Welcome to 3ABN Sabbath
School Panel, I'm Shelley Quinn,
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and it is so much fun to
have this opportunity to share
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a teaching with you to study
the Bible together, if you will,
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particularly to study
with the rest of the panel.
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I always enjoy their input.
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Let me introduce
the panel to you...
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We have Pastor CA
Murray, Jill Morikone,
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Mollie Steenson, and
Pastor Kenny Shelton.
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We're enjoying this
Quarterly, are we not?
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We are studying
the Book of Acts.
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Today our entire study
will come from Acts 15.
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We're going to be talking
about "The Jerusalem Council,"
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and if you don't have a
study guide, I want to encourage
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you to do one of two things...
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You can go to the internet
and download it, just go to:
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ABSG.Adventist.org
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or drop by your local
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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They would love to meet you.
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They'll give you a
copy of this Quarterly,
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and probably invite you
to stay for church and have a
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fellowship meal with them.
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Pastor Shelton, would
you please - can you open
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with prayer for us?
Absolutely, let's pray shall we?
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Our Kind,
Loving Heavenly Father,
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What a privilege
it is to be part of
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the family of God this morning.
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We thank You for Your love,
Your mercy, your longsuffering.
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Lord, we pray for the
divine appointment that we have
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with You today and
each of Your children.
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We ask for the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit;
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how desperately we
need to hear from heaven;
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how we need a spark in our
life; how we need the Spirit of
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the living God to take these
poor old minds that we have,
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and to energize them with
the Spirit of the Living God.
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Help us to understand and
be with Your people today.
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Open ears, eyes, hearts
and minds - may we understand
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and sense more of
the coming of Jesus.
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May we sense the
time in which we live.
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May be we ready for
that day and bless each one
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of the panel members, each
one that our hearts will be
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lifted to the throne
room of God that the God
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of heaven can speak to
us; that we will hear it,
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and respond to that and
I thank you in advance...
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in Jesus name... Amen
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Amen! Amen! There was
a sermon in that prayer!
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Let's do our memory text
together and before we do,
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let me share this...
This is Peter talking,
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and he sounds just a
whole lot like Paul here,
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so let's look at Acts 15:11
and our memory verse is from
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the NIV and it says...
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"We believe it is
through the grace of our Lord
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Jesus that we are
saved, just as they are."
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So what is Peter saying?
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He is saying -
salvation is a free gift.
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So what's happening
here, we have Paul and Barnabas
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have concluded
their 2-year mission trip.
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They've gone back to
Antioch to give a report,
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and this is the
church that sent them out
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out on their missionary trip.
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So they go back to
provide a report at what God
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had done through them
in reaching the Gentiles,
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and many Jews
were converted as well.
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But what had happened
is after the baptism of
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Cornelius and his household,
there were a whole lot of
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Gentiles who were
becoming members of the church,
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and it was creating a problem.
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Now the Hellenistic
Jews were much more readily
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acceptable of the uncircumcised
Gentiles that came in.
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Hellenistic Jews were Jews that
had been either scattered by the
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diaspora or they were Jews
that were just in other areas
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of not living in Jerusalem
and Judea; they spoke Greek;
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and they used the Septuagint
which was the Greek translation
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of the Old
Testament, that was their Bible.
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Paul was a Hellenistic Jew.
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You know, we don't
always think of him as that
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because he was
trained in Jerusalem and so
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he spoke Greek, he spoke Hebrew,
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he was a very
well-rounded person.
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But now, one thing
about the Hellenistic Jews...
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they recognized that the death
of Jesus Christ - it was easier
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for them to accept that
the death of Christ ushered in
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the New Covenant,
that Christ had nailed more
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than our sins to the
cross, that He had nailed
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the Old Covenant
ceremonial laws to the cross.
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Perhaps it was easier for
them because they weren't in
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the practice of
worshipping several times a day
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at the temple, but what you've
got going on... I mean they
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would go in, of course, for
the major feasts and things,
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they would go to
Jerusalem, but you've got
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these Judean Jews
who they speak Hebrew,
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they always lived in
the land of the patriarchs,
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they're right there in
the proximity of the temple...
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they went frequently and so
they had a little more difficult
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time in letting go
of the ceremonial laws.
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It was their tradition
and so when people converted,
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they believed that if
they were Gentiles that
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because they were still
zealous to the ceremonial law.
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They believed that
they had to be circumcised.
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Now I think part of it
is a national pride issue.
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They wanted to maintain their
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unique
differences, don't you think?
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I think that always the
Jews had been like that,
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but they were slower to
recognize that Christ had
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nailed these
ceremonial laws to the cross,
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and they wanted people who
were coming in to be circumcised
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in order to be saved and
to have fellowship with them.
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Now the New Testament
refers to these people
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as Judaizers and the problem
reached a critical level.
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So what happened is
the Jerusalem Council was
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convened probably in
AD 49, and it proved to be
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a turning point in the
history of the Apostolic Church
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as far as its
worldwide mission is concerned.
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So let's look at
Sunday... "The Point at Issue"
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From the beginning of the
church at Antioch, there were
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Hellenistic Jews and
uncircumcised Gentiles,
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and they had peaceful fellowship
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until the Judaizers showed up.
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Acts 15:1-5... A serious
problem is going to arise
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with the arrival
of the Judaizers.
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The Scripture says...
"And certain men came down
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from Judea and
taught the brethren,
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unless you are circumcised...
... now they're coming down
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from Judea, so what
does that make them?
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That makes them
Pharisees coming down...
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these are the Judaizers...
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"Unless you are circumcised
according to the custom
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of Moses, you cannot be saved."
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Therefore when Paul
and Barnabas had no small
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dissension, a dispute with
them, they determined that Paul
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and Barnabas and
certain others of them should go
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up to Jerusalem to the apostles
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and the elders
about this question.
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So being sent on
their way by the church,
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they passed through Phoenicia
and Samaria, describing
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the conversion of the
Gentiles; and they caused great
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joy to all of the brethren.
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And when they had come to
Jerusalem, they were received
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by the church and the apostles
and the elders and they reported
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all these things that
God had done with them.
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But some of the
sect of the Pharisees,
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these are the Judaizers,
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who believed rose up and said,
"It is necessary to circumcise
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them and to command them
to keep the law of Moses."
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So here they are saying,
"Hey, you can't be saved if
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you're not circumcised."
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What they had.. they had
grace; they had learned that...
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I mean, they accepted
Christ, these Judaizers,
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but to them it
was grace plus works.
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They were saying that Christ
wasn't sufficient as the Savior;
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they denied that He fulfilled
all of the ceremonial laws
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saying... "You've got to become
a Jewish proselyte, be a Jew
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before you could
even become a Christian."
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So the demand of their
requirements were absolutely
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opposed to the very nature
of the gospel of God's grace.
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And Paul and Barnabas, as
they are arguing with these
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aggressive
Judaizers, they have this heated
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discussion and they realize,
"Hey, this is too important
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of an issue just to be
settled on a local level. Yeah
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So the church sends
Paul, Barnabas and others,
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other delegates, to Jerusalem
to get the matter settled.
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And, you know what, I imagine
that some they were wondering
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if the mother church
had sent these men...
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don't you
imagine? Well of course.
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And so, they weren't sent
by the church at Jerusalem,
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the Judaizers went
on their own initiative.
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I want to show you
that at Acts 15:24...
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Because when the
council wrote the letter,
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they included this disclaimer.
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This is James
speaking... "Since we have heard
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that some who went out from
us have troubled you with words,
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unsettling your souls,
saying, "You must be circumcised
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and keep the Law - to whom
we gave no such commandment."
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So that - we know the Judaizers
went on their own initiative
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and how often do we have
somebody who you get a new
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convert in the church
and suddenly you've got
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somebody saying, "If you don't
eat right, you can't be saved."
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There's things that people do
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that they've got no
business doing and we have to
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remember that Paul was a
Pharisee before his conversion,
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so that's very
important because he calls these
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Judaizers "troublemakers."
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He says that they are "false
brethren with vile motivation."
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And, when he wrote to
Galatia, and you remember...
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that Galatia was the
southern Roman providence
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or a providence of Rome and
there, Derbe, Lystra, Iconium,
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Antioch - all of
these churches were there.
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When he wrote to them,
I want to read you what he
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wrote about these Judaizers.
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In Galatians 1:7, let me read
this one from the Amplified...
00:11:06.73\00:11:10.93
Galatians 1:7...So Paul is
writing to all these churches
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that had had these
Judaizers coming down.
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He says, "There are
obviously some who are troubling
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and disturbing and
bewildering you with a different
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kind of teaching which
they offer of the gospel;
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And want to pervert and
distort the gospel of Christ
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the Messiah into something
which it absolutely is not."
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So he is saying... they
are wrong, wrong, wrong,
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and then he
says, in Galatians 2:4,
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"This occurred
because of false brethren...
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these are the
Judaizers... secretly brought in
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... and he said -
these guys came in by stealth
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to spy on the liberty
that they had in Jesus Christ
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that they might
bring us into bondage...
00:12:00.05\00:12:03.39
And then he says
in Galatians 5:10...
00:12:03.42\00:12:05.85
"I have confidence in you
and in the Lord, that you will
00:12:05.89\00:12:10.73
have no other
mind... in other words,
00:12:10.76\00:12:12.93
he's telling these
churches in Galatians,
00:12:12.96\00:12:14.76
If you'd heard the true
gospel, you'd know that Christ
00:12:14.83\00:12:18.53
is all... I mean salvation
is totally dependent upon God.
00:12:18.57\00:12:23.14
Salvation is a gift,
Jesus Christ is your Savior,
00:12:23.17\00:12:27.34
and there's nothing you
could add to that to be saved.
