These are the original teaching notes from this passage.
- Anointed by God…
- Not done…
- Jews from Antioch and Iconian came to Lystra – and stirred up the crowd against Paul…
- The same crowd who Paul hardly kept from SACRIFICING to him [healed a lame man]
- Yet the Jews were able to quickly convince them to STONE Paul to death…
- But as the DISCIPLES were gathered around him he was RESURRECTED [ἀνίστημι]
- And went BACK into the city – to the very people that had just KILLED him…
- I am sure Paul felt almost invincible – even DEATH could NOT stop him…
- And I have to imagine Paul was FIRED up – because he had just seen HEAVEN!
- Finishing the Work…
- Paul then went back to all the cities to STRENGTHEN [ἐπιστηρίζω] the disciples…
- Telling them to CONTINUALLY [μένω] live by faith [πίστις]
- The way they would learn to ABIDE was through many TRIBULATIONS [θλῖψις]
- Paul had just been STONED to death – following Jesus was NOT easy…
- But he was also POOF [resurrected] that God had power – even over death…
- He then APPOINTED [ordained] elders in every church…
- Not PICKING leaders – but recognizing the work God was already doing in them…
- And then went back to Antioch to share all God had done on the FIRST missionary journey!
- Not done…
- 1st – Questioning Grace… vs. 1-2
- 1st – The Law… vs. 1
- Galatians…
- Paul and Barnabas stayed [imperfect] a LONG time in Antioch – Acts 14:28
- Likely they returned from their FIRST trip around 49 A.D.
- The events of Acts 15 take place about a YEAR later…
- It was during this YEAR – that Paul wrote his FIRST letter [Galatians]
- Galatia is NOT a city – it is a REGION encompassing many cities from the FIRST missions trip…
- So Paul was writing to encourage those who had gotten saved to continue to walk in GRACE…
- Warning them NOT fall back into living by the LAW!
- Galatians 5:1 – “Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free and do not get tied up again in slavery to the law.” [NLT]
- When we FIRST come to Jesus – the thought of Grace is amazing…
- We are SAVED not because of what we have DONE – but what Jesus did – Ephesians 2:8-9
- But what inevitably happens – is our PRIDE creeps back in…
- We FORGET about GRACE – and start to fall back into RULES…
- And then insist other also follow our SELF righteous standards…
- This LEGALISM has always been a major issue withing in the church!
- Circumcision…
- Certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren:
- Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses you cannot be saved!
- Countless GENTILES had come to faith in Jesus Christ on the FIRST missionary journey…
- Everyone in the church in Antioch was EXCITED to hear the good news…
- But there were some Jews from Judea – who were NOT happy…
- They came teaching [imperfect] – the power [δύναμαι] of salvation came from the LAW…
- If Gentiles were [subjuntive] not CIRCUMCISED according to Moses – they could NOT be saved!
- When Abraham was NINETY years old – God gave him a PROMISE…
- He would be the FATHER of MANY nations [Isaac had NOT been born] – Genesis 17:4
- The PROOF of that PROMISE – was the covenant of CIRCUMCISION – Genesis 17:12
- It was meant to show how the JEWS were NOT to follow the FLESH [sinful nature]
- Repeated in the Law of Moses [2 places] – Exodus 12:48 – Leviticus 12:3
- This became the SIGN for the JEWS of who was allowed to be SAVED!
- The Symbol…
- But CIRCUMCISION was never meant to SAVE anyone…
- There is NO ritual [baptism] – or RELIGION that can get us to heaven…
- It was meant to be a SYMBOL – of cutting off our sinful life!
- There is a reason why sins bothers us NOW when it did NOT used to…
- We have been CIRCUMCISED in our heart – that is the SIGN that we are SAVED!
- Colossians 2:11 – “When you came to Christ you were circumcised – but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision – the cutting away of your sinful nature.” [NLT]
- 2nd – Looking for answers… vs. 2
- The discussion…
- Therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them.
- They determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them…
- Should go up to Jerusalem – to the apostles and elders – about this question!
- Therefore [οὖν] – Paul and Barnabas had NO small DISCUSSION with them…
- DISCUSSION [συζήτησις] – to come together [σύν] to seek a solution [ζητέω]
- But in spite of their DISCUSSION – they could NOT agree on the answer…
- So they decided it best to send Paul and Barnabas – and others [ἄλλος] like them…
- Up to the Apostles and Elders in Jerusalem to find the answers to this QUESTION [ζήτημα]!
- Seeking wisdom…
- This was NOT the first time this issue had come up…
- Immediately after Peter came back from the house of CORNELIUS…
- There were those of the CIRCUMCISION who argued with him – Acts 11:2
- Therefore it was NOT something that could be easily resolved in Antioch…
- The wisdom was to come together with everyone involved and seek wisdom from God!
- When [not if] we have a CONFLICT with someone…
- We are commanded [imperative] to go and CONFRONT that person – Matthew 18:15-17
- But if we are NOT able to resolve the issue – we cannot agree…
- Then we are to bring the problem to others [pastors] to help find the answer…
- So that together we can seek WISDOM from the Lord!
