1. ACTS 15

2. I have placed you in this land so that you will be my witnesses
that the world may know
That I am God!
Isaiah 41 (Condensed Summary)

4. Who are you..?
What are you doing here..?

5. 1. Grouchy people (The Pharisees)
Chapter Overview
Who is in the story
2 Groups
1. Grouchy people (The Pharisees)

6. Chapter Overview Who is in the story 2 Groups
1. Grouchy people (The Pharisees)
2. Peter Paul, Barnabas and James
3. Other Church Leaders

7. 2 Questions
1. Is this thing gonna blow up or can the early church avoid crisis

8. 2 Questions
1. Is this thing gonna blow up or can the early church avoid crisis
2. Is there any guidance for us.. like when we need to stick to our guns without cause things to go nuclear.

9. Question 1
Is this thing gonna blow up or can the early church avoid crisis
Verse 6
The apostles and church leaders met to discuss this problem about Gentiles.

10. Question 1
Is this thing gonna blow up or can the early church avoid crisis
Verse 6
The apostles and church leaders met to discuss this problem about Gentiles.

11. Question 1
Is this thing gonna blow up or can the early church avoid crisis
Verse 6
The apostles and church leaders met to discuss this problem about Gentiles.

12. Verse 7-11
My friends, you know that God decided long ago to let me be the one from your group to preach the good news to the Gentiles. God did this so that they would hear and obey him. 8 He knows what is in everyone’s heart. And he showed that he had chosen the Gentiles, when he gave them the Holy Spirit, just as he had given his Spirit to us. 9 God treated them in the same way that he treated us. They put their faith in him, and he made their hearts pure.
10 Now why are you trying to make God angry by placing a heavy burden on these followers? This burden was too heavy for us or our ancestors. 11 But our Lord Jesus was kind to us, and we are saved by faith in him, just as the Gentiles are.

13. Verse 7-11
My friends, you know that God decided long ago to let me be the one from your group to preach the good news to the Gentiles. God did this so that they would hear and obey him. 8 He knows what is in everyone’s heart. And he showed that he had chosen the Gentiles, when he gave them the Holy Spirit, just as he had given his Spirit to us. 9 God treated them in the same way that he treated us. They put their faith in him, and he made their hearts pure.
10 Now why are you trying to make God angry by placing a heavy burden on these followers? This burden was too heavy for us or our ancestors. 11 But our Lord Jesus was kind to us, and we are saved by faith in him, just as the Gentiles are.

14. Verse 12
Everyone kept quiet and listened as Barnabas and Paul told how God had given them the power to work a lot of miracles and wonders for the Gentiles.

15. 15 This agrees with what the prophets wrote,
16  “I, the Lord, will return and rebuild David’s fallen house, I will build it from its ruins and set it up again. 17  Then other nations will turn to me and be my chosen ones. I, the Lord, say this. 18  I promised it long ago.”
19 And so, my friends, I don’t think we should place burdens on the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 We should simply write and tell them not to eat anything that has been offered to idols. They should be told not to eat the meat of any animal that has been strangled or that still has blood in it. They must also not commit any terrible sexual sins.[c] 21 We must remember that the Law of Moses has been preached in city after city for many years, and every Sabbath it is read when we Jews meet.

16. Going Deeper
James’s Argument

17. Going Deeper James’s Argument
1. What is this quotation from the OT prophets intended to support
and why is it brought in?
2. What does this prophecy mean in its OT context of Amos 9?
3. How does this prophetic word support what James is trying to say?
4. What does it have to say about who we are at Sussex Street Today
and why we are here?

18. What is this quotation from the OT prophets intended to support
Question 1
What is this quotation from the OT prophets intended to support
and why is it brought in?

19. Question 1 Verse 15 This agrees with what the prophets wrote
What is this quotation from the OT prophets intended to support
and why is it brought in?
Verse 15
This agrees with what the prophets wrote

20. Question 1 Verse 15 This agrees with what the prophets wrote
What is this quotation from the OT prophets intended to support
and why is it brought in?
Verse 15
This agrees with what the prophets wrote

21. Question 2
Whats the meaning of the Prophecy in Context

22. Amos 9:8-10
My eyes have seen what a sinful nation you are, and I’ll wipe you out.
But I will leave a few of Jacob’s descendants.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
At my command, all of you will be sifted like grain.
Israelites who remain faithful will be scattered among the nations.
And the others will be trapped like trash in a sifter.
Some of you are evil, and you deny that you will ever get caught.
    But you will be killed.

