2. Part Thirty Three
Acts 15:1-35

4. Paul and Barnabas have been on a Mission Trip together.

10. They have recently returned to the church that sent them out from Antioch.

11. Acts 15:1-35

12. Acts 15:1
And some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

13. Acts 15:2
And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and

14. Acts 15:2
some others of them should go to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue.

15. Acts 15:3
Therefore, being sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion

16. Acts 15:3
of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all the brethren.

17. Acts 15:4
When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them.

18. Acts 15:5
But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.”

19. Acts 15:6
The apostles and the elders came together to look into this matter.

20. Acts 15:7
After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brethren, you know that in early days God made a choice

21. Acts 15:7
among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe.

22. Acts 15:8
And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;

23. Acts 15:9
and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.

24. Acts 15:10
Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?

25. Acts 15:11
But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”

26. Acts 15:12
All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.

27. Acts 15:13
After they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, “Brethren, listen to me.

28. Acts 15:14
Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name.

29. Acts 15:15
With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written,

30. Acts 15:16
‘After these things I will return, and I will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen, and I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it,

31. Acts 15:17
so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name,’

32. Acts 15:18
says the Lord, who makes these things known from long ago.

33. Acts 15:19
Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles,

34. Acts 15:20
but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood.

35. Acts 15:21
For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in synagogues every Sabbath.”

36. Acts 15:22
Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to Antioch with

37. Acts 15:22
Paul and Barnabas – Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren,

38. Acts 15:23
and they sent this letter by them, “The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to the brethren in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia who are from the Gentiles, greetings.

39. Acts 15:24
Since we have heard that some of our number to whom we gave no instruction have disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls,

40. Acts 15:25
it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

41. Acts 15:26
men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

42. Acts 15:27
Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth.

43. Acts 15:28
For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials:

44. Acts 15:29
that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free

45. Acts 15:29
from such things, you will do well. Farewell.”

46. Acts 15:30
So when they were sent away, they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter.

47. Acts 15:31
When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.

48. Acts 15:32
Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brethren with a lengthy message.

49. Acts 15:33
After they had spent time there, they were sent away from the brethren in peace to those who had sent them out.

50. Acts 15:34
[But it seemed good to Silas to remain there.]

51. Acts 15:35
But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching with many others also, the word of the Lord.

52. There’s just nothing like people who want to be “helpful”.

53. Their services weren’t necessarily requested, but they took it upon themselves to show up and “stir the pot”.

54. That’s what happened in Antioch.

55. It caused such a raucous that we needed to have a meeting and get on the same page.

56. The disagreement was so intense that we couldn’t get on the same page by ourselves, we needed a third party to help us.

57. So off to Jerusalem we go to visit with the elders and make sure we’re heading in the right direction.

58. Is salvation by grace or through keeping the law?

59. Tonight’s passage deals with this question in four parts:

60. Law or Grace? The Dissention The Discussion The Decision
Further Development

61. Dissension (Acts 15:1-5)

62. Acts 15:1
And some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

63. Notice how they came down from Judea!

64. We also find out later that they weren’t sent by the church at Jerusalem, they just decided to come and insert themselves.

65. They were a self proclaimed authority.

66. Acts 15:2
And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and

67. Acts 15:2
some others of them should go to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue.

68. Wisdom!

69. They could have ignored them or even made some snide remarks about them, but they chose love.

70. Acts 15:3
Therefore, being sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion

71. Acts 15:3
of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all the brethren.

72. Acts 15:4
When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them.

73. Acts 15:5
But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.”

74. Is it just a good idea or is it necessary for salvation?

75. Notice the Pharisees had come to believe in Jesus.

76. Hallelujah!

77. They just didn’t quite have all of that Pharisaical teaching out of them yet.

78. Is salvation by grace or through keeping the law?

79. Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

80. Ephesians 2:9
not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

81. Ephesians 2:10
For we are His workman-ship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

82. Law or Grace? The Dissention The Discussion The Decision
Further Development

83. Discussion (Acts 15:6-18)

84. Acts 15:6
The apostles and the elders came together to look into this matter.

85. Acts 15:7
After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brethren, you know that in early days God made a choice

