WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:01.360 Thank you so very much. 00:00:01.600 --> 00:00:06.559 Just such a privilege to worship with you and to sing God's praises together. 00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:11.359 If you have your copy of God's Word, I want to invite you to find Acts chapter 15. 00:00:11.679 --> 00:00:15.119 If you do not have a copy of God's word, there's one in the Pew rack in front of you. 00:00:15.199 --> 00:00:17.600 I would strongly encourage you to use that copy. 00:00:17.679 --> 00:00:21.760 And you can find today's text on page 953. 00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:26.960 If you are a guest of ours, we are studying through the book of Acts together this year. 00:00:27.280 --> 00:00:32.079 And from now through the end of the year, we're going to finish the latter half of Acts. 00:00:32.240 --> 00:00:36.320 This morning, we're going to look at Acts chapter 15. 00:00:36.640 --> 00:00:38.399 Acts chapter 15. 00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:42.320 I hope you like history. 00:00:42.799 --> 00:00:45.359 If you don't, just bear with me for a few minutes. 00:00:45.439 --> 00:00:52.399 Because I want to begin with a history lesson, history lesson on the New Testament church. 00:00:52.560 --> 00:00:53.039 All right? 00:00:53.280 --> 00:00:58.159 And I think it'll make sense once we get into chapter 15. 00:00:58.479 --> 00:01:22.799 So throughout church history, at various times throughout church history, 2,000 or so years of church history, those who are recognized as leaders, and in many cases that's across different traditions and different denominations and other things, those who are recognized as leaders have met to settle doctrinal issues. 00:01:23.200 --> 00:01:34.560 And normally those meetings, which have become known as councils, were in response to some sort of false teaching that had crept into the church. 00:01:34.640 --> 00:01:46.959 And so the church leaders got together and they met for the purpose to carefully clarify and to define certain doctrinal and theological matters. 00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:49.519 And they did so from Scripture. 00:01:50.239 --> 00:02:00.159 So a particular teaching found its way into the church, and the leaders of the church, those recognized as leaders, came together and say, hey, how do we address this? 00:02:00.319 --> 00:02:03.200 What does God's word say about this? 00:02:03.599 --> 00:02:06.560 I want you to think back to Jude verse 3. 00:02:06.719 --> 00:02:10.960 And in Jude verse 3, we are admonished with these words. 00:02:11.280 --> 00:02:20.639 I found it necessary to write, appealing to you to contend for the faith that was delivered to the saints once for all. 00:02:20.800 --> 00:02:36.719 And so there have been times in church history where the church had to come together and they had for the purpose of contending for the faith, for standing for truth, for arguing against heresy and false teaching. 00:02:36.960 --> 00:02:48.240 And undoubtedly there will be times in the future where we'll need to do the exact same thing, where false teaching will continue to find its way into the church, and those things will have to be addressed. 00:02:48.400 --> 00:02:56.960 And each of these councils, that we we generally recognize seven, what we refer to as ecumenical councils. 00:02:57.360 --> 00:02:58.560 Don't get tied up in that. 00:02:58.719 --> 00:03:07.199 But they were all trying to accomplish that thing to find, okay, what does God's word say about this issue, and where do we stand on that? 00:03:07.439 --> 00:03:23.280 So what I'd like to do this morning, real quickly, is I want to highlight a few of those councils, both the most ancient and some more modern councils, and share with you some of the doctrine, some of the theology that they had to address and that they had to answer for us. 00:03:23.360 --> 00:03:30.960 And I hope that by doing so, you'll understand in some way how we got to where we are today. 00:03:31.120 --> 00:03:31.680 All right? 00:03:32.000 --> 00:03:39.520 So, in AD 325, in the year 325, the council of Nicaea met. 00:03:39.919 --> 00:03:46.319 And in this council, the church leaders met to address the teaching of a man named Arius. 