3.5.25 5.17.2020 Acts 15 When the Spirit Comes to Town He Undoes the Unlessing of Ministry

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.”

Entice: The "unlessing" of ministry can

kill momentum,

kill motivation,

kill mission

quicker than any other internal problem. Because it appears to combine the theological and biblical with the practical and culturally acceptable it just seems sensible.

Unless you are on the wrong side of the unless.

The wrong side of the unless means exclusion, the wrong side of unless means hoops to jump through, prerequisites to fulfill, expectations to meet, the secondary becoming primary. The backside of unless means you have the wrong parents, the wrong diet, the wrong physique, the wrong background…

Engage: This first "unlessing" of ministry was at least grounded in the Hebrew Bible, the Older Covenant, and residual precedent. The Church was just learning that the change of covenant meant a removal of barriers and that bringing them back was an unnecessary "Unlessing" of ministry...and that once begun it is virtually impossible to stop. So right then, right there, in Jerusalem in the first generation they sought the wisdom of the Word, the sovereignty of the Father, and the illumination of the Holy Spirit to stop the unseemly and unlimited unlessing of the plan of God.

Expand: Acts 15 is a testimony to God's wisdom in choosing different kinds of messengers to proclaim the Gospel in new cultural and social contexts. New messengers who refuse to impose limits, conditions, qualifications--lists of "unlesses"

Excite: Variety, similarity, integrity, difference, malleability, stability, mystery, clarity-these characteristics of creation are exhibited by us, as we God's highest creature live out His Spirit driven purposes in our Mission defined lives. Because we are unlike one another with culturally and socially diverse approaches to logistics, strategy, and tactics we are able to implement a truly global mission to redeem the world.

In so doing we discover like they did in Acts 15 that...

Explore:

Effective, Biblical ministry is a Spirit driven balance of unity and diversity.

Explain: We have to learn to balance these related emphases.

We must

1. Balance Method & Mission.

Acts 15:2–5 ESV

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. 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. 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.”

1.1 Success.

1.2 Supervision

1.3 Structure

We Must

2. Balance Passion & Purpose.

Acts 15:6–21 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.” 12 And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written, 16 “ ‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, 17 that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things 18 known from of old.’ 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.”

2.1 Peter’s Pioneering Voice. 6-11

2.2 Paul & Barnabas’ Penetrating Victory. 12

2.3 James’ Practical Vision. 13-21

We must

3. Balance Individual & Institutional.

Acts 15:22–29 ESV

22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, 23 with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. 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.”

3.1 Ministry is a work of collaboration.

(one another)

3.2 Ministry is a work of subordination.

Scripture

Holy Spirit

Leadership

3.3 Ministry is a work of exhortation.

(Do good, do well)

The Long Run:

It's good to have a big beginning. But we want to have a big ending too. Consistent growth, is a both/and process. Method AND Mission, Passion AND Purpose, Individual AND Institutional. When we become too comfortable with unbalanced, unthinking, uncooperative, undisciplined, uncompromising, and unimaginative ministry we risk becoming a PostModern "UNLESS" party.

Unless you are circumcised, unless you are white, unless you speak english, unless you vote like me, agree with me, align with me..you cannot be a Christian. Acts 15 reminds us that

God determines what is acceptable and our well-intentioned UNLESSES are blasphemous.

We who are being saved, will all be saved, the same way anyone will be saved...Through the grace of the Lord Jesus.

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