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biblestudy: Acts (Part Fifteen)

Acts 15 The Council of Jerusalem: Circumcision and Gentiles
John W. Ritenbaugh
Given 27-Dec-88; Sermon #BS-AC15; 78 minutes

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OK, we are going to begin in the book of Acts again. In chapter 2 and verse 20. And as has become my pattern here, I'm going to be answering a question regarding a scripture here that is used by some in a in a wrong way. And it also is related to the things that we've been going through in the book of Acts, so I thought it was appropriate to begin this Bible study with this in Acts 20, verse 20. It says Paul was a speaker and how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you and taught you publicly and from house to house. Now this Particular scripture relates to something that we have been talking about from time to time as we've been going through the Book of Acts and specifically since we have been into the section beginning in verse chapter 13, where Paul began to be mentioned and, and in a more favorable light and of course preaching. And also this question relates somewhat to What was resolved in Acts the 15th chapter. Now the council there in Acts 15. Covered a matter of or a question of principle that relates to this. That is what should be required of Gentile converts to Christianity. You know, were they required to, to keep the entirety of the law. Now this question. That bears directly on this scripture is the method of contacting the unconverted in order to bring about the convergence. Now, should we go from door to door? That's the, the implication that that people take from this. That it would be all right for us to do as the Jehovah Witnesses do and go around cold unannounced, knock on somebody's door and try to engage them in a conversation regarding the Bible, what they believe and what they hope in regard to salvation. Now, if we took that verse all by itself one might get the implication that the apostle Paul was in the habit of going from, from door to door just like the Jehovah Witnesses do. But if we drop back to verse 17 and begin to see it in its context, why one begins to get a little bit different picture. It says that from my leaders he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. You know what is going to be said here involves his contact with the elders of the church. Now, a broader part of the context here is that the apostle Paul was making one final trip through the area in which he had worked so hard as an evangelist and that he was Heading back to Jerusalem and he was pretty sure that that was going to lead to something that would not allow him to come back through this area again and indeed it did. So he is going to be talking here to the elders of the church. And when they, the elders, had come to him, he said to them, You know, from the first day that I came to Asia in what manner I always lived among you, serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews, and how I kept back nothing that was helpful but proclaimed it to you and taught you publicly and from house to house. Our powers Teaching the leaders of the local congregations there, and he was doing it in their homes. Now he's not attempting then to reach the unconverted when he was going from house to house, but he was reaching those who had already been converted and he was taking them into areas that they needed either refreshing on or they needed further instruction in in order that they might carry out their responsibilities in the local congregation. Now go back to the 2nd chapter of Acts. Where a similar scripture appears. And a similar interpretation is made. In Acts the 2nd chapter and in verse 46. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart. Again, there are some who feel the implication of this scripture is that they were breaking bread from house to house. Now look at that verse just a little bit more closely. At the beginning of it, so continuing daily with one accord. That's a a big thing right there. They were already of one belief. If they were not of one belief, they wouldn't have been of one accord. You get people together of differing religious opinion or or belief or understanding, and it is not long before they are arguing. Hardly of one accord. These people all believe the same way. So they were already converted. And they were going from house to house, but the verse carries it a little bit further. They were simply eating together as good friends from house to house. Again, if we look at a wider context and go all the way back to the beginning of the chapter, chapter 2. It begins with Pentecost. So these people had come to Jerusalem to keep the feast. We find in verse 9 that there were Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadosia, and Pontus in Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and parts of Libya joining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, and on and on it goes. These people had come to Jerusalem in order to keep the feast, and they had no home in Jerusalem. So as they became converted. As a result of the public preaching of the apostle Peter and, and, and others as well, even that which took place on the day of Pentecost, brethren took them into their homes, invited them to eat with them. They were not preaching to the unconverted here. They were with one accord. OK, back to Acts 20 again. Now this is just a little bit earlier than The contexts that took place there in Ephesus, and we find in verse 7. That on the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. Uh, now this is, this is the occasion where Uticus fell out of the third story there, and he hit the bottom, and he was dead. And God worked a resurrection through the apostle Paul. In verse 11, When he had come up and broken bread and eaten and talked a while, a long while, even till daybreak, he departed. Now, I just put that in to reinforce Acts 2:46, the breaking of bread means nothing more than the eating of a common meal. Uh, there are those who always want to apply a religious significance to it, and one cannot do that unless the context demands of it. Here they were just eating. Now Paul's point of contact with the unconverted, very clearly shown in the chapters that we have already been through in, in, in, in Acts. It was always, I wouldn't say always, but it was most of the time, the synagogue or secondarily the marketplace. Uh, we are going to come to a place where he met with a