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What If Real Change Is Organic, Not Manufactured (H2H S:2 E:2)

Why Sound Doctrine Fuels A Spirit-Led Life(H2H S:2 E:1)

What if the most important change you’re seeking can’t be forced? We take a hard look at the Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5 and trace the deeper story that runs through Hosea, Isaiah, John 15, and 1 Corinthians 3: God gives the growth, and real fruit is recognizable because it reflects his character. Instead of pushing listeners toward more grit and better tactics, we explore why biblical fruit is organic, not ornamental, and how that truth frees us from the pressure to perform. We start by unpacking the power of word pictures in Scripture and why the image of a tree matters in a copy-and-paste age. From Hosea’s promise, “From me comes your fruit,” to Jesus’ command to abide, we show how restoration leads to roots, shoots, and fragrance that others can see and sense. Then we confront common counterfeits: idolizing gifted teachers, trusting methods more than God, and “fruit stapling” that tries to tape virtues onto unchanged hearts. Along the way, we highlight what recognizable fruit looks like in daily life—love that endures, patience under pressure, gentleness that disarms—and why genuine growth increases over time. This conversation is both a diagnosis and an invitation. If you’ve been hustling for holiness and burning out, you’ll hear a path that centers on dependence, prayer, and steady practices that keep you close to Christ. If you’ve been content with appearances, you’ll be challenged to seek transformation from the inside out. We close with a call to pray boldly for God’s work in us and through the church, trusting the Spirit to do what techniques cannot. If this resonates, subscribe, share the episode with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review to help others find the show.

Opener

  • What’s your favorite fruit (ie Apples, Bananas, Oranges) and why?

Read

Take turns reading the passages in Galatians 5:1-15. If you have children involved, this is a great time to include the readers. While we will not address these verses specifically, it will set the stage for later.

[1] For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
[2] Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. [3] I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. [4] You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. [5] For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. [6] For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
[7] You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? [8] This persuasion is not from him who calls you. [9] A little leaven leavens the whole lump. [10] I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. [11] But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. [12] I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!
[13] For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. [14] For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” [15] But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. (ESV)

(Galatians 5:1–15, ESV)

Watch Video

Encourage participants to have a pen and paper to write down questions they may have. Then, if they are not answered throughout the study, they can ask them. 

Talk About It

God Produces the Fruit (Hosea 14:4-8)

  • FOR THE KIDS: When we talk about “fruit” in this study, we are talking about all the good attitudes and actions that are in our lives. What are some of the “fruit” that you want to see in your day?
  • Pastor Benjamin states, “It is impossible to be in Christ and be fruitless, and it is impossible to be fruitful without Christ.” How would you respond to that statement? How does this challenge our thinking and mindset?

God’s Fruit is Recognizable (Matthew 12:33-37)

  • FOR THE KIDS: How can you tell if a tree is an apple tree, or if a flower is a rose, or if a plant is a tomato plant? So how can you tell if a person is a Christian?
  • The tempation can be to use these truths as a way to judge others, but then we miss the opportunity to see the work of God in our lives. It is given to us in Christ’s words and in Isaiah’s prophecy as an opportunity to repent. Why don’t we use the lack of fruit in our lives as an opportunity to repent, and how do you typically respond when you see an absence of fruit in your life?

God Causes Growth (1Corinthians 3:5-7)

  • What man-made ways do we try to grow in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control? How do these man-made ways fail us?  
  • FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY: How can we pray for one another to grow in the good attitude and actions?  

God’s Fruit is Organic (Luke 6:45)

  • Have you tried to staple good things onto your life? How has that turned out?
  • Sinclair Ferguson shared, “…the growing Christian is someone who has learned to do the natural thing spiritually and the spiritual thing naturally.” What do you think this looks like day-to-day?

Bring It Home

Take time to read Psalm 1 and Jeremiah 17:1-13 this week and take time to pray for one another to grow in specific ways.

