SESSION 9 The Message: Christ Alone Summary and Goal The church handled a heated disagreement about the nature of salvation for Gentiles. Were Gentiles saved by faith alone or must they enter into salvation through the path of obedience to the law first? The Jerusalem Council that was convened to answer this critical question offers us a good example of how to handle disputes in the church but also was vital in preserving the gospel message of Christ alone. Main Passage Acts 15:1-35 Session Outline 1. The Dispute: Jesus Alone vs. Jesus Plus (Acts 15:1-5) 2. The Discussion: Tradition vs. Scripture and Experience (Acts 15:6-21) 3. The Decision: Freedom and Love (Acts 15:22-35) Theological Theme The gospel announces that salvation is available by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Christ Connection The Jerusalem Council met to resolve a dispute in the early church: Was faith in Christ sufficient for salvation and inclusion into God s family or was something else needed? The early church s response affirmed the sufficiency of faith in Jesus for salvation. Because of His finished work on the cross, Jesus alone is all we need to be saved. Missional Application God calls us to proclaim the message that salvation is available through faith in Christ alone, not through additional obligations and works. Date of My Bible Study: 115 2017 LifeWay Christian Resources. Permission granted to reproduce and distribute within the license agreement with purchaser.
Session Plan The Message: Christ Alone For Further Discussion How can controversy and disagreement help the church come to a better understanding of the gospel? How has a challenge to your beliefs led you to gain confidence in the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus alone? Introduction Use the example from Saving Private Ryan to illustrate the struggle we have to feel like we need to earn the gift of salvation (leader 118; PSG p. 92). Why do some Christians struggle to accept that salvation is by grace alone and we don t need to do anything to earn it, whether before or after? Note how the early church struggled with the nature of salvation by grace in connection to the Gentiles. Then summarize the session (leader p. 119; PSG p. 93). 1. The Dispute: Jesus Alone vs. Jesus Plus (Acts 15:1-5) Using Pack Item 8: Paul s Life, recap Paul s first missionary journey, and set the context for the Jerusalem Council (leader p. 119), and then ask a volunteer to read Acts 15:1-5. State that the dispute began with some men teaching that circumcision and obedience to the law were necessary for salvation, contrary to Paul and Barnabas gospel and experience that Jesus alone was sufficient for salvation (leader pp. 119-120; PSG p. 93). Explain that Paul and Barnabas objected to the group s teachings for two probable reasons: First, requiring a Gentile to be circumcised would mean that they had to do something first to earn the right to be saved, which no one can do. Second, requiring circumcision of the Gentiles would be an added burden and hindrance to the gospel (leader p. 120; PSG pp. 93-94). What are some beliefs and traditions we can hold on to that may impede the gospel for others? The early church was proactive in dealing with a potential threat to the church s unity and mission. What lessons can we draw from their example? 116 Leader Guide
2. The Discussion: Tradition vs. Scripture and Experience (Acts 15:6-21) Read Acts 15:6-21. Highlight the testimonies of Peter and then Paul and Barnabas (for Peter s part of this Council, invite a group member to summarize Peter s vision and subsequent encounter with Cornelius, addressed in a previous session). Then focus on James affirmation of these testimonies as a fulfillment of Scripture (use Pack Item 2: Hearing the Old Testament in the New to help make this point), and follow up with his decision to write Gentile believers a letter affirming their faith in Christ and prohibiting some common Gentile activities for the sanctity and unity of the church (leader pp. 121-123; PSG pp. 95-96). What traditions have you had to set aside for the gospel? How were you able to do so? What are some of the dangers of relying only on our experiences to validate what God is doing? 3. The Decision: Freedom and Love (Acts 15:22-35) Read Acts 15:22-35. Mention how the letter rebuked the misguided Jewish Christians and affirmed the Gentile believers as members of God s family by faith in Christ alone (leader pp. 123-124; PSG p. 97). Explain the four requirements that the leaders had for the Gentile believers (leader p. 124), followed by the most likely reason why these four practices were singled out (leader pp. 124-125; PSG p. 98). 1) The Gentile believers were not to eat food offered to idols. 2) The Gentile believers were not to eat food with blood still in it or used as an ingredient. 3) The Gentile believers were not to eat anything that had been strangled. 