woman. Uh, at the side of the river, he said, where prayer was wont to be made. But it was out in public. It was not something that was done within a person's house. It was not something done where he was going around knocking on doors, but a place of open public forum. We're soon going to get the Acts of 17th chapter, and there we are going to find that, that he met with some people up at the Areopagus. It's a fancy name. It's just simply mean it means the hill of Aries. Uh, you know Aries by his Roman name, Mars was on Mars Hill. And that was the place where the Greek parliament or tribunal or Knesset or whatever they called it in those days that's where they met and they met out in public and Paul knew that if he went there he was going to find people who would be ready to listen to somebody who would begin to speak and he used. Uh, all of the statues that he found around the place and especially the one that was made to the unknown God as an opening, a point of contact with these people, and he began to preach. It was an open public area, where they had the opportunity to turn and walk away if they wanted to. He did not corner them in their own home or even by their door and try to argue them into something. Now, let's go to Acts 28. In Acts 28 In verse 17. It came to pass after 3 days, Paul was in Rome. And he's under house arrest. It came to pass that after 3 days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews. These were unconverted people together. So when they had come together, he said to them, men and brethren, though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. And then he goes on to explain. Uh, things about Christianity so that these people could have the benefit of hearing it from the horse's mouth. But again, it was, it was not something that was done in a corner. He invited these people and they responded to his invitation and came to where he was being held. Now, in verse 30, When Paul dwelt 2 whole years in his own rented house and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concerned the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him. Paul did not go from house to house to, to reach disinterested sinners. Uh, but rather he preached to them in, in public places. He went to private homes only after he knew that he was welcome. The apostle Paul, probably as well as any other person who has ever been converted, understood John 6:44. No one can come to the son except the spirit of the Father draw him. The apostle Paul was an enemy of the church, and God drew him in a very spectacular way, the meeting on the road to Damascus, and until that time, that man was an enemy of the church. He understood. And even people who do not think that they are enemies of the church are enemies of the church, simply because of of having a different spirit. Paul went to people's homes by request. Of the converted people. Now today, it's very similar. We have the World Tomorrow program. And it can come uninvited into a person's house. But they can always turn the dial or turn it off. Switch to a different station. Nobody is there forcing anybody to listen. Simply because they are a personality that is right there, kind of breathing down on them. The plain truth and the good news are sent free to those that request them. Just like the apostle Paul, he did not go into people's homes unless he was requested. Our ministry comes upon request. We never go uninvited to preach Bible truths. Now turn with me back to Matthew the 7th chapter. In Matthew 7, And in verse 6, This is very clear. Jesus instructions do not give what is holy to the dogs. Well, it doesn't mean that any particular person is a dog. It's an idiot. Nor cast your pearls before swine. lest they trample them under their feet and turn and tear you to pieces in pieces. Well, actually, this is is a play on a verse that appears all the way back here in the book of Proverbs in chapter 9. So when Jesus spoke that, I'm sure that he was aware of this. In chapter 9 of Proverbs and in verse 8. Actually, in verse 7. He who reproves a scoffer gets shame for himself. And he who rebukes a wicked man gets himself a blemish. Do not reprove a scoffer lest he hate you. Rebuke, rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. The spirit has to be right. And God is the one who can Make the spirit right, and he has shown us by example in the in the scripture of of Christ and the apostles after them. They proclaimed the gospel in public places and then went from house to house only as they were invited. Now in 2 John. In verse 10. says if anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house, nor greet him, for he who greets him shares in his evil deed. That's pretty plain instruction. So we do not want to be guilty of being the one who breaks this command. The command is not to invite somebody into your house who comes to your house uninvited in this way, bringing a different doctrine, and nor should we put people in that circumstance by being the one that brings it into their house, even though we have the truth, it has to be done in the way that God shows. OK, back to the book of Acts in chapter 15. The last time I spent a great deal of time. Giving a background for Acts the 15th chapter. showing some of the things pertaining to the to the law, so I'm not going to be going into that again. So we will, we will start going through it verse by verse. Until we get to verse 20 then I want to digress for a little period of time right there. OK, verse one, and certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved. That kind of introduces the the subject here and as I mentioned to you before, the issue in the minds of many who were attending the Jerusalem Church and especially those who were more steeped in Phariseeism. Uh, were concerned because they wanted the converts from the Gentiles to become Israelites first. And the way for them to do that was to begin to obey the whole law. Now circumcision is put here as a let's say a catch-all term, which means the whole law. By the whole law, we mean the ceremonial law, the civil law, and the spiritual law as well. Now I think that we have to assume that these people were Sincere in their conviction. I think that at first, They argued on the basis of expediency. Now the expediency would come about as a result of the persecution that arose as a result of Stephen. Sort of leading the way here in preaching things that they interpreted as being against the law. And of course, what he preached led to