ADORATION – Reflect on God’s Greatness
GOD IS IMMUTABLE The Immutability of God means He cannot change in His nature, Character or dependability.
Malachi 3:6 “I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Praise the God Who Does Not Change
God is perfect and has no room to improve his nature or character. Praise Him because his love has never diminished or changed. Praise him because His power has never diminished or changed. Praise him because his justice has never changed or wavered.
CONFESSION: Confess your sins to God and receive his continued mercy.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
THANKSGIVING: Giving thanks to God for his specific blessings in our lives.
“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” Psalm 100
SUPPLICATION: Bringing our requests to God.
- Bring your personal prayer requests to God.
- Pray for Christian Challenge.
Pray that the Holy Spirit would be stirring the hearts of non-believing students as they return to campus this week. Pray that God would lead them to the Christian Challenge table in the student center, to one of the Challenge events this week, or to a Challenge student in one of their classes. Pray that Challenge students would see opportunities to love others and share the Gospel. Pray that the Holy Spirit would lift the veil from the faces of non-believing students and give them new life in the
Gospel. - Ask God to speak to you as you read the scriptures.
SCRIPTURE READING:
Galatians 3 English Standard Version
By Faith, or by Works of the Law?
O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. 2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— 6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?
7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
The Righteous Shall Live by Faith
10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” 12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
The Law and the Promise
15 To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. 16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. 17 This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. 18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.
19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.
21 Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. 22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.
SCRIPTURE REFLECTION:
Paul demonstrates how Abraham, centuries before the law was given, was justified by his faith. The law, given all those years later, did not annul the covenant of faith God had made with Abraham. Paul’s argument can sound rather complex but it’s because these are huge and important issues, not simple ones. However, it might help to state his point in simple and practical terms. “If you place your faith in what Jesus has done for you in his life, death, and resurrection then you are in a permanent and personal relationship with God.” Whatever else you know or don’t know, do or don’t do…will never change that fact. Engage with Galatians chapter 3 this week, wrestle with what Paul is so concerned with and why it is so important. But as you do, do it from a secure place. If you have trusted Christ alone for your relationship with God, then you are okay. Don’t worry if all the nuances of Paul’s argument are hard to follow. The bottom line is quite simple…trust Jesus for what he has done for you that you could never do for yourself.