The Council's Letter to Gentile Believers

HOOK

DO NOT FORGET TO UNMUTE

It’s the 2nd day of December— Wednesday!

So from yesterday here at “The Message” we saw from the beginning of chapter 15 what the church in Antioch did when they encountered a theological question after some people from Judea came up to Antioch and taught the people that Gentiles must be circumcised in able for them to be saved— they elevated the matter to the council in Jerusalem— the apostles and elders met and considered the matters— Peter, James, Paul and Barnabas as highlighted as the main speakers and after a lengthy discussion— they resolved to write a letter to the Gentile believers, which we’re going to look into today, meanwhile— from that meeting of the council in Jerusalem we learned:

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

OUR PASTORS AND ELDERS SHALL MEET AND PRAY TO RESOLVE THEM

Now let’s take a look at the letter— open your Bible to ACTS 15:22-35

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 15:22-35

BOOK

Acts 15:22–35 NIV

22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers. 23 With them they sent the following letter: The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings. 24 We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. 25 So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul—26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell. 30 So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. 31 The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. 32 Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers. 33 After spending some time there, they were sent off by the believers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them. 34 35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.

WHAT: The letter from the council in Jerusalem to the Gentile believers in Antioch

WHERE: Jerusalem & Antioch [SHOW MAP]

WHEN: During the time of he early church [around AD 49]

WHO: Judas [not Iscariot— also called Barsabbas], Silas [his name was first mentioned here— respected leader in the Jerusalem church— traveling companion of Paul— a prophet], Paul, Barnabas, apostles and leaders in Jerusalem and Antioch

WHY: To clarify and resolve the theological question about the requirements for salvation

This letter from the Jerusalem Council was aimed to make theological unity within the church— to unite the Jews and the Gentiles in the faith despite their culture, tradition and belief

The apostles, elders and the whole church in Jerusalem decided to send Judas and Silas to go along with Paul and Barnabas to deliver their letter— let’s dig deep into what the letter contained

LOOK

WE HAVE HEARD THAT SOME WENT OUT FROM US WITHOUT OUR AUTHORIZATION

There are believers who go around without authorization and they sow confusion— we have to be very very cautious to these kind of believers in order for no one to stumble in their faith

DISTURBED YOU, TROUBLING YOUR MINDS BY WHAT THEY SAID

The Gentile believers was troubled by what they heard concerning the Jewish laws and tradition as requirements for salvation— Judas and Silas was sent to them so that their words shall confirm what they wrote in their letter

IT SEEMED GOOD TO THE HOLY SPIRIT AND TO US NOT TO BURDEN YOU WITH ANYTHING BEYOND THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS

Be careful not to misunderstand the requirements they enumerated [we will look deeper into it in a while] as “requirements” for salvation, because they are not— the letter simply said that they “will do well to avoid these things.”— what things?

ABSTAIN FROM FOOD SACRIFICED TO IDOLS

FROM BLOOD

FROM THE MEAT OF STRANGLED ANIMALS

LEVITICUS 17

FROM SEXUAL IMMORALITY

EXODUS 20:14

Be careful to keep in mind the reason why the Jerusalem Council issued this guidance— they are not requirements for salvation— yesterday we looked at few verses that we are not justified by laws, traditions or cultures [ROMANS 3:20, GALATIANS 3:11, GALATIANS 2:16]— we are saved by grace [EPHESIANS 2:8-9]

Why then these guide to christian life was issued by the Jerusalem Council?

A very good question— here’s why— in Paul’s fist letter to the church in Corinth— [1 CORINTHIANS 10:28-32, ROMANS 14:13-23, Jesus weighed into this MATTHEW 15:11]

One last important point— did you notice that verse 34 is missing?— why? because this verse is not found in the oldest and most reliable manuscript— only two of the major manuscripts attest to the presence of it, but they differ— if you’re using KJV or NKJV you will find this ACTS 15:34

Our take away from today’s devotional study is drawn from the reason why the Jerusalem Council issued those guidance for christians way of life

Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God

Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks of the church of God

Let me rephrase these in sentences that we will easily remember..

TOOK

WHATEVER I EAT, DRINK OR DO, I WILL EAT IT AND DO IT FOR GOD’S GLORY

I WILL NOT BE A REASON FOR ANYONE TO STUMBLE FROM THEIR FAITH

SING

Deacon Anton— Agape Christmas Shoebox Project 2020