Introduction
Over the past two weeks we’ve been studying Acts chapters 13 and 14, where Luke recounts for us Paul and Barnabas’s missionary journey from Antioch to Cyprus to Pisidian Antioch to Iconium to Lystra and Derbe and back again to Antioch, where their journey had begun. And no doubt there were other places they visited on the way, but those are the places Luke highlights for us.
Wherever they went, they preached the good news of the gospel. And the good news of the gospel is for Jew and Gentile, because the good news of the gospel is that salvation is for everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave up his life on the cross to pay for our sins and shortcomings and who was raised from the dead to give us life. And whoever believes in him as the only Saviour of the world, receives forgiveness and peace with God and the gift of the Holy Spirit, who is the deposit, guaranteeing what is to come, which is eternal life in the presence of God.
And as Paul and Barnabas proclaimed this message to Jew and Gentile, the Holy Spirit enabled them to perform miraculous signs and wonders to make clear to all that they had come from God, and that their message was true and everyone should listen to them and believe.
And we’ve seen that, while some who heard the message believed, others did not believe. In fact, many of the unbelieving Jews stirred up trouble for Paul and Barnabas and persecuted them for what they were preaching. But others believed and little churches were planted throughout the Roman Empire.
So, that’s what we’ve been reading about over the past two Sundays. Today we come to a very important chapter, because it tells us how the believers in Antioch sent a delegation to Jerusalem to ask the apostles and elders there to clear something up for them and to bring an end to a controversy. And the apostles and elders discussed the matter and came to a decision, which was then reported back to the church in Antioch. And if you look at verse 30, you’ll see that those who were sent from Jerusalem to Antioch gathered the church together and delivered the letter from Jerusalem. And the people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. They were happy because the apostles and elders in Jerusalem had cleared this matter up for them.
So, what was the issue which they asked the apostles and elders in Jerusalem to consider on their behalf? What was the controversy about? Let’s turn to the text to find out.
Verses 1 to 5
We read in verse 1 that some men came down from Judea to Antioch and they were teaching the people that unless you’re circumcised, you cannot be saved. So, they were telling the Gentiles believers in Antioch that they cannot be saved — they cannot have forgiveness and eternal life in the presence of God — unless they’re circumcised. And in verse 5, the requirement is expanded to include not only circumcision, but also obedience to the law of Moses.
And so, these men from Judea were teaching the Gentiles believers in Antioch that you can’t be saved unless you’re a Jew. You have to be a Jew in order to be saved and to have eternal life. So, you need to be circumcised. And you need to keep the law of Moses. You need to become a Jew.
And according to verse 2, this brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. I bet it did, because Paul and Barnabas had been preaching that through Jesus Christ, who died and was raised for sinners, everyone who believes is justified — that is, everyone who believes is pardoned by God and accepted by God — from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses. That’s the message Paul preached in Pisidian Antioch and it’s the message he preached wherever he went. We’re justified — pardoned and accepted by God — through faith in Christ and what he has done for us by his life and death and resurrection; and we are not justified by keeping the law of Moses. You don’t have to become a Jew in order to be saved; you have to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is by faith in Christ and it’s not by keeping the law.
And presumably the men from Judea who were preaching this false gospel — because that’s what it was — were not willing to listen to Paul and Barnabas or to agree with them. And so, the church appointed a delegation — including Paul and Barnabas — and sent them to Jerusalem to consult the apostles and elders about this question.
And from what we read in verse 3, it seems that they visited various churches on the way and told the believers in those churches how the Gentiles had been converted. And this made the believers very glad. They were glad when they heard that God was showing mercy to Gentiles by giving them salvation too.
And when they arrived in Jerusalem, they reported to the apostles and elders everything that God had done through them. But some of the believers who belonged to the Pharisees were there. And these believing Pharisees agreed with the men from Judea at the beginning of the chapter, because these believing Pharisee stood up and said that believing Gentiles must be circumcised and they must obey the law of Moses. That is to say, unless they’re circumcised and obey the law of Moses they cannot be saved. And so, faith in Christ is not enough for salvation. Believing Gentiles have to become Jews in order to be saved.