4) The Gentile believers were to abstain from sexual immorality. What are some cultural practices today that are opposed to the gospel that we may need to clarify with new believers? What freedoms have you given up, or should you give up, out of love for others? Conclusion Establish that the Jerusalem Council provided an example for how we are to handle disputes that arise in the church today. But the Council s far greater gift was protection of the core message of the gospel salvation by faith in Christ alone (leader p. 125; PSG p. 99). Apply the truths of this session with His Mission, Your Mission (PSG p. 100). For Further Discussion Are Scripture and tradition necessarily opposed to one another? Why or why not? Point 3 Option Prior to the group meeting, enlist a volunteer to read the article What to Do with Creeds and Councils? https://www. thegospelcoalition.org/ article/what-to-do-withcreeds-and-councils Ask the volunteer to summarize briefly the article for the group. Then raise the following questions for discussion: Do you think the situation in Acts 15 with the Jerusalem Council gives precedent for the use of creeds and councils? Why or why not? How can creeds and councils be useful? How can they also be abused? Christ Connection: The Jerusalem Council met to resolve a dispute in the early church: Was faith in Christ sufficient for salvation and inclusion into God s family or was something else needed? The early church s response affirmed the sufficiency of faith in Jesus for salvation. Because of His finished work on the cross, Jesus alone is all we need to be saved.... Missional Application: God calls us to proclaim the message that salvation is available through faith in Christ alone, not through additional obligations and works. 117
Expanded Session Content The Message: Christ Alone Voices from the Church If God finds incentives for grace within himself, then nothing in us can disqualify us from his grace nothing except a proud unwillingness to be loved on terms of grace alone. 1 Ray Ortlund Voices from Church History Men think God s laws too many and too strict, and yet make more of their own, and are precise for keeping them. 2 Richard Baxter (1615-1691) Introduction The 1998 film Saving Private Ryan opens with an older man walking through the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in France along with his wife, children, and grandchildren. The man stops at a particular grave and collapses to his knees weeping. The scene then cuts away to the invasion of Normandy decades before and the story of a rescue mission unfolds. During the week surrounding the invasion, three of four brothers were killed in combat, and the last brother, Private James Francis Ryan, was missing somewhere behind enemy lines. Captain John Miller is given the mission to find Ryan and rescue him so that one mother would not have to bear losing all four of her sons at the same time. Miller and a small team of soldiers set out to find Ryan and they rescue him, but several die and Miller is mortally wounded as well. As life slips away from the captain, he weakly says something to Ryan who leans in to hear him say it again: James, earn this earn it. The camera zooms in on Ryan s face, which then transitions to the face of the older man from the opening of the film. Ryan s wife standing at his side reads the name on the grave: Captain John H. Miller. Ryan implores his wife to tell him he has led a good life that he s a good man. She tells him he is, turns, and walks away. Ryan then salutes and the movie ends. That image of an older man looking back at his life wondering, needing to know, that he earned the life given to him is sobering. Can you imagine someone laying down his life for you so that your life might be spared and then living each day trying to earn that gift that had been given to you? For those of us in Christ, that is not a hypothetical situation. That is what we have experienced in Christ Jesus. The problem, though, is that just like James Francis Ryan, many of us struggle with feeling as if we need to earn the gift of life that was given to us. We fail to embrace wholly the gift given to us and therefore believe we need to live in such a way as to earn our salvation. Why do some Christians struggle to accept that salvation is by grace alone and we don t need to do anything to earn it, whether before or after? 118 Leader Guide
Struggling with salvation being a gift of grace isn t new it was actually one of the first crises the early church faced. As Gentiles came to saving faith in Jesus, some of the Jewish believers struggled with them being saved apart from being circumcised according to the law. The gospel was advancing, but what gospel would the church continue to share? Session Summary In this session we see how the church handled a heated disagreement about the nature of salvation for Gentiles. Were Gentiles saved by faith alone or must they enter into salvation through the path of obedience to the law first? The Jerusalem Council that was convened to answer this critical question offers us a good example of how to handle disputes in the church but also was vital in preserving the gospel message of Christ alone. 1. The Dispute: Jesus Alone vs. Jesus Plus (Acts 15:1-5) Just before this in Acts 13 14, we saw how the early church had sent the first missionaries, Paul and Barnabas, to push the gospel farther out from Jerusalem as Jesus had instructed (Acts 1:8). The trip had been difficult for the two missionaries, but many had come to faith in Christ, including a number of Gentiles. News of what God had done spread, but not everyone in the church who heard it was pleased. 1 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. 2 After Paul and Barnabas had engaged them in serious argument and debate, Paul and Barnabas and some others were appointed to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem about this issue. 3 When they had been sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they brought great joy to all the brothers and sisters. 4 When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. 