HARD ENOUGH

REFLECTION

The book of Acts tells the amazing story of how a rag-tag group of men and women started the largest religious movement in history.

It is a remarkable story. The stature of this group is incompatible with the scope of their assignment.

REVEAL

The book of Acts tells the shocking story of how a ragtag group of men and women started the most significant religious movement in history.

RESPOND

It is a remarkable story. The stature of this group is incompatible with the scope of their assignment. Their assignment was simple; “make disciples in every country of the whole.” After issuing his command, Christ floats off into heaven.

The world? Most had never traveled more than 30 miles from their birthplace. Discipleship meant teaching. Teaching meant speaking, and not many possessed this ability. Navigate a boat, check. Keep accurate records of finances, check. Skilled in black opts missions, check. To those commissioned, not one could check adequate speaker as an ability.

Acts is a reminder of an all too familiar Bible teaching; God uses the inept to accomplish the impossible. He chooses the foolishness of the world to confound the wise.

So, how did they do it? They received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Remember what Christ told them in John’s Gospel; (ESV) whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

Furthermore, they accomplished this great commission by believing the reality of Christ's resurrection. I’m convinced that the dramatic difference between the early church and the church of today is the extent to which we believe in the resurrection.

When Chrisitan’s live their life in the fullness of The Spirit and unwavering faith in the resurrection, there is no obstacle they can’t overcome.

What do you produce when you combine powered by the Spirit and propelled by the resurrection? A movement which, according to the Jews in Thessalonica, “turned the world upside down.”

This world-changing movement did not always have the wind at its back. A cursory reading of Acts reveals an almost constant headwind. They faced persecution immediately. Many fell into poverty as a result of their beliefs. These initial headwinds sufficient to derail any movement served to deepen this one.

Last week’s text, , along with this week’s text , present the most significant and most challenging headwind of all. For a movement commissioned to reach the world, nothing could be more deadly than prejudice. Peter, the chosen leader of this movement, is confronted by the Lord concerning his Gentile discrimination. Today’s reading in is not a confrontation of an individual but an institution, the church. Though Peter has experienced a work of grace their yet remains a work in the heart of the people.

serves as the midpoint of Acts. This moment is monumental. Humanity’s future lies in the balance of the church. Less than twenty-five years-old the church is facing death. Who would this headwind make shipwreck of the Gospel ship? Will the leadership be able to course correct and turn this headwind into a tailwind that sends them to all the world.

REVELATION

CAUSE OF THE CONFLICT (v. 1)

There is not one reference in Scripture concerning man where the phrase “came down” is positive. This headwind is one of theological importance. Those who came down from the mother church are saying that salvation is Jesus plus circumcision.

CORRECTION OF THE CONFLICT (vv. 2-19)

The only way to correct this headwind is to confront it. The essential Christian doctrine is under attack; salvation by grace alone in faith alone in Christ alone. When an essential Christian doctrine is undermined, confrontation is our only course of action. Failure to confront will result in a catastrophe.

Write this down; In all things essential, unity; in non-essentials liberty, in all things love. Paul and Barnabas confront those from the mother church not to create division. Their aim was the preservation of unity. Paul taught emphatically in his letter to the Ephesian church that there was no longer a Jew or Gentile. The wall that once divided them had been torn down by Christ.

The word dissension in verse two is a powerful and robust word. It could also translate into insurrection, riot, and rebellion. Why such a forceful reaction? Context reveals to us our answer. In Paul and Barnabas are praying with others in Antioch. During this prayer meeting, the Holy Spirit tells them to set aside these two men for a specific work. records their return to Antioch and subsequent report of “all that God had done and how he opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.”

Imagine returning from a successful mission trip in the Sahara desert where multitudes of Tuareg people convert from Isalm to Christianity. After submitting your report, the church leadership asks, “where these people baptized?” The team leader stands up and states that they were not because there was no water. Upon hearing this information the leadership responds by denying the validity of their salvation because baptism is necessary for conversion.

Let me from the text show you the importance of this issue. At the conclusion of verse two, Paul and Barnabas travel to Jerusalem to deal with the leadership of the mother church. From Jerusalem to Antioch is a distance of 300 miles. The average travel during that time was 20 miles per day. At this pace, it would take 15 days. When they arrived (vv.4-5), they were welcomed by some but were confronted by others concerning the requirement of circumcision and keeping the law.

We find great help and insight beginning in verse 6 in how to handle conflict and debate in a manner that preserves unity.

Let me first state that Scripture does not sugar coat the intensity of this debate. Greek scholars tell us that the word for debate has the idea of yelling. This debate is a loud and raucous situation.

And after much debate Peter stood up, the biggest mouth in the room stands up and begins to speak. Peter, the Rock, the one whom Jesus said He would build His church. I am convinced that only Peter possessed the clout, which could begin turning the Gospel ship from this headwind.