00:12:27.38\00:12:30.51
So he says, "I have confidence
in you and in the Lord
00:12:30.55\00:12:33.48
that you will have no other
mind, but he who troubles you,
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... speaking back
about these Judaizers...
00:12:37.79\00:12:40.32
shall bear His
judgment whoever he is."
00:12:40.36\00:12:44.43
Now what judgment is
he talking about here?
00:12:44.46\00:12:47.60
Well, if you go just a
few Scriptures before...
00:12:47.66\00:12:52.53
Paul is saying that the
Judaizers are going to bear
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the judgment that
he had written about
00:12:56.40\00:12:59.21
in Galatians 5:3-4.
00:12:59.24\00:13:02.74
Now all of this is important,
listen to this Scripture...
00:13:02.78\00:13:05.91
He says, "I testify
again to every man who becomes
00:13:05.95\00:13:10.62
circumcised that he is a
debtor to keep the whole law.
00:13:10.69\00:13:16.46
Now listen to verse 4...
You have become estranged
00:13:16.49\00:13:22.23
from Christ,
you've been separated
00:13:22.26\00:13:24.80
from Christ, you
who attempt to be
00:13:24.83\00:13:27.74
justified by law."
00:13:27.77\00:13:30.61
To be justified means that
you are put in a right position
00:13:30.67\00:13:35.71
with God and that He
has declared you "pardoned,"
00:13:35.74\00:13:41.18
He no longer sees any evidence
to think of you as "guilty."
00:13:41.22\00:13:45.19
It's that moment when you
are converted and your sins
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are washed away by Jesus Christ.
00:13:49.99\00:13:52.16
But he says, "You who
attempt to be justified by law,
00:13:52.19\00:13:58.07
you have fallen
from grace." Ooo, mercy!
00:13:58.10\00:14:02.77
Now another episode took
place in Antioch with Judaizers,
00:14:02.80\00:14:06.51
and we will
remember this one very well.
00:14:06.54\00:14:10.45
He talks about it
in Galatians 2:11-13.
00:14:10.48\00:14:14.85
When Peter had come to
Antioch... this is Paul writing,
00:14:14.88\00:14:18.29
"I withstood him to his face,
because he was to be blamed;
00:14:18.32\00:14:22.39
before certain men came from
James... not that James sent
00:14:22.42\00:14:26.36
them, we've already established
that, they came down from the
00:14:26.39\00:14:29.30
Jerusalem church... he
would eat with the Gentiles;
00:14:29.33\00:14:33.03
but when these Judaizers
came, he withdrew and separated
00:14:33.07\00:14:37.07
himself, fearing those
who were of the circumcision.
00:14:37.11\00:14:40.98
And the rest of the Jews also
played the hypocrite with him,
00:14:41.01\00:14:44.25
so that even Barnabas...
who was a Hellenistic Jew...
00:14:44.28\00:14:47.48
was carried away
with their hypocrisy.
00:14:47.52\00:14:50.79
Hypocrisy is often fear-based.
00:14:50.85\00:14:54.22
Peter had been instructed
by a vision from God saying...
00:14:54.26\00:14:59.89
"Don't call men unclean
who I have said are clean."
00:14:59.96\00:15:04.00
He was sent to the house
of Cornelius, an uncircumcised
00:15:04.07\00:15:08.07
Gentile, and he saw God
pour out His Holy Spirit there,
00:15:08.10\00:15:11.81
and he knew that God
had no preferences - that He
00:15:11.84\00:15:16.61
accepted men from all nations.
00:15:16.64\00:15:18.75
So, the Jerusalem
Council had already decided
00:15:18.78\00:15:24.19
that they didn't have to
be circumcised - the Gentiles,
00:15:24.22\00:15:27.49
and now Peter is
separating himself just because
00:15:27.56\00:15:31.89
of fear - and guess what?
00:15:31.93\00:15:34.93
Hypocrisy is contagious,
Barnabas separated himself
00:15:36.26\00:15:40.94
as well.
00:15:40.97\00:15:42.30
The main point is that
Christ's death and resurrection
00:15:42.34\00:15:48.01
is sufficient for our
salvation and we don't have
00:15:48.04\00:15:52.45
... in the New
Covenant, we do not have to
00:15:52.48\00:15:55.28
adhere to ceremonial laws.
00:15:55.32\00:15:57.55
Brother Murray...
00:15:57.59\00:15:58.92
Thank you so very much
for setting that foundation.
00:15:58.95\00:16:01.86
The fact of the matter is
that traditions and rules of
00:16:01.89\00:16:09.83
practice, don't develop
in a vacuum. That's true!
00:16:09.86\00:16:12.93
There usually is some history...
the problem is when you try
00:16:12.97\00:16:17.31
to create Christians in your
own image and your methodology
00:16:17.34\00:16:23.65
often shows your motive.
00:16:23.68\00:16:26.51
If you're sneaking
around and doing things,
00:16:26.55\00:16:29.15
it may be because
your motives are not pure.
00:16:29.18\00:16:32.25
The Bible says, "Men
love darkness because they're
00:16:32.29\00:16:35.39
deeds are evil."
00:16:35.42\00:16:39.03
So I want to look at a
little of the cultural context
00:16:39.06\00:16:41.86
for circumcision and how
this got so tightly woven
00:16:41.90\00:16:46.00
into the Jewish mindset
- that they felt you had to
00:16:46.03\00:16:50.37
go through Judaism on
your way to Christianity.
00:16:50.41\00:16:54.58
We have established, I
think fairly thoroughly,
00:16:54.61\00:16:57.78
that the early church
was predominantly Jewish.
00:16:57.81\00:17:01.05
The initial work began in
Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria,
00:17:01.08\00:17:05.62
Jewish places in
Palestine, then moved out.
00:17:05.65\00:17:09.06
But your first evangelists
were Jewish, your first converts
00:17:09.09\00:17:14.36
were Jewish, so the
question naturally arises...
00:17:14.36\00:17:19.37
How much, and I will
coin a phrase, "Jewishness"
00:17:19.40\00:17:24.11
do you have to have
infused in your religion
00:17:24.14\00:17:28.74
before you can
become a Christian?
00:17:28.78\00:17:30.78
Before you can move into
this new Christ-faith force,
00:17:30.85\00:17:35.38
how much Jewishness do
you have to sort of drag
00:17:35.42\00:17:38.62
along with you
before you are accepted?
00:17:38.65\00:17:40.86
And that was the
basis of this discussion.
00:17:40.89\00:17:44.83
Circumcision was not a
human instituted practice.
00:17:44.86\00:17:50.07
It didn't come from
man, it came from God.
00:17:50.13\00:17:53.50
God, Himself, commanded it
as a sign that He and Abraham
00:17:53.54\00:18:00.51
and Abraham's descendants
were the chosen people.
00:18:00.54\00:18:03.98
And I'm going back to
Genesis 17 very quickly.
00:18:04.01\00:18:07.25
Genesis 17 and I think it's
7 through 9, I want to read.
00:18:07.28\00:18:12.95
We're in Genesis 17 and
9 thru 11 is what I want.
00:18:12.99\00:18:18.23
Very quickly...
"And God said to Abraham,
00:18:18.26\00:18:21.73
as for you, you shall keep
My covenant and you and your
00:18:21.76\00:18:26.30
descendants after you
throughout your generation.
00:18:26.33\00:18:29.57
This is My covenant which you
shall keep between Me and you
00:18:29.60\00:18:34.18
and your descendants after you.
00:18:34.21\00:18:35.84
Every male child among
you shall be circumcised;
00:18:35.88\00:18:39.81
and verse 11... And
you shall be circumcised
00:18:39.85\00:18:42.72
in the flesh of your
foreskin and it shall be a SIGN
00:18:42.75\00:18:47.26
of the covenant
between Me and you."
00:18:47.29\00:18:50.13
So circumcision didn't start
00:18:50.16\00:18:51.83
with Abraham, it
started with God.
00:18:51.86\00:18:53.19
And God said, "This is
going to be a sign between
00:18:53.23\00:18:57.23
Me and you, Abraham,
and your descendants.
00:18:57.27\00:19:01.50
So, it is something that
had been practiced for years
00:19:01.54\00:19:04.64
and years, and years and
years as part of the SIGN
00:19:04.67\00:19:08.04
that these were God's people.
00:19:08.08\00:19:10.88
So, this privilege
and the covenant blessings
00:19:10.91\00:19:14.82
attended to it, were
also extended to slaves,
00:19:14.85\00:19:17.99
and sojourners who wished
to identify with God's people.
00:19:18.02\00:19:22.39
If you want to be part of the
family-fellowship, dare I say,
00:19:22.42\00:19:26.83
the post-circumcised
person, the stranger,
00:19:26.86\00:19:31.03
enjoyed the same status
socially and in the spiritual
00:19:31.07\00:19:36.64
economy as natural Jews,
00:19:36.71\00:19:38.44
so you could identify
with them through circumcision.
00:19:38.47\00:19:46.51
Exodus 12:48... "He shall
be as a native of the land."
00:19:46.55\00:19:53.02
So, you could fully enjoy
the rights and prerogatives
00:19:53.05\00:19:57.83
of the Jewish nation through
the rite of circumcision.
00:19:57.86\00:20:02.56
You are as a naturalized Jew.
00:20:02.60\00:20:05.67
So circumcision
was a nonnegotiable act
00:20:05.70\00:20:10.47
to being a member of
Israel's covenant community,
00:20:10.51\00:20:14.28
and once you DID that,
you were fully accepted.
