Single lesson
Galatians 1: Paul’s Greeting to the Galatians
Galatians 1:1–5; Galatians 1:6–9; Galatians 1:10–24
Galatians 1 opens with Paul’s greeting, a sharp warning about a different message, and an explanation of why his gospel can be trusted. This lesson helps children notice what Paul says about Jesus, the gospel and serving God.
Before you teach
Paul writes to the assemblies of Galatia with grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. He is astonished that they are turning to a different “good news”. He then explains that the Good News he preached did not come from people, and he describes how God called him to preach Christ.
Students will be able to say that Galatians 1 teaches there is one true gospel of Christ, and Paul served Christ by preaching that message faithfully.
Welcome: One true message
5 minAsk children to think about how a message can get mixed up when people change it. Introduce today’s idea: Paul says the gospel must not be changed. Explain that “gospel” here means “good news”. Tell the group they will listen for what Paul says about Jesus, grace and the true message.
Galatians 1:6, Galatians 1:7
Read and explain: Paul’s greeting points to Jesus
7 minRead Galatians 1:1, Galatians 1:2, Galatians 1:3, Galatians 1:4 and Galatians 1:5 aloud. Point out that Paul says he is an apostle through Jesus Christ and God the Father, not from people. Notice the greeting of grace and peace. Explain that Paul says Jesus Christ gave himself for our sins and that this leads Paul to give glory to God.
Galatians 1:1, Galatians 1:3, Galatians 1:4, Galatians 1:5
Discuss: No other gospel
6 minRead Galatians 1:6, Galatians 1:7, Galatians 1:8 and Galatians 1:9. Help children see Paul’s strong concern. He says the Galatians are deserting him who called them in the grace of Christ. He also says there is not another gospel. Even if a different messenger appeared, the message must still match the gospel they already received.
Galatians 1:6, Galatians 1:7, Galatians 1:8, Galatians 1:9
Make and respond: Reminder card from Paul’s defence
8 minRead Galatians 1:10, Galatians 1:11, Galatians 1:12, Galatians 1:13, Galatians 1:15, Galatians 1:16, Galatians 1:23 and Galatians 1:24 aloud. Explain that Paul was not trying to please people above God. He says the gospel he preached was not from man but came through revelation of Jesus Christ. Children choose a key verse or short phrase and make a reminder card showing one truth from the passage.
Galatians 1:10, Galatians 1:11, Galatians 1:12, Galatians 1:13, Galatians 1:15, Galatians 1:16, Galatians 1:23, Galatians 1:24
Closing: Hold to the good news of Christ
4 minFinish by tracing Paul’s change using the text. He once persecuted the assembly of God, but later people heard that he now preached the faith he once tried to destroy. Invite each child to say one sentence: either how the Galatians were warned not to turn to a different “good news”, or how Paul’s life showed God’s grace.
Galatians 1:6, Galatians 1:7, Galatians 1:13, Galatians 1:15, Galatians 1:23, Galatians 1:24
Questions to explore
What does Paul say Jesus Christ did in the greeting, and why does that matter in the rest of the chapter?
Look at the words about Jesus giving himself for sins, then connect that with Paul’s warning not to turn to a different gospel.
Galatians 1:4, Galatians 1:6, Galatians 1:7
How does Paul show that the gospel should not be changed, even by an impressive messenger?
Notice that Paul repeats the warning and says the message must stay the same even if ‘we, or an angel from heaven’ preached something different.
Galatians 1:8, Galatians 1:9
What reasons does Paul give for saying his gospel was not simply a human idea?
Use Paul’s own explanation about revelation of Jesus Christ and the change from persecuting the assembly to preaching the faith.
Galatians 1:11, Galatians 1:12, Galatians 1:13, Galatians 1:23
Make, think or respond
One True Gospel Reminder Card
What you’ll need
- card or paper
- pencils or pens
- crayons or markers
- Bible
Try it together
- Read Galatians 1:4, Galatians 1:6, Galatians 1:7, Galatians 1:10, Galatians 1:11 and Galatians 1:12, and let each child choose one verse or short phrase.
- Fold a small piece of card in half to make a standing reminder card.
- On the front, write the chosen words and add a simple drawing such as a cross, a speech bubble, or the word ‘grace’.
- Inside, write one sentence about what the verse teaches, such as ‘The gospel comes from Christ’ or ‘There is no other gospel’.
- Invite children to show their card and read their sentence aloud.
This activity helps children keep Paul’s main point in view: the gospel of Christ is true and is not to be replaced with a different message.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, pre-select two short verse choices such as Galatians 1:4 or Galatians 1:10 and let them copy only a few key words.
- For older or more confident children, ask them to compare Galatians 1:6, Galatians 1:7, Galatians 1:11 and Galatians 1:12 and write a longer sentence explaining why Paul defends the gospel so strongly.
An optional closing prayer
You may pray: ‘Father, thank you for grace and peace through Jesus Christ. Please help us to hold on to the true gospel and to want to please you. Amen.’
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Galatians 1
1 Paul, an apostle—not from men, nor through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—
2 and all the brothers who are with me, to the assemblies of Galatia:
3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,
4 who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father—
5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
6 I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different “good news”,
7 but there isn’t another “good news.” Only there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the Good News of Christ.
8 But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any “good news” other than that which we preached to you, let him be cursed.
9 As we have said before, so I now say again: if any man preaches to you any “good news” other than that which you received, let him be cursed.
10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? For if I were still pleasing men, I wouldn’t be a servant of Christ.
11 But I make known to you, brothers, concerning the Good News which was preached by me, that it is not according to man.
12 For I didn’t receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ.
13 For you have heard of my way of living in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the assembly of God and ravaged it.
14 I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of my own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
15 But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through his grace,
16 to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I didn’t immediately confer with flesh and blood,
17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia. Then I returned to Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days.
19 But of the other apostles I saw no one except James, the Lord’s brother.
20 Now about the things which I write to you, behold, before God, I’m not lying.
21 Then I came to the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
22 I was still unknown by face to the assemblies of Judea which were in Christ,
23 but they only heard, “He who once persecuted us now preaches the faith that he once tried to destroy.”
24 So they glorified God in me.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.