his stoning and martyrdom, and he died as a result of it. And then as we saw there, a persecution against the whole church immediately followed and everybody was scattered, it said, except the apostles. But all it succeeded in doing is when the people got scattered, they preached along the way as they went along, and people were converted as a result of it. So the persecution actually spread the gospel beyond the empires of Jerusalem and took it out into Samaria and Galilee and those places. OK. Once the initial surge of persecution. Uh, was passed and, and the, the practical expedient application. Let's have everybody be circumcised first was was over. It gradually developed into a theological argument. On principle, that is, it was not merely a matter of expediency. Let's have these people circumcised so that the pressure is taken off and the unconverted out here will stop persecuting us, you see, now it became a matter of principle, and these people sincerely and honestly believe that God was going to require all people. To adhere to the civil and ceremonial law as well. So we have two aspects to this. There is the theological side of it and what we will call the cultural side, which had to do with being surrounded by all the Jews. Uh, just a bit of a digression here. Let's go back to First Thessalonians. And in chapter 2, Paul's writing here to the Gentiles. We're going to look at this from Paul's point of view. Uh, years later, When Paul was writing these things that we are going to be reading here the council of Jerusalem was over. The decision had been reached, and so they embarked in full confidence that they were doing right within the will of God. But the persecutions continued. Beginning in verse 14. For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. They were in harmony with what the the headquarters church believed. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen just as they did from the Jews who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets and have persecuted us, and they do not please God and are contrary to all men, forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins, but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost. What Paul is doing, he is pointing the finger of accusation at unconverted Jews. As being the ultimate source of persecution against the church. I think that I mentioned this to you before. That gradually through the first century. The Source of the persecution changed. At the beginning, and when Paul wrote First Thessalonians, we were still at the beginning of the church's early history. The persecution was coming from the Jews, but gradually, the Jews began to recede into the background as far as being persecutors, and the Gentiles came to the fore and became the persecutors. So non-Christian Jews are the ultimate source of opposition to the church church's mission to the Gentiles. At least at this time. Now I'll turn from here to Galatians 6. Now Galatians 6 has As a part of its contexts. Judaizers who are in the church. OK, in chapter 6, In verse 13, For not even those who are circumcised keep the law. But they desire to have you circumcised. Look at Paul interprets as their motivation, that they may glory in your flesh. That is that they may boast about. That is, that they may, might be able to point out to non-Christian Jews that the Gentiles have been shifted from a Greek orientation. To a Jewish orientation. And the circumcision was the seal or the sign that that had occurred. I see there there is a different approach here. That's in this case here, it's a conflict of cultures. It's actually within the church. It's a cultural cause. Now back to verse 12. Same chapter As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these try to compel you to be circumcised only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. Isn't that interesting? Paul saw the Judaizing Christians. As through the circumcision. Of the Gentiles, they sought to make a good impression outwardly in order to avoid being persecuted by the non-Christian Jews. That's interesting, I think. Their expediency. Was actually moving into a form of compromise. OK, back to Acts 15 again. So we have two different sources of persecution, one from outside and one from inside. The one from outside was one that was totally against the church. The one that was inside was something that was done for expediency. In order to avoid persecution. OK, verse 2. OK, therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question. Well, The ones who decided were probably people within the Uh, Antich congregation. It is It is likely that the Jerusalem Church If there were any Gentiles who were being converted and coming into the congregation there, it is very likely that they did require the Gentiles to be circumcised. And they did it, as I said, as a matter of expediency. They did it in order to avoid persecution from the non-Christian Jews. You see the culture, the environment that was around them. OK OK now. That's one thing. But these Judaizers who came to Antioch were arguing from a different position altogether. To them it was a theological argument. OK, verse 3. So being sent on their way by the church, that is Paul and Barnabas and the others that are mentioned here, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles and they caused great joy to all the brethren. Now, if you're recall, as we read earlier that when Stephen was murdered and there was a persecution members of the church in Jerusalem were scattered out into Samaria, and there they preached and undoubtedly Gentiles were converted. OK. Now, here is Paul. And Barnabas and these others, they are coming back to Jerusalem, and as they on their way to Jerusalem, they pass through Samaria, which is north of Jerusalem. They passed through Samaria and on their way through, they stop and talk to the congregations. Now those people in Samaria could relate. To this message that the people from Antioch were carrying. And they thought, well, wow, this is fine. It's great. We have a division taking place within the church. Two different ways of addressing this problem. Verse 4. And when they came to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders. They reported all things that God had done with them. But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up saying it is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses. You know what the they undoubtedly spoke the same thing in Jerusalem that they spoke in Samaria. But