We are on lesson 9 ACTS 15: DEALING WITH DIFFERENCES

1. How does your church assimilate new people in the church?
2. Church membership in the 21st century is different than years ago.  
3. The culture of the CP Church and sectarianism. 
4. Circumcision and Jewish Law in the new Church
5. Inward focus of the Church
6. Church governments--Presbyterian
7. Accountability to one another--member to member, member to the church, church to the presbytery, presbytery to General Assembly. 
8. Jerusalem Council--people were committed to the authority of the Apostles. 
9. In "decent and in good order." A deliberative body discerning God's will.  
10. Change is hard. Differences are hard.
11. The Church is supposed to be a joyful, beloved community.

1. Success in evangelism is up to God, the question is "are we practicing evangelism?"
2. Difference between evangelism and witnessing. Think of the difference between Paul and the woman at the well.
3. Luke's concern for the Gentile and those outside of the Jewish faith and ethnicity.
4. Acts 1:8 serves as a thesis statement for the book of Acts
5. The Eunuch serves as an illustration of the ultimate breaking down of barriers to fellowship between humans and a relationship to God. 
6. Persecution often leads to the spreading of God's message. It is the responsibility of Christians to uplift the places they find themselves.
7. God orchestrates moments of opportunities of evangelism.
8. God brings in those we think are beyond the reach of the gospel. 
9. Ministry success is not based on numbers, but on faithfulness.
10. We (the Church) exist to create little Christ.
11. The Gospel is a source of mercy to those who are suffering. 
12. God hidden in suffering is a motivation for evangelism.  

1. Luke presents Jesus as human and divine, the complete Messiah 

2. Jesus is Christ is more than a human moral teacher. 

3. Bad theology from the first century that continues today--Gnosticism and denying the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ 

4. Jesus is lifted up by the expositing of the scripture and the administration of the sacraments 

5. Apologetics 

6. Our teachings/evangelism/witnessing must be tied to the scriptures. 

7. Post resurrection stories are meant to prove the human/divine nature of Jesus Christ. 

8. Christ was a whole person, body and soul, in order to save body and soul and redeem the world. (material portions as well) 

9. The Messiah had to suffer and be lifted up. Jesus wasn't simply a person who tried to be nice to people and ended up getting killed. He was God's Messiah. 

10. Jesus redeems culture. Culture does not redeem Jesus 

11. Atonement theories 

12. What God intended, Christ accomplished. 

13. Because Christ accomplished God's purpose, we can preach the Gospel because it gives hope of transformation. 

14. Go and tell...witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ

1. The Celebration of the Coming of the Son of David, The King, The Messiah. The world was "in turmoil"
2. Palm Sunday is supposed to be a moment of great joy.
3. Impressment. "The Lord has need of it. Jesus is the King.
4. The swelling of the population, everything is crazy
5.  Festivals and Ritual Gatherings have meaning. They are important to the community.
6. Passover Lamb is purposefully connected to Jesus and the Passover Feast--John the Baptist "Behold the Lamb of God."
7. The King riding on a donkey, the cloaks and palm branches connect Christ to the Messiah.  
8. King with the Power of God does not need to ride in with an earthly Army
9. Worshipping for an audience of one.
10. Welcome Christ at every moment, in church, in your heart.
11. Christ is both savior and Lord. Can not be seperated

1. Denominational Day of Prayer, Ash Wednesday, February 17th, and the YappApp. eVotions 

2. The unusual and miraculous in Scripture. Does it still happen? 

3. Science can give us a "how" things happen, but not a "why." 

4. The Mountains of Scripture. Nature as God's revelation. 

5. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets 

6. Divine providence in natural occurrences 

7. God still speaks, and God still heals 

8. The most audacious miracle is that God can transform our hearts 

9. Go and work in the power of the Holy Spirit! God will do the miraculous when we serve God in obedience. 

10. Wesley's 22 Questions and the Prayer of Examine

1. The Sabbath (even all the Law) was meant for healing and restoration. The Law was twisted and became a burden. 

2. Regulative vs Normative principle of worship. 

3. Distinctiveness of Judaism and the revolutionary idea of time. 

4. Sabbath as rest now and promise of rest in the future. 

5. An intentional rest for the whole of creation. Fellowship with God and one another. 

6. Jesus Christ and grace are Christian distinctives. 

7. The institution of the Sabbath is blessed. By participating in Sabbath the practitioner is blessed. It is a universal institution. 