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. Further Commentary Questions and problems arise in the fellowship of believers. When difficulties become evident, Christians have an opportunity to demonstrate the power of Christ in their lives. Our response to conflict and to those who disagree with us shows the depth of our Christian character. Conditions and circumstances continually change, causing new questions to arise. Some people in the early church questioned whether salvation rested on legalism outward acts which others could see or totally on the grace of God. Many early believers insisted the Gentiles must be circumcised. The early church met this problem swiftly and openly, affirming the work of grace. The council at Jerusalem sent a letter of encouragement to Gentile believers to build their faith. During conflict, churches must exercise compassion, restraint, and concern that God s will be done and that the fellowship of believers be strengthened. Personal experience, the Holy Spirit s witness, the theology of salvation by grace alone, and Bible study provide answers to the church s problems. Churches must deal with problems quickly and effectively, seeking to preserve the truth of the gospel and the unity of the churches. 3 Disciple s Study Bible The dispute began when some men who evidently had heard the reports of Gentiles coming to faith in Christ came down from Judea to Antioch. The men did not deny the possibility of Gentiles being saved but the possibility of anyone being saved apart from obedience to the law. Notice that when the men arrived, they began to teach that circumcision was necessary for salvation. 119
Voices from the Church Many of us [in the church] are like porcupines trying to huddle together on a bitter cold night to keep each other warm, but we continually poke and hurt each other the closer we get. 4 Howard Hendricks Voices from Church History Satan greatly approves of our railing at each other, but God does not! 5 Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) We are not told that these men from Judea investigated the reports of Gentiles coming to faith to see if they were true; it seems they assumed that the reports could not have been true because of their unwavering allegiance to their cultural customs and religious traditions. A significant part of the identity of these men had been based on their allegiance to the Law of Moses the way that they were set apart as God s people from the nations around them and that was difficult for them to give up. If circumcision had been a critical aspect of the identity of God s people before Christ, why would it not be now? Although the early church had seen God move in surprising ways, these men were stuck in their thinking and failed to see God doing the unexpected all around them. When Paul and Barnabas heard what the men were teaching, they confronted them and engaged them in serious argument and debate. The crux of the debate can be boiled down to the question of whether Jesus alone is sufficient for salvation or if something else anything else, such as circumcision in this case was needed in addition. Paul and Barnabas objected to the teachings of these men for two probable reasons. The primary reason centered on the core of the gospel salvation by grace alone through faith alone (Eph. 2:8-9). The men from Judea were teaching that faith alone was not sufficient for salvation; instead, a person first had to belong to God s covenant community, the people of Israel, and becoming part of that community required the mark of circumcision. Paul and Barnabas understood that you did not have to be part of the right people before you could be saved but that anyone anywhere can be saved in the moment they trust in Jesus Christ. Requiring a Gentile to be circumcised first would mean that they had to do something first to earn the right to be saved, but no one is worthy to be saved. No one deserves an invitation into a relationship with the living God. Salvation is by grace. Grace initiated it. Grace sustains it. Grace fulfills it. Gentiles should not have to do something to earn salvation when no one else had done anything to merit it. A second related reason Paul and Barnabas confronted the men from Judea might have been linked to their missionary hearts. Most missionaries look to engage people right where they are as they encourage them to consider the gospel. Requiring circumcision of the Gentiles would be an added burden and hindrance to the gospel. When it became apparent that such an important issue could not be settled in Antioch and that the debate had broad implications for the church, Paul, Barnabas, and some others were sent to Jerusalem to take the case to the elders and apostles there. When they arrived in Jerusalem, the leaders welcomed Paul and Barnabas, and the language implies that they welcomed their affirmation of the Gentiles as well. However, once again, not everyone was pleased to hear about how the gospel had come to the Gentiles. The early church stood at the crossroads of what gospel it would preach to the world. 120 Leader Guide