Transcript

Welcome to House to House, a weekly podcast production of FBC Kabul that seeks to apply the heart of the early church found in Acts 2 to our modern-day lives. Our prayer is that this would not replace participation in the local church, but inspire it. Today, we are on the second of the fruitful devotionals that we hope you will use to promote biblical study and Christian fellowship in your home. So gather your family and a couple of friends and join us for a deep dive into the word picture of fruit in the scripture. And this season, we are considering the words found in Galatians 5:22-23, which say, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Against such things there is no law. These words are familiar to many within the church, but from observation, their practice seems rare. So my prayer is that as we consider the context of these words, their purpose, and unpack the nine aspects of the fruit described here, we would see them grow in our hearts. The words found in Galatians 5:22-23 are part of a larger word picture. Paul uses a picture of a fruit tree to produce in us, the reader, a mental image that engages our minds in a way that is memorable and applicable to our lives. It has been famously said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and this is definitely applied to the word picture, like fruit trees found in Scripture. In our copy-and-paste age, we may not fully understand why this is necessary or even beneficial, but in the age of scrolls and limited availability, a word picture is a shorthand way of saying a lot with a little space. The problem for those of us who live in a non-agrarian society is that we may miss the significance of this picture. Additionally, for Paul, this is not only shorthand from an agricultural context, but also shorthand from a biblical context. The scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, are full of imagery that would have come to mind when Paul refers to the fruit of the Spirit. So, for today, I want us to consider the biblical context of the shorthand for fruitfulness before we get into the aspects of the fruit. We will accomplish this by examining two specific areas: the cultivator and cultivation. And I hope that you will come away more confident in and dependent upon God’s work and more equipped and encouraged in your part. A quick survey of the biblical uses of fruit, vineyards, and plants would reveal an overarching theme. God gives the growth. Or to paraphrase the Gospel of John, without God, we can do nothing. The imagery of the fruit-bearing believer is, first of all, a reminder of our total dependence upon the great vine dresser. So today, we consider four aspects of God’s role in our fruitfulness. God’s fruit is recognizable, organic, produced by him, and grows because of him. And next week, we will consider our role in cultivating fruit from scripture. Let’s begin by turning to a book of the Bible you may be less familiar with. In the book of Hosea, we find the words of God given with a different word picture, the word picture of adultery. The purpose of Hosea’s letter was to proclaim God’s love for his people and their abandonment of his love. The prophet Hosea was then commissioned to declare God’s judgment against their sinfulness. But in the culminating chapter, we glimpse God’s mercy and a plea to repent and return to him. God promises to heal them, then turns to the world of agriculture, using fruit to illustrate the goodness of repentance and faithfulness. He writes, I will heal their apostasy, I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them. I will be like the dew to Israel, he shall blossom like the lily, he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon, his shoots shall spread out, his beauty shall be like the olive, and his fragrance like Lebanon. They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow. They shall flourish like the grain, they shall blossom like the vine, their fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon. O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols? It is I who answer and look after you. I am like the evergreen cypress; from me comes your fruit. After describing their rootedness, growth, and fruitfulness that will follow restoration, he declares, From me comes your fruit. It is the Lord God Almighty who gives fruitfulness to our lives. As John 15 says, Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. To understand the word picture of Galatians 5:22-23, we must begin by recognizing that the fruit is not something we can produce in ourselves or will ourselves to have. Instead, it is a byproduct of God’s work in us. It is the work of the Lord does as we come to Him, confessing our need for a Savior. The Lord roots us, grows us, and creates fruit in us. It is impossible to be in Christ and be fruitless. And it is impossible to be fruitful without Christ. But this leads us to a very important concept. God’s fruit, the kind that He can produce, is recognizable. Jesus declares, either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. Jesus teaches a surprisingly obvious but neglected truth. You can recognize an apple tree because of the apples. You can recognize an orange tree because of the oranges. Even so, you can recognize God’s people because of God’s fruit. It should come as no surprise that the fruit God produces in the lives of his people reflects his character. This is what led the prophet Isaiah to exclaim, For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting. And he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry. The Lord’s people were meant to be a place of justice and righteousness, because God is just and righteous, but their lives reflected bloodshed and cries for help. The absence of the fruit of justice and righteousness revealed that they had abandoned the Lord. Jesus tells his disciples that the opposite is also true, stating, By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. Jesus says that the abundance of Christ-like fruit in our lives proves we are truly his disciples. It is the evidence of the kind of tree we belong to because of the kind of fruit that is visible in our lives. This recognizable fruit is not a one-time event or given to us in limited quantities. It should grow in abundance as we mature throughout our Christian life and not only be recognizable, but also noticeably increasing. Not only is its presence in our lives a work of God, but its growth in us is a byproduct of God’s work. Paul declares to the church in Corinth, what then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed as a Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. In the church in Corinth, there was a conflict among the members because of a desire to gain significance above one another. Some sought to accomplish this by bragging about who brought them to Christ. Whether it was Apollos or Paul, they claimed, their point was to emphasize the importance of man in spiritual growth and the growth of the church. Paul rebukes them, saying that it doesn’t matter which man shared the gospel with them or discipled them, because God alone gave the growth. This is an important corrective for you and me as we think about our own lives. Whether we place an emphasis on a teacher or on our own efforts, we miss a vitally important reality. God alone gives us spiritual fruit and causes it to grow. There’s a temptation when we think about the fruit of the Spirit to think we can manufacture more love or more joy or more patience. So let’s begin this journey by grabbing hold of the truth that we need God to grow us. Therefore, we must rely not on our own strength or plans, and we must not rely on the earthly wisdom of men and women we respect. Instead, we must remain in God and be dependent upon God in order for God’s fruit to grow in us. So what areas of your life are you trying to grow in, but still relying on your own strength or your own wisdom or someone else’s strength or wisdom? Let us learn from the people of Israel and from the church in Corinth. Let us repent of our selfish ambitions and our selfish efforts and our arrogance and thinking we are more capable than we are. And let us bow deeply to the Lord Almighty, seeking his work in our lives and his way for his purposes. Thus it is Paul’s prayer and mine, that your love may abound more and more with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God. But we must be careful to avoid the temptation of thinking of these character qualities as something that we can just add to our lives, and so prove to be genuine disciples. Paul David Tripp helpfully describes this temptation as fruit stapling, thinking we can somehow staple the righteous fruit of God onto our lives as a dangerous temptation that often leaves us frustrated, discouraged, and smelling like rotten fruit. This is what leads Sinclair Ferguson to helpfully share. The comment that I often think of in connection with these words, that’s Galatians 5, 22 through 23, is something that my own minister, as a student in Scotland, William Still, made. I remember he said that the growing Christian is someone who has learned to do the natural thing spiritually and the spiritual thing naturally. I think that’s a very good way of thinking about the fruit of the Spirit, isn’t it? It isn’t a matter of just trying to do something right or trying to be this or trying to be that. It’s much more organic. God’s fruit is not something he adds to our lives, but something he produces in and through our lives. Christ says it this way: the good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of the evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. In other words, the fruit is produced by what we are at our core. This is the key theological point in understanding Galatians 5. Fruit is produced in us, not on us. It is the organic outworking of the Spirit of God in our lives. If we truly grasp this, we understand our dependence upon the Lord to produce this fruit in our lives. Then we will be unsatisfied with cheap imitations of fruit and will seek deep and abiding transformation that can only occur by God’s divine hand. As we consider the recognizable fruit of God in our lives, which grows organically by his will, I can only think of one appropriate response. Pray. We are in desperate need of the Lord to do a work in and through our lives, and can do nothing apart from him to produce this fruit in our lives. Therefore, let us recognize our need and go to the throne of grace with boldness. Let us pray for God’s fruit in our lives and the lives of the church as a whole. Let us plead with God for his fruit to be recognizable by others and overflowing more and more as we walk in the Spirit. Join us next week as we consider our part in the dependent cultivation of fruit in our lives.

