Acts 15

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Introduction

Good morning!
Did everyone get a good view of the eclipse on Monday?
It was biblical, wasn’t it? How cool to get to experience it, right in our own back yard! It was cloudy, of course, during the eclipse, but it was still really fun to see.
The prophet Amos poetically describes the day of the Lord as a day of darkness, and this imagery, along with the depiction of celestial disturbances and planetary movements, lends such events as an eclipse to remind us of the ultimate authority of God, and the cosmic reality of biblical prophesies.
Our passage today doesn’t involve any such interstellar drama, but it does involve a spectacular meeting of the minds, with cataclysmic significance for the church. A different kind of aligning of the stars, if you will.
We’re returning to our study in Acts today, with Acts chapter 15.
We’ve spent the last couple weeks reflecting on the Lord’s resurrection, and as we find our way back into the narrative of Acts, it’s of the rippling effects that had for the world, in the early days of what we now know as the church. Followers of Jesus Christ dedicating their lives to spreading the news that he’s alive and worth following.
Again. we are now to chapter 15 of Acts, and boy do the sparks fly in this chapter! I know, I honestly think I say this about every chapter of every book, but seriously, what a chapter!
There are a couple ways you could summarize or characterize, or title this chapter, and the one I thought most amusing was one referring to this chapter as “the first church business meeting” which I thought a little bit of a stretch but also a great point! And I saw this quote, which made me chuckle, after we just had a church business meeting on Wednesday:
Acts Acts 15: Church Business Meetings Can Work!

“Sometimes I get the feeling that the two biggest problems in American today are making ends meet—and making meetings end.”

Robert Orben

The meeting we’ll read about today, of the Jerusalem council, is anything but boring, may have even impacted you to this day, and I’m really glad it happened.

Context/Recap

But before we dive in, as you might expect, I wanted to give us a chance to reorient ourselves in Acts, since it has been a couple weeks.

Narrative Summary

[SLIDES]
Chapter 1: After His resurrection, Jesus appears to His disciples, instructing them to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit. He ascends to heaven, and Matthias is chosen to replace Judas Iscariot.
Chapter 2: The Holy Spirit descends at Pentecost, enabling the apostles to speak in various languages. Peter preaches, leading to the baptism of about three thousand people.
Chapter 3: Peter heals a lame beggar and preaches repentance and turning to God.
Chapter 4: Peter and John are arrested and testify about Jesus before the Sanhedrin. The believers pray for boldness.
Chapter 5: Ananias and Sapphira lie to the Holy Spirit about their offering and die. The apostles perform miracles and face persecution but rejoice in their suffering for Christ.
Chapter 6: Seven men are appointed as deacons to distribute food to widows. Stephen, one of the seven, performs miracles and is seized for his bold preaching.
Chapter 7: Stephen gives a powerful speech before the Sanhedrin, recounting Israel’s history and accusing them of resisting the Holy Spirit. He is stoned to death, becoming the first martyr.
Chapter 8: Persecution scatters the church. Philip preaches in Samaria and baptizes an Ethiopian eunuch. Simon the sorcerer tries to buy the Holy Spirit’s power.
Chapter 9: Saul, a fierce and violent persecute of the church, encounters Jesus on the road to Damascus and becomes a believer. Peter heals Aeneas and raises Tabitha from the dead.
Chapter 10: Cornelius, a Gentile centurion, receives a vision and sends for Peter, who realizes that God accepts all people who fear him, and that God’s love is not dependent upon dietary restrictions.
Chapter 11: Peter explains his actions to the Jerusalem church. The gospel spreads to Antioch, where the church grows and believers are first called Christians.
Chapter 12: James is martyred, and Peter is imprisoned but miraculously escapes. Herod, on the other hand, who played a big part in persecuting the church, dies because he does not give glory to God.
Chapter 13: Paul and Barnabas are sent on their first missionary journey. They preach in Cyprus and Pisidia, and face opposition but also see many believe.
Chapter 14: In Iconium and Lystra, Paul and Barnabas preach with success but are also again met with resistance. They perform miracles and continue to spread the gospel.
These chapters cover the early days of the Church, the spread of the gospel, and the inclusion of Gentiles into the faith. They highlight the work of the Holy Spirit, the boldness of the apostles, and the challenges faced by the early Christians.
Today, we’ll read about one of the greatest challenges the church has ever faced: agreeing on…anything!

