Connected in Christ

Small Group Discussion Guide

Based on the Sermon: "Connected in Christ" | Galatians 3:26–29 Shiloh Church | Pastor Charles

A Note to Facilitators: This guide is designed to help your group engage with Sunday's message in a personal, practical way. You don't need to be a theological expert to lead well — your job is simply to create space for honest conversation. Feel free to skip questions that don't fit your group or spend extra time where the Spirit is moving. Estimated times are suggestions, not rules.

OVERVIEW

In Galatians 3:26–29, the Apostle Paul makes a bold declaration: saving faith in Jesus Christ connects us both to God and to one another. Preaching from the church at Galatia where false teachers had confused people about salvation and divided the community, Pastor Charles showed us four ways this connection works — we are all sons of God, baptized into Christ, one in Christ, and heirs of Abraham's promise. The central takeaway: to be saved is to be connected — to Christ and to each other.

ICEBREAKER

(5–10 minutes)

Choose one of the following to open your time together:

Option A (lighter, fun)

"Tell us about a time you discovered you were part of something — a family, a team, a group — that you didn't fully realize you belonged to. What did that feel like?"

Option B (more reflective)

"Think about a relationship in your life that surprised you — someone you wouldn't have expected to be close to, but God brought you together. What made that connection meaningful?"

SCRIPTURE READING

(5 minutes)

Have someone in the group read the passage aloud. Encourage the group to listen for a word or phrase that stands out to them.

Galatians 3:26–29 (English Standard Version)

"For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise."

Brief Context for Facilitators to Share: Paul wrote this letter to young churches in Galatia that were being misled by false teachers called "Judaizers." These teachers claimed that faith in Christ wasn't enough — you also had to follow Jewish laws and customs to be truly saved. Paul pushes back hard, arguing that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone — and that this gospel truth has radical implications for how we relate to God and to one another.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

(30–45 minutes total)

Work through these questions as a group. You don't need to cover every question — let the conversation breathe. Questions are organized from observation to deeper application.

THEME 1: What We Believe About Salvation

(8–10 minutes)

1. What was one thing from Sunday's message that stood out to you, challenged you, or encouraged you? Why?

[Leader Tip: This is a great opening question because there are no wrong answers. It helps you gauge where people are and what resonated most. Give everyone a chance to share briefly before diving deeper.]

2. Pastor Charles preached that "Christ plus anything" is not the gospel — not Christ plus good works, church membership, baptism, or moral behavior. Why do you think it's so tempting for people to feel like faith alone isn't quite enough?

[Leader Tip: This question often surfaces personal stories of striving, religious performance, or guilt. Create space for honest sharing. If the group is quiet, you might ask: "Have you ever felt like you needed to 'earn' your standing with God? What did that feel like?"]

3. Read Ephesians 2:8–9 below. How does this passage support what Paul is teaching in Galatians 3:26?

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." — Ephesians 2:8–9

THEME 2: Who We Are in Christ

(10–12 minutes)

4. Pastor Charles emphasized that Paul uses the word "sons" intentionally — because in the ancient world, daughters were not typically included in a father's inheritance. But Paul says ALL believers — regardless of gender — are "sons of God" and therefore heirs. What does it mean to you personally that God has placed you in His will?

5. The sermon described two powerful images from Galatians 3:27 — being "baptized into Christ" (union with Christ) and "putting on Christ" (identity in Christ). In your own words, what's the difference between those two ideas? Which one feels more real or meaningful to you right now, and why?

[Leader Tip: Some group members may be unfamiliar with theological language around "union with Christ." You can simplify: "Being baptized into Christ is something done TO us — God brings us in. Putting on Christ is something we participate in — choosing to live as who we now are." The sermon used the image of a wedding garment — feel free to reference that story.]

6. Pastor Charles told the story of a woman who bought a portrait of a rich man's deceased son — and discovered that the will said: "Whoever loves my son enough to buy his picture, to him I leave all my wealth." How does that story help you understand what God has done for us through Jesus?

THEME 3: How We Relate to One Another

(10–12 minutes)

7. Galatians 3:28 says there is "neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female" in Christ. Pastor Charles was careful to say this doesn't erase all human differences, but it does mean those differences should never divide us or determine how we treat each other. Where do you see the church doing this well? Where do we still struggle?

[Leader Tip: This question can surface real and sensitive experiences around race, class, or gender. Hold the space with grace. Remind the group that honest conversation is part of growing together. You don't need to resolve every tension — just make room for it.]

8. Pastor Charles issued a direct challenge: "Strive to develop relationships in the church that won't make sense without Jesus." What would that kind of relationship actually look like in your life? Is there someone in this church — or even in this group — who represents that kind of unlikely connection?

