Winter Quarter Sunday School 2010 s6

WINTER QUARTER SUNDAY SCHOOL 2011-2012 THEME: GOD ESTABLISHES A FAITHFUL COVENANT PEOPLE Unit Three: Through His Covenant Perfection. Lessons 10-13 “LIVING UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF GOD’S JUSTIFICATION (PART II)”

Sunday School Lesson No. XI – February 12, 2012 Presented by Rev. Frank Davis, III, Pastor-Teacher Lesson Text: Galatians 3:1-14 Required Reading: Galatians 3:1-14 Memory Text: Galatians 3:13-14, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Reliable Resources: Precepts for Living by UMI; Union Gospel Press Expositor and Illuminator; Word Search 10 Electronic Library; Libronix Electronic Library; H. L. Wilmington’s Bible Handbook; Key Words of the Christian Life by Dr. Warren Wiersbe; Galatians Commentary by Lehman Strauss. INTRODUCTION Our journey continues as the Apostle Paul presents his arguments passionately concerning the grace of God that justifies the repentant sinner and the deeds of the law which condemns the sinner. “Martin Luther said that justification by faith is the most principal and special article of Christian doctrine. Without it, Christianity is just another religion – an endless effort to get right with God through self-discipline and ritual.” (Andrew Knowles: The Bible Guide) Beloved, Paul has been stating his argument with balls of fiery indignation. Why? Because the religious leaders called Judaizers have sought to undermine the labor that he and Barnabas had established among the former pagan people of Galatia. Now these ‘Johnny-come-lately’ teachers want the people to forsake “grace through faith” and revert to rituals, rights and practices of the Mosaic Laws! Paul would have none of this, because those who are saved, are saved by grace through faith. Not only that, but they have been declared righteous (justified) by God through faith in the finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ. So let us examine Paul’s latest challenge through a series of rhetorical questions to the believers at Galatia. These questions will seek to cause them to remember that they are Living Under the Umbrella of God’s Justification. Anticipated Power Points:  What Has Happened? Galatians 3:1-5  What Says the Scriptures? Galatians 3:6-9  Which Way Will You Choose? Galatians 3:10-14

“LIVING UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF GOD’S JUSTIFICATION (PART II)” LESSON OUTLINE

I. What Has Happened? Galatians 3:1-5 Can it be that those who have received the Gospel and a standing before God as righteous through faith in Jesus Christ left their first love to seek to please God through human effort? Surely such an effort is fruitless and futile. Why? Because Titus 3:5 declares, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us…” The Galatians must have been bewitched, under a spell; for how could they who had received the pure message of Christ’s death and resurrection replace such perfect teaching with an image of a failing human efforts in trying to fulfill the Old Testament laws? They must have been under a spell! Romans 5:1-2 says, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Having received God’s Holy Spirit into their lives by faith, how can they turn back the clock and seek to earn Godly favor through a system of laws which no man had successfully navigated, but Jesus alone? Romans 8:1-4, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” What has happened? II. What Says the Scriptures? Galatians 3:6-9 Surely the answer to the first question is answered by asking, “What says the Scriptures?” “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.” Isaiah 40:8. Paul searches the Old Testament scriptures to declare that Abraham the founding father of the Jews was saved by faith and not the Law, confirmed in Genesis 15:6, “And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” Also, Genesis 12:3 verifies that through Abraham all the nations would be blessed, “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”

The laws of Moses came hundreds of years after Abraham’s salvation. Why then would the Galatians want to go under the bondage of the law and not walk in the grace of God? Abraham’s faith literally put God’s righteousness into his life’s account, not his circumcision or good works, but God’s good grace. (Read Romans 4:11, 22-24). “God wants everyone to be saved through faith. He called Abraham to be the father of a nation, so that he could bless all the nations through him.” And how is this done? Through Abraham’s seed, who is Jesus Christ. (Read Galatians 3:14-16) III. Which Way Will You Choose? Galatians 3:10-14 My final question this week lies at the door of all of our hearts. Which way will you choose? The law says, “Do and live.” Leviticus 18:5, “Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.” But grace declares, “Believe and live.” Read Philippians 3:1-10 (Wiersbe.) Beloved, in every possible way people of Israel tried to live by the Law and utterly failed. (Read Deuteronomy 27:26 and James 2:10-11). But the words of Habakkuk 2:4 ring loud and clear as we stand under the umbrella of justification, “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.”

Verses 13-14 closes this week’s lesson by reminding us that redemption of the soul and body is purchased by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross, which was the ultimate object of guilt and shame. He totally purchased our salvation (Jew or Gentile) and gives salvation to as many as received Him!

CLOSING Remember beloved, Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” “Was it for crimes that I have done, Christ groaned upon the tree? Amazing pity grace unknown and love beyond degree!”

Bibleway Missionary Baptist Church, New Orleans, LA & Little Bethel Baptist Church, Amite, LA Mailing Address: Post Office Box 19768, New Orleans, LA 70179 Phone: (504) 486-7876 Email: [email protected] Website: www.thestudyhour.com TV Broadcasts: WHNO TV 20, Sunday, 6:30 a.m. – Channel 14 (Hammond-Amite area), 6:30 a.m. Radio Broadcasts: WLNO AM 1060, Saturday 8:30 a.m.; Sunday 5:30 a.m. AM 1570 (Hammond-Amite area) Saturday 1:00 p.m. LOOKING AHEAD: February19, 2012 Galatians 3:15-18; 4:1-7 SEE AND HEAR PASTOR DAVIS TEACH THE LESSON WEEKLY AT www.thstudyhour.com Click on Videos! YOU ARE INVITED TO ATTEND CLASS WITH PASTOR DAVIS AS HE TEACHES THE SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON EACH WEDNESDAY AT BIBLEWAY MBC, 3201 ORLEANS AVENUE IN NEW ORLEANS, FROM NOON TIL 1:00 P.M.