00:20:14.31\00:20:18.78
So here's the
thought trajectory...
00:20:18.81\00:20:20.78
1... Circumcision was
God's idea, not man's.
00:20:20.82\00:20:24.89
2... Circumcision was a
sign of a covenant relationship.
00:20:24.92\00:20:28.66
3... God instituted it
with Abraham the first Jew
00:20:28.69\00:20:33.40
for the father of the faithful.
00:20:33.46\00:20:35.20
4... All male Jews had
to undergo circumcision.
00:20:35.23\00:20:39.80
5... Jesus is
the Jewish Messiah.
00:20:39.83\00:20:45.91
6... This new faith
comes from the Jewish Messiah.
00:20:45.94\00:20:51.31
7... You get
Christianity through Judaism.
00:20:51.35\00:20:55.55
8... Christians
must be circumcised.
00:20:55.58\00:20:58.45
That's the logical progression
of the mindset as to why.
00:20:58.49\00:21:03.29
Now Paul as Shelley so
eloquently read in Galatians 5,
00:21:03.32\00:21:09.50
and I'm going to look at
my time to see if I want to go
00:21:09.53\00:21:10.87
there to read it, but
Shelley did read it...
00:21:10.93\00:21:13.40
To him circumcision was putting
God's people who had just
00:21:13.44\00:21:19.94
become free in Christ
Jesus back under a work
00:21:19.97\00:21:24.21
bondage-based system that
really left no room for Christ.
00:21:24.25\00:21:31.35
So He is giving there,
in clearest possible terms
00:21:31.39\00:21:37.33
His feeling as it
appertained to circumcision.
00:21:37.39\00:21:43.06
I want to read something
from the lesson because I
00:21:43.10\00:21:45.93
think the lesson does a really
fine job in addressing this...
00:21:45.97\00:21:51.41
"By saying that no Gentile
could be saved without first
00:21:51.44\00:21:55.41
joining Judaism,
these men were mixing up
00:21:55.44\00:21:59.68
two distinct concepts...
and you touched on this
00:21:59.71\00:22:02.58
Shelley, just a moment ago...
00:22:02.62\00:22:03.99
Covenant and salvation - so
they are conflating the two,
00:22:04.02\00:22:09.16
and they should not be.
00:22:09.19\00:22:10.83
Being a member of God's
covenant community did not
00:22:10.86\00:22:14.50
guarantee salvation."
00:22:14.56\00:22:15.90
That's like being a member
of the Seventh-day Adventist
00:22:15.93\00:22:18.10
Church or any particular church,
having your name on the book
00:22:18.13\00:22:21.20
doesn't guarantee salvation.
00:22:21.24\00:22:23.04
It's not where you
joined, it's who you are.
00:22:23.07\00:22:27.04
In addition, Abraham, himself,
was saved, that is justified
00:22:27.08\00:22:32.85
by faith - that
should be remembered.
00:22:32.88\00:22:34.62
This was just a SIGN of
a preexisting condition,
00:22:34.65\00:22:38.95
we said that before...
00:22:38.99\00:22:40.32
what happened before and
not because he was circumcised."
00:22:40.36\00:22:44.33
He was already one with
God, this was just a sign
00:22:44.36\00:22:46.66
of their oneness, dare I say.
00:22:46.70\00:22:49.10
Salvation was
always... my time is up...
00:22:49.13\00:22:51.40
Salvation has always
been by faith, whereas,
00:22:51.43\00:22:54.17
the covenant was a
gracious provision and I really
00:22:54.20\00:22:57.17
like this... which
God would make Himself
00:22:57.24\00:23:01.78
and His saving plan
known to the entire world.
00:23:01.81\00:23:05.98
So there is a
covenant that is in effect
00:23:06.01\00:23:09.12
and we're going to
show the world this covenant
00:23:09.15\00:23:12.15
by this act, but the
covenant is already there.
00:23:12.19\00:23:14.89
The relationship is
already preexisting.
00:23:14.92\00:23:18.36
Just a little more...
"The problem, however, was
00:23:18.39\00:23:21.30
that by too closely associating
covenants and salvation
00:23:21.33\00:23:25.80
these believers came to view
circumcision as meritorious.
00:23:25.83\00:23:29.97
Now they've moved
over into legalism.
00:23:30.01\00:23:32.11
God's saving grace,
however, does not operate
00:23:32.14\00:23:36.18
where human works operate.
00:23:36.21\00:23:38.68
So, to impose circumcision
on believing Gentiles
00:23:38.71\00:23:42.42
as a means of salvation,
was to distort the gospel truth.
00:23:42.45\00:23:47.76
Amen! You see, you're making it
00:23:47.79\00:23:50.43
an idle, you're
making it a test of salvation
00:23:50.49\00:23:53.36
and it shouldn't belong there.
00:23:53.40\00:23:54.93
Thus it nullifies God's grace
and makes Jesus of no benefit.
00:23:54.96\00:24:01.97
Furthermore, my last
line... It was the denial of the
00:24:02.00\00:24:05.14
universal character of
salvation. Paul could never
00:24:05.17\00:24:09.68
agree to this type of
thinking." Amen! Amen.
00:24:09.71\00:24:13.92
Amen! Thank you so
much Pastor CA and Shelley
00:24:13.95\00:24:17.19
for laying the foundation
for what's taking place here
00:24:17.22\00:24:20.66
at the Jerusalem
Council as we would say, here in
00:24:20.69\00:24:23.86
the Book of Acts, Acts 15.
00:24:23.93\00:24:26.43
I like this passage, I
just have to be honest with you,
00:24:26.46\00:24:30.13
and you might say, "Why
in the world do you like this
00:24:30.17\00:24:32.70
discussion about circumcision,"
but I would say for over
00:24:32.73\00:24:36.44
20 years, I have really
liked this chapter in Acts...
00:24:36.47\00:24:41.08
and the reason is, I
believe it gives us keys
00:24:41.11\00:24:44.25
to decision-making in
the New Testament Church.
00:24:44.28\00:24:48.02
You know in the church
today, whether it's church or
00:24:48.05\00:24:51.29
community or place of
work or home, there's always
00:24:51.32\00:24:54.69
going to be some sort of rub,
00:24:54.72\00:24:56.69
some sort of discussion
or conflict and when I
00:24:56.73\00:25:00.13
look at this chapter,
to me it shows how the
00:25:00.16\00:25:03.57
New Testament Church dealt
with that issue and how they
00:25:03.60\00:25:07.34
handled that
problem, as it were.
00:25:07.37\00:25:09.37
And so, before I get to
my section, my section is
00:25:09.40\00:25:13.17
Acts 15:7-21 and
what it focuses on is
00:25:13.21\00:25:18.58
the leadership and
what they said in response.
00:25:18.61\00:25:21.78
We see that Peter -
he rose up and spoke.
00:25:21.82\00:25:24.22
And then we see James as
the leader of the New Testament
00:25:24.29\00:25:27.26
Church and what he
said, that's my section...
00:25:27.29\00:25:30.13
But before we get
there, I want to look at
00:25:30.16\00:25:32.13
8 keys to decision-making
in the New Testament Church.
00:25:32.16\00:25:36.33
Key #1... Shelley already
talked about is in verse 2.
00:25:36.36\00:25:41.57
Key #1 to bring the
question to leadership.
00:25:41.60\00:25:46.44
There was this discussion,
the Judaizers had gone to
00:25:46.47\00:25:49.18
Antioch as Shelley
already so aptly described.
00:25:49.21\00:25:51.81
And Paul and Barnabas
had not a small dissension,
00:25:51.85\00:25:55.15
they had a BIG
disagreement with them.
00:25:55.18\00:25:57.85
And so, they could have
said, "Well, we're gonna
00:25:57.89\00:26:00.59
fight this out ourselves,
Pastor Kenny, we're gonna
00:26:00.62\00:26:02.92
deal with this ourselves,"
and what did they say?
00:26:02.96\00:26:05.29
We need to go to the leadership,
to the apostles and elders
00:26:05.39\00:26:09.26
in Jerusalem and
discuss this matter with them.
00:26:09.30\00:26:12.63
So to me, the first key is
to bring those vital matters,
00:26:12.67\00:26:16.24
those big
discussions to leadership.
00:26:16.27\00:26:19.04
#2... The leadership met
and we see that in verse 6.
00:26:19.07\00:26:22.91
Now the apostles
and elders came together
00:26:22.94\00:26:26.08
to consider the matter.
00:26:26.11\00:26:27.45
Now the leadership could
have said... Pastor CA, they
00:26:27.52\00:26:30.39
could have said,
"Well ya know what?
00:26:30.42\00:26:31.92
This is your issue,
you deal with that."
00:26:31.95\00:26:33.96
But instead, they considered
it vital and important enough
00:26:33.99\00:26:37.56
to sit down and
to meet about this.
00:26:37.63\00:26:40.30
#3... They allowed discussion.
00:26:40.33\00:26:43.53
Peter could have stood up
right away at the beginning
00:26:43.57\00:26:45.70
and said, "This is
what I'm going to say..."
00:26:45.73\00:26:47.60
And James could have
said, "This is the decision
00:26:47.64\00:26:50.07
of the New Testament Church."
00:26:50.11\00:26:51.44
Instead, they allowed
discussion - you see that in
00:26:51.47\00:26:54.61
verse 7... "When
there had been much dispute,
00:26:54.64\00:26:58.88
then Peter rose
up and said to them.
00:26:58.91\00:27:01.15
So to me, Mollie, that
says they allowed healthy,
00:27:01.18\00:27:03.55
engaged discussion for dispute.
