Essentials Of The Faith / Sunday Morning Sermon Series / Acts: Enlarging Our Vision
By Resolving our Differences 03/08/09
Sermon Series: Acts: Enlarging our Vision
Title: ‘By resolving our differences’ Text: Acts 15
Introduction: Augustine, one of the early Church Fathers and a brilliant theologian, once said ‘Lord, deliver me from the lust of vindicating myself.’
· What Augustine was speaking of was his obsession to always be right and to let other know when they are wrong.
Augustine was a wise and discerning Christian. I only hope we would make his prayer request…ours, as each of us struggle with our part in disagreements.
ILL: Two boys were fighting and one was on top of the other. Finally, the mother of the boy who was on top came out and called her son. He hit the boy on the bottom a few more times and then spit in his eye. His mother said to him, “Why do you fight all the time? It must be the devil in you.” After a little thought, the boy replied, “It may be the devil in me that makes me fight, but spitting in that guy’s eye was my own idea.” (Steve Shepherd)
The boy was honest…we all contribute to disagreements.
Background: And disagreements are going to happen. It’s human nature to disagree because we are different people, with different backgrounds, different beliefs and wired, by God, differently. Understand, however, disagreements are not all bad. It is only when we become disagreeable that sin enters in.
Transition: The early church had a major disagreement on theology but they were able to handle it without being disagreeable. Open your Bibles to Acts 15:1 for it’s there we’ll discover we enlarge our vision of God by resolving our differences.
I. Acts 15:1-21 A difference of theology
There is a lot going on in that passage so I will break it down in bite size pieces so we can get a grasp on what God wants us to see here.
Acts 15:1-2a The disagreement
Read: Acts 15:1-2a
· Paul and Barnabas are back in Antioch and were continuing to teach and encourage the Christians there.
· Some men from Judea (Jewish Christians) visited the church in Antioch and began to tell people that in order to be a ‘real’ Christian, in order to be ‘truly’ saved they must be circumcised, and follow the Law of Moses.
· This didn’t go over well with the new Gentile converts…especially the men I would think.
· Paul and Barnabas, stand up to defend the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the work of Grace that leads to salvation.
I have spoken about this before. These men were teaching a Grace + = salvation. Here it’s
· Grace + Circumcision = salvation.
Today it’s
· Grace + Works = salvation
· Grace + Tongues = salvation
· Grace + Sings and Wonders = salvation.
Anytime it’s Grace + anything, we pollute the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that’s what Paul and Barnabas stood against.
Since the church in Antioch looked to the church in Jerusalem for guidance, they sent a delegation to Jerusalem to have the Apostles and Elders there make a decision on this matter of theology.
Understand, this was no small matter. This disagreement had eternal consequences for those who place their faith in Jesus for Salvation.
Acts 15:2b-12 The discussion
Read: Acts 15:2b-12
· When they arrived at the church in Jerusalem, a group of believers who were formally Pharisees said that all Gentile Christians must be circumcised and obey the Law of Moses to be truly saved. In other words, to be a Christian you must first convert to Judaism.
· Peter, Paul and Barnabas, let the opposition speak without interruption and then spoke about what God did and said, not what they thought and felt. They kept the focus on God’s story.
· Then Peter says something that is as relevant today as it was then.
Read: Acts 15:10
That’s the definition of legalism. Saying that Christians must do this or that to be ‘mature’ or ‘complete’…when the ‘this or that’ is not directed by God.
I have spoken about legalism before so let me just remind you that God’s Word is against it in all it’s forms…even when it’s well meaning and sincere, as I think these Jewish Christians were.
‘No’…Peter concludes. We it’s through the grace of our lord Jesus that we (the Jews) are saved, just as they (the Gentiles) are saved. In other words, Salvation is the same for everyone…by God’s grace alone…plus nothing. It is in Christ alone that we all face eternity.
Acts 15:13-21 The decision
Read: Acts 15:13-21
James, the half-brother of Jesus and the leader of the Jerusalem church speaks and his decision is wise and godly based on Scripture.
· He quotes Amos 9:11-12 where God says he will restore Israel and include the Gentiles as part of those who will ‘bear his name.’ James saw the big picture of God’s story in the OT Scriptures. The Gentiles will be joined with the Jews as God’s people.
· James agrees with Peter and says that they should not make it hard for the Gentiles to come to faith in Jesus. That meant… salvation is by faith alone…circumcision is not necessary, they don’t have to be convert to Judaism.
· But. Then he says there are a few requirements and I will look at them shortly.
