Walking Through Acts

What can I do as a Christian? What can’t I do as a Christian? What am I allowed to

do? What am I not allowed to do? Believe it or not, we’ve all asked these

questions at some point or another. Christians and non-Christians alike. A lot of

non-Christians believe the Christian religion is too restrictive and they would

rather have their own sense of liberty and live their lives accordingly. “Hey, don’t

step on my toes and I won’t step on yours.” If you have children at home, you

know the importance of rules and the reasons behind setting them. Perhaps, even

more important than the rules themselves is whether or not they are enforced.

In the Bible, there were rules laid out for humanity. And what we are left to

discern is whether or not these rules were for all-time, and for all people. These

rules are referred to in Scripture as laws. Last week, we learned that the Judaizers

were adamant about keeping to the Old Testament law that Gentile Christians

must be circumcised in order to be saved. And Peter and the rest of the Apostles

squashed that notion by affirming that one is saved by grace…i.e. not saved by

anything that we have done or could do.

Today, we will be looking at what happens next in the narrative of God’s Church as

presented to us in our Scripture for today. Remember last week, was all about

settling the dispute on what saves you. This week, will be all about, how does one

then live in this liberty from the Law. These are the words of James.

Acts 15:19

19 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who

turn to God,

James is saying, hey stop trying to make things so difficult for people who are

becoming Christians. Don’t lay upon them burdens that have no basis in this new

life they have in Christ. Jesus taught in Matthew 11, “come to me, all who labor

and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learnfrom me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

When Jesus was saying these things, he was speaking to a people, the Jews, that

had been so overburdened by man-made laws that they would have been both

shocked and relieved by his words of comfort. The same goes for what we are

reading about today.

When I was a young child, I didn’t like rules very much. I was one of the ones who

thought they were too restrictive. In the home, I couldn’t play my Gameboy at

night. I remember there were at some points, times where we couldn’t come out

of our rooms until a certain time, that was really difficult, especially if it was a

Saturday morning and when some of our favorite shows would be on. In school, it

was always, sit still, no talking while the teacher’s talking even if we had the

funniest joke to tell to the kid beside us. I found out sometimes that rules were

different at the home then they were at school. I lived in the country and we had a

wooded area behind our house and we didn’t have any neighbors in sight, so I was

allowed to use the restroom outside. I saw the woods, and so I saw nature’s

restroom. I was in first grade and we were at recess and I had to go to the

restroom. At the school, we had a wooded area that was somewhat secluded. I

saw the woods, therefore, nature’s restroom. And man did I really dislike rules.

But there is a purpose for the establishing of rules. They are to shape us and mold

us into civil human beings. For the Christian, especially in the first century as many

people were having to change their Jewish mindset from rule-following to now

living under the law of Christ, they had to discern what rules/laws were instituted

by man, and which ones were instituted by God and the goal was to not hold the

man-made laws over the Gentile Christians so as not to make their Christian walk

anymore difficult than it needed to be.

James says, don’t trouble the new converts. And then he proposes a solution.

Let’s write to the Gentile Christians to point them in the right direction insofar as

it maintains the unity and peace of the Church. Remember, this was a very volatile

time for the Church. It had only been in existence for 20 years or so at this point.

Here’s the solution that James proposes be written in this letter.Acts 15:20-21

20 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. 21 For

from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for

he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”

Here’s the list of rules. Stay away from things polluted by idols. What does that

mean? At this time, there were pagan temples that would have feasts to honor

false gods (in Paul’s estimation, demons). The meat that was left over would be

sold to a market, usually a market affiliated with the pagan temple it came from.

James is saying to the Gentiles, hey, stay away from that for it would be in your

best interests and the interest of those around you. The next thing on the list is

not surprising to us. Stay away from sexual immorality (possibly alluding to but

not limited to temple worship). And then what is this thing about not eating

something that is strangled? This is the eating of animals that have not been

properly bled when being butchered. And then what about this thing about

blood?

Growing up, my dad would occasionally cook steak on the grill. And I was raised

where steak needed to be well-done or it wasn’t done. When I was dating JJ back

when I was in college, I remember visiting her house and her dad had cooked

meat for supper. And one thing I found out quickly was that this guy, who I have

the privilege to call my Father-in-law now, loves his steak medium-rare. Upon first

seeing the slice of meat on my plate, I could feel my stomach turn just a bit. To the

microwave it went. However, today, I have since been turned into a medium-rare

steak eating guy.

So the question is this. Do I need to give up medium-rare steak as a Christian? Jack

Cottrell gives an answer to this question,

“But why include the eating of blood and of something strangled (thus retaining

its blood in its flesh) in the list of prohibitions? These were things forbidden to

Jews by the Law of Moses (see Lev. 3:17; 7:26-27; 17:10, 14; 19:26; Deut. 12:16,

23), but are they still forbidden for Christians? No. The Law of Moses was part of

the Old Covenant that was set aside by Christ and replaced by the New Covenant.Thus these prohibitions no longer apply. These practices are in the category of

eating meat offered to idols: They were especially offensive to the first-century

Jews, and the Gentile Christians were told to avoid them in the interests of love

and of church unity. The same rule would apply today in any culture where eating

blood is (wrongly) understood to be a grave sin. If there is no such danger of its

causing serious disruption in the church, then this practice, as merely a matter of

opinion today, can be engaged in without sin.”

