Acts 10-15

Jesus + What = Saved

Acts 10:34–35 ESV

34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.

Acts 10:41–43 ESV

41 not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Acts 10:46–48 ESV

46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.

This is the question we come to this morning in Acts chapter 15. Basically the early church has entered crisis mode. They are at a turning point, a crossroads in their journey.

Acts 11:17–18 ESV

17 If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” 18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

They have had new people join the church who are different in so many ways. They talk different they dress different they eat different they sing different they are just different.

Acts 11:23–26 ESV

23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, 24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. 25 So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

So the church has to answer the question of what does a Christian really look like?

how does someone go from being a non Christian to a Christian Christian?

Or Jesus plus what equals saved? What do you have to add to Jesus to become a Christian like all the way?

Let’s look at these verses starting in Acts 15:1

Acts 15:1–2 ESV

1 But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question.

Acts 15:3 ESV

3 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers.

Acts 15:4–5 ESV

4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. 5 But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”

So to just explain a little about what is going down here i need to fill in the gaps a little bit.

God had shown Peter in a dream that he was letting Gentiles into the church. That what used to be unclean was now made clean.

Rehash the work of Paul and Barnabus...

Like Pork is back on the menu guys. get you slab of ribs like now!.

So Peter had went and shared the gospel with a guy named Cornelius who was a jew who became a Christian along with a bunch of other non jews.

and God filled them with the Holy spirit the same way he had filled the apostles on the day of Pentecost.

So the church started reaching out to Gentiles a little bit.

but then Barnabas went and got Saul who is going to start being called Paul because well Saul is a Jewish name but Paul is a greek name and they are going to be ministering to the greeks and he wants to put as few walls between himself and them.

So they go down to Antioch and start preaching and then they start traveling around preaching and seeing people come to Christ left and right it is an amazing work of God!

But then just like now any time God is at work in the church Satan stirs people up to try and stop it.

They’re all excited they are loving watch God work and boom

These Pharisees show up and are like hey. Ya’ll having a good time? Yeah I thought so…well stop it.

You are doing it all wrong! You can’t just let anyone into the church. they have to obey our rules. They have to go by our standards.

If they are going to be Christians then they have to be circumcised.

So what is at stake here?

Basically they force the issue of what does it take to be a Christian.

Jesus + What = Saved

So just so we can get where they’re coming from...

Jesus + What = Saved

Pretend for a minute you don’t know that answer yet.

Remember who these people are. they aren’t the pharisees who reject Jesus they are the Jewish people who have believed on Jesus.

They have accepted Jesus as Messiah as King and Lord and Savior.

But…they were raised differently. they were raised to keep the law. Like the rules God gave to them through Moses.

I mean circumcision goes all the way back to Abraham. It was the sign of the covenant of God with his people.

Why? I don’t know honestly it just was.

They had been told don’t eat certain animals

they had been told certain rituals for washing.

they had over 600 different laws that God had commanded them for how they were supposed to live and how they were to be different than the world around them.

everything they did revolved around the law.

Their traditions and culture had been the same for 1000’s of years. We don’t need to look past this guys.

I mean think about how hard it is for us to change our traditions and most of them really really new. Like just a little over a hundred years ago churches were fighting over this new instrument that is of the devil.

Their traditions and culture had been the same for 1000’s of years. We don’t need to look past this guys. I mean think about how hard it is for us to change our traditions and most of them really really new. Like just a little over a hundred years ago churches were fighting over this new instrument that is of the devil.

You know the Piano, theres pastors sermons about how Fannie Crosby is the devil cause she writes songs for that evil Piano. Why did we start using it in church? Because that was the type of music people listened to.

Then before that was the Organ and before that well they had huge debates over whether or not there should be any accompaniment at all.

and before that they debated over whether or not they should sing any songs that were not found in the book of Psalms because it’s a sin to sing anything in church that is not Scripture.

and before that they debated whether or not they should sing at all because you don’t want people coming too church just to be entertained.

And that’s all within the last 3 or 4 hundred years. And that’s just music I mean what about clothing and food and tv and electronics on and on we go.

I mean i have opinions on all of these things. Like I do not understand why people where gym clothes everywhere now when it is obvious they are not going to work out....