it was not accepted by those in the church in Judea who were converts from Pharisaism. Now, you can understand that their former way of thinking was influencing them. And we need to, to be aware of this because it is a colossal error to underestimate the influence your former life outside of the church is having on you inside of the church. It does affect us, and here is proof from the scriptures very clear. OK, verse 6. So the apostles and the elders came together to consider this matter. And, and when there had been much dispute. Peter rose up and said to them, Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. I just happen to think of something. Before I go any further. I mentioned to you that this was not accepted by The converts from Pharisee Pharisee. Now, would there be anything in the Old Testament? That would give them a basis for The theological position. The answer to that is yes, there is very much there. They, they were not arguing from a hollow point at all. But it was a matter of misinterpretation. Because something was occurring. That Their life as a Pharisee did not prepare them for. Now, let's go back to Isaiah 2. Now here is a scripture that Everybody knows. And in verse 2, Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on the top of the mountains and be exalted above the hills and all nations. The word Gentile means nation. Gentiles plural means nations. All the Gentiles, we could just as easily put that in there. Shall flow to it, and many people shall come and say, come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us his ways, and we shall walk in his path, for out of Zion shall go forth the law. Now a Pharisee would look at that and say, now look at that. What are you guys doing? That's heresy that you're committing. God says the Gentiles are going to come to Jerusalem and they are going to learn the law. Therefore, everybody ought to be circumcised. And if we do not do that, we are not following through. Go to chapter 25 in the book of Isaiah. And in verse 6, Isaiah 25:6, and in this mountain, the Lord of hosts will make for all people a feast of choice pieces, a feast of wine on the lees, of fat things full of marrow of well refined wines on the lees, and it will destroy on this mountain, meaning Israel, the surface of the covering cast over all people and the bale that is spread over all Gentiles. Nations He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord will wipe away tears from all faces. The rebuke of His people, He will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. Well, that sounds like the nations are going to flow up to Jerusalem again. What are they going to learn there? The same thing that it says in in Isaiah 2. Let's go to Isaiah 56. We're just covering one book here. A lot of prophecies that would indicate. the Gentiles are to come to Israel and they are to learn the law there. In Isaiah 56 and in verse 7. Even them If you look back in verse 6, it says the foreigner, the sons of the foreigner. Even then I will bring to my mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer, their burn offerings and their sacrifices. How about that? We're talking about the ceremonial law here. And the Gentiles being required to keep it, their burn offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar in the temple. On the surface here, it looks like they have a pretty strong argument. Going for them. For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all Gentiles. Nations He's talking about his temple. And of course, that would involve. The whole system of temple ritual there. Let's go to one other place in in Zachariah. In Chapter 8. Verse 21. The inhabitants of one city shall go to another saying, Let us continue to go and pray before the Lord. As we get into this, you're going to see we are talking about a worldwide occurrence here. Let us continue to go and pray before the Lord and seek the Lord of hosts. I myself will go also. Yes, many peoples and strong nations. There is the Gentiles again, shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem. And to pray before the Lord. Oh, if you were a Pharisee, And you were reading The Old Testament Doesn't it seem likely that you would come to the conclusion? Nothing about God's law was being done away. Especially all those references that are coming up to the, to the temple, burnt offerings and sacrifices and, and things of that nature. But we will not answer this until we get to the appropriate place. But their their argument was not without base. And I am sure to them, it sounded very reasonable. And from what we are going to see. Uh, it appears as though they were pretty deeply converted people because they accepted. Uh, the decision. Peter and the others that went against them. They seem to accept it and not cause a great deal of trouble, at least not cause any division within the church. OK, let's read through to verse 11. So the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter, and when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them, Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and be believed. So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them purifying their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, Why do you test God by putting a yoke on the necks of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor nor we were able to bear? We believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved in the same manner as they. And the meeting seems to be done with the general free for all. A lot of arguing. Must not have been with one accord. What happened to that beautiful unity that they had? Well, the church was facing its first really severe internal crisis. It was a crisis of major proportions, and it is a crisis whose ramifications. have divided. I'll call it Christianity down to this day. We're still feeling the reverberations of it, as is seen in the doctrines of many churches calling themselves Christian because they have gone off off the track on this decision almost totally. Now, even though there was a general free for all there, for a while in the end, It was the judgment of Peter and James that mattered the most. Now Peter was speaking here, not as an administrator but as an evangelist. That's very easily seen because he doesn't harken back to let's say scripture in this case, he's not harkening back on church policy, but rather he is speaking of his experiences out in the field preaching the gospel to Gentiles. You see, as an