And so the letter is sent, and the letter is sent along with some trusted men. Have

you ever gotten some mail that seemed a bit like a scam? Or maybe it was an

email that you had received or a text that says, “you won a free cruise to the

Bahamas!” You would say, yeah right and throw it in the trash. The Apostles and

the elders and the Church in Jerusalem all deemed it well and good to send

trusted men along with this letter to the Gentile churches to credential the

message contained within.

Acts 15:22

22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to

choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas.

They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers,

Let’s read next what the letter says, again, it is a rehashing of what decision had

been made in Jerusalem concerning the Gentile Christians.

Acts 15:23-29

23 with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to

the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. 24

Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you

with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, 25 it

has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send

them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their

lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have therefore sent Judas and

Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it has

seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than

these requirements: 29 that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols,and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If

you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”

Here's the overarching concept. All these activities listed all share a common

thread. Idol worship. Don’t eat meat sacrificed to idols which would cause

unnecessary strife between you and your Jewish brother. Sexual immorality is bad,

all time. Don’t eat or drink blood or eat food that has been strangled which has

been connected with practices of the occult. What this letter says is, “if you keep

yourselves from these, you will do well.” If you do these things, you will do two

things at once. You will separate yourselves from the surrounding culture

saturated with sin and demon worship, and you will also avoid unnecessary

disputes amongst your Jewish brethren.

The Apostle Paul does a great job at showing how the Christian ought to conduct

their lives in their liberty in Christ while at the same time looking out for their

other Christian brothers and sisters.

On not causing others to stumble, Paul writes,

Romans 14:20-21

20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed

clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. 21 It is

good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to

stumble.

1 Corinthians 10:23-24

23 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but

not all things build up. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his

neighbor.

That is what I believe is at the true heart of what is being said in this letter from

Jerusalem sent to the Gentile Churches. Look out for your neighbor. And

remember, this letter isn’t requirements the Gentiles must do to be saved, but

rather it is for the purpose of unity in the Church. The Christian shouldn’t bethinking how our faith limits us. Rather, our faith is that which enables us to seek

ways to be helpful to others.

Acts 15:30-35

30 So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered

the congregation together, they delivered the letter. 31 And when they had read

it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. 32 And Judas and Silas, who were

themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many

words. 33 And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by the

brothers to those who had sent them. 35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in

Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

At this time, we see a period of encouragement and strengthening of the first

century church. And now begins Paul’s preparation for his second missionary

journey.

Acts 15:36

36 And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers

in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”

I just imagine Paul thinking to himself, man I hope these Churches are sticking to

the truth of the gospel. Otherwise, I’m going to have to set them straight.

Scripture doesn’t give us any such idea, but it is understandable that Paul would

want to check in on the different churches he’d visited and helped establish. I

mentioned a couple weeks ago, that the goal for the Christian isn’t merely the

conversion of a soul, but in addition to that, the preservation of their faith. The

same goes for these Churches that he’s wanting to return to.

In this chapter, we saw a dispute arise regarding doctrine of the Church. How is

one saved? By grace or the law? We then saw how that came to a resolution. Now,

at the end of this chapter, we see another dispute arise and it is not a doctrinal

one, but a methodical one. Who does Paul want to join him on his 2nd missionary

journey?Acts 15:37-41

37 Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul

thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in

Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. 39 And there arose a sharp

disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with

him and sailed away to Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been

commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41 And he went through

Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Piano to play here.

Remember, that John Mark was Barnabas’s nephew. Apparently, feelings from the

previous journey did not sit well with Paul. Because John Mark, essentially

deserted them. He had signed up to join Paul on the journey for the long haul, but

didn’t see it through. You could understand why that would leave a bad taste in

Paul’s mouth. Going on these missionary journeys were no small task and one can

imagine that you would want those with you to be dependable and trustworthy.

And so Barnabas and Paul had a sharp disagreement as the Bible tells us and they

separated. Now here’s the question I want to ask you all. Was this a good thing or

a bad thing? Remember that God can turn what was meant for evil into something

good. Instead of one group going to one place at a time, now because of the

separation, there are now two groups going to two different locations sharing the

gospel and strengthening the churches. It is worthy of mentioning here that Paul,

Barnabas and John Mark were reconciled with one another later down the road

which ought to be the desires of all Christians who find themselves at odds with

one another.

Do you know that God has the right to speak through someone that disagrees

with you? Trust me, it’s never a pleasant experience when someone disagrees

with you. It can feel like an attack and we get into fight or flight mode. However,

the mark of a mature Christian is how one conducts themselves in matters of

disagreement. Is it done in love? Is it done with grace? I have to check myself on

this all the time. I am fully aware that there are things that I preach up here that

you may not fully agree on. And so, in those times, I must always remember to

preach tough subjects in a posture of humility and love and kindness andpatience, always remembering we are all held under the authority of Scripture.

And if we aim to do that, we are doing well.