00:03:46.639 --> 00:03:55.039 Arius was teaching that Jesus was the greatest of God's creation, but that he was not God himself. 00:03:55.199 --> 00:04:00.879 And so he was the most significant of God's creation, but he wasn't God. 00:04:01.360 --> 00:04:21.279 And so the church met and they studied Scripture and ultimately they rejected his teaching, arguing from Scripture that Jesus is eternally existent, that he is truly God, that he's of the same essence or the same substance as God the Father, and that he was not a created being. 00:04:21.839 --> 00:04:24.639 You might be familiar with the Nicene Creed. 00:04:24.800 --> 00:04:35.519 In the Nicene Creed, this council made this statement, and I quote, that Jesus is God from God, light from light, true God from true God. 00:04:35.680 --> 00:04:40.560 And so the key theological issue they were debating was the deity of Christ. 00:04:40.879 --> 00:04:42.720 And the argument is very simple. 00:04:42.879 --> 00:04:54.639 If Jesus Christ is merely a created being, like the Mormons believe, then he cannot be the eternal God who took on flesh to accomplish our salvation. 00:04:54.800 --> 00:04:56.720 Then he's an insufficient Savior. 00:04:56.959 --> 00:04:58.879 He can't redeem us from our sin. 00:04:59.040 --> 00:05:01.199 He can't gift us eternal life. 00:05:01.519 --> 00:05:04.720 That's a big deal they met to clarify. 00:05:05.040 --> 00:05:10.560 Going further, in the year 381, the council of Constantinople met. 00:05:10.720 --> 00:05:14.079 And they met to address the question: who is the Holy Spirit? 00:05:14.240 --> 00:05:15.839 And is he God? 00:05:16.399 --> 00:05:25.360 Well, the question arose because there were some who were arguing against the deity of the Holy Spirit and against his personhood. 00:05:25.519 --> 00:05:31.600 And so the council affirmed that the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. 00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:35.439 They affirmed the biblical teaching of the Trinity. 00:05:35.680 --> 00:05:41.439 There is one God in three distinct persons, all with the same essence and substance. 00:05:41.680 --> 00:05:43.120 Let me go a little further. 00:05:43.360 --> 00:05:46.959 In the year 431, the council met in Ephesus. 00:05:47.199 --> 00:05:51.199 In the year 451, the council met in Chalcedon. 00:05:51.279 --> 00:05:55.279 And in 553, the second council of Constantinople met. 00:05:55.439 --> 00:06:02.639 Now, don't get bogged down in that, but each of these councils had to address this question that continued to be raised. 00:06:02.959 --> 00:06:08.399 Who is Jesus, and how do we understand his deity and his humanity? 00:06:08.639 --> 00:06:14.240 And these counsels arose from the teaching of a man named Nestorius. 00:06:14.959 --> 00:06:21.279 Nestorius was arguing that Jesus was not fully God, nor was he fully man. 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:29.439 And so together these counsels affirmed the biblical teaching that Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully man. 00:06:29.759 --> 00:06:34.399 These counsels affirm that Christ is one person, not two persons. 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:46.879 They rejected the teaching of Nestorius, affirming that Jesus' two natures are, and I quote, united without confusion, without change, without division, and without separation. 00:06:47.040 --> 00:06:48.480 Now, why is that a big deal? 00:06:48.639 --> 00:06:53.600 Well, this affirmation of biblical teaching protects the biblical gospel. 00:06:53.759 --> 00:06:59.680 In other words, if Jesus was not fully God, then he would be insufficient to save. 00:06:59.920 --> 00:07:03.839 But if he wasn't fully man, then he can't die for humanity's sins. 00:07:03.920 --> 00:07:09.120 He has to be both fully God and fully man, or salvation is incomplete. 00:07:10.240 --> 00:07:12.399 A little more modern council. 00:07:12.639 --> 00:07:16.319 In 1643, the Westminster Assembly met. 00:07:16.800 --> 00:07:23.199 And over several years, this council defined key doctrines of Protestant theology. 00:07:23.439 --> 00:07:31.439 They gave us the Westminster Confession of Faith, and it has become one of the most comprehensive statements of faith in our Protestant tradition. 