Bible Reading
Acts 15:1-35 “Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: 'Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.' This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them. Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, 'The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.' The apostles and elders met to consider this question. After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: 'Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.' The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. When they finished, James spoke up. 'Brothers,' he said, 'listen to me. Simon has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles. The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written: ‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things’— things known from long ago. It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.' Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers. With them they sent the following letter: The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings. We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Paul and Barnabas— men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell. So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers. After spending some time there, they were sent off by the believers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them. But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.”
[31:35]Deuteronomy 6:10-12 “When the Lord your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.”
[26:50]Ephesians 4:11-12 “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up”
[41:44]Observation questions
- In Deuteronomy 6:10–12, what has Israel received without producing it, and what danger does Moses warn them about as they enjoy those gifts?
- In Acts 15:1–21, what question about belonging divides the church, and what do Peter, Paul and Barnabas, and James each contribute toward resolving it? [33:10]
- After reaching a decision in Acts 15, how does the church communicate it and help the Gentile believers receive it? [34:24]
- According to Ephesians 4:11–12, what are leaders meant to help God’s people do, and how does this extend ministry beyond people with official roles? [42:04]
Interpretation questions
- How does Moses’ warning against forgetting God help explain why receiving an inheritance should lead to gratitude rather than a sense of entitlement? [28:51]
- In Acts 15, why does James bring Scripture into the discussion after the church hears accounts of God’s work? What might a church miss if it listens only to personal experience—or refuses to listen to experience at all? [36:33]
- How does the church’s response in Acts 15 hold patient listening together with responsibility for making a decision? What distinguishes that approach from either imposing an answer or avoiding a difficult decision? [34:34]
- In light of Ephesians 4:11–12, what is the difference between leaders doing ministry for everyone and leaders helping others become ready to serve? How can clear responsibilities support the second approach? [40:59]
Application questions
- What have you received through a Christian community that you could not have provided for yourself? Who helped make that gift possible, and how might you express your gratitude? [47:30]
- When have you found yourself measuring church mainly by what you get out of it? How might remembering God’s freely given grace change your expectations without making service another way to earn your place? [48:49]
- Think of a decision you are helping make in your family, small group, or church. Whose perspective might you be missing, and how could you make room for that voice while keeping Scripture central? [37:08]
- Are there familiar customs or unspoken expectations in our community that might make it harder for a newcomer to participate? How could we examine one of those together and distinguish a biblical conviction from a personal preference? [37:38]
- What gift or skill might you offer to help someone else grow or experience God’s love? What support or clarity would help you take a manageable next step? [42:11]
- What is one “well” in our community that needs tending or repairing—or one new “well” that could serve children, neighbors, or people not yet here? What part might you be able to play, even if you never see the results or receive thanks? [45:25]
