Jerusalem or Antioch

Extracted Verses and Quotes from the Sermon

Biblical Verses

Jonah 4:11

“And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”

Acts 1–6 (summary)

The early Jerusalem church had regular prayer and worship in the temple and fellowship in believers’ homes, led by the apostles and elders.

Isaiah 60

Foretells a time of massive Gentile conversion and an end-time pilgrimage of nations to Jerusalem to worship the one true God.

Acts 11:1–3

Peter was criticized for eating with the uncircumcised Gentile Cornelius.

Acts 11:22

Jerusalem sent Barnabas to investigate the news coming from Antioch.

Galatians 2

Paul rebuked Peter for hypocrisy when Peter withdrew from eating with Gentiles out of fear of criticism from Judaizers.

Galatians 1:14

Paul describes himself as zealous for the traditions of the elders.

Mark 7

Jesus condemned those who replace the commandments of God with the traditions of men.

Galatians 2:20-21

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

Acts 15 (Council of Jerusalem)

The church decided Gentile believers did not have to be circumcised but must abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from blood.

1 Corinthians 8

Paul allowed those with strong faith to eat food offered to idols.

1 John 3:17

“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?”

Matthew 28:18–20

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Luke 24:44–47

“He said to them, ‘This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.’”

John 20:21–23

“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.’”

Acts 1:8

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Romans 2

God judges those who have not heard the gospel according to the light they have, through their conscience.

Genesis 1:1

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

Romans 3–8 (summary)

We are saved by grace through faith in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, not by perfect obedience to the law.

Memorable Quotes

“If the gospel is to flow there has to be trust on both sides of that relationship.”

“Every church has elements of Jerusalem within it and every church has elements of Antioch in it. To the extent that the church will grow is to the extent that it shifts toward the Antiochian experience.”

“Mission is messy. If you’re going to engage in mission, you have to be willing to experiment, make mistakes, and learn from them.”

“The Church of Antioch was listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit. If the Holy Spirit didn’t lead them, they weren’t going to do something.”

“Jesus is either who he says he is, or he is a madman. There is no halfway house.”

“To be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit means the agape love of God is now going to penetrate every aspect of your being.”

“We are ambassadors of Christ. When people see us, they must see Jesus Christ.”

“If we want to grow as a church in our understanding of God and His grace, get involved in mission, because that’s where you start to see God working in new and incredible ways.”

“Jesus offers a unique salvation by grace through faith. We are saved when we receive the righteousness of Jesus Christ by faith on a daily basis.”

“Jesus offers an all-inclusive salvation that is exclusive in nature. That is why He is so hated today.”

“The foundation of the church is the death of Christ on Calvary. Whether you know about it or not, that foundation is there for everybody.”

“If this church were to ever close, the whole community would know that something good had left their community.”

“We want to be a church that is a light on a hill that cannot be hidden, rather than a church where if the lights went out, nobody would notice.”

“Our ultimate motive is that we are compelled by the love of Christ for those whom He died to save. We serve because we love, period.”

Other Quotations

Ellen G. White (paraphrased)

“All scripture is given us not just for reproof but also for correction and instruction in how we serve as the body of Christ today.”