Galatians

Unbound, Unchained, Unbroken

Lisa Scheffler, author

The EGD Special Sunday Edition

Since we’re kicking off a brand new series, we’re sending you a special edition of the Engage God Daily to get you primed and ready for the week. You’ll find an introduction to Galatians and some tips on how to get the most out of this study.

Before we dive into our study of Galatians, I want to let you know about a new way you can enjoy the Engage God Daily for this series. The same content you’re used to reading every day is now available in an audio version! Now you can listen while driving, working out, or doing chores around the house. We hope you’ll try out this new format and help us spread the word by sharing this link: bit.ly/EngageGodDaily.

Welcome to our study of Galatians!

I recently saw a video of a group of dairy cows being released, for the first time in months, from their barn. “Frolicking” is not a word you often associate with a 1400 pound animal, but it’s the best way to describe what they did. As soon as they left the gloom of the barn, stepped into the sunlight, and their hooves touched the grass, they literally jumped for joy. They were free.

We want the same kind of freedom. On some level, we sense that we are being held back, trapped in the wrong environment, and we long to break free. We sense that there is something waiting beyond the shadows, and it’s glorious. Our freedom will not only be leaving the darkness behind us, it will be rejoicing in the light. But how?

That’s where Galatians comes in. This ancient letter, written by the apostle Paul nearly 2000 years ago, can show us what it means to be truly free — unbound, unchained, and unburdened. Because true freedom is found in Christ.

We’ll discover what it is to be free on a personal level — free from both meaningless religiosity and destructive indulgence. Free to live in a right relationship with God. Free to be guided by the Holy Spirit to become the person God created us to be.

We’ll discover what it is to be free as a church community — free from prejudice and division. Free to come together as the family of God regardless of our race, ethnicity, gender, social class, or background.

We’ll discover what it is to be free as God’s eternal people — free from an age corrupted by evil and death. Free to experience the unbridled goodness of God as a new creation in Christ.

All of this freedom is possible through Jesus Christ and announced in his gospel. Freedom in Christ is something that brings such joy — a kick-up-your-heels, run-through-the-grass, kind of joy.

Through this series, let’s embrace what it means to live unbound, unchained, and unburdened.

New to the Engage God Daily?

The Engage God Daily is a-five-day-a-week Bible study and devotional. We hope you’ll think of it as a tour guide through Galatians, drawing your attention to points of interest and offering insight on what you’re discovering. But ultimately, the journey is yours, as you seek to engage God and grow in your relationship with him.

On the first day of each week, we focus on getting the big picture. You’ll read through the passage for the week and think through your initial thoughts and observations. On Days 2–4 we break down the passage into smaller sections as we seek to understand Paul’s message. On Day 5, we reflect on what we’ve learned, and pray about how we can apply it to our lives. Every day we invite the Spirit to speak to us through the Word and guide us to become more like Jesus!

I encourage you to record your thoughts and questions as you go, and discuss them with someone else who’s also doing this study. God speaks to us when we engage him individually, but also when we discuss his Word in community!

I hope you’re looking forward to our series on Galatians. Tomorrow, we’ll kick it off with your regularly scheduled Engage God Daily — Week 1, Day 1!