Ancient Future: Grace-Oriented
Acts 11
Chris Seidman
Part of Ancient Future
October 3, 2021

Ancient Future:Grace Oriented

Ancient Future Series
Chris Seidman, Sr. Minister, The Branch Church
October 3, 2021

Features From Antioch That We Hope To Embody As Disciples And As A Church In The Future

  • Jesus-centered

  • Jesus-worshiping

  • Spirit-led

  • Diverse

  • Grace-oriented


John 1:14 (NIV)
… who came from the Father full of grace and truth.

Dimensions Of Grace

  • Grace as an activity of the Lord in our midst.


Acts 11:20-23 (NIV)
… telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.

  • Grace as the care of the Lord that we entrust people to.


Acts 13:2-3 (NIV)
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.


Acts 14:26 (NIV)
From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed.

  • Grace as a primary message of the Gospel.


Acts 15:1 (NIV)
Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.”


Acts 15:2-10 (NIV)
This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostle and elders about this question. (vs. 4) When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.

Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”
The apostles and elders met to consider this question. After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us.

“He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear?”


Acts 15:11 (NIV)
“No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”


Acts 20:24 (NIV)
“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.”


Acts 15:19 (NIV)
It is my judgement, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.


1 Corinthians 15:9-10 (NIV)
For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them – *yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. *


Acts 11:23 (NIV)
… saw what the grace of God had done … .


To be a Christ-ian is to in essence proclaim, “without Christ – I Am Nothing.”

Communion

Which dimension of grace speaks to you, and how will you respond this week?

  • Grace as the activity of God in or around you.
  • Grace as the care of God that we entrust people to.
  • Grace as a primary message of the Gospel.