Acts 16:1-5

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1 Paul came to Derbe and Lystra, where a follower named Timothy lived. Timothy’s mother was Jewish and a believer, but his father was a Greek. 2 The believers in Lystra and Iconium respected Timothy and said good things about him. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to travel with him, but all the people living in that area knew that Timothy’s father was Greek. So Paul circumcised Timothy to please his mother’s people. 4 Paul and those with him traveled from town to town and gave the decisions made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5 So the churches became stronger in the faith and grew larger every day. ~ Acts 16:1-5

Today, we transition into our study of Acts 16. The combination of prayer, God's indwelling Spirit within the believer and the study of God's Word produces spiritual growth in the believer. Spiritual growth does not happen automatically. Without prayer, the Holy Spirit and scripture reading, our spiritual lives will languish. With prayer, the Holy Spirit and the study of the scriptures we mature in our walk with God. 

In v.1 of today's passage we read, "Paul came to Derbe and Lystra, where a follower named Timothy lived. Timothy’s mother was Jewish and a believer, but his father was a Greek."

Having gone through Syria and Cilicia, Paul and Silas now are in Derbe and Lystra an area where Paul and Barnabas had fled in Acts 14 after having been chased out of Iconium. It was in Lystra that a believer in the Lord Jesus lived. His name was Timothy who came to believe in the Lord Jesus through the ministry of Paul during the first missionary journey. In one of his epistles the Apostle Paul refers to Timothy as his "son in the faith." It was the faith of Timothy's grandmother and his mother that influenced his conversion.

In v.2 of today's passage we read, "The believers in Lystra and Iconium respected Timothy and said good things about him."

The believers in Lystra respected Timothy because of his testimony. The word translated as "respected" means "witness." This is the word from which our English word "martyr" comes. After Paul and Barnabas left Lystra, Timothy had earned a positive reputation among all of the people. Timothy learned at a young age that the best testimonies are yielded through the lives of the surrendered.

In 2 Timothy 3:14-15 we read, "14 But you must keep on believing the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know that you can trust those of us who have taught you. 15 You know how, when you were a small child, you were taught the holy Scriptures; and it is these that make you wise to accept God’s salvation by trusting in Christ Jesus." 

It is obvious that Timothy was so well-versed in the Old Testament Scriptures. He was so well-versed that he had great character. John Wooden, the famous Basketball coach and Hall of Famer who guided UCLA to a record 10 national championships, is quoted as saying: "The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching." Wooden also said, "Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."

Biblical character is a product of the inculcated Word of God in the soul of a man. In Romans 15:4 we read, "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." It is through our perseverance through our trials and the substance of the Scriptures that God's character is forged within us. The fear of God is the thing that gets this tractor started. This fear causes us to turn to the Lord for the answers which are found in His Word. Once discovered, the answers or the truth becomes a part of who we are becoming. In the end, it is the willingness to die to ourselves, enabling us to consistently say "yes" to the Lord that renders the desires we pursue. Genuine Christian character always involves sacrifice, and that is something only faith in the Lord Jesus will deliver to us.  

In v.3 of today's passage we read, "Paul wanted Timothy to travel with him, but all the people living in that area knew that Timothy’s father was Greek. So Paul circumcised Timothy to please his mother’s people."

Paul recognized that Timothy’s character and his presence would benefit their journey. But, there was a problem. Timothy was half Greek and therefore had not been circumcised. So, Paul circumcised Timothy. This seems to contradict what Paul wrote to the believers in Galatia but since the Jews opposed Paul so much Timothy agreed to be circumcised so that the gospel would not be hindered.

In 1 Corinthians 9:19-20 we read, "19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; 20 and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law."

The Apostle Paul, along with Timothy, surrendered or set aside his own preferences, comforts and rights, so that there would not be any undue road blocks to a person choosing to believe in the Lord Jesus as their Savior. It was Matthew Henry who once said, "The Apostle Paul would not sin against God to save the soul of his neighbor, but he would very cheerfully and readily deny himself. The rights of God he could not give up, but he might resign his own, and he very often did so for the good of others." 

Selflessness is one of the most sturdy foundations upon which we can do ministry. Self-preservation is one of the greatest dangers to fulfilling the call of God on our lives. The darkness of self-centeredness undermines the gospel. Our selfishnesses swing open the door to immaturity which always thwarts us from the will of God. The mark of a truly mature man is that he wants to live humbly for a noble cause. To live selflessly is essential if God's kingdom is us to be paramount in our lives.

In v.4 of today's passage we read, "Paul and those with him traveled from town to town and gave the decisions made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey."

Continuing on from Derbe and Lystra, everywhere they went Paul and Silas encountered believers who had trusted in the Lord Jesus. To them, Paul and his entourage, provided the judgment that had previously been rendered in Jerusalem that it is only through believing in the Lord Jesus that one is forgiven his sin by God. Interestingly, there is no council of apostles and elders in Jerusalem today. When the apostles all died, that was the end of the authority of this body in deciding matters concerning the church. The writings of the apostles were saved and compiled into the New Testament. Along with the Old Testament, it now stands as the sole authority for deciding matters concerning the faith. Of course, much care must be taken when interpreting the Scriptures. This is why we must have a proper hermeneutic when doing so. A biblical hermeneutic yields a proper understanding of any passage under consideration. Context is always king and if it makes sense to interpret a passage literally we must. If not, we must apply the principles for interpreting figurative language.

In v.5 of today's passage we read, "So the churches became stronger in the faith and grew larger every day."

As a proper delineation of the truth from God was given the people grew in their faith in the Lord Jesus. It wasn’t just that they were made stronger for the moment, these new believers experienced the freedom the truth always renders. With the decision of the council in Jerusalem, these Gentiles felt safe among the Jews who had believed in the Lord Jesus. The demands of the legalistic Judaizers would have robbed them of this and there would be no end to the rat race that often capsizes those given to a legalistic mindset.

Only when one submits to the Lord Jesus Christ and concludes that He has made them right with God is there any true freedom. Freedom in Christ means we are free to fail and free not to fail. It means we are free to follow the Lord Jesus and we are free to run from Him. Freedom in Christ means we are free to obey Him and we are free not to obey Him. Freedom in Christ means we are free to sin and we are free not to sin. This is all due to God's grace which is unmerited. And, the fact that we take advantage of it proves its is unmerited by us. We shouldn't take advantage of God's grace for it is not wise to do so. But, we all must admit, we do sometimes take advantage of God's grace. 

Freedom in Christ makes us all extremely nervous because it isn't an obedience issue, it’s a heart issue. Our freedom in the Lord Jesus will parallel our understanding of His unconditional love for us and that the Lord Jesus earned His unconditional love for us. I will close with a quote from Brennan Manning, "The way of trust is a movement into obscurity, into the undefined, into ambiguity, not into some predetermined, clearly delineated plan for the future. The next step discloses itself only out of a discernment of God acting in the desert of the present moment. The reality of naked trust is the life of a pilgrim who leaves what is nailed down, obvious, and secure, and walks into the unknown without any rational explanation to justify the decision or guarantee the future. Why? Because God has signaled the movement and offered it his presence and his promise."

Acts 15:36-41

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36 After some time, Paul said to Barnabas, "We should go back to all those towns where we preached the message of the Lord. Let’s visit the believers and see how they are doing." 37 Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them, 38 but he had left them at Pamphylia; he did not continue with them in the work. So Paul did not think it was a good idea to take him. 39 Paul and Barnabas had such a serious argument about this that they separated and went different ways. Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left. The believers in Antioch put Paul into the Lord’s care, 41 and he went through Syria and Cilicia, giving strength to the churches. ~ Acts 15:36-41

Today, we conclude our study of Acts 15. Having been encouraged that the leaders in Jerusalem had responded to the legalists who had said that the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus was not enough to secure a person in his salvation, Paul and Barnabas continued to teach and preach the Word of God in Antioch. The righteousness that God promised through the perfect life lived by the Lord Jesus and the perfect death that He died was certainly enough to secure the salvation of all who choose to believe in the Lord Jesus as their Savior. In fact, as we look throughout the Old Testament, we discover that the Lord Jesus is the fulfillment of all of the Law and all of the Old Testament prophecies.

