Bible ReadingGalatians 2:11–14Verse 11: “When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.”
[02:49]Verse 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.”
[16:56]Verse 13: “The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.”
[24:16]Verse 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?’”
[32:39]Acts 10:9–16Verse 9: “About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray.”
Verse 10: “He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.”
Verse 11: “He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners.”
Verse 12: “It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds.”
Verse 13: “Then a voice told him, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’”
Verse 14: “‘Surely not, Lord!’ Peter replied. ‘I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.’”
Verse 15: “The voice spoke to him a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’”
[20:49]Verse 16: “This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.”
Genesis 3:1–13Verse 1: “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God really say, “You must not eat from any tree in the garden”?’”
[12:30]Verse 2: “The woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,’”
Verse 3: “‘but God did say, “You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.”’”
Verse 4: “‘You will not certainly die,’ the serpent said to the woman.”
Verse 5: “‘For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’”
[12:09]Verse 6: “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.”
Verse 7: “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.”
Verse 8: “Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.”
Verse 9: “But the LORD God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’”
Verse 10: “He answered, ‘I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.’”
Verse 11: “And he said, ‘Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?’”
Verse 12: “The man said, ‘The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate.’”
[13:16]Verse 13: “Then the LORD God said to the woman, ‘What is this you have done?’ The woman said, ‘The serpent deceived me, and I ate.’”
Observation questions- In Galatians 2:11–14, what changed in Peter’s behavior after the men from James arrived? What does the passage say was driving that change? [19:24]
- What does Paul call Peter’s behavior, and what effect did Peter’s choice have on the other Jewish believers and on Barnabas?
- According to Acts 10:9–16, what did God tell Peter not to call impure or unclean? How does that vision help explain why Peter should have continued eating with Gentile believers? [20:49]
- In Genesis 3, what words and actions show the movement from trusting God to fear, hiding, and blaming others? [13:11]
Interpretation questions- Peter had already agreed that Gentiles did not need to become culturally Jewish to belong to God’s family. Why was his decision to withdraw from their table more than a social preference? How did it communicate something false about the gospel? [26:09]
- Paul says Peter and the others were “not acting in line with the truth of the gospel.” What might it look like when a believer has correct beliefs about grace but acts differently when social pressure rises? [23:39]
- Peter did not publicly reject the Gentiles or make a speech against them; he simply withdrew. Why can quiet avoidance be especially harmful in a church or community? [24:31]
- Genesis 3 shows the enemy creating suspicion toward God and then turning people toward hiding and blame. How can that same pattern turn differences among people into an “us versus them” conflict? [34:25]
Application questions- When you enter a church gathering, workplace, meal, or social event, who are you most likely to look for first? Is there anyone you tend to avoid because being with them feels awkward, unfamiliar, or socially costly? [04:35]
- Comfort can quietly narrow a person’s heart. Where has the desire to stay comfortable shaped who you text, invite into your home, sit beside, or make time for? [28:05]
- Peter’s fear of other people’s approval led him to pull away from people he already loved. In what setting are you most tempted to hide part of your faith, your convictions, or your welcome of others in order to avoid awkwardness? [21:40]
- Quiet choices can influence others, just as Peter’s withdrawal influenced Barnabas. What message might your relationships, conversations, and seating choices be sending to people who are watching? [24:45]
- Think about someone from a different generation, culture, political viewpoint, life experience, or background. What would it look like to see that person not as a project to fix, but as someone needed at the table to help you see Jesus more clearly? [29:15]
- What is one practical way you could resist the pull toward the familiar this week—perhaps by starting a conversation, sharing a meal, sitting with someone new, or asking, “Is this seat taken?” [30:05]
- God’s table includes home tables, church tables, and everyday spaces. If everything belongs to God, how might that change the way you think about who is welcome in your life and in your home? [36:46]
