Grace alone saves. 500 years ago, Martin Luther heard a friar named Johann Tetzel selling forgiveness for a coin, and his blood boiled. It was a false gospel of Jesus plus money. But in Acts 15, we see the very first time the church had this exact same fight. Men came to Antioch demanding Jesus plus the Old Testament law. Paul and Barnabas realized this was a fight they couldn't back down from. This message walks through Acts 15:1-22, 30-31 and asks what we do when the core of our faith is threatened. We cannot earn our way up to God. Salvation comes from outside of us, and it is given entirely by grace. In this sermon: Protect the gospel. Why the early church fought against the "Jesus plus" mentality, the difference between what we fight over (the gospel) and what we fight for (unity), and how the enemy uses internal division to stall a church when external persecution fails. Present the testimonies. How Peter used his experience of God saving the Gentiles, why we must always calibrate our subjective experiences against the objective truth of God's Word, and how to exercise the muscle of sharing what God is doing in your life. Pursue the mission. Why the Jerusalem Council's four requirements weren't a new law to earn salvation but a call to Christian liberty used in love, and how a church that is clear on grace is free to stop bickering, start rejoicing, and reach the outside world. Also covered: the danger of falling into the two ditches of legalism and antinomianism, the story of Lazarus as a picture of our spiritual deadness, and how Acts 15 is the real-time fulfillment of Jesus' High Priestly prayer for unity and truth. ABOUT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH HAW RIVER At First Baptist Church, we want to encourage you to know Christ, grow in Christ, and go for Christ. The Church is not a building, but a family of born-again believers who commit to loving one another by gathering together regularly for worship and running alongside one another as we know, grow, and go in Christ. We, at FBC, have been a church who loves and lives out the gospel in downtown Haw River, North Carolina, near Burlington, Graham, and Mebane since 1892. We would love to meet you on a Sunday at 11:00 am at 508 E Main St, Haw River, NC 27258. Website: https://www.fbchawriver.org/ Plan a visit: https://www.fbchawriver.org/plan-a-visit How can I be saved: https://www.fbchawriver.org/good-news Give: https://fbchawriver.churchtrac.com/give Preached by Justin Stevers, Lead Teaching Pastor Series: Looking Back to Look Forward, a study through the book of Acts Scripture: Acts 15:1-22, 30-31 (ESV) #Acts15 #BookOfActs #ExpositorySermon #HawRiverNC #BurlingtonNC #Sermon #Preaching #Gospel #SolaGratia
