Core Groups Exist to Facilitate Christ-like Community. Text: Acts 15: 36-41 Sermon Series: The Advance Preached on Sept. 18th To Be facilitated on Sept. 25th or Sooner. Why do we do these things? And The Gospel. We do these thinGs Because we want to Be a GoinG and sendinG people. We want to Get out in the community and serve people so we can say: “We are servinG you Because Jesus served us.” Not all ministry happens in the four walls of a BuildinG the church meets in. We want to model for you, and get you to thinkinG aBout ways you can serve others so you can have an opportunity to tell the good news of Jesus Christ. But I’m not confident in the gospel! I don’t know how to tell it. How did you Get saved? You are saved – riGht? If you can’t rememBer the story of the news that saved you, it might be time for some introspection (2 Cor. 13:5). We do these thinGs to Get you out of your comfort zone so you can serve others to Be a BlessinG and to share the BlessinG of salvation in Jesus Christ. Who are you servinG? Here are two chances to BeGin to do somethinG. CREC Service Opportunity We Value Going and Sending. WE need 8 to 10 Groups of 4 to Go into our community and update houses. This will Be Oct. 22nd. If you want to help or have a neiGhBor who could use our help and see Jesus in our actions and words, contact Brian Harrison [email protected] or contact the office. We hope every Core Group participates. Celebration Stillwater Primer We Value Going and Sending –On Saturday, SeptemBer 24th from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. we will Be takinG teams to OnCue Stores to wash vehicle windows. We will also Be passinG out information aBout CeleBration Stillwater. We had a great time last year servinG the community. We need around 30 people to volunteer. Who’s going to represent your Core Group in blessing our city? Acts 15:36-41 ESV “Paul and Barnabas Separate” [36] And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the Brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” [37] Now BarnaBas wanted to take with them John called Mark. [38] But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not Gone with them to the work. [39] And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, [40] but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. [41] And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strenGtheninG the churches. Historical setting: Acts 15:1-35. The Jerusalem Council had just taken place in order to resolve the issues which were BeinG BrouGht up By some of the Jews in the church, that of forcing Gentile converts to uphold the law of Moses. It was resolved that God had shown the church that the Holy Spirit could Be Given (hence salvation could Be received) By Grace throuGh faith alone, rather than works of the flesh (vs. 8- 11). The council resolved to not force unBearaBle practices on Gentile converts, yet to admonish them to Be unstained By the world, and not offend the Jews (1), by abstaining from certain paGan distinctives: • PartakinG of food sacrificed to idols • Sexual Immorality • ThinGs that had Been stranGled, and from Blood Silas and Judas BarsabBas (prophets and leadinG men amonG the Brothers) were sent, alonG with Paul and Barnabas, Back to Antioch in order to deliver this messaGe via letter. The conGreGation of Antioch was then Gathered toGether to hear the letter, and it was received in much joy. After stayinG some time to strenGthen the church at Antioch, Silas and BarsaBBas returned to Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch for some time, “teaching and preachinG the word of the Lord, with many others also.” Acts 15:36-18:22 The Witness in Greece. Paul’s second missionary journey centered on the cities of the Greek provinces of Macedonia and Achaia, includinG Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and Corinth. This second journey (see map) proBaBly BeGan in AD 48 or 49 and ended in 51. (4) 36: After some days “(perhaps when winter gave place to spring and travel Became feasiBle again).” (3) 41: Paul’s route took him By foot to the churches of his first missionary journey in reverse order (4) Paul’s intent in the second mission: 36: “See how they are.” “In addition to proclaiming the gospel, Paul also recognized his responsiBility to mature the new Believers in their faith” (Matt. 28:19-20; Eph 4:11-16; Phil. 1:8; Col. 1:28; 1 Thess. 2:17). So he planned his second missionary journey to retrace his first one.” (1) 41: “Syria and Cilicia.” “Paul visited congregations he had most likely founded before his connection with the Antioch church (Gal. 1:21). The circumcision question had Been raised there also.(1) Notice the level of care and commitment that Paul has for the churches he had planted: • Traveled By foot and Boat for many months to reach the churches, Go to Jerusalem to resolve a dispute, and endeavored to return to the churches By foot in order to strenGthen their faith. • Stayed “no short amount of time” with the churches in order to preach and teach them God’s word. • Philippians 2:1-11, 14-18 Paul and Christ are examples of sacrifice for the church’s sake. Paul likened his life to a “drink offering” poured out as a sacrifice for the sake of the church’s faith. Question: 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Ephesians 4:11-16 What sort of time commitment do you think would be necessary to develop formerly pagan idol-worshippers into a church described by the following?: • Unity of the faith and knowledGe of the Son of God • Maturity “to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” • Firmness in doctrine so as to not Be children “tossed to and fro By the waves and carried aBout By every wind of doctrine, by human craftiness in deceitful schemes.” • Growth in every way into the likeness of Christ, the head. • Being submissive to Christ and working together as a body where each part is equipped and working properly, so as to be able to Build itself up in love. Question: How are you gifted to serve in the mission of being a part of the body and building it up into the likeness of Christ? Question: Have you grown mature in putting to use your gifts for the sake of building up the body? Are you currently active in that mission (Matthew 28:18-20)? How so? If not, what might you do? Key Figures (besides Paul and Barnabas) 37-38: “John called Mark” Acts 12:12; 13:13 Later, followinG the separation, “He disappeared until he was seen with Paul at Rome as an accepted companion and coworker (Col. 4:10; Philem. 24). During Paul’s second imprisonment at Rome, Paul sought John Mark’s presence as useful to him (2 Tim. 4:11). He wrote the second Gospel that Bears his name, BeinG enriched in his task By the aid of Peter (1 Pet. 5:13).” (1) John Mark was BarnaBas’s cousin. (2) It was in his mother’s house that the disciples were gathered to pray at the time of Peter’s imprisonment and miraculous deliverance (Acts 12). 37: John whose other name was Mark will Be a major fiGure, GoinG with Paul and BarnaBas on the first part of their first missionary journey but then leavinG them (see v. 25; 13:5, 13). This was a cause of contention Between Paul and BarnaBas (see 15:37, 39). Mark reGained Paul’s favor later (see Col. 4:10; 2 Tim. 4:11; Philem. 24). Mark accompanied Peter (see 1 Pet. 5:13), and there is suBstantial testimony from the early church that he wrote the Gospel of Mark (see Introduction to Mark: Author and Title). (4) Question: John Mark seems to have had strong credentials, if you will. What reasons do you think he had for not continuing with Paul and Barnabas during the first journey? 40: “Silas.” “He was perfectly suited to Be Paul’s companion, since he was a prophet (vs. 32) and could proclaim and teach the word. Being a Jew Gave him access to the synaGogues (Acts 6:9). Because he was a Roman citizen (16:37), he enjoyed the same benefits and protection as Paul. His status as a respected leader in the Jerusalem fellowship helped to reinforce Paul’s teaching that Gentile salvation was By Grace alone through faith alone.” (1) Silas: “along with Judas BarsabBas, had carried the apostolic letter from Jerusalem to Antioch, and there is no good reason to question the identification.” (2) Key issue: 39: “disagreement… separated.” “Paul, Believing that Mark’s departure from Perga during their former journey was unjustified, and probably recognizing that it revealed some defect of character which made him unsuitable for such work, refused point-blank to take him aGain.”(2) “This was not a [peaceful] parting—they were in sharp disaGreement reGardinG John Mark. The weiGht of the evidence favors Paul’s decision, especially since he was an apostle of Jesus Christ.