Outline of ActsOutline of Acts

1:8

11stst Journey – Shifting of the Journey – Shifting of the Brotherhood’s Center of GravityBrotherhood’s Center of Gravity

Jews Gentiles

11stst Journey – Shifting of the Journey – Shifting of the Brotherhood’s Center of GravityBrotherhood’s Center of Gravity

Jews Gentiles

The Jerusalem CouncilThe Watershed of the Book of ActsThe Watershed of the Book of Acts

The BookOf Acts

151-

14

16-28

Acts 14:28 – 15:2

• End of 1st Missionary Journey

• Not everyone was pleased with the success of 1st Journey

• Opponents retraced the steps of Paul & Barnabas, “reteaching”

• Opponents came to Antioch

Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom of Moses,

you cannot be saved. (1)

The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the

law of Moses. (5)

The Issue of the Jerusalem Council

Do Gentiles have to become Jews in order

to be Christians?

The Writing of the Galatian LetterA.D. 48

Galatians

A.D. 4

8

The Letter to the GalatiansThe Letter to the Galatians

• Appeal to his apostleship – 1:1

• Intense Letter – no prayer or thanksgiving – 1:6

• You foolish Galatians – 3:1-3

• My dear children – 4:19-20

• If you are circumcised – 5:2

The Letter to the GalatiansThe Letter to the Galatians

• As for those agitators (5:12)

• Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision…. (6:15)

Paul & Paul & Barnabas Sent Barnabas Sent To Council (2)To Council (2)

• Both were “bridge-builders”

• Earlier work at “bridge- building” (12:21-26)

Peterand theGalileanApostles

Jamesand theJudeanElders

15:5“Jewish Christian”

or

“Pharisaic Christian”is not a

Contradiction

The Jerusalem Council

• Peter spoke first – (Cornelius)

• Barnabas & Paul spoke next – about miraculous signs (12; 14:3)

• James, the brother of Jesus, brought it to a conclusion

•Food polluted by idols•Sexual Immorality•Strangled Animals•Blood

For Moses has been preached in every city from

the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on

every Sabbath.(15:21)

• All items are associated with idol worship

• Apparently these were about fellowship, not salvation!

The Issue of the Jerusalem Council

Do Gentiles have to become Jews in order

to be Christians?No!No!

The Jerusalem LetterThe Jerusalem Letter

• The church agreed on James’ conclusion.

• Letter sent to churches involved

• Paul and Barnabas took the letter

• Judas and Silas went as witnesses

• Gentile churches were “glad”

Journal Assignment #7Reflect on a time in

your life when you worked through a

tough conflict and the resulting agreement

turned out to be better than either

of you had hoped.

Some time later….

• Paul’s idea is to retrace 1st trip

• Dispute over John Mark

• Result is 2 mission teams!!

After the Jerusalem

Council, the church was at

a tipping point!

(Ready for explosive growth)