Verses 6 to 12
And so, the apostles and elders met together to discuss this issue. And Luke tells us that there was much discussion. So, lots of the apostles and elders made speeches, but Luke only records for us what Peter said and what James said. He also summarises what Paul and Barnabas said.
What did Peter say? That’s in verses 7 to 11. Peter reminded them of what God did through him some time ago. He’s referring to what happened when the Lord sent Peter to the home of Cornelius, the Roman centurion and Gentile, to preach the good news of salvation to Cornelius and his friends and relations. And God showed that he accepted them by giving them the Holy Spirit. So, just as he gave the Holy Spirit to believing Jews on the Day of Pentecost, so he also gave the Holy Spirit to the believing Gentiles in the home of Cornelius.
According to Peter in verse 9, God made no distinction between them, because he purified the hearts of the Gentiles by faith, just as he purifies the hearts of the Jews by faith. We’re purified, says Peter, we’re cleansed from the guilt of our sins by faith in Christ and not by becoming a Jew.
And Peter goes on to say that to require believing Gentiles to become Jews and to obey the law of Moses would be like putting a yoke on them. It would be a heavy burden for them. And to require believing Gentiles to do something which God has not commanded would only put God to the test. That is to say, it would only provoke God’s anger.
And right at the end of his speech, Peter says that we believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that we are saved. And when he says, ‘we are saved’, he’s referring to the Jews. Jews are saved by the grace, or by the kindness, of the Lord Jesus Christ, and not by keeping the law. Jews are saved through faith in Christ and not by keeping the law. And what is true for Jew is true for Gentile. Jews and Gentiles are saved in the same way: we’re saved by grace and through faith and not by keeping the law. We’re saved by faith and not by works. We’re saved by relying on what Christ has done for us and not by relying on our own good deeds. Salvation is not about climbing up to God by our good works, but it’s by trusting in the Son of God who came down to earth as one of us in order to take the blame for all that we have done wrong. And whoever believes in him is pardoned and accepted by God and receives the free gift of eternal life.
That’s Peter’s speech. And then, Paul and Barnabas told the assembly about all the things God had done through them among the Gentiles. Luke doesn’t record what they said, because he’s already told us what God did through them among the Gentiles in chapters 13 and 14. And the point of their speech was to convince the assembly that what God did through them makes clear that God is willing to save Gentiles who believe.
Verses 13 to 21
And after reporting what Peter said and after summarising what Paul and Barnabas said, Luke now records for us what James said. This James is not the apostle James, because he was put to death by King Herod. This James is most likely the Lord’s half-brother. And he stood up and asked the apostles and elders to listen to him. And he began by quoting from the book of Amos.
Let me give you the background to what Amos preached. Throughout most of the time of the kings of Israel and Judah, God was was angry with his people because of their persistent unbelief and rebellion. And he said that he was going to punish them. This he did by sending the Babylonians to invade the land. The city of Jerusalem and its temple were destroyed and the people were either killed or taken away into exile. And when these things happened, it seemed like the end of Israel. And yet, even though God was angry with his people for a time, he did not abandon them completely. And when the time was right, he brought the exiles back to the Promised Land and they rebuilt Jerusalem and the temple and they gathered there to worship the Lord and to renew their commitment to them. That’s what the books of Ezra and Nehemiah are about.
So, in the book of Amos, which was written before the exile, the Lord announced to his rebellious people that he was going to send them into exile. However, after that time, after the time of the exile — and this is the part James quotes — the Lord will return and the Lord will rebuild David’s fallen tent. In other words, God will restore David’s kingdom, which is really God’s kingdom. God will restore it and he will rebuild his kingdom on the earth.
And God was going to restore his kingdom on the earth by sending his people a new king. And that new king is, of course, God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who came to earth as one of us and who rode into Jerusalem on a donkey on the first Palm Sunday and the people welcomed him as their king. And he came to establish God’s kingdom on the earth.
And Amos went on to say that when God restores the kingdom, the remnant of men will seek the Lord — and this is the really important bit — and all the Gentiles who bear my name. After the time of the exile, God will restore the kingdom by sending a new king. And then the Gentiles will seek God. They will turn to him and become members of his kingdom.
