Sermon
The Jerusalem Council | Acts 14:24-15:35
Treeline Church
Speaker: Andrew Hager
June 4, 2026 · 44 min
Summary
Acts 15 reveals that salvation comes by grace in Christ alone, not through works or cultural markers like circumcision. The Jerusalem Council debates whether Gentile converts must follow Jewish law, ultimately affirming that faith in Jesus is sufficient for belonging to God's family. This truth dismantles barriers to Christian community and calls believers to sacrifice personal preferences for the sake of unity.
Highlights
By grace alone saves us, then it's grace alone that makes us belong. You see, the message of Acts 15 is not simply circumcision isn't necessary. The message of Acts 15 is that nothing besides Jesus is necessary either.
Grace not only saves us, it causes us to sacrifice for unity. We do not ask the question, what should I be allowed to do here? We ask the question, what would love the people around me well?
The church is the one place on earth where people who would never naturally choose each other become family because we've been chosen by Christ.