evangelist. So he is speaking from his firsthand experience that he witnessed with his own eyes and his own ears. Of how God reacted. So his argument finds its basis in his experience primarily with Cornelius. Now Peter's judgment was that God clearly showed that the Gentile did not have to become an Israelite through the keeping or through the adherence of law before God would give the Gentile his spirit. You see what converts is God's spirit, and you know very well that God gave his spirit to Cornelius and to his household. Without the keeping of any ceremonial law, they did not have to be circumcised. In fact, he even gave his spirit before they were baptized. Well that's pretty clear guidance. And Peter could not help, despite all of his background, being reared as a Jew. Those experiences that he had with God were enough. And what Peter said was what mattered with God was the heart. Was the person called, was the person led the repentance? Did the person repent? Where was the person's heart? Not outward legal observances. This is where the world goes off the diving board. And then they begin to say that, well, if God will accept this. For repentance and conversion, then it mustn't mean that we are freed from the law altogether. Moreover Peter is, is concluding here. That because of what God did, To seek to impose the law was tantamount to questioning God's judgment. Because did not God give his spirit? Before these people kept any law? And so then to turn around and impose that on them would be tantamount to questioning God's judgment and saying, well, yeah, we saw what happened there, but you've got to become an Israelite first and you've got to be circumcised and you've got to start making these sacrifices and all these other things. Peter said, now look. Even we Jews did not successfully bear the law. We haven't done a good job of it. That's where he said there that now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear. I think that there needs to be a little bit of explanation here because We get the wrong impression. Somehow or another, the law of God, the sacrificial law was oppressive. It was not oppressive at all. It was hard work. It was something that that required a great deal of time and energy. And they had to be careful about it. Peter's emphasis is not in the discipline that was imposed upon them by the law, but rather that, even though they kept it, they were unable to to obtain salvation through it. It just was not given for that for that end. Hence, you see, it is irrelevant to salvation. Now Jesus said, Back in the Matthew 11. He said in verse 28, come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden. And, and I will give you rest. You might tie that directly with with Matthew 23. Just hold your finger there and Matthew 11. And in Matthew 23. In verse one, Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to his disciples saying the scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses's seat. And therefore, whatever they tell you to do, observe whatever they tell you to observe that observe and do, but do not according to their works, for they say and do not, for they bind heavy burdens hard to bear and lay them on men's shoulders, a yoke, but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. It was not God's law that was the terrible burden. Certainly, it required a great deal of discipline in carrying it out, but it was what the Pharisees and the scribes laid upon people. It was completely apart from God's law that made it seem to be a burden. It was not God's law that was the burden. It was what men added to the law that made it a burden. You know, back to Matthew 11. come to me, all you in labor and are heavily laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. Jesus Christ was the one that gave that law in the first place. Now do we have a yoke laid on us? Yes, we do. And part of that yoke is obedience to the law. Now we have a different understanding of it. You remember what Paul said, that faith establishes the law. Because faith gives us the right perception and perspective of the law. We see its intent. Not intended by God to save, neither is it intended to be a burden. It becomes a burden whenever people break it. And they come under its curse. Everybody kept it, living would really be nice, wouldn't it? That's Christ's intent. You keep it. And the burden begins to be lifted. Let's go on here in Matthew 11. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. You know what is a yoke used for? On an animal. It's used To aid the animal in pulling a burden. And pulling a load. So that's the intention of a yoke. It's to attach something to in order to produce a work that is through a labor. You know, one major thing is different between the yoke that is put upon us. And the yolk That the Jews could not bear with. And that is That we have a loyalty. That is To a personality That is the Jesus Christ. That makes a major difference. A person who is gentle. Lowly in heart He says that my yoke is easy. Now that yoke, that word easy. I do not think it's well translated. What would be better is well fitting. Now, in order for a yoke, To fit right It actually has to be, it should be tailor made. Now today, what they do. If they make the yoke of wood. And then they wrap it with leather. Something like that, in order to provide a cushion between the yoke and the front quarters of of the oxen or horse or whatever that they are putting it through. And so, The leather tends to mold and shape itself to the shape of the animal. Well, back in those days they did not have that. And so the yoke had to be tailor made to fit the individual animal. And so what they would do is they would cut the yolk out, you know, rough cut it, and then the animal had to be brought to the shop, and then the yolk was tailor-made to fit the animal. Now that was what a an easy yoke was. Because it made it easier for the animal to pull the load, because the weight that was eventually going to be put on the yoke was going to be evenly distributed over the whole front of the animal, so that it wouldn't rub or chafe. OK, now what Christ is telling you is this. We have a loyalty to perform to this personality, Jesus Christ. But he's very interested and concerned about our salvation. He wants us to make it. OK. And so he designs a yoke for everybody. And everybody's yoke has some similarities, but everybody's yoke is different. It is designed, it is tailor made for that person. So that the yoke that you bear, the