00:27:03.62\00:27:06.92
#4... They truly listened
- not just the leadership,
00:27:06.99\00:27:10.89
but everyone listened,
we see that in verse 12...
00:27:10.96\00:27:13.83
"Then all the multitude
kept silent and listened
00:27:13.86\00:27:18.10
to Barnabas and Paul.
00:27:18.13\00:27:19.87
So you see them being quiet,
of course there was healthy
00:27:19.90\00:27:22.64
discussion and they did have
that and then they were quiet,
00:27:22.67\00:27:25.41
and they listened... you
also see that in verse 13.
00:27:25.44\00:27:28.38
It said, "After they had become
silent, James answered saying.."
00:27:28.41\00:27:32.88
#5... The leaders
spoke. There was this healthy
00:27:32.91\00:27:37.72
discussion, after people
listened to other peoples'
00:27:37.75\00:27:41.26
points of view, then the
leaders got up and addressed.
00:27:41.29\00:27:44.39
We see that Peter rose up
in verse 7 and he said to them,
00:27:44.43\00:27:47.50
and he gives his address.
And James rose up in verse 13,
00:27:47.50\00:27:51.17
and he gave his address.
00:27:51.20\00:27:52.83
#6... Then we see they
actually came to a decision.
00:27:52.87\00:27:57.74
Now the decision was not
made just by the leadership,
00:27:57.77\00:28:00.84
but the entire church agreed
with the decision that James
00:28:00.91\00:28:04.81
made when he made that decision.
00:28:04.85\00:28:07.55
In verse 22... It said,
"It pleased the apostles
00:28:07.58\00:28:10.95
and elders with the whole
church and then it goes on
00:28:11.02\00:28:14.36
with what the decision
and the determination was...
00:28:14.39\00:28:16.56
which is not my day,
so we won't get into that.
00:28:16.59\00:28:18.79
But the point is - that
they had come together and
00:28:18.83\00:28:22.53
the entire church was
involved in that decision.
00:28:22.56\00:28:26.94
#7... They actually
wrote out their decision.
00:28:26.97\00:28:30.61
You see that in
verse 23, they wrote it
00:28:30.64\00:28:32.64
by letter to the people.
00:28:32.67\00:28:34.01
Sometimes Pastor, we make a
decision and then, years later,
00:28:34.08\00:28:37.71
"Oh, I think that's what
we decided and Shelley says,
00:28:37.75\00:28:40.02
"Oh no, I think that's
what we decided and so we might
00:28:40.05\00:28:43.25
have a different
remembrance or different
00:28:43.28\00:28:46.45
perspective of what was decided.
00:28:46.49\00:28:48.19
In this case, they wrote it
out - there was no question,
00:28:48.22\00:28:51.26
Mollie, what the decision was.
00:28:51.29\00:28:53.16
#8... We see in verse 30 and
31 that the membership accepted
00:28:53.73\00:28:58.17
the decision. Amen!
00:28:58.20\00:28:59.77
It says that, they got
the letter, this is Paul and
00:28:59.80\00:29:02.70
Barnabas - went back up
to Antioch, they received the
00:29:02.74\00:29:04.74
letter and they
accepted the decision.
00:29:04.77\00:29:06.57
So let's look - we're
going back to Acts 15:7.
00:29:06.61\00:29:10.48
This is Peter when he stood
up and spoke to the council.
00:29:10.51\00:29:13.95
After there had been much
dispute here and he stood up
00:29:13.98\00:29:17.52
and he spoke.
00:29:17.55\00:29:19.25
It's interesting to
me that Luke records.
00:29:19.29\00:29:22.49
He does not record what the
Judaizers said at the council
00:29:22.52\00:29:25.66
or even if they were
present at the council;
00:29:25.69\00:29:27.83
neither does he really record
what Barnabas and Paul said.
00:29:27.86\00:29:32.37
He does say that
they recounted miracles,
00:29:32.40\00:29:34.47
but he doesn't say
anything else what they said.
00:29:34.50\00:29:36.60
To me, that shows the importance
of what the Apostolic Church,
00:29:36.64\00:29:41.41
the weight, as it were,
that they put to the opinion
00:29:41.44\00:29:44.61
and the insight and the
wisdom of Peter and of James.
00:29:44.65\00:29:49.52
You know, if you've
sat at a board meeting,
00:29:49.55\00:29:51.62
if you've ever
been at a board meeting,
00:29:51.65\00:29:53.76
sometimes in the manner
of discussion, certain people
00:29:53.79\00:29:57.66
begin to speak... you
know what happens when certain
00:29:57.69\00:29:59.86
people speak? I sit
up straight and I listen.
00:29:59.89\00:30:03.00
You know why?
Because either that person,
00:30:03.03\00:30:05.63
Mollie, has special wisdom
and I respect them or maybe that
00:30:05.67\00:30:10.87
person isn't given to talking
a great deal and when they
00:30:10.91\00:30:13.34
speak, usually it's
something that's very valuable
00:30:13.38\00:30:15.74
to be heard or it could
be a person in authority.
00:30:15.78\00:30:20.28
You're right Pastor, it's
somebody that's in authority
00:30:20.32\00:30:22.92
that you listen because of
that position of authority.
00:30:22.95\00:30:25.49
So Peter and James were in
authority in the early church,
00:30:25.52\00:30:28.62
and so they share here...
00:30:28.66\00:30:30.89
Peter says, "Men and brethren,
you know that a good while
00:30:30.93\00:30:34.30
ago, God chose among us,
that by my mouth the Gentiles
00:30:34.30\00:30:38.40
should hear the word of
the gospel and believe,"
00:30:38.43\00:30:40.57
that's when he
went to Cornelius.
00:30:40.60\00:30:42.14
So God, who knows the
heart, acknowledged them by
00:30:42.17\00:30:45.54
giving them the Holy
Spirit, just as He did to us,
00:30:45.57\00:30:49.48
and made no
distinction between us and them,
00:30:49.51\00:30:53.85
purifying their hearts by faith.
00:30:53.88\00:30:55.62
Now therefore, why do you
test God by putting a yoke
00:30:55.65\00:30:59.59
on the neck of the disciples
which neither our fathers
00:30:59.62\00:31:02.86
nor we were able to bear?
00:31:02.89\00:31:05.63
But we believe that through
the grace of the Lord Jesus
00:31:05.66\00:31:08.80
Christ we shall be saved
in the same manner as they."
00:31:08.83\00:31:12.17
I see three points in Peter's
speech to the council here...
00:31:12.20\00:31:15.37
First, God was the One who
began the work of evangelizing
00:31:15.40\00:31:19.47
the Gentiles - you
notice that in verse 7.
00:31:19.51\00:31:22.24
He said, "You know a
good while ago, God chose
00:31:22.28\00:31:25.28
among us, that by
my mouth the Gentiles
00:31:25.31\00:31:27.98
would hear the
word of the Lord."
00:31:28.02\00:31:29.35
He didn't say, "I chose Mollie
to go out and preach the word
00:31:29.38\00:31:32.45
of the Lord to the Gentiles."
00:31:32.49\00:31:33.92
He didn't say it was his
decision, what did he say?
00:31:33.96\00:31:36.89
"God chose."
00:31:36.93\00:31:38.29
So he's saying God is
the One who decided to
00:31:38.33\00:31:41.03
evangelize the Gentiles.
00:31:41.06\00:31:42.46
#2... God confirmed their
beliefs by the sign of the
00:31:42.50\00:31:46.87
Holy Spirit - we
see that in verse 8.
00:31:46.90\00:31:50.64
"God, who knows the
heart, acknowledged them by
00:31:50.67\00:31:52.77
giving them the Holy Spirit.
00:31:52.81\00:31:55.31
And the third thing I see in
his speech here to the council,
00:31:55.34\00:31:58.78
is that God saved them
by faith, not by works.
00:31:58.81\00:32:03.12
It says in verse 9...
"God made no distinction
00:32:03.15\00:32:05.72
between us as Jews and
them as Gentiles, purifying
00:32:05.75\00:32:09.22
their hearts by faith."
00:32:09.26\00:32:10.73
They have the same
access to the Father,
00:32:10.76\00:32:13.06
the same entrance
through the Lord Jesus Christ
00:32:13.09\00:32:16.33
and through faith. Amen!
00:32:16.36\00:32:18.57
Then in verse 12...
"The multitude was silent
00:32:18.60\00:32:20.90
and they listened to Barnabas
and Paul, but they didn't
00:32:20.94\00:32:23.67
give a speech here - it
just says they recounted
00:32:23.71\00:32:25.44
the miracles and wonders
what God had done through them,
00:32:25.47\00:32:28.31
to the Gentiles.
00:32:28.34\00:32:29.84
And after they were
silent, we're in verse 13,
00:32:29.88\00:32:32.55
now here is James' speech...
00:32:32.58\00:32:34.45
He answered saying, "Men
and brethren, listen to me:
00:32:34.48\00:32:37.49
Simon has declared how
God at the first visited the
00:32:37.55\00:32:40.92
Gentiles to take out of
them a people for His name."
00:32:40.96\00:32:45.59
James, we know, is the leader
of the church at Jerusalem.
00:32:45.63\00:32:50.60
He speaks with authority; he
and the elders even told Paul
00:32:50.63\00:32:55.77
what to do - this is in
Acts 21, and he is presumably
00:32:55.80\00:32:59.51
accepted by the readers
as authoritative and as the
00:32:59.54\00:33:03.45
leader of the New
Testament Church here.
00:33:03.48\00:33:06.65
And so he says, Peter already
has related to you how God
00:33:06.72\00:33:11.55
visited the Gentiles
and how the Holy Spirit
00:33:11.59\00:33:14.32
was poured out upon
them... that he quotes,
00:33:14.36\00:33:16.22
from Joel, and then he goes...
