Galatians: The Superiority of the Gospel

Wanted: Dead & Alive Gal 2:11-21

Be Careful!!!

Feb 8, 2015 Prayer RequestsRuth GawithMilton Davis & Kathy

DavisLua McNewGinny JellisonRichie & Mary

MerrymanLucy McKinneyTrenton HattlerJack EnrightKeith AveryYoung families – Gods

guiding in upcoming changes.

Gods leading and direction in our Church Families

College StudentsKeith McNew-

Christ’s working in his life.

James Alexander -- Dialysis

Unspoken

Sandra Great Britain

David Mexico

Saurabh Bangladesh, Angola, Namibia

Ruth India, Israel, Australia, New Zealand

Keith & Ruth Switzerland

Sarah Swaziland

Wayne Africa

Fullah children admitted to Ebola treatment centerThursday, March 5, 2015, Freetown, Sierra Leone

Two of Church of the Nazarene Pastor James Fullah's daughters, ages 6 and 16, were admitted to an Ebola treatment facility last week after they began showing signs of the virus. The girls' mother, Isatu Fullah, died in mid-February after contracting the Ebola virus. James, the couple's three other children, and seven adult relatives were placed in quarantine the week of 12 February.

http://globalmission.nazarene.org/

How to help Ebola relief Africa West Field Strategy Coordinator Daniel Gomis suggests the following

activities to support Ebola relief efforts: Have a time of fasting and a time of prayer at least once a week

Pray for God to bind any fear and loose peace in the hearts of the people of West Africa

Pray for our district superintendents, pastors, leaders, and churches in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea Conakry, that the Lord will use them powerfully as agents of hope and salt and light of Jesus in these difficult days

Pray for God's wisdom and protection over the medical doctors and health personnel in the Ebola-affected countries

Pray for God's wisdom for the head of nations and decision makers in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea Conakry

Inform and educate by checking the World Health Organization and International SOS websites for updates

Funds contributed through the  Africa Emergency Relief Fund will go toward Ebola education programs, prevention and hygiene supplies, and food and vitamins for individuals and families in affected communities. 4

The Eurasia Regional Office is inviting Nazarenes across the Eurasia Region to link hearts with our brothers and sisters in the Africa Region by joining them in prayer and fasting for the people suffering from the Ebola virus outbreak in Western Africa, for those who are sick, those who have lost loved ones, communities impacted negatively by quarantine, fear, loss of producers and earners, and for those brave medical workers treating the sick.

Praying for the US & CanadaRichie Merryman: NY, NM, CAAlexanders: CA, OK, GA, QCVanderpool: NM (SE ABQ)Jellisons: UT, TX, AKShultzs: CA, DC, MA, BCMoores: AZ, NM, DC, CA, YT, QCAbby Nielson: MA, OH, VT, QCAliece Nielson: NM, VT, PEIL. Kilgore: VA, MIT. & P. Brown: IL, HW, PA, DCNielsons: OH, PEI, VT, MA, RIGriffins: VT, OH, (Northeast)C. Yazzie: NM, AZ, & Navajo NationAdams: NM, CA, MAB. Brown: GA, OR, ONB. Vito: NY,ID

http://nazarene.org/essentials

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1.Secularization is on the rise: 38% of the nation's adult population now qualifies as post-Christian. This includes 10% of Americans who qualify as highly post-Christian and 28% as moderately post-Christian. In other words, more than 1/3 of U.S. adults are essentially secular in belief and practice. The younger the generation, the more post-Christian it is. 48% of Millennials, 40% of Gen-Xers, 35% of Boomers and 28% of Elders qualify.2.People are less open to the idea of church: The unchurched are becoming less responsive to churches' efforts to connect with them. 20 years ago, 65% of churchless Americans were open to being invited to church by a friend vs. 47% today.3.Churchgoing is no longer mainstream: Churchgoing is slowly but incontrovertibly losing its role as a normative part of American life. In the ‛90s, about 1 in 7 unchurched adults had never experienced regular church attendance vs. nearly 1 in 4 today.4.There are different expectations of church involvement: Today only 57% of churchless adults say they would be interested in Sunday worship as their starting point vs 70% in the ‛90s.5.There is skepticism about churches' contributions to society: When the unchurched were asked to describe what they believe are the positive and negative contributions of Christianity in America, 49% could not identify a single favorable impact of the Christian community, while 37% were unable to identify a negative impact.

1. Secularization is on the rise: 38% of the nation's adult population now qualifies as post-Christian. This includes 10% of Americans who qualify as highly post-Christian and 28% as moderately post-Christian. In other words, more than 1/3 of U.S. adults are essentially secular in belief and practice. The younger the generation, the more post-Christian it is. 48% of Millennials, 40% of Gen-Xers, 35% of Boomers and 28% of Elders qualify.

2. People are less open to the idea of church: The unchurched are becoming less responsive to churches' efforts to connect with them. 20 years ago, 65% of churchless Americans were open to being invited to church by a friend vs. 47% today.3. Churchgoing is no longer mainstream: Churchgoing is slowly but

incontrovertibly losing its role as a normative part of American life. In the ‛90s, about 1 in 7 unchurched adults had never experienced regular church attendance vs. nearly 1 in 4 today

Praying for the US & Canada

Praying for the US & Canada4. There are different expectations of church

involvement: Today only 57% of churchless adults say they would be interested in Sunday worship as their starting point vs 70% in the ‛90s.

5. There is skepticism about churches' contributions to society: When the unchurched were asked to describe what they believe are the positive and negative contributions of Christianity in America, 49% could not identify a single favorable impact of the Christian community, while 37% were unable to identify a negative impact.

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SundayTeacher.comLesson Password: Prayer

Illustrated Bible Life Password: Devotion

Galatians 2 (NIV)Then after fourteen years, I went up again to

Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. 2 I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain. 3 Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. 4 This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy onthe freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. 5 We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.9

Galatians 2 (NIV)6 As for those who were held in high esteem—whatever

they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—they added nothing to my message. 7 On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised. 8 For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle to the Gentiles. 9 James, Cephas and John, those esteemed as 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 circumcised. 10 All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along. 10

Be Careful – Right Doctrine Is Vitally Important

If the doctrine is rightThe experience will be right, and

The life will be right!If the doctrine is wrong

The experience will be wrong, andThe life will be wrong!

Why do you think Paul went to Jerusalem to confer with the Apostles? 11

Galatians 2 (NIV)11 When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him

to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before 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. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.

14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas 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? 12

Discord in AntiochWhat was Peter’s (Cephas) problem?

What do you think motivated Peter?

What motivated Paul?Why was the doctrinal error so insidious – even Barnabas was taken in by it.

How would this doctrinal error have destroyed the Church?

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Hebrews 12 (NIV)15 “We who are Jews by birth and not

sinful Gentiles 16 know that a person is not justified by the works of 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 the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified. 17 “But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! 18 If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.

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Hebrews 12 (NIV)19 “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

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Paul’s Case for Grace

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Do you think people today are still confused about the difference between law and grace?Outside the church?Inside the church?

How do we explain the relationship of grace and law?

This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. Heb 8:10 (Jer 31:33)

Next WeekUnit 1: Galations: The

Superiority of the Gospel

Lesson 3: Living by FaithGalations 3:1-14, 21-25

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