In v.36 of today's passage we read, "After some time, Paul said to Barnabas, 'We should go back to all those towns where we preached the message of the Lord. Let’s visit the believers and see how they are doing.'"

Paul and Barnabas spent just over a year in Antioch between the end of their first missionary journey and the beginning of the second. The second missionary journey was motivated by the concern Paul and Barnabas shared for those they had previously evangelized. It was their primary concern that the new believers there were growing in the grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus. They were also concerned that these new believers were not being tripped up in the faith by the legalistic Judaizers. 

In v.37-38 of today's passage we read, "37 Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them, 38 but he had left them at Pamphylia; he did not continue with them in the work. So Paul did not think it was a good idea to take him."

As they were about to embark on their second missionary journey, Barnabas made it known to Paul that he wanted John Mark to go with them but Paul objected to the idea. John Mark was the cousin to Barnabas and it was he who had deserted Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey just after they had arrived at Perga in Pamphylia. Although there is no clear reason given for Mark's departure, most believe that his soft childhood had not prepared him for the rigors they encountered. The fact is John Mark's departure had created a serious irritation between Paul and Barnabas. It undoubtedly would’ve been awfully tough on Mark to go along with Paul when he knew all the time that Paul didn’t trust him. Life is filled with events that we often cannot resolve, and which may turn out negatively. Yet, God always uses the lessons learned from them to bring about something good in another area of our lives. We cab absolutely trust His wisdom and in His sovereignty.

In v.39-41 of today's passage we read, "39 Paul and Barnabas had such a serious argument about this that they separated and went different ways. Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left. The believers in Antioch put Paul into the Lord’s care, 41 and he went through Syria and Cilicia, giving strength to the churches."

As a result, Paul and Barnabas "separated and went different ways." Barnabas took John Mark with him to his hometown of Cyprus where they did ministry. This is the last time that Barnabas is mentioned in the book of Acts. From this point onward the Apostle Paul would be used of God without Barnabas involved. Barnabas is directly mentioned two more times in the New Testament. The first in 1 Corinthians 9 where Paul referenced him in a good light. Barnabas is also mentioned in the book of Galatians where Paul notes that he was led astray by the legalistic Judaizers who came to Antioch, an event that probably occurred during the events of Acts 15.

The phrase translated "they separated and went different ways" is only used one other time in the New Testament. It is used in Revelation 6:14 which provides a description of an apocalyptic disaster. The disagreement between Paul and Barnabas was very heated. Interestingly, Barnabas did a marvelous work with John Mark. And, it all was used of the Lord to encourage all involved. And, the will of God was accomplished. In fact, John Mark was useful to the Apostle Paul while Paul was in a Roman prison toward the end of his life.

A result of Paul and Barnabas' breakup was that Silas became Paul's ministry partner. Silas had been sent earlier to Antioch from Jerusalem along with Judas. When Silas was sent by the leaders in Jerusalem to Antioch, Silas had no idea how his life would change. This just points out the fact that God chooses the right people for the right job. Like the Apostle Paul, Silas was a Roman citizen. He was also a Jew. Unlike Paul, Silas was from Jerusalem. In every way, God had prepared Silas to do the ministry that He had for him. And, as we will see his story unfold, we will be in awe of the wisdom and the sovereignty of God.

Acts 15:30-35

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30 So they left Jerusalem and went to Antioch where they gathered the church and gave them the letter. 31 When they read it, they were very happy because of the encouraging message. 32 Judas and Silas, who were also prophets, said many things to encourage the believers and make them stronger. 33 After some time Judas and Silas were sent off in peace by the believers, and they went back to those who had sent them, 34 but Silas decided to remain there. 35 But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch and, along with many others, preached the Good News and taught the people the message of the Lord. ~ Acts 15:30-35

Today, we return to our study of Acts 15. It is human nature to desire glory and our desire for glory has been tainted by sin. This is why the legalists who had been badgering Paul and Barnabas during and after their first missionary journey were behaving as they did. Every human on the face of this planet struggles with the temptation for validation, status, and recognition. Our desire for glory is one of our strongest intrinsic motivations. And, due to our fallen condition, it will lead to burnout and emptiness if we are not motivated by bringing glory to the Lord.

This is ultimately the reason the legalist exists. Even we who have been born again and have entered into a personal relationship with God struggle with seeking our own notoriety and self-righteousness rather than giving glory to God. This is why these legalists placed this burden on these newly born-again Gentiles. They were actually calling for them to do something they had only done partially. It was John Piper who once said, “The essence of legalism is when faith is not the engine of obedience.” We can even fight for God's glory and be wrong at the same time if our fight isn't rooted in biblical love and faith. This translates over into our lives in making us to think that we have to earn or maintain God's favor. When we do certain things in order to earn God's favor or maintain it, we are not operating out of biblical faith. Instead, we are saying that we must add to the finished work of the Lord Jesus on the cross in order for Him to accept us. When we think we must add to His work on the cross in order to be accepted by God we are essentially saying that His work on the cross wasn’t enough, and therefore we must perform for His acceptance.

In v.30-32 of today's passage we read, "30 So they left Jerusalem and went to Antioch where they gathered the church and gave them the letter. 31 When they read it, they were very happy because of the encouraging message. 32 Judas and Silas, who were also prophets, said many things to encourage the believers and make them stronger."

So, Paul, Barnabas and the two men sent by the leaders in Jerusalem traveled back to where all the trouble began in Antioch. Instead of having a dilemma to resolve, they returned with an answer from the council concerning the question raised earlier by the legalistic Judaizers. Having gathered everyone together in Antioch, the letter was read. As a result, the believers in Antioch were subsequently relieved and encouraged because it wasn't rules and regulations they had signed up for. No, they had signed up for a personal relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

What we learn from this is that the answers we seek are always found in the Word of God. The outcome rendered here is that believers in Christ have the freedom in Christ to disagree in areas of the non-essentials. What was clear was that the only thing that gains a sinner the righteousness of Christ is his faith in His finished work on the cross. This in fact was reinforced by the two visitors from Jerusalem, Judas and Silas who strengthened these young Gentile believers through their learned theology. They had been chosen by the leaders in Jerusalem because they excelled at their calling. They excelled because they were more defined by God's Word.

In addition, these young Gentile believers had a freedom that the Jews under the Law of Moses had not previously possessed. The Jews who had trusted the Lord Jesus as their Messiah would soon learn that the very same freedom the cross granted to the Gentile believers was also given to them. Once we have learned that the Lord Jesus fulfilled the righteous requirements of God as communicated through the Law of Moses on our behalf, it is then that we will grow in this freedom that dispels our fears and our insecurities. All who believed on the Lord Jesus as our Savior have been made righteous before God through the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Himself.

Judas and Silas gave the believers in Antioch encouragement that the message of salvation by grace alone through faith alone, apart from any works of the law, is biblical. They encouraged the church to stand fast in their faith and even built them up with additional words, thus strengthening them. At the very heart of our spiritual survival is the strengthening of our faith in the God of the Bible. Our faith is our heart's ability to see God. We move into error not by design, we move into error due to our lack of being defined by God's Word. Christian growth is not automatic, it has to be intentional. In our attempt to bolster our faith in the Lord Jesus, our goal must not only be informational, our goal must be relational. When we come to His Word, we must come to Him, otherwise our hearts will not be engaged with the Lord as it should. It is the lack of engagement of our hearts with God that leads us astray.

In Jude 21 we read, "Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life."

