Introduction

• Acts 15:3-4 – Paul and Barnabas knew the answer to the question of circumcision of Gentiles already because of what God had revealed.
• Acts 15:5 – They were not deciding what the Gentiles should do. They were figuring out what God had already said.

Background

• Acts 10
  • Acts 10:10-16 – Vision of unclean animals; “kill and eat”
  • Acts 10:19-20 – Holy Spirit tells Peter to go with these men.
  • Acts 10:22 – Peter learns an angel had told Cornelius to send for him and hear his message.
  • Acts 10:28 – Peter infers: “God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.”
  • Acts 10:45 – “the gift of the Holy Spirit poured out on the Gentiles”
• Acts 11
  • Acts 11:1-4

Exhibit A: Peter – Cornelius (Acts 15:7-11)

• No mention of the Law of Moses.
• Peter is pointing back to what God has already revealed.

Exhibit B: Paul and Barnabas – preaching trip (Acts 15:12)

• Acts 13:45-47

Exhibit C: James – Amos’ prophecy (Acts 15:13-19)

• Amos 9:11-12 – “… all the Gentiles who are called by my name …”

Conclusion

• Acts 15:19
• God has included Gentiles without the requirements of the Old Covenant (such as circumcision).
• What happened:
  • They gathered relevant information (commands, examples, inferences, and statements) and acknowledged God’s will.
  • This is what we should do, too!
• What did NOT happen:
  • Majority rule
  • Opinion rule
  • Expert rule
  • Tradition rule
  • Etc.
• I Corinthians 14:37-38

Introduction

• Nehemiah 8:1-8

What is the Bible?

• A collection of 66 books. It wasn’t called the Bible until some time in the Middle Ages (Bible comes from a Latin word that simply means “books”).
• Written over 1500 years by 40 different authors.
• The Bible is inspired by God
  • II Timothy 3:16
  • II Peter 1:20-21
• Different styles and genres
• Two major parts:
  • Old Testament, 39 books (Genesis – Malachi)
  • New Testament 27 books (Matthew – Revelation)

How do I find my way around?

• Acts 17:11
• Parts of a Bible reference
  • Book, chapter, verse
  • Chapters and verses were not added until the 1200s and 1500s. They were added by man, not by God.
  • Five books have only one chapter: Obadiah, Philemon, II John, III John, and Jude

Which translation is best?

• Old Testament: written in Hebrew with some Aramaic
• New Testament: written in Greek
• II John 1:12
• Different translations use different philosophies.
  • Word-for-word vs. thought-for-thought
• Romans 13:4
• Recommended translations:
  • New American Standard, 1995 (NASB95)
  • English Standard Version (ESV)
  • New King James Version (NKJV)
  • King James Version (KJV)

What type of Bible should I use?

• Arrangement of the text
  • Verse-by-verse
  • Paragraph
  • Journaling / wide-margin
  • Daily reading Bible
  • Parallel Bible
• Extra material added
  • Maps
  • Concordance
  • Reference Bible
  • Devotional Bible
  • Children’s Bible
• Features
  • Red letter
  • Large print
  • Cover
  • Paper
  • Foreword / preface
  • Italics
  • Small caps
• Try a digital Bible
  • YouVersion
  • Olive Tree
  • E-Sword

Homework

• Try out two free Bible apps.
• Study Philippians 4:13. What does it mean?

