Acts Message 47
Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 2 viewsNotes
Transcript
Jesus plus nothing
Jesus plus nothing
1 And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
2 Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.
3 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren.
4 And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them.
5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”
6 Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter.
7 And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: “Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.
8 So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us,
9 and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
10 Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”
Intro: FAITH: Key question. In your personal opinion what do you believe it that’s for a person to go to heaven?
1. Faith
2. Works
3. Unsure
A. Jesus is the only way to heaven.
Jesus is the only door: John 10:9 “I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved”
Jesus is the only savior: Acts 4:12 “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name in heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved”
His grace is sufficient: Acts 15:11 “but we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved”
His blood avails: Rom 5:9 “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”
His grace not our works: Eph 2:8, 9 “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is a gift from God: Not of works least any man should boast”
Through God’s word we know that the only way to heaven is the blood of Jesus. There nothing we can do on our own to get there.
But people want to leave God out. Or they want to twist Gods word around, to fit their own views. People want to form Jesus into what they want Jesus to be, instead being formed into what Jesus wants us to be.
New age movement. SELF
All the different beliefs, religions, cults that are out there cause a lot of confusion.
Confusion does not come from God.
33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.
Where does confusion come from? Satan.
Remember what I told you last week. Satan will use people that have influence. He will use people to teach false teaching to cause this confusion, even in the church.
I. Confusion VS 1-4
I. Confusion VS 1-4
1. Paul and Barnabas had done what God had commanded, they had taken the gospel to the utter most parts of the earth. They had brought the gospel to the Gentiles. In the O.T the law a Gentile had to be circumcised be a part of the Jewish ceremonies. Ex. 12:48, 49
a. There were some people that still wanted to go by the law.
VS. 1
1 And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
b. Certain men. That is all we are told about them. Gal 2:1-4 “false brethren” Pretended associates. “unawares brought in” smuggled in. “came in privily” To come along aside, underhanded.
c. These “certain men” where pretending to be part of the church, and they were in an underhand way trying to trying to confuse the people in the church. VS 1
VS 2
2 Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.
1. Paul & Barnabas needed to focus on preaching and disciplining of the church. Now they have to deal with false teaching.
a. “no small dissension and disputation with them”
b. Paul & Barnabas were going to handle this; they were going to stand their ground.
The word “dissension” means to stand up. They were going to stand up for what was right.
c. Paul was not going to allow them to get away with this. They were wrong.
d. This was Satan’s answer to Paul’s evangelism: paralyze the church with inward strife, keep the church on the defense, and keep it squabbling.
e. Controversy is one of the enemy’s favorite tactics against the church.
f. “They determined” To arrange in an orderly matter.
g. Paul & Barnabas, along with others go to Jerusalem to meet with the elders & other apostles to deal with this question.
h. Elab. On how Paul and Barnabas must have felt. Maybe discouraged, bummed out.
I. When there is discouragement God will encourage. Elab
Acts 15:3 (NKJV)
3 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren.
VS 3a “So, being sent on their way by the church”
To send forth, escort or aid in travel.
1. On their way to Jerusalem they go through Phenice & Samaria.
VS 3b “they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren.”
1. Remember there was a controversy about the Gentiles being saved, but Paul doesn’t let that keep him quiet. He talks about them, and how they received Christ.
a. It brought joy to the people that the gospel was being spread to the Gentiles.
Rom 1:16; 3:29 Luke 15:10
b. Seeing the reaction of these believers must have been an encouragement to Paul and Barnabas, and gave them joy also.
VS 4
4 And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them.
1. They are welcomed when they arrive in Jerusalem.
a. They Paul tells them all that God had done with them. 14:27
b. Paul knew that when he told them of the salvation of the Gentiles, the issue of them needing to be circumcised would be brought up.
c. There was confusion among the people, there was controversy.
II. Controversy VS 5-6
II. Controversy VS 5-6
VS 5
5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”
1. Paul tells them some good news.
2. BUT
a. There were some Pharisees that were believers, but they were still remained legalistic.
b. Paul had been a Pharisee; he knew that this conference would be a difficult one.
c. But if this Pharisees had their way Christianity would become nothing more than a Jewish sect.
VS6
6 Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter.
1. This meeting was very important, if the right decision was not made it could split the church.
a. The Apostles had a great responsibility on their shoulders.
b. ELAB on how this meeting may have gone.
c. Jesus said, but the law of Moses says. This is the way we have always done it.
There was confusion, controversy, now there is
III Conformation VS 7-11
III Conformation VS 7-11
VS 7
7 And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: “Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.
1. There was much disputing.
a. Both sides speaking with passion. Elab
2. I can just see Peter sitting there waiting, listening to both sides.
a. He was always the out spoken one, foot in mouth.
b. He had grown spiritually, he was great preacher, he had great wisdom, and he had had enough.
Read VS 7 again, and elab.
Acts 10:34, 35
VS 8
8 So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us,
1. Gods knows the heart. Jer17:9
VS 9
9 and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
1. When it comes to salvation, through the grace of God, it is the purifying of the heart by faith.
a. When Peter preached on the day of Pentecost and 3000 were saved. They saved by faith.
Jesus plus nothing
b. When the Gentiles were saved, they were saved by faith.
Jesus plus nothing
c. When I was saved it was by faith.
Jesus plus nothing
d. When you were saved it was by faith.
Jesus plus nothing
f. If you are not saved, you can only be saved by faith
Jesus plus nothing
But these men wanted to make it Jesus plus something.
Acts 15:10 (NKJV)
10 Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
1. They wanted to put a condition on God’s plain of salvation that He had not put there. This was a serious matter.
1. The law had become an intolerable burden.
a. The traditions and regulations were always being added
c. The burden of the law was too heavy. Matt. 23:4
2. Jesus offered something much better Matt. 11:28-30
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
a. Salvation is easy, because Jesus paid the price.
b. It’s up to you to accept it.
VS 11
11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”
1. Peter puts as simple as it gets.
a. Salvation is by grace not works, not the law.
b. The law put a load on man; grace put the load on Jesus.
c. It is for everyone.