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Why Sound Doctrine Fuels A Spirit-Led Life(H2H S:2 E:1)

Why Sound Doctrine Fuels A Spirit-Led Life(H2H S:2 E:1)

Start here if you’ve ever tried to grow “fruit of the Spirit” by sheer effort and ended up tired, tense, and stuck. We open our Fruitful series by returning to Galatians, where Paul refuses to treat love, joy, and peace as motivational slogans and instead plants them in the deep soil of the gospel. The story matters: the churches Paul founded are now swayed by Judaizers who promise a spiritual upgrade through rituals and traditions. Paul answers by rebuilding the foundation—salvation by grace alone through faith in Christ—and then shows how that truth powers a life that keeps in step with the Spirit. We walk through the unfolding conflict from Acts to Galatians, clarifying why context guards against proof-texting and shallow platitudes. Along the way, we explore a pattern across Paul’s letters: doctrine first, then practice. That order isn’t academic; it’s pastoral. Distorted teaching produces distorted living—pride, fear, and joyless striving—while sound doctrine produces freedom that looks like patience under pressure, kindness when provoked, and self-control in hidden places. We talk about how the local church serves as a guardrail against “every wind of doctrine,” equipping us to speak the truth in love and grow together into mature faith. This conversation is an invitation to evaluate what you believe by the life you live. If your love has cooled or your peace feels thin, the answer isn’t more hustle; it’s a truer grasp of grace. We ask hard questions, call out counterfeit gospels, and point back to Christ’s promise to be with us as we learn to obey all he commands. Listen to root your practice in truth, recover your joy, and get back to running with the Spirit. If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who’s hungry for the Word, and leave a review to help others find these conversations. If you are participating with a group, look for the video files on Spotify and YouTube! Check out www.fbccabool.com for the discussion guides.

Opener

  • What’s your favorite movie and why?

Read

Take turns reading the passages in Galatians 1:6-24. If you have children involved, this is a great time to include the readers. 

[6] I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—[7] not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. [8] But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. [9] As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
[10] For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
[11] For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. [12] For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. [13] For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. [14] And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. [15] But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, [16] was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; [17] nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
[18] Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. [19] But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother. [20] (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) [21] Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. [22] And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. [23] They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” [24] And they glorified God because of me.

(Galatians 1:6–24, ESV)

Watch Video

Encourage participants to have a pen and paper to write down questions they may have. Then, if they are not answered throughout the study, they can ask them. 

Talk About It

Disdain for Paul’s Ministry & Message (Galatians 1 & 2)

  • Who shared the Gospel with you? What was their life like, and how did that impact your reception of the Gospel?
  • Have you ever had someone try to talk you out of your faith? What reasons did they give for why you shouldn’t believe?
  • FOR THE KIDS: Who do you look up to the most and why do you look up to them?

Despising the Gospel and Grace (Galatians 3 & 4)

  • When you hear people talk about doctrine or theology, what do you think of? What do you think the culture around us thinks of?
  • “Distorting Christian doctrine inevitably distorts the Christian life.” Can you think of some examples of how the doctrine might cause someone to act in bad ways?
  • FOR THE KIDS: What are some things you believe about God and how does that help you? (Example: God is always with you, helps you not be scared.)

Denied Obedience and Brotherhood (Galatians 5 & 6)

  • Do you remember the excitement you had when you first came to Christ? How did God use this to inspire you in your Christian life?  
  • What were some of the first things you were taught when you became a Christian? How has your understanding grown since then? How can you teach others these truths?
  • How can we be on guard against false teaching? In what ways might false ideas creep into our lives?
  • FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY: What things have you been learning about in church lately?  

Bring It Home

Take time to read the whole book of Galatians this week.

