A New Covenant Part 4

1. The Day of Pentecost celebrated God giving “The Law” to Moses.

Exodus: 19-20 - Acts: 1-2

2. God chose and empowered Peter to change the trajectory of the church.
Acts:10-11 - Galatians: 4

3. The apostles DTR (define the relationship) of “The Law” to Jesus followers.
Acts 15:1 Certain individuals came down from Jerusalem 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.

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."

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.

 The Law was designed by God to be exclusive, exclusionary, and temporary.
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.
19 "It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.

 Organized religion should never make it difficult for anyone to follow Jesus.
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.

 The apostles to do list had nothing to do with The Law, but everything to do with love.
Romans: 14 - 1 Corinthians: 6

4. The Old Testament is valuable today, it demonstrates God’s power and faithfulness.
1 Corinthians 10:8 – Romans 8:3

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

Three Questions:

1. Do you ever treat people as if you were still under the old covenant, that says “an eye
for an eye,” instead of living in the new covenant that says “love your neighbor as
yourself??

2. Can you empathize with the Jesus following Pharisees, for having to make so many
close, personal and value driven paradigm shifts so quickly?

3. What do you think are some of the concessions you need to make for the sake of unity
and harmony in your life?