The Church And Its Role

I. The authority of the church. (vs. 3)

A. Supported by the Holy Spirit

1. The church’s actions should be led by the Spirit. (v.28)

2. God moves through His church.

3. This factor should not be ignored.

4. Do not become over individualized that we ignore the work of the church by God.

B. Directed by the word of God.

1. Matthew 18:17-18 Correct those who live in sin.

2. Galatians 6:1 Restore those who live in sin

C. Personal agendas have no place.

1. Without clear direction from God the church should avoid agenda’s

2. Prayer is often needed prior to making a move

3. The word of God must drive the agenda’s

4. We must have spiritual eyes to see what God is doing and jump on board with that.

II. The Doctrine of the church. (vs. 1; 5; 10)

A. They had been dealing with inclusion of the Gentiles

B. They now also are dealing with the new Covenant and letting go of the old. (v.1)

C. Salvation has always been thru the Messiah; the Jews were wrong about the law and its relationship to salvation. (v.10)

III. The faithfulness of the church. (Syncretism)

A. Here we have an acceptance of the new covenant but trying to syncretize it with the old.

B. Syncretization today looks more like social norms than religious

C. We have to be careful of who we discharge from the church and based on what?

IV. Disagreements in the church. (vs. 39-40)

A. Mark had grown weary and did not carry on

B. Paul was likely concerned about this occurring again

C. God used this reasonable disagreement to divide the labor to increase the Kingdom

D. Either way Paul and Barnabas was sent out by the church with the leading of the HS

Conclusion:

The authority of the church

The doctrine of the church

The faithfulness of the church

Disagreements in the church