Transcript

Welcome to House to House, a weekly podcast production of FBC Cabool that seeks to apply the heart of the early church found in Acts 2 to our modern-day lives. Our prayer is that this would not replace participation in the local church, but inspire it. Today we will begin with the first of the fruitful devotionals that we hope you will use to promote biblical study and Christian fellowship in your home. So gather your family and a couple of friends and join us on this deep dive into the book of Galatians. In this series, I’d like us to consider the words found in Galatians 5:22-23, which says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things, there is no law.” These words are familiar to many within the church, but from observation, their practice seems rare. So my prayer is that over the weeks of fruitfulness, we would consider the context of these words, their purpose, and then unpack the nine aspects of the fruit described here. Whether you’re a reader or a movie watcher, you know that jumping into the middle of the story can be confusing and frustrating. It leaves you without knowledge of the characters or direction, often causing you to miss out on the story entirely. The same holds true for scripture, even for texts like this. Some may be prone to taking scriptures like those in the letters of Paul and pulling them out as proof texts or moral platitudes or talking points. But verses like the ones under consideration here are not standalone proverbs or points in a systematic theology. They’re part of a letter written not just by an authoritative apostle, but by a man who personally and passionately shared the gospel with these people he loved, wanting not only for them to understand and believe, but also to experience his glorious freedom. In Acts 13 and 14, Paul visits Galatia on his first missionary journey with Barnabas. During that time, he shared the gospel and began many churches throughout the region of Galatia. All that to say, this letter is personal and part of a larger story. But there was a problem in the relationship between Paul and the churches in Galatia. Sometime after his departure, others came in and began to teach things contrary to Paul the apostle and to the gospel of God. Let me see if I can describe it more helpfully. In Galatians 1 and 2, we’re given a glimpse of a disdain for Paul’s ministry and message. This began actually after Christ’s departure. Most Christians were converts from Judaism. But as we see the early church unfold in the book of Acts, we see people like the Apostle Peter led by the Lord, share the gospel with the Gentiles, and then baptize them as Christians. Paul and Barnabas also began to go to Jewish synagogues and then turn and share the gospel with the Gentiles. One such occasion is found in Acts 13:46-49, which says, “And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, ‘It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. That’s the Jews. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourself unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’ When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord. And as many as were appointed to eternal life believed, and the word of the Lord was spread throughout the whole region. So there were individuals who would come behind Paul and Barnabas and other missionaries and seek to convince these Gentile converts that there was more to the story than they had been told. These individuals were often called Judaizers. Judaizers insisted that Gentile converts must follow Jewish customs such ascircumcision and dietary laws, in addition to believing in Christ. They thought themselves to be the correct interpreters of scripture and often would criticize Paul and the other apostles as if they were not holy enough or worthy enough to listen to. This is what led Paul to spend chapters one and two defending his ministry and message as from the Lord, not men. This was not because Paul cared about the opinion of men, but he did care about these churches and knew the attack on his ministry was an attack on the work that God began with his visit there. You see, the game plan of the Judaizers was to attack Paul’s character and qualifications and claim that his message was opposed to the writings of Moses. That leads us into chapters three and four. Worse than disdain for Paul was the despising of grace and the gospel. This seems to be what breaks Paul’s heart, like a brother who sees his little siblings walking away from all they know to be true. And their departure from faith is the beginning of giving themselves to every kind of evil. So in chapters three and four, Paul sets forth salvation through faith alone, in Christ alone, by grace alone, according to the Scriptures alone. Paul sets out to undo all the corruption the Judaizers had brought into these churches. While it would do us well to spend time on each of these doctrines, I’d like us to concentrate on the necessity and purpose of focusing on these doctrines in this situation and why that impacts us. Paul had spent time with them, teaching them the foundations of the faith and important doctrines. So why doesn’t he skip chapters three and four and get to the things they need to fix? Why not just tell them to stop listening to the Judaizers and remember what they were taught? Why does he need to rehearse and explain the foundations of the faith again? Chapters three and four are necessary for the Galatians, and