Participants:
Paul – The Great Apostle to the Gentiles
Barnabas – One of Paul’s closest friends.
 - He stood up for Paul with the Church at Jerusalem (Acts 9).
- Barnabas enlisted Paul to help at the Church at Antioch (Gentiles) (Acts 11).
- Barnabas encouraged a young John-Mark after dropping out of the 1st missionary journey w/ Paul (Acts 13).
Titus – Was “Exhibit A” at the Jerusalem Church of a Gentile who received salvation by hearing through Paul’s ministry with the Gentiles.
 - Titus later traveled w/ Paul to some of his toughest churches to solve difficult problems (2 Cor 7).
Peter – 1 of 3 pillars of the Jerusalem Church. Jesus gave the “keys” (Acts 2) and was involved in opening the door for the Jews (Acts 2), the Samaritans (Acts 8) and the Gentiles (Acts 10).
John – Jesus’ beloved
James – Not the Apostle James who was killed by Herod but Jesus’ half brother.
 - James was the leader of the early church in Jerusalem (Acts 15).
 - Author of the Epistle of James
False Brethren – Tried to rob believers of their freedom.
Galatians 2
1 Then after 14 years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also. 2 I went up according to a revelation and presented to them the gospel I preach among the Gentiles—but privately to those recognized as leaders—so that I might not be running, or have run the race, in vain.
 - Paul had already returned from Antioch and 1st Missionary Journey with Barnabas when reports about all the Gentiles being “saved” returned to Jerusalem.
 - The Jewish leaders were upset with what they heard and went to Antioch and began telling the Gentile believers that they needed to become Jewish first (circumcision) before they became Christians.
 - The Jewish leaders had forgotten the true purpose of circumcision.
 - The new believers had a circumcision of the heart.
 - They did not need a physical operation.
 - Similar to what we do with baptism today.

 - They met privately with the 3 pillars
 - “According to a revelation” – The Lord told Paul to meet privately with these 3.
 - Paul wanted to provide a “united” front in the public meetings.
3 But not even Titus who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4 This issue arose because of false brothers smuggled in, who came in secretly to spy on the freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us. 5 But we did not give up and submit to these people for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would be preserved for you.
 - Titus was 100% Gentile. Didn’t need to be circumcised (It was obvious from his behavior that he was a believer).
 - Timothy – Was 50% Gentile and 50% Jewish. He needed to be circumcised so as not to bring confusion to the Jews he was trying to reach with the Gospel.
Acts 15
1 Some men came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom prescribed by Moses, you cannot be saved!” 2 But after Paul and Barnabas had engaged them in serious argument and debate, the church arranged for Paul and Barnabas and some others of them to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem concerning this controversy. 3 When they had been sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, explaining in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they created great joy among all the brothers.
4 When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. 5 But some of the believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses!”
6 Then the apostles and the elders assembled to consider this matter. 7 After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them: “Brothers, you are aware that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the gospel message and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, testified to them by giving the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why are you testing God by putting a yoke on the disciples’ necks that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? 11 On the contrary, we believe we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus in the same way they are.”
12 Then the whole assembly fell silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul describing all the signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they stopped speaking, James responded: “Brothers, listen to me! 14 Simeon has reported how God first intervened to take from the Gentiles a people for His name. 15 And the words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written:
16 After these things I will return
and rebuild David’s fallen tent.
I will rebuild its ruins
and set it up again,
17 so the rest of humanity
may seek the Lord--
even all the Gentiles
who are called by My name,
declares the Lord who does these things,
18 known from long ago. l
19 Therefore, in my judgment, we should not cause difficulties for those among the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but instead we should write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from eating anything that has been strangled, and from blood. 21 For since ancient times, Moses has had those who proclaim him in every city, and every Sabbath day he is read aloud in the synagogues.”
 
22 Then the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, decided to select men who were among them and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas, called Barsabbas, and Silas, both leading men among the brothers. 23 They wrote this letter to be delivered by them:
From the apostles and the elders, your brothers,
To the brothers among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:
Greetings.
24 Because we have heard that some without our authorization went out from us and troubled you with their words and unsettled your hearts, u25 we have unanimously decided to select men and send them to you along with our dearly loved Barnabas and Paul, 26 who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who will personally report the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it was the Holy Spirit’s decision—and ours—to put no greater burden on you than these necessary things: 29 that you abstain from food offered to idols, from blood, from eating anything that has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. You will do well if you keep yourselves from these things.
Farewell.
30 Then, being sent off, they went down to Antioch, and after gathering the assembly, they delivered the letter. 31 When they read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. 32 Both Judas and Silas, who were also prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers and strengthened them with a long message. 33 After spending some time there, they were sent back in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them. 35 But Paul and Barnabas, along with many others, remained in Antioch teaching and proclaiming the message of the Lord. [1]
___________________
6 Now from those recognized as important (what they really were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism)—they added nothing to me. 7 On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised, just as Peter was for the circumcised, 8 since the One at work in Peter for an apostleship to the circumcised was also at work in me for the Gentiles. 9 When James, •Cephas, and John, recognized as pillars, acknowledged the grace that had been given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to me and Barnabas, agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
 - Paul’s concern was “the truth of the Gospel” (Gal. 2:5, 14), not the “peace of the church.”[2]
 - Ever since Paul’s time, the enemies of grace have been trying to add something to the simple Gospel of the grace of God. They tell us that a man is saved by faith in Christ plus something—good works, the Ten Commandments, baptism, church membership, religious ritual—and Paul makes it clear that these teachers are wrong. In fact, Paul pronounces a curse on any person (man or angel) who preaches any other gospel than the Gospel of the grace of God, centered in Jesus Christ (Gal. 1:6–9; see 1 Cor. 15:1–7 for a definition of the Gospel).
 - It is a serious thing to tamper with the Gospel.[3]
10 They asked only that we would remember the poor, which I made every effort to do.

