| Teacher: Rusty Kennedy Series: Acts |
Rusty's Notes | |
Power of Sin Thoughts for a Teacher:
DISPUTE IN ANTIOCH
50 AD
Acts 15
1 Some men came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom prescribed by Moses, you cannot be saved.”
4 When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. 5 But some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”
THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL
6 The apostles and the elders gathered to consider this matter. 7 After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them: “Brothers and sisters, you are aware that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the gospel message and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he also did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why are you testing God by putting a yoke on the disciples’ necks that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? 11 On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus in the same way they are.”
12 The whole assembly became silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul describe all the signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they stopped speaking, James responded: “Brothers and sisters, listen to me. 14 Simeon has reported how God first intervened to take from the Gentiles a people for his name. 15 And the words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written:
16 After these things I will return
and rebuild David’s fallen tent.
I will rebuild its ruins
and set it up again,
17 so the rest of humanity
may seek the Lord--
even all the Gentiles
who are called by my name--
declares the Lord
who makes these things 18 known from long ago. (Amos 9:11-12)
19 Therefore, in my judgment, we should not cause difficulties for those among the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but instead we should write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from eating anything that has been strangled, and from blood. 21 For since ancient times, Moses has had those who proclaim him in every city, and every Sabbath day he is read aloud in the synagogues.”
THE LETTER TO THE GENTILE BELIEVERS
22 Then the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, decided to select men who were among them and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas, called Barsabbas, and Silas, both leading men among the brothers. 23 They wrote:
“From the apostles and the elders, your brothers,
To the brothers and sisters among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:
Greetings.
24 Since we have heard that some without our authorization went out from us and troubled you with their words and unsettled your heart, 25 we have unanimously decided to select men and send them to you along with our dearly loved Barnabas and Paul, 26 who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who will personally report the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it was the Holy Spirit’s decision—and ours—not to place further burdens on you beyond these requirements: 29 that you abstain from food offered to idols, from blood, from eating anything that has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. You will do well if you keep yourselves from these things.
Farewell.”
THE OUTCOME OF THE JERUSALEM LETTER
30 So they were sent off and went down to Antioch, and after gathering the assembly, they delivered the letter. 31 When they read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. 32 Both Judas and Silas, who were also prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers and sisters and strengthened them with a long message. 33 After spending some time there, they were sent back in peace by the brothers and sisters to those who had sent them. 35 But Paul and Barnabas, along with many others, remained in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming the word of the Lord.
Crisis in the Jewish Churches in Palestine
- Believers are being oppressed by the affluent
- Confusion about Paul’s message (corrupted version)
- They are being very critical of one another
- There is a lot of sickness in the church
James pens a letter to the dispersed Jewish believers in Palestine.
[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 464). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
- Am I really prepared enough to teach this today?
- Am I really connecting?
- How much pain is sitting in these pews?
- Who’s living in secret sin?
- Are they surfing the net rather than reading the Word on their phone?
- Why is that person sleeping?
- Will (name) finally turn to Jesus today?
- I don’t see (name).
- We need to fix that by next week.
- How much time do I have left to finish the sermon?
- This microphone’s driving me crazy!
- Do they know they are distracting everyone around them?
- I’m not sure that point (or that illustration) worked.
- Why’d that person leave the service?
- I’m hungry.
- I can’t believe I get to do this work!
DISPUTE IN ANTIOCH
50 AD
Acts 15
1 Some men came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom prescribed by Moses, you cannot be saved.”
- Unauthorized according to verse 24.
4 When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. 5 But some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”
THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL
6 The apostles and the elders gathered to consider this matter. 7 After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them: “Brothers and sisters, you are aware that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the gospel message and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he also did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why are you testing God by putting a yoke on the disciples’ necks that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? 11 On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus in the same way they are.”
12 The whole assembly became silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul describe all the signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they stopped speaking, James responded: “Brothers and sisters, listen to me. 14 Simeon has reported how God first intervened to take from the Gentiles a people for his name. 15 And the words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written:
16 After these things I will return
and rebuild David’s fallen tent.
I will rebuild its ruins
and set it up again,
17 so the rest of humanity
may seek the Lord--
even all the Gentiles
who are called by my name--
declares the Lord
who makes these things 18 known from long ago. (Amos 9:11-12)
19 Therefore, in my judgment, we should not cause difficulties for those among the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but instead we should write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from eating anything that has been strangled, and from blood. 21 For since ancient times, Moses has had those who proclaim him in every city, and every Sabbath day he is read aloud in the synagogues.”
- It is beautiful to see that this letter expressed the loving unity of people who had once been debating with each other and defending opposing views.
- The legalistic Jews willingly gave up insisting that the Gentiles had to be circumcised to be saved, and the Gentiles willingly accepted a change in their eating habits.
- It was a loving compromise that did not in any way affect the truth of the Gospel.
- As every married person and parent knows, there are times in a home when compromise is wrong, but there are also times when compromise is right.[1]
THE LETTER TO THE GENTILE BELIEVERS
22 Then the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, decided to select men who were among them and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas, called Barsabbas, and Silas, both leading men among the brothers. 23 They wrote:
“From the apostles and the elders, your brothers,
To the brothers and sisters among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:
Greetings.
24 Since we have heard that some without our authorization went out from us and troubled you with their words and unsettled your heart, 25 we have unanimously decided to select men and send them to you along with our dearly loved Barnabas and Paul, 26 who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who will personally report the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it was the Holy Spirit’s decision—and ours—not to place further burdens on you beyond these requirements: 29 that you abstain from food offered to idols, from blood, from eating anything that has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. You will do well if you keep yourselves from these things.
Farewell.”
THE OUTCOME OF THE JERUSALEM LETTER
30 So they were sent off and went down to Antioch, and after gathering the assembly, they delivered the letter. 31 When they read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. 32 Both Judas and Silas, who were also prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers and sisters and strengthened them with a long message. 33 After spending some time there, they were sent back in peace by the brothers and sisters to those who had sent them. 35 But Paul and Barnabas, along with many others, remained in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming the word of the Lord.
Crisis in the Jewish Churches in Palestine
- Believers are being oppressed by the affluent
- Confusion about Paul’s message (corrupted version)
- They are being very critical of one another
- There is a lot of sickness in the church
James pens a letter to the dispersed Jewish believers in Palestine.
[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 464). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
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