00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:35.199 If you're unfamiliar with it, I'd encourage you to go read it sometime. 00:07:35.680 --> 00:07:50.720 And then a little more recent, much more recent, from 1643, in 1978, a group of Bible-believing evangelical pastors and scholars and theologians got together in the city of Chicago. 00:07:51.600 --> 00:07:55.680 And the purpose then was to address the idea of inerrancy. 00:07:56.000 --> 00:08:08.000 There were a lot in the Western Church, it started in Europe and it made its way across the Atlantic, that were arguing against inerrancy, that the Bible is not inspired nor is it inerrant. 00:08:08.480 --> 00:08:11.199 And all of a sudden now the Bible becomes subjective. 00:08:11.279 --> 00:08:14.319 It's what you want it to say, not what God wants it to say. 00:08:14.560 --> 00:08:30.720 And so in 1978, the Chicago Statement of Biblical inerrancy affirmed this, and I quote, the Bible is the word of God, and because God is its ultimate author, it is completely truthful and without error in everything it affirms. 00:08:30.879 --> 00:08:31.680 End quote. 00:08:31.839 --> 00:08:40.559 They affirm that the Bible by each word is inspired and inerted, and each thought is, meaning what God's word says about history is correct. 00:08:40.720 --> 00:08:45.440 What it says about geography or science or whatever else it may be is correct. 00:08:45.519 --> 00:08:49.360 It's inspired and in error and a pretty big deal. 00:08:49.679 --> 00:09:01.440 So these are some of the councils that have met over the past 2,000 years to carefully clarify what God's word says about very important doctrines. 00:09:02.480 --> 00:09:11.440 Now, as important as each of these that I have shared with you were, the most important council that ever met was the very first one. 00:09:12.799 --> 00:09:19.360 And the very first council that met is recorded and given to us in Acts chapter 15. 00:09:19.759 --> 00:09:21.679 The Jerusalem Council. 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:27.200 That's why I shared with you these other things to get us back to Acts chapter 15. 00:09:27.679 --> 00:09:38.559 In the year 50, AD 50, the church met to answer this question: Are we saved by grace or are we saved by works? 00:09:39.840 --> 00:09:45.600 So just a few years into the existence of the church, remember Jesus died when he was roughly 33. 00:09:45.759 --> 00:09:53.679 So here we are 17 years later, and the church is having to answer the most important question that it would ever have to answer. 00:09:53.919 --> 00:09:56.879 Are we saved by grace or are we saved by works? 00:09:57.039 --> 00:09:58.559 So let me just give you a little bit of background. 00:09:58.639 --> 00:09:59.600 How do we get here? 00:09:59.840 --> 00:10:07.440 Remember Acts chapter 14, as we we concluded last week, Paul and Barnabas and that first missionary team, they've returned from the field. 00:10:07.600 --> 00:10:10.480 They're back home in Antioch of Syria. 00:10:10.559 --> 00:10:14.080 They're taking some time off to rest and to recuperate. 00:10:14.240 --> 00:10:18.159 They've seen God move in a mighty, mighty way among the Gentiles. 00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:27.440 First on the island of Cyprus, remember that, and then in the in the city of Antioch and Pisidia, and then in Iconium, and then in Lystra, and then in Derby. 00:10:27.600 --> 00:10:31.840 God's doing a phenomenal work among the Gentile people. 00:10:32.159 --> 00:10:34.559 And they're back home and they're celebrating this. 00:10:34.720 --> 00:10:36.000 They're encouraging one another. 00:10:36.399 --> 00:10:38.639 They're growing together in their faith. 00:10:38.879 --> 00:10:50.320 And then all of a sudden, some folks from Jerusalem decide they're making their way north, and they begin to teach something that is foreign to the church. 00:10:50.559 --> 00:10:53.360 Look with me in verses one and five to begin with. 00:10:53.519 --> 00:10:54.879 Look what we read here. 00:10:55.360 --> 00:10:58.399 In chapter one of Acts 15, we read this. 00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:12.320 Some men came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers, unless you are circumcised according to the custom prescribed by Moses, you cannot be saved. 