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Welcome to Sunday Online!
Today we're continuing a series on the book of Acts called LIMITLESS.
In the book of Acts, we’re going to see the gospel spread from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth, just as Jesus said it would, and despite a number of obstacles and trials that come along nothing can stop it. We’re going to see the gospel spread to all different kinds of people, inviting them all into God’s kingdom. We’re going to see the power of the Holy Spirit, who enables people to see the glory of Jesus.
We’re going to see that the gospel is limitless — It’s for everyone!
The spread of the gospel is limitless — Nothing can stop it and nowhere is too far for it to go.
The Holy Spirit is limitless — Bringing power, healing and faith to everyone who believes the good news.
The power of the gospel is limitless — Bringing new life to the ends of the earth.
We’re hoping this series will give us greater confidence to know that God is at work in us and at work in our city and region. There is no one beyond the reach of the gospel, so we can have confidence to bear witness to Jesus and his resurrection.
There is also a call to consider the resurrection for ourselves. The main characters in each chapter stake their lives on the truth of the resurrection. Rather than a comfortable existence, this book should shake us and provoke us to consider our own walk with Jesus. Are we prepared to stake our lives on it, to the point of expecting and rejoicing in suffering for the name of Jesus?
It is our hope that we’ll press on to grow as disciples who sacrifice, serve and speak for the sake of others, to grow the renown of the gospel and to grow the church, all for the glory of Jesus. We can only do this, under God, in the power of His Spirit, so will you join us in praying that God’s Spirit would be powerfully at work in us.
Prayer Points
Here are some prayer points that you might like to use with your family or on the phone with others:
- Praise God for his undeserved grace and kindness to us so we don’t have to behave in a certain way in order to be saved, no matter how impure we are. Ask him to grant us faith that he will purify us and make us his people.
- Ask God to change our allegiance to the idols we follow, to be wholehearted in following Jesus instead. Because he has saved us, ask God to change our thoughts, motives, actions and desires.
- Keep praying that God would give 8000 new people to Jesus in our generation in Rockhampton & Gracemere for a start, because Jesus is worthy of praise and because he offers his salvation to everyone. Pray for opportunities every day, every where we go, to speak to every one about Jesus.
- Pray for our mission partner, Cam, that he would continue to preach that anyone can be saved and transformed by Jesus, and that he’d have the joy of seeing God do that work.
The Bible reading for today is Acts 15v1-35.
Acts 15v1-35 — New International Version (NIV) from biblegateway.com
1 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.” 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. 3 The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad. 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.
5 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.”
6 The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7 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. 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.”
12 The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.13 When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me.14 Simon[a] has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles. 15 The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:
16 “‘After this I will return
and rebuild David’s fallen tent.
Its ruins I will rebuild,
and I will restore it,
17 that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
even all the Gentiles who bear my name,
says the Lord, who does these things’[b]—
18 things known from long ago.[c]
19 “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. 21 For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”
22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers.23 With them they sent the following letter:
The apostles and elders, your brothers,
To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia:
Greetings.
24 We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. 25 So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul— 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.27 Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 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.
Farewell.
30 So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. 31 The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. 32 Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers. 33 After spending some time there, they were sent off by the believers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them. [34] [d] 35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.
Family Bible Time
You'll just need the videos and other files below for this week's kidschurch.
Acts 15 Family Bible Time - check out this pdf after the videos!
SONGS FOR REFLECTION DURING OUR ACTS SERIES
Here are some songs to encourage you during the day. If you go to youtube you can shuffle the music and subscribe to rockypc MUSIC PLAYLISTS
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