Overview

The Lesson Overview is basically an outline . . . Think of it as the "nuts and bolts" of each lesson.

Church Mission Statement: Love God, Love People, Make Disciples. 

Main Biblical Passages While other passages often find their way into a lesson, the biblical passage is the main focus.

Supporting Scripture The supporting scripture often provides context to, gives additional insight to, or reiterates the message of the biblical passage in additional places of Scripture.

Memory Verse The memory verse is a key verse that illustrates the biblical truth of the lesson. It usually originates from the biblical passage but may be from an additional passage.

Biblical Truth The biblical truth is the central foundation of the lesson. It comes directly from the biblical passage and drives the formation of learning goals.

Evangelism Emphasis The main focus as it relates to evangelism. 

Values: The key values of FBC Rock Hill.

Learning Goals The learning goals help teachers understand what the lesson seeks to accomplish. The first learning goal is the driving purpose of the Explore section of the teaching plan and is concerned with biblical knowledge. The second learning goal pertains is the Transform section and is concerned with life application.

Prayer Suggestions The prayer suggestions provide specific ideas for the teacher to pray during the week for his or her students. These ideas are based on the goals and truths of the lesson.

Biblical Passage

Galatians 1:1-10

Biblical Truth

Legalism teaches that Jesus plus good works equals salvation. Grace teaches that Jesus plus nothing equals salvation.

Memory Verse

Galatians 1:3-4a

Supporting Passage

Ecclesiastes 2:10-11

Context

In the Book of Galatians, Paul taught about God’s plan to base His relationship with people not on their own ability to do good things but on Christ. God created humanity to glorify Him through an intimate relationship with Him. Then sin entered the world and made intimacy impossible. God was bound by His own righteous character to demand perfect righteousness from His creation, and humanity fell short of that standard. Humanity could not come to God, so God took the initiative upon Himself. In His wisdom, God provided a way for a renewed relationship without compromising His own righteousness. He chose to punish His own Son for the sin of all humanity. For all who believe, God transfers their sin to Jesus. Even further, He gives them the righteousness of His perfect Son. Now, to all who believe, God bases His relationship with them on Jesus. We experience freedom through Christ based on His grace alone.

Paul is not happy that some false teachers had come into the churches and taught new believers that salvation came by keeping religious rules and rituals (religious legalism). He furiously declares and defends salvation only through the finished work of Jesus on the cross. No other epistle has such a relentless and passionate assault on gospel rivals than Galatians, and Paul gets to his point quickly in this epistle.

These false teachers were most likely Jewish people who added some things to Jesus while subtracting from Paul's apostolic authority. They added circumcision (Galatians 5:2; Old Testament ceremonial laws (4:10); and they claimed Peter, James, and John were authentic apostles (the "pillars" in 2:9). These "Judaizers" were perverting the gospel and misleading believers, and Paul was on a mission to stop them.

Learning Goals
  • Connect Goal: Students will understand we are all the same in Jesus Christ because of the gospel of grace.
  • Explore Goal: Students will understand that as a follower of Jesus, they have been set free by the gospel of grace.
  • Transform Goal: Students will learn to live all of life from the perspective of the good news in Jesus.
Prayer Suggestions

As you prepare to teach this lesson, pray for your students:

  • To have a fresh understanding and gratitude for the gospel.
  • To avoid the tendency to add or subtract from the good news.