00:11:12.799 --> 00:11:25.759 And then in verse 5, but some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses. 00:11:26.159 --> 00:11:43.519 And so these individuals who were once Pharisees, who'd placed their faith in Christ, they're commonly referred to as Judaizers, they were arguing that in order for a Gentile to be saved, that Gentile had to adhere to Mosaic law first. 00:11:43.679 --> 00:11:50.000 They had to commit themselves to the Mosaic law, and then they could be saved. 00:11:50.720 --> 00:11:59.600 If you and I were to express this idea with an equation, it would read like this Jesus plus the Mosaic law equals salvation. 00:11:59.840 --> 00:12:05.919 Or I guess from your perspective, going left to right, Jesus plus the Mosaic law equals salvation. 00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:06.399 All right? 00:12:06.799 --> 00:12:09.600 That's how it would be expressed in an equation. 00:12:10.159 --> 00:12:14.080 And unfortunately, that very same idea still exists today. 00:12:14.320 --> 00:12:15.919 Let me give you some examples. 00:12:16.159 --> 00:12:23.759 The Roman Catholic Church believes that it's Jesus plus keeping the seven sacraments equals salvation. 00:12:24.000 --> 00:12:29.360 Some believe it's Jesus plus baptism equals salvation. 00:12:29.600 --> 00:12:35.120 Others believe it's Jesus plus morality equals salvation. 00:12:36.320 --> 00:12:38.320 Church family, listen carefully. 00:12:38.720 --> 00:12:46.879 Anything that adds to or takes away from the finished work of Christ amounts to heresy and a false gospel. 00:12:48.240 --> 00:12:51.120 And that was decided in the year 50. 00:12:53.679 --> 00:12:56.799 Matter of fact, Paul would later write a whole book on it. 00:12:56.960 --> 00:12:58.879 It's called the Book of Galatians. 00:12:59.120 --> 00:13:04.639 He had to address this very same thing to the churches of Galatia just a few years later. 00:13:05.360 --> 00:13:13.919 So, in response to this teaching in verse 2, here's what we read: Paul and Barnabas had engaged them in serious argument and debate. 00:13:14.639 --> 00:13:21.919 Paul and Barnabas and some others were appointed to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem about this issue. 00:13:23.279 --> 00:13:26.000 Paul and Barnabas would not give an inch. 00:13:26.639 --> 00:13:28.240 And neither should we. 00:13:29.039 --> 00:13:31.919 Perhaps there are some issues in Scripture. 00:13:32.159 --> 00:13:43.279 I'm a fairly black and white guy, so I don't even know if I agree with this statement I'm making, but maybe there are some issues in Scripture that allows for some wiggle room, but this isn't one of them. 00:13:43.759 --> 00:13:47.039 There's no wiggle room for this in Scripture. 00:13:47.360 --> 00:13:57.279 Paul and Barnabas understood that this teaching was deadly to the gospel, and it would empty the gospel of its power, and we should understand that too. 00:13:57.440 --> 00:14:04.720 Again, anything that adds to or takes away from the finished work of Christ diminishes the work of Christ. 00:14:05.039 --> 00:14:06.320 Whatever it is. 00:14:07.200 --> 00:14:14.960 In verses 6 through 21, Paul and Barnabas are sent to Jerusalem along with some other folks. 00:14:15.039 --> 00:14:19.679 And they were sent there to bring this issue before the apostles and the elders. 00:14:19.840 --> 00:14:20.879 Look at verse 6. 00:14:21.120 --> 00:14:24.320 Those are the that's the established leadership of the church. 00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:25.840 And they're going to talk through this. 00:14:25.919 --> 00:14:30.240 They're going to gather and they're going to debate back and forth this issue. 00:14:30.399 --> 00:14:31.519 Now look at verse 7. 00:14:31.679 --> 00:14:38.399 After there had been much debate, it says Peter stood up and said to them. 00:14:47.440 --> 00:14:49.279 And then Peter stands up. 00:14:49.440 --> 00:14:59.600 And if you read through there, Peter reminds the church of how God used him early on, how God used him to take the gospel to the Gentiles. 00:14:59.759 --> 00:15:00.879 And you remember the story. 00:15:00.960 --> 00:15:06.399 In Acts chapter 10, the Holy Spirit impressed upon Peter to go to the city of Caesarea. 