What are some beliefs and traditions we can hold on to that may impede the gospel for others? The early church was proactive in dealing with a potential threat to the church s unity and mission. What lessons can we draw from their example? 2. The Discussion: Tradition vs. Scripture and Experience (Acts 15:6-21) The church leaders gathered to consider the issue in what has been called the Jerusalem Council. As we will read, settling the issue at stake was critically important, but so was how the church would resolve it. To what would the church appeal to answer this question? Tradition or God s Word and what they had seen God do around them? 6 The apostles and the elders gathered to consider this matter. 7 After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them: Brothers and sisters, you are aware that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the gospel message and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he also did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why are you testing God by putting a yoke on the disciples necks that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? 11 On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus in the same way they are. 12 The whole assembly became silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul describe all the signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they stopped speaking, James responded: Brothers and sisters, listen to me. 14 Simeon has reported how God first intervened to take from the Gentiles a people for his name. 15 And the words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written: 16 After these things I will return and rebuild David s fallen tent. I will rebuild its ruins and set it up again, 17 so the rest of humanity may seek the Lord even all the Gentiles who are called by my name declares the Lord who makes these things 18 known from long ago. 19 Therefore, in my judgment, we should not cause difficulties for those among the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 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. 21 For since ancient times, Moses has had those who proclaim him in every city, and every Sabbath day he is read aloud in the synagogues. Further Commentary The rabbis often used the metaphor of a yoke with reference to the law, and Peter s reference to yoke here refers not just to circumcision but to the whole of the Mosaic law. By speaking of the law as an unbearable yoke, Peter was not denying that the law was God s gift to Israel. Rather, he was arguing that Israel was unable to fulfill it perfectly and that salvation could not be obtained through the law (cf. Rom. 2:17-24). Only one means of salvation exists for both Jew and Gentile: God s grace (Acts 15:11) in Jesus Christ. Paul also refers to any requirement to keep the OT laws as a yoke of slavery (Gal. 5:1). By contrast, Jesus calls people to take his new yoke upon them, a yoke that is easy (see Matt. 11:29). 6 John B. Polhill 121
Voices from Church History The hallmark of an authentic evangelical is not the uncritical repetition of old traditions, but the willingness to submit every tradition, however ancient, to fresh biblical scrutiny, and if necessary, reform. 7 John Stott (1921-2011) Voices from Church History There was no arrogance in the church. After Peter, Paul speaks, and no one silences him. James waits patiently and does not jump up. Great is the orderliness [of the proceedings]. No word from John here, and nothing from the other apostles. They hold their peace. For James was invested with the chief rule, and they did not begrudge him, so free was their soul from love of glory. 8 John Chrysostom (circa 347-407) Once again, the issue was debated for some time, and then Peter stood to address the gathering and offered a strong defense of the Gentiles being saved by grace alone apart from circumcision. Peter reminded the gathering of his experience with Cornelius and how God had revealed Peter s need to cast aside a mind-set fixed on tradition and replace it with one fixed on the gospel (Acts 10 11). Circumcision had been a mark of purity and separateness from the world for God s people, but now in Christ, that mark comes by faith. In Christ, purity and separateness do not lead to salvation but instead flow out of it. Requiring circumcision before salvation undermined this essential aspect of the gospel. Peter then appealed to God s giving of the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles as evidence of the Gentiles conversion apart from circumcision. God had given the Gentile believers the Holy Spirit just as He had given the Holy Spirit to them. No distinction was made based on circumcision or any other factor everyone had been saved by faith, and the giving of the Holy Spirit confirmed that God accepted that faith. Peter concluded by asking why some were putting a yoke on the Gentile Christians necks that neither their Jewish ancestors nor they could bear. They had appealed to God s grace for salvation, and so could the Gentiles. To offer some background on the metaphor, the yoke was an agricultural implement carried by two oxen that allowed for straps to be attached so that a heavy plow could be moved forward. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for the burdensome yoke they placed on people with their excessive teaching (Matt. 23:1-4). Peter was warning the early church not to do the same. Adding anything to faith alone for salvation was adding a heavy, unbearable yoke on their shoulders. After Peter finished, the entire assembly, which just moments before had been in much debate, fell completely silent. Peter s strong defense of the gospel had resonated with the gathering. Paul and Barnabas then took the opportunity to echo Peter and share how they had experienced God work through them to see Gentiles come to faith. Paul and Barnabas relayed story after story of how God had transformed Gentile life after Gentile life. Then it was James turn. He began by affirming Peter s testimony but then he pointed the gathering of Christians to the Scriptures. James quoted Amos 9:11-12 to show that what they had experienced recently with Gentiles coming to faith was part of God s plan all along. God had foretold their ancestors that everyone Jews and Gentiles alike would seek the Lord. The message of salvation had never been only for the Jews. 122 Leader Guide