doctrinal teaching is necessary for you because the Christian life is bound to Christian truth. You cannot talk about one without the other. If we zoom out and look at the other letters recorded in the Bible by Paul, you will see the pattern over and over and over again. Doctrine roots and energizes obedient faith. Consider Romans chapters 1-11 and chapters 12-16, Ephesians 1-3 and 4-6, and Colossians 1-2 and 3-4. In each of these instances, the beginning chapters are rooted in doctrine that then energizes obedience in the later chapters. John MacArthur wrote, “The distinction between doctrinal and practical truth is artificial. Doctrine is practical. In fact, nothing is more practical than sound doctrine. You could even argue that I’m making a false distinction between Galatians chapters 3 and 4 and 5 through 6. Therefore, one takeaway we should have as we approach this familiar section of the fruit of the Spirit is to say that these character qualities and the command to walk and step with the Spirit are deeply rooted in the doctrines of Scripture. We cannot and should not try to understand them merely from practical application. We must ground our understanding of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control in the foundation of the gospel and grace. Secondly, we see that distorting Christian doctrine inevitably distorts the Christian life. We cannot expect to practice genuine Christian faith when we hold to distorted beliefs. We’ll be prone to twist the truth, minimize the significance, and maximize our ability. This seems to be the outcome in the book of Galatians as well. This is why Paul tells Timothy elsewhere: “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourselves and your hearers.” So your life and doctrine are woven together directly, impacting you and those around you. It should be no surprise, then, that Paul has the same concern for the churches in Galatia. It should also be no surprise, then, church, that you need to apply this to your lives. As parents, your life and doctrine affect your children. As friends, your life and doctrine affect your friends. As individuals in a community, your life and doctrine affect the lost around you. Let us not separate our doctrine from obedience. And that is why Paul moves on to chapters five and six in the book of Galatians. This leads us to this section, where we are going to spend the bulk of our study this season. In these chapters, we find the fruit of a correct understanding of the gospel.Thus, Paul asks them, “ You are running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?” This persuasion is not from him who calls you. He acknowledges that they were not just walking in step with the Spirit, but running in step with the Spirit. In other words, they began their spiritual journey on the right foot, with feet firmly planted in the gospel. They sprinted toward Christ, eager to be obedient together on their journey. All Christians begin their journey with a strong foundation in the truths of the gospel. Notice the words of Jesus himself in the Great Commission. “ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age.” Even in the commission that Christ gave us, he teaches us to disciple believers by teaching them his commands and how to obey them. So, how have you been taught the word of God? Is your salvation grounded in the deep truths rooted inGod’s Word? And then, secondly, we see in Galatians 5 how you might be hindered in obeying it. Paul goes on to explain that this false teaching hindered them from obeying the truth. This is why the church is so important to our lives. God has gifted and commissioned it to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ until we all attain to the union of faith and of the knowledge of the Son ofGod to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness, and deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. The church is the defense against deceitful schemes meant to keep us from obedience. And he has commissioned you, me, and the members of the church to speak truth in love so that we continue to grow in faith and obedience. Finally, in chapter 5, verse 8, he points out that the doctrine that hindered their obedience wasn’t from the Lord who called them. Just as he stated in the beginning of the letter, I’m astonished that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel. If it isn’t from God, then who is it from? It is the doctrine from the liar who seeks to devour us and destroy us. It is a dangerous doctrine that leads us away from freedom and faith. It is a dangerous doctrine that leads our hearts away from embracing the grace-filled gospel. It is the dangerous doctrine that prevents us or discourages us from giving our lives to obeying Christ. May we be on guard against these deceitful schemes. We would be missing out if we left all this information on the table, like a textbook gathering dust. Instead, we have to take it to heart and ask ourselves what we believe and how it is impacting our lives. Or ask it a different way. How am I living my life right now? And what does that reveal about what I really believe? If doctrine and practice go together, then we know one reveals the other. So take time to evaluate your life and doctrine today. Repent of the false hopes you hold and the way you have lived because of it. Embrace the gospel and walk in step with the Spirit. We pray that this is a blessing to you, and that you’ll join us next week.