86. Acts 15:7
among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe.

87. Acts 15:8
And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;

88. Acts 15:9
and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.

89. God didn’t say that everybody needed to learn how to become a good Pharisee in order to be saved.

90. God didn’t say that everybody needed to learn how to become a good Sadducee in order to be saved.

91. God didn’t say that everybody needed to learn how to become a good Essene in order to be saved.

92. God didn’t say that everybody needed to learn how to become a good Zealot in order to be saved.

93. God didn’t say that everybody needed to learn how to become a good Karaite in order to be saved.

94. God didn’t say that everybody needed to learn how to become a good Orthodox Jew in order to be saved.

95. God didn’t say that everybody needed to learn how to become a good Sephardic Jew in order to be saved.

96. God didn’t say that everybody needed to learn how to become a good Yemenite Jew in order to be saved.

97. God didn’t say that everybody needed to learn how to become a good law keeper in order to be saved.

98. God didn’t say that everybody needed to learn how to become a good Baptist in order to be saved.

99. Acts 15:10
Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?

100. Acts 15:11
But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”

101. God will save, heal, deliver, protect, preserve, provide, educate and make them whole as only He can.

102. The Holy Spirit has come and He can lead them into the truth far better than any of us can.

103. Acts 15:12
All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.

104. Acts 15:13
After they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, “Brethren, listen to me.

105. Acts 15:14
Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name.

106. Acts 15:15
With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written,

107. Acts 15:16
‘After these things I will return, and I will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen, and I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it,

108. Acts 15:17
so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name,’

109. Acts 15:18
says the Lord, who makes these things known from long ago.

110. God is doing something far bigger than we can ask, think or imagine.

111. Let’s stay out of His way, resist the temptation to go backward and agree to move forward with God.

112. Law or Grace? The Dissention The Discussion The Decision
Further Development

113. Decision (Acts 15:19-29)

114. Acts 15:19
Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles,

115. Acts 15:20
but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood.

116. We don’t need to overwhelm new believers in Messiah with a long list of instructions right now.

117. God will save, heal, deliver, protect, preserve, provide, educate and make them whole as only He can.

118. The Holy Spirit has come and He can lead them into the truth far better than any of us can.

119. Acts 15:21
For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in synagogues every Sabbath.”

120. Acts 15:22
Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to Antioch with

121. Acts 15:22
Paul and Barnabas – Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren,

122. We really don’t know much about these two men mentioned in verse 22.

123. But we do know they are leading men from the church at Jerusalem.

124. Two of our best!

125. Acts 15:23
and they sent this letter by them, “The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to the brethren in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia who are from the Gentiles, greetings.

126. Acts 15:24
Since we have heard that some of our number to whom we gave no instruction have disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls,

127. Acts 15:25
it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

128. Acts 15:26
men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

129. Acts 15:27
Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth.

130. Acts 15:28
For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials:

131. Acts 15:29
that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free

132. Acts 15:29
from such things, you will do well. Farewell.”

133. Notice that it didn’t say, “If you do these things, you will be saved

134. “If you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well.”

135. God will save, heal, deliver, protect, preserve, provide, educate and make them whole as only He can.

136. The Holy Spirit has come and He can lead them into the truth far better than any of us can.

137. They will be hearing the words of Moses every week in the synagogues.

138. They’re on a precious journey with the Lord and He is trustworthy to lead them.

139. Law or Grace? The Dissention The Discussion The Decision
Further Development

140. Further Development (Acts 15:30-35)

141. Acts 15:30
So when they were sent away, they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter.

142. Acts 15:31
When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.

143. Acts 15:32
Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brethren with a lengthy message.

144. I would have loved to have heard that message.

145. I wonder what words of encouragement they shared with them.

146. Acts 15:33
After they had spent time there, they were sent away from the brethren in peace to those who had sent them out.

147. Acts 15:34
[But it seemed good to Silas to remain there.]

148. Acts 15:35
But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching with many others also, the word of the Lord.

149. Amen!

150. Law or Grace? The Dissention The Discussion The Decision
Further Development

151. So, say it with me…

152. God will save, heal, deliver, protect, preserve, provide, educate and make new believers whole as only He can.

153. The Holy Spirit has come and He can lead them into the truth far better than any of us can.

154. They will be hearing the Word of God every week in church.

155. They’re on a precious journey with the Lord and He is trustworthy to lead them.

156. So stop forcing them to be just like you.

157. Stop telling them they have to do it exactly the way you want it done.

158. Let God have His way!

159. God is doing something far bigger than we can ask, think or imagine.

160. Let’s stay out of His way, resist the temptation to go backward and agree to move forward with God.

161. Hallelujah!