Bible ReadingActs 15:1-35 “But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.’ And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, ‘It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.’ The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, ‘Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.’ And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. After they finished speaking, James replied, ‘Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written, “After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.” Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.’ Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, with the following letter: ‘The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.’ So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.”
[06:49] [07:33] [07:40] [11:27] [12:43] [12:50] [17:20] [24:21] [25:15]Amos 9:11-12 “‘In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old, that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by my name,’ declares the LORD who does this.”
[17:20]Philippians 3:7-8 “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ”
Observation questions- In Acts 15, what exactly were some believers saying Gentiles had to do in order to be saved? [07:40]
- What reasons does Peter give for saying God had already accepted the Gentiles? What phrases stand out in his speech? [12:50]
- James gives four instructions to Gentile believers. What are those four things, and what area of life do most of them seem connected to? [19:09]
- How did the believers in Antioch respond when the letter from Jerusalem was read to them? [25:15]
Interpretation questions- Peter says God “made no distinction” and “cleansed their hearts by faith.” What does that reveal about how a person is accepted by God, and why would that have been so hard for the early church to fully embrace? [12:50]
- Peter calls the law a yoke that neither they nor their ancestors could bear. Why would putting that yoke on Gentile believers be more than a small extra requirement? What would it communicate about Jesus? [13:11]
- James roots Gentile inclusion in Amos instead of treating it like a special exception. How does that shape the way the church should think about people who seem outside the usual boundaries? [17:20]
- The four instructions in Acts 15 were not given as fine print for salvation, but as guidance for shared life. How does that help explain the difference between earning a seat at the table and learning how to love people once seated there? [20:35]
Application questions- Hidden rubrics show up so easily in everyday life. Where is the temptation strongest right now to make up a test for yourself or for other people—church involvement, spiritual maturity, background, personality, politics, family life, or something else? [02:22]
- Grace means God is not waiting for a cleaned-up future version of anyone. Is there any part of life where someone has been saying, “I’ll come to God when I get this together”? What would it look like to stop delaying and come honestly now? [29:59]
- “Jesus plus something else” can sound religious, but it still puts weight on people that grace does not. What are some modern versions of “Jesus plus” that people quietly believe today? Which ones feel most believable in this group’s church background or personal story? [26:34]
- The table reveals whether grace is really shaping a community. Where might someone need to lay down a preference, habit, or assumption so that another believer is not pushed to the edges? [21:47]
- Good news makes people free, not anxious. When someone thinks about their relationship with God, what tends to rise first—joy, relief, fear, pressure, or constant proving? What might that reveal about what they believe grace to be? [25:34]
- A strong religious resume cannot save. If someone were tempted to measure spiritual worth by attendance, serving, giving, Bible knowledge, or reputation, how could Philippians 3 help expose that? [28:05]
- Grace gets a person in the door for free, and Jesus is still Lord. What is the difference between receiving grace freely and using grace as an excuse to avoid surrender? Where might Jesus be calling for real obedience now? [31:55]