• Correct doctrine is never a substitute for Christian duty (James 2:14–26).
  - Too often our church meetings discuss problems, but they fail to result in practical help for the needy world.
  - Paul had always been interested in helping the poor (Acts 11:27–30), so he was glad to follow the leaders’ suggestion.[4]

[1] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ac 15:1–35). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 692). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[3] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 692). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[4] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 693). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

1. Paul’s early Christian experience and his first encounter with church leaders in Jerusalem (1:11–24)
2. The summit meeting between Paul and the Jerusalem leaders over the scope and sphere of his missionary work (2:1–10)
3. The confrontation with Peter at Antioch leading to the central pronouncement of justification by faith (2:11–21).[1]

Galatians 1
11 Now I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel preached by me is not based on human thought.

• “I want to make this perfectly clear”

12 For I did not receive it from a human source and I was not taught it, but it came by a revelation from Jesus Christ.

• Paul’s enemies pointed to his nonconformity as proof that his message and ministry were not really of God.[2]
• Paul did not write the Gospel
• Nor did Paul receive the Gospel from men.

13 For you have heard about my former way of life in Judaism: I persecuted God’s church to an extreme degree and tried to destroy it. 14 I advanced in Judaism beyond many contemporaries among my people, because I was extremely zealous for the traditions of my ancestors.

• Acts 22: 1 “Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense before you.” 2 When they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even quieter. 3 He continued, “I am a Jewish man, born in Tarsus of Cilicia but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel and educated according to the strict view of our patriarchal law. Being zealous for God, just as all of you are today, 4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women in jail, 5 as both the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me. After I received letters from them to the brothers, I traveled to Damascus to bring those who were prisoners there to be punished in Jerusalem.

 

• 6 “As I was traveling and near Damascus, about noon an intense light from heaven suddenly flashed around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’
• 8 “I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’
• “He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, the One you are persecuting!’ 9 Now those who were with me saw the light, but they did not hear the voice of the One who was speaking to me.
• 10 “Then I said, ‘What should I do, Lord?’
• “And the Lord told me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told about everything that is assigned for you to do.’
• 11 “Since I couldn’t see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus. 12 Someone named Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good reputation with all the Jews residing there, 13 came and stood by me and said, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight.’ And in that very hour I looked up and saw him. 14 Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the sound of His voice. 15 For you will be a witness for Him to all people of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now, why delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins by calling on His name.’
• 17 “After I came back to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple complex, I went into a visionary state 18 and saw Him telling me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me!’
• 19 “But I said, ‘Lord, they know that in synagogue after synagogue I had those who believed in You imprisoned and beaten. 20 And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I was standing by and approving, and I guarded the clothes of those who killed him.’
• 21 “Then He said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”[3]

15 But when God, who from my birth set me apart and called me by His grace, was pleased 16 to reveal His Son in me, so that I could preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone.

• What I have preached, I have experienced myself.
• This is the true Gospel and any other is counterfeit.
• God did it.
• God did it by grace. (not man’s effort or character)
• God did it through His Son.
• God did it for the sake of others.

17 I did not go up to Jerusalem to those who had become apostles before me; instead I went to Arabia and came back to Damascus. 18 Then after three years I did go up to Jerusalem to get to know Cephas, and I stayed with him 15 days. 19 But I didn’t see any of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. 20 Now I am not lying in what I write to you. God is my witness.

• Acts 9:26-27 - 26 When he arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to associate with the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, since they did not believe he was a disciple. 27 Barnabas, however, took him and brought him to the apostles and explained to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and that He had talked to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.

21 Afterward, I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia.

• Acts 9:28-30 - 28 Saul was coming and going with them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He conversed and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they attempted to kill him. 30 When the brothers found out, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
• Historians have concluded that he remained there perhaps seven years, until Barnabas recruited him for the work in Antioch (Acts 11:19–26).