cross that you bear, the life that you have to lead. In Christ, under Christ, in being loyal to Him is going to be, there will be some similarities with your next door neighbor, but it is going to be tailor made to you. Now that's what makes it light. Or easy. He knows how much you can bear, and he will not load you over what you are able to bear. He is compassionate. He is gentle. And so you will not have to be burdened with things. That you cannot overcome or a load that you cannot pull. It does not mean that he is not going to require discipline of you. It does not mean that it is going to be easy. It means that it is going to be just right for you. So, there is no contradiction between these two. The way of Christianity is no easier. And The yoke that Peter was talking about at all. The burden is just as great, but it is tailor made for you and therefore. It can be boring. It's not like what Jesus said about the scribes and Pharisees who put loads and burdens on people that they could not bear. Back to Acts 15 and get into the context here again. OK, just kind of concluding what Peter said. that there is no difference between the Jew and the Gentile. Both have to leave for salvation. If both Jews and Gentiles are saved through faith. Then a clearly obedience to these laws in question are not required for salvation. OK, now verse 12. And all the multitude kept silent. And listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked among them worked through them among the Gentiles. After Peter spoke, things quieted down quite a bit. And what Luke is probably indicating is that the turning point had come. That is the turning point in their discussion. Now what Barnabas and Paul reported on was not the number of successful conversions, but how God had validated what they preached through signs and wonders. You see, the indication is that if God was not with them, the signs and the wonders would not have been there. Therefore, that would have been proof that God was not approving of what they were preaching to the Gentiles. OK, verse 13. Now after that, after they had become silent, that is Barnabas and Paul, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, listen to me. Simon has declared how God at first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. And with this, the words of the prophets agree just as it is written. You know, James takes us back to Peter's testimony. And he confirms it as a visitation from God. Notice verse 14, that God at the first visited. That's a key word. It was a word that the Jews would understand. because they believed that God had visited Israel. The imposed upon them this way. Let's go back to Luke one. And in verse 68. Now here Zacharias, John the Baptist's father is speaking. And he says in verse 68, Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people. And see, James is picking up on this, on this word because it was a buzzword among the Jews that they would very quickly recognize, and James is agreeing that God has visited now the Gentiles in the same way that he visited Israel, that is, he imposed a blessing on them, beginning to call out a people for himself through them or in them. OK, verse 78, chapter 1. Through the tender mercy mercy of our God with which the day spring from on high has visited us. Today's spring is the Messiah. OK, I think that that's enough there. It's mentioned in other places as well. Now what James is saying here. Is that God has visited the Gentiles and the purpose was to raise up a people for Himself from the Gentiles. OK, we have one more word to look at here because If you do not see these things, you do not see the import. The careful choosing of words. That these men were were using. The next key word here is people. First was visited. God has come close. Now people go back to Exodus 19. Now you know that he's doing this in order that these people can see the parallel between what had happened earlier in their own nation was now happening with the Gentiles. Exodus 19 verse 5. Now therefore, if you will keep indeed, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to me above all people, for all the earth is mine. The inference is that this was going to be a special people, his people. Go to Exodus, Exodus, no, not Exodus, Deuteronomy. In Deuteronomy 7 and in verse 6. For you are a holy people to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peaceful peoples on the face of the earth. Again in Deuteronomy in chapter 14. And in verse 2, For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. Have a familiar ring to it. Chapter 26. And in verses 18 and 19. Also today, the Lord has proclaimed you to be His special people just as He has promised you that you should keep all His commandments and that He will set you high above all nations which He has made in praise, in name, in honor, that you may be a holy people to the Lord your God just as He has spoken. OK, you can see then that people is a term that the Jews applied to themselves, to distinguish themselves from other nations, and now James is making the application to the Gentiles. Even today, we use the term God's people. Differentiate the church from others. back to chapter 15 in Acts. And with this, the words of the prophets agree just as it is written. After this, I will return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down. I will rebuild its ruins and I will set it up so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord who does all these things. That's a quote from Amos 9 verses 11 and 12, and what James is referring to is that God is going to rebuild the tabernacle of David and it is going to include Gentiles. We can connect this with Zachariah 2:11, but I will not turn to that. In now the word tabernacle. It's very interesting because Now we are beginning to get to the answer to that thing earlier about what in the world is God doing? That somehow or another these converts from Pharisaism. Didn't see it was escaping their and their understanding. Probably had a blind spot to it. And maybe it was just something that, that they needed to see a little bit more clearly and, and this is going to give them the light here. The use of that scripture. was very important because undoubtedly. James could have used other scriptures that would have said basically the same thing, but did not contain the word temple or tabernacle. You know, what was the temple for? See, it was, it was the place of worship. It was the place At which God met with his people. It