So, James quotes from the book of Amos to make clear to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem that it was always God’s plan to include believing Gentiles in his kingdom. And so, what Peter reported about Cornelius and what Paul and Barnabas reported about what God has done among the Gentiles is the fulfilment of what God revealed through Amos.
And since this is the case, James says that they mustn’t make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Let’s not make it difficult for them by telling them that they have to become Jews in order to be saved. Let’s tell them that salvation is for everyone who believes.
However, he goes on to say that they should still write to the believing Gentiles in Antioch to tell them to avoid certain things. And the things they were to avoid are all connected with pagan idol worship. So, James says that they should avoid food polluted by idols. After an animal was offered to an idol, the meat was eaten by the worshippers. Avoid such meat, says James. Two: they’re to avoid sexual immorality. Every believer should avoid sexual immorality, but James is referring here to the kind of immorality that went on in the temples of the pagan gods. Three: they should avoid what has been strangled. And four: they should also avoid blood. Both of these are connected to pagan rituals. For instance, there are reports of pagan priests tasting the blood of animals that had been offered up to the gods.
So, James is saying to the Gentiles in Antioch who are turning to God that they must avoid these things. They must avoid anything connected with pagan worship. In other words, if they’re turning to God through faith in Christ, if they’re really turning to him with all their heart, then they should give up their pagan worship. They mustn’t think they can worship God and one of the Roman or Greek gods. They must worship the Lord alone. If they’re turning to God through faith in his Son, they must give up their pagan worship.
And Peter adds that the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest time and its read in the synagogues every Sabbath. It’s not entirely clear what he means by this, but he’s perhaps saying that the law never saved anyone. The law is proclaimed every Sabbath and it saves no-one. What saves people is faith in Christ.
Verses 22 to 29
And from the response of the assembly afterwards, it’s clear that they agreed with what James said. And so, we read that the apostles and elders and the church in Jerusalem decided to choose some of their own men and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas and with a letter. And the content of the letter is provided for us in verses 23 to 29. And they sent some of their own men with the letter to confirm what the letter said and, I suppose, to answer any questions and to make whatever clarifications were necessary.
And in the letter, they say that the men who came from Judea and who disturbed them came without their authorisation. They’re saying to the believers in Antioch: we didn’t send them and we don’t agree with them. And they go on to explain how it seems good to the Holy Spirit and to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem not to burden them by requiring them to become Jews. How did they know it seemed good to the Holy Spirit not to burden the Gentile believers? They knew this was the will of the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit came on Cornelius and his companions whenever they heard and believed the good news from Peter. And the Holy Spirit made clear that he was pleased with Paul and Barnabas’s ministry by enabling them to perform signs and wonders among the Gentiles. And, of course, it was the Holy Spirit who enabled Amos to foretell how the Gentiles would one day seek the Lord. The Holy Spirit made known his will in various ways. And so, the apostles and elders could write to the believers in Antioch and say that this is God’s will for you and it is our will for you. You don’t need to be circumcised and you don’t need to keep the law in order to be saved, because salvation is by grace alone and it’s through faith alone in Christ alone.
And the letter went on to say that they were to avoid anything to do with pagan idol worship. So, if you’re really turning from idols to the one, true and living God through faith in his Son, then have nothing more to do with those false gods. You can’t worship God and an idol at the same time. You must worship the God and Father of Jesus Christ and him alone.
Verses 30 to 35
And in the following verses, we’re told that the men went to Antioch and they read the letter to the church. And the members of the church were very glad. Judas and Silas — the men sent with Paul and Barnbas from the church in Jerusalem — didn’t leave immediately, but stayed and ministered to the people there. And after some time, they were sent back home with the blessing of the church in Antioch. And Paul and Barnabas and many others continued to preach the word of God in that place.
Application 1
That’s today’s passage. Let me make three brief points before I finish. The first is to point out how Presbyterian churches throughout the world try to follow the example of the early church in Acts 15 by having regional presbyteries and General Assemblies.
What we see in this chapter is that there was an issue which needed to be settled in Antioch. Who had the correct understanding of salvation? The men from Judea or Paul and Barnabas? The member of the congregation couldn’t settle the matter themselves. And so, they appealed to the church in Jerusalem.