How to know if you are in a healthy relationship

• Source: https://www.verywellmind.com/all-about-healthy-relationship-4774802

Top 10 aspects of a healthy relationship

• Source: https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/relations/top-10-characteristics-of-healthy-relationships/

1. Respect
2. Intimacy
3. Trust
4. Effective communication
5. Friendship
6. Connection
7. Commitment
8. Healthy conflict
9. Flexibility
10. Enjoyment

12 elements of healthy relationships

• Source: https://wellbeing.jhu.edu/blog/2020/09/15/12-elements-of-healthy-relationships/

1. Communication
2. Boundaries
3. Consent
4. Trust
5. Honesty
6. Independence
7. Equality
8. Support
9. Responsibility
10. Healthy conflict
11. Safety
12. Fun

The relationship spectrum

• Source: https://www.loveisrespect.org/everyone-deserves-a-healthy-relationship/relationship-spectrum/
• Healthy
• Unhealthy
• Abusive

Healthy relationships wheel

• Source: https://dphhs.mt.gov/ecfsd/adolescenthealth/HealthyRelationships

How healthy is my relationship?

• Source: https://www.hannanhigh.org/uploaded/PDF_Documents/Guidance_Counseling/How_Healthy_Is_My_Relationship_Quiz.pdf

Dating

• If the person you are dating is trying to force a change on your beliefs, that is by definition (even man’s definitions!) an unhealthy relationship.

How is a person saved?

• The Bible says a person is saved by:
  • Jesus – I Timothy 1:15
  • The Father – Titus 3:4-5
  • The gospel and belief – Romans 1:16
  • Confession and belief – Romans 10:9
  • Baptism – I Peter 3:21
  • Works – James 2:24
  • Grace – Ephesians 2:8
  • Blood of Christ – Romans 5:9
  • Name of Christ – Acts 4:10, 12
  • Etc. …
• Romans 5:1-2 – We are justified by faith.

We’re all guilty of sin.

• Romans 3:23
• Romans 3:20
• Romans 3:28 – We are justified by faith apart from works of the law.

Abraham is our example.

• Romans 4:1-2
• James 2:21
• Romans 4:3-5 – God doesn’t owe us a spot in Heaven because of all the good deeds we’ve done. No matter how many good deeds we do, we can’t erase a single sin.

“Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

• Scripture records this statement three times:
  • Genesis 15:6
  • Romans 4:22
  • James 2:23
• Abraham believed God many times:
  • Genesis 11:31; 12:1, 4, 7; 13:4, 6-12, 14-18; 14:18-20

This was written for our sake.

• Romans 4:23-25
• Romans 5:1 – This points back to Romans 4.
• We need to have this pattern in our lives: “Yes, Lord.”

How do I develop this faith?

• Do what Abraham did!
• Read the Bible – I Peter 2:2
• Then obey it – Galatians 5:16-17
  • Hebrews 11:8

Numbers 34

• Numbers 34:1-15 – Boundaries of the land are described.
  • Notice Numbers 34:2 – “When you enter.” It was guaranteed to happen by God!
• Numbers 34:16-29 – The leaders who would apportion the land out to the tribes are selected.

Numbers 35 – Cities for the Levites

• Numbers 35:1-5 – The Levites were allocated various cities and the surrounding land scattered throughout Israel.
• Numbers 35:6-8 – Some cities were designated as cities of refuge for those who accidentally killed someone.
• Numbers 35:9-34 – Rules governing cities of refuge, murder, avenging murder, accidental death, and execution.
• Numbers 35:33 – Murder pollutes the land in God’s eyes. Only the blood of the one who shed it can atone. See Cain and Abel (God says Abel’s blood cries out to him from the ground) – Genesis 4:10.

Numbers 36

• Numbers 36:1-12 – How to handle female land inheritance.

Conclusion

• God wanted future generations to learn from the mistakes of this generation in Numbers.
  • The very next generation – Deuteronomy 6:16
  • Several generations later – Psalms 95; 78
    • Psalms 78:32 – “In spite of all this, they still sinned.”
  • Many generations later – Jude 1:5; I Corinthians 10; Hebrews 3-4
    • Hebrews 3:6 – It is possible to fall away.
    • Hebrews 3:7-9 – Quotations from Psalm 95.
    • Hebrews 4:11 – Be diligent to enter the reward.
• Trust in the Lord, be diligent, and receive the promises of God instead of falling away!