The Council at Jerusalem

HOOK

DO NOT FORGET TO UNMUTE

It’s the 1st day of December— Tuesday!

Yesterday here at “The Message” we looked at what happened when Paul and Barnabas concluded their first missionary journey— sailing back from Attalia to Antioch [in Syria]— from those events we learned:

I WILL STRENGTHEN AND ENCOURAGE THE DISCIPLES TO REMAIN TRUE TO THE FAITH

I SHALL APPOINT ELDERS AND LEADERS FOR EVERY CHURCH THAT I PLANT

I WILL REPORT ALL WHAT GOD HAD DONE THROUGH ME

Now let’s see what happens after— Open your Bible to ACTS 15:1-21— here we shall see “The Council at Jerusalem”— [Jewish Council was the Sanhedrin]— what was their role over the church?— how did they handle disputes?

When studying the Bible, look for words that defines the CHARACTER of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit— keep an eye on COMMANDS to obey— good EXAMPLES to follow, and bad examples to avoid— PROMISES that you could claim— sins to CONFESS— CHALLENGES you encountered— and ENCOURAGEMENT to keep you going

READ ACTS 15:1-21

BOOK

Acts 15:1–21 NIV

1 Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. 3 The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad. 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them. 5 Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.” 6 The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” 12 The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 13 When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. 14 Simon has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles. 15 The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written: 16 “ ‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, 17 that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things’— 18 things known from long ago. 19 “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. 21 For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”

WHAT: The council at Jerusalem

WHERE: The meeting took place in Jerusalem— Paul and Barnabas came to Jerusalem from Antioch— [SHOW MAP]

WHEN: Time of the early church [AD 49]— after the first missionary journey

WHO: Certain people from Judea who went teaching in Antioch— some believers who belonged to the group of Pharisees— Apostles and Elders that includes Peter [Simon], James [Brother of Jesus], Paul and Barnabas

As the mission to Gentiles continues forward— the early church was faced with the challenge of understanding theology— how the Gentiles have been accepted into God’s people?

LOOK

UNLESS YOU ARE CIRCUMCISED, ACCORDING TO THE CUSTOM TAUGHT BY MOSES, YOU CANNOT BE SAVED

Circumcision was a covenant [GENESIS 17:9-14]— this brought brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them— so what the church in Antioch did, they sent Paul and Barnabas, along with some believers to…

GO UP TO JERUSALEM TO SEE THE APOSTLES AND ELDERS ABOUT THIS QUESTION

Remember, the church started in Jerusalem— and from there, it spread across the globe— the church in Jerusalem is the mother church of all churches planted nationwide— most of the apostles are based in Jerusalem

When they arrived in Jerusalem— they were welcomed by the church, and the apostles and elders— and they reported everything— some of the believers who were former Pharisees [just like Paul] supported the notion of those people from Judea who went to Antioch and taught the people there that the Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses—later on Paul wrote— ROMANS 3:20, GALATIANS 3:11, GALATIANS 2:16

THE APOSTLES AND ELDERS MET TO CONSIDER THIS QUESTION

After much discussion— Peter got up and addressed them— reminding them of what happened to him at the house of Cornelius [Gentile] after he received the vision from God about clean and unclean food

Peter stressed that— God knows the heart— He accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit— He did not discriminate— He purified their hearts by faith— it is by grace that they are saved

The council became silent as they listened to Paul and Barnabas who told them also about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles during their first missionary journey— when they finished — James spoke and said that what Peter [Simon] said was in agreement with what prophet Amos wrote in AMOS 9:11-12

Tent of David refers to the humbled Davidic dynasty— God promised to restore the dynasty to fulfill His promise about the royal line— Jesus is referred to that line

THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD

Salvation is offered to everyone without condition— not just for the Jews— and not even required to adopt their law, culture and tradition— James concluded by saying...

WE SHOULD NOT MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR THE GENTILES WHO ARE TURNING TO GOD

But instead— James suggested to write them a letter— which we will looked into tomorrow

The lesson we learn from today’s devotional study was about Theological questions that could arise in our Home Churches— if there are questions that cannot be answered or agreed on amongst themselves— they shall bring the matter to the Apostles and Elders— in our case at Agape— bring the matter to us [The Pastors and Elders here in San Diego]

So let me paraphrase our take away from today in sentences that we may easily remember

TOOK

WE SHALL BRING TO THE MAIN CHURCH THE MATTERS THAT WE CANNOT RESOLVE

OUR PASTORS AND ELDERS SHALL MEET AND PRAY TO RESOLVE THEM

SING

Word for the World— Send by Brother Dan