I mean our traditions are man created and less than a 100 years old like pre 1900 almost nothing we do was done the way we do it. And we still have a hard time letting it go.

So if you think it’s hard to let go of your traditions and culture imagine if they came from the Bible and you and your people had followed those traditions for 1000’s of years.

It would be hard right? Sure, change is hard for anyone old and young. It doesn’t matter who you are we as people just don’t like change.

Like I’m still upset at Kroger…I used to do alot of grocery shopping and the kids eat alot of pop tarts cause i mean we want them to have a healthy breakfast...

but Kroger went in and moved all their stuff around and put the pop tarts on a different aisle than cereal what’s up with that? it’s a breakfast food people!

Change is hard, Change is Painful, Change is Necessary

Change is hard, Change is Painful.

Change happens whether we want it to or not.

Take Peter for example when God told him back in chapter 10 to eat those unclean animals Peter told him no. Peter said no to God. God had to be like now listen son…

So yeah change is hard for all of us. And that’s what these Jewish Christians are experiencing.

And these Jewish people are learning this first hand.

All of sudden they have all these people who look different than them.

who eat different food than them

who dress different

who talk different

who have all kinds of weird things they do.

And to top it all off they aren’t even Circumcised. The sign of God’s people. The seal of God’s Promise to Abraham to make them a special people. To set them apart.

I had someone tell me a while back that i should wear a suit to preach in because that is what would set me apart. Not much different than what these people’s response was...

So their response is if you aren’t circumcised you are not a Christian you are not saved you are lost.

They were saying Jesus + Circumcision or Law = Saved

So instead of dismissing the issue they had a meeting of the leadership of the church. Look at verse 6.

6 The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter.

Acts 15:6–11 ESV

6 The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. 7 And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9 and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. 10 Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”

So this whole debate is going on and Peter stands up and says ok guys listen up....

and he is going to argue that

Jesus + Nothing = Salvation

Peter believes that to be a Christian a Christ follower you do not need the law you do not need circumsicion you need Jesus.

The First Argument is found in Verses 7-9

7 And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9 and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.

Peter explains his own personal experience of seeing people come to faith...

The time he is referrring to is that mentioned earlier where God showed him that there was no longer a different between Jew and Gentile that he was removing those law requirments and replacing them with faith in Jesus.

Look at verse 9 especially

9 and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. It doesn’t get more clear than than does it? NO different between Jew/Gentile. Faith is what matters.

Clean Hearts Come by Faith Not Works

God requires their faith not their works.

Now we sing about this in songs like Just as I am. Or Rock of Ages....nothing in my hand i bring simply to the cross I cling. Or in Christ alone my hope is found.

what we see here is that God doesn’t say change this this and this and then you’ll be a Christian.

Now he says trust on Jesus believe on His sacrifice and you’ll be clean.

so God accepted them just as they were...

He doesn’t tell us where if you gonna be a Christian you got to get a haircut and tuck in your shirt and have quiet time before breakfast and say yes maam and no maam and be a good american...

No he says Trust on Christ. NOw i wish we had more people with good manners and who were good ole boys from the south. I really do why? Cause that’s where I’m from and I like no i love my culture. Just like everyone else.

But that has nothing to do with being a Christian.

Listen if you are not a Christian and you are trying to figure out how you can get forgiven this morning let me make it clear. You are made clean not through any work of your own. You are made clean when you put your faith in Jesus Christ.

Any attempt on your part to be good enough is not going to go well.

Now look at verse 10 10 Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?

Here’s the truth...

Attempting to Keep the Law Leads to Failure

Peter is like guys why in the world would we try to make these poor people who are coming to faith obey the laws we can’t even get right?

Peter’s like i have had a bacon cheeseburger and let me tell you…i ain’t going back…no not reeally. HIs point is that they have had 1000’s of years of giving it their best shot to obey the law and they have failed every single time.

You want me to sum up the Old Testament for you? Like the history of God’s people the Jews?

God gives them everything. He shows them grace. He loves them. He tells them how he wants them to live and they blow it. Like big time. So God has to punish them to get their attention. He gets their attention and they repent and he rescues them.

Then they blow it big time and the who cycle starts all over again. Like the temple the priest hood the sacrifices they all point to one thing. People are never going to make it on their own the only hope we have is for a savior to come and take our penalty and pay our price and give us a new heart.

