One In Christ

One In Christ Acts 15.6-18 Does a person need to become a Jew first before they receive Christ? This is the question of Acts at this point This is the issue of Galatians. It was settled in the first century. Today, is there anything other than faith in Christ, repentance of sins, and following Him that are necessary to be saved? Romans 10. 9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.” The Church at Galatia was heavily influenced by the men who traveled from Jerusalem. They told those at Galatia they needed to become Jews first. Paul wrote to them. Galatians 3.1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? Phillips: O you dear idiots of Galatia, A person comes to Christ by believing on Him alone for salvation. Whenever it happened to you that is how you came. For me it was November 22, 1963. I was 7 years old. For my friend, Keith it was a week ago Saturday, for 13 souls in Bangladesh it was at one of our livestream meetings. Photo of Baptism It was not Jesus plus some work. It was simply Jesus. I prayed. I had begun to read the Bible. I was already attending church. My Mom wisely had me call my Sunday School teacher and tell her. * Peter and Cornelius were in part for this time. v.7-11 God wonderfully saved Cornelius, his family and friends in Caesarea Acts 10 This was for them. God took note of this man’s prayers and sacrifices. It is a beautiful story. This was for years later. God was going to use this wonderful account He will use your story. It is His Story. Wait. I was texting with a friend who just lost his wife. I was trying to encourage him. He asked if I had experienced loss. It opened up his heart as I opened up mine. People need to know they are not alone, that someone has experienced what they have experienced. There are things for this time. There is no place for prejudice when it comes to the Gospel. Christ died for everyone! He came for everyone! Jesus loves the little children of the world Some children see Him… Some children see Him lily white,
the Baby Jesus born this night.
Some children see Him lily white,
with tresses soft and fair.
 Some children see Him bronzed and brown,
The Lord of heav'n to earth come down.
Some children see Him bronzed and brown,
with dark and heavy hair.

Some children see Him almond-eyed,
this Savior whom we kneel beside.
some children see Him almond-eyed,
with skin of yellow hue.
 Some children see Him dark as they,
sweet Mary's Son to whom we pray.
Some children see him dark as they,
and, ah! they love Him, too! 

The children in each different place
will see the baby Jesus' face
like theirs, but bright with heavenly grace,
and filled with holy light.
 O lay aside each earthly thing
and with thy heart as offering,
come worship now the infant King.
'Tis love that's born tonight! There are things that transcend language in communicating. * Music * A smile * Love * The need of a Savior Our actions affect the future. More than we can imagine. The congregations of Patchogue and Bellmore saw the people moving into this area after World War II and decided we need to start a new church here. We are here today because of their faith and vision. We are seeing people moving in. Suffolk County is growing. Bay Shore is an epicenter of growth. How will we reach those thousands in the apartments? Peter was able to say this happened first with me. The LORD was bringing His Church to be a House of prayer for all nations! All the Ethnos… all the ethnicities Mark 11.17 John 16. 12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now. (The Gentiles being included.) 13 But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth.He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify Me because it is from Me that He will receive what He will make known to you. This was the ongoing work of Jesus. He died for all the ethnos. We are to pray for all the ethnos. We are a House of Prayer for all Nations. Ethnos What else could the Ethnos be? The Gentiles were viewed by the Jews as unclean outcasts, unable to approach God. In the First Century the Jews looked at the Gentiles in a horrible way: * They were on the same level as dogs Jesus said to the Syro Pheoncian woman, “ It’s not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the .”dogs.” Matthew 15.26 He was expressing a common thought among the Jews, among His disciples. He gave her what she asked for because of her faith. The Centurion got his request and Jesus said that He had not found such faith in all of Israel. He was getting His Disciples ready for the unthinkable in their Jewish minds. Salvation was going to be offered to Gentiles without becoming Jews! * The first century Jews thought the Gentiles were created to fuel the fires of Hell. * However if a non Jewish man (like the Centurion in Galilee) was kind and religious he was commended. The temple did have a Court of the Gentiles and was called a House of Prayer for all nations. Who are the “Gentiles” of 2025? What about those struggling with addictions, those in alternative lifestyles? They need Christ. If they come to Jesus they will be free from the Chains! Let’s go after those not like us! We don’t give up our faith when we share it. We gain more faith when we see people come to Christ. The answer to that question is in the words of Jesus in regard to His Father’s House being a House of Prayer for all Nations. The Ethnos is what God is doing throughout the world through this little church! Beautiful Lady from India leading the worship a week ago at the Pastor’s Conference. I joined in with my heart. Didn’t understand the words except Jehovah. The music was in a minor key. I loved it! Our preferences can eliminate ourselves from what God is doing! The Church at Jerusalem was confronted with that. It is also those who engage in socially “unacceptable sins” among the church. I Corinthians 6.9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. The Ethnos came in. Did they have to obey the Jewish traditions? This meeting stopped the church from being another sect of Judaism We would have all to become Jews first. Jesus was building His Church with all nations. The picture of the Body of Christ is “us.” Not Americans and the rest of the world. The whole world! v.11 We believe it is through the grace of our LORD Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” The Worldwide Family here on earth. We are the Church. His Father’s House… * Paul and Barnabas told the most recent events. v.12 God was working wonders through and with the Gentiles. They had recently returned from a missions trip. Those of you who have gone on one know what it is like when you get back. You can hardly keep your mouth shut as you tell the wonders. Your worldview is altered. Your view of the church changes. Missions are exciting. We can learn. Baptism in Bangladesh. Feeding there. It is so helpful to our faith to see what God is doing among the nations. * The LORD had foretold this 750 years before. vs.14-18 Isaiah 56. 8  The LORD God, Who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says, “Yet I will gather to Him Others besides those who are gathered to Him.” Even before that the promise to Abram in Genesis 12 that through him and his seed all the nations on earth would be blessed. And after that the our Father’s House would be a House of Prayer for all nations in II Chronicles in Solomon’s Dedicatory prayer of the temple. In Christ the Gentiles and Jews are one. Ephesians 3.6 This mystery is that through the Gospel the Gentiles are fellow heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ. All Nations are One in Him. Therefore go into all the world and preach the Gospel Make Disciples of the Nations He is with is always