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Protecting the mission - Acts 15:1-35

This is a sermon by Tim Davies from the Riverside Church service on 3rd November 2024.

Click here to read the bible passage (opens in new window).

An audio-only recording is also available

“Protecting the Mission”

Intro: Key verses v9 (no discrimination) and v11 (grace alone saves)

Context

Paul and Barnabas’ extraordinary missionary trip.

There are always people who don’t like the gospel spreading (v1-2)

Hateful people (v1-5)

Humble people (v6-19)

Peter
- God chose that the Gentiles should hear the gospel (v7)
- God gave the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles (v8)
- God gave the Gentiles faith (v9)

Paul and Barnabas
- They witnessed God’s work among the Gentiles (v12)

James
- Showed that what Peter said was Biblical (v13-18)
- Concluded the council (v19).

Helpful people (v20-21)

Conclusion

We must be solidly and totally inflexible on the gospel of Jesus and the Bible

We must be totally flexible about everything else

Questions to chew over:

Do you believe that it is by faith alone in Jesus that a person can be saved? Why is it so easy to want to add extra things in?
In verses 6-19, list all the different arguments and evidences that the gospel is at work among the Gentiles.
Verses 20-21 are helpful as we think about gospel freedom – there are many things we are free to do as believers in Jesus but when should we happily restrict our own freedoms for the good of others?

Memory verse: Acts 15v11

“We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

My own questions for later:

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