00:33:16.26\00:33:18.33
Let's go down to verse
19... "Therefore I judge that we
00:33:18.36\00:33:21.90
should not trouble
those from among the Gentiles
00:33:21.93\00:33:24.83
who are turning to God."
00:33:24.87\00:33:26.47
Here he makes a judgment
or a decision as the leader
00:33:26.50\00:33:30.67
of the New Testament
Church, the Apostolic Church.
00:33:30.71\00:33:33.34
He's saying... "We are not
going to require the Gentile
00:33:33.38\00:33:36.85
Christians to be circumcised
in order to be saved.
00:33:36.91\00:33:40.02
They are not going to have
to become a Jew, as it were,
00:33:40.08\00:33:44.32
in order to become a Christian."
00:33:44.35\00:33:46.35
And he says here, But we will
require four different things
00:33:46.39\00:33:49.42
from them and I think,
Mollie, you talk about that!
00:33:49.46\00:33:51.46
I do and thank you so very
much for laying out the debate.
00:33:51.49\00:33:56.30
You know, something you
said Jill - that they did was
00:33:56.33\00:34:01.07
they wrote down the outcome
so that it couldn't be argued
00:34:01.10\00:34:05.64
later and I think
that was a very wise thing.
00:34:05.67\00:34:08.01
I am in James 15 and I'm
going to be looking at...
00:34:08.04\00:34:13.18
"Acts..." You
know, I wrote James'
00:34:13.21\00:34:15.65
name down because James is
the one doing the talking...
00:34:15.68\00:34:18.95
So we are going to hear
from James, but we're in Acts 15
00:34:18.99\00:34:25.19
starting with verses 28-29.
00:34:25.23\00:34:28.50
And the Scripture says,
"For it seemed good to...
00:34:28.53\00:34:32.33
what's the next two words?
00:34:32.37\00:34:33.80
to the Holy Spirit and to
us," so he's affirming from the
00:34:33.84\00:34:39.41
very beginning that
this isn't just man's ideas,
00:34:39.44\00:34:43.18
this is the Holy Spirit
giving us instruction...
00:34:43.21\00:34:47.18
and to us to lay up
on you no greater burden
00:34:47.22\00:34:50.59
than these necessary things...
now he calls them necessary
00:34:50.65\00:34:54.69
things and isn't that
much what Peter said himself?
00:34:54.72\00:34:57.99
He didn't want to
burden the Gentiles.
00:34:58.03\00:35:00.96
... that you
abstain from things...
00:35:01.00\00:35:02.96
this is called the "Apostolic
Decree" - that you abstain
00:35:04.90\00:35:09.90
from things offered to
idols, from blood, from things
00:35:09.94\00:35:14.64
strangled and
from sexual immorality.
00:35:14.68\00:35:18.28
If you keep yourselves
from these, you do well."
00:35:18.31\00:35:22.82
Now the main issue...
what was the main issue here?
00:35:22.85\00:35:26.96
It was circumcision, so
the main issue for which the
00:35:28.29\00:35:32.33
council had been
convened was resolved
00:35:32.36\00:35:36.40
because salvation is by grace;
therefore, believing Gentiles
00:35:36.43\00:35:42.04
were exempted from circumcision.
00:35:42.07\00:35:44.64
That was the decision
that they wanted to arrive at
00:35:44.67\00:35:47.34
when they joined the church.
00:35:47.38\00:35:49.44
Yes, there were
four prohibitions,
00:35:49.48\00:35:51.61
now I'm going to
over these again.
00:35:51.65\00:35:53.48
These four, we're calling them
prohibitions, that were imposed.
00:35:53.52\00:35:57.35
The first three deal
with dietary issues...
00:35:57.39\00:36:00.79
did you all notice that? Yes!
00:36:00.82\00:36:02.26
#1... Meat offered in sacrifice
to idols in pagan rituals
00:36:03.02\00:36:08.90
and then served in a temple
feast are sold in the market.
00:36:08.93\00:36:12.90
They were saying,
"Don't eat those."
00:36:12.93\00:36:15.64
#2... Blood consumption.
00:36:15.67\00:36:18.44
#3... Meat of strangled animals,
that is meat whose blood
00:36:18.47\00:36:24.91
has not been drained.
00:36:24.95\00:36:26.85
#4... Sexual
immorality of any kind.
00:36:26.92\00:36:31.69
So those were the four issues.
00:36:31.72\00:36:34.79
James calls these prohibitions,
as we mentioned earlier,
00:36:34.82\00:36:39.66
"necessary things," and he
said "they were arrived at not
00:36:39.69\00:36:44.33
just by those men who
made up the Jerusalem Council,
00:36:44.37\00:36:48.60
but by them and
in the Holy Spirit."
00:36:48.64\00:36:52.31
Now, there is a quote
that I want to share with you
00:36:52.34\00:36:56.91
from "Acts of the
Apostles" and it's on page 195.
00:36:56.95\00:37:01.18
Let me read this to you...
00:37:01.22\00:37:02.68
"And dealing with the Gentile
converts, James sought to
00:37:02.72\00:37:08.36
impress the minds of
his brethren with the facts
00:37:08.39\00:37:12.66
that in turning to God,
the Gentiles had made a great
00:37:12.69\00:37:17.17
change in their lives and
that much caution should be used
00:37:17.20\00:37:21.84
not to trouble them
with perplexing and doubtful
00:37:21.87\00:37:26.54
questions of minor importance,
lest they be discouraged
00:37:26.57\00:37:33.82
in following Christ."
00:37:33.85\00:37:35.18
Now that's beautiful, isn't it?
00:37:35.22\00:37:36.69
"The Gentile converts, however,
were to give up the customs
00:37:36.72\00:37:42.69
that were inconsistent with
the principles of Christianity."
00:37:42.72\00:37:47.60
Now don't you think
that is a wise thing?
00:37:47.60\00:37:49.40
I think about people coming
into our church wanting to be
00:37:49.43\00:37:53.40
baptized into our church,
become a member of the church...
00:37:53.44\00:37:57.17
Should we not give them
instruction on how to live
00:37:57.21\00:38:02.44
godly in Christ Jesus?
00:38:02.48\00:38:04.28
What is acceptable and what
is not acceptable and I know
00:38:04.31\00:38:08.22
through God's word, we
come into that understanding,
00:38:08.25\00:38:10.92
but it's wise to bring these
members that want to become
00:38:10.95\00:38:17.73
a part of our church to
bring them in and give them
00:38:17.76\00:38:21.90
instruction, to give them
Bible studies so that they will
00:38:21.93\00:38:25.13
understand the importance of
living godly in Christ Jesus.
00:38:25.17\00:38:28.64
This is what James is saying...
00:38:28.67\00:38:30.41
"Let us show them things...
to live in this Christian
00:38:30.44\00:38:34.71
community - this is what
they should or shouldn't do."
00:38:34.74\00:38:38.11
Okay, now there is an
argument that these dietary
00:38:38.15\00:38:44.72
prohibitions imposed by
the Jerusalem Council were just
00:38:44.75\00:38:50.33
temporary - temporary
recommendations because
00:38:50.36\00:38:54.36
each of the items listed were
particularly repulsive to Jews.
00:38:54.36\00:38:58.67
Now this is the argument...
00:38:58.70\00:39:00.37
The argument continues that
it was only intended to bridge
00:39:00.40\00:39:06.91
the gap between the Jews
and the Gentiles as though
00:39:06.94\00:39:11.31
these prohibitions were
quickly thought up to handle a
00:39:11.35\00:39:16.15
sticky situation at the time.
00:39:16.18\00:39:19.15
Now here is the
danger in that...
00:39:19.19\00:39:24.26
When we start picking
and choosing what portions of
00:39:24.29\00:39:28.13
the Scripture we want
to accept and hold to,
00:39:28.16\00:39:31.83
where is it going to end? Amen!
00:39:31.87\00:39:34.14
Because have we ever seen
00:39:34.17\00:39:36.84
anybody pick and
choose Scriptures?
00:39:36.91\00:39:40.78
Let's just think about
the Ten Commandments...
00:39:40.81\00:39:44.05
Are there any of those
Ten Commandments, the moral
00:39:44.08\00:39:47.62
law of God, that we see in
anybody picking and choosing
00:39:47.65\00:39:51.55
which ones... No.
Wait, what about that fourth
00:39:51.59\00:39:55.12
commandment? Somebody just quote
00:39:55.16\00:39:56.86
the fourth commandment for us.
00:39:56.93\00:39:58.56
"Remember the
Sabbath day to keep it holy.
00:39:58.59\00:40:00.20
Six days thou shalt
labor and do all thy work,
00:40:00.23\00:40:01.93
but on the seventh day,
is the Sabbath of the Lord
00:40:01.96\00:40:04.93
thy God... in it you should...
00:40:04.97\00:40:07.24
Nothing has changed,
it's no different today
00:40:07.30\00:40:11.94
than it was yesterday.
00:40:11.97\00:40:13.48
People still want to pick and
choose - there is danger in it.
00:40:13.54\00:40:16.91
Now this argument that these
were just quickly thought up
00:40:16.95\00:40:20.92
and something that was
just for a temporary time,
00:40:20.95\00:40:23.65
it rebukes the
strength and foundational
00:40:23.69\00:40:27.02
purpose of the decree.
00:40:27.06\00:40:28.39
The Apostolic Decree
imposed by the Jerusalem Council
00:40:28.42\00:40:32.83
was neither temporary, quickly
thought up, nor a new code of
00:40:32.86\00:40:36.93
Christian ethics...
