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This Week
@ The Bridge

Announcements

Starting Point Class
Sunday May 7th @ 11:15a
The Bridge Church Reno
If you are new to The Bridge Church this is a great place to learn all about our mission and vision and why we believe God has placed us here in this neighborhood.  You will learn all about how we are reaching our community and world, you will also have the opportunity to become a member. Please use the connection card on the website or app to sign up and let us know you will be joining us.
 
Baptism Sunday
Sunday April 30th
The Bridge Church Reno
Come celebrate baptisms on Sunday April 30th with us.  If you are ready to take the next step in your walk with Jesus and would like to be baptized please go https://thebridgereno.com/connect and let us know.

Student Ministry Dessert Auction
Sunday April 30th
The Bridge Church Reno
There will be a dessert auction in the welcome center on Sunday April 30th.  Middle and High Schoolers from our church will be auctioning off tasty treats in an effort to raise money for camp this summer.  Please come with a sweet tooth and consider helping a student get to camp. You will be able to pay with cash or online.
 
Prayer Meeting
Thursday May 4th at 6:00pm, The Bridge Church Reno
The needs of our families, our community, and our world are many right now.  Let us turn to our merciful God and cry out to Him for help.  Please come and spend some time in prayer with us on Thursday May 4th 6-7pm

Message Notes

Getting it Straight (What is the Gospel?)

Pastor Phil Burdoin
April 23, 2023

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.” This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them.
Acts 15:1-2

False teachers had come to Antioch (where Paul and Barnabas) was and began teaching a false Gospel.  And insisted that the Gentiles must be put under the law of Moses in order to be saved. Paul and Barnabas immediately recognize that this is incorrect, and they begin to stand up to these guys. But then something interesting happens. The decision is made to open this question up to other leaders of the faith.

This becomes a doctrinal question that Paul and Barnabas are positive they have the correct answer to. And they want to go to Jerusalem and hear from the elders and apostles so that they can be confirmed in this.

Listen closely to the difference between verse one and verse five. They are similar but not exactly the same. We've gone from arguing about salvation to keeping a tradition.

Now we have people from all over the known world embracing this message of Jesus and who want to worship Him together. But this is posing a problem for the Jews who have been taught to separate themselves from the rest of the world.

Acts 15:7-11. Peter Speaks
He recalls how God sent him to Cornelius’s house and the Gentiles there received the Holy Spirit.

He tells us “God does not discriminate.”

He reminds us that  “God is concerned with the heart, not the outward appearance.”

He shares the gospel plainly.

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

The law never saved anyone, its job was condemnation not justification. The law was provided to give you the knowledge of sin, Jesus was provided to give you salvation from sin.

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

Verse 20-21 is all about getting along with other cultures and making concessions each other.  Telling the gentiles to avoid eating food in this manner was going to allow them to continue building relationships with the Jews there and abstaining from that, or sacrificing that, is loving one another.

That's what you do when you love someone you put them and their need first. And these instructions about avoiding sexual immorality is something that Paul had been teaching in Antioch for the years that he had been there. And the elders are confirming that this is something to avoid. This is something that hurts our relationship with Jesus. Don’t make it difficult.
Previous Messages Can Be Found Here

Small Groups Talk About It

Watch the latest Message Summary:

Discussion Questions:
  1. What is the gospel message? How would you explain it to someone who has never heard it?
  2. What makes the message of the gospel different than most of religious beliefs?
  3. Read Acts 15:1-3. Who were these people that “came down” to Antioch and where did they come from?  What was flawed about their teaching?
  4. How do you think the church at Antioch responded to their teaching?  Why would they have accepted or rejected this message?
  5. Read Acts 15:4-11. Who were the Pharisees that were there? Why would they be the ones to try and force this tradition? Were these Pharisees Christians?
  6. What specific event is Peter describing in verses 7-9? What happened at that event? (See Acts Ch 10)
  7. Why did God give the law to the Jews if it was impossible for them to fulfill it? In verse 11 what is it that Peter says brings salvation?  What relation does the law have on salvation?
  8. Read Acts 15:12-21. In what ways do you see Christians making hard for people to turn to God?  
  9. How can we focus on making it easy for people to turn to God? How do we invite people to ask more questions about our faith without condemning them?

Preparation for next week’s discussion, please do the following:

  • Read Acts 15 again.  What words are repeated in this chapter?  What does that tell you?
  • Who was the James mentioned here?  What position does he hold in the Jerusalem church?
  • Why does James quote the prophet Amos?  What is he saying about these verses? Acts 15:16-18
  • Why does James advise that Paul and Barnabas give the gentiles those four specific rules? Acts 15:19-21
  • Prepare for next week – Read Acts 16:11-40

Previous Messages Can Be Found Here