The word "keep" is an imperative, it means to remain in the sphere of God’s love. Jude was not saying, "Stay saved." That would be crazy since God does the saving. Jude was saying keep uppermost in your thoughts the love of God for you. It means to remind ourselves, frequently, that God loves us on the basis of who He is and not what we do. His love is unmerited and unconditional. And, if we operate out of His love for us, our security in Him will soar. Keeping ourselves in God's love means living our lives out of the fact that we have arrived in the eyes of God solely through the merit of the Lord Jesus. As a result, we will not waste our time trying to earn God's favor because the Lord Jesus earned it for us fully at the cross.

In v.33-35 of today's passage we read, "33 After some time Judas and Silas were sent off in peace by the believers, and they went back to those who had sent them, 34 but Silas decided to remain there. 35 But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch and, along with many others, preached the Good News and taught the people the message of the Lord."

After their main goal of encouraging and strengthening the believers in Antioch had been fully met, Judas and Silas traveled back to Jerusalem with the blessings of all in the Antioch church. After having been sent back to Jerusalem, it appears Silas returned to Antioch a few days later. Going unnoticed here were the suggestions the leaders in Jerusalem made to these brand new born-again Gentile believers in Antioch. Although they were relieved that they didn't need to adhere to all of the laws given in the Law of Moses, especially circumcision, the Gentile believers had been encouraged in their walk with the Lord. And, when we walk with the Lord, we will do things in a way that brings Him glory. This means that we sometimes abstain from things that causes others to stumble. Not that we have to but because we want to. This is what grace does to our hearts.

In Galatians 2:11-14 we read, "Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; 12 for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, 'If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?'"

While all of this was unfolding behind the scenes there was some disagreement between Paul and Peter. We get this idea from what we read in Galatians. In Galatians 2:9 we read, "And when James, Cephas (Peter), and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised."

When Peter came to Antioch he enjoyed the freedom that came from faith in Christ. This enabled him to eat meals with Gentiles, perhaps enjoying certain foods which he had never eaten before. But then, something happened. He at some point withdrew from fellowship with the Gentiles because he was unsure if the Jews who came from James would accept him as he did not follow the dietary restrictions of the Law of Moses. This is confusing given that Peter had spoken boldly concerning the conversion of the Gentiles and that they were not required to adhere to the Law of Moses for God's acceptance and the acceptance of other believers. It seems that Peter backtracked from this position and that was the source of Paul's conflict with him. 

Since this happened to Peter so quickly, that he had to be confronted by Paul for his theological inconsistencies, it can happen to any of us if we allow our guard to come down. We must, as the Scriptures implore us, stand firm on the freedom of the gospel, not allowing anyone to bring us under the yoke of the Law of Moses or any other form of legalism. Our ministry to others depends greatly on our understanding of our freedom in Christ and we must proclaim it strongly for the benefit of others, especially the young in the faith.

Acts 15:22-29

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22 The apostles, the elders, and the whole church decided to send some of their men with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch. They chose Judas Barsabbas and Silas, who were respected by the believers. 23 They sent the following letter with them: From the apostles and elders, your brothers. To all the non-Jewish believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings! 24 We have heard that some of our group have come to you and said things that trouble and upset you. But we did not tell them to do this. 25 We have all agreed to choose some messengers and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul— 26 people who have given their lives to serve our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 So we are sending Judas and Silas, who will tell you the same things. 28 It has pleased the Holy Spirit that you should not have a heavy load to carry, and we agree. You need to do only these things: 29 Stay away from any food that has been offered to idols, eating any animals that have been strangled, and blood, and any kind of sexual sin. If you stay away from these things, you will do well. Good-bye. ~ Acts 15:22-29

Today, we continue our study of Acts 15 where Paul and Barnabas are in Jerusalem meeting with the leaders of the church there concerning the role the Law of Moses should play in the lives of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. This discussion was prompted by the success that Paul and Barnabas had while on their first missionary journey. The success was with those Gentiles in the cities that they visited in Asia Minor known today as Turkey. To this point Peter, Barnabas, Paul and James, the half brother of the Lord Jesus, have spoken. As a result, these leaders decided to write the Gentiles a letter with some suggestions for them to follow. Those suggestions were delineated in the letter that they sent.

In v.22 of today's passage we read, "The apostles, the elders, and the whole church decided to send some of their men with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch. They chose Judas Barsabbas and Silas, who were respected by the believers."

After the proposal made by James, the half brother of the Lord Jesus was met with favor among all in the meeting, they decided to write a letter to the new Gentile believers. On the heels of its approval the church in Jerusalem decided to send a delegation to Antioch along with Paul and Barnabas. Judas Barsabbas and Silas were chosen by the leaders in the church at Jerusalem due to their example of following the Lord and leading others to do the same. They sent Judas and Silas in order to confirm their words to those in Antioch. This prevented the legalistic Judaizers from trying to undermine Paul and Barnabas and to stir up further trouble. 

In v.23-27 of today's passage we read, "23 They sent the following letter with them: From the apostles and elders, your brothers. To all the non-Jewish believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings! 24 We have heard that some of our group have come to you and said things that trouble and upset you. But we did not tell them to do this. 25 We have all agreed to choose some messengers and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul— 26 people who have given their lives to serve our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 So we are sending Judas and Silas, who will tell you the same things."

This letter sent to the believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia is the oldest such letter within the church. With the delivery of this letter, we learn there was no requirement for the Gentiles to observe the Law of Moses in order to be saved. This is very important to understand because we all know that a faith that requires work is just religion. The real issue is not what we do not do, the real issue is what we do. The most important thing we do on a day by day basis is to worship God. This is so important because we know that what we worship defines us.

The phrase "trouble and upset you" is used only once in the Bible. Originally, it meant "to dismantle." From this word comes the idea "to lay waste" or "to ravage." The idea was that the minds of the Gentile converts were being turned upside down and throwing them into confusion like a dismantled house. Again, the key to our lives in Christ is that we worship Him first and to make decisions out of the priority of His will in our lives. Where there had been a certain measure of order and harmony from the teaching of Barnabas and Paul, there was suddenly upheaval and turmoil because of the false message of these legalist judaizers. If the teaching of the legalists were true, it would mean that salvation is conditional and up to the good works of each person. As a result, there would be no security in our trust placed in the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross. It would have relegated the cross as not enough. 

The decision from the leaders in Jerusalem was unanimous and if it had not been it would have been stated and explained. Since this was not the case, it is fully apparent that what is recorded here is exactly what God wanted. So, for the time being, the church was given its instructions and they were to observe what was taught concerning circumcision and their observance of the Law of Moses.

In v.28-29 of today's passage we read, "28 It has pleased the Holy Spirit that you should not have a heavy load to carry, and we agree. You need to do only these things: 29 Stay away from any food that has been offered to idols, eating any animals that have been strangled, and blood, and any kind of sexual sin. If you stay away from these things, you will do well. Good-bye."

The letter from the leaders in Jerusalem noted that there were "these things" that the Gentiles were to do. The first of those things was they were to not eat the meat of animals sacrificed to idols. If they were to eat meat offered to an idol it meant they were participating in that false worship. This teaching has been amended by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 8 and 2 Corinthians 10 where he explained it is not wrong to eat meat offered to idols because idols at the end of the day are nothing. In his instructions, the Apostle Paul points us to our conscience. If one’s conscience is defiled because of the idol, he should not eat the meat. In addition, if it would bother another’s conscience, he should not eat the meat. Otherwise, the meat was perfectly acceptable to eat. 

The second of "these things" was to stay away from eating any animals that had been strangled. The issue here was the Gentiles were to give no offense to the Jews who were in the practice of bleeding out meat that would be consumed according to the teaching in the Law of Moses. Again, the issue was whether they were causing themselves or others to stumble in their walk with the Lord.

The third of "these things" was to not drink blood offered to idols. As the life is in the blood, such a practice would grant some measure of power to the idols. Again, I find it most instructive that throughout the world, the shedding of blood has almost universally been considered a means of atoning for sin. But, it is only the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ that is effectual for the atonement of sin. 

