Galatians 3:1-5
Devotion by Tina Miller Sermon by Rich Lanning
October 19, 2025
Introduction
Play a family bluffing game of your choice where the players try to trick each other into believing something (examples: Balderdash or Bamboozled). If you don’t own one, you can simplify the retail versions into ones you can play with your own dice or dictionary by finding online directions. There are also bluffing games that involve a regular card deck.
Background
We have been studying Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Do you remember what untrue idea the Galatians were believing?
[False teachers had been telling the Galatian churches that their people needed to obey the Jewish laws and traditions in order to belong to God’s family.]
Looking into the scripture passage
Read: Galatians 3:1
Ask: What words did Paul use that mean the Galatians had been tricked into believing something false?
What did they need to remember that could have kept them from being misled?
That Jesus had been crucified.
Why do you think remembering this would help them stay in the truth?
This could be a hard question, but we can get to the answer by remembering some things ourselves.
Can you answer these questions?
- Why did Jesus die? [If you memorized 1 Corinthians 15:3 a couple of weeks ago, review that. Other verses include Romans 5:8 and 1 Peter 2:24]
- Can you be good enough to please God on your own? [Romans 3:23]
- If you could be good enough would Jesus have needed to die?
If we can or must do something to earn God’s forgiveness and life, then Jesus’ death is not enough! Jesus himself is not good enough to save us; how terrible that would be! We could have no hope.
But thankfully, we can look to the cross to remember that Jesus DID die and he rose from the dead. He IS enough.
Apply the passage
Activity: Take a little true/false quiz to make sure that YOU won’t be fooled into believing a lie about Jesus. Be sure to tell WHY a statement is false. (Parents can try using a persuasive tone to make the false idea seem plausible, but obviously don’t let children remain in error.)
- You can become a follower of Jesus by believing in him AND obeying your parents.
- Knowing Bible verses is the same as believing in Jesus.
- Some people can be good enough to please God on their own without believing in Jesus.
- No one can come to God without Jesus.
Pray
Lord Jesus, the wisdom of God, shine the light of your glorious gospel into our hearts so that we may believe in you and not be led astray by falsehood. Help us to share with others the wonderful news that you died for our sins that we might be made right with God. We praise you for being the way, the truth, and the life.
Memorize
Jesus said to them “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6
Practice the verse
Sing “Look to Jesus,” a song used in our Fantastic Family Nights during the summer.
Extra Stuff
Dig Deeper (for older kids and parents)
Find scripture passages that demonstrate the correct answers to the true/false questions above.
Songs to sing
“Nothing But the Blood” (traditional hymn)
“Jesus Paid It All” (traditional hymn)
