Fighting for Unity: When we can agree

Introduction

Long time no see, friends! If you have joined us over the past month or so and you have no idea who I am- my name is Matt Velasco and I have the privilege of leading this community of faith called NXT Sr. High.

We say some words around here- Bring, Stir, Equip, Send. These 4 words make up who we are in NXT. We believe that we are a community built upon teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer, and we believe that we are stirring our hearts for what stirs God’s through the opening of the scripture. So, if you would please stand in honor of God’s word as I read out of Acts 15.

Acts 15:1–21 ESV

But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.” The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written, “ ‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.’ Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”

Content

After Paul and Barnabas’ first missionary journey, they gave the Church in Antioch a missionary report, which we find in Acts 14:27,

Acts 14:27 ESV

And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.

Things were going really well for Paul & Barnabas’ ministry. One Biblical scholar says, “The river of God’s saving grace had overflowed its banks” (Preaching the Word: Acts. 191)

But, our enemy doesn’t like it when things are going well for the Church. So, he attacked. It says in Acts 15:1,

Acts 15:1 ESV

But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

Who are these men that are being written about here? They’re known as Judaizers, which simply means people who insisted on Christian conformity to Jewish customs, such as circumcision.

These men known as Judaizers began to preach a heresy- Good-bye, free grace! They didn’t deny salvation by grace, but they did preach salvation by grace plus something, salvation by grace plus circumcision to be exact.

This was upsetting to the Church, to say the least. It led to a huge conflict, in Acts 15:2a it says,

Acts 15:2a ESV

And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question.

There was a passionate argument. Probably even some yelling. The result was division amongst the brothers and friends. It was tragic- the first big theological disunity the new Church had experienced. So, what did they do? They sent Paul & Barnabas up to Jerusalem to meet with these Judaizers.

When they got to Jerusalem, the Judaizers were well entrenched.

Acts 15:4–5 ESV

When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”

These Judaizers, some of which were Pharisees who converted to Christ, were insistent on their version of Christianity. To become a Christian according to them meant to become circumcised. This led to a problem.

Now, it’s important to recognize something here, and its important for you to apply this to whatever dispute you may be having or will eventually have with other Christians: The converted Pharisees were not evil, nor was their theological position. In fact, if the Judaizers would have worn horns- the solution would have been much easier. But they didn’t! They had genuinely come to know faith in Christ, but their theology was wrong.

I want to talk about why they were wrong, but not necessarily why their stance was wrong but how they got to it. Lets put on the shoes of a Pharisee. A scholar puts it this way,

Think of the stability of the Pharisee’s training and Hebraism, his immersion in Mosaic Law and tradition, his pride in being part of the chosen people of God. Live in his shoes as we relive the steps of his rigorous education and joyous participation in Israel’s customs. Feel the loving arms of parents and family as he is circumcised on the eighth day; catch the awe and wonder he felt sitting at the feet of the elder Pharisees studying the Scripture; identify with the pride he felt when he became a song of the Law at his bar mitzvah. Become one with him as he grew to full manhood and earned the revered status of Pharisee, and consider how he must have burst with satisfaction as he put on the dignified robes of a leader of Israel. (Preaching the Word: Acts. 192)

Into the Pharisee’s neat, well-ordered life came the claims of Christ, and with that an agonizing civil war within. Then came conversion— new life from above. What would this conversion mean? Yes, they’d gain so much from knowing Christ. But they would lose those who they love most. Their parents, relatives, and friends would consider them dead. They lost everything because of their association with the savior. It was natural for some of them to find it difficult to make a clean break with their pas as Pharisees. Though they were Christians, they could not bring themselves to give away centuries of core Jewish doctrine that had set their people apart from the world. So, with good intentions, they tried to thrust those doctrines and traditions onto others.

THIS IS IMPORTANT why? Because so often we view people with differing, and even concerning theological beliefs as being evil. Though they wear no horns, we place them on their own heads in our imaginations. We quite literally demonize them and conclude apart from their context that they have no place in the Church. But what we fail to understand is that we are all influenced by our backgrounds. Each of us has experienced some doctrinal or practical distortion because of past experience or environment.

The challenge is to identify these points of error or misemphasis (making a big deal out of something that isn't) before we drift too far away from Christ.

“Brick wall of faith” analogy

Each of us has a “brick wall of faith.” These are the thoughts and beliefs that make up our faith. This wall should be sturdy, strong. It shouldn’t easily topple over, no matter what culture throws at it. But what makes a strong wall? Its foundation.

So what are our foundational bricks? You’ve heard me call these dogmas before. These are the unchanging essential truths of the Christian faith. Some of these would be,

Jesus Christ is the son of God

Jesus Christ died and rose again

Jesus is returning

The Bible is true and perfect

Jesus was born of a virgin

God is triune, three persons in one.

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Everything on top of these foundational bricks are doctrines. These are not essential truths. Some of these would be,

Woman’s roles in the Church

God created in 7 literal days

God didn’t create in 7 literal days

Calvinism

Arminianism

Speaking in tongues

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Why is this important? If you make doctrines your foundation, the gusts of wind from culture will blow your brick wall of faith right over. The mistake of the Judaizers was that they made a theological position a dogmatic. Now- hear me carefully. Were they wrong? YES! But their mistake was more than an error, it was an emphasis on a position that influenced the rest of their brick wall. They placed something on the bottom that didn’t belong there.

