The Message: “Christ Alone” Acts 15:1-35

Main Point: The church in Jerusalem encouraged Gentile believers. Key Passages: Acts 1:8 Big Picture Question: How do people hear about Jesus? God uses Christians to tell others about Jesus so they may repent and be saved.

Bible Story Review & Bible Skills

Help your child find Acts 15:1-35. Ask a series of review questions, encouraging your child(ren) to find the answers in his/her Bible.

Each child/parent gets a chance to answer a question. For each correct answer, that person will earn a point. If the child/parent can also give a Scripture reference for where he/she found the answer, he/she will earn an additional point. After any incorrect answers, the next person has a chance to answer for the points.

Questions: 1. What started the dispute and debate in Antioch? (Jewish Christians were saying that faith in Jesus was not enough to be saved, Acts 15:1) 2. Who went to Jerusalem to speak with the church leaders? (Paul, Barnabas, and others; Acts 15:2) 3. Who reminded the council that God had chosen to save Gentiles as well as Jews? (Peter and James, Acts 15:7-15) 4. What did they realize was necessary for salvation? (Only faith in Jesus, Acts 15:11) 5. Who delivered the news to the Gentile believers? (Paul, Barnabas, Judas, and Silas; Acts 15:22) 6. Whose decision was it not to place additional burdens on the Gentile believers? (The Holy Spirit’s, Acts 15:28) 7. What did the Gentiles do after reading the letter? (Rejoiced and listened to a message from Judas and Silas, Acts 15:31-32)

SAY • The church at that time faced an important question: Were Gentile believers required to obey the Old Testament law of God? Some men insisted that new believers must obey the law, just as the Jews had tried to obey it for years. But the Holy Spirit helped the church leaders see that faith in Jesus alone is all we need to be saved. The law cannot save us; it can only show us the ways we fall short of God’s holiness. We only need Jesus to be saved because only Jesus obeyed the law perfectly and died in our place to pay for our sin. Only Jesus was raised to life on the third day to show that He was victorious over sin and death.

Apply the Story

Print out Activity sheets: Younger/Older

OPTION 1: One More Thing Everyone sit in a circle, around a table if possible. Give a sheet of paper to the first person and give about 30 seconds to draw one thing on the paper. Then he/she will pass the paper to his/her left. The next person who receives the paper will have 30 seconds to add one thing to the picture before passing it. Continue in this way until each person has had a chance to add one thing to the picture. Repeat this cycle 2 or 3 times. Then display the picture for everyone to see and discuss.

SAY •This activity was a fun way to see the effects of letting people add whatever they want to a picture. In the early church, some Jewish believers wanted to add to the gospel all the Old Testament laws about what to eat, what to do, and how to live. They thought that believing in Jesus wasn’t enough to be saved, but that people must also obey the entire law. The Holy Spirit reminded them that Jesus was enough. His perfect life, sacrificial death, and victorious resurrection made the way for all people to be saved. The law still contained good wisdom for honoring God, but it was not able to save people from sin. Only Jesus can save people.

OPTION 2: Nothing but the Cross Provide each person with a sheet of white paper. Help your child make a cross on their sheet with the masking tape. Give each person time to color all over their paper with any color other than white (or other light colors). When done with coloring, the kids can carefully peel off the masking tape to reveal a cross shape.

SAY • The church in Jerusalem encouraged Gentile believers. The Holy Spirit showed the church leaders that nothing could take the place of the cross, and nothing else was needed in addition to it. We are saved by grace, through faith in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. He paid for our sins and defeated death for us.

Journal and Prayer Print or use a notebook for journal time. Ask the kids to write about or draw a picture to answer the following questions: • What does this story teach me about God or about the gospel? • What does this story teach me about myself? • Whom can I tell about this story?

The Message: “Christ Alone” (Acts 15:1-35) • Unit 30, Session 3 • © 2017 LifeWay OK to Print DOWNLOAD THE What Saves Us? TGP FAMILY APP INSTRUCTIONS: Circle the picture or pictures that represent ways we can be saved from sin. KEY PASSAGE: Acts 1:8

BIG PICTURE QUESTION: • How do people hear about Jesus? God uses Christians to tell others about Jesus so they may repent and be saved.

BIBLE STORY: THE MESSAGE: “CHRIST ALONE” • Some men wanted Gentile believers to obey all of the Old Testament Law. • Peter said we are saved only by faith in Jesus. • The leaders of the church sent a letter to the Gentiles. • The church in Jerusalem encouraged Gentile believers.

FAMILY DISCUSSION STARTERS: • What was the purpose of the Old Testament Law? • Why can’t the law save us? • Why is faith in Jesus enough?

FAMILY ACTIVITY: • As a family, write encouraging notes to people in your church. Deliver them next time your church gathers. • Print a picture of a famous painting. Let your kids add to it. Ask what would happen if they painted on it in real life.

Ho andlovethey helpmetrust God? Are ther for God’s andmygood? glory Are ther teachmeaboutmyself? What doesthisstory teachmeaboutG What doesthisstory w does this story helpmetolive onmissionbetter? w doesthisstory e any promises in this story toremember? Howe anypromises inthisstory do toobey?Howe anycommandsinthisstory are they • • • FAMILY DISCUSSION STARTERS

FOLD LifeWay to besaved. early church agreed that because of Jesus’ deathand resurrection, He alone is all we need question: Can apersonbesaved by faithaloneorwassomethingmore needed? The believers inAntiochwere encouragedby theletter. Judas andSilas togoAntiochwith Paul andBarnabas todeliver theletter. The both Jews andGentiles. James pointedoutthatthewords oftheprophets showed thatGod wantedtosave the thingsGod haddonethrough them whentheywere withtheGentiles. Then saved inthesameway—by thegraceof the Lord Jesus.” gave themtheHoly Spirit, justasHe didforus. group, heard andtheybelieved. thegoodnews, God “They acceptedthemand not theGentiles neededtoobeythelawofMoses. Peter stoodupandsaidtothe not besaved unlesstheyfollowed theJews someofthesamerules followed. Gentiles. But somepeopleinthechurch begantoteachthattheGentiles could Christ Connection: The church leadersmetinJerusalem toanswer atough The church leaderswrote alettertotheGentile believers. The leaderschose Everyone inthegroup wasquietasPaul andBarnabas told themaboutall “We know thatwe cannotobeyGod’s lawsperfectly. Jews andGentiles are The church leadersdecidedtomeetinJerusalem totalkaboutwhetheror Paul andBarnabas hadbeensharingthegospelwithmanypeople—including The Message:“ChristAlone” MAIN POINT: THECHURCH INJERUSALEM ENCOURAGED GENTILE BELIEVERS. Acts 15:1-35 19 Picture Mix-Up Arrange the picture pieces in the correct order to complete the Bible story main point. The Message Circle the letter to indicate if the statement is true or false. Then use the circled letters to fill in the message.

Some Jews believed Gentiles needed to follow Jewish rules to be saved.

Peter said that God accepted Gentiles who believed.

The Jews were trying to make salvation easier for Gentiles.

People can obey God’s laws perfectly if they try hard.

The words of the prophets showed God wants to save both Jews and Gentiles.

Jews and Gentiles are saved in the same way—by the grace of the Lord Jesus.

The early church agreed that because of The church in Jerusalem encouraged ______believers. Jesus’ death and resurrection, people are saved by ______alone.