‘grace On Trial’ Series

SERMON OUTLINE:

(1). The Problem (vs 1&5)

(2). The Solution (vs 6-18)

(3). The outcome (vs 19-35)

(4). The spoiler (vs 36-41)

SERMON BODY:

Ill:

• The story is told about a preacher who got up into the pulpit,

• He smiled and then apologized for the plaster (Band-Aid) on his face.

• He said, “I was thinking about my sermon while shaving and cut my face.”

• Afterward the treasurer found a note in the collection plate,

• “Tell the preacher that next time, he should think about his face and cut the sermon.”

• TRANSITION:

• Well, this morning we have 41 verses that could make for a long sermon,

• So, I will do my best not to cut the sermon, but to keep to time!

Context:

• Paul and Barnabas have arrived back at Antioch after their first missionary journey.

• They have reported to the church how God has been working through them.

• So far so good!

• Everyone can rejoice with the news of conversions!

• In fact, nothing lifts a Church more than a conversion, someone coming to faith.

• So, in Acts chapter 15 the mood should be positive!

• But it is not!

• Verses 1-5 tells us why.

(1). The Problem (vs 1-5).

“Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: ‘Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.’ 2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So, Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. 3 The church sent them on their way, and as they travelled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad. 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.

5 Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, ‘The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.’"

If you are new to Church:

• Do not be surprised to hear that Christians disagree over certain issues.

• With the key primary truths of the Christian faith there is no disagreement

• e.g., Jesus is the Son of God.

• e.g., Jesus died for the sins of mankind.

• e.g., He rose again on the third day.

• So, with the key primary truths of the Christian faith there is no disagreement

• In fact, to disagree with them it means you are not a Christian!

• But with secondary issues,

• e.g., How and what style or format should a meeting take,

• e.g., What style of music should you have,

• e.g., Who should fill the various roles in the Church.

• Christians often disagree,

• Because for those issues we often have principles and not detailed instructions.

• For us today the New Testament, it can still at times be difficult,

• So, you can imagine the problems they faced in the early days of the Church,

• Where they did not have a New Testament and their understanding was limited.

That is the situation in verses 1-5, a heated discussion was caused by two groups:

FIRST: Believers from Jerusalem:

• Verse 1: “Certain individuals from Judea who were teaching the believers”

• That expression ‘From Judea’ informs us that these were religious heavy weights,

• They were what we might call, ‘old school.’

• Remember from our studies in the early part of the book of Acts

• The Church was born in Jerusalem and was almost completely made up of Jews,

• These believers had a history,

• They had Jewish traditions & practices to lean on and to guide them!

• Unlike these new Christians at Antioch,

• Who were not carrying any ‘baggage’ from their religious past?

SECOND: Pharisees.

• They were supported by (vs 5): “believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees”

• ‘Pharisees’ were people full of traditions!

• The Pharisees were an influential religious sect within Judaism in the time of Christ,

• They were known for their emphasis on personal piety,

• (the word Pharisee comes from a Hebrew word meaning “separated”),

• The Pharisees were mostly middle-class businessmen and leaders of the synagogues.

• In the synagogues and in Judaism it was the Pharisees who had the power!

• It was the Pharisees who confronted Jesus again and again in his ministry!

• In the Gospels, the Pharisees are often presented as hypocritical and proud.

Ill:

• There was a name for anyone who crossed the Pharisees, it was victim,