Theological/Ecclesiastical Significance

In the chapter before us we have an example of a church business meeting. As we follow it through its processes, we shall see a group of believers thoroughly involved in a very significant issue of theological importance. The way we evangelize and do mission work today is still dependent on what was decided by the Jerusalem congregation in this chapter. It should not escape our attention that they carried out this work without complaining or criticizing the necessary process. These good people show us something we often seem reluctant to admit: “Church business meetings can work!” Gangel, Kenneth O. Acts. Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998, p. 246.
I’m actually pretty happy about how efficient our business meetings tend to be; we just had one this past week which we wrapped up in record time, but to be fair we aren’t typically discussing issues of core theological significance, are we?

Main Passage

Let’s read:
Acts 15 NLT
1 While Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch of Syria, some men from Judea arrived and began to teach the believers: “Unless you are circumcised as required by the law of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 Paul and Barnabas disagreed with them, arguing vehemently. Finally, the church decided to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem, accompanied by some local believers, to talk to the apostles and elders about this question. 3 The church sent the delegates to Jerusalem, and they stopped along the way in Phoenicia and Samaria to visit the believers. They told them—much to everyone’s joy—that the Gentiles, too, were being converted. 4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, Barnabas and Paul were welcomed by the whole church, including the apostles and elders. They reported everything God had done through them. 5 But then some of the believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees stood up and insisted, “The Gentile converts must be circumcised and required to follow the law of Moses.” 6 So the apostles and elders met together to resolve this issue. 7 At the meeting, after a long discussion, Peter stood and addressed them as follows: “Brothers, you all know that God chose me from among you some time ago to preach to the Gentiles so that they could hear the Good News and believe. 8 God knows people’s hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith. 10 So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? 11 We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.” 12 Everyone listened quietly as Barnabas and Paul told about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 When they had finished, James stood and said, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Peter has told you about the time God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people for himself. 15 And this conversion of Gentiles is exactly what the prophets predicted. As it is written: 16 ‘Afterward I will return and restore the fallen house of David. I will rebuild its ruins and restore it, 17 so that the rest of humanity might seek the Lord, including the Gentiles— all those I have called to be mine. The Lord has spoken— 18 he who made these things known so long ago.’ 19 “And so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from eating food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from consuming blood. 21 For these laws of Moses have been preached in Jewish synagogues in every city on every Sabbath for many generations.” 22 Then the apostles and elders together with the whole church in Jerusalem chose delegates, and they sent them to Antioch of Syria with Paul and Barnabas to report on this decision. The men chosen were two of the church leaders—Judas (also called Barsabbas) and Silas. 23 This is the letter they took with them: “This letter is from the apostles and elders, your brothers in Jerusalem. It is written to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. Greetings! 24 “We understand that some men from here have troubled you and upset you with their teaching, but we did not send them! 25 So we decided, having come to complete agreement, to send you official representatives, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We are sending Judas and Silas to confirm what we have decided concerning your question. 28 “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements: 29 You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this, you will do well. Farewell.” 30 The messengers went at once to Antioch, where they called a general meeting of the believers and delivered the letter. 31 And there was great joy throughout the church that day as they read this encouraging message. 32 Then Judas and Silas, both being prophets, spoke at length to the believers, encouraging and strengthening their faith. 33 They stayed for a while, and then the believers sent them back to the church in Jerusalem with a blessing of peace. 35 Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch. They and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord there. 36 After some time Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are doing.” 37 Barnabas agreed and wanted to take along John Mark. 38 But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in their work. 39 Their disagreement was so sharp that they separated. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus. 40 Paul chose Silas, and as he left, the believers entrusted him to the Lord’s gracious care. 41 Then he traveled throughout Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches there.

The Antagonists

Verse one of this chapter starts off by introducing a new group of characters to the story. A group referred to simply as “some men.” Note that these trouble-making men claiming circumcision as necessary for salvation have no way of explaining what happened with Peter and Cornelius in chapter 10, or even with Barnabas in chapter 11. Perhaps they simply haven’t been told.
Whatever their intel and motives, their intention was to impose the law of Moses on Gentile Christians.
This legalist group from Judea are also known as “Judaizers.” That is, people who think Judaism, and all its culture and traditions, should be applied to anyone who wants to worship God. Judaizers think all the laws and regulations of the Old Testament ought to apply as binding for all Christians, whether Jewish or Gentile by birth.
The Judaizers engage Paul and Barnabas in serious argument and debate, until they and some others are appointed to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem about this issue, in verse 3.
Basically, this is the point at which they say “alllllright, we clearly aren’t going to resolve this on our own, we need to bring this question before a larger council of authoritative members.

