August 18, 2025 | Be God's Family

Jesus Rescued Us from Our Sins
Scripture: Galatians 1:1-5 (NIV)
1 Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2 and all the brothers and sisters with me,
To the churches in Galatia:
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Devotional
This year we are studying books of the Bible which are addressed to or deal with challenges raised by Hebrew Christians. So far, we have looked at Matthew (the most Jewish of the Gospels) and the book of Hebrews (which connects Old Testament priestly duties to Jesus, the Great High Priest).
Now we turn our attention to the book of Galatians, a writing addressed to a collection of churches in a Roman province known as Galatia (in modern-day Turkey). These communities had both Gentiles who practiced pagan worship of Greek gods and goddesses, as well as Jews who practiced Judaism.
When Paul and Barnabas first took the gospel to Galatia (Acts 14), many Jews and Gentiles in the city of Iconium believed, while others stirred up a plot against them. In the neighboring city of Lystra, people were so impressed by the miraculous work of the evangelists that they compared them to their Greek gods, Hermes and Zeus. Paul and Barnabas refuted their adoration, and for their trouble Paul was stoned and dragged out of the city, left for dead. In yet another Galatian city, Derbe, Paul and Barnabas won many disciples. One of them was Timothy, whose mother was a Jewish believer and whose father was a Greek (Acts 16:1).
When Paul writes his letter to the churches in Galatia, he opens by boldly stating that Jesus was raised from the dead, something that set Him apart from the Greco-Roman gods and confirmed that He was the Jew’s Messiah. Indeed, Paul states that Jesus “gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age.” The pagan practices and religious rituals of the Galatian people could never do that.
What are some of the pagan practices and religious rituals that people in your culture participate in? What are they hoping these things will help them do or be? What are some of the cultural customs you have found yourself doing? Are any of them in conflict with the Gospel of Christ?
If Paul were to write a letter to the region where you live, what might he say? More importantly, what is the Holy Spirit saying to you?
Poem
You Came To Me, You Rescued Me
Psalm 71
In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me; turn your ear to me and save me. Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.
Psalm 71:2-3
O Great Life-Guard,
When the under currents
Drug me out to sea
Where fierce waves threatened
Where drowning pulls suctioned me down
You swam to me
You came to me
You rescued me
O Strong Fireman,
When my life’s house was ablaze
Smoke screens choking my exit
Where foundational beams fell
Where tongues of fire burned my flesh
You crashed through to me
You came to me
You rescued me
O Mighty Prince,
When the thorns of cursing blocked the sun
As I lay asleep in death
Where no one else dared the challenge
Where Evil had barred the way
You advanced into the fray with sword swinging
You came to me
You rescued me