ONLY ONE GOSPEL (The Message of Galatians) by John Stott

Synopsis and overview (in 19 sermons)

1. Gal 1:1-5; 3-4: Paul's Authority and Paul's Gospel

I. Paul's authority (1,2)

II. Paul's gospel (3-5)

1) Christ died for our sins (4a)

2) Christ died to rescue us from this present age (4b)

3) Christ died according to God's will (4c)

2. Gal 1:6-10; 8,9: No Other Gospel

I. The unfaithfulness of the Galatians (6)

II. False teachers distort the Gospel (7)

III. Paul curses the false teachers (8-10)

3. Gal 1:11-24; 15,16: Called by Grace (to Preach Christ)

I. What happened before Paul's Conversion (13,14)

II. What happened at Paul's conversion (15,16a)

III. What happened after Paul's conversion (16b-24)

4. Gal 2:1-10; 5: Preserve the Truth of the Gospel (Only One Gospel)

I. Paul's 2^nd visit to Jerusalem (1,2)

II. Paul's companions (3-5)

III. Paul's gospel (6-9a)

IV. The outcome of meeting James, Peter & John (9b,10)

5. Gal 2:11-16; 14: In Step with the Gospel (Paul Clashes with Peter)

§  The conduct of Peter (11-13); The conduct of Paul (14-16)

1) What he did

2) Why he did it

3) What happened as a result

§  Conclusion

1) We must walk straight according to the gospel

2) We must oppose those who deny the gospel

6. Gal 2:15-21; 16: Justification by Faith Alone

§  Exposition on the doctrine of justification through faith (15,16)

1) Justification by works of the law (16a)

2) Justification through faith (16)

Ø  general statement (16a)

Ø  personal statement (16b)

Ø  universal statement (16c)

• Arguments against the objections to justification (17-21)

                     i. The critics' argument against Paul (17-20)

                    ii. Paul's argument against the critics (21)

7. Gal 3:1-9; 1: Publicly Portray Christ as Crucified (The Folly of the Galatians)

I.                 Foolishness from being bewitched (1)

II.                Argument for the gospel from their own experience (2-5)

III.               Argument for the gospel from OT scripture (6-9)

8. Gal 3:10-14; 13: Christ Cursed to Redeem us from the Curse (2 Ways to Live)

I. The 2 alternatives (11,12)

II. The alternative of works (10)

III. The alternative of faith (13,14)

9. Gal 3:15-22; 22: The Way to Grace (Christ) is Through the Law (Moses)

I. The law does not annul the promise of God (15-18)

II.  The law illuminates the promise of God & makes it indispensable (19-22)

10.    3:23-29; 28: Truly Equal in Christ Jesus

I. What we were under the law (23,24)

a) A prison (23)

b) A tutor (24)

II. What we are in Christ (25-29)

a) In Christ we are sons of God (26,27)

b) In Christ we are all one (28)

c) In Christ we are Abraham's seed (29)

11. Gal 4:1-11; 7: No Longer a Slave but a Son

I.  Man's condition under the law (1-3)

II. God's action through Christ (4-7)

III. The appeal of the apostle (8-11)

12. Gal 4:12-20; 19: In the Anguish of Childbirth until Christ is Born (The Relation between Paul and the Galatians)

I.                    Paul's appeal (12)

a)       Become like me

b)       Because I (became) like you

II.                  The Galatians attitude to Paul (12b-16)

III.               Paul's attitude toward the Galatians (17-20)

13. Gal 4:21-31; 28: You are Children of Promise (Isaac and Ishmael)

• The historical background (22,23)
• The allegorical argument (24-27)
• The personal application (28-31)

a)       We must expect persecution

b)       We shall receive the inheritance

14. Gal 5:1-12; 1: Christ has set us Free (False and True Religion)

1)       Believers false and true (1-6)

2)       Preachers false and true (7-12)

15. Gal 5:13-15; Called to Freedom (The Nature of Christian Freedom)

1)       Christian freedom is not the freedom to indulge the flesh (13)

2)       Christian freedom is not freedom to exploit my neighbor (13b,15)

3)       Christian freedom is not freedom to disregard the law (14)

16. Gal 5:16-25; 16: Walk by the Spirit (The Flesh and the Spirit)

1)       The fact of Christian conflict (16-23)

a)       The way of the flesh (19-21)

b)       The fruit of the spirit (22,23)

2)       The way of Christian victory (24,25)

a)       We must crucify the flesh—Rejection of the old nature:

                                                  i.            is to be pitiless (merciless)

                                                 ii.            will be painful

                                               iii.            is to be decisive

b)       We must walk by the spirit

17. Gal 5:26-6; 2: Bear One Another's Burdens (Reciprocal Christian Relationships)

1)       How Christians should not treat each other (5:26)

2)       How Christians should treat each other (6:2-5)

3)       An example of burden bearing (6:1)

a)       What to do

b)       Who is it to do it

c)       How it should be done

18. Gal 6:6-10; 7: Whatever one Sows, that will he Reap

1)       Christian ministry (6)

2)       Christian holiness (8)

a)       Sowing to the flesh

b)       Sowing to the spirit

3)       Christian well-doing (9,10)

19. Gal 6:11-18; 14: Boast Only in the Cross (The Essence of the Christian Religion)

1)       Outward or inward? (12,13)

2)       Human or divine (13-16)

3)       Conclusion (17,18)

20. A Review of the Epistle: 3 main issues between Paul and Judaizers

1)       The question of authority. How do we know what & whom to believe or disbelieve?

2)       The question of salvation. How can we get right with God, receiving forgiveness & being restored to his favor?

3)      The question of holiness. How can we control the sinful desires of our fallen nature and live a life of righteousness and love?

Ø  We have:

1. Christ through his apostles to teach us,

2. Christ through His cross to save us, and

3. Christ through His Spirit to sanctify us.

This in a nutshell is the message of Galatians and indeed of Christianity itself.