The Question

The question they are bringing, at its core, is “what must a gentile do to be saved?” How far must they go to demonstrate their allegiance to God?
Of course, some of the pharisees tried to argue that it’s necessary to circumcise them and command them to keep the law of Moses, but hey, how cool is it that some of these pharisees are still, nonetheless, being counted among the believers of the church! Helping the church be sharpened against itself from the beginning.
Now, given how important this ritual of circumcision was to establishing God’s covenant with Moses, it’s understandable that the church had to grapple with this. After all, Jesus himself was circumcised, right!?
But they’re claiming that observance of this Jewish ritual is actually a requirement for salvation, and that without it the gentiles will not be considered part of God’s family, which is pretty harsh! When, in fact, we know that the law of Moses does not save anyone, but rather condemns all who cannot live up to it!
But, they’ve made this one externally visible indication of someone’s transformed culture out to be more significant than someone’s transformed heart and mind set on Jesus.
[SLIDE]
In verses 7-9, Peter reminds his listeners of four things:
God had chosen him to proclaim the gospel, even to the gentiles.
The gentiles heard and believed Peter’s message.
The gentiles who believed also received the Holy Spirit.
The pattern of salvation was the same for gentiles and Jews, with no ethnic distinctions being made in building the church.
In light of these truths, we see in verse 10 the burning indictment he lays on them, that they are “testing God,” putting a yoke on disciples’ necks that neither Jewish ancestors nor their contemporaries could bear!

The Answer

So Peter testifies, Paul and Barnabas testify, and the response, verse 12 says, was silence. Then, finally, James speaks up.
Holman Concise Bible Commentary Debate in Jerusalem (15:1–35)

Like Peter and Paul, James did not feel that the Gentiles should be circumcised or have to live by the Jewish law. He realized, however, that there remained a problem of fellowship. Jewish Christians lived by the Jewish food laws and Gentile Christians did not. How could they sit together at the same table? James therefore proposed a solution which asked the Gentile Christians to abstain from certain food and to maintain sexual purity. (“Blood” refers to meat from which the blood had not been drained, which was forbidden to Jews.)

If we get too caught up in this specific letter they send this one time, then we’ll miss the point again and it’s not that salvation ultimately comes down to food and sexual purity, any more than it comes down to circumcision. But those were some specific, and importantly, easily attainable indicators for new Christians to intentionally implement. And, the focus was on that which would allow for continued fellowship of gentile and Jewish Christians.
In some ways, the answer is more burdensome than a one-time circumcision, because it calls for life-long lifestyle changes, not just cosmetic physical alterations. And this effectively shifts people’s perspectives towards the issues that matter.

Cross References

I think this becomes very apparent when you cross reference this passage with other places Paul where Paul mentions circumcision. This exact issue comes up elsewhere, not just in Acts. We see Paul mention it in his writings a few times, and it’s clear he views circumcision as something that actually MUST take place, but at a much deeper level than literally, externally.
First, take a look at his practical treatment of this issue in 1 Corinthians:
1 Corinthians 7:18–24 NLT
18 For instance, a man who was circumcised before he became a believer should not try to reverse it. And the man who was uncircumcised when he became a believer should not be circumcised now. 19 For it makes no difference whether or not a man has been circumcised. The important thing is to keep God’s commandments. 20 Yes, each of you should remain as you were when God called you. 21 Are you a slave? Don’t let that worry you—but if you get a chance to be free, take it. 22 And remember, if you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free in the Lord. And if you were free when the Lord called you, you are now a slave of Christ. 23 God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world. 24 Each of you, dear brothers and sisters, should remain as you were when God first called you.
Obviously, Paul does not mean that we are to remain the same in every way, because he also talks more than anyone about transforming and renewing our minds, and putting off the old and putting on the new and dying to self, and all that.
But here, Paul is balancing out that view with the reminder that God does love and call us as we are, and that he has purchased us as is, not that he doesn’t have plans for us, not that he doesn’t want to see us grow, but he’s also not trying to fit us all into the same mold, Praise God! That our bodies, as important as they are, do not determine our eternal security, but that we should dedicate ourselves, in whatever state we find ourselves, to the service and worship of our creator. In doing so, he will transform us into a better version of ourselves than we could ever imagine for ourselves on our own.
Listen to what Paul says in Galatians.
Galatians 5–6 NLT
1 So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. 2 Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 I’ll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses. 4 For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace. 5 But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. 6 For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love. 7 You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? 8 It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom. 9 This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough! 10 I am trusting the Lord to keep you from believing false teachings. God will judge that person, whoever he is, who has been confusing you. 11 Dear brothers and sisters, if I were still preaching that you must be circumcised—as some say I do—why am I still being persecuted? If I were no longer preaching salvation through the cross of Christ, no one would be offended. 12 I just wish that those troublemakers who want to mutilate you by circumcision would mutilate themselves. 13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another. 16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. 19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another. 1 Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. 2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. 3 If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. 4 Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. 5 For we are each responsible for our own conduct. 6 Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them. 7 Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. 8 Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. 9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. 10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith. 11 Notice what large letters I use as I write these closing words in my own handwriting. 12 Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised want to look good to others. They don’t want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save. 13 And even those who advocate circumcision don’t keep the whole law themselves. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast about it and claim you as their disciples. 14 As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died. 15 It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. 16 May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God. 17 From now on, don’t let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus. 18 Dear brothers and sisters, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
There you go! Galatians 5-6 are a pretty great followup to Acts 15, it’s basically the sermon companion to go with the story in Acts.
I’ll give you one more, for good measure, just a short one, from Colossians:
Colossians 2:6–15 NLT
6 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. 7 Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. 8 Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. 9 For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. 10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. 11 When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature. 12 For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. 13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.
I don’tnot harhard