was a place in which God met with His people. It was there that they went to worship. Now God is raising up a new tabernacle, which replaces the temple. That's what James is saying, and he is supporting it with Amos 9 and verses 11 and 12. And what James is saying is that God is raising up a group of people in which he dwells. They are the temple, and that group. At Ecclesia, that church becomes the means through which the Gentiles come to know God. And now here we have, you see more evidence. That these converts from Pharisaism. That they misunderstood the scriptures regarding Israel and the Messiah. You see, they looked at scriptures that we just read back there in Isaiah 22 and Isaiah 25, and Isaiah 56 and or Mica 44, and they said that those things should apply now. We know that that is not true, but this was a brand new understanding for for them. And what God is revealing here through Peter and James and Paul, is that there is going to be a period of time. In which God is going to work through a group of people before we come to the time when all nations are going to flow to Jerusalem and learn the law. Now it is obvious From other other epistles that the apostle Paul wrote, that the apostles did not fully understand that either, but they were beginning to understand the place of the church. As the Israel of God. So that they distinguished it then. From Israel, the nation. So Paul openly called it that the Israel of God. In Galatians 6 and verse 16. And he spent 3 chapters in the book of Romans, Romans 9:10, and 11. Explaining the position. Of the nation of Israel. Now, go to Romans 11. And in verse 20 Well, let's go all the way back to 22. Therefore, consider the goodness and severity of God. On those who fell severity, but toward you goodness. If you continue in his goodness otherwise, you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in. He's talking about the nation of Israel, where God is able to graft them in again. That is graft them into the church. For if you are cut out, for if you were cut out of the olive tree, which is wild by nature and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree? For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery. Lest you should be wise in your own opinion that hardening in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles come in. You see, that's what they were pounding out there. And Acts 15 and that council. They did not understand it fully. But they knew that God was making a change. And that change necessitated a change in the application of law. And that not every law that was written in the Old Testament was going to be applicable any longer in the letter because of the changed situation. It was not that the law was evil, it was not that it would ever apply again, but it was going to have to be set aside because of the circumstances that existed in the raising up of the church. That God was no longer working through a nation that was anchored in one place. That he was going to call together. And we should say call out of all nations, a spiritual body. So verse 26, so all Israel will be saved, but there is a time element that's involved here. So the law has to be set aside because it cannot be physically applied. But remember what I told you the last time, we are to live by every word of God, and those laws in the Old Testament that have to do with ceremony, with custom, with ritual, with the civil law of Israel, they are still applicable to us in their spiritual intent. So what about Israel? All Israel will be saved. But not yet. The deliverer will come out of Zion, the Messiah, and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob. This is my covenant with them when I take away their sins concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. Yeah, for the sake of the church, they are being used by God to persecute us. And to make us better Christians. To make a better witness, to build more character. Concerning the election, they are beloved for the sake of the Fathers. For the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable. God will not go back on his word to Israel. He will save them. For as you were once disobedient to God, it have now obtained mercy through their disobedience. Even so, these also have now been disobedient that through the mercy shown to you they also may obtain mercy. You see, later on we are going to be used to convert these people. They're going to obtain mercy through us. They back to Acts 15. Now you see this evolved gradually. God did not reveal it all at once. And you can see from Paul's other writings that he expected that Christ was going to return in his own lifetime. He did not realize, and Peter did not realize, James did not realize when they were making these decisions here, they did not realize how long the time was going to be, but they did, because of the teaching of Jesus Christ, understand. That God was making an adjustment, a change. To the church. Which became the Israel of God, spiritual Israel. OK, back to Verse 18 Acts 15:18. Known to God from eternity are all his works. This is very interesting. Because It's real difficult. To understand what he's talking about here. But once you know what he's talking about, it makes sense. See known to God from eternity are all his works. Are you connect that to what Peter James just said. He rehearsed what Peter said. Then he made this quote from Amos saying, prefacing it with the with the saying that well all the prophets agree. That that this is going to happen, and then he quotes Amos, and then he, then he says, known to God from eternity are all his works. What James is saying is what. I do not understand everything about what's going on here. But God knows what he's doing. That's what he's saying. Uh, God only knows how everything fits together. That's what he's saying. I can look at the prophecies and I can see things here. He said, I do not know at all, but God knows. So he he's encouraged him, have faith, God knows what's going on, it's going to work out all right. But this much we can see. OK, now comes An explanation of the decision here. Therefore, I judge That we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God. But that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled. And from blood. For Moses has throughout many generations those who preach him in every city being read in the synagogues every Sabbath. Now James could not see everything. But what he could see Let him the judge That God was converting Gentiles