Embracing Growth Through Honest Reflection and Grace
Summary
Life is full of moments when things go wrong, and often, we only review or reflect when there’s been a failure or crisis. But there’s a different kind of review—a “preview”—where we intentionally look back, not just to find faults, but to discern how God has been at work, who we are now, and where He might be leading us. This process is not just about celebrating strengths, but also about honestly naming our blind spots, those areas we tend to ignore because they’re uncomfortable or might threaten our sense of community. True growth requires the courage to hold up a mirror, to see ourselves clearly, and to be willing to adjust what needs changing.
The early church faced a similar moment of self-examination in Acts 15. As Gentiles began to follow Jesus, some Jewish believers insisted that these new Christians must adopt Jewish practices, like circumcision, to truly belong. This sparked a deep and sometimes difficult conversation about identity, salvation, and practice. The apostles and elders gathered in Jerusalem to listen, discern, and seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Peter reminded them that God’s acceptance was shown by the gift of the Holy Spirit, not by outward rituals. Salvation, he said, comes by the undeserved grace of Jesus, not by our own efforts or traditions.
James, leading the Jerusalem church, then addressed the practical question: what should the behavior of these new believers look like? He drew from the ancient law, not to burden the Gentiles, but to help them leave behind practices tied to their old lives and to honor their new identity in Christ. The process was not about rigidly enforcing rules, but about listening, discerning, and holding onto what truly matters while letting go of what no longer serves.
This example calls us to a similar posture. We are invited to listen deeply—to God, to one another, and to the Spirit’s prompting. We must be willing to ask hard questions, to name what is good, but also to face what needs attention, even if it’s uncomfortable. Like the strip of grass by the fence, unattended issues can grow and become dangerous if ignored. So, we pray, “Holy Spirit, how should I answer this question?” and trust that God will speak, sometimes in surprising ways, as we seek to be a community shaped by grace, truth, and love.
Key Takeaways
- True self-examination requires both honesty and humility. It’s easy to focus only on what’s going well, but spiritual maturity means being willing to look at our blind spots—the areas we’d rather ignore. This kind of reflection is not about self-condemnation, but about opening ourselves to the Spirit’s gentle correction and the possibility of real transformation. [06:37]
- The early church’s struggle over circumcision was not just about a ritual, but about the deeper question of what truly marks us as God’s people. Peter’s insight was that the evidence of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life is the true sign of belonging, not external conformity. This challenges us to look beyond surface-level markers and to value the work of God within each person. [18:58]
- Grace, not rule-keeping, is the foundation of our relationship with God. Peter’s declaration that “we are saved by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus” is a radical reminder that our standing before God is not earned. This frees us from the burden of performance and invites us to rest in what Christ has done, while also extending that same grace to others. [18:58]
- Discernment in community is a dynamic, Spirit-led process. The Jerusalem Council modeled a way of listening, debating, and seeking consensus that was rooted in both Scripture and the present work of the Spirit. This teaches us that faithful decision-making involves both honoring the past and being open to new movements of God, holding tradition and innovation in creative tension. [23:26]
- Unattended issues, no matter how small, can become destructive if left unchecked. The image of the overgrown grass by the fence is a warning: what we ignore because it seems minor or uncomfortable can eventually threaten the health of the whole community. Regular, Spirit-guided reflection and honest conversation are essential for maintaining a healthy, vibrant church. [31:56]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[03:08] - Lessons from Disasters: The Value of Review
[04:28] - The Power of Listening and Openness
[06:37] - Holding Up the Mirror: Facing Blind Spots
[10:27] - Acts 15: The Early Church’s Dilemma
[12:34] - Three Core Issues: Salvation, Identity, Practice
[15:10] - The Pharisees’ Perspective and the Question of Tradition
[16:46] - Letting Go and Holding On: Peter’s Challenge
[17:24] - Peter’s Testimony: The Holy Spirit as the True Mark
[18:58] - Grace Over Ritual: Salvation Redefined
[21:17] - James’ Wisdom: Practical Guidance for New Believers
[23:26] - Returning to the Law: What to Keep, What to Release
[26:03] - The Significance of Blood and Sacrifice
[30:40] - Celebrating God’s Work in Our Community
[31:56] - The Overgrown Grass: The Danger of Ignoring Issues
[34:43] - Preparing for Honest Reflection Together
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: Holding Up the Mirror (Acts 15 & Self-Examination)
---
### Bible Reading
- Acts 15:1-21
(The Jerusalem Council: The early church debates whether Gentile believers must follow Jewish customs, especially circumcision. Peter and James speak about salvation by grace and the marks of true belonging.)