00:40:37.00\00:40:38.77
Under the
guidance of the Holy Spirit
00:40:38.80\00:40:40.94
didn't James tell us that.
00:40:40.97\00:40:42.54
The apostles and elders
of the church reproduced
00:40:42.57\00:40:47.34
the regulations of
Leviticus 17 and 18 which
00:40:47.71\00:40:53.11
concerned
Israel's resident aliens.
00:40:53.15\00:40:56.85
Now I got a quote from
Jill, I think from your lesson.
00:40:56.92\00:41:00.66
"Those which normally
would be required for foreigners
00:41:00.69\00:41:04.96
who wish to live in
the land of Israel."
00:41:04.99\00:41:07.40
That's all they were doing
was... if you're going to live
00:41:07.50\00:41:11.20
in our land, here
are the things that
00:41:11.23\00:41:13.50
you need to adhere to.
00:41:13.54\00:41:15.37
In the context of
Leviticus, these prohibitions
00:41:15.40\00:41:19.04
meant the
renunciation of paganism.
00:41:19.07\00:41:23.18
Any foreigner who wished to
live in Israel had to abdicate
00:41:23.21\00:41:27.42
or renounce those
pagan practices to which
00:41:27.48\00:41:31.25
they were accustomed;
likewise, any believing
00:41:31.29\00:41:34.86
Gentile who wished
to join the church,
00:41:34.89\00:41:37.49
was required to take a
firm stand against paganism.
00:41:37.53\00:41:42.73
So these prohibitions
concerning diet were imposed
00:41:42.76\00:41:47.64
to counter not just
unhealthy food consumption,
00:41:47.67\00:41:51.67
which they certainly
were, but to counter what?
00:41:51.71\00:41:55.68
Paganism!
00:41:55.71\00:41:57.31
Now what is paganism?
00:41:57.38\00:41:59.11
It's worship of a false
god, that's what paganism is.
00:41:59.15\00:42:03.92
Do you think it's a good
idea that we counter fake
00:42:03.99\00:42:06.32
paganism - the
worship of a false god? Yes
00:42:06.35\00:42:08.92
As we look back
through the Old Testament,
00:42:08.96\00:42:11.03
we find numerous instances
where God's chosen people
00:42:11.06\00:42:14.30
wandered away after
false gods - do we not? Yes
00:42:14.36\00:42:17.80
God was forever dealing with
His people to come back to Him.
00:42:17.83\00:42:22.07
He would define their actions
as committing adultery with
00:42:22.10\00:42:26.21
false gods.
00:42:26.24\00:42:27.58
Let me read these two
Scriptures very quickly...
00:42:27.61\00:42:30.51
"To the angel at the Church
of Pergamos, Revelation 2:14
00:42:30.55\00:42:35.12
But I have a few things
against you because you have
00:42:35.15\00:42:40.22
there those who hold
the doctrine of Balaam,
00:42:40.26\00:42:43.32
who taught Balak to put a
stumbling block before the
00:42:43.39\00:42:46.59
children of Israel - to do
what? to eat things sacrificed
00:42:46.66\00:42:51.63
to idols, and to commit sexual
immorality." Sound familiar?
00:42:51.67\00:42:55.60
Okay, now let's go to
the Church at Thyatira...
00:42:56.57\00:43:01.28
Revelation 2:20...
"Notwithstanding, I have a
00:43:01.31\00:43:04.45
a few things against you.
00:43:04.48\00:43:05.81
That's in Revelation 2:20.
00:43:05.85\00:43:07.22
Revelation - is it
2:20? Okay, sorry, I've got
00:43:07.25\00:43:11.32
12 in both places, sorry, 2:14
and 2:20. Thank you so much.
00:43:11.35\00:43:14.69
Revelation 2:20...
Nevertheless, I have a few
00:43:14.72\00:43:17.16
things against you
because you allow that woman
00:43:17.23\00:43:19.93
Jezebel, who calls herself
a prophetess, to teach and
00:43:20.00\00:43:23.43
seduce my servants to
commit sexual immorality
00:43:23.47\00:43:27.94
and eat things
sacrificed to idols."
00:43:27.97\00:43:30.31
Do you see a pattern here?
00:43:30.37\00:43:32.11
So what God is doing
is giving instructions
00:43:32.14\00:43:36.01
that will protect the
sanctity and the holiness
00:43:36.04\00:43:39.25
of this young church.
00:43:39.28\00:43:40.88
Okay, nothing God does is
happenstance or ill thought out.
00:43:40.92\00:43:45.49
Everything God
does is redemptive.
00:43:45.52\00:43:48.26
He always has our best
interest foremost in His mind
00:43:48.29\00:43:52.39
and His desire is for all
of us to renounce anything
00:43:52.43\00:43:56.93
that would separate us
from Him. Pastor Kenny...
00:43:57.00\00:43:59.47
Amen! Praise the
Lord! That was good now!
00:43:59.50\00:44:01.74
Praise the Lord for that.
00:44:01.77\00:44:03.10
You remind me when you
were talking about this is
00:44:03.14\00:44:05.81
being raised in the
home, there were rules,
00:44:05.84\00:44:09.21
and if you want to be
a part of that home...
00:44:09.24\00:44:11.15
My dad always said, the
little things that we have
00:44:11.18\00:44:14.62
and to be a part of it,
this is kind of what we're
00:44:14.65\00:44:16.52
all going to do -
so we all get along.
00:44:16.55\00:44:18.25
And so I think kinda that
was set way back in my mind
00:44:18.29\00:44:20.96
back then, so it's not
so hard to grasp right now.
00:44:20.99\00:44:23.73
So my part of the lesson
is to actually go over what
00:44:23.76\00:44:26.23
each one of you, I
think, has discussed in
00:44:26.26\00:44:29.16
a round about way,
we'll look at it closely here.
00:44:29.20\00:44:31.57
I'm going to go to Acts 15
and I'm going to read some of
00:44:31.60\00:44:35.24
the same passages that you
did, but I'm just going to hit
00:44:35.27\00:44:37.17
a few lines though because
of our time and then move on
00:44:37.21\00:44:39.71
because they've
been covered very well.
00:44:39.74\00:44:41.28
But we're talking about the
letter, so we've come to the
00:44:41.31\00:44:43.31
point now that the letter
had to be written and that they
00:44:43.35\00:44:45.95
wanted to make sure that
the letter was going to be
00:44:45.98\00:44:48.82
taken care of, that it
was going to be accompanied
00:44:48.85\00:44:50.75
by a couple of men and
make sure that when it was read,
00:44:50.79\00:44:54.39
everybody was
going to understand it,
00:44:54.42\00:44:55.76
they made it real clear,
so I think this was good.
00:44:55.79\00:44:57.73
Acts 15:22, the
Bible says here that...
00:44:57.76\00:45:01.70
"Then it pleased the apostles
and elders and the whole church
00:45:01.73\00:45:04.77
to send chosen men of
their own country to Antioch
00:45:04.80\00:45:07.54
with Paul and
Barnabas, namely Judas.
00:45:07.57\00:45:12.47
Now notice verse
23... And they wrote letters
00:45:12.51\00:45:14.91
by them after this manner,
verse 24, skip, skip, skip,
00:45:14.94\00:45:19.55
skip them quickly,
so just jot them down.
00:45:19.58\00:45:21.32
"Forasmuch as we have
heard that certain which
00:45:21.35\00:45:24.32
went out from us have troubled
you with words subverting
00:45:24.35\00:45:27.86
your souls saying,
"You must be circumcised
00:45:27.89\00:45:31.16
and keep the law to whom
we gave no such commandment."
00:45:31.19\00:45:34.36
So you see, we've read some
of these, but let's put them
00:45:34.36\00:45:35.93
together... Verse
25- "It seemed good to us
00:45:35.96\00:45:38.90
being assembled with one
accord to send chosen men
00:45:38.93\00:45:41.70
with you with our
beloved Barnabas and Paul.
00:45:41.74\00:45:43.97
Men who have hazard their
lives for the name of Christ
00:45:44.01\00:45:47.84
our Lord Jesus Christ.
00:45:47.88\00:45:49.21
Notice verse 28...
For it seemed good and
00:45:49.24\00:45:51.11
you covered it well,
that the Holy Ghost and to us
00:45:51.15\00:45:54.32
to lay upon you no
greater burden than these
00:45:54.35\00:45:56.99
necessary things..." and
then it certainly goes down
00:45:57.05\00:45:59.82
to cover what you
just covered there nicely.
00:45:59.85\00:46:01.69
I like the point
where you were talking about
00:46:02.56\00:46:04.73
... they didn't want to
lay anymore on individual
00:46:04.76\00:46:08.53
new members
coming in as necessary,
00:46:08.56\00:46:11.00
and I certainly agree
with that nowadays too.
00:46:11.03\00:46:13.20
We have to be
careful when their coming in,
00:46:13.23\00:46:14.77
new members - that we
get them as the Holy Ghost
00:46:14.80\00:46:17.21
is feeding them and not
try to give them more than
00:46:17.24\00:46:19.64
they are able to
be able to accept.
00:46:19.67\00:46:21.71
We realize that this is the
first letter that was written
00:46:21.74\00:46:25.25
and certain that the council's
decision, they got together,
00:46:25.28\00:46:28.75
wrote this letter,
wrote all these things down.
00:46:28.78\00:46:31.52
The church
appointed two delegates,
00:46:31.55\00:46:33.09
I thought it was
very interesting,
00:46:33.12\00:46:34.62
they were going to
make sure it gets there,
00:46:34.66\00:46:36.06
two witnesses were going
to go along to make sure...
