BELIEFS, BUSINESS MEETINGS, & BBQ

Jun 16

We trust today’s message encouraged and guided you in your journey of following Jesus. These notes are meant to help you remember and reflect on the message, help you go deeper into study on the subject, or be used for a sermon group discussion.

Sermon Title: BELIEFS, BUSINESS MEETINGS, & BBQ

Scripture References: ACTS 15:1-35

Summary:

Intro: After salvation there can be quite a bit of education, refining, and maturing that needs to take place. Now, imagine the whole church needing to outgrow some old ways of their past life, their B.C. days. The church still faced the challenge of uniting two different cultures into one church family. The Jerusalem council or meeting in Chapter 15 is the last stop for some Jewish and Gentile differences. Through the wisdom and guidance of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit, critical decisions were made that preserved the gospel, protected the people, and propelled the church forward. What can we learn for our everyday life as believers? Let’s find out…

Notes:

V. 1-3

Doctrine and culture differences in Antioch

These Judean Christians have been called "Judaizers," because they believe that anyone who receives the gospel should convert to Judaism and keep the Law of Moses, particularly circumcision. The teaching of the Judaizers creates division in the church. They come in a spirit of Jewish exclusivism and pronounce that uncircumcised Gentile believers are not saved and that faith in Christ is not enough for salvation. These agitators dogmatically insist that circumcision must be added to faith in the Savior. FLBC page 610
Strict Jewish believers insisted that Gentile converts had to undergo circumcision, the chief badge of Judaism, for full admission to God's people. They began to teach: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved" (v. 1). FLBC page 609
Salvation by grace alone became a pastoral problem that centered around doctrine and cultural differences. As a result, the acceptance of Gentiles without circumcision became a theological issue that the church found necessary to address at a later meeting in Jerusalem. FLBC page 609
Peter had successfully defended his acceptance of uncircumcised Gentiles of the house of Cornelius, but that discussion had not completely settled the matter (11:18). FLBC page 609

V. 4-5

Doctrine and Cultural differences in Jerusalem

The same ideas from Judaizers in Antioch are found back in Jerusalem. Converted Jewish Pharisees are convinced that Gentiles must undergo circumcision to be saved. They were clinging to their old ways with their new faith.

V. 6-21

The formal meeting and official decision

At the heart of the meeting, what is required of salvation? Must Gentiles be circumcised and become Jews to be saved or is faith alone sufficient?
V. 5-11 Peter appeals to the story of Cornelius’ household. Peter argues three points from his story:

God himself initiated salvation for the Gentiles
There was visible evidence the family received the baptism in the Holy Spirit
God made no distinction between Jews and Gentiles, faith in Christ was the common denominator.
Peter also argues that the Jews themselves found the law too heavy to bear and it never saved them.

V. 12 The Holy Spirit prompts Paul and Barnabas, two voices who could easily argue against the proponents for circumcision.
V. 13-21 James, the half-brother of Jesus, and a leader of the church takes everything said and makes a Spirit-led judgment, a message of wisdom as the Spirit determined

James appeals to Peter’s testimony and Biblical prophecy
James quotes Amos 9:11-12, as a testimony that the will of God included the salvation of Gentiles in Old Testament prophecy.
James proposes a practical solution to the problem raised by the believing Pharisees.

V. 19-20 James does not urge the Gentile believers to submit to circumcision or to keep the main legal prescriptions of the law, but on the basis of Leviticus 17-18 he recommends they avoid certain pagan practices they previously participated in without any regard to others, especially Jewish believers who would take offense. -FLBC

