GateWay Church of Visalia
Freedom
Pastor Ed Kemp Galatians 2:1-10
Locations & Times
GateWay Church
1100 S Sowell St, Visalia, CA 93277, USA
Thursday 6:45 PM
Sunday 8:45 AM
Sunday 9:00 AM
Sunday 10:30 AM
introduction
So What?!
How do we get on the same page Biblically?
#1. P ERSONALLY
“…I went up again to Jerusalem…”
“…I went up again to Jerusalem…”
#2. P RIVATELY
“…I did so in private to those who were of reputation…”
“…I did so in private to those who were of reputation…”
#3. H ONESTLY
“…not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.”
“…not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.”
#4. P OINTEDLY
“…it was because of the false brethren…”
“…it was because of the false brethren…”
#5. P URPOSEFULLY
“…James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.”
“…James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.”
FREEDOM! : When Religion Becomes Unreasonable
Galatians 2:1-10 Pastor Ed Kemp, August 22 & 25, 2019
Prayer Requests:
Group Discussion: Who have you known, personally or professionally, that is great at resolving conflict or getting a group on the same page? Why were they so good and how do they do it?
Read: Galatians 2:1-10
Paul took the initiative to travel hundreds of miles and meet with the original Apostles of Jesus so that he would ensure they were all on the same theological page. He wanted to confirm that grace was the, “unearned love, mercy and favor of God.” He took Titus with him to confirm that a gentile would not have to be circumcised in order to be fully acceptable to God and deeply spiritual.
When there’s a lot of relationships at stake, and maybe there’s conflict, and you need to get on the same page, why is it so important to go:
#1. Personally, face to face? How does sitting facing one another, instead of through email or text, help communication and resolution?
#2. Privately. What would have happened had Paul gathered a crowd of believers and said, “There’s great tension between myself and the Apostles, give us all your opinions on what we should do!!!” How does triangulation, bringing a third person into a disagreement between two people, complicate the resolution?
#3. Honestly. Paul made sure not to talk around the issue, or dilute the issue, but to deal directly with the issue that the false teachers had taught to the Galatians, that they had to be circumcised to be great Christians. What would you say your tendency is: a. To be emotional rather than talk about the issue? b. To be subtle and talk about the issue in very vague ways so that nothing gets resolved? c. To be super sweet to prove that your relationship is more important than the issue or more commonly, “To ignore the elephant in the room.”
#4. Pointedly. The real foundational problem was not the Apostles and was not Paul, it was the false teachers. But Paul takes the time to make sure the real leaders were on the same page. It took longer and was more work, but in the long run the Church of Jesus Christ was healthier because of the extra step. When have you taken the extra step and it turned out better?
#5. Purposefully. Paul went directly to the most recognized leaders. Is there a time you did this and the leader really appreciated you coming directly to them?
Family Time: Talk to your kids about how the Apostles wrote the New Testament so when they need advice they can go directly to the Bible. Read, I Timothy 2:15, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed handling accurately the word of truth.
Galatians 2:1-10 Pastor Ed Kemp, August 22 & 25, 2019
Prayer Requests:
Group Discussion: Who have you known, personally or professionally, that is great at resolving conflict or getting a group on the same page? Why were they so good and how do they do it?
Read: Galatians 2:1-10
Paul took the initiative to travel hundreds of miles and meet with the original Apostles of Jesus so that he would ensure they were all on the same theological page. He wanted to confirm that grace was the, “unearned love, mercy and favor of God.” He took Titus with him to confirm that a gentile would not have to be circumcised in order to be fully acceptable to God and deeply spiritual.
When there’s a lot of relationships at stake, and maybe there’s conflict, and you need to get on the same page, why is it so important to go:
#1. Personally, face to face? How does sitting facing one another, instead of through email or text, help communication and resolution?
#2. Privately. What would have happened had Paul gathered a crowd of believers and said, “There’s great tension between myself and the Apostles, give us all your opinions on what we should do!!!” How does triangulation, bringing a third person into a disagreement between two people, complicate the resolution?
#3. Honestly. Paul made sure not to talk around the issue, or dilute the issue, but to deal directly with the issue that the false teachers had taught to the Galatians, that they had to be circumcised to be great Christians. What would you say your tendency is: a. To be emotional rather than talk about the issue? b. To be subtle and talk about the issue in very vague ways so that nothing gets resolved? c. To be super sweet to prove that your relationship is more important than the issue or more commonly, “To ignore the elephant in the room.”
#4. Pointedly. The real foundational problem was not the Apostles and was not Paul, it was the false teachers. But Paul takes the time to make sure the real leaders were on the same page. It took longer and was more work, but in the long run the Church of Jesus Christ was healthier because of the extra step. When have you taken the extra step and it turned out better?
#5. Purposefully. Paul went directly to the most recognized leaders. Is there a time you did this and the leader really appreciated you coming directly to them?
Family Time: Talk to your kids about how the Apostles wrote the New Testament so when they need advice they can go directly to the Bible. Read, I Timothy 2:15, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed handling accurately the word of truth.