James concluded that based on what they had experienced and what God had revealed to them in Scripture, the church should not make it difficult for Gentiles to come to faith in Christ, which requiring circumcision would do. However, James also understood that there were ways that Gentile believers could threaten unity with the Jewish believers and also become a barrier to other Jews coming to faith in Christ. James suggested that the church write the Gentile believers and share what they could do to preserve the unity of the church. What traditions have you had to set aside for the gospel? How were you able to do so? What are some of the dangers of relying only on our experiences to validate what God is doing? 3. The Decision: Freedom and Love (Acts 15:22-35) The council of elders and apostles followed James leadership and wrote a letter to be delivered to the Gentile believers in Antioch. Two men were selected to accompany Paul and Barnabas so there would be no questioning of the council s decision. We don t know much about Judas, called Barsabbas, but we know quite a bit about Silas. He would later become Paul s missionary partner after Paul and Barnabas had a dispute over John Mark (Acts 15:36-41). Both Judas and Silas were noted as leading men in the church, which would give them credibility to share the council s report. 22 Then the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, decided to select men who were among them and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas, called Barsabbas, and Silas, both leading men among the brothers. 23 They wrote: From the apostles and the elders, your brothers, To the brothers and sisters among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings. 24 Since we have heard that some without our authorization went out from us and troubled you with their words and unsettled your hearts, 25 we have unanimously decided to select men and send them to you along with our dearly loved Barnabas and Paul, 26 who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who will personally report the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it was the Holy Spirit s decision and ours not to place further burdens on you beyond these requirements: 29 that you abstain from food offered to idols, from blood, from eating anything that has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. You will do well if you keep yourselves from these things. Farewell. Further Commentary The letter was written in the name of the Jerusalem leaders, the apostles and elders. The recipients were denoted the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia. Actually, this could be considered almost as a single address. Syria- Cilicia was administratively a single Roman province, and Antioch was a city within it. It was at Antioch that the debate had arisen (15:1), and so it was to Antioch that the Jerusalem leaders sent their response. 9 John B. Polhill 123
Voices from the Church It s bad enough for me to make choices that hurt my own relationship with God. How much more serious is it to be the cause of someone else deciding to sin? Not only must I choose the pathway of holiness for God s sake and for my own sake; I must also do it for the sake of others. 10 Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth 99 Essential Christian Doctrines 73. Justification and Works Justification is not the result of human effort or good works but through faith in the righteousness of Christ. Although good works do not lead to justification, justification leads to good works in the life of a believer (Eph. 2:10). Faith without works is dead (Jas. 2:17). While good works do not establish justification, they do verify a genuine faith and make our justification evident to others. 30 So they were sent off and went down to Antioch, and after gathering the assembly, they delivered the letter. 31 When they read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. 32 Both Judas and Silas, who were also prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers and sisters and strengthened them with a long message. 33 After spending some time there, they were sent back in peace by the brothers and sisters to those who had sent them. 35 But Paul and Barnabas, along with many others, remained in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming the word of the Lord. The letter began with a rebuke of the men who had come before raising the issue about circumcision. The council wanted the Gentile believers in Antioch to know that those men had not been sanctioned on that mission and did not speak on the church s behalf. The greeting also expresses love and concern for the believers who had been impacted by the men. It was clear from the greeting that the church s ruling was in favor of the Gentile believers and that they were considered brothers and sisters in Christ. All of the leaders in Jerusalem were concerned about the trouble the situation had caused the Gentile believers and they wanted to set the record straight. The leaders