00:46:36.09\00:46:38.69
carry the letter to
confirm the contents
00:46:38.73\00:46:41.03
so there could
not be any mistakes.
00:46:41.06\00:46:42.80
Sometimes we're trustworthy
and we just may jot a little
00:46:42.83\00:46:46.60
note down and say,
"Take this and deliver it,"
00:46:46.63\00:46:48.40
and it gets
confusing that way sometimes.
00:46:48.44\00:46:50.87
So here it was down in
letter form; two men went to say
00:46:50.91\00:46:53.94
This is exactly what
the council agreed upon;
00:46:53.98\00:46:56.38
this is exactly
the way it was written,
00:46:56.41\00:46:58.05
and they were witnesses to that.
00:46:58.08\00:46:59.78
But once again, what happened?
00:46:59.81\00:47:01.35
You had the Judaizers
that has been spoken about,
00:47:01.38\00:47:03.42
here again, what did they do?
00:47:03.45\00:47:04.82
These were devout
converts of Judaism.
00:47:04.85\00:47:09.32
The King James - one of us
said there, "The Jews religion,"
00:47:09.36\00:47:13.26
so we have to be very
careful and it's kind of
00:47:13.29\00:47:14.73
an interesting
thought... Jew's religion.
00:47:14.76\00:47:16.26
So they were meeting together,
they're making sure all
00:47:16.30\00:47:19.70
was clear; they're after
this letter; they took it,
00:47:19.73\00:47:22.10
and they arrived
at their destination.
00:47:22.14\00:47:23.94
Acts 15:28... I like it
again. It says it summed it up.
00:47:24.01\00:47:27.61
Summed up to me was
their love for the Gentiles.
00:47:27.64\00:47:30.35
This is good, we have to
have love one for another.
00:47:30.38\00:47:32.01
All these other things
is useless without love
00:47:32.05\00:47:34.62
one for another; love for
God; love for our fellowman.
00:47:34.65\00:47:36.72
Now I think that this
said it as clear as anything
00:47:36.79\00:47:40.69
could be said because
they said, "Not wanting
00:47:40.76\00:47:42.69
to put too much upon them
00:47:42.72\00:47:44.13
at once, that
was then brought out.
00:47:44.16\00:47:45.49
Verse 28 reads...
"For it seemed good to the
00:47:45.56\00:47:47.86
Holy Ghost and to us to
lay upon you no greater burden
00:47:47.86\00:47:51.33
than the necessary things."
00:47:51.37\00:47:53.60
Now this goes along,
doesn't it, as we read
00:47:53.64\00:47:55.50
the Scripture about Jesus...
He promises the Holy Spirit.
00:47:55.54\00:47:59.21
The Holy Spirit is given
to us to guide His disciples
00:47:59.24\00:48:02.28
into John
16:13... "into all truth."
00:48:02.31\00:48:05.65
And so the Holy
Spirit then was active.
00:48:05.68\00:48:07.65
The Holy Spirit was
guiding upon the men,
00:48:07.68\00:48:09.58
but then the enemy
wants to come in too.
00:48:09.62\00:48:11.85
Luke speaks about
the Holy Ghost and about
00:48:11.89\00:48:14.19
being filled with the Spirit.
00:48:14.22\00:48:16.32
I noticed that the
council was real quick
00:48:17.66\00:48:19.56
to say the Holy Ghost
is leading and the question
00:48:19.59\00:48:22.80
came in my mind
really quick - how nice
00:48:22.83\00:48:24.70
that would be if always
that we could understand that
00:48:24.73\00:48:27.44
if, by the grace of God,
the Holy Spirit can be leading.
00:48:27.47\00:48:30.44
And should be
leading, but not all the time
00:48:30.51\00:48:32.84
we see it and hear it
as we studied - that the
00:48:32.87\00:48:35.18
Holy Ghost was
trying to get through.
00:48:35.21\00:48:36.58
The Holy Ghost wanted to
get through, but sometimes we
00:48:36.61\00:48:39.38
... maybe you guys
don't, but every once in a while
00:48:39.41\00:48:40.75
I get in the way and
the good Lord has to kind of
00:48:40.82\00:48:43.25
give a little
spanking and then, you know,
00:48:43.28\00:48:45.09
kind of draw us back to that.
00:48:45.12\00:48:47.36
We have always said, you know,
00:48:47.39\00:48:48.72
the Holy Spirit is leading,
guiding and directing...
00:48:48.76\00:48:50.73
How did the Antioch
Church here, quickly, just
00:48:50.76\00:48:52.86
react to this letter? I
thought it was interesting.
00:48:52.89\00:48:54.86
How did they
react? Acts 15:30-33,
00:48:54.93\00:48:58.17
I'll just do it here
and start with verse 30...
00:48:58.20\00:48:59.77
Acts 15:30 says...
"They came to Antioch,"
00:48:59.80\00:49:03.20
a large group of
believers came together.
00:49:03.24\00:49:05.34
We discussed part of
this, but maybe a few things
00:49:05.37\00:49:07.81
might be added here,
as we go to verse 31...
00:49:07.84\00:49:09.78
"When they had read the
epistle... they read the letter,
00:49:09.81\00:49:13.11
what did the people do?
00:49:13.15\00:49:14.48
And Ooo, they rejoiced!
00:49:14.52\00:49:15.88
Somebody got happy,
they were all getting happy.
00:49:15.92\00:49:17.72
You see, it was consolation
it was talking about here,
00:49:17.75\00:49:20.99
but the consolation was
felt by Jews and Gentiles alike,
00:49:21.02\00:49:24.16
is what I like...
that was the whole group.
00:49:24.19\00:49:26.29
And you could say, "Well why?"
Two things that came in my mind.
00:49:26.33\00:49:29.03
Why, but the Jews, they
would know on what basis
00:49:29.06\00:49:32.47
they could receive
the Gentiles. Right
00:49:32.50\00:49:35.50
That makes sense - now
they know they can accept them,
00:49:35.54\00:49:37.74
but it would be on this basis.
00:49:37.77\00:49:39.57
The Gentiles, because now
they were free from that yoke,
00:49:39.61\00:49:43.65
as it were, of the
ceremonies and the rituals,
00:49:43.68\00:49:46.01
and circumcisions,
so on and so forth.
00:49:46.05\00:49:48.18
So they felt the
freedom, we can join now because
00:49:48.22\00:49:50.62
it has been decided by
the council, but, you know,
00:49:50.69\00:49:53.66
there was a need of this letter
and I felt the bottom line
00:49:53.86\00:49:56.62
was the little crux of it
down there is just what we
00:49:56.66\00:49:59.26
talked about several times.
00:49:59.29\00:50:00.63
It was not necessarily
what they all should be doing...
00:50:00.70\00:50:03.97
it's what would be
expected of each group,
00:50:04.03\00:50:07.70
so that we'd get along well
in the church and that so, so,
00:50:07.74\00:50:10.81
to me, so very, very,
very, very important there.
00:50:10.87\00:50:13.74
The "Acts of the Apostles,"
p.197, I want read that
00:50:13.78\00:50:16.71
because I thought it was
kind of interesting here.
00:50:16.75\00:50:18.78
P.197... It says, "Even
the disciples were not all
00:50:18.81\00:50:21.62
prepared to accept willingly
the decision of the council.
00:50:21.65\00:50:26.62
Think about that one!
00:50:26.65\00:50:28.09
Not all, even the
disciples were not all prepared,
00:50:28.12\00:50:31.86
it didn't mean they were
not going to and they would,
00:50:31.89\00:50:33.96
but prepared to accept
the decision on the council.
00:50:34.00\00:50:37.40
Then you have... I
put "but" in my notes...
00:50:37.43\00:50:39.73
BUT there's always
something that goes on...
00:50:39.77\00:50:42.10
A man told me one
time, you know, God has His
00:50:42.14\00:50:45.01
lambs, right? But
they all follow Him, right?
00:50:45.04\00:50:49.51
And what is the goats?
00:50:49.54\00:50:51.45
The goats always
say, "I will but," right?
00:50:51.48\00:50:54.85
The lambs just follow,
the goats say, "I will, I will
00:50:54.88\00:50:57.89
BUT...so we don't want
to have that, but here even
00:50:57.92\00:51:00.36
in this lesson, there's always..
they wanted to go along,
00:51:00.39\00:51:03.83
yet they had difficulty
going along and then the "but"
00:51:03.86\00:51:06.59
comes in.. "Acts of
the Apostle, p.197, says...
00:51:06.63\00:51:09.36
"Broad and far-reaching
decisions of the General
00:51:09.40\00:51:13.00
Council brought confidence in
00:51:13.03\00:51:15.50
the ranks of the
Gentile believers."
00:51:15.54\00:51:18.27
So even though there were
some that are not quite willing,
00:51:18.31\00:51:20.08
yet it brought confidence
in the church and I don't know
00:51:20.14\00:51:23.81
about you, but I
think we need that... AMEN!
00:51:23.85\00:51:26.31
We need
confidence in our leadership.
00:51:26.35\00:51:27.75
We need
confidence in our pastor.
00:51:27.78\00:51:30.45
We need confidence in
one another that we're
00:51:30.49\00:51:33.02
trustworthy in
the name of Jesus.
00:51:33.05\00:51:34.92
See, I always say to
myself, "I don't trust myself."
00:51:34.96\00:51:37.39
In yourself, you
should always be honest,
00:51:37.43\00:51:39.43
but within ourselves,
we're not trustworthy.
00:51:39.46\00:51:41.76
But it's only the Holy
Spirit that lives in us,
00:51:41.80\00:51:43.90
then by the grace of
God we become trustworthy,
00:51:43.93\00:51:47.07
and that's very needed
in the church and today.
