Galatians 2

Team Ministry (2:1-10)

1Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. 2I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did this privately to those who seemed to be leaders, for fear that I was running or had run my race in vain.

What was Paul doing for 14 years?
Who were Barnabas and Titus?
What ‘revelation’ is he referring to?
Why did he do this privately to the leaders?
What was Paul’s fear?
Should we be trained before taking part in ministry?
Who played a major role in your pre/post conversion?

3Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. 4This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. 5We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you.

What was the issue?
What type of people were causing the problem?
What kind of freedom was Paul talking about here?
Why didn’t Paul and his co-workers give in to them?
What kind of issues are contemporary churches facing?
What types of people are causing the problems?
Is there freedom at our church?
Have any ‘churches’ compromised?

6As for those who seemed to be important—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearance—those men added nothing to my message.

What was Paul’s view of position/status?
What doesn’t God judge by?
What can men add to the gospel?
How should we view position/status?
What shouldn’t we judge by?
Where should we go in order to understand the gospel?

7On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews. 8For God, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in my ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles. 9James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews. 10All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.

What did the leaders in Jerusalem realize?
What did they recognize before giving Paul the right hand of fellowship?
What important ministry was a must in the early church?
Do we have something like the Jew/Gentile distinction in America today?
Did the early Christian leaders minister exclusively to one group?
Have we forgotten the call to remember the poor?

Team Conflict (2:11-14)

11When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong.

Who did Paul approach when he had a problem with Peter?
How sure was Paul that Peter was wrong?
Who should we approach when we have a problem with someone?
How sure should we be that someone is wrong before we confront them?

12Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.

What made Peter change his behavior?
Do we ever act different around different people?

13The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.

How did Peter’s behavioral change affect others?
Do people watch leaders?
How does a leaders behavior affect others?

14When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?

What truth of the gospel were Peter and his companions denying?
Did Paul confront Peter in private or in public?
How did Paul view Judaism?
Are we allowing the freedom that the Gospel provides?
Should confrontation be public or private?
How should we view Judaism?
How should we view religion in general?

Justification & Holiness (2:15-21)

15"We who are Jews by birth and not 'Gentile sinners' 16know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.

Did faithful Jews before Christ came believe in justification by works?
How were 1st century Christians justified?
How many people will be justified by observing the law?
What is justification?
How many people today believe in justification by works?
How are we justified today?

17"If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! 18If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker. 19For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"

Was Christ content with sin in their lives?
What did Paul destroy?
What was Paul’s identity?
Where can righteousness be found?
Is Christ content with sin in our lives today?
What must be destroyed?
Where should we find our identity?
What is the only way righteousness can be found?