- Leviticus 17:10-12
(The law about not consuming blood, referenced by James as he gives practical guidance to new believers.)
---
### Observation Questions
1. In Acts 15, what was the main issue that caused disagreement among the early believers? What were the different sides of the argument?
[[10:27]]
2. According to Peter’s speech, what is the true sign that someone belongs to God’s people?
[[17:24]]
3. What four practical instructions did James give to the Gentile believers, and where did he get these from?
[[23:26]]
4. In the sermon, what image was used to describe the danger of ignoring small issues in the church?
[[31:56]]
---
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think some Jewish believers wanted Gentile Christians to be circumcised and follow the law of Moses? What was at stake for them?
[[12:34]]
2. Peter says, “We believe that all are saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.” How does this challenge the idea that we need to earn our place in God’s family?
[[18:58]]
3. James chose certain practices from the Jewish law for the Gentile believers to follow, but not others. What does this tell us about how the early church balanced tradition and new ways of following Jesus?
[[23:26]]
4. The sermon talks about “blind spots” in our lives and church. Why is it hard to name or address these areas, and what might happen if we don’t?
[[06:37]]
---
### Application Questions
1. The early church had to face uncomfortable questions about identity and practice. Are there any “hard questions” or blind spots in your own life or in our church community that you tend to avoid? What keeps you from addressing them?
[[06:37]]
2. Peter pointed to the evidence of the Holy Spirit as the true mark of belonging, not outward rituals. How can you tell if the Holy Spirit is at work in your life or in someone else’s? What are some signs you’ve seen?
[[18:58]]
3. The sermon used the image of overgrown grass by the fence to show how small, unattended issues can become dangerous. Can you think of a time when a small problem grew into something bigger because it was ignored? How could it have been handled differently?
[[31:56]]
4. The process in Acts 15 involved listening, honest conversation, and seeking the Spirit’s guidance. How can you practice deeper listening—to God, to others, and to yourself—when facing difficult topics?
[[04:28]]
5. The sermon encourages us to pray, “Holy Spirit, how should I answer this question?” Is this a prayer you find easy or difficult? Why? What might change if you made this a regular habit when facing decisions or self-reflection?
[[34:43]]
6. Grace, not rule-keeping, is the foundation of our relationship with God. Are there areas where you still feel pressure to “perform” or meet certain standards to be accepted by God or others? How can you rest more in God’s grace this week?
[[18:58]]
7. When you look in the “mirror” of your life or our church, what is one thing you see that needs adjusting? What is a first step you could take to address it?
[[06:37]]
---
Closing Prayer Suggestion:
Invite the group to pray, “Holy Spirit, how should I answer these questions?” and to listen quietly for a moment before sharing.
Devotional
Day 1: Holding Up the Mirror: Honest Self-Reflection
Just as looking in a mirror prompts us to adjust what we see, spiritual self-reflection calls us to honestly examine our lives and our church community. It is easy to overlook our blind spots or avoid difficult conversations for the sake of keeping peace, but true growth comes when we courageously name and address areas that need change. This process is not about criticism for its own sake, but about aligning ourselves more closely with God’s purposes and removing anything that hinders our witness or relationships. As we hold up the mirror, we are invited to ask: what needs to be wiped away, and what should remain, so that we reflect Christ more clearly? [09:30]
James 1:22-25 (ESV)
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
Reflection: What is one area in your life or in our church that you tend to overlook or avoid addressing? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal a specific “blind spot” and consider one step you can take to begin addressing it today.
