Acts 15vv1-35 headings and jottings

A sermon outline:

Black pudding (vv20, 29)

“The Gentile problem”

The issues:

- How should Christians live? vv1, 5

- Mission to Jews and Gentiles

- Fellowship between Jews and Gentiles

- The gospel itself / salvation! v1

“The Council of Jerusalem” (vv2-4)

(1) The gospel principle:

  

God’s actions and the Scriptures show that it was always his plan that

Jews and Gentiles alike

should be saved by grace alone

through faith alone

in Christ alone,

not by circumcision

nor by keeping the Law of Moses

vv6-19 esp. vv8-9, 11 

Gospel Mathematics

Maybe I should have put the mathematics in inverted commas!

I hope this will be a helpful way of putting it and any mathematical pendants can see me afterwards!

I was assuming x > 0!

Jewish believers + Gentile believers = One Christian Church

1 + 1 = 1!

One family

One body of Christ

One church

Equality – no second-class citizens

V8 – Jews and Gentiles are equally acceptable to God in exactly the same way, on the same terms

Not two ways of salvation (one for the Jews and one for the Gentiles) but one

Grace + Faith à Salvation + Good Works

Not, Grace + Faith + GOOD WORKS à Salvation

Good works are a consequence not a cause of salvation

  

Christ + x does not equal the Gospel

Or, Christ + x = 0

To add to Christ is to take away the gospel 

We get into the church by grace and we get on within the church by being gracious

(2) A gracious plan:

 For the sake of fellowship and mission,

the Gentile believers should avoid giving any unnecessary offence to the Jews

by having nothing to do with pagan idolatry or immorality

vv19-21 esp. the reason given in v21

vv28-29

So, this passage calls for absolute clarity on the gospel of grace (point 1) but also for:

A loving practical policy (point 2), for kindness, generosity, thoughtfulness, sensitivity and empathy.

It calls for:

CLARITY and CONSIDERATION

TRUTH and LOVE

GRACE and GRACIOUSNESS

The GOSPEL and GENEROSITY

SALVATION and SENSITIVITY

FAITH and FAMILY

The Gentiles are exhorted to:

Servant heartedness

Giving up of their rights

Going the extra mile

* * * 

I have resisted as absurd more G and P headings like 

The gathering ponders / pronounces / publishes

and

The gospel / glad progress / peace / preaching / proclamation 

etc.!

* * * 

Other jottings:

Tom Wright, p43, “Basically, James and the conference as a whole were clear on two things. First, the law should not be imposed on Gentile converts. Second, they should be told that they had better keep some significant bits of it just in case. Get it? No?”

“James and the others work out the double principle of no needful circumcision on the one hand and no needfless offence on the other.” (p45)

Perterson: the Gentiles are asked “not to offend Jews by their behaviour in certain critical ways (vv. 19-21, 28-29). Here is an attempt to allow the gospel free course among Jews and Gentiles, maintaining a spiritual and practical unity among believers while showing a particular concern for the sensitivity and scruples of Jews.” (p423f)

Porneia could mean marriage within a relationship approved by Gentiles but not by Jews (Cook, p215)

A way in which Jewish and Gentile Christians can live together is agreed (Peterson)

 Peterson: “The Jerusalem Council acknowledged that Gentile Christians were not obliged to live under the yoke of the law. At the same time, it challenged them to exercise their liberty with wisdom, restraint, and love, recognising the concerns of some Jewish Christians about contamination through any association with idolatrous practices. The requirements commended to Gentile believers… were designed to keep the lines of fellowship open with Jewish believers by giving warning to the Gentiles about any compromise with the idolatry and immorality that was so much part of their world.” (p440)

The decree of the Council “was a warning to abstain from acts that would offend Jewish scruples and hinder social intercourse between Jewish and Gentile believers. But its deeper significance is the implied challenge to break completely with every pagan association and practice (cf. 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1) and to do all things, even eating and drinking, to the glory of God, causing no one to stumble ‘whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God’ (1 Cor. 10:31-32).” (Peterson, p446)

John Stott: The Council “secured a double victory – a victory for truth in confirming the gospel of grace, and a victory of love in preserving the fellowship by sensitive concessions to conscientious Jewish scruples.” (p257)

Spencer quoted in Peterson, p418:

Dissension (vv1-5)

Discussion (vv6-18)

Decision (vv19-29)

Dissemination (15v30-16v5)

Some friends on Facebook kindly suggested snappier versions of my headings:

1. Getting in: one gospel for all

2. Getting on: don't make Jews fall

1. We're one family in Jesus

2. So, bear with one another in Jesus.

Saved by grace

Saved for grace

Be committed to the gospel of grace

Be kind to the church

The principle of grace

The practicalities of love

Wiersbe: 'Don't close the doors!'

Don’t be annoying! Just because you can doesn't mean you should!