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H2H: Unexpected King, Unlikely GuestsWhen Waiting Finds Its Object

H2H: When Waiting Finds Its Object(December 22nd)

Opener

  • What’s something you’ve had to wait a long time for, and how did it feel when the time arrived that you finally got it? 

Read

Take turns reading passages through Luke 2:21-35. If you have children involved, this is a great time to include the readers. 

[21] And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.[22] And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord [23] (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) [24] and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” [25] Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. [26] And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. [27] And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, [28] he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
[29] “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
[30] for my eyes have seen your salvation
[31] that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
[32] a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”
[33] And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. [34] And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed [35] (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

(Luke 2:21–35 , ESV)

Watch Video

Encourage participants to have a pen and paper to write down questions they may have. Then, if they are not answered throughout the study, they can ask them. 

Talk About It

Luke 2:21-27—After Christmas

  • How does Mary and Joseph’s obedience to God’s law with the Son of God challenge you to think about your obedience to God’s commands? 
  • FOR THE KIDS: Sometimes it’s easier to be obedient while you wait for your parents or teachers, but after you get what you want, it is harder to obey.  Why do you think that is? Mary and Joseph didn’t just obey God while they were waiting for baby Jesus, but even after he came. 

Luke 2:28-32—The Heart of Simeon

  • What do we learn about Simeon’s faith from his long season of waiting and his sensitivity to the Holy Spirit?
  • Simeon speaks of “peace” in connection with death (v. 29). How is biblical peace different from comfort or ease?
  • How does seeing Jesus as “salvation itself” challenge the way we sometimes think about faith, works, or personal effort?
  • How does Simeon model righteous waiting in contrast to the temptations of distraction, weariness, or carelessness mentioned in the sermon?
  • FOR THE KIDS: When it is hard to wait for something, how can you honor God?   