00:51:47.10\00:51:50.67
There's another
problem that rose up,
00:51:50.74\00:51:52.71
"Acts of the
Apostle," p.196, says...
00:51:52.74\00:51:54.21
"The entire body... notice this,
of Christians was not called
00:51:54.24\00:51:58.41
to vote upon the question."
00:51:58.45\00:51:59.81
Remember, many were involved,
multiple people were involved,
00:51:59.85\00:52:02.45
and we read that and
everybody was talking about it,
00:52:02.48\00:52:04.55
but notice, "The entire body
of the Christians was not called
00:52:04.59\00:52:07.99
to vote upon the question.
00:52:08.02\00:52:09.69
The apostles and the
elders, the men of influence and
00:52:09.72\00:52:13.63
judgment framed
and issued the decree."
00:52:13.70\00:52:16.97
So they wrote the letter
and they didn't get everybody,
00:52:17.03\00:52:19.63
so what do you think happened?
00:52:19.67\00:52:21.14
Some got upset!
00:52:21.17\00:52:23.91
You see, so no matter
how you handle things,
00:52:23.97\00:52:27.44
sometimes you're going
to have little issues here.
00:52:27.48\00:52:30.01
The letter was
framed, but framed nicely,
00:52:30.05\00:52:32.21
and it made it
clear, everybody could know.
00:52:32.25\00:52:34.22
But some of the
church members, they thought
00:52:34.28\00:52:36.42
they were left out because
they did not get the vote.
00:52:36.45\00:52:39.12
There was counsel, there was
a lot of talking that went on,
00:52:39.15\00:52:41.79
but when it came
down to the actual letter,
00:52:41.82\00:52:43.99
and I'm not saying
that was wrong, you know,
00:52:44.03\00:52:46.13
there was a certain
group, comes down here,
00:52:46.16\00:52:47.96
council gets together sometime
and then leaves 1 or 2 or 3
00:52:48.00\00:52:50.80
to finish it out
and to get it going.
00:52:50.83\00:52:52.87
And notice this,
and what did they do?
00:52:52.90\00:52:55.20
This is the sad part.
It's sometime when you
00:52:55.24\00:52:57.84
don't agree, we don't
just set out and say, "Well I
00:52:57.87\00:53:00.41
don't understand it
and maybe try to find out.
00:53:00.48\00:53:02.91
What we try to do is
try to destroy the work
00:53:02.94\00:53:04.91
of those who God is
leading. That's true.
00:53:04.95\00:53:07.35
See and that causes division.
00:53:07.42\00:53:08.75
They tried to destroy
them, destroy their character,
00:53:08.78\00:53:10.69
destroy their work,
rather than leaving it
00:53:10.72\00:53:12.92
alone and/or going to
the proper source and trying
00:53:12.95\00:53:16.16
to sit down and talk
and say, "Now why didn't we
00:53:16.19\00:53:18.69
maybe get a vote in this thing."
00:53:18.73\00:53:20.33
There are ways to handle
it that would be pleasing
00:53:20.40\00:53:22.20
and I believe in
the sight of God.
00:53:22.23\00:53:23.57
Bottom line - This
is it, bottom line...
00:53:23.63\00:53:26.07
We just
mentioned it several times.
00:53:26.10\00:53:27.70
When the letter was read,
the CHURCH was filled with
00:53:27.74\00:53:31.24
great joy because of
the encouraging message.
00:53:31.27\00:53:35.08
and I believe today, we
have a lot of good - don't you?
00:53:35.11\00:53:38.01
encouraging messages
and it would be good if we
00:53:38.05\00:53:40.58
really get down on
those encouraging messages.
00:53:40.62\00:53:43.18
To get the people on
fire, let's fall in love with
00:53:43.22\00:53:45.89
Jesus again - this
is what it's all about.
00:53:45.92\00:53:48.82
We'll be reading - I'm
reading one from here, a letter,
00:53:48.86\00:53:51.23
from Jesus Christ - let's
read that letter and let's
00:53:51.26\00:53:53.56
follow it by the grace of
God, and one of these days
00:53:53.60\00:53:55.93
we'll be able to be
in the kingdom together.
00:53:55.96\00:53:57.40
Won't that be wonderful? AMEN!
00:53:57.43\00:53:58.77
No division, no separation,
but all together. Amen!
00:53:58.80\00:54:02.34
Thank you so
much, Kenny, you made
00:54:02.37\00:54:04.21
some excellent statements.
00:54:04.31\00:54:05.87
I've enjoyed so much
this study and CA, I really
00:54:05.91\00:54:09.94
appreciate that you
brought out the fact that
00:54:09.98\00:54:12.48
Abraham had already entered
into the everlasting covenant
00:54:12.51\00:54:17.62
with God... He was justified
by faith, the Bible says,
00:54:17.65\00:54:22.62
"before circumcision."
00:54:22.66\00:54:24.23
Circumcision was just
a sign of that covenant.
00:54:24.26\00:54:28.06
Give us a little
re-cap on yours - one thought.
00:54:28.86\00:54:32.37
One thought - Before we do
anything, we must be in Christ.
00:54:32.40\00:54:38.24
The Jewish religion was a
"do religion," the religion that
00:54:38.27\00:54:41.38
Christ inaugurated
was a "BE" religion,
00:54:41.41\00:54:44.68
we must BE in Christ
Jesus. Amen! Amen I love that!
00:54:44.71\00:54:48.58
And Jill, when you were
talking about the church,
00:54:48.62\00:54:52.45
I liked the way you presented
that with these were the
00:54:52.49\00:54:56.16
seven things that took
them to that decision-making
00:54:56.19\00:54:58.93
we might ought to add
prayer there because if the Holy
00:54:58.96\00:55:03.26
Spirit, verse 28,
was leading them, I think
00:55:03.30\00:55:05.90
that was it, but give us
a little re-cap of yours.
00:55:05.93\00:55:10.01
I would say, "Don't
be afraid of discussion."
00:55:10.04\00:55:13.27
Don't be afraid if maybe
you have a differing viewpoint
00:55:13.31\00:55:16.58
from someone else,
sit down, pray together,
00:55:16.61\00:55:18.88
study the word of God
and know that God can bring
00:55:18.91\00:55:21.95
you into agreement.
00:55:21.98\00:55:23.69
Amen and Amen!
00:55:23.72\00:55:25.12
And Mollie when you
were sharing about the
00:55:25.15\00:55:28.96
four prohibitions, #3
being dietary, I think some
00:55:28.99\00:55:32.63
of us are old enough...
I mean you and I came out
00:55:32.66\00:55:35.70
of a different denomination,
but I remember very clearly
00:55:35.73\00:55:40.00
being taught - we
weren't taught that you couldn't
00:55:40.04\00:55:42.94
eat meat, but, boy if you
didn't have it well-done and if
00:55:42.97\00:55:46.57
you ate it with the
blood in it, it was a sin,
00:55:46.64\00:55:49.88
and because God said
that "Life is in the blood,"
00:55:49.91\00:55:53.48
so that's been a dietary
restriction throughout the
00:55:53.52\00:55:57.59
entire Bible.
00:55:57.62\00:55:58.95
Give us a
little re-cap on yours.
00:55:58.99\00:56:01.19
Well I'm thinking of
"If it's in the word of God,
00:56:01.22\00:56:05.06
we're to accept it and I
will do it if God says it.
00:56:05.09\00:56:08.33
It's not God said
it, I believe it...
00:56:08.36\00:56:10.87
and I'll stand by it...
00:56:11.67\00:56:13.64
It's God said it, and
that settles it! There you go!
00:56:13.67\00:56:15.54
If God says it,
don't second guess God.
00:56:16.07\00:56:19.74
He knows what He's
talking about. Amen!
00:56:19.77\00:56:22.41
And then what you were saying
Kenny... you know you think
00:56:22.44\00:56:25.45
about here in AD 49 probably,
the first General Council
00:56:25.48\00:56:31.05
of the Christian
Church was held in Jerusalem,
00:56:31.09\00:56:35.12
but I like so much what
you said when you were talking
00:56:35.16\00:56:38.33
about the fact that...
not everybody got a vote,
00:56:38.36\00:56:41.00
the leaders got the vote
because it wasn't a democracy,
00:56:41.03\00:56:44.83
it was people who were
following the Holy Spirit
00:56:44.87\00:56:48.20
who had that maturity,
who knew what God wanted.
00:56:48.24\00:56:52.54
Give us a re-cap on that.
00:56:52.57\00:56:53.94
Amen, I think it just
goes back it to what we
00:56:53.98\00:56:55.31
talked about in verse
28, "For it seemeth good
00:56:55.34\00:56:58.51
to the Holy
Ghost and to us." Amen!
00:56:58.55\00:57:00.85
If we keep it with the
Holy Ghost and with us,
00:57:00.88\00:57:02.72
by the grace of God,
it's going to work out.
00:57:02.75\00:57:04.22
Amen and I just have to
finish with this and that is
00:57:04.25\00:57:06.79
Galatians
5:4... "You have become
00:57:06.82\00:57:10.16
estranged from
Christ, you who attempt to be
00:57:10.19\00:57:13.19
justified by law you
have fallen from grace."
00:57:13.23\00:57:17.37
We never want
to fall from grace.
00:57:17.40\00:57:19.50
Everything that we're studying
is about the love of God
00:57:19.53\00:57:22.87
and the grace of
God, and a wonderful
00:57:22.90\00:57:25.84
Savior, Jesus Christ.
00:57:25.87\00:57:27.21
Join us next
week as we go again.
00:57:27.28\00:57:30.38