So Peter is like why would we put this weight on their shoulders that we can’t bear either? Jesus carries the weight of our sins not us. We can’t carry the law we can’t be good enough. It’s impossible.

and 11...11 But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”

So what is he saying?

Grace is Our Only Option for Salvation

Salvation takes place without our assistance. We cannot earn a right standing with God we can only recieve through the grace that comes through Jesus.

If you are trying to add to Jesus to get salvation you are going to miss it guys. It is through faith by grace alone. That’s it. if there were another way then Jesus would not have gone to the cross.

To be a Christian is to trust on Jesus. To follow Him. It is not all that complicated really.

So James the half brother of Jesus stands up to address the church leaders who are debating this issue. He agrees that God is making a people not just from jews but also from Gentiles in verses 13-18 he lays that out.

but

Skip down to 19...

Acts 15:19–21 ESV

19 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. 21 For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”

...

Acts 15:28–29 ESV

28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: 29 that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”

Acts 15:19 ESV

19 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God,

What is James saying?

He is saying that the church should not put up unnecessary walls between those who need Jesus and Jesus. Or to put it another way

Do Not Make it Hard for People to Believe on Jesus

Like it is scary enough for non Christians to come to church. They already know they are not right.

To join in a concert with songs they have never heard.

to listen to some guy go on and on about how they n

they already are aware of their failures and all they have ever heard is how if you go to church get ready to get judged get ready to be stared at.

Right?

That is not even considering social pressure of feeling out of place cause you don’t know anyone.

Ya’ll know what I’m talking about? Dads how many of you have ever taken your kid to a birthday party for one of their friends?

Like usually 95 percent all women who know each other and little kids running around and then there’s you. Like you try to find a little chair to sit in in the corner and be invisible.

Maybe that’s just me i don’t know, I’m a bit weird like that.

But we have all been in those situations where it was clear that you are not part of the group. People smile at you they nod and say welcome and then go back to their conversations with their friends.

or maybe they just sort of turn away from you a little bit so they don’t have to look and make it even more awkward.

While we’re on topic…this is something we have to consider as a church family. How do we make outsiders feel welcome. How can we ensure that no one who shows up here feels like everyone is staring at them and whispering about them. Like who is that?

but instead make sure they know that we want them here.

So if you have not signed up for our Greeting or Security Team next Sunday following worhsip we’re going to have a meeting where you can…just saying.

I mean it doesn’t mean you don’t love Jesus or want people to get saved if you are able and simply unwilling. I’m not saying that at all...

I kid I kid....or Do I?

But James is making a statement that we need to make as well.

He is saying that the church should

Intentionally tear down every unnecessary wall between the gospel and the lost. We should not try to make salvation hard. We should do all that we can to not put stumbling blocks between the people coming to Jesus and Jesus.

That means we adapt to the culture where it is not a Scriptural issue so that we can by all means win some.

That means music. That means the use of technology. that means not trying to impose a dress code outside of modesty of course. That means not making rules up that God never gave us.

But that doesn’t mean we do not take into account people’s feelings about traditions...

Acts 15:20–21 ESV

20 but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. 21 For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”

Here is what he means...

Sensitivity is Necessary Toward Traditions

James is not rewriting the moral code that we as Christians are called to live by. Like i’m pretty sure murder is still off the table. No matter how bad of a driver the other person is.

No the things James is listing here have to do with the way Gentiles worshipped. These are all ceremonial things that they did that were extremely offensive to the Jews.

These were all part of certain worship rituals that they performed in the temples and James is calling on them to not take part in those things and be sensitive to their Jewish brothers and sisters. That’s the reason for verse 21 basically Jews are everywhere and you all know what offends them so do not do that.

Now he doesn’t say keep the law he is just prohibiting the most offensive parts of the Gentile culture. Be sensitive.

And i know this is hard, it is for me especially, like i assume if something is the right thing to do then we should do it. I forget that change is hard for other people.

But we should never become a people that simply toss away the traditions of the past without thinking carefully through why they are there and also who is going to be hurt by not having them.

That doesn’t mean we never change and adapt but it does mean changes that need to be made should be done with the greatest care possible.

Here is the bottom line for us as a church

Acts 15:24–27 ESV

24 Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, 25 it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth.

