Sunday School Lessons: Acts 15

Lesson 19
Acts 15
The First Church Council (at Jerusalem)

In the beginning of the Church era, what kind of people first made up the church?
As the Gospel went out according to Acts 1:18, who was added to the church?
What kinds of problems did this create? (Discuss the problems from the Jewish point of view as well and the Gentile point of view)

Acts 15 is the account of the first time that there was a general, wide reaching theological or doctrinal question or dispute that affected the teaching of the Gospel in the church.  The issue is brought to the Apostles in Jerusalem.

The Issue

Acts 15:1But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

In the historic Jewish religion, a male child was circumcised on the 8th day as a symbol of his inclusion with the Covenant people.  This was an essential part of the Law of Moses.  The problem with what the men from Judea were teaching was that they made being circumcised an essential part of salvation.  They were teaching that no one could be saved apart from circumcision.

Read Acts 15:2  When these men came to Antioch and started teaching this doctrine, Paul and Barnabas disputed with them.  In order to settle the matter, the church at Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem to talk to the Apostles and elders.  This was an important event in the life of the early church because the Gospel was at stake.

3 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers. 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. 5 But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”

When Paul and Barnabas got to Jerusalem they gave a report of what was happening in Galatia among the Gentiles, just like they had when they returned to Antioch.  As they told of the conversion of the Gentiles and their faith in Christ for salvation, the Pharisees declared that the Gentiles must be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses.

These men were not disputing the facts of the Gospel (Christ’s life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension) but they were disputing the meaning or the interpretation of those facts.  What is the Gospel?  How does the Gospel save you?  What did Christ do on the Cross?  Do you still need to bring sacrifices?  Do you still have to observe the Law?  These are the questions that needed to be clarified.

6 The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter.

The Discussion

7 And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9 and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. 10 Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”

Peter reminds the assembly that God had used him to first bring the Gospel to the Gentiles. (Review Cornelius, Acts 10)  By doing this, he is also reminding them that this issue had been dealt with at that time.  

Read vs. 8-9. What is Peter reminding them about the salvation of the Gentiles?

Read vs. 10-11 Peter makes an amazing point here.  By this he is telling them that no one is ever saved by the Law!  Even they, themselves, as Jews have never been able to keep the Law, nor had their Fathers (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc.) Only one Person ever kept the Law and that was Jesus.  Both the Jews and the Gentiles will be saved the same way—through faith in Jesus Christ—His perfect, obedient life; His death and resurrection.

Read vs. 12-13 Everyone then listened to Paul and Barnabas as they told about what God had done among the Gentiles.  Then James, the brother of Jesus, who was a leader of the church in Jerusalem, stood up and spoke next.

The Decision

Read vs. 13-20

13 After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,
16 “‘After this I will return,
and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen;
I will rebuild its ruins,
and I will restore it,
17 that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord,
and all the Gentiles who are called by my name,
says the Lord, who makes these things 18 known from of old.’
19 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood.

James reminds them that God, by saving the Gentiles, is calling out a people for Himself.  He quotes Amos and then announces his judgment that the Gentiles should not be “troubled” by the addition of the Law and circumcision, but that they should, out of courtesy to the Jews, abstain from these four things:  eating meat sacrificed to idols, from immorality (immorality was a part of the worship of the pagan Gentiles) and from eating meat that had been strangled or had not been drained of blood.  These were not a matter of salvation, but of courtesy.

The Decision Goes Out

Read vs. 22-29

Paul and Barnabas are sent back to the church in Antioch along with two other men, Silas and Judas Barsabas, along with letters from the Apostles and Elders of the church in Jerusalem.  They sent the letters and the other two men along with Paul and Barnabas to confirm the message they were bringing.

Read vs. 30-35 The communications from Jerusalem were received with joy.  Paul, Barnabas and Silas remained in Antioch, preaching and teaching.

The Second Missionary Journey introduced

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.

After a while, Paul thought it was time to go and visit the churches they had established and see how they were doing.  Barnabas wanted to take John Mark, but Paul did not.  They disagreed over this, so they parted.  Barnabas and John Mark went to Cyprus, (Barnabas’ home area and Silas accompanied Paul.  Barnabas is no longer mentioned in Acts and we will follow Paul’s second missionary journey.  God used both of these men, even though they did not agree.  They were able to disagree in a way that did not harm their ministry.  It’s alright to disagree.  Later, Paul would greatly desire to have Mark come to him.

*These lessons are written for use with elementary aged students.  You can find lessons for previous chapters here.