#BibleStudy. Timeless Truths. Church Growth to Kingdom Growth


 Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. 3 The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad. 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.

5 Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”

6 The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

Acts 15:1-11

Verse 2

Paul and Barnabas are in dispute with the church in Jerusalem.

  • We need to be the hands and feet of Christ and realize that disputes churches have are not important to those outside the church.
  • Too often churches/church attenders give up their call to speak the truth to the world of non-Christian people around them. Truth to those people means change.
  • There will be disputes. How we react, both as people and with programs, MUST be different than the way the world treats people.
  • As Paul and Barnabas leave for Jerusalem, they talk about the changes Christ made to those around them.
  • You cannot speak of change in the church and expect change outside the church. You must do that in your community.
  • God wants to use you to speak grace and peace to others.

Christians don’t speak up because they 

  1. ARE FEARFUL
  2. DON’T KNOW WHAT TO SAY
  3. DON’T KNOW HOW TO SAY WHAT THEY KNOW
  4. CAN’T RECALL THE COMPELLING STORY THEY HAVE

 

Verse 11

Peter says it’s through God’s grace that he is saved in the same way as people elsewhere in the world.

  • God’s grace changes Christians. It’s your duty to speak of this change to others.
  • “Amazing Grace” is the song you need to use as your call to action.

 Special thanks to Dr. Scott Peterson for the primary teaching in this post.

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