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Acts 15-16

Acts
15:1-35  -  The Gospel is for all nations.  In the Old Testament, we catch a glimpse of this (Genesis 12:1-3; Psalms 96:1-3;100:1; Isaiah 45:22).  Here, we have the Gospel made clear.  Peter says, ‘We shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus’ (11).  Paul says, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved’ (16:31).  This is the Gospel: ‘By grace you have been saved through faith’ (Ephesians 2:8).  Together with the Good News concerning salvation, there is also an ‘exhortation’ to go on with the Saviour (31).  In this call to submit to the Lord, we hear the word, ‘abstain’ (20,29).  Does this sound negative?  It is a positive call to be set apart for God - ‘saved... for good works...’ (Ephesians 2:8-10).  Christ is our Saviour.  He is also our Lord.  In salvation and surrender, we find our true joy (31).
15:36-16:40  -  Notice the importance of prayer in the advance of the Gospel. They were looking for a prayer meeting when Lydia was saved (13-14). They were going to a prayer meeting when the girl was saved (16-18). They were having a prayer meeting when the jailer was saved (25-34).  They had gone to Philippi ‘to preach the Gospel to them’ (10). Even when they were ‘in chains’, the Gospel proved itself to be ‘the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith’ (Ephesians 6:20; Romans 1:16). ‘The Word of God is not bound’. It is ‘living and active’. ‘Sharper than any two-edged sword’, it is ‘the sword of the Spirit’ (2 Timothy 2:9; Hebrews 4:12; Ephesians 6:17). Do you want people to ask the Salvation question and heed the Gospel answer (30-31)? ‘Pray at all times in the Spirit... with all perseverance’ (Ephesians 6:18).
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