The book of Acts records the coming of the Holy Spirit, the birth of the church and the wild-fire like spread of the Gospel around the Mediterranean Sea. But while there is much growth it doesn’t come without some growing pains. In Acts 15 Paul and Barnabas travel to visit the leaders of the Christian movement in Jerusalem and discuss a controversy that has sprung up regarding Gentiles becoming Christians and precisely what is necessary for them to come to salvation. This chapter is rich in that it clarifies the essence of the Christian Gospel and also shows us how the Gospel works dynamically in our relationships.
Sermon Notes
Top Ten Ways You Know You Joined The Wrong Church
- 10. The church bus has gun racks.
- 9. The church staff consists of Senior Pastor, an Associate Pastor and a Socio-pastor.
- 8. The Bible they teach from is the “Dr. Seuss Version.
- 7. There’s an ATM in the lobby.
- 6. The worship band has a tip jar on the edge of the stage.
- 5. Worship services are B.Y.O.S. — “Bring Your Own Snake.”
- 4. The local media refer to the church facility as a “compound”
- 3. Pastor regularly attends “conferences” in Las Vegas and Atlantic City.
- 2. Ushers ask, “What flavor Koolaid do you like?”
- 1. The Women’s Quartet are all married to the pastor.
Every religion should answer at least two questions:
- By what authority do you believe and teach what you believe and teach?
- How can sinful human beings be reconciled to God?
Acts 15 reminds us of at least three timeless truths:
1. The essence of the gospel is Jesus plus nothing = everything necessary for our salvation.
“When religion has said its last word, there is little that we need other than God Himself. The evil habit of seeking God-and effectively prevents us from finding God in full revelation. In the ‘and’ lies our great woe. If we omit the ‘and’, we shall soon find God, and in Him we shall find that for which we have all our lives been secretly longing.” – A. W. Tozer
2. We must proactively separate ourselves from all forms of idolatry and immorality.
“Our high and privileged calling is to do the will of God in the power of God for the glory of God.”
J. I. Packer
Rediscovering Holiness
3. The result of salvation is a new devotion to Divine ideals.
“In a nutshell, abiding in Christ means allowing His Word to fill our minds, direct our wills, and transform our affections. In other words, our relationship to Christ is intimately connected to what we do with our Bibles!”
Sinclair Ferguson