Luke 2:33-35— The Heart of the People

  • What might Mary and Joseph’s marveling response teach us about how we should receive and ponder the truth about Christ? 
  • In what ways are you tempted to look for peace or fulfillment somewhere other than Christ?
  • How might embracing Christ as God’s salvation reshape the way you wait, hope, or endure in this season of life?
  • What do you tend to build your life upon? 
  • FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY: If you could build every day around doing one thing, what would it be and why? Is that what God would want you to build your day around?  

Bring It Home

Who is someone you can tell about Jesus? Make plans to invite them to church and share the Gospel with them. 

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H2H: Unexpected King, Unlikely Guests

H2H: Unexpected King, Unlikely Guests (December 15th)

Opener

  • What has been the best gift you have ever received and why?

Read

Take turns reading passages through Luke 2:1-20. If you have children involved, this is a great time to include the readers. 

[1] In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. [2] This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. [3] And all went to be registered, each to his own town. [4] And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, [5] to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. [6] And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. [7] And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.


[8] And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. [9] And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. [10] And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. [11] For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. [12] And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” [13] And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,


[14] “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

[15] When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” [16] And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. [17] And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. [18] And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. [19] But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. [20] And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

(Luke 2:1-20, ESV)

Watch Video

Encourage participants to have a pen and paper to write down questions they may have. Then, if they are not answered throughout the study, they can ask them. 

Talk About It

Luke 2:1-7—Unexpected Entrance

  • If you could have fresh eyes and approach the Christmas story as if it were your first time.  What do you think are the most unexpected parts? 
  • Although the Old Testament contains numerous prophecies about the arrival of the King, the people of God were not expecting Him. What holds you back from seeking Christ in your life the way the Bible describes? 
  • FOR THE KIDS: Would you be disappointed if you got no presents for Christmas? Why? (Give them time to answer) That’s because you expect them, and when we don’t get what we expect, we are disappointed, but Jesus fulfills what he says he’s going to do. What are some promises that Jesus has given us? 

Luke 2:8-14—Unexpected Announcement

  • When Zechariah gets the opportunity to obey, he doesn’t delay.  Despite the traditions of others around him and the lack of a voice, he cannot help but obey.  His obedience not only freed his tongue and glorified God, but it also inspired awe in all who saw it happen. What kind of obedience do you think we could do as individuals or the church that would inspire awe in those around us? Are there times in your life that you tend to run from the things of God because you feel unworthy? Like times when you don’t pray, read your Bible, or attend church? How does this account help us to think about those things? 
  • FOR THE KIDS: Are there kids at school or in your lives that you think would never believe in Jesus? Why? This story reminds us that Jesus especially comes for them, and you should want them to know Jesus, too. 

Luke 2:15-20—Unexpected Response

  • We saw four responses from these verses in today’s video: Go to Christ, Wonder at Christ, Treasure Christ, and Glorify Christ.  Which one do you think is most difficult for you?  
  • What are some practical ways you can more intentionally prepare yourself to respond to Christ in these ways? 
  • FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY: One of the ways we can treasure Jesus is by remembering his words. Let’s work together to find a verse to memorize this week. 

Bring It Home

The Shepherds left praising God! An appropriate response to this great news of joy was to sing a song! Take time to sing a few more songs together (It’s ok to use a YouTube video to help).

Download Printable Copy

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H2H: Light In The Shadow Of Advent

H2H: Light In The Shadow Of Advent (December 8th)

Opener

  • Have you ever had someone tell you something with words, but you doubt it was true? Why?

Read

Take turns reading passages through the Luke 1:5-25 & 57-80. If you have children involved, this is a great time to include the readers. 

[57] Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. [58] And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. [59] And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, [60] but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” [61] And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” [62] And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. [63] And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. [64] And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. [65] And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, [66] and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.[67] And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,
[68] “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people
[69] and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,[70] as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, [71] that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; [72] to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, [73] the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us [74] that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, [75] in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.[76] And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, [77] to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins,[78] because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high [79] to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
[80] And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

(Luke 1:57–80, ESV)

Watch Video

Encourage participants to have a pen and paper to write down questions they may have. Then, if they are not answered throughout the study, they can ask them. 

