Acts - The Unstoppable Church - Acts 15:1-35

Homiletics                                             Study – Acts & Letter of Apostles

Lesson     12                                                     Passage: Acts 15:1-35

Content (List of Topics or Events)

Circumcision who needs it  (Acts 15:1-11) a. Judeans teaching believers circumcision bringing debate. (1-2) b. Paul and Barnabas appointed along with others to go to Jerusalem  (3-4) c. Pharisee believers insist that Gentile believers be circumcised (5) d. Apostles and Elders discuss belief, believer’s heart as Peter reminds of salvation grace through Jesus (6-11)

Ministry results to Gentiles described and validated by words of the  prophets (Acts 15:12-21) a. Paul and Barnabas tell of signs and wonders God did among Gentiles (12) b. James shares words of the prophets regarding  chosen from Gentiles  (13-18) c. Judgment to not make difficult for Gentiles turning to God (19) d. Encouragement purity to be sent Gentile Christians  (20-21)

Encouraging letter written and delivered by leaders to Antioch church (Acts 15:22-35) a. Church chooses leaders to return with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch (22) b.  Letter written denouncing troubling message of circumcision and encouragement to purity, (23-29) c. Letter delivered bringing gladness for encouraging message (30-31) d. Jerusalem messengers sent off with by believers with blessing of peace (32-35)

Divisions (Main Blocks of Thought)

Circumcision who needs it	Acts 15:1-11
Ministry results to Gentiles described and validated by words of the  prophets	Acts 15:12-21
Encouraging letter written and delivered by leaders to Antioch church	Acts 15:22-35

Subject Sentence (Summarizes the contents of the Divisions – No more than 10 words)

Christianity requirements questioned, then validated with encouragement to Antioch church.

Aim (Main Teaching Point of the Passage)

CTATLT evidence of Holy Spirit in believers validates your heart for the Lord.  Encouragement in our Christian walk  brings peace.

Specific Application Questions

1	How are you adding to the Gospel message unnecessary requirements?
2	What are God’s truths that you depend on in your faith? How can you make them real to others?
3	How can you encourage others by your words? What actions are you willing to take to bring peace and comfort?

Principles to Remember

1	Faith in Jesus brings us into relationship with God.
2	Holy Spirit’s work is visible in lives of believers
3	We can be encouragement and supportive in faith

Characteristic of God

Truth

Theme

Our heart is known by God and validated externally in visible signs of the Holy Spirit in us.

God’s Word  - What’s happening?

God’s Heart – What does God care about?

Today’s World – How does this connect to what is happening in my world today?

Acts - The Unstoppable Church - Hebrews 1-4

Homiletics                                             Study – Acts & Letter of Apostles

Lesson     13                                                     Passage: Hebrews 1-4

Content (List of Topics or Events)

Salvation comes through God’s Son superior to Angels  (Hebrews 1-2) a. God spoke about His Son; heir of all things (1:1-2) b. The Son is like the Father; superior to the angels  (1:3-4) c. God’s angels worship Him and are His servants (1:5-7) d. About the Son; he is just, righteous, from the beginning laying the foundations of the earth, everlasting (1:8-12) e. Son is at God’s right hand with enemies under-foot and ministering angels (1:13-14) f. Pay attention to message of Salvation in Jesus (2:1-9) e. Jesus is bringing many to glory in the same family (2:10-13) g. Jesus atoning high priest for sins of people (2:14-18)

Don’t rebel; fix thoughts and hold firmly on Jesus (Hebrews 3) a. Fix thoughts on Jesus our High Priest (1) b. Christ is faithful Son over God’s house  (2-6) c. Don’t harden your hearts as ancestors – No rest for wicked (7-11) d. Encourage each other daily that none will be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness  (12-14) e. Don’t rebel as Children of Israel in unbelief (15-19)

Make every effort to enter into God’s rest; He knows your heart (Hebrews 4) a. Entering into God’s rest remains to those who obey;  God’s anger and no entry to rest for disobedient (1-5) b. Effort to enter into rest so that no one would perish (6-11) c. God’s word is alive and active everything is exposed to God’s sight  to whom we’ll give account (12-13)

Divisions (Main Blocks of Thought)

Salvation comes through God’s Son superior to Angels	Hebrews 1-2
Don’t rebel; fix thoughts and hold firmly on Jesus	Hebrews 3
Make every effort to enter into God’s rest; He knows your heart	Hebrews 4

Subject Sentence (Summarizes the contents of the Divisions – No more than 10 words

Great salvation, bringing many to glory through, the faithful Jesus.

Aim (Main Teaching Point of the Passage)

CTATLT Jesus is exact representation of God from the beginning; God is looking for faithful followers to bring into eternal rest.

Specific Application Questions

1	Who do you say and believe Jesus is?  Have to trusted (really trusted) Him for salvation?
2	What do you fix your thoughts on?  In what specific ways are you holding onto Jesus?
3	Where do you find comfort and how can you encourage others in their faith walk and bring others to glory?

Principles to Remember

1	Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory.
2	Fix our thoughts and hold onto Jesus.
3	Eternal Rest is in Jesus

Characteristic of God

Righteous God

Theme

Jesus is salvation; He has been from beginning and the Holy Spirit testifies to us about Him.

God’s Word  - What’s happening?

God’s Heart – What does God care about?

Today’s World – How does this connect to what is happening in my world today?