00:15:07.120 --> 00:15:12.720 And in the city of Caesarea, God was doing a work in the heart of a man named Cornelius. 00:15:12.960 --> 00:15:19.679 And the same Holy Spirit had sent, had told him to send someone to Joppa and ask for Peter to come. 00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:21.759 He has something I want you to hear. 00:15:21.919 --> 00:15:25.279 And so God's working on both ends of this spectrum. 00:15:25.360 --> 00:15:28.159 He's working in Peter's life, he's working in Cornelius' life. 00:15:28.240 --> 00:15:31.840 And remember, Cornelius was a soldier in the Roman army. 00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:35.919 He was the centurion of the Italian regiment. 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:40.000 In other words, he was one of the most highly decorated soldiers in the Roman army. 00:15:40.159 --> 00:15:41.600 He was a Gentile. 00:15:41.919 --> 00:15:45.840 And in Acts chapter 10, here's what we read. 00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:55.360 While Peter was still speaking these words, he's sharing a very simple gospel message with Cornelius, his family, and those friends that he's invited. 00:15:55.600 --> 00:16:02.320 It says, while he was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came down on all those who heard the message. 00:16:02.559 --> 00:16:15.440 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and declaring the greatness of God. 00:16:15.679 --> 00:16:24.720 Then Peter responded, Can anyone withhold water and prevent these people from being baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? 00:16:25.360 --> 00:16:28.320 He commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus. 00:16:28.559 --> 00:16:31.200 Then they asked him to stay for a few days. 00:16:31.440 --> 00:16:43.759 And as you read the text, we understand that Cornelius and his family and those friends of the invited all placed their faith and trust in Christ, were subsequently baptized as a follower of Christ. 00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:48.399 And God began to do a work among the Gentile people. 00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:51.759 And so we come back to Acts chapter 15. 00:16:52.559 --> 00:17:07.440 And in verses 8 and 9, Peter says to this group meeting in Jerusalem, he says that God made no distinction between the Gentiles and us, cleansing their hearts by faith. 00:17:07.680 --> 00:17:10.640 And then he asks a very important question. 00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:19.119 Why are you testing God by putting a yoke on the disciples' necks that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? 00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:21.039 Peter asked a logical question. 00:17:21.119 --> 00:17:30.640 Hey guys, why are we placing demands on these Gentiles that you and I haven't even been able to hold on to? 00:17:30.799 --> 00:17:34.000 Remember the history of the Israel, the Israelite people. 00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:37.519 God gave them the Mosaic law. 00:17:37.680 --> 00:17:41.519 And yet, over and over they continually failed to keep it. 00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:47.200 Matter of fact, Jesus addressed the Pharisees for the very same thing in the Gospels. 00:17:47.359 --> 00:17:49.039 And Peter says, time out here. 00:17:49.119 --> 00:17:54.799 Why are we demanding of them something that we haven't even been able to do ourselves? 00:17:55.440 --> 00:17:57.359 Church family, listen carefully to me. 00:17:57.599 --> 00:18:01.680 That's the essence of religious legalism. 00:18:02.640 --> 00:18:17.519 We require people to do certain things or to abstain from certain things to be saved, even though those who are demanding it can't accomplish those things they are demanding others to accomplish. 00:18:18.079 --> 00:18:23.680 We put a yoke, we put a burden on people's shoulders that none of us can even carry. 00:18:24.960 --> 00:18:26.160 Listen carefully to me. 00:18:26.319 --> 00:18:30.880 Religious legalism ultimately damns us to eternal condemnation. 00:18:31.039 --> 00:18:36.400 It steals our joy, it removes our freedom, it exhausts our hearts, our minds, and our bodies. 