Talk About It

Luke 1:5-25-Zechariah Who?

  • Zechariah’s circumstances, particularly his age, led him to question the promises the angel communicated to him.  As you consider your own life, are there promises in Scripture that your circumstances cause you to doubt? 
  • By the grace of God, he didn’t remove the promise because of Zechariah’s disbelief, but he did suffer a consequence for it.  Has there ever been a time in your life when your lack of faith caused you to suffer a consequence?
  • FOR THE KIDS: Can you tell us a time you had bad consequences for not believing and obeying what your parents said? This is a reminder of why we believe in God and obey His word.

Luke 1:57-66—Zechariah’s Moment

  • When Zechariah gets the opportunity to obey, he doesn’t delay.  Despite the traditions of others around him and the lack of a voice, he cannot help but obey.  His obedience not only freed his tongue and glorified God, but it also inspired awe in all who saw it happen. What kind of obedience do you think we could do as individuals or the church that would inspire awe in those around us?
  • FOR THE KIDS: It what ways could your behavior help other people to obey, worship, and be encouraged? 

Luke 1:67-80—Zechariah’s Heart

  • His initial concern with the angel Gabriel’s message was the birth of a son at his age, but by the time he could sing again, it was Gabriel’s message of salvation that was his most significant concern. What is the thing that brings you the most joy during the Holiday season? How can we grow our joy more in salvation than in other things? 
  • Zechariah declares that the goal of this glorious salvation is that we “might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.” How is the salvation message inspiring you to serve the Lord more? 
  • FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY: Zechariah states that the purpose of John would be to light the way for other people to find Jesus.  Who would you like to help find Jesus? Spend time praying for them together. 

Bring It Home

Mary’s response to this great news was to sing a song! What is your favorite Christmas song about the birth of Christ?  Take time to sing a few together (It’s ok to use a YouTube video to help).

Download Printable Copy

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H2H: The First Christmas Carol

H2H: The First Christmas Carol (December 1st)

Opener

  • What things amaze you most? Or what has been the most amazing experience you have ever had? 
  • Why doesn’t the Christmas story seem as amazing to us? Or why don’t we act like the Christmas story is amazing? 

Read

Take turns reading passages through the section. If you have children involved, this is a great time to include the readers. 

[39] In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, [40] and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. [41] And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, [42] and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! [43] And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? [44] For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. [45] And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
[46] And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
[47] and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
[48] for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
[49] for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
[50] And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
[51] He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
[52] he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
[53] he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
[54] He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
[55] as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

(Luke 1:39–55, ESV)

Watch Video

Encourage participants to have a pen and paper to write down questions they may have. Then, if they are not answered throughout the study, they can ask them. 

Talk About It

Luke 1:39-45

“This is how everyone should respond to Jesus Christ: by trusting in him as Savior and rejoicing in him as Lord. We have even better reason to believe in Jesus than John and Elizabeth had. They rejoiced over his conception, but we also rejoice for his crucifixion and resurrection. This is why Luke wrote his gospel: so we would know for sure that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and was raised again to give us eternal life. Now everyone who believes in Jesus leaps for joy and calls him Lord.”

Phillip Ryken
  • In today’s text, Elizabeth and John the Baptist(pre-born) meet Jesus for the first time. Share how you came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. 
  • Elizabeth was filled with the holy spirit and responded with great joy. In the same way, if you have come to faith in Christ, then you have been filled with the Holy Spirit. How has your life been transformed since coming to Christ? 
  • FOR THE KIDS: How has knowing about Jesus and His Bible helped you? 

Luke 1:46-50

  • Magnify or minimize, those are the options when we encounter the big realities of God’s gift of Christ Jesus.  In what way do you tend to minimize the miracle of Christmas?  In what ways could we intentionally do better at magnifying them? 
  • FOR THE KIDS: What is the most amazing thing about the Christmas story that you know? Why? 

Luke 1:51-55

  • Describe a time you have seen God provide for you and how that has helped your faith in other circumstances.
  • FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY: In what ways would you like God to help you? Spend time praying for them. 

Bring It Home

Mary’s response to this great news was to sing a song! What is your favorite Christmas song about the birth of Christ?  Take time to sing a few together (It’s ok to use a YouTube video to help).

Download Printable Copy
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