Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Have you discovered the advances we have made with “Walking with Jesus” over the past few months, particularly with the amazing era-accurate, customized photos, maps and videos which parallel the narration of our experience in the Bible each day? It amazes me as I watch what our “WWJ” team is producing daily and I hope it is very helpful to your understanding of the Bible, and especially for those of you using “WWJ” as a key resource for your spiritual discipleship and teaching of other people in various settings around the world.
It’s all found when you click on the white triangle in the middle of the opening picture each day. We welcome your comments about how this technology is expanding your Bible experience. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, our team is spending several hours each day to make our experience in the Bible as realistic and helpful as we possibly can.
Yesterday I left you in Jerusalem as the famous “Jerusalem Council” concluded with agreement that God’s Salvation plan, accomplished by Jesus Christ’s teachings, His atonement death and resurrection, is intended by God to be made EQUALLY available to all people of the world, Jew and Gentile, in every generation. And furthermore, as Paul later wrote, God’s Salvation of any person is ONLY and TOTALLY a work of God. “For by GRACE you are saved, through faith, and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works so that no one can boast.” (Eph. 2:8,9)
Pause. No matter where you are in the world, or what religious/spiritual background you have, what value do you place upon the miraculous Redemption Plan of God, made available to you and every person at no financial cost, no extreme human effort? God Himself has done EVERYTHING that makes possible our sin forgiveness, our adoption into God’s family, our indwelling by the Holy Spirit, our new life in Jesus Christ, and our assurance of eternity in heaven with God!
No other religion or spiritual experience comes anywhere close to what Jesus has made possible for you and me, my friends. What is the evidence that you embrace this great truth and that you prioritize nurturing your relationship with Jesus?
For the people of ‘Roman empire first century’, this was radical, for it dismissed the notion that Gentiles must be circumcised and abide by the Jewish Mosaic law in order to be eligible for salvation earned and offered by Jesus Christ. That decisive message needed to be communicated to all places where the Gospel message had already reached in those early years, so the leaders of this historic Jerusalem meeting sent some of their own, two men, Silas and Barsabas, with Paul and Barnabas as they returned to Syrian Antioch with this exciting news. (Acts 15:22,23)
Pause again. This matter of Gentiles needing to succumb to Jewish religious law or customs is probably not the issue confusing people or keeping them away from trusting the Gospel of Jesus in your part of the world, in 2026.
So, what are the major spiritual barriers in your world at this time? Do you understand your community, your society well enough that you can identify and explain WHY so many people in your city have no interest in, or maybe even reject the salvation offered by God through Jesus Christ? Why is that my friends?
Now, back to Jerusalem in about 48ad. I urge you to remember my friends, that the New Testament, as you and I have it, was NOT YET WRITTEN at that time! That first generation of Christians were figuring out how to live this new life Jesus had spoken about, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and that’s why the apostles were so vitally important in these early years.
Do you remember this promise Jesus made to His disciples: “The Holy Spirit…will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:26) Those who had been with Jesus were vital to the accurate and faithful teaching of the truths about Jesus.
Pause. Even though we have a complete Bible, do you and I understand how important it is that we LIVE a Holy Spirit filled Christian life, but also that we communicate accurately and clearly the Gospel of Jesus, answering the questions of our world in our generation, so they can know Jesus and His truth? How do you respond when someone asks you a spiritual question?
Acts 15:23-29 is the letter Paul, Barnabas, Silas and Barsabas took to the Christians in Syrian Antioch. I notice an interesting phrase in the letter: “our dear friends Barnabas and Paul – men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Acts 15:25,26) It’s true, as we saw when we traveled with Paul and Barnabas, especially in the town of Lystra, where Paul was stoned and left for dead. (Acts 14:19) These men did risk their lives by proclaiming the truth of Jesus.
WHY? WHY, both then and now, is there opposition, sometimes violent opposition, to the most wonderful news of all time…freedom from our sin and an abundant life with Jesus Christ now and for all time? May I offer two answers:
First... 2 Corinthians 4:4 says “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the Gospel that displays the glory of Jesus Christ…” It means the dark kingdom’s blinding and bondage needs God’s help to see the obvious, to understand the miraculous… Jesus!
Second… Romans 3:22,23 “There is no difference between Jew and Gentile. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” The sin nature that we are ALL born with doesn’t want God’s help.
From the time we are children we naturally want total freedom to live our lives without anyone, especially Holy God, telling us HOW to live our lives, isn’t that true? But the God who created us and gives us every breath we ever breathe, that Almighty God, says to us, ‘I love you more than you can ever imagine and I’ve designed you to live life to the fullest as you live in a close, loving, forgiven relationship with Jesus!’ But a very large percentage of the people in most places respond by saying ‘No thank you, God, I’d rather do life on my own.‘ OH my, that is so sad. Such a waste of a wonderful lifetime! But God is patient… and that’s why God keeps offering His hope and help found only in Jesus. Are you thankful for God’s patience?
Dr. Luke tells us in Acts 15:30-34 that the people of Syrian Antioch were thrilled at the news and the letter Paul, Barnabas, Silas and Barsabas brought to them from Jerusalem. The next days must have been wonderful as the multi-ethnic, multi-cultural Messianic Jew & Gentile Jesus followers in Antioch celebrated their salvation found ONLY in Jesus and their unity as redeemed followers of Jesus.
Pause. Are you and I experiencing this type of joy and loving community with the Jesus followers in your city and mine? I hope so! And if so, it should be contagious, drawing other people to Jesus. Is it?
The ‘lessons learned’ notes are ready for you at the link below and a wonderful worship song of celebrating Jesus and His transforming work in our lives. And tomorrow we’ll have a special experience together here.
Today’s Scripture: Acts 15:22-35.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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