22 I remained personally unknown to the Judean churches in Christ; 23 they simply kept hearing: “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they glorified God because of me. [4]

• Modern-day “Judaizers,” like their ancient counterparts, reject the authority of Paul and try to undermine the Gospel which he preached.
• In Paul’s day, their message was “the Gospel plus Moses.”
• In our day it is “the Gospel plus” any number of religious leaders, religious books, or religious organizations.
• “You cannot be saved unless …” is their message (Acts 15:1); and that “unless” usually includes joining their group and obeying their rules.
• If you dare to mention the Gospel of grace as preached by Jesus, Paul, and the other Apostles, they reply, “But God has given us a new revelation!”[5]

[1] George, T. (1994). Galatians (Vol. 30, pp. 105–106). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 686). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[3] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ac 22). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[4] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ga 1:1–24). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 689). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Galatians 1
1 Paul, an apostle—not from men or by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead --
 - The word “apostle” had a rich and varied history prior to its assuming a New Testament meaning.
 - As the noun form of the verb apostellein, meaning “to send” or “to dispatch,” an apostle is literally an envoy or ambassador, one who has been sent in the service of another.[1]
- Paul establishes his authority is from God
2 and all the brothers who are with me:
To the churches of Galatia.

• Listen to Memorial Day Podcast
• Paul is considered the founder of the Church at Galatia. He has a bond with them.

3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father. 5 To whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

• At this point in his letters, Paul typically offers a prayer of thanksgiving for his audience (Rom 1:8; 1 Cor 1:4; 2 Cor 1:3). But with the Galatians, there is no cause for thanksgiving—they have turned to a different gospel.[2]
• You can tell immediately that something is radically wrong.
• He has no time! Paul is about to engage in a battle for the truth of the Gospel and the liberty of the Christian life.[3]
• “Liberty in Christ” is the dominant theme of Galatians. (Check the word bondage in 2:4; 4:3, 9, 24–25; 5:1.)
• The Judaizers wanted to lead the Christians out of the liberty of grace into the bondage of Law.
• Paul knew that bondage was not a part of the message of the Gospel, for Christ had died to set men free.[4]
• To God be the glory forever – Paul was not looking for ownership or bragging rights.
• Judaizers wanted them to be circumcised like them… almost as a branding to say “this one is ours.”

6 I am amazed that you are so quickly turning away from Him who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel--

• Astonished, surprised, marveled
• Evangelism – Get our numbers and not disciple them.   vs
• Discipleship – Teach them and they will believe.
• They are in the process of turning… haven’t turned yet.
• One foot in and one foot out.

7 not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are troubling you and want to change (pervert) the good news about the Messiah.

• Baptism – Say an oath or sign a commitment to church membership.
• Why wouldn’t the evil one use something that seems good and right to defeat the Church.
• Why isn’t this “grace message” proclaimed more widely?

8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel other than what we have preached to you, a curse be on him! 9 As we have said before, I now say again: If anyone preaches to you a gospel contrary to what you received, a curse be on him!

•  Warren Wiersbe: “We must never forget that the Christian life is a living relationship with God through Jesus Christ. A man does not become a Christian merely by agreeing to a set of doctrines; he becomes a Christian by submitting to Christ and trusting Him (Rom. 11:6). You cannot mix grace and works, because the one excludes the other. Salvation is the gift of God’s grace, purchased for us by Jesus Christ on the cross. To turn from grace to Law is to desert the God who saved us.”[5]
• How do you know if you are hearing a different Gospel?
• Grace always leads to peace, but the believers had deserted grace and therefore had no peace in their hearts.
• Grace enables us to suffer without complaining, and even to use that suffering for God’s glory (2 Cor. 12:1–10).
• When a Christian turns away from living by God’s grace, he must depend on his own power.
• This leads to failure and disappointment.[6]

10 For am I now trying to win the favor of people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ.

• I make decisions every day about this ministry. That is what a leader does.
• I am not really concerned about what people are thinking or saying about me.
• It’s not that I don’t hear it. I just don’t give it any attention.
• But I will not be distracted by nay-sayers and negative people.
• This is only a distraction by the evil one.
• If Paul had a Twitter handle…
• Churches today market specific groups
• Marketing
• I have one thing to promote… Jesus is enough.

11 Now I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel preached by me is not based on human thought. 12 For I did not receive it from a human source and I was not taught it, but it came by a revelation from Jesus Christ.
13 For you have heard about my former way of life in Judaism: I persecuted God’s church to an extreme degree and tried to destroy it. 14 I advanced in Judaism beyond many contemporaries among my people, because I was extremely zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. 15 But when God, who from my birth set me apart and called me by His grace, was pleased 16 to reveal His Son in me, so that I could preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone. 17 I did not go up to Jerusalem to those who had become apostles before me; instead I went to Arabia and came back to Damascus.
18 Then after three years I did go up to Jerusalem to get to know Cephas, and I stayed with him 15 days. 19 But I didn’t see any of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. 20 Now I am not lying in what I write to you. God is my witness.
21 Afterward, I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 I remained personally unknown to the Judean churches in Christ; 23 they simply kept hearing: “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they glorified God because of me. [7]

[1] George, T. (1994). Galatians (Vol. 30, p. 78). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[2] Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Ga 1:6–10). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
[3] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 682). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[4] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 683). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[5] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 683–684). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[6] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 684). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[7] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ga 1:1–24). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.

To be added...