- James 1:5 – “[Since we lack] wisdom [we must] ask of God who gives to all liberally.”
- 1st – The Law… vs. 1
- 2nd – The argument… vs. 3-5
- 1st – Great Joy… vs. 3
- The contrast…
- Being sent on their way by the church they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria.
- Describing the conversion of the Gentiles – and they caused great joy to all the brethren!
- Therefore [οὖν] – Paul and Barnabas were sent out [passive] by the church…
- As they passed [imperfect] the regions of Phoenicia [Lebanon] and Samaria [Northern Israel]
- They declared the how the NATIONS [ἔθνος] had TURNED [ἐπιστροφὴν] to God…
- The REPORT brought great [μέγας] JOY [χαρά] to all the churches who heard!
- Note the CONTRAST – the Jews who came teaching RULES brought confusion…
- But Paul and Barnabas who taught GRACE – brough JOY!
- Problem with Rules…
- Romans 7:14 – “The trouble is not with the law… the trouble is with me for I am a slave to sin.”
- The problem with RULES [the Law] – is they do NOT make us righteous!
- Typically when we hear how to be a GOOD Christian we are given RULES…
- Read our Bible – go to church – pray every day – stay away from BAD people!
- These are GOOD things – but following RULES does not make us RIGHTEOUS…
- We are NOT a better person if we read our Bible today – or worse if we do NOT!
- The danger of these RULES is they CANNOT change our hearts – Colossians 2:21-23
- If we try and follow rules they may change the outside – but it is superficial!
- Matthew 23:27 – “Like whitewashed tombs -beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead mens bones.”
- Our failure…
- Romans 7:15 – “What I am doing I do not understand. For what I will to do – that I do not practice. But what I hate – that I do.”
- Believers SHOULD be living the life the law of Moses describes…
- But a bunch of rules CANNOT give us the power to live that holy life for God!
- All of us know GOOD from BAD – we know what God says we should be doing…
- Those rules are GOOD – but we are NOT able to follow them…
- We WANT to do the right things – but inevitably we FAIL!
- We are the Problem…
- Romans 7:18 – “I know that nothing good lives in me – that is in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right – but I cannot.” [NLT]
- We do what we know is SIN – because we WANT to – NO one forces us…
- We do NOT what we know is GOOD – because we do NOT want to…
- And the challenge is we CANNOT change our heart [how can we change what we WANT]
- Only Jesus can bring lasting change – a transformed HEART and new life…
- Which is why only the Gospel of GRACE bring true Joy!
- II Corinthians 3:6 – “This is a covenant not of written laws – but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death – but under the new covenant the Spirit gives life.” [NLT]
- 2nd – Mixed Greeting… vs. 4-5
- The church… vs. 4
- When they had come to Jerusalem they were received by the church…
- The apostles and the elders – and they reported all things that God had done with them!
- When they came to Jerusalem – EVERYONE warming received them…
- The CHURCH [ἐκκλησία] – the APOSTLES [ἀπόστολος] – and the ELDERS [πρεσβύτερος]
- Then Paul shared about the work God had done with them on the FIRST missionary journey!
- The Pharisees… vs. 5
- But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up saying:
- It is necessary to circumcise them – and to command them to keep the law of Moses!
- The MAJORITY of the church was excited to hear the report…
- But there were SOME of the SECT [αἵρεσις] of the PHARISEES who stood up…
- They insisted [present] – that Gentiles were commanded to be CIRCUMCISED…
- And they also needed to KEEP the LAW [τὸν νόμον] of Moses!
- After the Jews gained independence from the Seleucids [Antiochus Epiphanes]
- There was a debate on how to remain HOLY in a Hellenistic world [160 B.C.]
- A group of men began to teach strict observance of the Law [תּוֹרָה]
- This was the beginning of the PHARISEES [פָּרַשׁ] – set apart…
- They rose up in contrast to the liberal SADDUCEES who dominated the priesthood…
- This group now saw the freedom in the Gospel – and they did NOT like it…
- They felt obligated to kept the LAW – so in their mind EVERYONE else had to as well!
- There are people who are convinced they have to go to church on a particular day…
- Or convinced that they need to give 10% of their money to the church…
- And since they think God expects them to obey – they expect others to also…
- Yet these are CONVICTIONS – or TRADITIONS – and not NT commands from God…
- And obeying them does NOT make someone a BETTER Christian!
- 1st – Great Joy… vs. 3
- 3rd – The Gospel… vs. 6-12
- 1st – The Word… vs. 6
- Consider…
- Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter!
- The Apostles and Elders came together to LOOK [ὁράω] at the WORD [τοῦ λόγου]
- It was NOT about what Paul and Barnabas thought was right…
- Or what the PHARISEES had historically believed was correct…
- The APOSTLES and ELDERS wanted to look at what the WORD said!
- The purpose…
- Romans 7:7 – “I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said: You shall not covet.”
- The commands of Moses have their place – but it is NOT for salvation…
- The purpose of the LAW – is to show we are SINNERS that need Jesus!