00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:41.279 It offers no hope because no one can meet its expectations. 00:18:41.599 --> 00:18:43.039 That's the reality. 00:18:43.519 --> 00:18:52.319 When we place expectations on people that have to be met in order for them to be saved, nobody can live up to that. 00:18:52.480 --> 00:18:53.920 Not one single person. 00:18:54.640 --> 00:18:55.279 No one. 00:21:01.599 --> 00:21:03.839 Look from Ephesians 2, verses 8 and 9. 00:21:03.920 --> 00:21:05.359 Look what we read. 00:21:05.680 --> 00:21:11.119 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this not from yourselves. 00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:12.400 It is God's gift. 00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:13.839 Look what happens next. 00:21:14.000 --> 00:21:14.880 What comes next? 00:21:15.119 --> 00:21:19.440 Not from works, so that no one can boast. 00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:30.640 And then in 2 Timothy 1 and verse 9, he has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but what? 00:21:30.799 --> 00:21:34.480 According to his own purpose and grace. 00:21:34.960 --> 00:21:37.920 And then Titus 3, verses 4 through 7. 00:21:38.640 --> 00:21:44.799 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us. 00:21:45.359 --> 00:21:55.920 Not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. 00:21:56.240 --> 00:21:59.519 He poured out his Spirit on us abundantly through Jesus Christ. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:09.839 Our Savior, so that having been justified by his grace, we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life. 00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:21.759 And so in AD 50, that council in Jerusalem met and they laid down, they drew a line in the sand and said, We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. 00:22:22.640 --> 00:22:30.559 Not of any works that we might do, not of anything we might abstain from doing, but simply by God's grace. 00:22:30.799 --> 00:22:36.079 Now, James goes one step further, and it's interesting what he does here. 00:22:36.319 --> 00:22:49.039 In verses 20 and 21, he does admonish these Gentile believers to abstain from certain practices that were common in pagan worship. 00:22:49.200 --> 00:22:50.720 Look what he says here. 00:22:50.960 --> 00:23:01.759 He says, But instead we should write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from eating anything that has been strangled, and from blood. 00:23:02.400 --> 00:23:08.480 James addresses practices that had been common in pagan worship for many, many centuries. 00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:11.440 It was a part of pagan tradition. 00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:19.680 And these practices the Jews had long known and understood were outside of God's moral boundaries. 00:23:19.839 --> 00:23:25.279 I hope you know today that God's moral boundaries are still relevant and applicable to you and me. 00:23:25.519 --> 00:23:30.720 They're not outdated, they're not old-fashioned, they're important for us. 00:23:31.440 --> 00:23:33.599 Now, these practices, what does he say here? 00:23:33.680 --> 00:23:37.839 These practices included idol worship, sexual immorality. 00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:43.200 And when the Bible uses the phrase sexual immorality, I want you to know that's an all-encompassing term. 00:23:43.519 --> 00:23:52.640 If you study Leviticus 18 and Leviticus chapter 20, it includes adultery and promiscuity, homosexuality, incest, bestiality, pedophilia. 00:23:52.799 --> 00:23:55.839 All of those things are included under that umbrella. 00:23:56.319 --> 00:24:06.319 And so James says, avoid idol worship, avoid sexual immorality, avoid incorporating the blood of animals in your worship. 00:24:06.559 --> 00:24:12.240 You see, all of those things were very common in pagan religious practices 2,000 years ago. 00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:13.759 And are you ready for this? 00:24:13.920 --> 00:24:19.279 Those same things remain common in many pagan religions today around the world. 