Transition: The discussion was over. The disagreement, done for at least this moment in church history. And notice, no one left the church. Because all during the disagreement, the focus was on God, not on self. What happens next?
II. Acts 15:22-35 Resolving our differences
Read: Acts 15:22-35
The Apostles and Elders in the Jerusalem church decide to send a letter to the leaders in the Antioch church concerning the details of what they had decided.
· They began by saying they did not approve of nor authorize those who came and spoke to them about circumcision and salvation….an apology of sorts.
· By saying ‘it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following…’ He was implying that salvation was by God’s grace alone.
· That’s the theological part. But there was more at stake than just theology…and that was the new and ongoing relationship between the Gentiles and Jews as brothers and sisters in Christ.
· James gave 4 requirements for the Gentile Christians to follow:
-Abstain from eating food sacrificed to idols.
-Abstain from eating blood
-Abstain from eating the meat of animals who had
been strangled.
-Abstain from sexual immorality.
But Pastor Bob, aren’t those requirements still legalism? If we are free in Christ, why must we follow these rules that have nothing to do with us? Actually, they are good questions and I want to answer them…briefly.
· I believe what James was asking them to be sensitive to our differences.
· These requirements were not so much theological as they were practical.
· The first three of the requirements were based in Jewish tradition dating back to the time of Moses…eating food sacrificed to idols, eating blood, eating meat of animals who had been strangled.
· Refrain from eating them, especially when you are around a Jewish brother or sister in Christ.
· I get the feeling the Jerusalem Council was the basis for Paul’s comment in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23?
Read: 1 Corinthians 9:19-23
· So often in our disagreements we focus on our own needs and desires and we fail to see things from the other persons perspectives. This refusal to consider needs and desires only escalates the disagreement.
· The Gentile Christians were being asked to give up their ‘rights’ not of follow Mosaic Law in order to develop and nurture a healthy relationship with the Jewish Christians.
· Love…concern…kindness…goodness…self-control are all reasons James asked the Gentile Christians in Antioch to follow these requirements. Perhaps something else Paul learned from this as evidenced by what he wrote to the Galatian Church.
· The last requirement, sexual immorality, was added, I believe, because the Gentiles often used sex as part of their worship to their gods. James wanted to remind them that’s not how God is to be worshipped….
whether it’s in the church or outside the
church in their daily lives, sexual immorality
is not godly.
Transition: Well, on dispute resolved…only to find another one of a more personal nature.
III. Acts 15:36-38 A difference of opinion
Read: Acts 15:36-38
Disagreements between people, even godly people, are going to happen.
Paul was in Antioch for a long time and was getting antsy to return to the mission field, that was where his heart was. He and Barnabas discuss their plans and Barnabas’ plans included John Mark. Paul’s didn’t.
The text says they had a ‘sharp disagreement’ and that because of it they chose to go their own way.
Who was right?
· Paul’s vision was for the lost and he wanted servants who shared that vision…it seemed John Mark, at this time ,did not have that vision.
· Barnabas’ vision had always been to encourage the saints…John Mark being one of the saints that needed encouraging.
Thus the disagreement.
Transition: This wasn’t a theological dispute, it was a difference of opinion personality difference. And even personal differences need to be resolved for God to be honored in the Christians life.
IV. Acts 15:39-41 Resolving our differences
Read: Acts 15:39-41
I don’t think the purpose of this passage was to show us the right way to resolve our differences. Paul and Barnabas choose to leave rather than come to a meeting of the minds. Paul and Barnabas were imperfect men who I think made a bad choice on how to handle the disagreement.
But, God used it anyway for his glory. And that’s the point. Instead of one group of 2 people heading out to the mission field, there were now two groups of 2…4 total.
God used their disagreement to double the missionaries on the field.
And notice neither Paul or Barnabas stopped serving the Lord, even though they had a strong disagreement with each other. Can we find some personal application there?
Conclusion
So, how can we resolve our differences, in the home, between friends and even in the church in a God honoring way? By following the example in the text today.
1: All Christians worship the same Lord we don’t always agree on every point.
2: On issues of deep personal conviction, our disagreements will sometimes be very sharp.
3: If we must separate from one another, let us do so with respect, not with bitterness.
4: God’s work is sometimes advanced through disagreement.
5: In Christ our ultimate goal should be eventual reconciliation and the restoration of friendship.
6: Hold your convictions firmly yet graciously knowing that God may lead someone else differently than He has led you.
7. Pray for God’s guidance.
8. Search God’s Word.
9. Seek godly counsel.
10. Be willing to give up your ‘rights’ for sake of developing and
nurturing healthy relationships.