Content contd

Theologically, the truth of the Gospel was at stake in Jerusalem. And relationally the stakes were just as high. A wrong decision in Jerusalem and gracious openness would be replaced with exclusivity. Fortunately, what is known as the Jerusalem Council, followed Christ. And in doing so, they gave us a basis upon which to build grace into our theology and our relationships.

This council convened in verses 6 & 7. No doubt some of the hotter heads had said some things for which they were already sorry. Perhaps there were even times of Chaos before Peter rose to speak. First, he recalled his experience with the Gentiles:

Acts 15:7–9 ESV

And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.

If you remember, Peter had a radical encounter with a Roman Centurion named Cornelius, where his entire household received Christ and the Holy Spirit through faith. What was Peter’s conclusion? “[God] made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith” Then Peter said something stunning,

Acts 15:10–11 ESV

Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”

What Peter is saying to the Judaizers & converted Pharisees is simple- “YO! You’re placing the law on the shoulders of gentiles that NOT EVEN YOU could carry!” what was Peter’s conclusion? GRACE ALONE. “STOP PUTTING THE LAW ON THEIR SHOULDERS AND START PREACHING GRACE INTO THEIR HEARTS!”

A Ph.D, a philosopher, a pharisee, an athlete, a single mom, an addict, a theater kid, a disabled person, someone with depression, all are brought into the family of God the same way— solely by the underserved kindness of a forgiving God!

So the crowd stood silenced,

Acts 15:12 ESV

And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.

Let me just say that we learn when we listen, and to listen requires your silence. During this silence, Barnabas and Paul seized the moment and agreed with Peter by telling stories of the signs & wonders God had done through them among the gentiles.

After Paul & Barnabas finished, another stood up to offer his agreement. Imagine this, if you thought there was silence before there was certainly silence now. Jesus’ half-brother, James, stood up to speak. James was a big deal- and it wasn’t just because of his brother. He was known as James the Just because of his holiness. When he died, his knees were allegedly callused like those of a camel because of his many hours in prayer. He was a pillar of the Church according to Paul in Galatians, some even called him the first bishop of Jerusalem.

When he stood, i’m sure the hopes of the Judaizers rocketed. Surely he would set Peter, Paul, and Barnabas right. They were likely surprised by his response. First, he showed how the conversion of the gentiles was actually in the Old Testament,

Acts 15:14–18 ESV

Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written, “ ‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.’

James was saying that according to the OT prophets God’s people would consist of two important groups, jews & gentiles. What he was saying was, “YO! Everything that is happening is just as scripture said it would!” Then came James’ pronouncement, the heart of the whole scene:

Acts 15:19–20 ESV

Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood.

He gave them 3 commands-

Stay away from anything that has to do with idols.

Avoid sexual immorality

Do not partake of meat that has been strangled or has blood in it.

The first two make sense, there can be no idolatry because there is only one true God, and only he is to be worshipped. Fortification, that is non-marital sex was forbidden in all cases because at the time it was running rampant among the Gentiles. But why the third?

Acts 15:21 ESV

For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”

In other words, Jewish communities existed in nearly every city, and the Gentile converts were not to do anything that would offend the Jews’ religious traditions. It was a practical, and theological command.

James gives us two complimentary principles for grace-filled living.

As those under grace we are not to make non-Biblical requirements of others

In that day this meant not forcing a Jewish lifestyle on Gentiles. Today this means we are not to make areas of our lifestyle that are not spelled out in Scripture normative for others if they are to be “good” Christians— for example, how we dress, personal tastes, musical preferences, how we vote, how we speak, esc. If we force these things on people, we suffer from the same sin as the Judaizers!

We so easily push our preferences on others. We assume they will either do things our way or they are unspiritual. “Oh, you don’t spend every morning in prayer- or you don’t journal- or you don’t only listen to worship music- or you don’t **fill in the blank**” Sadly, sometimes the Church radiates this more than they do the Gospel.

Conclusion

Winston Churchill told a story about a British family that went out for a picnic by the lake. In the course of the afternoon the five-year-old son fell into the water. Unfortunately, none of the adults could swim. As the child was bobbing up and down and everyone on the shore was in panic, a passerby saw the situation. At great risk to himself, he dove in fully clothed and managed to reach the child just before he went under for the third time. He was abler to pull him out of the water and present him safe and sound to his mother. Instead of thanking the stranger for his heroic efforts, however, the mother snapped peevishly at the rescuer, “Where’s Johnny’s cap?!” Somehow in all the commotion the boy’s cap had gotten lost. Instead of rejoicing in her son’s deliverance, the women found something about which to be critical!

We often times become like that women— especially as we relate to our brothers and sisters in Christ.

The second principle is this,

Because we are under Grace, we gladly restrict our freedom for the sake of others.

There was not anything intrinsically wrong with eating a rare steak, but James said to boil it or eat it well-done for the sake of fellowship with the Jews. There’s a lot I could say here about our current cultural climate. I could replace the rare-steak with wearing a mask. I could replace it with so many things, but I’ll end with these words from Paul in 1 Corinthians chapter 9,

1 Corinthians 9:19–21 ESV

For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law.