In a similar way, if a Presbyterian congregation runs into difficulties, if there’s a dispute or a question that needs answering, the members can appeal to the presbytery or to the General Assembly for a decision. Amd so, at this year’s General Assembly, one congregation appealed to the General Assembly for permission to change its name. And two presbyteries appealed to the General Assembly to look into two important matters in relation to ministers and deacons. And the General Assembly discusses these issues and comes to an agreement which is then sent down to be implemented by all concerned.
And we do this because that’s what the early church did. And often we need people outside a congregation to help us. When I lived in the Republic, there was an ongoing dispute in a church. I went with a commission from Presbytery to try to sort things out. And while I was there, I met a member of the church who once belonged to an independent church. There was a dispute in that church and the church split apart and is no more. So, he joined another independent church and the same thing happened. He then joined a Presbyterian church and there was another dispute. But the Presbyterian Church survived because a commission from the wider church came along and offered advice and helped to sort out the dispute so that the church did not split apart, but the people remained together.
That’s what we need and that’s why it’s always good to belong to a Presbyterian Church and not to an independent church. It’s good because it works and it’s good because it’s biblical.
Application 2
Secondly, the assembly in Jerusalem said that the Gentiles should avoid everything connected with pagan idol worship. While we don’t encounter many people today who offer up sacrifices to the Roman and Greek gods, that doesn’t mean idolatry no longer exists. Idolatry still exists because an idol is really anything which is more important to us than God is. It’s something we can’t bear to be without. We think that life is not worth living without this thing or this person in my life. Or we think that if I have this thing, whatever it is, then I’ll be happy or I’ll be fulfilled or I’ll be significant or I’ll be safe. It might be something we can buy and we think that if I get this thing that I want, then I’ll be happy. Or it might be something like power or success. So, if I have enough power or success, then I’ll be someone. Or our idol might be a person. So, if I have a boyfriend, if I have a girlfriend, if I’m married, if I have children, then I’ll be truly happy. An idol is what we rely on in order to get what only God can give us. But only God can make us truly happy and fulfilled and significant and safe.
But, instead of trusting in other things, we should trust in the Lord alone. And if there is anything in your life which has become more important to you than God is, then you must confess it to God and you must repent of your sin and you must put God first in your life. You’re to love, trust and worship him above all other things.
Application 3
And finally, you should rejoice in the good news of the gospel, which is that we’re saved not by the things we do, but through faith in Christ and what he has done for us.
None of us is able to climb up to God by our good deeds, because every day we disobey the Lord and we do what is evil. And any good thing which we might do today cannot make up for whatever evil we have done in the past. And when we try to climb up to God by our good deeds, we’re always wondering whether we’ve done enough. So, we’re always anxious and we’re never sure.
But the good news is that we’re not saved by what we do, because we’re saved by trusting in Christ and what he has done for us. He came to earth and lived a perfect life of obedience for us and for our salvation. And then he gave up his life on the cross to pay for our sins and shortcomings. He took the blame for us and paid the penalty which was ours. And when we believe in him, we are pardoned for what we have done wrong. God forgives us, because Christ was punished in our place.
And then, when we believe in him, we get to share his perfect obedience. God regards his perfect life of obedience as if it were ours. Though you may have done everything wrong, God is willing to treat you as if you’ve done everything right.
And so, if you’re trusting in Christ, then God forgives you for what we have done wrong and treats you as if we’ve done everything right.
And God the Father also gives us his Spirit through Jesus Christ. And his Spirit living inside us enables us to love God and to worship God and to live our lives for God. The Holy Spirit helps us to obey God’s law and to do his will here on earth. He helps us to do what is right in God’s sight. And we receive the Spirit by trusting in Christ.
And so, everyone should believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, because everyone who believes is saved the penalty of sin, which is condemnation and death. And instead we have peace with God and the hope of everlasting life. And everyone who believes is saved from the power of sin, because the Spirit helps us to obey. Everyone should believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you should rejoice and give thanks to God for this wonderful good news of his love for us in Christ.
Sermons and Stuff 