From
Acts to Revelation
Part
40 – The Council's Letter
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House
of Faith Church | www.PS127.org
| www.TruthDigest.org
INTRODUCTION
Last week, we began looking at Acts 15.
Some men came to the church in Antioch, where Paul and Barnabas had been
preaching and teaching the Word of the Lord for a couple years, and they began
to tell the Gentile believer's that they also needed to be circumcised and obey
the Law's of Moses to receive salvation.
Although Paul and Barnabas corrected the
church, they members were confused, and demanded that Paul and Barnabas return
to the mother church in Jerusalem, and confer with the Apostles and Elders
there about this question.
They did so, stopping in a few other towns
along the way, continuing to spread the Gospel.
Paul and Barnabas originally traveled from
the church in Jerusalem on the first mission trip, at the prompting of the Holy
Spirit. They moved and stayed here and there, spreading the Gospel of the Lord
as the Holy Spirit led.
This time, they were moving because of
man's instruction.
Today we will see from the scripture, that
the Holy Spirit is at work in the church in Antioch, and working through Paul
and Barnabas. There was no need for them to confer with the church in
Jerusalem, no need for them to risk their lives traveling at the command of
men, and that the church should have trusted the Elder's that God had brought
them, who had been faithfully preaching and teaching the Word of the Lord for
two years now.
The scriptures show us, that there is no
need for “denominations”, or church “hierarchy”, where man has placed
themselves once again in charge over others, making themselves leaders above
leaders.
The church order is given in scripture as
follows, Christ as the head, Elder's preaching and teaching the Word of the
Lord to the leader's of the households, who then teach and instruct in their
homes and to their children.
There are no churches overseeing other
churches, and small churches paying tithe to bigger churches.
The only thing denominations, and hierarchy
has achieved, is creating modern day Sadducee and Pharisees, who think more of
themselves than they aught.
We will see where we have an advantage over
the church in Antioch.
We have the Holy Bible that we can read for
ourselves, and measure what we are being taught in our home church. We can pray
to the Holy Spirit, and seek understanding, searching the Word of God, and
ensuring we understand what is being preached, and that it is in line with what
the lord teaches.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE
Acts 15:22-35
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] (Some manuscripts include here) But
Silas decided to remain there. 35 But
Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and
preached the word of the Lord.
I.
IT WAS DECIDED BY THE COUNCIL
a. The
question brought to the Jerusalem council by Paul and Barnabas, was whether or
not it was required of the Gentile believer's to be circumcised, and obey the
Law's of Moses.
b. After
discussions, the council decided that it was not good to place burdens on the
gentile believer's, that no one else, including their ancestor’s, were able to keep.
i. vs. 22 tells us it was a unanimous agreement
ii. vs. 26 tells us, "men who have risked their lives..."
iii. This was a very dangerous, and unnecessary journey
Paul and Barnabas had been sent on, not by the Holy Spirit, but by the church
congregation.
c. The
council chose to send a letter back with Paul and Barnabas, telling the Gentile
believer’s this, along with Silas and Judas, to confirm what was in the letter.
II.
THE ONLY BURDEN PLACED ON THE GENTILE
BELIEVERS
a. The
letter simply said;
i.
Abstain from eating sacrificed animals
ii.
Abstain from eating blood
iii. Abstain
from eating strangled animals
iv.
Abstain from fornication (All Immorality)
b. The
letter then says, “You will do well to avoid these.”
III. THE
RETURN TO ANTIOCH
a. Once in
Antioch, Paul, Barnabas, Silas and Judas, gathered the church together and
delivered the letter from the Council in Jerusalem.
b. The
people were glad, and encouraged when they heard it.
c. Judas
and Silas (both prophets), encouraged and strengthened the church
i.
Exactly what we are supposed to do with
each other, through the Holy Spirit.
d. Some
manuscripts say in vs. 34 that Silas
chose to stay, some don't.
e. Paul
and Barnabas stayed though
i.
They taught and preached the Word of the
Lord with many others.
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