Staying the Course
In Acts 14, we see Paul and Barnabas move city to city. They face riots, crowds trying to worship them, and a stoning that leaves Paul for dead outside the gates. Acts 15 turns us inward to a doctrinal dispute serious enough to call the whole church together. They reason through Scripture, hold firm on the Gospel, and reach a decision. Then Paul and Barnabas can’t agree on who’s coming on the next trip. They eventually split.
Pastor David Rose pulls four truths from these chapters: God works through steady obedience. He encourages His churches to persevere. He resolves conflict through his Word. And He can take a painful disagreement and use it to multiply the mission, helping us stay the course.
Key Takeaways
- God works through steady obedience. (Acts 14:1-20)
- God encourages His churches to persevere. (Acts 14:21-28)
- God solves conflict through communication based on His word. (Acts 15:1-35)
- God can overcome His people’s disagreements. (Acts 15:36-41)
Further Study
- In Acts 14:11–18, the crowd wants to worship Paul and Barnabas as gods and then stones them a few verses later. What does this tell us about basing our faithfulness on how others respond to us? See also: 2 Corinthians 5:9–10
- Pastor David talked about the danger of living for public approval. Where in your own life are you most tempted to measure your faithfulness by how people receive you?
- Acts 14:21–23 shows Paul and Barnabas returning to cities where they had been opposed, appointing elders and reminding believers it is “necessary to go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” Why do you think Paul felt it was important to say this to new believers? What does this say about a comfort-centered faith? See also: Romans 5:3–5
- The dispute in Acts 15 is doctrinal and sharp. The church doesn’t avoid it. Instead, they called a gathering to work through it from Scripture. What made their process healthy? What from their approach applies to conflict in your relationships today? See also: Matthew 18:15–17
- The Jerusalem Council held firm on salvation by faith alone while asking Gentile believers to make certain practical concessions out of love for Jewish brothers and sisters. How do you distinguish between what is non-negotiable in doctrine and what is a matter of wisdom and love in practice?
- Paul and Barnabas, two men who had endured so much together, reached a sharp disagreement over John Mark and parted ways. God uses the split to send out two mission teams instead of one. What does this tell us about how God works even through imperfect relationships and painful situations? See also: Colossians 4:10; 2 Timothy 4:11
- All four of Pastor David’s points point toward surrender: to Jesus, to His Word, to His mission, over personal preference and emotion. What would it look like for you to surrender in one specific area this week?
The Gospel
If you have questions about what it means to be a Christian, we would love to talk with you about it.
Reach outThe Gospel starts with an honest diagnosis: without Christ, we are dead and no amount of good behavior, hard work, or church attendance changes that.
God’s answer to that condition is Jesus. He didn’t come to make bad people better. He came to bring dead people back to life. His death paid for sin. His resurrection broke its hold. And when you trust in Him you receive that life.
The call is to trust Him, walk with Him, and to let Him work.