then made it clear that the decision they were sharing came through the Holy Spirit s wisdom and guidance and that no burdens should be placed upon them except for four requirements. First, the Gentile believers were not to eat food offered to idols. It was a common practice among the Roman Empire that once food was offered as a sacrifice to their gods, it would then be prepared and shared in the pagan temple and even sold in the public market. Second, the Gentile believers were not to eat food with blood still in it or used as an ingredient. Some Roman and Greek foods used blood as an ingredient, but Levitical law prohibited consuming blood. These foods might be offered at a wedding or a funeral feast, at a city festival, or even in common meals, but Gentile believers should now abstain from them. Third, the Gentile believers were not to eat anything that had been strangled. Animals that were strangled instead of slaughtered retained the blood in them and could lead to it being consumed. Fourth, the Gentile believers were to abstain from sexual immorality. The Greek word used here is the word from which we get the English word pornography. The Gentiles were known for engaging in loose and open sexual practices, both in daily relationships as well as in pagan worship. The church leaders probably assumed the Gentile believers would know to abstain from sexual fornication as part of worship practices. However, they might not have a clear understanding on the broader idea of sexual purity. Sexual encounters were of utmost intimacy and should be practiced only within committed marriage relationships. This raises the question: Why were these four practices singled out? 124 Leader Guide
James and the other leaders were concerned that the Gentile believers might take their personal freedom in Christ too far and live in such a way as to be a stumbling block to the convictions of their Jewish brothers and sisters. These four practices were addressed in Leviticus 17 18, where they were forbidden for both Jews and Gentiles living among the people of God. That is most likely why James mentioned that the law of Moses was read every week in every synagogue in verse 21. These four prohibitions should not have surprised the Gentiles and they were of deep significance to the Jewish believers. If the Gentile believers abstained from these four practices, they would safeguard themselves from being a burden to the Jewish believers, ensure healthy fellowship between Jewish and Gentile Christfollowers, and not put a burden on other Jews coming to faith in Christ. There is freedom in the gospel of Jesus Christ, but that freedom does not grant us the ability to do whatever we like. Freedom in Christ drives us back to God s love and kindness to us and compels us to extend love and kindness to others. Freedom and love go hand in hand. Voices from Church History They indicated clearly by what they wrote that though the decree had been written by men who were apostles, it was from the Holy Spirit and universal. Barnabas and Paul took this decree and confirmed it to the whole world. 11 Cyril of Jerusalem (circa 310-386) What are some cultural practices today that are opposed to the gospel that we may need to clarify with new believers? What freedoms have you given up, or should you give up, out of love for others? Conclusion The Jerusalem Council s handling of the dispute surrounding circumcision in Acts 15 is an example for how we are to handle disputes that arise in the church today. We are to address disagreements proactively as they arise, appeal to Scripture and what God has done, and call for freedom in Christ and love to guide how we are all to live together after the issue has been resolved. However, the Jerusalem Council provided a far greater gift to us than that. When the sufficiency of faith in Jesus for salvation and inclusion into God s one family was at stake, the church clearly and strongly affirmed that because of the finished work of Jesus on the cross, He alone is all we need for salvation. The early church protected the core message of the gospel. Today, God continues to call us to proclaim the message that salvation is available through faith in Christ alone, and not through additional obligations and works. CHRIST CONNECTION: The Jerusalem Council met to resolve a dispute in the early church: Was faith in Christ sufficient for salvation and inclusion into God s family or was something else needed? The early church s response affirmed the sufficiency of faith in Jesus for salvation. Because of His finished work on the cross, Jesus alone is all we need to be saved. 125
Additional Resources The Message: Christ Alone References 1. Ray Ortlund, Grace, The Gospel Coalition, October 19, 2012, https:// blogs.thegospelcoalition.org/ rayortlund/2012/10/19/grace. 2. Richard Baxter, quoted in Gospel of Matthew: Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, by J. C. Ryle (Editora Dracaena, 2015) [ebook]. 3. Disciple s Study Bible (Nashville: B&H, 2012) [WORDsearch]. 4. Howard Hendricks, quoted in Leading with Love, by Alexander Strauch (Littleton, CO: Lewis and Roth, 2006), 169. 5. C. H. Spurgeon, Working Out What Is Worked In, in Spurgeon s Sermons, Volume 14 (1868), Christian Classics Ethereal Library, June 1, 2005, https://www.ccel.org/ccel/ spurgeon/sermons14.xxxiii.html. 6. John B. Polhill, in ESV Study Bible (Wheaton: Crossway, 2008), 2115, n. 15:10-11. 7. John Stott, quoted in Life in the Spirit of Truth: Roy McCloughry talks to the Rev Dr John Stott ThirdWay, October 1995, 17. 