The Acts of the Apostles Acts 15 – Addressing Problems Sunday – December 24, 2017 Many of the slides used in this presentation are prepared by Joe Price and are used and adapted with his permission.

Addressing Problems

Places in Acts 15 Antioch: Conflict over Gentile salvation Jerusalem: Meeting about preaching salvation to the Gentiles Cyprus: Barnabas and John Mark go there to encourage the brethren Syria and Cilicia: Paul and Silas strengthen the churches (start of Paul’s 2nd journey)

Dissension and Dispute Satan does not leave us alone! Compromise is one of his favorite tools. Judaizing teachers from the Jerusalem church came to Antioch, teaching Gentiles must be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses in order to be saved, Acts 15:1 Immediate and large controversy and discussion, Acts 15:2; Galatians 2:4-5

The Jerusalem Meeting (Acts 15:6-29) Why this meeting? Acts 15:2 Not to decide truth on the subject Not because the Jerusalem church was the “Mother Church” or “Metropolitan Church” for all of “Christendom” (Pulpit Commentary) Not to convene a worldwide council of churches Not to write a creed for the church

The Jerusalem Meeting (Acts 15:6-29) Why this meeting? Acts 15:2 To know whether the brethren in Jerusalem were teaching the same gospel they were teaching to the Gentiles, Galatians 2:1-2; Acts 15:3-7 The Antioch church sent them, Acts 15:2-3 God said go to Jerusalem, Galatians 2:2 The brethren were in agreement, Galatians 2:2-3, 6-9 Judaizers were not sent by God or the Jerusalem church, Acts 15:24

The Jerusalem Meeting (Acts 15:6-29) Why this meeting? Acts 15:2 To determine what God had decided! Men had already decided what they wanted. Verse 1 The purpose was not to bring more human wisdom into the discussion but to look to God’s will. Key verse: Acts 15:7, “After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, ‘Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe.’”