The fourth of "these things" was to abstain from sexual immorality. The Gentiles didn’t just offer food to their gods, there was a lot of sex involved in their temple worship. They had temple prostitutes, male and female. In their culture they regarded sex as a god. But, like all things of this world, sex does not yield lasting satisfaction. In fact, immoral sex renders guilt and hatred in the hearts of those involved. 

God created sex in order to render an ever growing bond between a husband and wife. When we neglect God’s design for sex, we settle for lust rather than true love. God designed sex to be best enjoyed when it is based on something other than appearance or performance. He meant for it to be based on a commitment that inculcates a growing trust for one another in an increasing way. The world's distorted understanding of love is nothing but selfish pleasure, a passion that moves from lover to lover and fantasy to fantasy. But this sort of pleasure really does not fulfill nor does it actually bring satisfaction to our souls. Whereas God's love yields holiness in us, worldly passion yields in our souls something akin to Swiss cheese. C.S. Lewis once aptly said, "If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world."

Acts 15:12-21

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12 Then the whole group became quiet. They listened to Paul and Barnabas tell about all the miracles and signs that God did through them among the people. 13 After they finished speaking, James said, "Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simon has told us how God showed his love for those people. For the first time he is accepting from among them a people to be his own. 15 The words of the prophets agree with this too: 16 'After these things I will return. The kingdom of David is like a fallen tent. But I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up. 17 Then those people who are left alive may ask the Lord for help, and the other nations that belong to me, says the Lord, who will make it happen. 18 And these things have been known for a long time.' (Amos 9:11–12) 19 "So I think we should not bother the other people who are turning to God. 20 Instead, we should write a letter to them telling them these things: Stay away from food that has been offered to idols (which makes it unclean), any kind of sexual sin, eating animals that have been strangled, and blood. 21 They should do these things, because for a long time in every city the law of Moses has been taught. And it is still read in the synagogue every Sabbath day." ~ Acts 15:12-21

Today, we return to our study of Acts 15 where the leaders of the church had all gathered in Jerusalem in order to discuss the role of the Law of Moses in the life of the believer. While on their first missionary journey into Asia Minor Paul and Barnabas had been badgered by those who believed that the Gentiles who had heard the gospel and believed on the Lord Jesus as their Savior had to be circumcised in order to be accepted by them and by God. This meeting rendered a verdict on the role the Law of Moses plays in the life of the believer in the Lord Jesus.

In v.12 of today's passage we read, "Then the whole group became quiet. They listened to Paul and Barnabas tell about all the miracles and signs that God did through them among the people."

Previously the Apostle Peter completed his words in support of Paul’s position that the Gentiles were not to be placed under the yoke of the Law of Moses. The group that listened to the Apostle Peter explain what had occurred in Caesarea also listened to Paul and Barnabas in stone cold silence. Listening is different than hearing. Listening goes a step beyond hearing and it enables understanding. This explains why it is often a must for someone to go through a very hard trial in order to believe in the Lord Jesus. It is most often the case that our pain enables us to listen better because it is only when we are in pain that we are able to evaluate with eternity's values in view.

Peter had previously communicated that the Law of Moses was not a means to forgiveness of sin. He came upon this truth through his own failure in the Garden of Gethsemane and while at the High Priest's courtyard. Through even the questioning by the Lord Jesus of his love for Him, Peter admitted on the shore of the Sea of Galilee that his love for the Lord was brotherly love not unconditional love. Our willingness to obey the Lord is critical to listening to Him speak to us. Peter came to understand that God used the Law of Moses to point the people to the Lord Jesus who is the fulfillment of the Law. It was through the Law of Moses that God spoke but most of the Jews only heard Him. They failed to listen to Him revealing their intention with God from the beginning. Their intentions were merely self-serving. This prevented their understanding. Thus, they failed to understand that it is in the wilderness that we learn to listen to God best.

While the people remained silent they listened to Barnabas and Paul give their account about how God had worked among the Gentiles. Barnabas is mentioned first here because he had a better relationship with the church in Jerusalem than did Paul. The church in Jerusalem listened more intently to Barnabas due to their previous relationship. Thus, Barnabas was highlighted first here at this meeting. Barnabas and Paul emphasized how God was working through their ministry by performing miracles among the Gentiles. They communicated they were merely the instruments through whom these Gentiles believed in the Lord Jesus as their Savior.

In v.13-19 of today's passage we read, "13 After they finished speaking, James said, "Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simon has told us how God showed his love for those people. For the first time he is accepting from among them a people to be his own. 15 The words of the prophets agree with this too: 16 'After these things I will return. The kingdom of David is like a fallen tent. But I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up. 17 Then those people who are left alive may ask the Lord for help, and the other nations that belong to me, says the Lord, who will make it happen. 18 And these things have been known for a long time.' (Amos 9:11–12) 19 "So I think we should not bother the other people who are turning to God."

After Peter and Barnabas and Paul addressed the assembly of believers that day, we are left with the implication that James the half brother of the Lord Jesus was the leader of the Church at Jerusalem. As the assembly fell silent listening to James, his words revealed his knowledge of the Scriptures. James pointed out that the words of the prophets confirmed that God had found a way for the Gentiles to begin to hear and to listen to Him. God chose to insert Himself in the narrative of sinful and hopeless man by sending His Son to atone for that which had deafened us to God, our sin. The word translated "nations" refers us to other ethnicities other than Jewish. Underscored here is that God through His Son reached out to the Gentiles in a manner similar to how He had long ago reached out to the Jews. 

Here, James quoted Amos when he said that God would rebuild the ruins of David's kingdom. Of course, Amos referred to the coming Millennium. The context in the book of Amos reveals God was not finished speaking to the people of Israel. He had not finished because all of His promises made to Israel had not yet been fulfilled. This is one major point behind the Millennium which will occur after the coming Tribulation. Despite Israel’s many failings, the Lord will never reject them as His people. Likewise, despite our many failings, the Lord will never reject us because of what He has done on our behalf through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.

With the reestablishment of Israel as a nation in 1948 the Word of the Lord has come to fruition exactly as the Lord told us that it would. This underscores the greatness of our God who saves us despite ourselves. Whether we like the Jewish people or not, something much greater is at stake in the world today. That something is the integrity of God and His promise that He would never fully reject His people, Israel. He will bring one third of them into the New Covenant during the Tribulation. 

In v.20-21 of today's passage we read, "20 Instead, we should write a letter to them telling them these things: Stay away from food that has been offered to idols (which makes it unclean), any kind of sexual sin, eating animals that have been strangled, and blood. 21 They should do these things, because for a long time in every city the law of Moses has been taught. And it is still read in the synagogue every Sabbath day."

Having established the fact that God would save the Gentiles and that they would not be required to obey the Law of Moses to be acceptable to God and to other believers, James suggested they write a letter telling the Gentiles to refrain from food that had been offered to idols. He also highlighted they should abstain from sexual sin which is often associated with idolatry. James also suggested the Gentiles not eat meat that had not been bled out and to not drink blood which was associated with idolatry. Interestingly, from the beginning of time the shedding of blood has been universally considered a means of atoning for sin.  

The suggestions James offered that day in Jerusalem did not address the issue of salvation but of life within the church. His suggestions weren't about justification but of that of sanctification. The Gentiles who had come to Christ were given these prohibitions as a means of evangelizing the Jews because the Law of Moses would be read in the synagogues every Sabbath. This is one of the main points of our sanctification, that as God gradually changes us from the inside out we will have a believable testimony with Him before others. James then went on to give the Gentiles a reasonable set of standards to live by so that those Jews who were under the law could see that Christians lived in a reasonable manner while not being burdened with the innumerable laws found within the Law of Moses. James and the others had realized that it is only the Lord Jesus Christ who could measure up to the Law of Moses. And, since He is the only Perfect One, He is the Only One who can be our Savior.

