The Book of Acts inspires us to RE-THINK what it means for everyone of us to live on mission in every area of life.

Acts 1: Cause, Community, Corporation Acts 2: The Power of the Holy Spirit Acts 4: The simple, substantial Message Acts 6: Leaders and Followers Acts 13: The Multiplication Strategy

Acts 15: The Vision Grows We need to constantly correct blurred vision to keep the mission in focus.

Acts 14:27 “On arriving [back in Antioch] they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. Acts 15:3 “…as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the brothers very glad.”

Acts 15:1-5 1 “Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: ‘Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” Gentile converts were joining through baptism, but without circumcision. They were becoming Christians without also becoming Jews. Blurred Vision

Covenant: Abraham Related to: Offspring, Christ Sign: Circumcision Romans 4:11 “And he [Abraham] received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also…” Romans 4:11 “And he [Abraham] received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also…”

Vision Correction 2 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 apostles and elders about this question. CORPORATION Acts 1 Empowering Leaders Acts 15:2 (also 22, 35)

8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10 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? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” Vision Correction Discerning Biblical Direction Acts 15:6-11

Wisdom from Experience Acts 15: God’s mission - Biblical foundation (Amos 9:11-12) - Do not make it difficult / conditional - Offer advice in Truth and Love Vision Correction Acts 4:12 Romans 10:9 Acts 4:12 Romans 10:9

Vision Correction LOVE TRUTH 28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Unity in Action Acts 15:22-35

We need to constantly correct blurred vision to keep the mission in focus. Empowering Leaders Discerning Biblical Direction Wisdom from Experience Unity in Action