Day 2: Listening and Discerning Together
Listening deeply to one another and to the Holy Spirit is essential for healthy community and spiritual growth. True discernment requires openness to perspectives that may challenge our own, and a willingness to believe that God can speak through others—even when it is uncomfortable or unexpected. By creating space for honest dialogue and expectant listening, we allow the Spirit to guide us into new understanding and unity, shaping us into a people who are responsive to God’s leading rather than stuck in our own preferences. [06:37]
Acts 15:6-9 (ESV)
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.”
Reflection: When was the last time you truly listened to someone with a different perspective? How can you make space today to listen for the Holy Spirit’s voice through others, even if it challenges your assumptions?
Day 3: Our Identity in Christ, Not in Tradition
The early church wrestled with questions of identity—what does it mean to belong to God’s people? Peter reminded the believers that the true mark of belonging is not external practices or traditions, but the presence of the Holy Spirit and the cleansing that comes through faith in Jesus. Our identity is rooted in God’s grace, not in our ability to keep rules or look a certain way. This truth frees us from striving and comparison, and calls us to welcome others as God has welcomed us. [18:58]
Acts 15:8-11 (ESV)
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.
Reflection: Are there ways you have measured your faith—or others’—by outward traditions or practices rather than by God’s grace? How can you rest more fully in your identity as one who is loved and accepted by Jesus?
Day 4: Discernment in Practice: What to Keep and What to Leave Behind
When faced with new situations, the early church had to discern which practices to hold onto and which to let go. James led the church to look back at Scripture and consider what was essential for faithfulness, especially in a diverse community. Some traditions were set aside, while others were kept because they reflected God’s heart and protected the community from harm. This process of discernment is ongoing for every church and believer, requiring humility, wisdom, and a willingness to change for the sake of the gospel. [23:26]
Acts 15:19-21 (ESV)
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.
Reflection: What is one tradition, habit, or practice—personal or communal—that you sense God may be inviting you to reconsider? How can you discern, with others, what to keep and what to release for the sake of faithfulness?
Day 5: Expectant Prayer and the Work of the Holy Spirit
As we reflect and prepare for change, we are invited to pray expectantly, asking the Holy Spirit to guide our thoughts and responses. Sometimes the Spirit’s leading comes as a surprising thought or a word from someone else; sometimes it is a gentle nudge to act or speak. By cultivating a posture of prayerful expectation, we open ourselves to God’s transforming work, trusting that He will lead us into greater unity, health, and mission as a church. [33:00]
Romans 8:26-27 (ESV)
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Reflection: Before you answer a challenging question or make a decision today, pause and pray: “Holy Spirit, how should I answer this?” Write down the first thought that comes to mind, and trust that God is at work in you.
Quotes
We need to be open, even expectant, that maybe someone is going to say something contrary to maybe what I'm thinking or maybe new to what I'm thinking, and that I've got to hold that and think about that. That God might just, in fact, be speaking to me about something that I need to adjust in my life, something we may need to adjust in our church. [00:06:46]
The reason what you were a why you were doing it was so that you would adjust something in line with what you saw. It'd be totally pointless if you walked up to the mirror and there was a great smudge of Vegemite still across your face and you looked at it went oh I'll leave that there he would wipe it away. [00:08:06]
The general gist is about identifying and naming those things that are of a concern in the life of a church where we're so busy being nice we often unconsciously choose to ignore hard or controversial things. It's the shadow side of when we say West Preston we love to be the community that values relationship more than being right because we will always side to try and preserve the relationship. [00:09:13]
Churches are naturally conflict avoidant places because we're all trying to be nice trying to love one another and that is one of the things that we need to obviously still want to be nice and loving and caring for everyone but we need to also next week maybe thinking about what are those things that we need to change change or adjust. [00:10:13]
There is a question about identity. What does a believer look like? What does a Christian look like? And this is an early church question. It's actually, it's still a question today. And there is a question about behaviour and practice. What things do you do? Now that you're a believer, what is in and what's out? Well, how do I, what do Christians do? [00:15:03]