Making Disciples is the Reason We Exist Everything Else is Negotiable

If we are going to accomplish the mission that Christ has given us we are going to do that together and the only way we can do that is if we are all heading in the same direction.

The Mission of Getting the gospel to the lost takes priority...

Over our preferences

over our relationships

over everything else

Jesus did not tell us to make every one happy he told us to make disciples.

We cannot sit back and say boy I wish we could reach more people on one hand but i don’t want to be uncomfortable on the other.

We cannot sit back and say boy I wish we could reach more people on one hand but i don’t want to change on the other.

As Churches and Christians we constantly drift away from our purpose.

Any and all churches go through drifts...

We drift from focusing on reaching the lost to focusing on keeping the members happy.

We drift from Grace to Law

We drift from real life change to looking the part

The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Acts of the Apostles a. Debate (15:6–21)

As Christians wrestled with the question of the law’s ongoing relevance and application, reflecting on Christ’s own teaching and the events by which he inaugurated the New Covenant, there was need for sensitivity and generosity on all sides.

Like have you ever had a car that was out of line? Like driving down the road you take your hand off the wheel for a second and boom youre in the ditch. Not that I recommend taking your hand off the wheel while driving.

It’s for illustration purposes… only...

But that’s what happens to us as soon as we stop paying attention to what we are supposed to be doing and where we are going we are in the ditch.

we drift from reaching the lost to making church members happy and comfy. We become more concerned with the feelings of God’s people than with God’s purpose for us existing. It’s just human nature. We want to be made much of we want things to be about us and what we want.

So if we’re not careful we’ll make a huge issue out of things that have nothing to do with reaching anyone for the gospel and everything to do with getting what we want and making ourselves feel comfortable.

We refuse to serve anywhere that isn’t our sweet spot that we really enjoy.

we don’t support events and programs that do not directly benefit us.

We complain about anything that isn’t exactly how we like it. On and on we go.

Let us this morning ask the lord to give us the grace we need for each other to let go of our preferences for the sake of the gospel.

Let us ask him to give us the boldness to stand against those who prefer things the way they like it more than reaching the lost. Or reaching the next generation.

Sometimes I think we care more about having things our way than we care about seeing our children in heaven. Now we’d never say that out loud but we do act that way when we refuse to adapt the way we do things to reach them. Or refuse to serve in the programs needed to help disciple them.

Now before you think this is a we need to do everything like young people want sermon hear me out.

This is a problem for young people for older people and oldest people. We all want things the way we want them because that’s how we want them.

But if we are going to be faithful to the mission we have to be witnesses of Jesus to all the world and reach people with the Gospel we have to listen to James declaration here to not make it hard for lost people to become saved people.

and that’s only going to happen when we decide we are more passionate about our purpose than our preferences.

As we come to an end here this morning ask yourself. Which are you more passionate about. You or those who do not know Jesus?

We need to ask ourselves as a church do we put more emphasis on keeping Church members happy or God? I need to ask myself that as a Pastor. To be honest alot of days I’m not real sure.

I’m sure alot of you don’t feel that way. You sure ain’t trying to keep me happy I know that...

Sorry...

We have been given the most wonderful news in the world.

People do not have to go to Hell. They can go to Heaven!

People do not have to keep on living in misery and bitterness and defeat they can have victory in Jesus.

The Gospel has the power to save all who Believe in Jesus.

But if we do not do all we can to reach the lost with this news it does them no good. I pray that God would remind us that Hell is hot and all those people out there who do not know him are headed there. and that he would break our hearts for them to the point we get over ourselves and do what it takes to reach them.

If you do not know Jesus this morning. I want to make it as easy as I can for you to know him.

You can have forgiveness of your sins and your heart cleansed if you will put your faith in HIm.

that means admitting you are unable to change. admitting you have sinned against God.

And then asking the Lord Jesus to save you and follwing Him. Turning from your sin and follwoing HIm. To trust him is to follow HIm.

If you have never trusted him would you do that this morning?

They decide to send this letter letting all the churches know what they decided...

Acts 15:24–29 ESV

24 Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, 25 it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: 29 that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”

What is this about? It’s a letter that lets the whole world know that the entire leadership of the Jerusalem Church stands against the people causing conflict.