23. Amos 9:11-12 In the future, I will rebuild David’s fallen kingdom.
I will build it from its ruins and set it up again, just as it used to be.
Then you will capture Edom and the other nations that are mine.
I, the Lord, have spoken, and my words will come true.

24. Some of you are evil, and you deny that you will ever get caught.
Amos, Verse 10
Some of you are evil, and you deny that you will ever get caught.
    But you will be killed.

25. In the future, I will rebuild David’s fallen kingdom.
Amos 9:11
In the future, I will rebuild David’s fallen kingdom.
I will build it from its ruins and set it up again, just as it used to be.

26. Context Of Amos 9
Destiny Of The Nations

27. Context Of Amos 9 Destiny Of The Nations Amos 9:12
Then you will capture Edom and the other nations that are mine.
I, the Lord, have spoken, and my words will come true.

28. capture Edom and the other nations that are mine.
Amos 9:12
Then you will
capture Edom and the other nations that are mine.
I, the Lord, have spoken, and my words will come true.

29. They will follow his advice, and his own nation will become famous.
Isaiah 11:10
The time is coming when one of David’s descendants will be the signal for the people of all nations to come together.
They will follow his advice, and his own nation will become famous.

30. When he does, many nations will turn to him and become his people.
Zechariah 2:11
When he does, many nations will turn to him and become his people.
At that time you will know that I am a prophet of the Lord All-Powerful.

31. Question 3
How the Quote Supports James' Argument

32. Question 3 How the Quote Supports James' Argument
1. Through the ministry of Peter
Peter is part of the rebuilt ruins of Gods people and is an instrument of God
2. God himself visited the uncircumcised Gentiles
Peter Visited Cornelius he visited the Uncircumcised Gentiles and the Holy Spirit fell upon them
3. God took out from them a people for his name. V14

33. James says its all in AMOS
Amos had prophesied that God would raise and Rebuild his people
Amos Had prophecies that God would penetrate the gentiles
Amos had prophesied that God would gather a people from all the nations.

34. What does it mean for us here at Sussex Street
Question 4
What does it mean for us here at Sussex Street

35. What does it mean for us here at Sussex Street
Question 4
What does it mean for us here at Sussex Street
We are ruins in the process of being repaired and rebuilt by the grace of God

36. What does it mean for us here at Sussex Street
Question 4
What does it mean for us here at Sussex Street
We are ruins in the process of being repaired and rebuilt by the grace of God
We are here that the rest of men may seek the Lord

37. Ephesians 2:19–20
19 You Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens with everyone else who belongs to the family of God. 20 You are like a building with the apostles and prophets as the foundation and with Christ as the most important stone.

39. Grace
Legalistic
People
People

40. 1. Not to eat anything that has been offered to idols.
2. Not to eat the meat of any animal that has been strangled or
that still has blood in it.
3. They must also not commit any terrible sexual sins.

41. CONCLUSION
1. Crisis Averted

42. They Didn't Back Down on the things that really mattered
CONCLUSION
1. Crisis Averted
They Didn't Back Down on the things that really mattered

43. They Didn't Back Down on the things that really mattered
CONCLUSION
1. Crisis Averted
They Didn't Back Down on the things that really mattered
They budged on a few things that didn't matter that much

44. They Didn't Back Down on the things that really mattered
CONCLUSION
1. Crisis Averted
They Didn't Back Down on the things that really mattered
They budged on a few things that didn't matter that much
They fought well.

45. They Didn't Back Down on the things that really mattered
CONCLUSION
1. Crisis Averted
They Didn't Back Down on the things that really mattered
They budged on a few things that didn't matter that much
They fought well.
Sussex Street

46. They Didn't Back Down on the things that really mattered
CONCLUSION
1. Crisis Averted
They Didn't Back Down on the things that really mattered
They budged on a few things that didn't matter that much
They fought well.
Sussex Street
We are ruins in the process of being repaired and rebuilt by the grace of God

47. CONCLUSION 1. Crisis Averted 2. @ Sussex Street
They Didn't Back Down on the things that really mattered
They budged on a few things that didn't matter that much
They fought well.
Sussex Street
We are ruins in the process of being repaired and rebuilt by the grace of God
We are here that the rest of men may seek the Lord

48. CONCLUSION 1. Crisis Averted 2. @ Sussex Street
They Didn't Back Down on the things that really mattered
They budged on a few things that didn't matter that much
They fought well.
Sussex Street
We are ruins in the process of being repaired and rebuilt by the grace of God
We are here that the rest of men may seek the Lord