God knows people's hearts and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith. So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentiles believers with the yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? We believe that all are saved the same way. I love this line. By the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus. [00:18:02]
When you're thinking about identity, what was the identifying characteristic? That the believers need to have. It was being filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit being evident in their lives. In Ephesians, Paul writing to the church says, when we become believers, the Holy Spirit enters us. [00:18:58]
This is the transformation this is the this is still is it's the big the big thing that our jewish believers need to come to terms with about under about the christian message of that salvation um being in right relationship with god comes from not what we do but what jesus has done for us. [00:20:24]
My judgment is, James talking, we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from eating food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from eating the meat of strangled animals, from consuming blood. For these laws of Moses have been preached in Jewish synagogues in every city, on every Sabbath, for many generations. [00:22:24]
The idea of life being in the blood is such an important thing. The fact that the blood, it was, the atonement of sins was gained by people bringing their sacrifices to the altar. Interesting, we used that song earlier, brought it to the altar. It was the sacrifice on the altar and the spilling of the blood that became the moment when their sins, if you like, were forgiven. [00:26:16]
That's why we have such a strong connection with Jesus dying on the cross and the spilling of his blood as an act of atonement it's this this same idea running through the scriptures and at this moment now so he's picked that and he's also sat there and said now you can't eat food that's offered to idols and basically saying listen you guys you've got all these practices you've come from all these different religions and some of them were you know Roman and Greek and some of the pagan rituals that linked eating food as part of their practices some of these sexual immorality that that was happening were part of their previous work part of the religious practices of the Roman Greek world and he's basically saying you can't do that anymore. [00:26:51]
The big point here I'm trying to make is it's not like we tend to sometimes read so black and white this is in that's out when we're trying to think through and and and this is what they had they were faced with a decision they how do we how should new believers from these other religious faith backgrounds look and behave and you can see in this example some of what they had they said not few and some but some of what they had said it's really important that you do follow because you are now believers in a God you are now believers in Jesus as God therefore you need to leave that idle stuff behind and the practices that work linked with those things behind there's a new thing happening. [00:27:51]
The whole Jerusalem this what they call the Jerusalem Council was about listening hearing discerning challenging finding what the Holy Spirit was saying and directing it's a great example of of a group of believers dealing with a difficult and controversial topic. [00:28:56]
How good is God? That's what's happening in the life of our church. There'll be moments next week when we will ask people to reflect what is good about our church. But there's also that question, what is it that we may need to think about, change or attend? [00:30:49]
They said, we need to do this. We need to ask this tough question, what needs to maybe be changed or attended to? And they had this picture. They said, it's like having a church, sitting in a beautiful building, sitting on a beautiful grounds, right? Imagine that. Everything's happening. It's going great in life. But there's a part of the church that sits near a fence. And the grass, there's a little strip of grass that runs down the side of the church. And because it's out of sight and out of mind, it grows and it grows and it grows and it dies and it gets dry. And then one day, someone comes along and they throw in a match. And the grass burns. And what burns next? And what burns next? The church. [00:31:24]
That's why we're doing what we need to do in thinking about holding up the mirror what do we see what Vegemite do we need to wipe away that's what we're doing going to be doing in that question next week. [00:32:35]
I want you to do this simple prayer first I want you to say Holy Spirit how should I answer this question Holy Spirit how should I answer this question so it's not just what you think it's what you think the Holy Spirit says and for some of you that might be like really weird like okay Holy Spirit how I'm meant to think like Tib told us last week don't dismiss the first thought that comes into your head sometimes the Holy Spirit goes yep boom and you go oh that's weird now I need a more sensible answer God don't do that whatever you get I suggest unless you've got a great memory write it down and then Have an expectation maybe that next week you'll hear somebody else talk about something exactly the same. That's how the Holy Spirit, one of the ways the Holy Spirit works. Many ways the Holy Spirit works, but it's one way. [00:33:17]
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