Walking with Jesus
"If the LORD delights in a person's way, He makes their steps firm; though they stumble, they will not fall, for the LORD upholds them with His hand." (Psalm 37:23,24)
Walking with Jesus

Lessons Learned: “What Barriers?” (Acts 15:22-35)

“What Barriers?” (Acts 15:22-35)

Scroll down for “Lessons Learned…”

📘 LESSONS LEARNED

God has made salvation freely available through Jesus Christ, yet many people resist Him because of spiritual blindness, sinful independence, and barriers that the Church must lovingly and clearly address with truth.

💥 SINS / FAILURES

  1. Rejecting God’s gracious salvation because we prefer independence from Him (Romans 3:22–23; John 3:19–20)
  2. Adding religious requirements to the gospel that God has not required (Acts 15:10–11; Galatians 1:6–9)
  3. Failing to understand the spiritual barriers that keep people in our community from trusting Jesus (2 Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 4:5–6)

🏆 SUCCESSES / SPIRITUAL GROWTH

  1. Embracing salvation as God’s gift of grace, not a reward earned by human effort (Ephesians 2:8–9; Titus 3:5)
  2. Communicating the gospel clearly and accurately to people with different backgrounds and questions (John 14:26; 1 Peter 3:15)
  3. Rejoicing in the unity of Jew and Gentile, and all peoples, who are redeemed by Jesus Christ (Acts 15:30–31; Ephesians 2:14–18)

🧭 LEADERSHIP DYNAMICS

  1. Godly leaders protect the purity of the gospel when confusion or false requirements threaten the Church (Acts 15:22–29; Galatians 2:5)
  2. Healthy leaders send trusted messengers to communicate truth clearly and strengthen believers (Acts 15:22, 30–32)
  3. Faithful leaders are willing to risk their lives for the name and mission of Jesus Christ (Acts 15:25–26; Acts 14:19)

🌍 EKKLESIA (THE CHURCH) PERSPECTIVE

  1. The Church must keep salvation by grace through faith in Jesus at the center of its message (Acts 15:11; Ephesians 2:8–9)
  2. The Church must recognize and remove unnecessary barriers that confuse people about the gospel (Acts 15:19; 1 Corinthians 9:22–23)
  3. The Church should be a joyful, multi-ethnic, Christ-centered community that makes the gospel attractive to watching people (Acts 15:31–35; John 13:35)