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Call to worship: John 19:16b-30

Text: Galatians 6:11-18

Summary:

Paul pours out his heart in these final words of the letter to the churches of Galatia. The flood of love is filled with the cross of Christ. The false teachers' concern is their own glory and comfort. Thus, they preach circumcision for man's praise and to avoid man's persecution. Their preaching isn't aimed at obedience to God, but only earthly acclaim. Their boast is in their success rate. Paul however cannot fathom boasting, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. In his love for Christ's churches, Paul holds all self-boasting at a great distance, exalting instead in the power of the cross, for which he's identifiably suffered. What counts is the new creation that testifies to the absolute sufficiency of Christ and Him crucified. Among the Israel of God, His true people, that's the rule by which we walk; and as we do, we have every reason to repose in the peace and mercy of God. The tested apostle has said his peace. All that's left is to ask Christ for still more grace in staying true to the Gospel of God.

Sermon Outline:

1. The large letters of a cross-exalting minister. (6:11-12)
2. The exemplary boast of a cross-exalting man. (6:13-14)
3. The defining rule of a cross-exalting church. (6:15-16)
4. The fitting benediction of a cross-exalting letter. (6:17-18)

Prepare

Discussion Questions:

1. Read Galatians 6:11-18.
2. Why might it be significant that Paul is writing this letter himself? How do Paul's ministerial aims and those of the Judaizers differ? What does a fleshly ministry seem to entail? Why would ministers reject the sufficiency of the cross?
3. What do the Judaizers desire as their boast, per the apostle Paul? Is obedience to God their actual goal? What is Paul's boast? What glory do you discern in that phrase, 'the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ'? Why, most immediately, is that Paul's boast? What relationship does the Christian bear to the world? How does that relate to the issues of justification and sanctification?
4. What counts, according to Paul (6:15)? What's the relationship between the death of Christ and the new creation? What's the relationship between circumcision or uncircumcision and the new creation? How has Paul already defined 'new creation' in 5:6? What's the rule in these verses (6:15-16)? What is a church to do with it? What are we able to derive as a people who walk by this rule? Who is the Israel of God, and why is this title significant in the letter to the Galatians?
5. In what ways does Paul bring this great letter to a close? How does each part in 6:17-18 befit a letter that exalts the absolute sufficiency of Christ and Him crucified? How have you/we grown toward God, Christ, Gospel, grace, the cross through this letter?