Summary/Conclusion

We have the benefit of seeing Paul’s expanded thoughts on the matter through the epistles, his letters to the church, but it’s clear from Acts that his views reflected the unanimous consensus of the council in Jerusalem, in Acts chapter 15.
Acts VII. Teaching Outline

Only here in our book do all the principal characters of Acts appear in the same place at the same time. Luke centers on the gospel to the Gentiles, salvation by faith, dialog as a means of solving church problems, and the launching pad from Antioch for the next missionary journey.

It’s a definitive confirmation of the Gentile’s place in the church, and equality within the family of God.
Acts II. Commentary: Church Business Meetings Can Work!

The salvation of Gentiles occurs precisely the same way as does salvation of Jews—through faith in Jesus Christ because of God’s grace.

And in true Acts fashion, we learn about this foundational truth through the dramatic interactions of messy, and admirable people! Resulting, of course, in the strengthening and growth of the church.

It required no little heroism to go into the very stronghold of Judaism, and there, before James, and Peter, and the Pharisees, and the most Judaizing members of the Churches of Judæa, to proclaim the gospel of the free grace of God (Gal. 2:2; ch. 15:12), and the free admission of the Gentiles into the Church of Christ. And let us mark the result. All the true-hearted men were won by Paul’s way. Peter recovered from his weakness and openly sided with Paul; James threw his great weight unequivocally into the same scale; Barnabas shook off his momentary hesitation; the whole assembly gave a unanimous vote in favour of Paul’s view; and the Church was saved from disruption. In an age when the peace of the Church is so much disturbed by controversy, and when such violence, both of language and of action, is indulged in by those who wish to enforce their own views, it is important to study carefully the history of this first great and trying controversy, which threatened at one time to split the Church to its very foundations, but which was brought to such a happy issue, under the blessing of God, by the wisdom, charity, and firmness of the apostle to the Gentiles. God grant, of his tender mercy, a like spirit to the leaders of party in our own days, and a no less happy settlement of the questions which separate brother from brother, and impede the progress of Christian truth.

Meanwhile, let us not add any burdens to the gospel as we share it with other people.

Prayer

God of grace and mercy, we thank you that you give us salvation just because you want to.
We thank you that the gospel, the good news of the salvation that you bring, the news for those on the battlefields of life, is not burdensome or oppressive, but rather that you have come to lift our burdens and free us from oppression. That yes, life in you results in transformation, and even painful changes sometimes, but in ways that bring us towards greater freedom and greater truth, and releases us from the weight of sin; let us find that weightlessness in you.
And help us, when we may become caught up in our own walk with you and our excitement for who you are and what you’ve done, help us to stay humble and patient with others, and be careful not to impose our own cultural expectations on others’ eternal salvation, but rather lead by example with transformed, circumcised hearts and minds, lives marked undeniably and abundantly by the fruit of your Spirit in us.

Communion?

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