1. Stuck!
Galatians 3:1-14
“Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” – Galatians 1:10

2. Gridlock and Galatians 3:1-14
“He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.“ – Galatians 3:14

3. “You foolish Galatians. Who has bewitched you
“You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? Have you suffered so much for nothing—if it really was for nothing? Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?”
“He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.“ – Galatians 3:14

4. “Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law."
“He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.“ – Galatians 3:14

5. “Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.”
- Galatians 3:1-14
“He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.“ – Galatians 3:14

6. Paul starts this chapter with some pretty strong language and some pointed, somewhat rhetorical questions to grab the Galatians attention.
“He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.“ – Galatians 3:14

7. Paul’s Five Somewhat Rhetorical Questions
Who has bewitched you?
Paul saw this teaching as having a mysterious, unexplainable nature to it, an almost spell binding quality that clouded the simplicity of the gospel.
Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?
Paul hopes to remind the now confused Galatians of their initial experience with the gospel; the receiving of the Holy Spirit was a clear confirmation of the message that he preached.
“He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.“ – Galatians 3:14

8. Paul’s Five Somewhat Rhetorical Questions
Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?
It seems that the Galatians had now come to believe that upholding the law of Moses somehow made them more righteous, more deserving of salvation. Paul takes great issue with this teaching.
Have you suffered so much for nothing—if it really was for nothing?
If law adherence is what guarantees salvation, then Christ is an irrelevant piece of history and no one suffers persecution for an irrelevant piece of history. Why suffer needlessly?
“He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.“ – Galatians 3:14

9. Paul’s Five Somewhat Rhetorical Questions
Does God give the Galatians His Spirit and work miracles among them because they observe the law, or because they believe what they heard?
Faith in Christ and not following the law of Moses led to the presence of God’s Spirit and his miraculous work among the Galatians right up to the present time.
“He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.“ – Galatians 3:14

10. What will it be: Spirit or flesh? Faith or law? Christ or Moses?
Freedom or slavery?
“He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.“ – Galatians 3:14

11. Abraham Revisited
The moment God chooses Abraham and Abraham believes in God, things change dramatically.
The people messing with the Galatian church were probably teaching that in order to receive God’s blessing one had to be a child of Abraham and this meant following all of the Jewish laws, including circumcision.  
Paul’s points?
God’s original intent in blessing Abraham was to bless all people, regardless of their ethnic extraction. (Genesis 12:1-3)
Abraham is credited as righteous because of his belief or faith, not because of some external action. (Genesis 15:5-6)
Here you see Paul at work in a brilliant way, turning the argument of the Galatian disruptors against them. “You must be a child of Abraham” they say; Paul responds “Yes, of course you do, but it is faith in God that makes one a child of Abraham, not law adherence, and this blessing is open to all people, Gentiles too, right from the very start!”.
“He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.“ – Galatians 3:14

12. The Overturned Bus
“He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.“ – Galatians 3:14

13. Application
What are you ‘banking’ on for salvation—the good things that you do or have done or faith in Christ Jesus?
“He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.“ – Galatians 3:14

14. Is it is easier to live following strictly defined rules or to live by faith?
Living by faith requires an emphasis on relationship with Jesus and the only way to really navigate the difficult situations in life is through faith and by relying on the presence of the Spirit in one’s life.
Am I prone to gravitating towards laws and regulations because I am less than committed to fostering a good relationship with God the Father, through Christ Jesus?
Has my lack of faith-living misrepresented the gospel message to others around me?
“He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.“ – Galatians 3:14

15. Have I focussed on the external to my own internal detriment?
Have I had acted as an overturned bus in the life of someone searching for the truth of the gospel? Have I ever through my actions, words, or attitudes prevented a searching person from encountering Jesus Christ?
Christ reveals that it is not outward actions that please God, but a contrite heart which brings Him pleasure.
Have I focussed on the external to my own internal detriment?
“He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.“ – Galatians 3:14