mercy, help us hold on to this blessed light of Your Word, and through Your Holy Spirit, govern and guide our hearts so that we may never stray from it, but stand on it and hold fast to it through Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. For He alone is our righteousness and wisdom, our comfort and peace.