Acts 15:6-11

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6 The apostles and the elders gathered to consider this problem. 7 After a long debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that in the early days God chose me from among you to preach the Good News to the nations. They heard the Good News from me, and they believed. 8 God, who knows the thoughts of everyone, accepted them. He showed this to us by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. 9 To God, those people are not different from us. When they believed, he made their hearts pure. 10 So now why are you testing God by putting a heavy load around the necks of the non-Jewish believers? It is a load that neither we nor our ancestors were able to carry. 11 But we believe that we and they too will be saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus." ~ Acts 15:6-11

Today, we continue our study of Acts 15 where Paul and Barnabas and their entourage have arrived in Jerusalem to have a discussion with the leaders about whether circumcision should be a prerequisite for salvation. This discussion was prompted by the leaders in Antioch who upon the return of Paul and Barnabas from their first missionary trip learned the Gentiles had believed in the Lord Jesus as their Savior. But, they had not been circumcised. The subject was sparked by some legalists who had been trailing Paul and Barnabas throughout their first missionary trip. These legalists who were also Pharisees incorrectly taught that circumcision was a requirement for forgiveness of sin. In fact, they went as far to say that for anyone to go to heaven they must obey all of the Law of Moses. 

In v.6-8 of today's passage we read, "6 The apostles and the elders gathered to consider this problem. 7 After a long debate, Peter stood up and said to them, 'Brothers, you know that in the early days God chose me from among you to preach the Good News to the nations. They heard the Good News from me, and they believed. 8 God, who knows the thoughts of everyone, accepted them. He showed this to us by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us.'"

After much debate, the Apostle Peter stood up and began to speak with conviction. What a contrast from the moment Peter denied knowing the Lord Jesus while in the courtyard of the High Priest. Peter had to be crushed of his self-confidence in order to grow in the grace of the Lord. It further helped Peter when the Lord Jesus matched Peter's three denials on the Sea of Galilee just after His resurrection through His question of whether Peter loved Him or not. On that beach that day, the Lord Jesus taught Peter that the secret to his success had never been nor ever will be his ability to love the Lord. No, like you and me, the secret to our success is the immeasurable grace of our God. Peter's presentation that day in Jerusalem proves that the threefold question from the Lord Jesus hit its mark. 

In Peter's presentation we are reminded that all of our decisions must come through the strain of the Word of the Lord. We must always remember to come back to God's Word for our answers.  It is in the Word of God that we discover our doctrine which impacts our daily decisions and our daily conduct. This is why Peter pointed his hearers to the previous days when he preached the gospel to the Gentiles and they believed. And then, God's response was to make them alive to Him by giving them His Holy Spirit. If God had required the Gentiles to adhere to the Law of Moses He would not have given them His Holy Spirit.

In v.9-11 of today's passage we read, "9 To God, those people are not different from us. When they believed, he made their hearts pure. 10 So now why are you testing God by putting a heavy load around the necks of the non-Jewish believers? It is a load that neither we nor our ancestors were able to carry. 11 But we believe that we and they too will be saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus."

Having read their hearts, God gave these believing Gentiles the Holy Spirit. That is grace! Incidentally, the word "grace" is used 38 times in the Old Testament and over 170 times in the New Testament. It is God's grace that enables us to see that in the eyes of God there is no longer any difference between the Jew and the Gentile. It was the Law of Moses which told us to clean up our mess. It was the Lord Jesus who came to tell us that He would clean up our mess. All who trust in the mess cleaning up work of the Lord Jesus have been made acceptable before God. It is only through the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus that we stand with Him as co-heirs before God.

In v.10 Peter reminded these Jewish people of their own history. Instead of accepting the will of God that was openly expressed to them, Israel paved out their own way. Israel was given and they thought they gained and maintained their rightness before God, but, no person but One has ever measured up to the perfection of the Law. The Judaizers before whom Peter spoke that day in Jerusalem rejected the obvious will of God. They could not accept that God had included the dirty Gentiles in His family as evidenced by the giving of the Holy Spirit to them. In addition to rejecting the Gentiles, the Judaizers rejected that day the grace of the Lord Jesus. 

The Lord Jesus fulfilled the whole Law of Moses and that means Jews and Gentiles who have believed on the Lord Jesus as our Savior have been forgiven by God. This is why the Lord Jesus lived a perfect life and died the perfect death, in order to redeem us through His perfectly spilt blood on that cross. The entire Law of Moses was fulfilled by the Lord Jesus and the judgement rendered upon us by the Law of Moses has been nailed to the cross. And, part of the judgement was the self-life. I find the final word's of the Apostle Peter in the book of Acts quite instructive when he said that salvation by grace through faith apart from the Law of Moses is our only way unto salvation. Finally, it was Saint Francis of Assisi who once aptly said, "Above all the grace and the gifts that Christ gives to his beloved is that of overcoming self."

Acts 15:1-5

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1 Then some people came to Antioch from Judea and began teaching the non-Jewish believers: "You cannot be saved if you are not circumcised as Moses taught us." 2 Paul and Barnabas were against this teaching and argued with them about it. So the church decided to send Paul, Barnabas, and some others to Jerusalem where they could talk more about this with the apostles and elders. 3 The church helped them leave on the trip, and they went through the countries of Phoenicia and Samaria, telling all about how the other nations had turned to God. This made all the believers very happy. 4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the apostles, the elders, and the church. Paul, Barnabas, and the others told about everything God had done with them. 5 But some of the believers who belonged to the Pharisee group came forward and said, "The non-Jewish believers must be circumcised. They must be told to obey the law of Moses." ~ Acts 15:1-5

When the Word of God is making inroads into the hearts and lives of people, the enemy of the truth will do any and everything to stop it. The devil is a schemer; a master at deception. It was he who deceived one third of the angels in heaven to rebel against God. He has been deceiving for over four thousand years. He is keenly aware of our weaknesses and the exact areas in our lives to attack and bring us into spiritual defeat. He knows what works to bring about spiritual disaster in any context of people. And, his chief goal is to thwart the plan of God in anyones life. He gets us to follow him by getting us to serve ourselves. In today's passage, the devil used a biblical object lesson to his advantage. He did this by getting the people to be religious rather than being engaged with God through a personal relationship with Him through His Son.

In v.1 of today's passage we read, "Then some people came to Antioch from Judea and began teaching the non-Jewish believers: 'You cannot be saved if you are not circumcised as Moses taught us.'"

At the end of Acts 14 we learned that Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch for a long time. While there they taught those who had recently trusted the Lord Jesus as their Savior. Since being a Christian is much more than getting the assurance that we are going to heaven, Paul and Barnabas taught them from the Scriptures. It was at that point that their teachings were challenged by the Judaizers, those who believed one must obey the Law of Moses to be saved. What compounded everything was the fact that Gentiles had begun to believe in the Lord Jesus and they entered the church meetings, and yet, they remained uncircumcised. To this the Judaizers mounted up with the Law of Moses.

These Judaizer legalists did not understand the point behind the object lesson of circumcision. God gave the object lesson of circumcision to the Jews so that they would be reminded on a daily basis that He was committed to them. The Jews believed they could manipulate God through circumcision. In fact, they used it as a bribe in order to get from God His blessings. To the Jews, circumcision had become the foremost requirement to gain God's favor. 

Interestingly, God gave circumcision to Abraham so that he would never forget that God was for him. God never meant for circumcision to be a means of gaining or maintaining His favor. God gave circumcision so that as often Abraham went to the bathroom, he would be reminded of God's undying favor for him. So, these legalistic Judaizers were wrong when they required the Gentiles to be circumcised in order to be acceptable to them or to God.

In v.2-3 of today's passage we read, "2 Paul and Barnabas were against this teaching and argued with them about it. So the church decided to send Paul, Barnabas, and some others to Jerusalem where they could talk more about this with the apostles and elders. 3 The church helped them leave on the trip, and they went through the countries of Phoenicia and Samaria, telling all about how the other nations had turned to God. This made all the believers very happy."