without and giving them His spirit. Without the necessity Of keeping the laws first. Talking about the Law of Moses here. So they Then gave these 4 things. To the Gentiles That they should observe. OK, things polluted by idols. It means Meat or food, but primarily meat. Offered in sacrifice to an idol and then eaten at a temple feast. Or sold in the local meat markets. OK, the sexual immorality. Some Bibles say fornication. Sexual immorality is probably more correct. Certainly includes fornication. But these things are covered very extensively in Leviticus 18. In verses 6 through 18, all kinds of sexual immorality. The things strangled and blood are covered in Leviticus 17 versus 8 through 13. Now, all 4 of these things were integral parts of the worship service. That I, the pagans were were going through, and the Gentiles were being confronted with constantly. Now there are those who feel Commentators Who feel that That what is involved here. Is idolatry. Sexual immorality, sexual sins. And murder The blood Uh, is is put for murder. I do not think that's quite correct. Because those things were already covered by the 10 Commandments. I think what is involved here. are instead Laws that appear. In the In sections that people would normally consider to be laws pertaining to the priesthood or laws containing to ceremony or or ritual. But There are moral and spiritual issues involved in each one of these things. And so, these particular acts transcend ceremony, even though they appear in the ceremonial law. I've mentioned to you before, and I know you know this as a matter of, of understanding, and that is that the Bible was not written like any other book. The laws or information or knowledge or understanding given on any specific subject do not all appear in one place. They are scattered through the entirety of the Bible. Now, as a result of that, it becomes very easily easy to be confused. You see, because we do not always have at our fingertip every bit of information that applies to whatever it is that we are studying into or trying to understand. the Gentiles would be, would, would therefore be very easily confused or misled. If they were not shown that there were certain aspects of things that appeared in civil or ceremonial laws that transcended civil or ceremony applications and involve moral and spiritual issues. Now pollution by idols and sexual immorality and things strangled and blood itself transcend something that is merely. Ceremonial, and so they had to be pointed out. OK, now that's one aspect. We're going to see something here a little bit later. That involves pollution of idols or eating things offered to in sacrifice to an idol. That makes me say the second thing. Now the second thing is connected to this next verse, where Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, including Gentile cities. Now it's entirely possible that the decision that they reached also was reached. On grounds of expediency as well. And that is That if they flaunted their liberty to do things, then it was entirely possible that the Jews, unconverted Jews in these Gentile cities were going to cause an undue amount of persecution to be brought upon these people because Of claiming to live according to the law of God, and then flaunting. These things that is their liberty before people whose scruples were a lot tighter or higher or different from theirs. I'll explain this more thoroughly as we go along here. I want you to. Turn to I Corinthians 8. I'm, I'm going to give you An overview here. Of some subject material that appears in I Corinthians 89, and 10. It has a bearing on Acts 15 versus 19 and 20 and 21. It's a spinoff of that. OK, in chapter 8. What Paul was giving it very short chapter, I think it's only 13 verses. It is 13 verses. Paul is dealing with the principle of Christian living here. And that is that however safe or strong. We may feel about any. Let's say point of doctrine, point of belief. In this case, it had to be infection from idols. A person still must do nothing which will offend or confuse a brother whose conscience is not so strong. In chapter 9. The principle here involves the use of this liberty that has been given to us. And as Paul shows in this chapter that there are many things that a Christian is free to do. But that he must abstain from doing these things for the sake of the church. In other words, what he is saying with freedom comes responsibility. Now Chapter 10 has several. Principles that are being expounded here. In verses 1 through 13. Is a is an echo from chapter 8. And it carries a warning. As Paul harkens back to the subject there in chapter 8. He's dealing with those who say that they are pretty strong in their knowledge. And that that makes them free from, you know, any infection of idols. Well, Paul said, take heed. Because remember what happened to Israel, and he gives several examples of what happened to Israel in the wilderness. Beginning in verse 14. And it carries on to verse 22. He makes it clear that anybody who has sat at Christ's table cannot sit. At an idol's table. Even if the idol was nothing. What Paul was saying that there is something essentially intrinsically wrong with a person who has eaten and drunk. The body and blood of Christ. Then turning around and eating meat that has been offered to an idol. Even though he has the the liberty to do it. Beginning in verse 23. He turns the coin on the other side. And he counsels against being A fast budget. He says if you buy meat in a shop in a in a meat market, do not ask any questions. For conscience sake. Just go ahead and buy it. Don't even ask whether it was sacrificed to an idol. And picking up in verse 27. He gives counsel regarding what do you do in a private house. He says do not ask any questions unless the meat is declared to have been offered to an idol. And if it is, then it's a challenge to you and your position as a Christian. And then in verse 29, Through the end of the chapter, He says that a that a Christian's conduct has to be so far above reproach that there is no valid reason given for offense. Somebody, some people may still be offended. But at least your conduct is such that there is no valid reason for offending anybody. And then the conclusion of that is that it's better for us to sacrifice our liberty. And to allow liberty to be a cause for offense.

JWR/aws/drm

 

 

Sermon Topics

False Gospels

Jesus Christ's Return

Life after Death

Repentance

Resurrection

The Gospel

The Kingdom of God