8. Changing times and changing ways of observing the Sabbath. 

9. Sabbath is the ultimate symbol of the rest we have in Christ. 

10. Be nice at lunch after church 

11. PRACTICE SABBATH

1. Rule of Life/Mission Statement/The Ministry of Jesus 

2. Jesus has come to transform our hearts for the transformation of the world. (All people, All groups, All nations) 

3. The Truth sometimes hurts, both receiving and proclaiming it. 

4. The fool despises correction, The wise person receives discipline 

5. Jesus challenges our narratives and assumptions about God. 

6. The Church continues the teachings and work of Christ in the world. 

7. The work we do must be centered in Christ, about Christ, and to Christ. We can not allow for distractions. 

8. Keeping yourself spiritually on track through a personal spiritual mission statement or rule of life

1. Alfred Nobel--Examine your life in light of your obituary
2. John the Baptist--prepares the way for the real Messiah
3. Promise through Judaism--promise is to "All" people, all nations
4. Brood of Vipers--all have fallen short of the Glory of God
5. Jesus is King. Full Stop
6. Repentance means to turn away from evil and turning to righteousness
7.  John the Baptist as a model for individuals and churches for witnessing to the world.
8. Witness to the truth, and bear fruit!

You can find more resources at encounterhelps – Ministry Council of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church (cpcmc.org)

1. Wisdom from above different from "worldly wisdom." 
2. Wisdom and the Law.  Submitting to God.
3. Jesus is the Divine Son of God. God is Jesus's father. 
4. Three fold use of the Law (Third use)
5. Wisdom=application of knowledge
6. Family Unit as the transmission of wisdom
7. The Congregation helps with the transmission of wisdom
8. The Family is the unit whereby we are trained in grace, love, and wisdom.

1. Wrestling with God--Trusting God
2. Rituals form and shape us.
3. Obedience to God
4. Simeon's Song 
5.  Baptism and Circumcision 
6. Application--Wrestling, waiting, worshipping

1. Trusting God 
2. Pondering/Treasuring
3. The "400 Years of Silence"
4. Barrenness
5. What About Mary? 

1. Restoration of Israel--shame is turned to glory. 
2. This newfound glory is for all people, not only for ourselves 
3. The model for Christian fellowship and life is the Jubillee Year
4. We invite, or rather, our lives invite all people to join in fellowship with God and the Church

Acts 10:34-43

John 20:1-18

or Matthew 28:1-10

Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24

Matthew 21:1-11

Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29

The Liturgy of the Word

Isaiah 50:4-9a

Philippians 2:5-11

Matthew 26:14- 27:66

or Matthew 27:11-54

Psalm 31:9-16

Ezekiel 37:1-14 Psalm 130 Romans 8:6-11 John 11:1-45

Sunday March 15 Lent 3 A

Exodus 17:1-7

Psalm 95

Romans 5:1-11

John 4:5-42

Exodus 24:12-18 2 Peter 1:16-21 Matthew 17:1-9 Psalm 2

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

1 Corinthians 3:1-9

Matthew 5:21-37

Psalm 119:1-8

You can also follow the ministry by liking their Facebook page at 

https://www.facebook.com/sacredsparksministry/

Isaiah 58:1-9a, [9b-12] 1 Corinthians 2:1-12, [13-16] Matthew 5:13-20 Psalm 112:1-9, (10)

Micah 6:1-8 Psalm 15 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 Matthew 5:1-15

Humility and wisdom

Isaiah 9:1-4

1 Corinthians 1:10-18

Matthew 4:12-23

Psalm 27:1,5-13

• Isaiah 49:1-7
• 1 Corinthians 1:1-9
• John 1:29-42
• Psalm 40:1-12

Isaiah 42:1-9 Acts 10:34-43 Matthew 3:13-17 Psalm 29

A light has dawned for all people.  In Christ all people have abundance in the mystery of God made flesh!

Isaiah 60:1-6

Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14

Ephesians 3:1-12

Matthew 2:1-12

Isaiah 50:4-9, Psalm 31, Phil 2:1-13, Luke 23

Join for a lectionary starter discussion.  

This and more on this episode of the Cumberland Podcast

Remember to get your resources for our Lenten Study at www.cpcmc.org/wesource