When anyone hears the gospel, repents from their attempts to be made right before God through their good behavior and they believe the gospel, they are saved. The fact is the Lord established the New Covenant through the death of His Son on the cross plus nothing else. And, the sacrificial system that God had established through Moses was no longer needed since the Lord Jesus paid the penalty for every sinner who places our faith in the Lord Jesus "as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."

So, the basis of our rightness before God has always been our faith in the veracity in the God of the Bible who sent His Son to die in our place, so that believing in Him our sin might be forgiven. Based on the dispute that had arisen between the Judaizers and Paul and Barnabas, it was determined that Paul and Barnabas, with certain others, should go up to Jerusalem to obtain a resolution to the matter. As they traveled toward Jerusalem they shared with the believers in Phoenicia and Samaria what God had done on their missionary journey which caused great joy among the believers there. 

In v.4-5 of today's passage we read, "4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the apostles, the elders, and the church. Paul, Barnabas, and the others told about everything God had done with them. 5 But some of the believers who belonged to the Pharisee group came forward and said, 'The non-Jewish believers must be circumcised. They must be told to obey the law of Moses.'"

When Paul and Barnabas and their delegation arrived in Jerusalem and the believers there were excited to see them. then a contrast was created. It was then they all officially met and Paul and Barnabas gave a report of how the gospel was received by the Gentiles and rejected by the Jews. To this the Pharisees voiced their opinion that the Gentiles had to be circumcised but as we have shown circumcision was not a requirement for salvation not even among the Jews. Abraham believed and was deemed as righteous before God long before God gave the object lesson of circumcision. It was later that the Lord instructed him and all with him to be circumcised as a sign of the covenant. As such, it is our faith in the God of the Bible is what saves us. 

The work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross wasn’t merely an initial act of grace in order to give sinful man a second chance at getting life right. No, the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross was a lifeline in order to rescue man out of his hopelessness and helplessness. And, this lifeline when received is eternal. So today, due to the decision of the council in Jerusalem, this proposal from the Pharisees is considered heretical and to be condemned. Unfortunately, to this day people wrongfully reinsert the Law of Moses into their Christian theology. This must never be allowed. We must live in Christ and by His grace. We must trust solely upon His merits. God was fully pleased with the work of Christ, evidenced by the resurrection. As a result, God could not be any less pleased with us or more pleased with us since we have trusted in the finished work of His Son on the cross.

Acts 14:24-28

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24 Then they went through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. 25 When they had preached the message in Perga, they went down to Attalia. 26 And from there they sailed away to Antioch where the believers had put them into God’s care and had sent them out to do this work. Now they had finished. 27 When they arrived in Antioch, Paul and Barnabas gathered the church together. They told the church all about what God had done with them and how God had made it possible for those who were not Jewish to believe. 28 And they stayed there a long time with the followers. ~ Acts 14:24-28

Today, we conclude our study of Acts 14 where the Apostle Paul and Barnabas have been traveling from throughout what is known today as southern Turkey. This was their first missionary journey covering approximately 1400 miles. The goal of this trip into Galatia was to share the gospel of the forgiveness of God for our sin through the Lord Jesus Christ. On this trip, the gospel had been received and rejected by many. Today, we return to Paul and Barnabas retracing their steps back through the cities of Pisidia, Pamphylia, Perga, and Attalia. Paul and Barnabas did this in order to disciple those who had before heard the gospel and believed on the Lord Jesus as their Savior. These men were engaged in evangelism and discipleship.

In v.24-26 of today's passage we read, "24 Then they went through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. 25 When they had preached the message in Perga, they went down to Attalia. 26 And from there they sailed away to Antioch where the believers had put them into God’s care and had sent them out to do this work. Now they had finished."

This is the same area where John Mark had departed from them quite some time before. As I mentioned before, we do not know exactly why John Mark departed from Paul and Barnabas when he did. We assume the conditions had become too difficult on him. At that time, John Mark didn't understand the importance of discomfort because God often utilizes it to reveal Himself to us. It was during this second visit to Pisidia and Pamphilia that Paul and Barnabas discipled those who were new in the faith. It was Charles Haddon Spurgeon who once said, "Nothing teaches us about the preciousness of the Creator as much as when we learn the emptiness of everything else."  There is no doubt that the Lord used both Paul and Barnabas to given biblical answers to the peoples' most troubling questions regarding the faith. But, he goal in the Christian life isn't to garner all of the answers because it is our questions that propel us in our walk with the Lord. 

The concept of mystery plays a major role in the development of any relationship, especially our relationship with the Lord. Pursuing God is not a clean pursuit, nor is it easy. There will always be surprises en route to discovering the Lord and His culture. This pursuit is known as "faith" throughout the Bible. According to Hebrews 11:6 our pursuit of faith in God is the only thing that humanly pleases Him. Knowing God personally is far more rewarding than understanding Him. In Proverbs 25:2 we read, "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter." A spiritual mystery can’t be discovered by persistent searching. Spiritual mysteries must be revealed. We don’t unlock them, they are unlocked for us. And they are only unlocked and revealed to us through our pursuits of God through our hungering and thirsting for Him.

The Christian life is more than merely being converted, it is a personal relationship with God whereby He is transforming us from within. Paul and Barnabas did three important things to aid these brand new disciples in their walk with the Lord. First, they strengthened their souls. This is accomplished by teaching them the Word of God, addressing what they think, what they choose and how they feel. It is God's Word that sets us free. Second, they exhorted them to continue in the faith. Using the lives of Old Testament believers, Paul and Barnabas underscored how to live by faith in God. Third, they helped them to understand why we encounter persecution. Combined with the Word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit, persecution makes us grow because it forces us to run to the Lord. 

In v.27-28 of today's passage we read, "27 When they arrived in Antioch, Paul and Barnabas gathered the church together. They told the church all about what God had done with them and how God had made it possible for those who were not Jewish to believe. 28 And they stayed there a long time with the followers."

When Paul and Barnabas arrived back in Antioch, they reported to the believers there all that God had done through them. God was the secret behind their success and they knew it. It was God who opened and shut doors. It was God at work in the hearts of those who heard the gospel causing them to believe in His Son as their Savior. In John 16:13 we read, "When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth." The key to being led by the Spirit of God is that we remain connected. We are led by God as a result of being alive to His presence and being willing to be led by Him. This requires engagement with Him through prayer and our daily consideration of His Word. And, flexibility is a real key here. We mustn't be tied down to preconceived ideas because God requires of sinful man to believe and we are never sure when they are about to believe. I have found that people believe the most when they are most desperate.

Finally, Paul and Barnabas, after being on the road for about 18 months, remained in Antioch. In fact, it was during this time that Paul wrote the book of Galatians. Since he just seen them on his first missionary journey, his close relationship with the Galatians aided him in explaining to them the dangers of having a small view of God and a large view of themselves. Through writing the book of Galatians, Paul risked the good favor of those first converts in Galatia. But, he had confidence in the Lord as those believers in Galatia had been put on the path of truth. Paul knew that the truth is most important in each believers perseverance in the faith.

Acts 14:21-23

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21 Paul and Barnabas told the Good News in Derbe, and many became followers. Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, 22 making the followers of Jesus stronger and helping them stay in the faith. They said, “We must suffer many things to enter God’s kingdom.” 23 They chose elders for each church, by praying and fasting for a certain time. These elders had trusted the Lord, so Paul and Barnabas put them in the Lord’s care. ~ Acts 14:21-23

Today, we continue our study of Acts 14 where Paul and Barnabas are half way through their first missionary journey. At this point in their travels, Paul and Barnabas had been expelled from Antioch of Pisidia, threatened in Iconium, and, Paul actually was stoned to near death in Lystra. And, when it seemed that all hope had been lost, God raised Paul up from his seeming death and they travel back into the same cities where they had been persecuted in order to teach the new believers there the culture of God. This kind of courage comes only from trust in the Living God. Paul and Barnabas were confident that God was with them, and so back they went to those places where they had been hated and rejected.