9. The sermon referenced Jesus's prayer in John 17:21 — "that they all may be one." Pastor Charles said this is not an unanswered prayer; we already ARE one in Christ. But he also admitted there's a gap between our position and our practice. What do you think gets in the way of the church living out the unity we already have in Christ?

THEME 4: Living as Heirs of the Promise

(8–10 minutes)

10. Pastor Charles described our inheritance in Christ using 1 Peter 1:3–4 — "imperishable, undefiled, unfading, kept in heaven for you." He also said: "The fact that it's kept in heaven for you means God will keep you until you get to it." How does knowing you have a secure inheritance in Christ change the way you face difficult seasons of life?

[Leader Tip: This is a great question for people walking through hard times. If someone shares a current struggle, don't rush past it — pray for them right then, or come back to it in the prayer time. This question often produces some of the most meaningful sharing of the night.]

PERSONAL APPLICATION

(10–15 minutes)

These questions are for individual reflection. Invite people to share as they feel comfortable — not everyone needs to answer every question.

1. On a scale of 1–10, how deeply do you feel connected — to Christ and to this church community? What's one thing that might move that number up?

2. Is there a relationship in your life — at church, at work, in your neighborhood — where you've allowed differences in race, class, age, or background to create distance? What might it look like to take a step toward that person?

3. Pastor Charles said our inheritance is "according to the promise" — not according to our performance. Is there an area of your life where you've been living as though your standing with God depends on how well you're doing? How might this truth set you free?

4. The sermon mentioned the danger of "deconstructing" faith in a way that holds on to Christ while letting go of the church. How would you describe your current relationship with your local church community? Is there anything God might be nudging you toward in that area?

THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE

(Choose one that fits where you are)

🌱 Starting Point: This week, introduce yourself to one person at church you don't know yet. Ask them one genuine question about their life.

🌿 Next Step: Intentionally reach out to someone in your church community who is different from you — different age, background, or life stage. Grab coffee, share a meal, or simply send an encouraging message.

🌳 Going Deeper: Reflect on whether you are living as an heir — someone who is secure in Christ's promises — or as a spiritual orphan, striving to earn what God has already freely given. Journal about what it would look like to live this week from a place of inheritance rather than performance.

PRAYER FOCUS

(5–10 minutes)

Close your time together in prayer. You may pray as a group, in pairs, or have one person lead. Use these prompts to guide your prayer:

• Gratitude — Thank God for the gift of salvation by grace through faith, and for the inheritance that is secure in Christ.
• Unity — Ask God to help your group, your church, and the broader body of Christ to live out the oneness we already have in Him — across race, class, age, and background.
• Personal Needs — Pray for anyone in the group who is walking through a hard season, that they would feel the security of being held by God until they reach what He has prepared for them.
• Boldness — Ask God for courage to develop relationships that "won't make sense without Jesus," and to be a witness to His reconciling power in a divided world.
• The Lost — Pray for friends, family members, and neighbors who don't yet know Christ — that they would hear the gospel and respond.

OPTIONAL DEEP DIVE

For groups with extra time or a desire to go further

A. Read the book of Philemon (it's only one chapter — about 25 verses). Paul appeals to Philemon to receive his runaway slave Onesimus back — not as a slave, but as a brother in Christ. What does this short letter reveal about how the gospel is meant to transform our most difficult relationships? What would it look like to apply that same principle today?

B. Pastor Charles drew a contrast between the law as a "guardian" (Galatians 3:24–25) and grace that makes us "sons." Read Galatians 4:1–7 below and discuss: What is the difference between living as a slave under the law and living as a son under grace? Which posture do you find yourself defaulting to most often?

"I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!' So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God." — Galatians 4:1–7

C. The sermon mentioned that some people try to "hold on to Christ while letting go of the church." Read Hebrews 10:24–25 and Ephesians 2:19–22. Based on these passages, why is belonging to a local church community essential — not optional — for the Christian life? How would you lovingly make that case to someone who says, "I love Jesus, I just don't need church"?

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." — Hebrews 10:24–25

"So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit." — Ephesians 2:19–22

QUICK REFERENCE FOR FACILITATORS

Key Scriptures Referenced in This Guide:

• Galatians 3:26–29 (main text)
• Galatians 4:1–7
• Ephesians 2:8–9
• 1 Peter 1:3–4
• John 17:21
• Ephesians 4:4–6
• Hebrews 10:24–25
• Ephesians 2:19–22
• Philemon (entire book — one chapter)

Main Idea to Come Back To:

"Saving faith connects us to Christ and to one another. To be saved is to belong — to God and to His people."

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