00:24:19.519 --> 00:24:24.319 Some of these same things are very common in parts of the world today. 00:24:24.559 --> 00:24:33.279 Now, the admonition that James offers to those Gentile believers rings true for you and me today. 00:24:33.519 --> 00:24:46.000 Now, you and I may not have been saved out of some gross pagan religious tradition, but you and I are, however, all of us are new creations in Christ. 00:24:46.079 --> 00:24:47.519 And why is that important? 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:50.559 Because we've died to our old way of life. 00:24:50.720 --> 00:24:52.799 We've died to our old way of thinking. 00:24:52.880 --> 00:24:54.880 We've died to our old way of living. 00:24:55.039 --> 00:24:56.720 All things are new in Christ. 00:24:57.279 --> 00:24:59.359 We have left the old ways behind. 00:24:59.519 --> 00:25:05.519 Whatever that looked like for you and me, we have left our old way of thinking behind, and all things are new. 00:25:05.839 --> 00:25:07.759 We are transformed in Christ. 00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:15.839 And in the same way James was saying to these Gentiles, don't return to those pagan practices that God redeemed you out of. 00:25:16.079 --> 00:25:20.880 He says to you and me today, don't return to those things that I redeemed you out of. 00:25:20.960 --> 00:25:22.559 Whatever those things are. 00:25:23.279 --> 00:25:31.759 Maybe it wasn't as severe as some of this language, but nonetheless, it's every bit as lost and unredeemed. 00:25:32.480 --> 00:25:36.000 So the Bible admonishes us not to go back to those things. 00:25:36.319 --> 00:25:37.920 We are new creations in Christ. 00:25:38.079 --> 00:25:44.880 Church family, be reminded that our goal is to become more and more like I, like Christ is. 00:27:50.160 --> 00:27:54.079 God's moral law hasn't disappeared, it hasn't gone away. 00:27:56.720 --> 00:27:59.759 And then we come to verses 22 through 29. 00:28:01.359 --> 00:28:10.079 And so all the apostles and the elders, they chose some men to accompany Paul and Barnabas back to Antioch with a letter. 00:28:10.319 --> 00:28:13.759 And a letter that basically says what we've already looked at. 00:28:13.920 --> 00:28:26.000 Listen, you are saved by grace, but we do want to encourage you to abstain from these practices that were common for you as a Gentile pagan and avoid those things. 00:28:27.839 --> 00:28:29.759 And then we get to verse 30. 00:28:31.279 --> 00:28:37.359 They take the letter to the church in Antioch and they read the letter, and notice what it says. 00:28:37.519 --> 00:28:40.799 They rejoiced because of its encouragement. 00:28:42.720 --> 00:28:47.599 They encouraged the brothers and sisters and strengthened them with a long message. 00:28:47.759 --> 00:28:53.680 And so in these verses, we find the church encouraged with the outcome of this council. 00:28:54.000 --> 00:29:03.279 Can you imagine the relief these Gentiles felt when the elders and the apostles from Jerusalem said to them, Listen, you are saved by grace alone. 00:29:03.920 --> 00:29:06.480 You don't have to become Jewish in essence. 00:29:06.559 --> 00:29:09.359 You don't have to follow the Mosaic law to be saved. 00:29:09.519 --> 00:29:11.039 You're saved by grace. 00:29:11.200 --> 00:29:16.000 Take a deep breath and just and rest in God's grace. 00:29:16.240 --> 00:29:18.319 They were encouraged by that. 00:29:18.640 --> 00:29:22.720 But we also see the church united around the gospel of grace. 00:29:22.960 --> 00:29:25.359 They're united in this principle. 00:29:25.920 --> 00:29:28.559 And that same principle rings true today. 00:29:28.720 --> 00:29:33.839 So that's Acts chapter 15 in a real quick summary fashion. 00:29:34.000 --> 00:29:35.599 Now look with me on the back of your bulletin. 00:29:35.759 --> 00:29:38.559 Here, five takeaways I want to leave with you this morning. 00:29:39.680 --> 00:29:45.200 Five, hopefully, encouragements from Acts chapter 15. 00:29:48.640 --> 00:29:49.920 Here's the first. 00:29:50.240 --> 00:29:52.480 You've heard me say this several times already. 00:29:52.799 --> 00:29:57.519 Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. 00:29:58.640 --> 00:30:07.519 Maybe you're here today and you come from a tradition that says Jesus plus, and you fill in the blank, equals salvation. 