In v.21-22 of today's passage we read, "21 Paul and Barnabas told the Good News in Derbe, and many became followers. Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, 22 making the followers of Jesus stronger and helping them stay in the faith. They said, 'We must suffer many things to enter God’s kingdom.'"

Without fear Paul and Barnabas preached the gospel in Derbe once again. It was G.T. Shedd who once said, "A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for." Since these first century believers had seen the power of the Lord Jesus, they knew He was more powerful than anything that could possibly harm them. This explains how they were able to endure so much pain and persecution. There is no mention here of Paul and Barnabas entering a synagogue. They just availed themselves in the open square of the town. As a result of their bravery and the gospel, "many became followers." They not only witnessed belief in the newborn, they also stayed long enough to train them in the culture of God. 

After being a part of God's work among the people in Derbe, Paul and Barnabas "returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch." They traveled in reverse of their previous travels. It is quite remarkable that Paul and Barnabas fearlessly returned to these cities to share the gospel, those cities where they had been previously persecuted. This comes as a reminder that wherever we are, we are on a mission that has been previously carved out by the Almighty God. Quite often, I have found myself in places that I did not intend to go only to discover the Lord at work there. In those moments, it was demonstrated to me that the physical danger in which we may find ourselves pales in comparison to the spiritual danger that awaits the unsaved. In order to be used of God to help others grow in their faith in the Lord Jesus, we very well may need to go through pain and suffering ourselves. It has always been of help to me to remember that when I go through pain and suffering, the lessons I learn will be helpful to others in the same boat.

The word translated "stronger" here means "to make solid," "to fix," or "to glue down." Paul was used by God to make these new believers solid in their lives through His Word. The apostle taught them sound doctrine or sound teaching. Through his teaching the Apostle Paul got these new believers in the Lord Jesus to grow rapidly as he fed them the substance of God's Word. It was T.S. Eliot who once said, "Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they one go."

Of course, the power to endure under pressure comes from the Word of God. We only endure once we have been pressurized on the inside with the power and Word of God! Like submarines, believers who understand the power of the Word of God are designed to withstand immense pressure. Submarines can go deeper in the ocean than any other aquatic vehicle. The pressurized inside, combined with extremely strong materials, keep the ocean outside from getting in. Similarly, believers are like submarines: God has designed us to overcome and to be powerful under pressure only through the power of His Word in our souls! Before we can give the power of the Word to others, we must know its power for ourselves. This was definitely the case for these first century believers in the Lord Jesus. This is why they said, "We must suffer many things to enter God’s kingdom."

In v.23 of today's passage we read, "They chose elders for each church, by praying and fasting for a certain time. These elders had trusted the Lord, so Paul and Barnabas put them in the Lord’s care."

The apostles with, the people, chose the elders because they were already doing the work. Notice they chose "elders." God's best idea for leaders has always been in the context of other "elders" meaning there is wisdom to be found in the plural context of leaders. God never meant for there to be lone rangers who are doing the work all by themselves. It was Jean Hamilton Fford who once wrote, "On one side of accountability is courage, on the other side is freedom." In Proverbs 11:14 we read, "Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety." Also, in Proverbs 24:6 we read, "For by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory." God's ways are so counter-cultural to that of selfish, fallen man. 

The word translated "elders" in Acts 14:23 describes mature men who are experienced and possess seasoned judgment. With Paul and Barnabas eventually leaving, the church would be left in the care of men who were qualified to lead the people as shepherds lead their sheep. This is why Paul and Barnabas left the elders "in the Lord's care." This means the care of these elders who cared for others was directly on the Lord. We cannot give what we do not have. This is why we go through trials which push us to dependence on the Lord. That is when His kingdom comes. This also provides safe guards which are needed to navigate caring for the sheep.

Acts 14:19-20

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19 Then some evil people came from Antioch and Iconium and persuaded the people to turn against Paul. So they threw stones at him and dragged him out of town, thinking they had killed him. 20 But the followers gathered around him, and he got up and went back into the town. The next day he and Barnabas left and went to the city of Derbe. ~ Acts 14:19-20

Today, we return to our study of Acts 14 where Paul and Barnabas are in the middle of their first missionary journey sharing the good news that God forgives the sin of all who are willing to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. In today's passage, Paul and Barnabas are still in Lystra which is a small country town where the people were generally considered uneducated and given to believing in myths.

After healing a man who had been lame from his birth, the people of Lystra thought Paul and Barnabas were gods sent to communicate with them. In that area there was a long believed myth that Zeus and Hermes had once come to Lystra disguised as men seeking lodging. After going to many different homes, they were finally welcomed in by a couple who fed them a meal. In appreciation, the gods blessed the couple making them a priest and a priestess. On the other hand, those who had shown no hospitality were destroyed. Since the people of Lystra did not want that to happen to them, they wrongly thought Paul and Barnabas to be gods and so they worshipped them.

The Lord Jesus prayed in John 17:3, "And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." 

The Lord Jesus prayed this prayer because He knows that our theology is most important to all of our pursuits in life. He knows that it is our theology that touches and shapes everything in our lives. Eternal life is not something that comes after we die. Eternal life is a personal relationship with God and we can know it right now. To know God means to experience Him in a relational way. Knowing God involves talking with Him often daily. It is more than just knowing about Him. Knowing God means doing life with Him. Our theology is an outgrowth of our relationship with God and it ultimately leads us to worship and adoration of Him. And, we know we become what we love. Sadly, most people, even those who go to church with some measure of regularity do not know God and their theology suffers accordingly. 

In v.19 of today's passage we read, "Then some evil people came from Antioch and Iconium and persuaded the people to turn against Paul. So they threw stones at him and dragged him out of town, thinking they had killed him."

Right on the heels of Paul and Barnabas trying to convince the people of Lystra that they were not gods, did they turned on them. All of this happened after they had seen the healing of the man who had been lame since birth. The people of Lystra desired to worship Paul and Barnabas by sacrificing some bulls and Paul and Barnabas barely were able to stop them from doing so. If the people had come to personally know the God of the Bible, they would have worshipped Him because they would have known that it was He who healed the man who had been lame from birth.

It was then that some evil Jews from Antioch of Pisidia and Iconium convinced the people to turn against Paul. These Jews from Antioch had made the 100 mile trip to Lystra in an attempt to discredit Paul and Barnabas and the gospel they preached. How twisted were their minds to conclude the gospel was harmful. Many have been known to take great pains to diminish the gospel. In this case, their lies worked because the people were so defined by those lies that they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city leaving him for dead. The people went from wanting to worship Paul to wanting to kill him. These people were on the verge of believing the gospel and then in one moment they completely rejecting the truth. They were so caught up in the frenzy they deliberately thought they had killed Paul. 

Even though the people assumed Paul was dead, he lived. In 1 Corinthians 16:9 we read, “A great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.” One of the greatest paradoxes in Christian history is that believers in the Lord Jesus are best served through times of persecution. When life is easy and good, it is then that God's people are most often found complacent and going astray. When the church seems to be enjoying its greatest success, it is then that it is most vulnerable to the enemy. Conversely, when believers in the Lord Jesus encounter hardship, persecution, and suffering, it is then that when we are most dependent on Him, we are at our best spiritually.

In v.20 of today's passage we read, "But the followers gathered around him, and he got up and went back into the town. The next day he and Barnabas left and went to the city of Derbe."

This is the only time the Apostle Paul was stoned. And, once he was stoned, his persecutors dragged him by his legs outside the city gates and threw him on the trash dump, thinking he was dead. One can only imagine Barnabas and the others disciples gathered around Paul there, weeping over him. They too thought him to be dead. This may well be the time when the Apostle Paul received those marks in his body to which he refers later when he wrote in Galatians 6:17, "Quite frankly, I don’t want to be bothered anymore by these disputes. I have far more important things to do—the serious living of this faith. I bear in my body scars from my service to Jesus." 