Abstain from eating food used in the worship of idols…Many Gentiles ate meat that had been offered to heathen gods. As believers, they are to avoid eating sacrificial meat, which was considered defiled by its connection to idolatry. They must be sensitive to the convictions of the Jews.
Abstinence from sexual immorality. This prohibition has strong moral implications, forbidding promiscuous relationships that were part of pagan worship and feasts and included the unlawful sexual relations of Leviticus 18:6-23.
Abstain from the flesh of animals not properly slaughtered and from blood. In conformity with certain food laws (Lev. 17:10-15; Deut. 12:16, 23), the Jews avoided eating any animal from which the blood had not been drained. Gentiles would use animals in sacrificial worship that were strangled or choked to death. Animals killed in this manner retain their blood and are not to be eaten. Because of the feelings of many Jewish Christians, Gentiles are to abstain from the meat of animals that have been strangled, especially when they are together for a meal.
Observing these things was to be expected of the Gentiles, not to put them under a burden or list of rules but for the sake of promoting fellowship with the Jewish believers and for the sake of the testimony of the synagogues where "Moses [had] been preached in every city from the earliest times.” Horton, ACTS, pg 268
You would think this was an easy decision but: “The importance of this decision may be difficult for Christians today to grasp. In the light of the New Testament, the proponents of circumcision had a weak case. At the time of the Jerusalem Council, however, there was no New Testament canon to which they could refer. Furthermore, the leaders of God's people from Abraham to Paul's day had been circumcised, and the Old Testament teaches that circumcision was an everlasting requirement (Gen. 17:9-14). Jesus himself never explicitly taught that circumcision was no longer necessary. The weight of this evidence should not be denied.” FLBC page 610

V. 22-35

The decision in a letter delivered to Antioch

V. 24-27 The cloud of witnesses
V. 28 Spirit-guided decision
V. 30-31 Great joy. The message encourages the believers. It gives them assurance that they can remain uncircumcised and still be accepted as full Christians and be unity with Jewish believers.

Takeaways:

Salvation is provided through the grace of God and received by faith.
Ephesians 2:8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
The Judaizers were trying to add a requirement of circumcision on the Gentiles, but the gospel of Jesus Christ did not require this.
Salvation performs a spiritual circumcision of the heart.

Romans 2:28-29 For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. 29 No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.
Colossians 2:11-14 When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature. 12 For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. 13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.
The most important circumcision is the cutting away of the power and hold of the sinful nature in our hearts (spiritually). This circumcision of the heart happens through the work of the Holy Spirit when we believe.
This leads to an outward change in behavior. The true sign of salvation through grace by faith is a life marked by repentance, holiness, godliness, and love.

Biblical and Spirit-led leadership is essential to the health of our church and homes.

This is the value of belonging to a church with strong leadership who are close to God and carefully guide and protect their sheep with the Word.
Decisions of the church should be Biblical and Spirit-Led
This is needed in our homes too. Dads and moms, know your Word.

Close:

Don’t put extra requirements on your salvation where God isn’t. Faith that repents is all that is needed to receive.
Ask God to change your heart (Testimony story).
A strong grasp of God’s Word equips us to discern and protect our families and church from the dilution and pollution of God’s Word. The Word of God unites and effectively guides all who adhere to it. The Word of God applied brings wisdom, encouragement, unity, and joy.
Salvation Invitation

Discussion:

What did God use in this sermon to speak to your heart or situation?
What part of the scripture stuck out to you and why?
What problem did the Judean Christians called "Judaizers" and the pharisees stir up verses 1-5?
What were some of the responses of the church leaders?
What is needed for salvation from God and then from us?
What extra requirements have people put on the process of salvation?
How did the Bible and the Holy Spirit help the church in Acts 15 and why are they critical to making decisions in life, today?

What takeaways or points did you find the most important to you during the sermon?

The most important decision you will ever make!

If you’re ready to trust in Jesus for salvation and eternal life we encourage you to process this decision with a strong believer and when you’re ready say a simple prayer like this from your heart: Dear God, I acknowledge and admit I have sinned. I see my need for Jesus Christ. I believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I believe I am forgiven and cleansed of my sin by His death. I also believe I have eternal life because of His resurrection from the dead. I repent, I turn away from my old ways and I choose to live my life to worship you and follow Jesus, Amen!

We would love to know if you decided to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Let us know here.

Pray Together

We hope you found this AFTER THE SERMON discussion helpful for your walk with Jesus. We pray you can find ways to apply it this week!

Ryan Coon