00:30:08.400 --> 00:30:11.119 I want to remove that burden from you. 00:30:11.359 --> 00:30:15.359 It's not Jesus plus anything, it is Jesus alone. 00:30:16.480 --> 00:30:28.480 So if you've been told you have to wear a certain style dress or wear your hair in a certain way, or read a certain Bible, or accomplish these things, or do these things, or abstain from these things to be saved, here's the answer. 00:30:28.640 --> 00:30:30.079 No, you don't. 00:30:30.960 --> 00:30:38.799 Now, as a new creation in Christ, God's going to work some things out, absolutely, but none of that is necessary to be saved. 00:30:40.240 --> 00:30:51.920 Number two, the gospel must be protected from any additions or subtractions that undermine its sufficiency. 00:30:52.079 --> 00:30:59.440 We have to be careful, even in our culture today, that we're not adding to or taking away from the simple gospel. 00:31:00.319 --> 00:31:02.559 We got to be careful we don't do that. 00:31:03.119 --> 00:31:07.440 And it's a tendency for all of us to do that because we are wired this way. 00:31:07.599 --> 00:31:14.480 We are wired that if I work in a certain manner or perform in a certain manner, there'll be a reward. 00:31:14.880 --> 00:31:15.200 Right? 00:31:15.359 --> 00:31:18.079 Every one of our paychecks depends on that, doesn't it? 00:31:18.240 --> 00:31:22.079 Hey, I have a certain set of expectations my employer has. 00:31:22.240 --> 00:31:24.640 If I meet those expectations, I get a paycheck. 00:31:24.720 --> 00:31:27.440 If I don't meet those expectations, I get a pink slip. 00:31:27.599 --> 00:31:28.079 Right? 00:31:28.400 --> 00:31:30.559 So we're wired to think that way. 00:31:30.720 --> 00:31:35.119 And unfortunately, we think that way a lot of times with our Savior. 00:31:35.519 --> 00:31:37.119 But that's not how it works. 00:31:37.359 --> 00:31:44.880 Number three, God's plan of redemption includes people from every nation, tribe, and language. 00:31:44.960 --> 00:31:49.279 We've seen that many, many times in the book of Acts so far, and we'll continue to see it. 00:31:49.599 --> 00:31:51.200 Don't lose sight of that. 00:31:51.759 --> 00:31:55.599 The gospel is not for any particular people, it's for all people. 00:31:56.480 --> 00:32:05.839 Number four, our freedom in Christ does not give us the liberty to live in disobedience to God's moral laws. 00:32:06.640 --> 00:32:09.839 We're not saved by obedience to those. 00:32:10.960 --> 00:32:16.480 But as a new creation in Christ, we want to obey the Lord. 00:32:16.640 --> 00:32:23.279 And then finally, a healthy church pursues unity around biblical truth. 00:32:23.519 --> 00:32:29.599 The early church, they met, they came together, they drew a line in the sand, and they were united in that. 00:32:30.240 --> 00:32:33.359 They were united around biblical truth. 00:32:33.839 --> 00:32:35.200 Let's pray together this morning. 00:32:35.359 --> 00:32:37.759 Lord Jesus, thank you for this day that you've given us. 00:32:37.920 --> 00:32:41.519 Lord, I want to thank you for the Jerusalem Council. 00:32:41.599 --> 00:32:46.960 I want to thank you that it settled the issue, that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone. 00:32:47.119 --> 00:32:52.559 It's not of any works that we might do or anything we may abstain from doing. 00:32:53.440 --> 00:32:55.279 We are saved by grace. 00:32:56.799 --> 00:33:09.359 And Father God, I humbly ask and pray if there's any individual here this morning that's never placed their faith and trust in Christ, Lord, I'm asking that today you would grab hold of their heart and their mind and draw them to Jesus. 00:33:12.240 --> 00:33:18.160 Lord, make them keenly aware of their sin and their need of Jesus. 00:33:19.680 --> 00:33:37.759 And Father God, for those of us who know Christ as Savior, would you continue to mold us and shape us and fashion us into the men and women that you have created us and gifted us and redeemed us to be as your children, as your ambassadors to the nations. 00:33:38.880 --> 00:33:40.880 Father God, we invite you to move. 00:33:41.039 --> 00:33:46.799 We invite you to work in ways that only you can, only for your glory. 00:33:47.440 --> 00:33:49.359 And it's in Jesus' name we pray. 00:33:49.839 --> 00:33:50.160 Amen.