The church in Lystra was one of the many Galatian churches that were formed during this first missionary journey.  The Apostle Paul may have very well have received those marks when he was stoned at Lystra. And, as Barnabas and the others gathered around him, weeping and mourning over what they all thought was his death, Paul suddenly sat up and on the next day he went on to the city of Derbe. It was Lou Holtz who once said, "Life is ten percent what happens to us and ninety percent how we respond to it."

We persevere in the faith because God's Son prays for us daily. In John 17:25-26 we read, "25 O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. 26 And I have revealed you to them and will keep on revealing you so that the mighty love you have for me may be in them, and I in them." 

Prayer is not informing God, it is inviting Him into our lives. When we call out to the Lord in prayer, we are not informing Him of something He doesn’t already know. Rather, when we pray to God, we invite Him into our situation, we invite Him into our challenges, we invite Him into our problems. Between the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit who both are praying for us, we discover they are not only making inroads into our very being, we ourselves are found to be making an impact in the hearts of others for His glory. And, my friend, there is nothing more satisfying than to bring glory to our Rescuer.

Acts 14:8-18

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8 In Lystra there sat a man who had been born crippled; he had never walked. 9 As this man was listening to Paul speak, Paul looked straight at him and saw that he believed God could heal him. 10 So he cried out, "Stand up on your feet!" The man jumped up and began walking around. 11 When the crowds saw what Paul did, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have become like humans and have come down to us!" 12 Then the people began to call Barnabas "Zeus" and Paul "Hermes," because he was the main speaker. 13 The priest in the temple of Zeus, which was near the city, brought some bulls and flowers to the city gates. He and the people wanted to offer a sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas. 14 But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard about it, they tore their clothes. They ran in among the people, shouting, 15 "Friends, why are you doing these things? We are only human beings like you. We are bringing you the Good News and are telling you to turn away from these worthless things and turn to the living God. He is the One who made the sky, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. 16 In the past, God let all the nations do what they wanted. 17 Yet he proved he is real by showing kindness, by giving you rain from heaven and crops at the right times, by giving you food and filling your hearts with joy." 18 Even with these words, they were barely able to keep the crowd from offering sacrifices to them. ~ Acts 14:8-18

Today, we return to our study of Acts 14 where Paul and Barnabas are in Lystra which was a city in the province of Lycaonia. They were about half of the way through their first missionary journey. Lystra was a small country town, a frontier outpost of the Roman Empire. The Lystrans were generally uneducated and half-barbarous. When they arrived at Lystra, Paul and Barnabas didn't really had a clad ironed plan, they were being led by the Holy Spirit who led them to where the people were. This is what life is largely about, getting the Word of God to the people so that they may be saved from their sin and that they may become children of God.

In v.8-10 of today's passage we read, "8 In Lystra there sat a man who had been born crippled; he had never walked. 9 As this man was listening to Paul speak, Paul looked straight at him and saw that he believed God could heal him. 10 So he cried out, "Stand up on your feet!" The man jumped up and began walking around."

When Paul and Barnabas arrived in Lystra they walked right into the market place and as they proclaimed the gospel they noticed a man sitting there who had been lame from his birth. He had never walked. He was evidently well-known throughout Lystra, having been there all his life. He heard what Paul said, and believed what he declared about the power of the Lord Jesus. Paul looked at him and saw in his eyes the faith to believe. Suddenly, led of the Spirit, Paul instructed the crippled man to stand to his feet. It was then that he, though he had never walked in his life, obeyed. He had faith enough to try, and the moment he began to obey, the power to obey was granted. He then jumped up and down and began to walk around.

In v.11-13 of today's passage we read, "11 When the crowds saw what Paul did, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, 'The gods have become like humans and have come down to us!' 12 Then the people began to call Barnabas 'Zeus' and Paul 'Hermes,' because he was the main speaker. 13 The priest in the temple of Zeus, which was near the city, brought some bulls and flowers to the city gates. He and the people wanted to offer a sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas."

Even though a miracle took place in full view that day in Lystra, the enemy was at work there, too. Quickly after the miracle the enemy managed to pervert the situation so that the people of Lystra did not believe in the God of the Bible. Instead, they shouted out, "The gods have become like humans and have come down to us!" The Lycaonians had a legend that was known amongst their people that Jupiter (Zeus) and Mercury (Hermes) had once came down to the people disguised as mortals seeking lodging. They went to a thousand homes and no one would take them in. Finally, at a humble cottage of straw and reeds, a poor elderly couple, Philemon and Baucis freely welcomed them and feasted them with what meager means they had. In appreciation, the gods transformed the cottage into a temple, making the couple priest and priestess. And when they died, they were immortalized as great oak trees. The inhospitable homes were destroyed! The people of Lystra did not want that to happen again! So, this time they made sure to welcomed their gods. Since Barnabas had a long beard they called him "Zeus." And, since Paul was short and talked a lot they called him "Hermes"  who was known as the spokesman for the gods.

It was then that the priest of Zeus who consulted the gods daily, brought bulls and flowers to the city gates. He did this in order to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas. This wasn’t just the priest wanting to make a sacrifice to Zeus while the crowds watched, this was a proclamation that Paul and Barnabas were gods. They were worshipping Zeus by worshipping those they thought he had sent to them. We were created to worship and that which we worship the most defines us most. C.S. Lewis once said, "It is in the process of being worshipped that God communicates His presence to men." In order to operate as we were created we must be in the habit of worshipping God. Our real problem is that we like being worshipped and that is the worst thing that can happen to us. It is only God's definition of anything that is acceptable and good. When we define things we mess it up. How many genders do they say there are? We reveal our worship of God when we live in accordance with His specifications for us.

In v.14-17 of today's passage we read, "14 But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard about it, they tore their clothes. They ran in among the people, shouting, 15 'Friends, why are you doing these things? We are only human beings like you. We are bringing you the Good News and are telling you to turn away from these worthless things and turn to the living God. He is the One who made the sky, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. 16 In the past, God let all the nations do what they wanted. 17 Yet he proved he is real by showing kindness, by giving you rain from heaven and crops at the right times, by giving you food and filling your hearts with joy.'"

Notice that Barnabas is placed first in this portion of our passage. Paul was speaking and Barnabas was probably more closely paying attention to the events around them. When Barnabas realized what was happening, he probably shouted something out to Paul and started their actions in motion. It was then that they "tore their clothes" which was an open display of their anguish. After tearing their clothes, Barnabas and Paul ran in among the people urging them to worship the God of the Bible. 

Since the people of Lystra had assumed that the gods had come down to them in the form of men, Barnabas and Paul shouted to them that they were mere men who had come to them to share the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and that the Living God had sent them to them. Barnabas and Paul appealed to the people of Lystra by pointing them to the God of creation who shows His kindness by giving to all rain, crops, food and joy. These folks had become so deluded in their own thinking that they were willing to ignore the words of the supposed "gods." Though that thinking is illogical, it is common among many today. These people acted on the bases of a faulty understanding about God. Sadly, they denied the reasonable and continued in their state of delusion.

In v.18 of today's passage we read, "Even with these words, they were barely able to keep the crowd from offering sacrifices to them."

This verse serves as a powerful reminder of mankind's tendency toward idolatry. The people of Lystra, like many others throughout history, were easily swayed by the extraordinary and were willing to attribute divine status to fallible human beings. They failed to see that the God of the Bible had healed the once crippled man and sadly they served as a contrast to what the gospel can do for everyone who believes. Oh, the power of the gospel to produce such an amazing difference in the believing heart. What we have here is a clear contrast between the people in the city of Lystra and Paul and Barnabas. It was Paul and Barnabas who rejected the worship of the people and insisted they worship the Lord Jesus. This rejection of idolatry points to the central message of Christianity: the worship of the one living God, who has revealed Himself through the Lord Jesus Christ. Our theology and our worship go hand in hand. The closer we get to the truth, the clearer becomes God's value to us. This must ultimately lead us to worship Him.