8. Chrysostom, Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles, 33, quoted in Acts, eds. Francis Martin, with Evan Smith, vol. V in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament (Downers Grove: IVP, 2014) [WORDsearch]. 9. John B. Polhill, Acts, vol. 26 in The New American Commentary (Nashville: B&H, 2013) [WORDsearch]. 10. Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Brokenness, Surrender, Holiness: A Revive Our Hearts Trilogy (Chicago: Moody Bible Publishers, 2008), 300. 11. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture, 17.29, quoted in Acts, eds. Francis Martin, with Evan Smith, vol. V in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament [WORDsearch]. 12. Michael Kelley, Five Things Every Group Leader Should Do, 9Marks Journal [online], January/ February 2012 [cited 16 June 2016]. Available from the Internet: www.9marks.org. Study Material Get expert insights on weekly studies through Ministry Grid at MinistryGrid.com/web/TheGospelProject. Grow with other group leaders at the Group Ministry blog at LifeWay.com/GroupMinistry. -- The Performance Treadmill Chapter 1 from Transforming Grace by Jerry Bridges -- The Four G s Article by Ken Sande; find a link to this article at GospelProject.com/AdditionalResources --Previous Biblical Illustrator articles, including Controversy and Response, can be purchased, along with other articles for this quarter, at LifeWay.com/BiblicalIllustrator. Look for Bundles: The Gospel Project. Sermon Podcast Alistair Begg: Saved by Grace Find a link to this at GospelProject.com/AdditionalResources Tip of the Week Think About the Future In thinking about the future of the people God has entrusted to you, your goal must be bigger than seeing how big or popular your group could become. You have to recognize that your group will have future group leaders in it. If your focus is on that future, your work of equipping future leaders will become a regular part of what you do. Give them opportunities to lead discussions and even the sessions. Help them by evaluating with them how things went. And then work with them to move them into greater leadership roles in the future. It s about multiplication, not addition. 12 126 Leader Guide
About the Writers The Gospel Project Adult Leader Guide CSB Volume 6, Number 2 Winter 2017-18 Eric Geiger Vice President, LifeWay Resources Ed Stetzer and Trevin Wax General Editors Brian Dembowczyk Managing Editor Daniel Davis Content Editor Josh Hayes Content and Production Editor Ken Braddy Manager, Adult Ongoing Bible Studies Michael Kelley Director, Groups Ministry Send questions/comments to: Content Editor by email to daniel.davis@lifeway.com or mail to Content Editor, The Gospel Project: Adult Leader Guide, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0102; or make comments on the Web at lifeway.com. Printed in the United States of America The Gospel Project : Adult Leader Guide CSB (ISSN pending; Item 005438061) is published quarterly by LifeWay Christian Resources, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234, Thom S. Rainer, President. 2017 LifeWay Christian Resources. For ordering or inquiries, visit lifeway.com, or write LifeWay Resources Customer Service, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0113. For bulk shipments mailed quarterly to one address, email orderentry@lifeway.com, fax 615.251.5933, or write to the above address. We believe that the Bible has God for its author; salvation for its end; and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter and that all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. To review LifeWay s doctrinal guideline, please visit www.lifeway.com/doctrinalguideline. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible, Copyright 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Unit: 1 Mike Cosper is the founder and director of Harbor Media, where he develops podcasts that help Christians navigate a post- Christian world. Previously he served for 16 years as one of the founding pastors of Sojourn Community Church in Louisville, Kentucky, where he oversaw Sojourn Music a collective of musicians writing songs for the local church. He is the author of four books, including (most recently) Recapturing the Wonder. Katie Orr (special session), creator of the FOCUSed15 Bible study method, is passionate about equipping busy women to experience God daily. She is a teacher, speaker, podcaster, and prolific writer for blogs, magazines, and Sunday School curriculum. A former Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ) staff member and mother to three young children, she and pastorhusband, Chris, are part of the church revitalization movement. Unit: 2 Jason C Dukes (sessions 7-9) has been a church starter, a church renewer, and tries to be a disciple-maker. He s currently the Multiplication Minister with Brentwood Baptist Church near Nashville, Tennessee. He has authored books and periodically blogs, which you can learn more about at LiveSent.com. He and his wife, Jen, are thankful for their seven children. Daniel Im (sessions 10-12) serves as the Director of Church Multiplication for NewChurches.com at LifeWay Christian Resources. He is also a teaching pastor at The Fellowship in Nashville, Tennessee, and author of No Silver Bullets: Five Small Shifts That Will Transform Your Ministry and Planting Missional Churches. He is married to Christina, and they have three children, Victoria, Adelyn, and Makarios. WRITERS