Darcy spoke on Galatians 3:26-29, walking us through a number of rich metaphors.
Here’s the highlights to discuss and ponder in your own group gatherings, simple churches, and quiet times, as well as a few questions to work through.
1. Sonship - the gospel levels the playing field, all equal in Christ. Women are considered “sons”, recipients and rightfil heirs of Christ.
2. Adoption - God adopts us in Christ; we are adopted into His forever family by faith; His adoption is forever - He doesn’t walk away; no failed adoptions b/c of God’s unfaithfulness - his adopted kids can choose to walk away but He’s not the leaving kind.
3. Clothed in Christ
a. Our clothing tells people whose we belong to
b. our clothing is the closest thing to us, goes everywhere we go - same with Jesus
c. when we put each piece of clothing, so to we put on Christ, his virtues and actions / imitate Christ
d. the Lord has given us his righteousness and perfection to wear; he has covered our shame and guilt, made new in Him
4. One in Christ / unique individuals to be celebrated - unity in diversity, diverse yet “one” in Him
The gospel has implications for how we live
1. Cultural barrier - cultural divisions to have no place in the church, don’t have to become like another culture to be accepted by Him, or one another / inside the church we are to associate and love one another across racial and cultural barriers
2. Class Barrier - poor not to be excluded or feel less then others within the body / rich are not to be shamed or feel bad for being wealthy / accept one another as equals
3. Gender barrier - women are not inferior to men, the effects of the fall are healed and redeemed in Christ ; the church needs to model this new kingdom community better then anywhere else in the world / women are equal to men before God, must be seen as equally gifted and able as men. Jesus was the first true egalitarian…we are to be imitators of Jesus.
Since Jesus heals us and matures us in relationship. What relationships are Jesus calling us to press into, where we can begin to heal in these 3 areas?