Peter reminds them (vv. 7-9) of his ministry to the Gentile Cornelius. In (v.10), he asks them why are they testing God by placing a yoke on the neck of the Gentiles that neither their fathers nor they personally could bear.

There were 613 Jewish laws. I imagine Peter saying, “I did not keep them all, and I was born a Jew. Not only did I not keep them all, but there were also some that I got confused about, like how far could I walk on the Sabbath. Most confusing of all, Yoga pants, sinful fabric, or just a poor fashion choice for my wife.”

Peter’s point is, if we, Jewish born, could not keep these laws, why would we project that burden onto Gentiles? In (v.11) he reminds them, “but we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” He is reminding them of what Christ had taught them; you are not saved by what you do but by faith in what Christ has done.

Peter’s words are weighty, (v. 12), “and all the assembly fell silent.” Their reaction to Peter’s words substantiated my earlier comment stating that only Peter could change the course of the debate. Peter’s statement allowed Paul and Barnabas to speak about there work within the Gentile community. Following their speech was James, the half brother of Jesus.

His heartfelt words should prick the heart of any believer listening to him, “We should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.” If ever a Scripture needed engraving into the cornerstone of every church, it is this one.

says the road to salvation is difficult. says WE (Christians) should not make it difficult for those who are turning to God. Why do we make what is already difficult, more difficult?

Have you ever consider how difficult you might make it for those who are turning to God? Consider for a moment the persona you project. No, don’t do that, ask others what kind of persona do you project. What kind of persona do others say you project that you quickly dismiss as not being accurate? We make it difficult for those who are turning to God when we project sanitized lives. We make it difficult for those who are turning to God when we congregate in our cliques. We make it difficult for those who are turning to God when we pontificate our political preference or single out a particular sin.

They corrected the headwind by their changing course, not the wind. Their direction wind, not the wind was their issue. Yet there remained a headwind that needed addressing with the Gentiles. Jewish Christians were deeply Jewish, and though saved by grace through faith, they were not asked to give up their Jewish culture. God is not anti-cultural, for He is the creator of cultural. What our text aims to correct is the noun-adjective order. The Jews were Jewish Christians. Their Jewishness defined their faith because it was in the adjectival position. They were allowing their culture to define their faith rather than their faith, defining how they were to live in their culture.

CORRESPONDENCE TO THE GENTILES (vv. 20-21)

There is a letter written in (vv. 20-21) to Gentile believers concerning essential and non-essential spiritual teaching. The second request of the letter was essential for sanctification, not for salvation. The first and third request was non-essential yet norms within their culture. These Gentile practices were offensive to Jews and would lead to fellowship problems.

James told the Jews not to make it difficult for Gentiles to come to faith, and he is now telling the Gentiles don’t make it difficult for Jews to fellowship.

CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE OF THE GENTILES (VV. 22 – 35)

They received the word and rejoiced because of its encouragement. In all things essential, unity; in non-essentials liberty, in all things love.

RESPONSE

In closing let’s consider ways that we are making it difficult for those who are coming to God. We must guard against our propensity to drift from grace to law. We will not debate the necessity of circumcision for salvation, but we do a have list of activities that will make you right with God. It’s never a list of immoral actions.

· Are you involved in ministry?

· Do you do a daily quiet time?

· Are you in a small group?

· How many people did you share Christ with this week?

· Do you adopt? Are you involved in orphan care?

These are good questions of accountability, but these become the measure of our spiritual lives and how we evaluate others. Not only does this make us lose the gospel in our own lives, but it also makes it difficult for others to come to God. Remember, we are accepted and right with God not based on our works, but Christ's work.The gospel is that you are purified the moment you put faith in Christ, not faith in what you can do but on what he’s done. His last words on the cross were “it is finished,” not go fix yourself.”

When we drift from grace to law we drift from a focus on internal transformation to external conformity.

The focus of the gospel is heart transformation. Gospel focus is lost when outward conformity replaces a focus on inward transformation. When this happens, “laws” determine whether you are spiritual.

Liquor, Laundry, Language, and Legislation

There is no prohibition or promotion, only caution, all things in moderation.

Modesty should be a lifestyle emanating from the heart but not a law.

Sanitized speech is not an indicator of salvation, nor does profanity indicate one does not possess Christ.

God has not endorsed a political party, and so we must abstain from God on our side mentality.

Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God’s assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men’s faces, but let us judge not, that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered. That of neither has been answered fully. With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.

We must not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are coming to God. The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope. God knows everything about you and yet wants a relationship with you. God has overcome your greatest obstacle, sin, by sending His Son to live the life required for salvation and by paying the price required for sinners. The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God. The Gospel is no change and come, but come and he will change you.

If you are not a Christian Christ invites you to come as you are and trust Him for salvation.

Christian consider the ways you are making it difficult for those who are coming to God and repent.