Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro:

Has anyone noticed any of these orange barrels all over the place?

Driving down road/praise music playing.

Staying within lines…

Orange sign/work zone ahead!

Traffic slows/brake lights ahead.

Lines are gone/orange cones.

Arrows pointing everywhere.

Illustration:

Do you really need to stay within the lines?

East Kellogg…

It’s the lines that keep us safe.

Even though construction/lead to a better/safer trip.

How do you keep yourself safe spiritually?

God is in the construction business also/rebuilding lives.

Go back two weeks (James speaking of Jesus)

Slide:

Acts 15:16 ‘After this I will return And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up;

NKJV

He will return/rebuild/set up.

Make all things new.

Until the time of His return/you keep yourself safe.

How do you do that?

Slide: “Staying Within the Lines”

God has given us His word/to protect us/to show us

How to live our/your life by “Staying Within the Lines”

When we left off.

Peter rose up explaining to Jerusalem council/God given the gospel to the gentiles.

No distinction between Jew/Gentile.

Jews were saying, If you want to be saved/traditions.

That included circumcision/obeying the law of Moses.

v.10 why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples/they or you can’t bear?

It was to much for them/too much for me/you.

We can’t do it!

You can’t do it!

Until He returns/We need someone to show us if we are “Staying Within the Lines”

Slide:

Acts 15:19 Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God,

20 but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood.

21 For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

NKJV

James said, “Lets not make it to hard on these guys.”

Not give them a burden/can’t attain.

Instead, write them a letter/set of ethics

Biblical lines to stay within.

They were to abstain from (3) things.

1.

Food polluted by idol.

2. Sexual immorality.

3. Meat of strangled animals/blood.

These were Jewish moral issues

1.

Food polluted by idols.

a. Hold banquets/celebrations in idol temples.

2. Sexual immorality.

a. Fornication was a common sin.

3. Meat of strangled animals/blood.

a. Jews believed life was in the blood.

By not attending banquets in temples/fornication/eating blood to the Jews, the gentiles would be maintaining the high moral standards…

More importantly/not offend their Jewish brothers.

James said, “Lets send them a letter”

Slide:

Acts 15: 22 Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren.

23 They wrote this letter by them: The apostles, the elders, and the brethren, To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.

NKJV

Paul, Barnabus, Judas called Barsabus and Silas

Elders of the church/penned this letter/decree.

Slide:

Acts 15:23 They wrote this letter by them: The apostles, the elders, and the brethren, To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.

NKJV

Starts with who wrote the letter/validity.

Apostles, elders and brethren.

To the brethren…who are Gentiles

Call them brothers/still separation.

Slide:

Acts 15:24 Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law”—to whom we gave no such commandment—

25 it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth.

28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:

29 that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality.

If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well.

Farewell.

NKJV

v.25 assembled with one accord (heart)

v.26 sent men who have risked their lives (credibility)

v. 28 No burden/necessary things.

1. Abstain from Idols.

2. Sexual immorality.

3. Strangled animals.

Important note here.

Not a new doctrine, it’s a new duty

It’s not enough for you to accept biblical truth;

You must apply it in your daily life.

You must live it out.

Slide:

James 2:20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

NKJV

When you fell to your knees/cried out, Lord save me/He did!

He also said, I’m going to began a work in you.

Construction going on.

Wall coming down.