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We hope these readings, prayers, songs, sermon notes + quotes are beneficial to you this week. See you next Sunday at 9 or 11 am, 10 am on TVC Online or anytime!
Sermon Notes for August 16, 2026
Acts 15:1-35
Is Grace Really Enough?
Pastor Jim Thomas
It is the burden of every religion to answer at least two questions:
- By what authority do they believe and teach what they believe and teach?
- How can sinful human beings be reconciled to a holy God?
Acts 15:1-35 wasn’t a simple lesson about learning how to get along with others better, what was at stake were the core questions about salvation.
Four Questions for Bible Study:
- How does God reveal Himself in this passage?
- What does this passage expose about the human condition — our pride, our fears, our self-deceptions, and our need?
- How are Jesus and the Gospel foreshadowed or reflected?
- What does this passage call us — personally and together — to believe, do, or become?
Acts 15 Reminds Us
1. God is generous with grace and eager to save all who repent and believe.
Grace is for the guilty and undeserving.
Mercy is for the helpless and needy.
All of us are all of that, so all of us need grace and mercy.
2. Sometimes our problem isn’t unbelief, but misbelief.
“They were telling Gentile converts that faith in Jesus was not enough, not sufficient for salvation: they must add to faith circumcision, and to circumcision observance of the law. In other words, they must let Moses complete what Jesus had begun, and let the law supplement the Gospel. The issue was immense.”
John Stott, The Message of Acts
3. God’s solution isn’t more religious activities, it’s a reconciled relationship.
“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, The Pursuit of God
4. We do well to pursue what seems right to the Holy Spirit. (vv. 22, 25, 28, 34)
“They made a decision and sent it out to the church with the fascinating words, ‘It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us…’ In other words, they used their best thinking and reasoning, their knowledge and their experience, and came up with a sound decision that they attributed to the Holy Spirit.”
Tim Keller, Every Good Endeavor
How can we discover what is right in the eyes of the Lord?
- What does scripture say?
- What does the church teach?
- What is God impressing upon me through His Word and Spirit as I pray?
- What will deliver the greatest glory to God and the highest good to others?
Is Grace Really Enough?
No, it’s more than enough.
“Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Hebrews 4:16
“Only grace can work to remind us that faith in God is a resting place and trust in self is a minefield. It is grace and grace alone that empowers us to follow and to rest.”
Paul Tripp
“I used to think that understanding Him was the main thing. It isn’t. The main thing is being loved by Him. And that I know.”
Steve Brown, What Was I Thinking?
Songs, Readings & Prayer for August 16, 2026
Songs
“Christ Our Hope In Life and Death“ by Keith Getty, Matt Boswell, Jordan Kauflin, Matt Merker and Matt Papa
“Grace Greater Than Our Sin“ by Julia H. Johnston
“Jesus, Only Jesus“ Christy Nockels, Nathan Nockels, Matt Redman, Kristian Stanfill, Chris Tomlin, and Tony Wood
“All My Boast Is in Jesus“ by Bryan Fowler, Matt Papa, Matthew Boswell, Keith Getty
“Doxology” by Thomas Ken and Louis Bourgeois
All songs are used with permission. CCLI License no. 2003690
Looking for our Hymns of the Week or resources to worship anytime? We’ve curated a playlist of hymns TVC Worship has led on our YouTube Channel!
Call To Worship: Make a Joyful Noise
Leader: Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into His presence with singing!
People: I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God While I have my being.
Leader: Believers in Christ, bless the Lord; Let all that is within you Bless His holy name!
People: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
All: Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever! Amen!
Confession of Faith
New City Catechism
Part 2, Christ, Redemption, Grace
Q 24
Leader: What sort of Redeemer is needed to bring us back to God?
People: One who is truly human and also truly God.
Leader: Why must the Redeemer be truly human?
People: That in human nature He might on our behalf perfectly obey the whole law and suffer the punishment for human sin; and also that He might sympathize with our weaknesses.
Leader: Why must the Redeemer be truly God?
People: That because of His divine nature His obedience and suffering would be perfect and effective; and also that He would be able to bear the righteous anger of God against sin and yet overcome death.
Classic Prayer: John Chrysostom
Remember, O Lord, this city wherein we dwell and every other city and country, and all the faithful who dwell in them. Remember, O Lord, all who travel by land or water, all that labor under sickness or struggle. Remember, O Lord, those in Your church who bring forth good fruit, are faithful in service. Grant unto us all Thy mercy and loving-kindness, and grant that we may with one mouth and one heart praise and glorify Thy great and glorious name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now, henceforth, and forever.
TVC Prayer Ministry
TVC Ministry: TVC Youth
Vocation: Gardening, Horticulture, Agriculture, Landscaping, Parks, Earth Care
Mission Highlight: Kevin Twit at Reformed University Fellowship (Belmont)
Praying for the Persecuted Church: Turkey
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Discussion Questions for August 16, 2026
- What was the dispute over in the church of Antioch in Acts 15?
- Are there ways in which you find yourself living in a “Jesus- and” paradigm, even though you may believe in the doctrine of Grace?
- What is at stake if we fall into a false teaching or “misbelief” about the sufficiency of God’s grace? Why might we tend to try to add to the Gospel?
- Why can’t our own works of righteousness be enough to save us? What do our works show?
- What are some ways we can pursue what “seems right” to the Holy Spirit?
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RUF at Belmont exists to reach students for Christ and equip them to serve. Rev. Kevin Twit began the work in 1995 and will celebrate...