Breaking Ground
When did you first truly leave home (i.e., the place or setting that you grew up in)? What led you to leave home & how did that experience shape you?
The Dig
This Sunday, we continued our series on the New Testament Book of Galatians.
As a reminder, the Apostle Paul is writing to these churches in the Roman Province of Galatia because they’ve been convinced to adopt circumcision, Torah observance, & Jewish cultural boundary markers as the foundation of the Gospel (or Jesus’ Good News Story) & their own transformation; as opposed to trust or faith in Jesus. For Paul, this creates a spirituality that makes human will power, effort, & ego the basis for transformation instead of grace & trusting a power greater than oneself; which is both ineffective & a denial of Jesus’ world-changing life, death, & resurrection. As such, he writes to call them to change course.
With this in mind, read Galatians 1:11-24 & Acts 9:1-9. Here, Paul continues his defense of Christ’s Gospel of Grace by retelling the story of his radical conversion. Ultimately, this event transformed Paul’s worldview & life so much that, in Galatians, he describes it as a personal apocalypse (NOTE: the word “reveal” is the Greek word for apocalypse). For those unaware, in Scripture an apocalypse describes, not the end of the world, but instead a God empowered epiphany through which He reveals to someone a previously hidden part of their reality.
With this in mind, what stands out to you about Paul’s apocalypse in Acts? What’s revealed to Paul & how does this impact him?
How does Paul describe this transformative experience in Galatians? What does it reveal about how he’s processed this life-changing moment over time?
How does this experience inform Paul’s understanding of Christ’s story? How did it undermine his belief in his ability to transform himself through human effort, will power, ego, or tribalism?
Where have you dramatically changed your way of life, mind, or perspective about something in your life or world? What inspired this change? In hindsight, did you choose to undergo it or was it prompted by something outside of your control?
Where do you perceive yourself to be shifting your way of life, mind, or perspective right now? What inspired this change?
How might Paul’s story offer us hope & guidance as we undergo this present change & transformation? How could it inform our understanding of & reaction to the process of transformation in a healthy way?
Getting Out of the Hole
Take time each week to reflect upon the Sunday sermon.
- Read Galatians 1:11-24 & Acts 9:1-9. Highlight & make of any language, images, or ideas that stand out to you from the passage.
- What led Paul to convert to Christianity? What prompted this radical transformation? Why did he need this to come from something outside of himself?
- How has Paul processed this event? How has it shaped his understanding of the Gospel, God’s grace, & how it works in our lives?
- Where do you need to undergo transformation in this season? How might Paul’s story offer you hope & guidance as you seek this out?
Additional Resources*
Centered Set Church by Mark D. Baker
Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer
Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent & Christmas
TheBibleProject.com
Coming Up This Week:*
January 25th: Join us as we continue working through the New Testament Book of Galatians!
* Please see mye3.org for details.