- A lot of people who think they are GOOD because they follow RULES…
- But if we did KNOW the LAW – we KNOW are NOT good…
- The LAW is the mirror that shows us the sinners we truly are!
- The standard…
- James 2:10 – “Whoever keeps the law – yet stumble in one point – is guilty of all.”
- People are able to keep most of the rules – most of the time…
- But the command is to keep ALL the rules ALL the time – Matthew 5:48
- It only takes ONE sin to keep you out of heaven…
- God standard for heaven is perfection – not even ONE sin…
- When we understand His STANDARD – we see our need for Jesus!
- Galatians 3:24 – “The law was our tutor to bring us to Christ.”
- Because it is NOT being a SINNER [we all are] that keeps us from heaven – Romans 3:23
- It is rejecting the SOLUTION for sin that God provided in Jesus Christ…
- We are SAVED by believing in the sacrifice that Jesus made for our sin on the cross…
- We do NOT earn our way to Heaven – it is a GIFT to those who believe in Jesus!
- Ephesians 2:8-9 – “By grace you have are saved through faith… it is the gift of God.”
- 2nd – One Way… vs. 7-9
- The message… vs. 7
- When there had been much dispute Peter rose up and said to them:
- Men and brethren you know that a good while ago God chose among us.
- That by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe!
- After much [πολύς] DISCUSSION [συζήτησις] – Peter stood up [final time he appears in Acts]
- He had been used by God to bring Jesus to the gentles [Cornelius] – Acts 10:34-43
- He did so by giving him the GOSPEL – not the LAW of Moses!
- The emphasis of his message was the death – burial – and resurrection of Jesus…
- What Peter NEVER mentioned was CIRCUMCISION or the LAW!
- The evidence… vs. 8-9
- God who knows the heart acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirt.
- Just as He did to us – and made no distinction between us – purifying their hearts by faith!
- Peter went on to give the EVIDENCE the GENTILES had been saved…
- Because God who KNOWS [γινώσκω] what is in the heart [καρδία]
- Gave the GENTILES His HOLY Spirit – just as He had for the Jews on Pentecost – Acts 2:4
- JUDGING [διακρίνω] them as NO different from the Jews – by FAITH purifying their hearts!
- We are NOT saved by keeping the LAW…
- But if we are SAVED we will be able to tell – by the FRUIT comes from our life…
- It is easy to SAY we have faith in Jesus – but the proof is in our ACTIONS…
- If God has truly PURIFIED our heart by FAITH – we will SEE the difference!
- James 2:18 – “How can you show me your faith if you do not have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”
- 3rd – Heavy Burden… vs. 10
- The yoke…
- Now therefore why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples.
- Which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear!
- Peter asked why the PHARISEES – why they wanted to TEMP [πειράζω] God…
- By putting the YOKE of the LAW of the neck of the DISCIPLES [μαθητής]
- Which the FATHERS had NEVER been able to live up to the standard of the LAW…
- And neither had ANY of the men who were there at the meeting…
- So why would they want to place that IMPOSSIBLE standard on the others!
- Impossible…
- If I told you the ONLY way to heaven was to swim across the Ocean…
- The FIRST question you would want to ask – did you swim across yet…
- If I was unable to keep my own rules – why would you want to follow them!
- Matthew 23:4-5 – “They bind heavy burdens – hard to bear – lay them on mens shoulders – but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.”
- Many churches today suffer from HYPOCRISY – living a double standard…
- From the pulpit you hear the message of HOLINESS…
- But practically the people listening – even the pastors – live just like the WORLD…
- If even they cannot live up to the message – obviously it does not work!
- 4th– Grace of God… vs. 11-12
- One way… vs. 11
- We believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
- We shall be saved in the same manner as they!
- BUT [ἀλλά] – through the GRACE [χάρις] of our LORD [κύριος] Jesus Christ [following Greek]
- We believe [πιστεύω] – we are SAVED just like them…
- Because NOT only did the GENTILES not need to become JEWS to be saved…
- It was the JEWS who had to be saved – just like the GENTILES – through GRACE…
- That was the END of the discussion – there were NO more arguments!
- Testimonies… vs. 12
- Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring.
- How many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles!
- Then EVERYONE [πᾶς] went silent [including the Pharisees]
- As they continually [imperfect] LISTENED [ἀκούω] to Barnabas and Paul…
- Hearing about the MIRACLES and WONDERS God had done among the NATIONS [ἔθνος]
- Not by preaching RELIGION – or giving people a list of RULES…
- But through the power of the Gospel of GRACE!
- Think of how foolish it would look – to see a TRUCK pushing a TRAILER
- The moment we saw it we would say they have it BACKWARDS!
- Yet so many Christians today are doing just that…
- They think the GOOD things they do – are going to make the grow…
- But it is NOT reading our Bible – or going to church – that matures us…
- We grow in Jesus by GRACE – through the power of His Spirit – Romans 8:1
- He changes our hearts – so that we WANT to do good things!
- 1st – The Word… vs. 6